Chapter 25
"Oh no!" Bulma gasped stopping dead in her tracks then dropping the hot cup of coffee she had
in her hands. The crashing sound gained the attention of a certain grumpy Saiyan with ultra sensitive hearing.
"What are you breaking now woman?" Vegeta demanded coming in from another room to see
what all the commotion coming from the kitchen was.
Bulma didn't immediately answer him back in her usual matter of yelling insults at
him. Insults that almost always consisted of the phrases such as, "stupid monkey" or "barbaric Neanderthal. If she was really mad then she would throw an object somewhere amongst those insults. Sadly the cup of steaming hot coffee that was in her hands that would have made an ideal object to throw was now broken its contents spilt on the floor.
"Snap out of it woman." Vegeta ordered standing before Bulma who was wearing an eerie blank expression on her face. He didn't like what was going on and insisted it'd stop. A bad feeling had been plaguing him all morning like a dark cloud hanging over his head. The current situation wasn't helping put his fears at ease.
"Bra." Bulma whispered their daughter's name. It was barely above an audible whisper but the alarm in the tone was unmistakable.
"What about Bra?" Vegeta shook her slightly trying to get an answer out of her when she didn't continue.
"She's…." Bulma couldn't bring herself to say the awful truth out loud. The truth she felt deep inside her soul like only a mother's intuition knew….
"Son of a bitch!" Bra cursed staring up at what couldn't be anything else other than King Yemma. The one and only judge of souls.
That could only mean one thing. Bra was dead. She had actually died. The head strong Saiyan Princess had always believed she wasn't afraid of death. Why would she? When she would quickly be wished back with the dragon balls by her loved once if she ever died before her time. But even with that safety net actually dying was a whole different story. Faced with her mortality she couldn't help, but feel undeniable fear.
"No. No. No. No!" Bra thought refusing to accept where she was and what that ultimately meant.
King Yemma hadn't noticed her yet so the stealthy young woman decided her best course of action was to just leave. In her blind state of denial Bra reasoned to herself that if she left the place than everything would be alright. That somehow her soul, if that was what she currently only was, would simply return to her body back in the living world.
"You! With the body! Halt!" A booming voice called out after she had slowly turned around and began quietly walking towards the door. Bra had wrongfully rationalized that she was so small the gigantic ogre would never noticed her.
The attractive young woman was used to hearing references being made about her body. After all she had a pretty nice body. It had gotten her on the cover of magazines and tons of admirers. However, this time she knew the ogre wasn't trying to hit on her or compliment her. He was just singling her out by her unique physical trait. After all she was the only one still in a body everyone else stripped down to a puffy cloud of a soul.
Even though she knew he meant her, Bra defiantly ignored his order and continued to walk away like nothing was happening. She didn't get far when the ogres booming voiced yelled "Stop!" It literally shook the entire room causing her to reluctantly stop her attempt at escaping. He wasn't messing around. The spoiled girl knew this was one situation she wasn't going to be able to charm her way out of.
"Great. I've died and now I'm going to hell." Bra mumbled under her breath as she unwillingly turned around to face the judge.
"That is yet to be decided." King Yemma responded making it known he had heard her.
"Name?" King Yemma asked in not so loud a voice, but still with every bit of authority.
"Bra Vegeta Briefs." The Saiyan Princess answered with her full name. She wasn't sure how formal she had to respond so she decided to give her full name. Better safe than sorry.
"Vegeta?" King Yemma repeated to make sure he had heard the young lady correctly.
"I take it you remember my dad." Bra had to suppress the urge to laugh. By the shocked look on the judge of souls face and the worry tone in his exclamation there was no doubt her dad was one soul he hadn't forgotten.
Her dad's reputation preceded him. Vegeta had bragged he had left quiet an impression on King Yemma. Claiming he had persuaded the divine being into allowing him to return to the realm of the living in order to help fight Evil Buu. However, many of the Z fighters believed there was more to the story then what he was letting on. That he had actually threaten and bullied the gate keeper until he got his way.
"Um. Well. Yes. His was a special case." King Yemma finally answered. He was obviously putting it nicely. For an ogre he seemed to care an awful lot about being politically correct.
Bra fought back the desire to roll her eyes and say something sarcastic. Or perhaps at least clue him in that he didn't have to sugar coat things for her. Yet, common sense told her not to piss off the guy in charge of deciding whether she went to heaven or hell. When your fate rests in the hands of another it's a good idea to be on good terms with that someone. The one in complete control of your afterlife.
"So are you going to pass judgment on me now?" Bra asked as politely as she possibly could given the circumstances.
The infamous phrase "things couldn't possibly get any worse" applied in this situation because if she was truly dead then there really couldn't be anything worse. Well, except being sent to hell for all eternity. That would be worse and then the phenomena that every time someone said things couldn't get any worse the situation would be jinxed and things would indeed become worse. The waiting to find out if that was her fate was unbearable. She just wanted to know one way or the other.
"I would, but I can't seem to find your file." King Yemma admitted as he rustled through all the papers on his gigantic desk. He seemed flustered and embarrassed that he didn't have her file on hand. So unprepared for such a professional.
Bra was not happy about this. She desperately wanted to get her judgment over with. She had an awful feeling of where she might end up but tried to convince herself she hadn't done anything so evil as to warrant eternal punishment. She tried hard not to let the bitchy brat side of her take over and scoff an attitude towards the ill prepared judge. So she stayed quiet as he continued to sift through paper after file after paper on his unorganized messy desk.
"I don't understand. This has never happened before." King Yemma said more to himself than an apology to Bra for misplacing or possibly even losing her file. A soul's file held crucial information and that would be what he would base his decision on. Again she said nothing. Instead she just waited impatiently for the ogre's next move.
"I'll just have my assistant escort you to a waiting area while I figure this out." King Yemma finally said. Before Bra could say anything to the contrary a smaller different color ogre appeared next to her.
"Dear Dende!" Bra exclaimed a little startled. He latterly appeared out of nowhere catching her completely off guards.
"This way miss." The smaller ogre, well still a little taller than her, motioned towards a door on the side wall that she could swear wasn't there before. Seeing no reason to stick around Bra did as she was instructed and followed him.
She observed her surroundings as she followed closely behind him down a hall. It seemed to be a normal ordinary hallway. Identical to one you could find in any large office building. So much that they had passed several close doors that probably lead into individual offices. It was while passing one of those office doors that Bra caught her reflection in one of the office door windows. Her reflection almost caused her to burst into tears.
The vain formal amateur model didn't cry because her hair wasn't perfect or because her makeup was messed up. It was because she saw something in her reflection that was undeniable proof that she was undeniably dead. A halo. A simple gold ring magically floating directly over her head. It was the most shocking sight to see herself with a hallo over her head. It was the ultimate sign she really was dead.
"Is there something wrong miss?" The assistants question pulled her out of her emotional shock.
"Um not really." Bra lied tarring her gaze away from her reflection.
"Nothing except I'm dead and your boss can't find my file so I don't know if I'm going to heaven or hell." Bra bitterly thought as she walked to catch up to him. He had been a few feet ahead of her before he noticed she had stopped.
"Is there anything I can get you?" The assistant ogre offered sensing her sadness. Bra guessed they didn't get too many visitors still in their bodies that could talk back. The poor guy was probably deprived of normal conversations.
"What? Like coffee?" Bra incorrectly assumed he was offering her something to drink or eat.
"No. Souls don't need to eat or drink." The assistant corrected the quickly regretted it when he noticed his answer upset the young woman. It was just another tragic reminder she was not a member of the living anymore.
"I meant is there a loved one that has passed away you would like to see again?" The assistant quickly explained his offer.
Bra knew he probably meant a grandparent or some other person. Both her grandparents on her mom side where still alive. She even got to see them often since they lived on the same Capsule Corps property. Her grandparent on her father's side she had never met since they perished on Planet Vegeta when he was just a boy.
There was only one loved one she wanted to see. She didn't even have to think twice. She was about to tell him so when they arrived to the so called waiting area. To Bra's overwhelming surprise there laying on the couch curled up into a little ball was a small black dog with his own halo above his little head.
"YUKI!" Bra cried unable to control herself.
In a flash she had him in her arms. Hugging him. Kissing him. Telling him how much she loved him and had missed him over and over. For his part Yuki allowed his mommy to indulge herself in showering if not smothering him with love and affection. He hated kisses and would often growl whenever Bra tried. She always thought it was funny and would do it more to purposely make him mad. For this special reunion the small dog did not protest since he was equally as happy to see her.
Bra couldn't help feel life was perfect now that she had Yuki back. Although noticing the halo over his furry little head she had to correct the statement to the afterlife was perfect. Indeed having him made her not care that she was dead. She wasn't even dreading being judged anymore. She could endure anything as long as she had her precious child with paws back…..
"Why are you wearing that?" Goten asked as he walked into the ships control room to find his best friend dressed in one of his old Galaxy Police officer's uniform.
"To go undercover with you, sir!" Trunks saluted Goten.
The corporate CEO had been rehearsing his best military dog impersonation all morning. The experienced fighter thought he had done an excellent job in his portrayal of a Galaxy Police officers. However, the displeased looked on his friend's face told him otherwise. He could tell by Goten's silence that he wasn't amused.
"You're not going." Goten put a quick end to any ideas of playing dress up or secret spy.
The commanding officer had had enough trouble with unauthorized outside help recently. He had learned the hard way it only got in the way of official Galaxy Police business. Sadly it proved to only succeed in making a huge mess of things. A huge mess that was his responsibility to clean up weather he wanted to or not.
Any other time Trunks would have made a joke about Goten taking things too seriously. That or he would have put up more of a fight to get his way. However, he knew not to push his diligent friend on this subject. This was his turf. For once the roles where reverse and it was the Son who was in charge. Respectfully the purple haired demi Saiyan dropped the subject. Not to say someone else didn't pick it right back up.
"Not you too." Goten sighed as Marron walked in wearing a female officer's uniform.
"What? I have to dress the part of a Galaxy Police Officers to go with you right?" Marron said before she could process what Trunks waving his arms in the air behind Goten meant. He was of course trying to signal her to stop and abort their plan.
It failed and he was even caught in mid charades when Goten turned and caught him with his arms still in the air. To hide his involvement Trunks laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of his head in a manner more befitting a Son than a Brief. The person in charge turned his attention back to their female companion.
"Where did you even get that from?" Goten asked knowing perfectly well that he had no female officer uniforms packed for this trip. Why would he? He wasn't expecting them to come at all.
"I brought it from headquarters." Marron answered honestly. Whether she had charmed one from a fellow officer or merely "borrowed" it from some unsuspecting canident wasn't of importance. It was needlessly obtain since it wasn't going to be needed.
"You guys stay here." Goten instructed as he turned and walked towards the door leading out of the control room.
Having missed his earlier order that they sit this one out, Marron opened her mouth to protest. Before she could say a word to the contrary Trunks swiftly appeared at her side and clamped a hand firmly over her mouth preventing her from talking. He knew the feisty blondes respond was going to be to try to bite him so he was going to whisper his reason for doing that when Goten abruptly stopped and turned around. He barely had enough time to pull his hand away.
"Please stay out of trouble." Goten pleaded sounding more like his good nature self than the tough military leader Trunks had witness only moments earlier.
"Saiyan's honor." Trunks raised his hand as if swearing an oath. Marron still out of the loop simply nodded.
Trusting that they would not go against his orders Goten left to speak with the head of the base regarding the Star Burst ship sighting. Once they were certain he was off the ship the two friends turned to each other.
"What did you stop me for?" Marron demanded slightly peeved at his intrusion.
"I thought we were going to help him whether he wanted it or not." She added before he had a chance to answer her first question.
"We were, but not anymore." Trunks insisted.
"Why not? We could be helping him by questioning witnesses. Or investigating other leads while he's tied up with this one. Or going out in one of the shuttles and searching ourselves." Marron hated standing around and doing nothing while Goten shouldered all the stress of searching for their loved ones.
"Maybe the best way we can help Goten is by just being here with him and providing him moral support." Trunks spoke in all seriousness.
"Okay who are you and what have you done with Trunks?" Marron wasn't buying it.
"I'm serious. Goten made it very clear that he wants to handle this on his own. He's already stressing out about finding them he doesn't need us causing him more worry by getting involved and possibly making things worse." Trunks explained.
Marron paused and took a moment to let all that sink in. What he said made perfect sense. It was the logical thing to do. That's why it was the opposite of what the spoiled play boy would usually do. Their best intentions could keep making a mess of things. Trunks and Goten must have had a heart to heart understanding she missed out on. She decided to believe him and trust in what he was saying.
"Fine." Marron sighed begrudgingly agreeing as she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the control panel.
"But that doesn't mean I like it. Or that you acting this way doesn't make me suspect you're some sort of imposter." Marron added.
"You know I have a thing for women in uniform." Trunks smirked looking her over with a sly gleam in his blue eyes.
"And he's back." Marron welcomed back the confident ladies man she had known all her life…..
Time flowed differently in the afterworld much like it did in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. There were no hours or minutes to keep track of time passing by. There wasn't a night or day. If there was no need for a soul to eat or drink than sleep was probably not necessary either. Which was fine with Bra. She wouldn't have wanted to sleep anyways. She just wanted to hold Yuki and never let him out of her sight.
She would have been more than satisfied to stay in that waiting lobby. Never knowing her judgment or final fate. She could stay in limbo forever. Or purgatory whatever you wanted to call the place between heaven and hell. It suited the Saiyan Princess just fine as long as she could stay with Yuki. If that saying was true and all dogs went to heaven than she would happily go there if that was her verdict. However, if there were no dogs or animals in heave, well then she didn't want to go there.
Bra was too wrapped up in what was most precious to her. That which had been lost and now returned to her was now wrapped up in her arms. So happy that she didn't notice the ogre assistants return. He had politely waited for her to notice him. However, when that was obviously not going to happen he tried to gently get her attention by clearing his throat. That didn't work. He was going to have to be more direct.
"Excuse me miss?" The assistant ogre finally spoke up enough to pull the girls attention from her dog. If only to look up at him with a look that said "What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy? Idiot."
"King Yemma is ready to see you again." The ogre who she never bother to ask let alone learn his name reported.
"You can bring her with you of course." He added feeling the negative energy flooding the room.
"Him." Bra corrected getting up with Yuki in her arms cradling him against her protectively.
"He's a boy." Bra glared as she passed by him knowing the way back to the judge's desk.
If Yuki could talk he'd probably tell his mommy it was mostly her fault he was constantly being mistaken for a girl. I mean she did dress him up in purple and a diamond collar. Even though deep down she knew she was to blame for his gender confusion she still couldn't hold back from biting people's heads off who dared call him a her.
The poor assistant merely apologized and followed her back to King Yemma's office. When they arrived he considerately announced her arrival then excused himself and left the room. This was a private matter of upmost personal discussion. What was going to be said was only for the soul being judged and no one else to hear. Living or not.
"Bra Vegeta Briefs." King Yemma called her forth motioning her to approach his desk.
"Yes?" Bra was over being anxious about his verdict. Now she just wanted to know if she would be permitted to stay with Yuki. If she got that then everything else would be manageable. Even hell. Maybe. What he said next changed everything completely.
"The reason why I couldn't find your file earlier was because you're not supposed to be here." King Yemma cut right to the chase.
"What?" Bra couldn't believe it. She thought she knew what he meant but she could be wrong so she needed him to be more clear before she could fully react.
"You're technically not dead." King Yemma confirmed her suspicions.
"Then why am I here?" Bra asked confused. If she wasn't dead why was she in the afterlife? It didn't make any sense.
"The only possible explanation is you want to be here." King Yemma theorized.
Bra was going to objected, but found herself unable to. She couldn't deny the claim since she herself didn't know if it was true. Her last living memories were of not putting up much of a fight to swim to the surface. She could have drown on her own accord because she just didn't care to go on living. It wouldn't have been the first time in the last couple of weeks she found herself practically welcoming death with open arms. There was the hot spring incident. And then nearly failing to avoid 17's attack which could have killed her.
"Even though your possible desire to cross over to this realm brought you here there's still someone on the other side fighting to keep you there." King Yemma revealed calling forth what looked like a giant crystal ball onto his desk. Bra resisted the urge to ask if he had bought that from Master Roshi's older sister Baba in a fortunetelling garage sale or something.
"See for yourself." King Yemma invited pushing the crystal ball off his desk. Instead of falling like a heavy rock onto the floor and breaking, it floated slowly down to Bra's eye level and levitated there. Then it revealed a scene currently playing out back on the ice planet she had been on.
Bra flinched. The sight of herself back in the living world on the verge of death was painful to watch. The out of body experience was surreal. She saw herself in the crystal ball lying on a black blanket perhaps on the ice ground. She was soaking wet, her skin pale as snow and her lips a light shade of blue. The discoloration was either from the cold or the lack of oxygen. She wasn't sure.
The Saiyan Princess wanted to look away, but she couldn't. It was like watching a train wreck. She just couldn't pull herself away from watching it. Bra saw someone fussing over her. She knew it could only be one person. The only other being on the entire planet. She couldn't see his face because he was bent down over her, his long raven hair covering his profile. That's when she noticed her clothing was ripped exposing her bare torso except for her undergarment.
Bra was about to excuse the android of being a pervert and taking advantage of her in her passed out state. She couldn't defend herself. Even she didn't think he would do something so low. Especially since she had offered herself before and he had shot her down. Maybe it was a sick perversion he preferred his victims out cold. Literally. But she quickly saw that wasn't the case at all.
"Come on!" She heard him say as he pressed on her chest in a rhythmic matter. He didn't miss a beat as he performed the delicate compressions. She watched silently as he leaned down over her face and put his mouth over hers. For a moment she reverted to her theory that he was a pervert.
"I won't lose." Bra heard him say loud and clear. As if swearing to himself he would make damn sure he didn't allow her to die. That's when she realized a little late that he was performing CPR on her. He was the one keeping her from fully crossing over.
"The choice is ultimately up to you." King Yemma spoke once he felt she had seen enough to understand what or more precisely who was still fighting for her to stay alive. It was crucial information she needed so she could begin to make an informed and educated decision.
At first the large ogre thought perhaps she hadn't heard him. She didn't respond. Bra stood motionless focusing intently on what was playing on the crystal ball. King Yemma could see it from where he sat at his desk so he knew it was just her companion relentlessly performing CPR on her physical body. He wasn't prepared for her hesitating. In all his infinite time as final judge to the gates of the afterlife no one had ever had this problem.
No one had ever turned down an opportunity to go back to the world of the living. The deceased jumped at the chance, though that happened rarely. Often souls begged and pleaded for a second chance at life. Even some souls going to heaven would rather return to the world of the living instead of spending eternity in paradise. As crazy as it may sound this might be the first time someone wanted to voluntarily stay dead.
While searching for the young woman's file he had consulted King Kai on the matter. Having past personal experience with the Saiyans as well as some of Earth's strongest fighter he had a real insight for those who were still needed on the other side. Without giving too much detail King Kai had cryptically said she was unquestionably still needed. That the Saiyan Princess unaware of it to herself would play a vital role in Earth's fate someday.
"Before you make up your mind perhaps a glimpse at how your loved ones would be affected." King Yemma offered. Never would he reveal his true intention for doing so.
Bra stood unmoving as the image changed to that of her mother on the floor crying inconsolably. She immediately recognized it as the kitchen floor of the Capsule Corps mansion. Her mother's sobs broke her heart. It was almost unbearable to see her mother who usually had her emotions in check crying so uncontroablly.
She only half heard King Yemma explain that this was happening in real time. This wasn't a glimpse of the future of what her parent's reaction would be once they received news of her death. He didn't have the power to show the future. This was all happening because Bulma had a feeling something was terrible had happened to her daughter. It was proof of the age old argument that mothers had a sixth sense when it came to their children.
If she wasn't already dead the sight of her mother like that would be killing Bra. She was wrecked with guilt. She felt ashamed she could cause her mother so much pain. She guessed it was true what some people said. That a parent should never outlive their children. That losing a child was much worse than losing a parent, a spouse, or any other form of loved one.
The guilt continuously ate at her insides as Bra watched her father try to calm the hysterical woman down in his own rough way. She couldn't imagine how her death would affect her dad. He would be devastated of course, but how he would grieve was up to anyone's guess. He could be consumed with anger and in a fit of violence destroy part of the city. Or he could run off into space to grieve privately. No matter what it would probably forever change him in a bad way.
Seeing as how this was weakening the stubborn girl's resolve to stay dead King Yemma decided to push further. He changed the channel on the crystal ball to that of her older brother. Bra was confused at the sight of him in a Galaxy Police Officer's uniform. Could her devolution into a criminal have caused him to take up the fight of brining her to justice?
As if having read her mind King Yemma explained Trunks was only helping in the search for her. With him was another volunteer. Their friend Marron also dressed the part of an officer of galaxy law. Bra's only logical explanation for their attire was that they were somehow working with Goten. As if on cue the Son himself appeared. He looked physically and emotional drained. There was a stern look on his face that was out of place on his kind features.
She listened in as he reported what he knew to his two friends. Which wasn't much. The witnesses could only tell him in which direction the ship had went. It wasn't much of a lead since the ship could have turned several times or even Star Burst putting them in a different area of the universe all together. He was notably frustrated and agitated. So out of character that his friends didn't prod for more information. They let him leave to plan out their next move.
The "channel" once again changed this time to an empty room. Empty only for a moment before Goten entered it. He sat down on what was probably his bed in his quarters. He held his head down in possible shame. He was ashamed he hadn't found Bra yet. He couldn't even face her older brother knowing they were no closer in finding her safe and sound. He needed to be alone to collect his thoughts and find motivation. Lucky for him he always carried inspiration on him.
Bra watched as Goten took something out of uniforms chest pocket. The crystal ball camera zoomed in the object he had pulled out. It was a picture. More specifically it was a picture of her in a cheerleading uniform back when she was on her college squads. She honestly didn't remember even giving him that picture. The fact that he kept it next to his heart tugged at her own heart.
"I promise. I will find you. I won't rest until you're back home safely." Goten spoke to the picture with such sincerity it almost made the Saiyan Princess regret putting him thru this. She secretly wished he didn't care about her. That he would simply forget about her and go on with his life. His life that was probably drama free before she was thrown back into it.
"So have you made up your mind?" King Yemma inquired.
"Is there any way I can take him back with me? Even if he keeps the halo?" Bra asked obviously referring to Yuki who she held in her arms.
"I'm sorry, no." King Yemma shook his head.
"Why not? You allowed my father to return to the living world while he was still technically dead and still had the halo over his head." Bra argued.
"That was a special case." King Yemma reasoned. She knew she couldn't compare the two but that didn't mean she wasn't going to try. Sensing she was still on the fence the ogre return the crystal ball to the original channel.
Bra once again had to watch 17, who she thought would be glad to be rid of her fighting so desperately to save her life. He was still religiously performing CPR on her, put then he suddenly stopped. Had he finally given up? Was she no longer going to have a choice in the matter? Was this the end of her?
Then with a spark in his ice blue eyes the android rubbed his hands together then placed them over her heart sending a jolt of electricity thru her entire body.
Authors Note- Dedicated to my Yuki who turns 4 years old today. He's the best dog in the world. I love him so much that when he eventually passes away I'll probably be so devastated I'll have to be hospitalized.