Author's Note: This chapter is a little short but this chapter is meant to move the story along to it's next stage which will lead to the end stage of the story. So everyone enjoy! As always review and comment! ^_^
Christmas was a well needed turning point for the Son family. Since then the tension has been lessened greatly. Everyone seemed happier and life was finally starting to return to normal.
Tonight was New Year's Eve. The Son family was invited over to the Capsule Corp to watch the ball drop and usher in the new year. The Brief family had a late night cookout going and of course the saiyans were loving it. Magic filled the air, it seemed like a happy dream. A happy dream that was well welcomed after the long nightmare they had been through.
Goku and Vegeta were sparring on the front lawn. Goten and Roza watched them from the balcony. Goten watched the battle closely as he ate a BBQ chicken leg. Roza was looking up at the stars as she thought over random things.
"Hey Goten?" She said.
"Yeah?" She asked back.
She looked at him and then back at the stars, "You said your family and friends were good friends with the rulers of the universe, the Kais I think you called them, what are they like gods or something?"
Goten pondered the question and answered, "Well I don't know if I would go as far as calling them gods. They lack some of the things that make a god a god. Like they aren't immortal though they can live for tens of thousands of years, the higher ones known as Supreme Kais can live for like 75 millions years. The Kais aren't all knowing, though they do know more than anyone else because they have a massive set of records about the history of the universe, and many things about the universe and the things within it."
Goten pondered the question further and answered, "I guess they are more like highly advanced kings more than they are gods."
"You think there is anyone above the Kais?" She asked curiously.
Goten smiled, "I asked my dad that same question once. He said the Elder Supreme Kai may know about that. I changed a lot over the past 15 years, I became a lot more curious about stuff like that. Why are you so curious about this stuff."
Roza looked down, "To be honest…I'm scared. I was afraid that when I die I would be punished for eternity for the bad things I've done. I was just thinking about and wanted to ask someone who actually knows about this stuff."
"What's it like to be dead?" She asked.
Goten thought about it and answered, "Well I was dead once. When I was 7 years old. See being dead for me and most of my family and friends is different than what it is for the majority of people when they die. You see when a person dies their body dies and their soul is released from their body. Somehow the Kais set up a way where a soul is instantly transported to Other World upon death. Most people come to Other World in a spirit form that resembles a cloud. But for people who are really strong their soul takes on the shape of their body, and this is what it's like for saiyans and other people with high power levels."
"Well for strong people it doesn't sound that bad." She said.
"Well there are a lot of disadvantages to being dead. You see even for strong people who souls take on a shape similar to their bodies, there are some drawbacks. For one a soul is a lot more vulnerable than a living person because if the soul is destroyed then that person wont exist anymore, as such protecting a soul is extremely important. This is why souls aren't allowed to leave Other World. In Other World they are much more protected then they would be in the physical universe. Of course there is another draw back, you see souls can't remain in the physical universe for very long. There are certain forces in the physical universe which can easily destroy a soul, this is another reason why souls aren't allowed to leave Other World. Although some souls can, like my dad did once but only for very short amounts of time, like a day or so. These forces though don't exist in Other World so it's a perfect place for souls." Goten explained.
Roza looked stunned, "Dang….I guess many people don't know about this."
Goten laughed, "Nope. Then again most people don't save the universe on a regular basis."
Roza looked down. Goten noticed and rubbed her back, "Hey…listen King Yemma, the guy who judges souls after death, he owes my dad a few favors. So don't worry when you die I promise you're not going to be punished."
Roza looked at Goten and kissed him passionately, "You're amazing Son Goten. You know things most people don't, you've seen more than most people ever see, and not too mention you have the biggest heart I've ever seen or felt."
She hugged him gently and cuddled her head in his chest, "I love you. I'm so lucky to be able to call you my boyfriend. You're the most wonderful boy a girl could ever want. You're incredibly strong yet so gentle, you've met the rulers of the universe, you've died and come back, you've been through a living hell in your life and yet you still forgive someone like me."
"Not to mention I'm the son of Goku…" Goten said proudly.
"How did you come back to life?" She asked.
Goten smiled and said, "The Dragon Balls. Seven magic orbs forged from the mystic energies of the universe by a member of the Namekian race. When gathered together the energies are released and take on the form of a dragon who will grant you a wish."
"I see…." She said.
Goten could hear the countdown to New Year's starting and looked into Roza's eyes, "Speaking of wishes…there's one wish only you can grant me."
He bowed on one knee and pulled out a small box from his pocket, "The first time I tried this I didn't have a ring…so this time let's do it right. Roza will you marry me" He opened the box to reveal a beautiful gold ring with a sparkling diamond.
Roza was taken by surprise. She kneeled down and kissed his lips softly, "My answer is the same as the first time…yes I will marry you Son Goten."
With that the cheers of the whole town could be heard shouting, "Happy New Years!"
But this new year which started with the light of a new hope was also stained with a hint of darkness. Watching the celebration from the skies above was Roza's brother. He floated in the sky plotting what he could do next. Where his plans went from here. Then his look focused in on Pan who was with her mother and father near the pool.
"They have no idea what is coming…." Roza's brother said to himself.