Cyborg Gothic

Part 30

I found it hard to believe, but it was true I had been living in this crazy dimension for more than a year, two years in fact if I counted the day spent inside the Chamber of Time and Spirit.

In all those months I'd seen some vstrange things and met some very interesting people. I'd walked on the surface of alien worlds, I'd even been to the afterlife and then back again. I'd also met beings from across the universe and been trained to fight by a god.

However what I saw in the mirror at this moment was a sight far more bizarre: me in a tux about to get married. It was an idea harder to grasp than anything else I had experienced so far despite having seen both Heaven and Hell.

Having Android 16 as my best man was nearly as odd, but out of all the people in this world and beyond, he was the being I was closest too. After all for a while we had technically been the same person, and if we hadn't separated after my fusion with Goku we still would be.

"Are you prepared?" asked Sixteen.

I checked myself in the mirror again and found that I was at least ready in the sense that I was dressed, and the one good thing about reverse fusing with the android was that my hair wasn't blue anymore.

"As I'll ever be" I replied.

During my adventures I'd faced many dangerous foes. Cell, Vegeta, and Broly just name a few, yet the idea of fighting them all at once filled with me less fear than getting married.

"I am looking forward to the ceremony" 16 told me.

That didn't surprise me while the android didn't have the full range of human emotions he'd always had a soft spot for 17, 18 and myself. We were in some sense his siblings, since we were all Gero's handiwork.

"I'll be much happier when its over" I commented while checking the time "Marriage is fine, its the wedding that scares me",

Then I nervously looked at myself in the mirror yet again. I couldn't help but straighten my tie needlessly, and then I turned to face Yamcha, who was sitting on couch behind me.

"Do I look okay?" I asked.

At first I'd had no idea why he was he here as we weren't that close, but now I was thinking that he was to keep an eye on me and to talk me out of running away should I panic. Plus I didn't exactly have a lot of friends so I was grateful he was here.

"Just comb your hair" the fighter said "Its still a bit messy at the back.

I followed the human's instructions, then I looked back into the reflective surface.

"How about now?" I inquired.

Yamcha smiled.

"Much better" he said.

Then I started pacing. Which made Yamcha chuckled, and my nervous energy had to be detectable as Krillin entered the room with a look of concern on his face.

"Calm down" the short guy urged "Everything will be okay as long as no one panics".

I'd been attempting to do just that, but Krillin seemed nervous about something so now I was worried that something bad had happened.

"Oh no please don't tell me something's gone wrong" I pleaded.

I'd once seen 18 kill a man because the clothes in a store weren't up to her standard. If someone had delivered the wrong flowers then she might level half of Capsule Corp.

"Everything is fine" Krillin assured "Now".

That calmed me down just for a moment.

"You mean things weren't fine before?" I asked.

I was tempted to put my hand on Krillin's shaved head and read his mind, as I could do that now, but I restrained myself.

"There was a slight issue with Little Lapis earlier" the small fighter admitted "Nothing major, so just relax".

Little Lapis was my son. I'd not known that he even existed until I'd been wished back with the Dragon Balls as I'd been under the impression that that Broly had ended that life very early on. The pregnancy had been restored by use of the Dragon Balls on Naamak, although not on purpose, it had been a happy accident.

Eighteen had decided not to tell me because there had been nothing I could do help her while I was dead, and it would have been worse for me knowing that I had a kid I couldn't see on a regular bases. Plus ever since I'd lost my Perfect Form I'd been training with King Kai like crazy in order to become top dog again.

I had wondered for a while why she didn't have Goku bring her to King Kai's planet, then I'd figured that she'd just not wanted to teleport around once she had discovered she was pregnant. This was wise as Instant Transmission was not the safest way to travel.

Plus I had gone to lengths to point out that being dead meant I wasn't part of the living world. She had taken it to heart.

Little Lapis, was named after Eighteen's twin brother who had been absorbed by Cell. I'd not been consulted in naming the baby, but I wasn't too bad about that as Lapis sounded far less silly that what some of the kids around here were called.

"What happened?" I asked.

Hopefully 18 hadn't blown anyone or anything up.

"Let's just say something got spilled" Krillin said "But really there's no need for alarm Chi-Chi was able to handle it. I don't know how that woman can dry clean a wedding dress using only what she carries in her handbag, but I am grateful she can".

Goku and his scary wife were going to renew their vows this afternoon, after 18 and I tied the knot. so I imagined that Chi-Chi had prepared for the worst.

Bulma then knocked on door and then after asking if I was dressed she entered the room. So far she was displaying more manners than anyone else had so far.

"She's ready" I was then told.

I sucked in a breath, and tried to sooth my frayed nerves.

(Line Break)

Because the Briefs family was the richest in the world, they didn't so much have a house as they did their own small town. There were a number of buildings here, one of which I was going to live in, and the backyard was more than big enough for a wedding

By the looks of things 18 and Bulma had planned everything well in advance. There was a huge wooden arch on a raised platform and it was decorated with white flowers, also there was a long purple coloured carpet leading straight toward the arch from the back door of the largest building. On either side of the carpet were many white chairs were on each side.

What surprised me most was that 18 had decided to invite everyone we knew, this was odd because while I wouldn't say that she hated people, she didn't seem to care much about them. I put it down to becoming a mother, having a child could change even the most stubborn of people.

While I was trying to distract myself by thinking it didn't last long so I ended up standing under the arch, watching everyone scramble to their seats as the music started playing. It was so tempting to fly or even teleport away, and at least part of the reason I didn't was because of that damned magical Frying Pan.

When I saw Eighteen come out of the main building the idea running away suddenly seemed ludicrous. My soon to be wife looked amazing, she had on a beautiful, long white strapless gown that showed off enough her breasts to be sexy without being sluttish. At the waist the whole thing became big enough to hide a couple of other women inside, but somehow she managed to make it look elegant.

She also had a bouquet of white flowers and she held them with white gloves that went up to her elbows. I also noted that the single women around, the few there were, had their eyes on those flowers. Like on my world it was believed here that whoever caught those flowers would be the next to get married.

Then my attention was drawn to 18's eyes, she was the centre of attention right now and she was not used to people looking at her, but I could tell that she was really happy.

"Do I give them the rings now?" 16 asked King Kai.

Since neither I or my soon to be wife were members of any faith people practised in this world I'd asked King Kai to officiate the wedding. He was after all in charge of this part of the universe, and despite the fact that I'd gone on to lose the Otherworldly Tournament he still seemed to like me.

"Not just yet" the blue being said.

There was no rush, we could let everyone admire the bride for a little while longer.

(Line Break)

It wasn't until the end of the reception hours after the wedding and the renewed vows that the fact I was now married really sank in. Despite my total lack of a digestive system I felt as if there were a few dozen butterflies were hanging around in my stomach.

I was embarrassed by all the attention and while 18 didn't normally go for public displays of affection, she'd done the whole hand holding thing and we'd even kissed in front of everyone.

The reception had gone well, although I had worried for a few moments if the Brief family might go bankrupt after feeding Goku. Sometimes it seemed as if the Saiyan was part vacuum. He didn't so much as eat his food; he inhaled it. At one point he'd gotten into an eating contest with Vegeta of all people.

An amusing moment had been when Goku had gone up to one of the waiters and had asked for more food. The poor woman had needed to be revived. Thankfully Chi-Chi even had smellling salts in her purse.

Somehow the caterers had managed to rustle up enough food to feed the rest of the hungry human wedding guests. For once I was glad that I didn't need to eat as by time I could have gotten to the buffet there would have only been a few sandwiches left.

Fortunately if presented with the bill I would be able to pay it as after months of work Capsule Corp mobile phones were on the shelves, and already newer models were being put together so people everywhere would soon have camera phones.

Also there had been all those other silly traditions such as cutting the cake, speech making, dancing, and the bouquet tossing had been accomplished with only one minor casualty; and that had been Krillin's ex so it was no big deal. I figured a concussion would improve her IQ, and she had caught the flowers.

Another new and already fond memory was what had happened to Yamcha after he said 'Have a good time and don't wear her out' while the honeymoon was being discussed. Seeing Bulma slap the scarred man had been so amusing.

"Oh there you are!" Eighteen called out when she spotted me "Planning your next adventure already?".

While I had indeed been staring into space my thoughts had very much been Earth based.

"No I was just thinking about how well things went today" I told her.

I then noticed that she was carrying our baby. Most people in our situation would have gotten married before the birth, but for us that hadn't been an option what with me having a halo.

At least the little guy was asleep most of the time, and while like other babies he needed feeding every few hours, that wasn't much of burden when the mother didn't need to sleep at all.

"Would you hold him" she requested.

I took Little Lapis into my arm. Of course that was when he woke up and started crying.

"He needs feeding" 18 said "I'll go and get his bottle. I can't breastfeed in this dress it took two people just to get me into it".

As my wife raced off I took a moment to check out the back of her dress, and given the complex way it was all tied up I believed her about needing help to put it on.

"So you stop crying as soon as she's gone" I then said to Little Lapis "I bet you just wanted her fuss over you".

Given that Eighteen wasn't the most affectionate person on the planet it would understandable to think that she wouldn't dote on anyone, but as it turned out came to our son she was as very loving. I figured that he'd been in pre-school before I got any real attention from my new spouse. I was already jealous.

"And as for the breastfeeding" I then said "There yours for now, but I will take them back. Be warned".

Little Lapis just started up into the sky, and very soon I found out why. There was a shooting star going right over our heads, and by the looks of things it was going to land down on the beach.

In fact it did as there was a boom, and just before it hit I saw it clearly enough to discover that it wasn't a lump of rock it was actually a sphere made out of metal. I reached out with my Ki senses and I detected a very high power level, and I was sure it wasn't human or even Saiyan.

By the time 18 got back several of Earth's defenders were flying overhead, and I felt a strong desire to go join them.

"You should go" urged my wife "They might need your help".

I hesitated for a moment, but not for long as I could tell that she had really meant what she had just said so I kissed both members of my small family, and then I took the sky.

It was time to do what I did best. Which was to kick some ass.

The End.