Chapter 10 – Confronting Fears
The news of Freeza's arrival caused quite a stir among the kitchen staff. Lemo spun to face them. "Any of you know where to find shelter in this building?" he asked.
"We'll start gathering as many people as we can," said the co-head chef.
"Alright. I'll go find Vegeta and Broly," Lemo said. Everyone then split off. No time to clear the table. No time for cleaning until the looming threat was resolved.
Finding Vegeta and Broly wasn't as difficult for Lemo once they had met halfway. "Vegeta! Freeza's-!"
"We know. Bulma and her father built a shelter under the building to evacuate everyone," Vegeta said. "Broly, wait outside. I'll see to the evacuation."
The pair ran off to gather employees, informing others to spread out so they can start grouping everyone.
Trunks had Bulla in his arms when he ran up to him. "Papa! That huge power coming to Earth is Freeza, isn't it?" he asked.
Vegeta nodded. "Keep Bulla safe, Trunks. Start leading everyone to the shelters. You know where to go."
"Right! What about Uncle Broly? Is he fighting with you?" Trunks asked. Bulla tried to reach for her father but was only met with a light pat on her head by the Saiyan prince.
"I'd rather avoid involving Broly, if possible," Vegeta said. He patted Trunks's head as well. "Go."
Bulla cried out for her father as Trunks sprinted away, reaching out for him. Lemo stepped forward to follow them. The commotion was not something he wanted to witness after receiving praise from the God of Destruction. "Good thing Cheelai's not here," he said. He then looked Vegeta in the eye with a grin. "And Vegeta? Go kick his butt."
Vegeta mirrored Lemo's grin before they split off. Rejoining Broly outside, the Saiyan pair stared at the sky, waiting for the vessel to show itself.
"Does Kakarrot know as well?" Broly asked.
"He'll be here," Vegeta said.
The effects of Freeza's energy could be felt elsewhere around Metro West. There was a sudden shift in tension with the citizens, as though an ominous feeling tickled the back of their heads. It was more apparent with Krillin as he was seated with his wife, Android 18, and their daughter, Marron. He was about to put a piece of fish in his mouth when the portion fell from between his chopsticks.
"Are you okay? Your hands are shaking," 18 noted. Krillin set aside the sticks and put his safety helmet back on, latching it in place.
"Go seek shelter with Marron," he said. "Freeza's coming."
"Him again? What's his deal now?" 18 asked. It came off more annoyed than concerned since she had dealt with the likes of Freeza before. Hearing about his return so soon made her want to roll her eyes, but she could tell it affected Krillin the most.
"I don't know, but if he's coming here, it's never a good sign," Krillin said. He shared a kiss with 18 before ruffling Marron's head. "Your dad's got a lot of work to do now. You be a good girl, alright?"
"Mm!" Marron hummed. "Keep everyone safe, daddy!"
18's cheeks went a shade redder. "Go do your thing," she told him.
At the Son residences, both Goku and Gohan were about to leave for their respective fields of work when they redirected their sights to the skies.
"He's here sooner than I thought," Goku said, frowning. Videl ran out of the house, holding Pan in one arm and a bento lunch set tied neatly in a large cloth.
"Don't forget your lunch," she reminded him. "Gohan? What's wrong?"
"Go back inside with Pan," Gohan said, removing his glasses to hand them to her. "Something important has come up."
Videl could see the urgency in both Gohan and Goku's faces. "Be careful, both of you," she told them. Pan looked around, curious. Then, from behind, Piccolo approached the group.
"I'll join you," he said. "I didn't think it was necessary the last time Freeza was here, but if he's headed to Metro West, we'll need to minimize the amount of damage."
"Yeah," Goku said. He offered his arm for the both to grab as he touched his forehead with two fingers.
"Dad!" Goten shouted, running up to them. "It's Freeza, isn't it?"
"Stay home with your mother, Goten," Goku said. Goten had a protesting look on his face but reluctantly nodded. "Okay. You've got Uncle Broly fighting with you. Freeza won't know what hit him." Goten's vote of confidence was reassuring for the trio before Goku teleported.
Once the five of them were gathered together, Piccolo looked carefully at Broly. It was their first encounter, but the Namekian was still quite calm.
"Broly, it's best that you avoid fighting Freeza directly," Vegeta advised. "He'll play on your emotional state to aggravate you. So instead, let Kakarrot and I handle him while you aid Piccolo and Gohan to prevent his soldiers from attacking the city if Freeza decides to draw people in the crossfire."
"I understand," Broly said.
"You've been able to elevate your power to a certain point without losing control of your anger," Vegeta continued. "Remember what you've learned so far."
"I can see Freeza's ship!" Gohan shouted, pointing upward. "Then let's draw him away from the city!" Goku said. The five took to the air, flying away from the city to a less crowded area.
Freeza's vessel, accompanied by several smaller ships, pierced through the atmosphere to cast a looming shadow above Metro West. The five fighters stopped midway to watch the ships descend.
Vegeta scoffed when he noticed that the large vessel was not changing course, instead opting to land directly into the city several blocks away from Capsule Corporation.
"Damn it all!" Vegeta shouted. He fired a warning shot across the front of the vessel, but the tyrant occupying it looked like he knew what he was doing.
"No!" Gohan yelled. The smaller ships opened fire with a salvo aimed at Metro West. The attacks stunned the Saiyans along with Piccolo.
"We have to take them out quickly!" Goku said. He turned to Broly. "Broly! Are you still holding it together?"
"Yes," Broly said. He was frowning, but he didn't look as agitated as before. At least this was a good sign for now.
The five dispersed to counterattack the ships. Broly and Piccolo took a more physical approach while the Saiyans focused on energy attacks to down the ships.
The top hatch of Freeza's vessel slid open. Thousands of Freeza Force soldiers spilled out to intercept the five, forcing a melee.
Amidst the brawl, Freeza casually flew outside in his hovercar with his associate beside him. Vegeta locked eyes with the two, eyeing the blue-skinned woman more cautiously. He scoffed as he blocked surrounding blows from the soldiers before dispatching them with energy blasts.
He cleared a few that had flanked Goku from behind, teaming up to knock the rest with a focused energy blast. Goku glanced behind him at Freeza and the associate.
"Who's that with Freeza?" he asked.
"That's Berryblue, King Cold's closest advisor before he handed control of the military over to Freeza. She knows more than that smile of hers leads on," Vegeta explained.
"Gotcha," Goku said.
They fought off more soldiers, dwindling their numbers before Freeza raised his hand in the air. "Alright! That's quite enough, everyone! Back to the ship!" he ordered them.
Those fighting Broly, Piccolo, and Gohan all stopped as commanded. Some laughed at them before returning to the vessel.
"What's he playing at?" Vegeta said. He and Goku were the first to approach Freeza while the soldiers trickled back in the vessel via the open hatch.
"I'll prepare the ship for launch, Lord Freeza," Berryblue notified him. Freeza casually waved her off. He dismounted his hovercar and sent it back in the vessel.
Floating in the air as the remaining ships exited Earth with the vessel, the tyrant stared at the five with a delightful grin on his face.
"If it's the dragonballs you're looking for, you're out of luck for a few months!" Vegeta said. Freeza laughed.
"What would I need those for? I've come for him," he said, pointing at Broly. "And those two loathsome wish-stealing companions of his."
Broly gritted his teeth. Vegeta held his hand out, shaking his head to let him know not to get his ire riled up. "Broly isn't any of your concern! You shouldn't have come back, Freeza!"
"Then it seems we're at an impasse, dear Vegeta," Freeza said. "I guess if you won't hand the Saiyan over, I'll gladly take his companions. They couldn't be hiding in that building over there, could they?"
Freeza eyed the main Capsule Corporation building. Hearing him speak of Lemo and Cheelai was affecting Broly, which rose alarms in the others.
Piccolo watched cautiously, anticipating significant changes in the Saiyan's power. Gohan had a more cautionary approach to Broly's emotional state.
"Leave them alone," Broly warned, glaring at Freeza. The tyrant looked more amused.
"Go hide with the others, Broly," Vegeta said. "Let us handle Freeza."
"Is that so?" Freeza laughed. He splayed his arms and hands out before balling his hands into fists. Then, gritting his teeth, the Emperor's power skyrocketed as he screeched, transforming before them. When his elevated power settled, his body was now golden, and his face purple. "You maggots will handle nothing!"
Goku and Vegeta immediately responded by transforming into their Super Saiyan Blue state while Piccolo and Gohan both powered up as well. Broly looked surprised at first, yet his power never wavered. He was still focused on Freeza.
"Broly! It's not a good idea to stay! Go and help keep everyone safe!" Goku said.
"Leave? And not learn of a truth that had eluded you before?" Freeza sang, his smile growing.
Vegeta glared at Freeza. He knew Freeza might reveal what happened to Vampa since he was the one who destroyed it. But then he remembered something Cheelai had brought up.
"What truth?" Vegeta said with a grin. "That you destroyed Planet Vampa?"
The statement took both Freeza and Broly by surprise. Freeza's smile vanished. "So you knew," he hissed.
"Vampa's…destroyed…?" Broly said, stunned. "Freeza destroyed Planet Vampa?"
Gohan and Piccolo eased off, floating away from Broly. Freeza took this development with a sinister flare. "Vegeta! Shame on you for keeping such a secret from him! Now, look at what you've done!"
Goku's eyes widened. He knew what game Freeza was playing, immediately turning to face Broly. "Broly! Don't listen to Freeza! He's making you angry on purpose because he knows you can't control it!"
"Control it?" Freeza said quizzically. He laughed even more. "If only you knew what Paragus discussed with me in private!"
"My…my father…?" Broly said. His body shook. Vegeta sensed the power grow again. "Broly!" he shouted at him. "Stop listening to Freeza and come to your senses! Remember your threshold!"
"Taking orders from your father's greatest enemy? Paragus would be so disappointed in you, Broly."
"Enough, Freeza!" Goku shouted. He launched himself towards him, but Freeza quickly responded with his hand extended towards Metro West. A sphere of red energy formed into his hand. "That's as far as you go, Son Goku," he told him.
Freeza addressed the other three. "Unless you want this city to become a scorched wasteland, you'll allow me to speak to the orphaned Saiyan, understand?"
"Tch," Goku hissed. "No dragonballs to bring anyone back to life. Damn it all."
"Good. You'll find it's pointless to fully control Broly's anger," Freeza said. "Without that collar, no one could suppress his rage. It should've been obvious to the both of you when he transformed into a Super Saiyan after his father died."
"You're wrong, Freeza!" Goku shouted. "Broly can control it! It'll take some time, but he can do it!"
"Not if I have any say about it," Freeza said. "I have much use for Broly's power to reclaim what I have lost in my absence. Hand him and his thieving friends over, and I'll spare the people of this planet."
"You're in no position to bargain, Freeza," Vegeta said with a grin. He kept an eye on Broly, noting that the Saiyan was still glaring at Freeza. "Besides, what good is it for you to control Broly if you push him over the edge?"
"My dear prince," Freeza said, extending his other arm out while keeping tabs on the city below with his energy sphere. "As long as I know what triggers the Saiyan's anger, I have far better use for him than you ever could. Unless you want to handle the problem on your own?"
Freeza fired two small blasts from his other hand. They crashed into the city, leveling small areas. Screams from the people below could be heard, surprising everyone.
Goku stared at him, angered. Vegeta and Gohan took up fighting stances while Piccolo removed his turban and mantle, tossing them to the ground. Goku was ready to start fighting, hoping to draw Freeza's fire away from the city to minimize the damage.
The stress continued to affect Broly directly.
He was free of injury.
He was free of illness.
But not quite free of his overwhelming rage.
Broly was back at full strength, ready to explode again at the ongoing psychological play Freeza was making. "You killed Ba…!" Broly said, his voice rumbling. "You killed Ba!"
"Ah yes, the giant green rodent your father wouldn't shut up about. He regretted not finishing the job when he had the chance, leaving that filthy memento tied around your waist," Freeza said, scowling. "I simply did him a favor and finished the job for him."
Broly howled. He burst from his spot, aiming directly for Freeza, but was met with a hard punch to the gut by the tyrant. Freeza saw an opening the moment Broly made a move to zip up below and strike with an uppercut.
While stunned, Freeza followed with a tail strike to the back of Broly's head, sending him crashing into the ground.
Goku and Vegeta used the moment to flank Freeza, forcing him back with an exchange of punches while Gohan and Piccolo landed to check on Broly.
"Broly!" Gohan shouted, leaning to examine him. "Are you okay?"
Broly shook his head, sitting up. He grabbed his stomach as he rose. "Try not to move," Gohan added.
"Goku and Vegeta are right," Piccolo said to Broly. "It's best that you stay out of this."
Their words seemed to fall flat on Broly's ears as the Saiyan began shaking with rage again. His eyes were now yellow. "Freeza killed Ba! Ba was my friend!" Broly growled. He gripped his hands again, unleashing another powerful aura that forced Gohan and Piccolo back.
"Broly, stop! Please, control your anger!" Gohan shouted while keeping his distance.
"FREEZA!" Broly screamed. He launched himself from the ground at such speed it surprised them both. Gohan gawked at the Saiyan. "He's fast!"
"Leave him be for now! While Vegeta and your father keep Freeza occupied, we should begin evacuating the city to a safer area away from the fighting!" Piccolo told him.
"Right! Let's go!" Gohan shouted back. The pair left in a different direction, away from the fight.
The trio of Goku, Freeza, and Vegeta was each holding their own in their current forms. Both Saiyans were alerted to the fluctuating power in Broly as he barreled towards them with such ferocity. "FREEZA!" Broly screamed again.
Goku and Vegeta looked at each other and simultaneously struck Freeza in the gut with a kick. "Learn to clean up your own mess, Freeza!" Vegeta said snarkily before the pair flew out of the way of an incoming enraged Saiyan.
"Why, you!" Freeza said as he recovered, but not before he was struck again by a powerful haymaker from Broly. The burly Saiyan followed with several additional heavy strikes to Freeza's face, forcing the tyrant to increase his power to compensate.
"No, you don't! Not this time!" he shouted and used his agility to counter each heavy blow with a volley of his own, followed by additional energy blasts from his fingertips.
Broly shook off the volley. His movements continued to accelerate as he tried to overwhelm Freeza, but he did not account for the tail that wrapped itself around his arms. Trapped in Freeza's vice-like grip, Broly was battered repeatedly in the face by multiple punches.
Broly then comically caught one of Freeza's fists in his mouth, biting down on the hand. With the hand still clamped down between Broly's jaws, Freeza fired an energy blast inside Broly's mouth to whip his head back.
One of the Saiyan's arms slipped out of Freeza's tail to grab it. He had completely given in to his anger now, unable to express verbiage to anyone. Growls, howls, and snarls were all that littered the battlefield as Broly latched onto Freeza's tail with his hand, pulling him down to slam the tyrant into the ground.
Freeza gasped from the sudden impact, cut short with Broly's foot pushing down on his back. He avoided the next impact by zipping out of the way, reappearing several feet ahead. Launching himself forward, he reached back with a punch, ready to strike Broly in the face. The fist connected, followed by several others until Broly's aura exploded again. It expanded in waves, tearing apart the surface area. Nature was stripped away from the landscape, while buildings from the outskirts were demolished, all from Broly's aura alone. He stood, hands balled into fists, muscles bulging, and yellow-green hair blowing in the wind.
Rather than be terrified at the sight, Freeza relished in its raw, visceral majesty. "Yes! Show me your power once more!" he yelled. He deceptively feinted the first attack, only to lead Broly on once he caught sight of Goku and Vegeta monitoring the action from above.
"Freeza's pushing Broly to destroy the city without having to do it himself," Vegeta said after the pair shielded themselves from Broly's cascading aura.
"When the right time comes, we can draw them apart from each other. Rock, Paper, Scissors with the loser fighting Broly?" Goku asked, bringing his fist up.
"Are you out of your mind?!" Vegeta. "We don't have time for stupid games!"
"It's either that or we fuse again as Gogeta," Goku said. Vegeta's eyes widened from the embarrassing suggestion. He sighed heavily, presenting his hand. "Fine! Let's get this over with!"
Cheelai lounged on a long chair underneath a parasol. To her left was a small stool with a fruity beverage on top. After drinking enough of Guava's specialty beverage, she was convinced this might be the best alternative to The Blossoming Nebula.
Discarding the locket had left her vulnerable at first, naked to the world. Yet strangely enough, she accepted her newfound liberation. No longer weighed down by such a small piece of metal hanging from her neck. She felt like she could breathe again and not suffocate. Once the "Prince" was cast aside, she hadn't thought about him since.
Despite Bulma's attempts to console her, Cheelai assured her that she no longer needed to mourn or show grief. The days of wallowing in her misery, trying to force a decision about whether she could fall in love again, were now behind her.
She swam in the ocean to relax and get in some exercise. She could finally enjoy the rest of her vacation without a single care in the world for the past and the future. She wanted to live in the moment and relish in what lay before her.
She eventually became the subject of much gossip among the women the following day, women who had fawned over their "Prince" while lavishing all their attention on him as they nursed his broken nose. While still considerably angered by what Cheelai had done, they kept their distance after each glare she gave them in passing, all with a smile on her face.
Cheelai was herself again.
In control again.
And she loved every single moment of it.
It didn't matter what was on that list of activities for her to do while staying at the resort. The hike up the mountain was fun. That massage was heavenly. And bathing in those hot springs was therapeutic.
I have to take Broly here. He's missing out.
It was the first time she thought of Broly since she unceremoniously discarded her former lover. How was he faring back at Capsule Corporation? Was Lemo taking good care of him? Has he had another meltdown?
Something stopped her from taking another sip from her beverage. It wasn't as if she had enough, but a nagging feeling that tugged at her arm prevented her from downing the contents.
Her chest began to tighten. Pressing her hand against it, she set the glass down to remove her sunglasses.
"Broly…?"
The tightness was getting worse, wrapping itself around her. Am I losing my mind? Why can't I shake the feeling that Broly's in danger?
Leaping from the long chair, she sprinted back to the hotel room.
The sudden opening of the door caught Bulma by surprise as she was typing on her laptop. "Cheelai?!" she shouted.
"We have to go back!" Cheelai yelled back.
"Go back? But we still have until tomorrow," Bulma said. "Is everything okay?"
"Broly's in danger!" Cheelai said, slightly unhinged.
"Are you sure?" Bulma asked. Cheelai scoffed and began rummaging through Bulma's bag. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?!"
"I don't have time to explain! I need your ship to fly back!" Cheelai said, tossing items carelessly while searching for the capsule.
Bulma quickly snatched her bag out of Cheelai's hands, sighing. "Calm down. Let me do it."
Cheelai sat at the foot of the bed, rubbing her arms. The tension and tightness of her chest amplified with each moment, so much so that she thought she was going to suffocate. "Please hurry. Please, please, hurry, Bulma," she said nervously.
"Here we are," Bulma said. She paused, eyeing Cheelai. "You want to go back dressed like that?" she said, remarking about Cheelai's bikini. After quickly slipping on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, Cheelai gave Bulma a look. "Better?"
Bulma grinned. "Yes. Let's go."
If she needed to run to him, sandals or flip-flops weren't going to cut it. She had slipped on her sneakers and was out the door faster than Bulma could even get some of her belongings back in her bag.
"Let's take it easy, okay?" Bulma reminded her. "I'm sure Broly is fine."
"I don't know, Bulma," Cheelai said. Bulma activated the capsule for the aircraft to appear. She quickly climbed into the passenger seat. "Each time I try to think Broly's going to make it through, my chest tightens even more."
Bulma closed the door after she strapped herself in the pilot's seat. "I know. I'm the same with Vegeta."
"On the count of three! Rock! Paper! Scissors!" Goku and Vegeta shouted together. Goku won with Scissors while Vegeta had Paper. "Alright! I got Freeza!" he shouted excitedly.
"Damn it all," Vegeta growled.
Broly charged towards Freeza like a raging bull, stampeding with his bulging physique. His power billowed and spilled out, destroying everything in his path as Freeza waited for him with a delighted grin on his face.
"If I can't subdue your magnificent power, then so be it. I wouldn't mind one less monkey in the universe," he said. The two zipped out of sight to engage in high-speed combat, with Broly enduring hits from Freeza. No matter what the tyrant threw, it hadn't stopped Broly, nor did it look like it impacted the Saiyan's power.
Freeza grew frustrated while he tried to attack fruitlessly until he saw Goku and Vegeta make their way towards him from his peripheral vision. "You two stay out of this!" he shouted at them, sweeping the area with a volley of energy blasts. Goku knocked them aside as he flew to Freeza while Vegeta was aiming for Broly.
"Make sure you draw him away from the city!" Goku shouted to Vegeta while he threw a punch that Freeza blocked. "Stop telling me what to do!" Vegeta shouted back. He cut off Broly's assault by flying just fast enough to draw his attention.
"This way!" Vegeta said, beckoning Broly. He howled in response, and his aura exploded with energy blasts that shot from all directions.
"Oh crap!" Goku yelled, panicked. Freeza barked a laugh. "What a pointless strategy! I'm almost compelled to leave and let you monkeys fight amongst each other!"
"Oh, you're leaving Earth, alright. I'll make sure of that," Goku said confidently with a grin on his face. Freeza glowered at him. "Then prove it, Son Goku."
As Goku and Freeza fought once again, Vegeta unleashed another cry, channeling energy to transform into his highest form. His blue hair darkened, and his eyes looked more pronounced. His muscles expanded, but the increase in speed was still able to complement it. As Broly continued his barrage of energy blasts, Vegeta halted it with a single blow to Broly's face, followed by several punches to his gut.
Shaking it off, Broly's fury and intensity were all in the look he gave Vegeta. "I've waited a lifetime to fight the Legendary Super Saiyan on my own. You better not disappoint me, Broly," he said with a grin.
Bulma raced the aircraft across the sky, speeding directly to Metro West. Off in the distance, she and Cheelai could see energy fluctuations and impacts that shook the area below. Two energy blurs, one green and one dark blue, flew across the sky before colliding. Two other streaks of energy were also fighting, one blue and one gold. When Bulma saw the state of Metro West ahead, she gasped, stopping the ship, lurching Cheelai forward.
"Hey! What gives?!" Cheelai shouted. She stared ahead at Metro West. Her hands went to her mouth, eyes wide with horror. "Oh, God…!" she whispered. She searched for the energy blurs that collided against each other.
"Broly," she said, hand pressed against the glass. When she saw Freeza's vessel, she glared at the gold streak. "We need to find Lemo."
"On it. Let's hope Capsule Corporation is still in one piece," Bulma said.
Several buildings caught in the crossfire of Broly's barrage were left in smoldering ruins once Bulma landed their aircraft. Cheelai stared in horror. "Broly…."
"Worry about it later! We need to get to the shelters!" Bulma said as she placed the airship back in its capsule. "Lemo's likely evacuated with everyone else in there."
The building was empty when they entered. "Follow me," Bulma said. She led Cheelai to the main laboratory. "I need to check something."
The room was the largest Cheelai had ever seen. Partially built machines sat beside completed ones, mechanisms that she'd have to ask Lemo to clarify once she found him.
"Papa set up the barrier. Good," Bulma said.
"Barrier?"
Bulma showed Cheelai the computer screen. "My father activated an energy barrier in response to the fighting outside. It'll ensure everyone's safety and that of the building, so nothing is destroyed. There's a lot of equipment in here that we need to remain intact."
She entered a series of numbers in the panel on the wall, opening a hidden door. "Wow, that's pretty cool," Cheelai remarked.
"This will lead us to the shelter," Bulma said. "After so many encounters with powerful enemies, we had to build a shelter to evacuate everyone. Let's just say they've been eye-opening experiences."
The door opened to a service elevator that Bulma activated with a handprint. Once the elevator reached the bottom, the doors slid open behind the women to reveal several faces of Capsule Corporation staff, all surprised to see their boss return.
Whispers of Bulma's name and ensuring they were safe reached Cheelai's ears as she searched the room. "Lemo?" Cheelai shouted. "Lemo!"
"Mom!" came Trunks's yell as he held Bulla in his arms. Bulma breathed a sigh of relief as any mother had ever done when seeing their children safe. She wrapped her arms around both, holding them tight. Bulma could see both her parents safe in the corner, seated at a table with a pot of tea and a plate of pastries while Dr. Briefs fed his cat from his shoulder. They looked as unfazed as they've ever been, not a care in the world for the destruction outside.
"Papa gave the order to evacuate once he sensed Freeza approaching," Trunks said. Bulma kissed him on the forehead. "I made sure to get everyone in the lab as quickly as possible before grandpa activated the barrier."
"Good job," Bulma said.
Cheelai stepped in from behind her. "Is Lemo in here with you?" she asked. She continued looking around the room, but it was hard to distinguish Lemo from the other staff since they were taller than he was.
"Yeah, he's over there with the kitchen staff," Trunks said, pointing to the group next to Dr. Briefs. Bulma took Bulla into her arms, nuzzling her nose with her own. She tickled the baby girl, making her giggle. Cheelai paused to admire the affection Bulma shared with her children. She couldn't wait to share that level of affection, herself.
Approaching the kitchen staff, she sifted through their faces until she spotted the back of Lemo's head, covered by that toque he'd never part with. She didn't care if she bumped into anyone. She immediately ran to wrap her arms around him from behind. "Lemo! Thank goodness you're safe!" Cheelai exclaimed, clutching him tightly.
Lemo's scream caused a mild freakout from the other staff. Some wondered if the attacks had reached them, while others were alerted to Lemo's voice. Nevertheless, Cheelai continued holding him tightly against her.
"Of course, I'm safe! Will you let me go already?!" Lemo shouted. Cheelai released her grip. When he spun around to face her, she hugged him again.
"Hey! Cut that out, will ya?! I'm not a hugger! Stop it!" Lemo pushed her away with his hands, yet she was more resilient than he realized before she finally broke free with a relieved smile on her face.
"Sorry," Cheelai chuckled. She grabbed his hand. "C'mon, let's go find Broly."
"Find? He's not that hard to find! He's up there going berserk again!" Lemo protested, but Cheelai calmed him down with her hands on his shoulders.
"I know, I saw him," Cheelai said. "He needs us, Lemo. If we try hard enough, we'll reach him. I'm not giving up this time."
"If Freeza sees us, he'll kill us!" Lemo said. "What then? If we die in front of Broly, nothing will stop his rage from destroying everything."
Cheelai grabbed Lemo's hand, pulling him back to the service elevator. "Hey! What did I just say?!" Lemo shouted.
"It's fine! Goku's keeping him occupied! As long as Freeza's distracted, we can make our way to Broly!" Cheelai assured him. She continued pulling at his arm until she stopped before Bulma. "I need that aircraft," she told her.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Bulma asked but could see it in Cheelai's eyes that she intended to risk her life for one final attempt to get through to Broly. She handed her the capsule, closing her fingers around it. "Good luck."
"Alright, alright! Stop tugging!" Lemo said, shaking his hand free. "Can't believe I'm allowing myself to be brave like this."
They ran as fast as possible to the front of the building before Cheelai activated the capsule. Once in the pilot's seat, she fired up the thrusters. "Hurry and get in!" she shouted to Lemo.
"I'm coming! Relax!" Lemo said, strapping himself into the passenger seat. Blasts from above cascaded down to the city, sending shockwaves that rattled the aircraft. Lemo flailed his arms, catching himself before his head hit the dashboard.
Once in the air, Cheelai applied all the piloting skills she had acquired over the years to the test, swerving to avoid stray energy blasts that collided with each other to create shockwaves. However far the Saiyans needed to bring the chaos away from Metro West, energy blasts still had a significant reach. Some blasts exploded in the air, pushing against the aircraft.
"Is this a good time to ask how your vacation went?" Lemo asked, belting out a scream as an explosion came close to damaging the aircraft. "I'll give you all the details later!" Cheelai responded. "Dammit, if we only had our ship, this wouldn't be so difficult!"
They followed the trail of the two streaks of light colliding against each other in the distance, those of Vegeta and Broly. Their fight led them to the direction of a mountain range with a low enough incline for the pair to ascend without equipment. Cheelai landed the aircraft at the base of the mountain.
Each blow Vegeta landed on Broly was only countered with a stronger one. He had taken quite a few heavy hits, one of which cut into his face that partially blinded his left eye with his blood. Wiping it away with the back of his glove, Vegeta and Broly continued zipping around the air before reappearing for another collision of fists. The impact sent another shockwave that blew through the trees below, some of which were uprooted by the powerful gust.
Vegeta dodged a wave of energy blasts from Broly's hand to fire back with a barrage of his own that struck Broly directly. The Saiyan launched himself to hover over Vegeta, who quickly replied with a double kick that planted his feet in Broly's stomach, stunning him for a brief moment.
Flipping backward to gain some distance, Vegeta stretched his arms wide, channeling a large swath of energy for a powerful attack: his Final Flash.
Vegeta was still quite surprised at how quickly Broly recovered from each heavy attack, absorbing the damage like a thirsty sponge. There was no room for error.
Elsewhere, near Metro West, Goku's and Freeza's fists collided against each other's faces, knocking them back. The two were quite evenly matched in their current forms without Goku activating his Kaioken technique. Freeza's refined golden form was enough to maintain a long battle without his greatest flaw weakening him. Mental training to perfect his transformation negated the stamina issue, allowing him to keep pace with the Saiyans in their god forms.
"You really did fix that stamina problem, didn't you, Freeza?" Goku said. "I'm glad that you're not as disappointing as you were in our last fight!"
Freeza gritted his teeth, glaring at him before a smile curled from his lips. "As overconfident as ever, Son Goku. I'm only just getting started."
Goku was quick to block a heavy blow from Freeza, remarking at the tyrant's sudden increase in speed and strength. He couldn't help but grin at the opportunity to push himself further. Their fight continued until Goku saw a small Capsule Corporation aircraft soar low, swerving to avoid Broly's stray energy blasts that Vegeta was dodging. He wasn't sure if it was Bulma who piloted the craft but hoped that whoever it was knew what they were doing. He ignored it, for now, to focus on Freeza.
"Cheelai…slow down…!" Lemo shouted.
Cheelai could still hear him but prioritized getting as close to Broly as she could. "Please let me be close enough not to risk my own hide," she whispered.
"FINAL FLASH!" came Vegeta's howl as a large beam of energy fired from his hands at Broly. Cheelai's eyes widened, slowing herself to a stop. "Broly…!" she cried.
Broly caught the blast with his hands. The beam forced him back until he was pushed into one of the mountains, crashing into the rocky walls. The impact created an explosion.
"BROLY!" Cheelai screamed, even louder. She picked up the pace, sprinting as she ascended the incline. It became steeper the further up she went, forcing her to slow down to tread more carefully. Her eyes were wide, panicked, and constantly on Broly with the hope that the blast didn't kill him.
By the time she reached a high enough angle, she had searched the mountainside for any sign of a steady ledge to stand on. One was several feet in front of her, but not without the need to jump to it first. A single leap later and she was safely standing on the flat surface.
Lemo raggedly reached the top of the incline a moment later, collapsing on his hands and knees, breathing heavily. "Lemo!" Cheelai shouted. "Over here!"
Lemo crawled over to the edge and gawked at the steep decline between himself and where Cheelai stood. "This ledge is safer to stand on! C'mon! Jump, and I'll grab your hand!" Cheelai shouted to him.
Lemo's glare was more of annoyance than anger, still breathing heavily from the exertion of the trek. Standing, he dusted off the dirt on his pants to gauge the distance from his position to the ledge. "I think I can do this!" Lemo shouted.
Another explosion, this time from the mountainside that Broly crashed into. Broly's loud howling sent broken pieces of the mountainside flying. Boulders crashed all around Lemo and Cheelai. One, in particular, slammed into the ledge behind Cheelai, shaking the area. Cheelai screamed as she flailed her arms forward and backward, trying to maintain her equilibrium.
"Cheelai!" Lemo shouted. Cheelai backed herself to the mountainside to avoid the ledge. "It's not safe there! Jump back here!"
More boulders were raining down, some not as big as the one that crashed into the ledge, yet Cheelai could still spot some headed their way. She ran to leap from the ledge back to the incline without hesitation while Lemo reached out for her. He hoped to grab her hands in case she couldn't reach far enough, but instead, she crashed into him, causing the two to roll down a few meters.
When they finally stopped, Lemo glared at Cheelai, sighing. "When are you going to stop being so impulsive?" he said. He eased her off of him while she hissed, grabbing her knee. "I think I scraped myself pretty badly," she said, ignoring him.
He helped her to her feet, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. "Can you walk?" he asked.
Cheelai put some weight on her leg and nodded. "Yeah. I can manage with this, but I doubt I can run that fast."
"It'll be enough. We can reach Broly from here," Lemo said.
Broly was back on the warpath, launching himself from the impact site toward Vegeta. The Saiyan prince fought back with as many blows as he could unload on Broly before he was caught with a haymaker to the face. Broly then grabbed him by the neck, tossing him hard into the same impact site. Vegeta gasped from the impact.
"Damn it all, I'm nearing my limit," Vegeta said. Broly landed another heavy blow to Vegeta's stomach, causing him to cough up. Vegeta continued coughing and gasping while being beaten down by Broly. He raised a shaking hand to fire an energy blast point-blank at Broly's face once he was close enough. "Hurry and take out Freeza, Kakarrot!"
His hand dropped to his side as he lost consciousness. His hair faded back to his natural black color, while Broly was still engulfed by his berserker nature to even notice. A howl caused another burst from his aura to shake the landscape below, nearly causing Lemo and Cheelai to trip and fall. They held each other for balance. "Easy, I gotcha," Lemo said.
"He's going to kill Vegeta without realizing it!" Cheelai said. "We have to call out to him! As loud as our lungs can allow it! C'mon, Lemo!"
They waved their arms in the air, shouting. "BROLY!"
They hopped, whistled, and moved their hands as frantically as they could, all while shouting his name, calling out to him. Broly was still too transfixed on Vegeta to hear them, howling at the heavens before building a sphere of energy into his hand, ready to fire. The eerie green energy was growing larger.
"No…!" Cheelai whispered, hands to her mouth.
"If that hits Vegeta, he'll be wiped out along with a lot of this area! Including us!" Lemo shouted. He backed a few steps. Cheelai took his hand, pulling him back.
"We're in this together, Lemo, no matter what. We do this together, or we die together," she told him. Lemo paused, staring blankly at her until a smile appeared on his face. He wrapped his fingers around Cheelai's hand, nodding at her. "Together," he said.
They both took a deep breath, ready to scream his name. They weren't ready to lose him so soon, not a third time.
Their wish to the Dragon saved him once.
Then it was that nice woman who worked furiously to cure Broly of that virus so he could heal properly again.
This time, it needed to be the both of them, his new friends, to save him.
"BRRROLLLYYYYYY!"
The momentum of his name carried across the air to the Saiyan. His shaking suddenly stopped. The sphere of energy in his hand wilted for a moment before Broly lowered his hand, eventually letting the sphere shrink until it was gone. He turned his head to the source of the screaming, heavy breaths expelled from his mouth that misted against the chilled mountain air. He burst from the air to them, causing them to scream in panic as they backed away quickly.
Cheelai expected another attack, unsure whether Broly had any sense of reason to distinguish them or not. It was the first time they experienced the sight of Broly's true Super Saiyan transformation. Mountains of muscles that doubled his size, pupil-less eyes that they weren't sure were even staring at them, and yellow-green hair that blew against the wind. His breath still misted in the air as he loomed over them.
"Broly…?"
Cheelai took a few steps forward, approaching him. Broly growled in response, stopping her. "Broly? Can you still recognize me?" she asked. She reached out with her hand. Another growl made her flinch, retracting it. "Is there still some part of you that can recognize your friends?"
She took another step forward. Broly growled, but instead of reacting, Cheelai continued to approach him until she had to crane her neck to look at his face. She then reached with her hand again to touch his.
His knuckles were cracked and bleeding from all the punches he had landed. Anywhere there was skin Cheelai could see had some sign of scarring from either training or the fight he had when he first arrived on Earth. There was a scar left from the Underdweller's mandible on his right shoulder.
When she stared at his face, all she could see was not just anger but fear, pain, and sadness. All the power that had billowed to the surface wore itself on a face of loneliness, a face that could frighten away those close to him without any way of controlling it.
Cheelai knew above all else that there needed to be gentleness and nurturing to calm him down and assure him that he no longer had to endure such brutality at the hands of a torturous shock collar. She wanted to touch that face again and prove that she didn't want to be afraid of Broly's anger anymore.
"Broly," she said, her voice as soft as she could allow it. Now that she had his attention, she needed to be there to help him.
"Broly."
Somewhere deep in the well, at the very center of the abyss, Broly could hear a muffled voice. It sounded more clear when his name was called again. It belonged to a gentle, soothing light that spilled into the darkness, illuminating the abyss around him. Broly was on his hands and knees, shackled to the abyss by shadowy tendrils that locked him in place, tying him to the power that filtered through him to erupt outside like a volcano.
The light approached him, whispering to him again. "Come back to us, Broly."
It touched the tendrils to loosen their grip. Finally, Broly could move his hands again, allowing him to reach for the light.
"Chee…lai…?"
"I'm right here, Broly. Come back down."
The light began to take the form of a pair of hands that caressed his face, touching his cheeks. It eventually took the shape of Cheelai standing before him. She pressed her forehead against his. "I will do everything I can to make sure you don't stray too far from us," she said.
Broly's body responded, lowering himself to his knees for Cheelai to take his head. She pressed her forehead to his, closing her eyes. She laced her fingers into his hair, not caring that she started crying again while holding him.
Broly's body began shrinking down to his normal size, the color in his hair shifting back. Once he had regained his senses, he brought his hands around Cheelai's small frame to pull her into an embrace. "I missed you," he said with a scratchy voice caused by all the screaming he had done.
"I know," Cheelai whispered. "I promise I won't be away for that long again."
When she pulled away, she could see that Broly was crying too. "Big Saiyans like you don't cry, silly boy," Cheelai chuckled, wiping Broly's face with her fingers.
Lemo stepped forward. "It's good to see you back with us again, big guy," Lemo said. He didn't have time to say anything as Cheelai pulled him into a hug. Lemo grumbled at first but eventually sighed, wrapping his arms around them both so the three could enjoy a moment of friendship together.
Goku's fight with Freeza was put to a halt once he sensed Vegeta's power depleted. "Shit!"
He put two fingers to his forehead, ready to teleport, but not before he had to quickly block a few energy blasts from Freeza.
"Where do you think you're going?" the tyrant asked with a sinister grin on his face. Goku sneered back with a scowl. Since Freeza wasn't buying him the time needed to teleport, Goku instead launched from his location to fly directly to Broly and Vegeta in hopes of preventing something disastrous.
"Get back here!" Freeza shouted, firing energy blasts behind Goku. Goku spun around and retaliated with a volley of his own. "Our fight hasn't finished!"
"If I don't stop Broly, he'll destroy all of us! Including you!" Goku told Freeza matter-of-factly. Freeza could only bark a laugh in response. "Destroy me? Hah! I'll be back in the comfort of my ship by the time you two have your scuffle. But I could do you all a favor and destroy Earth right here and now!"
Goku's eyes widened at the sight of Freeza pointing to the sky. He recognized that gesture all too well. "Kaio-ken!" Goku shouted.
A blast of red energy enveloped Goku's blue aura before he cupped his hands together to fire a Kamehameha blast at Freeza. Freeza stopped midway from forming the sphere to glower at Goku. He then fired it directly upward and out of the planet's atmosphere. "Very well, since you're so stubborn."
Freeza didn't expect Goku's next attack since the Kaio-ken had amplified his abilities considerably. He received a powerful punch to the stomach. The last words he heard from Goku before he passed out were, "sorry, Freeza. It's for the best you sit the rest of this out."
As he carried the unconscious tyrant, who had been knocked back into his normal form, Goku was alerted to a shift in Broly's power. He was worried at first that he was too late to save Vegeta, but the way Broly's energy felt was more stable than explosive. Worry became relief as Broly's energy began to dwindle.
"Thank goodness those two pint-sized friends of his reached him," Goku said. He could sense Lemo and Cheelai there with him, concluding that they were the ones piloting Bulma's ship.
With an unconscious Vegeta on Broly's shoulder, he flew to the air. "I want to help Kakarrot," he told Lemo and Cheelai.
"But what about your anger?" Cheelai said. Broly didn't seem phased. She raised an eyebrow.
"Kakarrot and Freeza are no longer fighting," Broly said. Now both eyebrows were raised. "I don't get it," Cheelai said.
Broly then took off. "Wait! Wait for us!" she shouted. She grabbed Lemo's arm, pulling him to run back down to the foot of the mountain.
"What about those scrapes of yours?" Lemo said from behind. He jerked his hand free to run alongside her. "I'll manage!" Cheelai shouted.
By the time Cheelai piloted the aircraft back to Metro West, Goku and Broly were hovering over an unconscious Freeza while Vegeta was still out behind them. Landing, they exited quickly. Cheelai knew enough of the technology from watching Bulma press the button on the side of the aircraft to put it back in its capsule. They then cautiously approached the pair with Lemo skulking behind, holding onto her.
Freeza was the first to recover, groaning as he sat up. Goku pulled him to his feet, surprising him. Once he saw both Saiyans confront him, he crossed his arms, looking away. One look at Cheelai and Lemo had him grinning. He would've had a clean shot from his finger had Goku not grabbed him by the wrist, shaking his head.
Freeza freed his hand, shrugging his shoulders. "Suit yourself, Son Goku. I suppose I could leave them be. Give my regards to the sleeping prince when he wakes."
He flew out of orbit, not looking back. Goku watched for any signs of nefariousness on the tyrant's power but was relieved that Freeza chose to go back to his vessel and leave. Cheelai watched apprehensively, approaching Broly to stay close to him. "Is he gone?" she asked.
"Yeah, he's not coming back. Not for a while," Goku said. He turned to Broly, who had a look of sadness on his face.
"I did all this," he said of the destroyed sections of Metro West. Cheelai rounded on him, drawing his attention. "Don't blame yourself, Broly. If anything, the blame should be on Freeza for making you angry on purpose."
"I want to train. Freeza killed Ba. I want to avenge Ba," Broly said, touching Ba's ear. "Vegeta says anger is an ally to a Saiyan. I don't want to be afraid of my anger."
"That's the spirit," Goku said with a thumbs-up. Broly returned it with Cheelai's "OK" sign.
"Hey, you perfected it," she said, giving him a wink.
Vegeta was back on his feet now. When he opened his eyes, he found himself surrounded. "Finally," he said after one look at Broly. He then strolled on his own to Capsule Corporation.
Gohan and Piccolo returned, carrying a few people with them. "They need the most medical attention," he told Goku. Cheelai and Lemo nodded to each other. "This way!" she shouted to the pair. She led them to the medical buildings that had been protected under the barrier. "Hey, we've got injured over here!" she called to the building. Nurses ran out to meet Gohan and Piccolo, who gently laid injured citizens on the ground.
"There's more unaccounted for," Gohan said. "We'll need to search the city for survivors." He glanced over at Broly. "Can you help us out?" he asked him.
Broly looked puzzled at first, but Cheelai took his hand. "Go on. I'll stay here with Lemo to give the nurses a hand. The four of you, including Goku, can probably bring as many back here as possible with that teleporting thing he does."
Goku looked surprised to hear that from Cheelai. She knew now how much Broly meant to Goku, not as a training partner but as another Saiyan. There were still many things that eluded her about their race, but watching them in action along with their altruistic behavior convinced her that Bulma was right to see past their violent nature. She believed it completely once she was able to confront Broly's full power and not run away.
"Lemo," Cheelai said. "Go find Bulma. We'll need her medical expertise as well."
"On it!" he said, sprinting back to the main building. Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, and Broly all left the ground to fly around the city, leaving Cheelai to aid the nurses.
"Let me give you a hand with that," she offered to one as they lifted an unconscious supermarket clerk. Teams of two carried the wounded into the medical buildings until everyone was inside separate rooms. Goku's group returned with more survivors, working tirelessly to find everyone affected by the energy blasts that leveled large portions of Metro West.
Lemo returned with the Capsule Corporation staff along with Bulma, Vegeta, and their children. Vegeta was still banged up from his fight but agreed to help carry people into the medical buildings until the rooms were full. Bulma activated capsules to conjure temporary houses to provide shelter for the survivors.
One more appearance by Goku's group had the last of them brought into the temporary houses. "That's the last of the critically injured that we could find," Gohan said, clothes caked with dust.
"I am sorry to have caused all of this," Broly said, hanging his head low.
"You helped find more survivors to evacuate. I would not shoulder any blame on this," Piccolo told him.
Cheelai was content to hear that more voices showed support for Broly. She stared at him fondly, hands to her chest. Warmth filled that gap she thought had been emptied for so long, a warmth that didn't come from the thrill of adventure or the heat of the moment. It was rather a warmth that was symbolic of affection.
Despite her new sensation, she couldn't help but wonder how these people will live past this. She decided to ask Bulma that very question.
"That's what Capsule Corporation is for," Bulma said. "All the buildings in Metro West are capsule buildings. We've got plenty in stock, ready to replace anything damaged. Once we know the survivors are okay, we can start the rebuilding process."
"You really do fit the role of a mother, Bulma," Cheelai said, looking past her at Bulla as she helped Trunks apply a few bandages to Vegeta's arm, albeit clumsily. Bulma's cheeks went a shade of red, giggling.
"I should get back to work," Bulma told them once Lemo joined them. They walked over to Broly. "I guess there's more to these Earth people than we thought, huh?" Lemo said.
"Yeah. I didn't want to go back here at first because of the Galactic Patrol, but these are great people. I'd love to stay here, to be honest," Cheelai said. "Settle down with Broly while he trains with Goku and Vegeta."
"Yeah, about that…," Lemo said, rubbing the back of his head. "I was going to wait until you came back from your vacation, but I guess now's a good time as any to let you guys know."
"Know what?"
"There's a planet we can settle on," Lemo said, which surprised Cheelai and Broly. "Really?" Cheelai asked. Her eyes lit up at the news.
"Yeah. That Whis fella was so gracious for the banquet that he was able to share details of a planet Freeza hasn't reached yet. It's a Planet called Seren," Lemo explained.
"Planet Seren? Where's it located?" Cheelai asked.
"The Eden cluster. A section of space that's nothing but cosmic storms. But there's a planetary system within the cluster that houses life. Seren happens to be one of them," Lemo said. Cheelai was enthusiastic about the news, yet one look at Lemo said otherwise. "So why the long face?" she asked him.
"The cosmic storms are so severe that no ship can pass through them. Whis said that there are moments where the storms weaken enough, but we'd have to get through there within two weeks. Apparently, the only ship Bulma has would take us a month to reach the Eden cluster."
Cheelai's face sunk. "So what do we do? Can't we find some other way? Is there another one of those moments where the storms weaken?"
"Not for another four years, I'm afraid," Lemo told her. He breathed a heavy sigh. "Best case scenario is we get those Dragonballs to wish us there."
"Then we'll wait until we can use them again," Cheelai said confidently. Lemo's face had not changed, however. "What's wrong, now?"
"Look at us, would you? We don't belong here, Cheelai. None of us do," Lemo said.
Cheelai wanted to slap him. "We don't belong here? What's wrong with you? I want to belong here, Lemo!"
"Is this a disagreement?" Broly asked. "You're damn right it's a disagreement!" Cheelai said, glaring at Lemo.
Broly frowned at both of them. "I don't like hearing you disagree," he said. "I will go with both of you because you are my friends." His frown morphed back into a smile. "I like both of you. Lemo makes a lot of food for me. Cheelai makes me feel something good here," Broly pointed to his chest. He then pointed at Cheelai's face. "And Cheelai has beautiful eyes."
The heat went to Cheelai. Her face became so red that her green skin was barely recognizable. She never expected such a compliment to come out of Broly. Lemo must've taught him that word. Hearing it come out of Broly's mouth sounded so natural, so perfect. "Broly…!"
It was the first time that Cheelai found herself flustered, unable to speak clearly. The warmth in her chest rose in temperature, accelerating her heartbeat. She quickly turned to Lemo. "Um, um, w-why do you want to leave Earth when we have it so good here?"
"It's something you mentioned to me a while ago while we were on Vampa, poring over those data chips. While you sulked, you brought up the fact that we'd need to be somewhere where neither the Freeza Force nor the Galactic Patrol could reach us. It'd give us a chance to settle while Broly trains to control his anger."
Cheelai pointed back at Capsule Corporation. "I doubted those Saiyans before. But if they can help Broly, then why waste that opportunity?" Lemo had his arms crossed with a look that Cheelai knew was going to deliver some bad news.
He didn't mince words. "Because Broly's not ready to start fighting again. It could take years before Broly's comfortable enough to fight again without going berserk. I can't risk getting the nice people of this planet involved, based on how much damage had been done to this one city. Look at what happened to that frigid area when we first arrived here. That fight tore apart the landscape, leaving sections of the arctic a pool of boiling magma."
He then turned to Broly. "Sorry big guy. I know it's difficult for you to hear this, but I gotta be honest with the both of you." He then spotted Goku and Vegeta. "I gotta be honest with them, too."
The three approached the Saiyans. Vegeta had one eye closed while holding his arm while Goku could see the serious look on Lemo's face. "I know you're eager to train with Broly, but the truth is, is that Broly's a liability if he stays here. We found a planet with the help of Whis that we can settle on. We can then arrange someplace where we know you can train Broly without risking the lives of bystanders."
Lemo didn't sound thrilled with his honesty, but Cheelai kept checking on Broly to see whether he was affected by what was said. She took his hand. "Are you going to be okay with that, Broly?"
"Yes. Lemo is right. I am not ready to fight again until I know I can control my power and my anger. I am grateful for the time I spent training with you, Vegeta," Broly said with a small nod to Vegeta.
"That's fine with me!" Goku said. "We'll miss training with ya, Broly, but we want you to be at your best without going berserk again!"
They looked to Vegeta, who was staring at Broly. "Remember what you've learned so far and work from there," Vegeta said before walking away.
"So that's it, then, huh?" Cheelai said. "The three of us back together again, but still alone."
"Don't say that. We'll keep in touch with these folks. So don't worry about feeling alone," Lemo told her.
Cheelai sighed, sulking with her arms crossed. "I still have one day of vacation at that resort, yet it feels like I'll need at least another week there."
Lemo chuckled. "Go on. Take the rest of your vacation time. Everything's back to normal, as normal as it'll ever be."
"I suppose. But wouldn't it be awkward leaving Bulma and them behind like this when I could offer to help?" Cheelai said.
Lemo made a shooing motion with his hands. "Leave that to me," he told her.
"I want to come too," Broly said. Cheelai smirked. "I was just about to ask if you'd join me," she told him.
She then climbed into his arms. "Tell Bulma we'll be back tomorrow," she said to Lemo as Broly lifted himself off the ground, holding her.
"Will do. Have fun, you two."
Cheelai couldn't stop herself from nuzzling her face into Broly's arm as he carried her across the sky. She found it comical at first but could tell that it was making him blush even more. "Sorry," she chuckled.
There was so much to view from above. People from all walks of life were going about their daily business. Entertainment venues packed with spectators. Carnivals where families and couples attended while the children enjoyed the rides. So many things brightened Cheelai's mood that it left her ecstatic. "This planet is beautiful," she said.
She noticed how silent Broly was during the trip as she remarked about what they saw below. Once she could see the large island with a mountain trail, beaches, and a secluded forested area, she pointed it out to him. "There it is."
Their landing caused a stir among the tourists. They had never seen someone fly before, so landing before them was quite the sight. Drinks were spilled unintentionally. Ice cream fell from their cones and bowls. Passersby bumped into those in front of them as they gawked at the large muscular man with a green pelt around his waist.
"What are you all staring at?!" Cheelai yelled at them, hands on her hips. "You've seen enough crazy things on this planet as it is!"
She kept staring at them until they eventually got the hint and moved on. She turned to Broly. "The hotel's this way. I gotta get our things back," she said, grabbing his hand.
"You shouldn't be angry at people," Broly said, stopping her. It was cute seeing him protest, but Broly did have a point given the circumstances of the last week or so.
"You're not as used to crowded places as I have," Cheelai said. "You'll have to accept that you stand out, given your size and all." She then took both his hands. "But I'll try not to get angry if it helps you."
Once she gathered everything in the room that was hers and Bulma's, Cheelai walked with Broly along the path behind the beaches. "I could go for a swim right now," she said. She then gave Broly an enticing look. "But not here. Follow me."
She led him to the wooded area, which was more jungle than forest. Within the middle lay a tropical paradise of clear streams cascaded into a waterfall, where a lone pool of water rested.
Plucking a hibiscus, she tugged on Broly's arm for him to bend forward so she could place it in his hair on the side of his head.
Broly wasn't sure what to make of having a flower in his hair. He immediately plucked another hibiscus to give to Cheelai. She placed it on the left side of her head to match Broly's.
She laughed at herself for scolding Bulma's idea of taking Broly. It turned out better than she expected. Just the feel of being beside him was comforting without all the fighting, destruction, and anger. She imagined Broly was equally thrilled to have her at his side again.
Cheelai slowed down to let him walk ahead for a while so he could admire the scenery. Her eyes had the sultry look of someone admiring one's physique enough to want more of it. It ended up giving her pause for thought.
Is this what you really want, Cheelai? She thought to herself. There's still so much more to discover with Broly without rushing things.
She didn't avoid looking at his body now. Without anyone pulling her away from the distraction, her eyes lost themselves in the Saiyan's body. She gulped. I should've asked Bulma whether this is normal for women enthralled with a Saiyan.
Broly had stepped too far ahead once she cleared her head. Running to catch up, she wrapped her arm around his. "So, what do you think? Do you like this place?" she asked.
"I like it. There are many things I had never seen before that did not exist on Vampa," Broly said. He stopped by a palm tree, touching it. "What are these?"
"Trees," Cheelai quickly replied. Broly took the hibiscus out of his hair. "And this?"
"A flower."
"That?"
"Grass."
Full of questions that Cheelai knew enough to answer, she delighted in all the new things she could help Broly understand until they finally reached the lake by the waterfall. "Is this water?" Broly asked.
"Yes, though not the kind of water you should be drinking. But you can swim in it, though," Cheelai told him, removing her shirt.
"What are you doing?" Broly asked. Cheelai wasn't simply removing her shirt and shorts. She began untying her bikini.
She gave him a smug grin. "It's a secluded area. We're the only ones here, so why don't we take advantage of it?" she said. Seeing her naked body made Broly's face even redder with unintentional teasing before she dove into the water. Broly's eyes widened when she disappeared, only to resurface in the water, shaking the water out of her hair.
"Broly! The water's perfect! You have to join me!" she shouted. She swam around, diving once more before resurfacing near Broly.
"What's wrong? C'mon, don't be shy. No one's gonna see your naked butt," she said with a giggle.
She rested her head on her hands at the edge of the pool, watching Broly with that same smug grin on her face. There was uncertainty behind whether Broly would actually take her offer to swim naked with her. But now that she had bared herself to him, revealing her natural body without hesitation, the desire for him was harder to ignore.
Why am I luring him like this? What if he does take his clothes off?
Cheelai gulped, waiting for Broly to make a move. His hands rested on Ba's ear, enticing her to watch for a sign he would start untying it.
"I'm serious. We're all by ourselves. Come join me in the water," Cheelai said, beckoning him with a hand. Broly instead sat down cross-legged by the pool.
"Is seeing me without clothes a problem?" Cheelai asked. She waited for an answer, but all she could see was the ongoing embarrassment on his face. It was not what she had expected. Clearing her mind of lingering arousal, she decided to exit the water and tie her bikini back on before sitting beside Broly.
"Did your father ever talk about things like being with a woman, or mating I guess?" she asked. Mating? Really, Cheelai?!
"Father only spoke of revenge, training, and fighting. He never spoke much about anything else. I understood friendship when I played with Ba, so I understood friendship when you and Lemo were nice to me," Broly explained.
Cheelai had her arms around her legs. It was her way of being pensive to figure things out for herself. Now she had to include Broly in her thoughts about how to address more intimate topics.
"Though your father never understood what love meant, the way you talk about him does say how good of a bond the both of you had," she said. She leaned against his arm, sighing. "That could be called love."
"You are nice to me. I feel bad when I make you angry. I do not want to make you angry," Broly told her.
"Are you still on about that door incident from a while back?" Cheelai asked. Broly nodded, which only made her chuckle. "I was over that by next morning, silly boy."
"I like the feeling I have in here," Broly continued, tapping his chest. "When you are next to me, it puts something in here that I like."
Cheela's face lit up. "Yeah. I know what you mean. I…, I feel that too."
Broly glanced in her direction. "What do you call it when you feel this in your chest?"
"Admiration," Cheelai said. She wanted to say love, but admiration for him seemed as much of a fit as the admiration he had for her unless love was exactly the word to describe what he felt.
"Admiration," Broly said. "I have admiration for you, Cheelai."
"Thank you," she said. It was her turn to go red in the face. The burden she carried was no longer an issue, but the events of the past week that saw Broly fighting for his life still put to question whether she was ready to fall in love again. When she looked up at Broly, she could see his eyes were trained on her neck. She covered it as a reflex. "What?"
"Where is the thing that you had around your neck?" he asked. Shit.
"I guess I should explain this now," Cheelai said. She lowered her hand to take Broly's, wrapping her fingers around it. "The man who gave it to me wasn't who I thought he was. When I thought he pushed me away to save me, he pushed me away completely to save his own hide. So I lived with a lie I never knew, believing that he loved me just as much as I did."
"He did not die?" Broly asked. "No," Cheelai replied, shaking her head. "He wanted me out of his life because my goals were different than his. I only joined the Thief Guild because I was good at what I did, not because I wanted a career out of it. There's one treasure that no thief could obtain, not without giving up their livelihood for it."
She stared ahead, watching the rippling waters settle back to their tranquility. "The treasure I want most of all is a family."
Cheelai laughed at herself before turning to Broly. "I guess that's a little over-the-top for you, huh?"
"Family," Broly said. "You have said something like that before. You and Lemo said you were like brother and sister?"
She was glad to hear that. But then she also remembered that that was the first time she kissed Broly on the lips. It was then decided.
Rising, she gently touched Broly's face, leaning in with hers. "Cheelai?" Broly wondered.
"Do you remember when I kissed you?" she whispered. Broly nodded, touching his lips. "I did not understand why you did that."
"It was an impulsive action that I regretted later. But, this one, I don't need to regret," Cheelai said, leaning in to press her lips against Broly's.