Beginning with an End

Beginning with an End

Part 9

Bulma awoke with a start. She peered around her. Why was she on the couch? A cold cup of tea sat unfinished on the coffee table in front of her. She smiled; she must have fallen asleep in her exhaustion from caring for Nahmi. Nahmi. She thought she had better check up on her; she should be awakening soon. Stretching, she got to her feet, and glanced at the clock on the wall. She could have sworn she had been sleeping for hours, but it had only been a short catnap. Nevertheless it was the afternoon; surely Trunks should have arrived home by now. She picked up the cup and took it to the kitchen, pouring its contents down the sink; she surely must have been tired to allow herself to waste such a nice, refreshing cup of tea. It clinked as she placed it carefully in the sink, and she ascended the stairs in much less of a hurry than she had any time previously. Last time she had seen Nahmi, her temperature had dropped dramatically and the lump on her head was no longer a lump. She had to praise her herbal remedies!

She opened the door to her bedroom; a warm afternoon breeze danced across her face and the fluttering of her curtains only added to the peacefulness. Breeze! She hadn't left the window open. A terrible feeling wrenched at her gut and she flung the door open. Her breath caught in her throat; the bed was empty.

"It's okay Bulma," she calmed herself, taking deep soothing breaths, "she's probably just found her own way to the bathroom, that's all. There's no need to jump to conclusions. Nahmi sweetie, you can come out now!"

******

The wind buffeted and bullied her hair, leaving her face chill. She patted her pocket lovingly, Thank goodness for this flask, an evil grin etched itself on her face... if I hadn't found it I would still be stuck in that bed, and would have been for a long time. I've never felt so refreshed and powerful; it's such a shame it's almost empty now. I wonder who's bed I was in, perhaps my own, the smile faded and Nahmi clasped her head in her hands, argh…I wish I could remember something more recent than being hit on the head years ago! The only other thing I can remember happening to me since then is being knocked unconscious just last night. She growled… last night. Memories, for now, are trivial…I first have to find my ship, and then complete my Mission. Memories can wait until then…the evil grin returned, more defined than ever…which shouldn't be too far away. But first…the ship.

******

"Nearly there," Trunks stated, and Gohan nodded his head, putting in an extra spurt of speed. "Which room is she in?" he asked, and they flew down towards Capsule Corps.

"Bulma's," Gohan answered simply. Sure enough, Bulma was waving at them from her bedroom window. Gohan breathed a sigh of relief, but it was cut short.

"Something's wrong," Trunks growled and flew down past a tree and pulled up beside Bulma's window. Gohan was on his tail.

"Oh Trunks I'm so glad you're here!" Bulma threw herself out the window and flung her arms around her future son.

"You too Mom," Trunks replied, his voice brimming with relief, but urgently fired questions of his own, "what's the matter, and how's Nahmi? Gohan told me all about it."

Bulma pulled away and began chewing her thumbnail. "I don't know," she answered stiffly and walked inside, back turned, gesturing towards the bed, "She's gone." She turned to face them. "Without a word or a note or anything. Does she do this often?" a touch of annoyance was hinted in her tone.

"Thank God Mom, thank god," Trunks answered as he climbed through the window, landing nimbly on his feet.

"What do you mean 'thank god' Trunks?" she snapped, "There's a sick little girl out there!" It wasn't like her son to say a thing like that. "Trunks?" her voice suddenly quivered faintly with a slight fear, "Trunks, answer me! What do you mean?" He glanced at Gohan, who had just landed inside. Bulma, too, turned to him. "Gohan! What does he mean?"

Gohan grimaced. "Nahmi's evil," he answered simply.

******

Nahmi sensed two ki's heading towards her. She froze from instinct, her breath caught in her throat. They passed high above her and headed towards where she had just come from. She breathed again. One, she recognized. The other's energy signature was strangely familiar. Another Saiyan? And the one named Gohan. She scowled, looking back. She couldn't see anything; she had left the campus far behind, but she found that it was easier to concentrate on the energy sources. Who do They think I am? With the word 'they', she glanced up at the sky with disgust, I don't need the help of other Saiyans, especially weak ones, to depopulate this pathetic planet. I'll prove Them wrong…I can do this on my own. In fact, I wish I knew why I haven't done it yet. But that doesn't matter, if that campus is where those other Saiyans are going, then it must be our base…so that makes it a place to avoid. I'll have to make up for my long delay…but it can wait until after I've found my ship.

With that, she checked that her ki was sufficiently cloaked, and took off toward the city.

******

"And that's how we think she turned evil," Gohan finished. Bulma looked as though she was going to faint.

"You left me to take care of the one who was powerful enough to defeat Cell, when she was evil?" Bulma stammered, disbelieving.

"I didn't know she had turned evil when I left. I didn't realize what the look in her eye meant until I talked to Trunks," Gohan stated ruefully with slight defiance.

"I should have known," Bulma bowed her head, "she was having terrible nightmares, and once she sat up and threatened to kill someone, and that someone just happened to take the place of the only person in the room: me. Then she started talking about conquering the Earth, but I just thought that she was dreaming about beating Cell." She shook her head, "But I don't think she was fighting Cell, not by the way she screamed at me." She looked at Gohan, who had a sorrowful expression of self-blame on his face. Bulma bit her lip and changed her tone. "Oh, but it's okay Gohan," Bulma tried to reassure him, "everything turned out for the best, right? I didn't get hurt and there's still time. And there was no way that you could have known that she had turned evil. I'm sure that everything will turn out fine. Trunks," she turned to her son resolutely, "you have to find her." Suddenly the doorbell rang. "Uh-oh." Bulma froze.

"Uh-oh what?" Trunks asked suspiciously.

"Nothing!" Bulma lied, and began whispering, "just keep quiet! Unless you'd rather get in trouble Gohan, okay? She might just think no one's home."

Suddenly, a head peeked around the doorway and smiled. "I thought you'd be in here Bulma, I mean, you weren't in the lab or the kitchen. You know, you really shouldn't leave a key above the front door…" she jangled the keys, but stopped short as she opened her eyes, "G-Gohan…My baby!" Her eyes welled with joyous tears and she ran into the room and hugged her son.

"Aww Mom…" Despite all that had happened, Gohan was glad to see his mother.

"I missed you so much Gohan!" Kneeling beside him, she grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him slightly with a look of concern in her eyes; "I hope those women took good car of you." She suddenly leaned from left to right, peering behind Gohan. "Where'd Trunks go?"

" – Ah," Bulma stumbled to answer quickly, "he's gone to look for – ah – Vegeta."

"Oh," Chichi answered with a look of disgust. Her expression softened, "I have some good news Gohan, where's your father, I want to tell you all at the same time. Goku!" she called, "this is no time for games Goku!" Bulma shifted uncomfortably, the words catching in her mouth.

"Ah, Mom," Gohan began.

"Not right now, Gohan, I'm trying to find your father," she interrupted, not noticing his serious tone.

He continued, knowing that it was the only way to get her attention. "Dad won't be coming."

Chichi froze, and turned to her son slowly. "W-won't be coming?" she questioned slowly, loosening her grip on Gohan's shoulders and slumping. Everything was beginning to make sense; Goku didn't let that little girl fight, he didn't have any say in the matter. She continued determinedly, though she knew it was hopeless. "You mean he headed straight home don't you Gohan, that's why he won't be coming, right? Please tell me that's what you mean?"

Gohan shook his head. He didn't want to tell his mother that there was still hope of his return incase there wasn't. Tears brimmed in her eyes and her lip began to tremble, she felt numb all over. Her mind was clouded; she couldn't think. Chichi suddenly fell back limply; she had fainted.

******

"Oh Dear," King Kai mumbled, "oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. She took the news worse than I expected. I mean…" he bit his tongue; he hadn't realized that he had been speaking his thoughts. He looked up, gazing ahead, and a wide grin quickly overtook his face, "Look! Goku, look!" He turned to Goku, pointing ahead excitedly.

Goku had been forcing himself forward, step by painful step. He was bent with the effort of resisting. King Kai's muffled voice echoed softly in his head. He had long ago lost touch with everything but forcing himself ever the more reluctantly to keep up the monotonous rhythm of step after step after step in the opposite direction to the one he wished to take. He had even forgotten why he was putting himself through so much, but he knew in his heart that he had to, and that was all he needed. King Kai's voice came again, and he realized that he was expected to respond. He opened his eyes, and the sight that greeted them brought on a wave of hope that gushed like a fountain inside of him. He suddenly broke into a run, and could hear himself laughing aloud. A palace, an exact replica of the Taj-Mahal glinted in all the hues of gold found on Earth and more. It was the centerpiece of a glittering yellow tinted bubble that surrounded it, floating on a cloud that was only separated from him by a silver rope bridge over an abyss of nothingness.

"Goku wait," King Kai yelped, hurrying behind him, "stop! Okay don't stop, just don't fall into the abyss, or you won't come back out!" King Kai's desperate calls followed him, but he took no heed. Goku was running across the silver board planks of the bridge. The bubble had to be the boundary of safety; sweet release from the feeling that screamed at him to turn around. But hope that he would make it gave him strength, and strength gave him speed, and speed gave him hope. It wasn't far now; it stretched to the very bottom of the downward slope of the curvature of the bridge, which ascended once inside the bubble. The bridge wobbled dangerously beneath him, clattering under his boots. He was almost there. Suddenly, he slipped and fell forward onto his face…and bumped forward with the motion of the shaking bridge. Before he even noticed that it was happening or even had time to wonder how, he was falling. He tried to fly but it was no use; he was too weak. His hand shot out towards the silver rope, but fell short. He shut his eyes. He had blown his chance; his only chance at returning to Earth.

******

Trunks flew towards the city, he didn't know why, he just had a feeling that that was where he had to go. He peered for any sign of Nahmi; any tell tail signs of destruction, any clue as to where exactly she might be. He couldn't understand it, if she was trying to conquer the Earth like Bulma had said, then why was she not destroying things as she went? It had been easier with the androids, which he had yet to defeat in his own time, they left a clear path to follow in their arrogance and confidence in their strength. He was glad that android 18 hadn't left any paths to follow after she had suddenly left the lodge. He wondered why, had something changed in her? He dismissed the thought, she was an android, it was a much too complicated thought, and one that he could not let himself contemplate if he wished to defeat her back in the future. That and the fact that right now he had to worry about stopping someone who he knew he did not nearly measure up to in strength. He had to somehow save her from the evil, but try as he might, he could not think of how. He took little comfort in the thought that he would most likely have plenty of time to think about it as he scoured the city for her, she could do anything in the city – set off a bomb – and he would never know. However, he did take comfort in the fact that if she let her cloak of her ki slip, or fired an attack, he could locate her immediately, but he was now taken back to the problem of what he would do when he got to her.

******

Something suddenly caught his hand and Goku's body jerked to a suspended stop. He opened his eyes. A blue hand clasped his.

"Goku," King Kai strained, hanging low from one of the bridge's flimsy support ropes, "You are heavy you know!"

Goku felt a wave of relief and climbed up King Kai as easily as a monkey climbing a coconut tree. He had the most amazing, unbelievable feeling of freedom and he had regained all his strength. He looked around; he was on the inside of the golden bubble. He laughed, so hard that you would never have suspected that he had almost fallen to his doom.

"Hey," King Kai yelled irritably, "Little help! You only get what you give so I had better start getting!"

Goku pulled him up by the collar and set him down on the now-stable bridge. "Sorry King Kai, I don't really know what came over me."

King Kai straightened his clothes and dusted himself off, "No, no," he said simply, "It was to be expected, but I couldn't just let you keep walking like that. Don't worry, it was uncontrollable."

"I'll say," Goku agreed cheerily, back to his normal light-hearted attitude - his normal self. He looked down between the board planks and gulped, "What is that? I thought I couldn't fly because I didn't have enough strength, but – and I know this sounds crazy – I felt like it was pulling me in."

"It was," King Kai answered. "Have you ever heard the saying, keep your friends close, and your enemies closer?" Goku nodded in reply, but King Kai only gave an indicative nod at the black nothingness.

"Oh, you mean that's the gateway to…" he gulped, tugging at his collar, and began edging up the bridge.

King Kai nodded. "In a sense. But of course, that place doesn't really exist. What happen to those who are evil is much worse. Those whose sins are unforgivable are lead down this road in shackles and tossed into this pit, left to gape at the things that could have been. Many of them end up groveling for forgiveness. That is the fate of the almighty Frieza," he spat with disgusted sarcasm, "and is where Cell will be sent when he arrives. He does not have a choice as to whether he remains in limbo or not, he is being drawn here right now." Bubbles and Gregory had caught up; King Kai had not let them on the bridge with Goku until he was under control.

"Is that," Gregory chirped, "the fifth level of the soul then?"

"No," King Kai answered seriously, "if you land in there, you are…no more." Everyone gulped - especially Goku. "The fifth level, no one knows much about," he continued more cheerily. "They say that ghosts are the fifth level, but no one knows for sure whether ghosts are real or how they come about if they are."

"Gee King Kai, thanks for saving me," said Goku earnestly.

******

Bulma fanned Chichi with a folded piece of paper while Gohan shook her.

"Mom, wake up!" he yelled. It's no use, he thought, I can't believe she took it so badly, I would have expected her to yell at least. I wonder what her good news was and why it was so important that she wanted to tell everyone at once. Hmm, I've got to wake her somehow, I know it's hard, but she has to face up to it or it will only make it worse. I need her and she needs me. Even if Dad can't get back, we'll make it.

He suddenly jumped up and ran out of the room amidst an idea.

"Gohan," Bulma called, "where are you going? Don't leave yet…or do you want your mom in hysterics? Gohan?"

"Yeah Bulma," he was back in the room, brandishing a glass of water.

"Oh-no, nuh-uh, give her time to rest. And not on my…" her last word fell from her mouth flatly as she watched Gohan splash the water on his mother's face regardless of what she had to say, "floor." This time, he was right no matter what she said.

"She needs to talk," he said amidst Chichi's spluttering and Bulma's attempts to calm her.

"Gohan," his mother shrieked, "what was that for?" A distant expression suddenly overcame her face and she sat down placidly. "Goku," she said mournfully, gazing at puddle she sat in.

"Don't worry about Dad, Mom," Gohan said with faked cheer, "I talked to him, he's fine. He really is happy up there, he even decided that it would be best if he stayed."

"He did what?" Chichi's old fire was back, "and who does he think it would be best for." It was unlike Chichi to be selfish about something as serious as what she had been told. "Oh, but if only he knew what I know, then he wouldn't have made that decision. If only he knew…" she sobbed.

******

King Kai grabbed Goku's hand and put it on his shoulder. "It's time to talk to Chichi, Goku. She just heard the news and really needs to talk." They stood near the center of the bridge, swaying with a slight breeze.

******

"Chichi?"

"Goku?" Chichi looked around the room, sudden tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks.

"Hi Dad," said Gohan, "I knew you'd come back."

"Hi Son, how's things?"

"Goku," Chichi cried, "where are you? I can't see you!" She looked daggers at Gohan and Bulma, "how could you play such a cruel trick like that? And you, Bulma, going along with it! You two should be ashamed…huh?"

"Ah Chichi," Goku interrupted, "they weren't playing a joke. What they told you is true."

"Then how am I talking to you? You can't be," she began sobbing once more, she knew her husband wouldn't lie to her about something so serious, "you just can't be Goku. Goku," she was crying steadily, stricken with grief, her every syllable uttered through a sob, "you can't be!"

"It's okay Chichi," he began soothing her.

"No it's not," she snapped amidst her tears. "Goku, you have to come back," she suddenly burst out with a wail of despair, "I'm pregnant! You have to!"

by Lolli