Chapter 68: Gratitude
Before I teleported to HFIL I went up to the bedroom and got a robe. I knew as soon as I got to HFIL I'd be recognized, and I didn't need that kind of attention.
I teleported to HFIL directly and began my search for Frieza and Cell. With my hooded-robe on, my face and most of my body was hidden, so no one could recognize me unless they knew my aura or were really close to me. I went past the Blood Fountain, past the holding area, and kept going, using minimal Ki for my search. With so many dark auras in one place it was hard to find the two I was looking for.
Its gonna be a long search at this rate. This is another version of hell, though I have to admit it seems nicer than the hell I know of. How could God let Roxx destroy whole dimensions? Why would he let evil gain so much power and then send a mortal girl to stop it?
I'm reminding myself of Joan of Arc. A lone girl against the evils of the world, only with me it's against the universe.
God needed a warrior and he chose me instead of doing it Himself. I should feel honored, but I really don't right now. I feel like a pawn.
Finally I heard the voices of Cell and Frieza. Walking closer I saw them, and I walked on by, listening to see if it was safe to talk to them at the moment. Though I am one of the strongest fighters in the universe, my Ki was low from the fight with Roxx and I couldn't afford to get into a fight right now. Lucky for me that didn't seem to be the case.
"Graymon could beat Charizard!" Frieza began.
"No it couldn't!" Cell argued.
"Yes it could!"
"No it couldn't!"
"Yes it could!"
"No it couldn't!"
"Yes it could!"
"I still say Godzilla would beat them both." I said as I stepped up, removing the hood of my robe.
"Katie, what are you doing here?" Cell asked.
"Looking for the two of you."
"And why are you doing that, monkey?"
"I remember what happened. You two helped me find the power I needed to destroy Roxx. I… I wanted to thank you."
"Well, if you didn't beat him, we would be gone, too." Cell said, crossing his arms.
"I know you guys were watching me fight. All of Otherworld was watching me. It's kind of flattering. You two really helped me out."
"You're welcome." Frieza said, giving me a bow. Cell stepped up.
"How did you know we were watching?"
"It was one of my abilities. I can see others when I search them out, as long as I know where to look. Its part of my Sensory Gift." Then I whispered, "Thanks for sticking up for me."
"So, why did it take you so long to come and thank us?" Frieza asked, sounding very rude.
"I happened to be in a coma for the past week. That transformation took a lot out of me."
"Well, its like I always say, a monkey is a monkey." Frieza retorted.
"So, what's this I've heard about the council wanting to talk to you?" Cell asked.
"They're afraid of my power. They think I may be dangerous. But I swear, I'm not evil, and-"
"Hey, this is us, remember?" Cell said, gesturing to Frieza and himself, "We know evil."
"We know you're not evil. You're too much like Goku that way." Frieza said with acid in his voice.
"Thanks, its almost hard to believe we were all bitter enemies once."
"I don't know about bug boy, but as far as I'm concerned, we are still enemies." Frieza said.
"Well, I better go home. If anyone sees me now they'll try to fight me, and I can't afford to get into a fight right now."
"Before you go, uh, thanks. I'm sure no one has really thanked you for saving all of us." Cell said. He looked embarrassed.
"Bye Cell, bye Frieza. I'll come to spar sometime."
"Only if you promise not to use that new form of yours." Frieza said.
"It's a deal."
Then I teleported back home, where Mirai was waiting.
The time had come and Supreme Kai arrived to take me to the Council.
"So, where is this council?" I asked as I finished getting ready. I was trying to find something I could wear for the hearing.
"Its in the place you would call limbo. It's the Tri-Dimensional Temple, and hardly anyone has been in there."
"I guess it'll only be you and me in front of the Council, right?"
"I'm afraid so. From what I've seen no one from earth is going to be called upon for testimony. Only a few people are going to be called at all." He replied, "Aren't you ready yet?"
"Ready!" I found my blue dress that I wore to the last Capsule Corporation Board Meeting I attended. Bulma is so good to me, I had off the five years for my training with pay, and I don't have to go back to work until next week. The blue dress is similar to Bulma's red dress that you may remember from the Buu saga. I stepped out of my room and followed Supreme Kai downstairs so I could say bye to Mirai.
"Katie, good luck today. I'll have dinner waiting." Mirai said.
"Mirai, what would I do without you?" I hugged him, and he kissed me, then Supreme Kai teleported the two of us to Purgatory.
"So, what's my defense?" I asked as we headed into the Temple.
"You are a good person, destined to receive the power, and if you were destined to have it then you can control it."
"Right. I'm so scared, Supreme Kai. What if they don't believe me?"
"They will, okay? Just keep telling yourself that."
"Okay. You know, I've fought so many battles, but I wasn't nervous, even fighting Roxx. Now I'm in a legal battle and my knees won't stop shaking." I laughed nervously.
"Just answer truthfully, though you won't have much of a choice. No one can lie while inside the Temple."
"Right." I replied as we stepped into the Tri-Dimensional Temple. By three dimensions it meant Otherworld, HFIL, and the mortal realm.
We walked into a hallway in front of a large door. Supreme Kai stepped up and knocked three times. The doors opened and Supreme Kai led me inside.
"Stand over there." He said, whispering. The room was large and white and a bench setting three robed persons was right in the front of the room. Supreme Kai gestured to a platform that was in the center of the room. Supreme Kai stood at my left, and another tall robed figure stood to my right. He was the prosecuting attorney, if this worked like on earth, and that meant the three in front of me we the judges.
"Presenting case #Q85396753679594.2. Katrin Briefs Vs Council of the Three Dimensions. Defense council Supreme Kai Shin, Prosecuting council Higher Demon Incubus." The lawyer removed the hood to reveal a red-skinned, devil-like demon, "The Judges from each realm are as always anonymous. If the party in concern is found guilty, then she shall be killed by lethal gas." The Bailer said aloud. I gasped, but regained my pose fairly well.
"You may proceed, Supreme Kai Shin." The middle judge said. Supreme Kai turned to face me.
"State your name for the record."
"Katrin Katie Briefs."
"Age and species?"
"My age in earth years is 32, and my species is Sayjin."
"Do you understand the charges that have been placed upon you?"
"No, not really." I replied, shaking my head.
"You have been charged with the Power act. Have you ever heard of the Power act?"
"No, sir."
"The Power Act states that no one being shall ever gain so much power as you now have at one time. Since you have become the legendary Angel -"
"Supposed Angel." Incubus cut in.
"Fine, the supposed Angel Sayjin, this council has been called together to judge you worthy of the power."
"But Supreme Kai, if I was destined to have the power, as the prophecy states, then wouldn't I be worthy to have it?"
"Objection!" Incubus called.
"Supreme Kai, is there a point being made with this statement?" the judge on the left asked.
"Yes sir, if I may continue?"
"Proceed, objection denied." The judge said.
"Katie, how long have you had these new abilities?" Supreme Kai asked.
"Just over two weeks now."
"How many times have you used these powers?"
"Only when I defeated Lord Roxx."
"So you haven't used the ability since?"
"No sir, I haven't had the need to use them."
"There is my point. She would never use her new abilities to gain mortal desires. She is a good person and she defeated the evil, which threatened even the Council. She never asked for gratitude or a reward."
"Even the strongest mortals fall prey to evil." Incubus said. The judges whispered among themselves. I looked back and forth from Supreme Kai to the judges to Incubus, searching for signs of my fate.
"You may continue, Supreme Kai." The judge on the right said.
"I have no more questions at his time, but would like to recall this witness at a later time."
"So noted. Incubus, you may question the witness."
The demon came up and looked at me. He started to pace in front of me. He was making me wait to add suspense, thinking I'd mess up.
"Mrs. Briefs, have you ever murdered someone?"
"Unfortunately, yes, I have."
"I believe you have murdered on at least three separate occasions. Of course, Roxx doesn't count. Is that true?"
"Yes, sir, I'm afraid it is."
"Would you elaborate on each case?"
"The first person I killed was Guldo of the Ginyu force. He was about to kill my friends, and I had to stop him."
"In your opinion, was his death necessary?"
"No death is necessary."
"Of course, so why didn't you just defeat him in battle? Why did you go to the next step?"
"Objection! Reference, you honors?" Supreme Kai asked.
"Your honors, I am trying to show credibility of the witness." Incubus interjected.
"We'll allow it, please answer the question."
"I knew Vegeta would kill him anyway."
"Yes, Vegeta. But did that mean you had to kill him?"
"I guess not, sir."
"I see. Now, who was the next victim of yours?"
"Objection!"
"Incubus, another trick like that and we'll throw this interview out!"
"Sorry, I mean, elaborate on who you killed next."
"Sahara, on board Babi-Dee's ship. She was sent to fight me, and as we fought she spit venom into my eyes. I couldn't see, so when I shot my Ki blast at her it killed her."
"How strong would you rate this fighter?"
"About three-quarters as strong as I was at the time."
"And what form were you in?"
"Super Sayjin two."
"Why did you use so much energy if she wasn't nearly as strong as you?"
"I underestimated her strength, and like I said, I couldn't see."
"That sounds like overkill to me."
"Objection!" Supreme Kai called out in anger.
"Incubus, this hearing isn't for you opinion. Ask a question or sit down."
"Yes, you honor. Please, continue to the next incident."
"Babi-Dee used me to free Majin Buu, and I became a Majin myself. I went to the Martial Arts Tournament and I blew up part of the stadium."
"Over three hundred deaths. Did you know how many it was?"
"No sir, but I can tell you, with each murder I felt incredibly guilty."
"So why did you keep killing?"
"The first two were accidents, and the last wasn't my fault!"
"Accidents? Hm, what if you were to have an accident now? What do you think would happen?"
"I don't know."
"I rest my case, your honors."
"Your honors, may I redirect?" Supreme Kai asked.
"Proceed."
"Katie, how long were you human?"
"Fifteen earth years."
"Describe your life as a human."
"Well, I always felt alone. I felt like no one could care too much about me, even my human family. Kids at the schools I went to made fun of me a lot."
"Then what happened?"
"A television show called Dragonball Z aired in America."
"Dragonball Z. It was about this dimension, correct?"
"Objection, leading the witness." Incubus said.
"Restate the question, Supreme Kai."
"Yes, you honor. What was Dragonball Z about?"
"It was about a group of warriors fighting evil, using abilities that any human could use. It was about this dimension."
"You had no idea this dimension existed, did you?"
"No, sir."
"What was you're reaction to the discovery of waking up in this dimension?"
"I was in shock, but I realized I must have had some reason for being here. I helped fight the bad guys."
"Why did you help stop these villains? What was in it for you?"
"I wanted to stop them because I… cared for the people in the story. All I wanted was to help."
"And what was your reaction to finding out about the prophecy?"
"I was confused. I couldn't see how I was so special. I didn't want to be so special."
"Why is that?"
"I guess because I was raised to believe too much pride was bad."
"And you never let pride get in he way of your fights, did you?"
"Once. I was sick, but I continued to fight."
"Could you please elaborate?"
"I had just finished training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber with Vegeta and Mirai no Trunks. We were going to face Cell. I didn't know it then, but I had the same heart virus that nearly killed Goku."
"Why did you continue to fight, even when it seemed like you were going to lose?"
"I had to. I knew a lot of bad things would happen if Cell reached his final form."
"Lets jump ahead a little, shall we? I'll set the scene. Cell had you locked in a chamber that you couldn't break out of. What happened the last day of your captivity?"
"Cell let me out to eat before his tournament began so I could regain some strength. He caught me off guard and punctured my chest with his tail. I thought for sure I was going to die."
"But you didn't. What was Cell doing? Was he trying to absorb you?"
"No, he was trying to get me to join him. He wanted me to rule the universe with him."
"And you rejected him?" I nodded, "Why?"
"I'm not that kind of person. I don't want to rule over anyone."
"Now, lets jump ahead again. Why did you turn Majin?"
"Babi-Dee promised me something I couldn't refuse."
"What was it?"
"He told me he could keep the Darkness away, and that was all he needed to say to break my mental shield."
"What is the Darkness?"
"The Darkness was a servant of Roxx. It ripped me from what I believed to be my birthplace and I was scared of it."
"So Babi-Dee didn't enhance your evil tendencies, he altered your feelings so you believed he would keep you safe?"
"Yes."
"How come he didn't try to enhance your evil tendencies?"
"He could only do that if I had enough evil in my heart."
"I rest my case." Supreme Kai said.
"You may step down, Katrin." The middle judge said. I did so and took a seat behind the platform where Supreme Kai had stood.
"How did I do?" I whispered to Supreme Kai as I took my seat.
"Very well, I believe." I relaxed a little, comforted by that statement. Supreme Kai went back to the front of the room as the judges began to speak.
"Supreme Kai, you may now call your next witness." The judge in the middle said.
"I call Cell to the stand." The door flew open as Cell walked forward and stood on the platform.
