'You must answer this question with your own strength. I cannot help you to face your past, I'm only your present.'
****
So many feelings, far too many to be conveyed in a single moment. That second, where everyone stood still and gawked in awe, that second was hers to command.
'Chimera, there's trouble.' The great beast leaped out in front of her. He growled, displaying his set of fangs as he protectively guarded her.
Eyes wide, the rest of the warriors stood still, silent as death. Then, they came alive.
"Bulma!" Goku shouted, taking a step forward. The beast growled low and Goku moved back apprehensively.
"Mom?" Trunks said, his voice very shaky. Bulma felt she would lose control. Her own son stood before her. How many nights had she thought of him? That unfortunate spawn who had such an unworthy mother. And now he was in front of her, handsome as could be. He looked so much like his father. His father! He was here as well, standing close by, looking at her with that same amazement the others shared.
'Chimera? What do I do? They're my past.'
'Your past is dead Bulma!' Chimera thought, turning to her. 'Leave them behind.'
'You're right.'
"What are you doing here?" She commanded, putting her hands on her hips, and spreading her legs a shoulder length apart. Her presence demanded attention as the beast encircled her.
"Bulma?" Goku said once more. "You're...you're alive?"
"Mom?" Trunks said. "Mom, you're...what are you doing here?"
"Why should that concern you?" She questioned, trying to keep her eyes narrowed to the face that stole her heart. Her own son, right in front of her. She didn't even deserve to face him.
'What do I do Chimera?'
'Converse with them, find out why they're here.'
'Very well.'
"Why do you come here?" She asked, leaving no room for hesitation.
"Because of a certain Galvan Marquish," it was Gohan who added this. "He's decided to take over Earth, and wants to fight us here. That way Earth won't be destroyed." No one could fail to miss the surprise in Bulma's countenance.
"How dare he! Doesn't he know this is a neutral planet?"
"Obviously he doesn't care," Gohan replied. Bulma sighed and looked down to Chimera.
'It seems there will be battle. I'll enjoy destroying Galvan.'
'But how do you know he shall be so easily defeated? After all, if he had the courage to challenge these warriors, then his powers must be phenomenal.'
'Perhaps.'
"How did he become so powerful? The last time I was with him he wasn't strong at all." Bulma pondered.
"Some chalice thingy!" Goten asserted, finally able to speak.
'Well?'
'Bulma, I think he's referring to... Oh my! Ask if it's the chalice of Alian!'
"Is it the chalice of Alian?" She asked. Gohan looked shocked.
"Yeah, that's it!"
'What's that?'
'It's power, Bulma. Immense power. Galvan wields a good deal of it now.'
"Shit!" She said aloud.
"What?" Gohan asked. So far, he and Goten were the only ones who could bring themselves to speak.
"It seems we have a problem. Galvan's got a lot of power on his hands."
"Well, that's not our problem right now!" Goku said finally. "Our problem is why aren't you dead? Why are you here?" Bulma looked to him and found she couldn't find the words to reply.
'Chimera!'
'You must answer this question with your own strength. I cannot help you to face your past, I'm only your present.' Bulma looked up to the circle of men. The men she had known for so long. Could forgiveness be harnessed from these bewildered eyes that gazed upon her now?
Perhaps.
"I've lived here for two years now." She finally said.
"Two years?" Gohan asked. "We thought you died two years ago."
"I did, in a way." She said, looking down at the floor. Goku looked at Vegeta accusingly.
"You knew she was alive? You knew and you never told us?" Vegeta could not answer this question, barely able was he to remain composed. Bulma answered for him.
"He was instructed before I departed to tell everyone I was dead." Goku looked up at her with a face full of question.
"But why? Why did you leave us?" Bulma sighed and dry washed her hands in serious contemplation. Finally she looked up into Goku's heartbroken black pupils. She knew then that she couldn't tell those eyes the truth.
"When Galvan abducted me, I befriended Chimera. We became good friends and he told me about the universe. I became interested. I left Earth, but before doing so, told him," she said, pointing to Vegeta, " that everyone was to think I was dead." Goku shook his head.
"You just became best friends with this monster and decided to go planet hopping?" He said, voice rising, cheeks reddening.
"That's right! You know me, Goku! How restless I am. Earth just got too boring I guess, so I decided I needed some change!" Tears streamed down Goku's face.
"How could you mom?" Trunks bellowed. "How could you just leave us all like that?" Bulma fought herself and kept her wits.
"I'm sorry Trunks, but I just couldn't be a mother anymore. I was just too bored with my life."
"Too bored with your family!" Trunks screamed. His tears were falling haphazardly down his face, ricocheting off of the cool marble floor. "You just decided to leave us all and go have some fun!" He shook his head. "I wish you were really dead, I wish you were really dead," he said. Without another word he turned and flew out of the palace. Goten looked confused, but decided to follow after his friend.
Gohan and Vegeta seemed to remain unaffected by the situation, and Goku was finally overcoming his tears.
"You hurt me so much Bulma," was all Goku said.
"Well, I'm sorry Goku, but I guess I just had to do what I had to do." Bulma said dryly.
'Chimera, I'm about to fall,' she thought.
'No you won't, I've been giving you strength. Why did you lie?'
'Because they wouldn't have believed the truth. Because they deserve to know me for who I am, an evil being who destroys everything.'
'Bulma, exile has made you kill. You are not evil, you are good.'
'I'm the epitome of all that's bad and you know it.'
Goku sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"Galvan will be back soon. When he's here we fight," Goku said with finality. He looked at Bulma with cold regard. "I suggest you stay here where you'll be safe."
"Sorry Goku, but I can't do that," Bulma said. "I'm going to fight him too." Gohan's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"But why Bulma? How are you going to fight him? I mean after all, it's going to be a big enough challenge for us!" At this Bulma smirked, a movement of the lips that almost mirrored Vegeta's.
'Wanna give them a show, Chimera?'
'It would be most delightful.'
Bulma clenched her fists as she felt the power begin to immerse her slender figure. Her dead eyes sparkled with a new intensity as the strength of her companion flooded through her veins.
****
Author's Note: Yeah! It's time to show em all just what Bulma's made of! About time, I should say! =) Anyhoo, next time should be a nice Bulma confronts Veggie chapter, so please REVIEW REVIEW cause I won't post till I get lots of nice, long, plentiful reviews! (Ok, I'm kidding, I'll post anyways, but the reviews are very much appreciated.) I would also like Hidden_Angel to hurry up with her posting of Power of Love! Much luv to everyone, even the anonymous goober reviewers.. did I just say goober? Must be the caffeine. That is all ~JZero