Hello, how are you all doing? Around two months isn't that bad to get a chapter out (he says cautiously because on the last author's note he said that he had an idea for what this chapter was going to be and it was most likely going to come out sooner than it actually did). Great use of parentheses, huh?
Anyway, I have some awesome news to share with you all and it is that I have a job! It's nothing glamorous. I'm working at a small, family owned catering business. It mostly entails cleaning objects, like coolers and other similar things, washing dishes, and making food.
Even so, the people there are so nice and it's work I know I can do! Although, it may take even longer for chapters to be published. Some days after I work, I just come home and hibernate. But what can you do? Adulting is something you have to do in life.
And all of you, don't worry. *Holds out hands* I got you all. Never fear that this story will become abandoned and forgotten! It might take longer, longer than some of you might like, but I guarantee each and every one of you that I will finish it!
Finally, just as a little warning, this is going to be an extremely emotional chapter. I wasn't expecting it to be quite as emotional as it is, but you suddenly get really into your work and...well, things just snowball from there.
Without any further ado, enjoy!
Please, Help Me!
It's been one week Earth time since I've last seen Liquiir. I didn't give Whis exact details regarding why we had to leave so suddenly. Although, he did correctly deduce that it was related to a certain fox. As such, in a true mentorly fashion, he advised that I keep my distance from him. It hasn't been easy. All I want to do is apologize to him, but he still might be too upset with me. Conversely, he may have calmed down and he may be wondering where I've been.
It's a delicate situation. On one side, if he's still angry, sad, or both, it might hurt him even more by seeing me. On the other, if he's fine, he might think that I've been avoiding him all of this time because I don't want to see him anymore and that, in turn, will make him angry, sad, or both. Again. It's an undeniable case of catch a twenty-two. No matter what course of action I take, I can't win.
Ah! Damn it all! I'm fucked! I covered my face with my paws and slammed my head against my bed. I slid them down my face, pulling on it a little, and groaned. I then sighed and rolled over onto my right side. In addition to not seeing Liquiir, I haven't been out of my room that much. Only long enough to bathe and go to the bathroom. I never went to the dining room to eat, as Whis personally brought food to me. And new clothes. It would be nice - and actually fairly normal - if I didn't feel like such a terrible person.
Lady Heles: "Beerus! For the love of everything, you open this door right now!" I covered my ears to try and ignore her. Why is Heles even here? And why does she sound so mad? Does she somehow know what's happened? I swear if Whis blabbed again. Ooh! More banging on my door and more echos to assault my eardrums. Even more- "I know you're in there! You can't ignore love forever!" Excuse me? Is she declaring her love for me? Please, please, please, let that not be the case. Uncovering my ears, I quickly sat up and glared daggers into the door.
Lord Beerus: "Okay! I hear you! Stop with all the noise already!" I made my way over to the source of irritation and opened the entrance to my room. She has her arms crossed and she looks equally annoyed.
Lady Heles: "It's about time. Heart breaker." I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms behind my back. I'm doing my best to look as professional as possible. If she was anyone else, I'd kick her out in a heartbeat. However, this is the first time that she's ever visited me and I have a sneaking suspicion that it has to do with Liquiir. I'll act as though I'm ignorant for now.
Lord Beerus: "Heles, what brings you here unannounced and so loudly? Also, what was that about love?" She scoffed.
Lady Heles: "If you don't know that much, you are a moron!" Well, perhaps I should have kicked her out.
Lord Beerus: "I'm trying to be as gracious a host as possible, but you're making it rather difficult. So, tell me. Are you speaking of yourself?" She placed her hands on her hips.
Lady Heles: "Don't be absurd! I'm speaking of poor Liquiir whom you have, without a single thought of the consequences, reduced to a depressed, suicidal wreck!"
Lord Beerus: "Hey, I was just trying to-" Wha-wai-huh?! What she just said almost didn't register to me! "Did...did you just say 'suicidal'? As in, 'He's thinking about killing himself?'"
Lady Heles: "Yes, I did. Well, maybe not now, but I wouldn't be too surprised if we get a message saying-"
Lord Beerus: "What?!" I screamed as I grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Explain, damn you! What's going on?!" She narrowed her eyes and carefully removed my paws from her shoulders.
Lady Heles: "Tell me, Beerus. Do you know why he's so sad?" I blinked. I wasn't expecting a question to answer my question.
Lord Beerus: "I...think that it's because he wants to maybe...date me. Or something..." I muttered out. She slowly nodded.
Lady Heles: "Put a little more thought into it. You're almost there."
Lord Beerus: "What do you mean? Does he not want to date me?" She closed her eyes and shook her head in a disappointed manner.
Lady Heles: "You really don't know anything, do you?"
Lord Beerus: "What? Am I wrong? Did misread the situation? Please, enlighten me. You must know everything when it comes to affection and love and all of those stupid, annoying, useless-"
Lady Heles: "Watch your tongue! I will not allow you to insult love!" She shouted.
Lord Beerus: "Then tell me what the problem is! Tell me why I'm at risk of losing my best friend!" I shouted right back.
Lady Heles: "The 'problem' is not that Liquiir wants to date you. He wants to be your life mate. He wants you and only you." With every emphasized word she poked me in the chest to further illustrate her point. I lightly gasped and gulped afterward. That's...that's been a persistent thought in my mind for the better part of my time away from him. The possibility that someone actually wants to be my life mate? It's astonishing to think about.
Without a doubt, Liquiir's an amazing person. Anyone and everyone who knows him can attest to that. Whereas, just about anyone who knows me most likely wouldn't speak very highly of me. I didn't want to admit that may be the case because being that committed to someone...discomforts and worries me. Hearing it from someone else's mouth feels surreal. I also don't feel very worthy, especially now.
Lord Beerus: "So, Heles...how do you know that he feels that way?" I quietly asked. She crossed her arms.
Lady Heles: "While you meant it as an insult, I actually am well versed in love between thousands upon thousands of different species, including Kitsunians. Now then. Kitsunians, by nature, are a loving and loyal species. When they find someone they want to be with, it's only that person. No one else will ever come after. Even if their life mate dies, they won't ever look for another. Also, do you remember how he told you that tails are beyond important in his culture?"
Lord Beerus: "Yes?"
Lady Heles: "You may be interested to know that, in addition to everything else he told you, tails are also equally important in Kitsunian love. When he allowed you to caress them, even while inebriated, that's as good as him declaring his undying love for you." My eyes widened.
Lord Beerus: "His...his 'undying love'?"
Lady Heles: "Yes, undying love. Only people Kitsunians wholeheartedly trust and feel close to are permitted to touch their tails. Since they are so young and pure, kits also have that privilege, but you are clearly no kit. You're an imbecilic adult and when you last visited Liquiir a week ago, you performed one of the worst acts possible!" I gulped nervously.
Lord Beerus: "And...what would that be?"
Lady Heles: "When you two were cuddling with each other, his tails were about to wrap around yours, but you jumped away mere moments before he could even begin his courtship ritual." I moved my arms from behind my back and folded them across my chest tightly as if I'm giving myself a hug to make myself feel better about hearing all of this information.
Lord Beerus: "His 'courtship ritual'? Did I...did I hear you correctly?" She slowly nodded.
Lady Heles: "Indeed, you did. That is their courtship ritual. It's been that way since the very first generation. Once it's done, however, it does not necessarily mean that you're officially life mates. A ceremony has to be held."
Lord Beerus: "A courtship ritual and a ceremony?"
Lady Heles: "For all intents and purposes, Kitsunians only have one chance at love. Ergo, it's no wonder why they're so careful and cautious when choosing a partner. Now, continuing with what I was saying before, once the ceremony is completed, you are life mates and nothing can ever change that fact. However, since you left, that's rejection in their culture. You might as well have used destructive energy to obliterate his heart." Moving my right paw under my regalia, I placed it directly over my heart. Very harsh choice of words, but she got her point across loud and clear. "And, unfortunately, the unlucky recipient of that rejection becomes so depressed that, more often than not, they die of a broken heart or kill themselves." Fuck me! How could this possibly get any worse?!
Lord Beerus: "I-I can't believe...he's always been so carefree and...flippant."
Lady Heles: "You have to keep in mind that, as mischievous and naturally optimistic as they are, they are still quite emotionally sensitive creatures. Not fragile, mind you. However, as sad as it is, it's not at all uncommon for them to be completely consumed by their negative emotions and pass away as a result. Naturally or...otherwise. Don't be surprised if we get a message saying that he's moved on from this life."
Lord Beerus: "Then I must see him! I must remedy this situation!" I moved past Heles, literally pushing her out of the way. Before I got too far, however, she appeared back in front of me and placed her right hand on my chest to keep me from moving.
Lady Heles: "I'm afraid that's not wise, Beerus," she warned.
Lord Beerus: "What? Why?" She took her arm down and crossed them again.
Lady Heles: "Once rejected, not only are Kitsunians depressed, they tend to be very aggressive. Especially toward the one who broke their heart."
Lord Beerus: "How aggressive?"
Lady Heles: "Sometimes lethally so." I narrowed my eyes.
Lord Beerus: "'Lethally'? Are you saying that if I see him, he may kill me?"
Lady Heles: "It's a possibility that shouldn't be ruled out." I growled in frustration and threw my paws up in the air.
Lord Beerus: "Then what the hell am I supposed to do?! From what you're saying, it sounds like there's no hope of helping him!" She didn't answer. Instead, she looked away to the right.
Lady Heles: "I'm sorry. I truly don't wish to be the bearer of bad news." I shook my head repeatedly.
Lord Beerus: "No! No, no, no! I refuse to believe that I'm powerless to help him!" She looked back at me in an understanding way.
Lady Heles: "I know. Still, that's the way it is sometimes, Beerus. If I thought there was a reliable solution where everyone's happy again, I'd tell you. But...I honestly don't think there is."
Lord Beerus: "Maybe you can't. But there has to be someone who can help." I sighed angrily and walked past her once more. "I'm going to find a solution without you since you've obviously given up on Liquiir. When I come back, I want you gone," I ordered without stopping. At the moment, the only place I can think of that might have an answer is Earth. "Whis! Whis! Whis?" I stopped in the middle of the spacious corridor and placed my paws on my hips. Where is he? Is he ignoring me? "Whis, I know you're not deaf! Where are you?!" He appeared on my right. Finally.
Whis: "Forgive me, my lord. I was speaking to Sour. What do you require?" Groaning, I turned to face him and looked up.
Lord Beerus: "I'm going to Earth and I need you to tell Bulma that her assistance is needed on a matter of utmost importance." He nodded respectfully.
Whis: "Very well. Am I to assume that my presence will not be needed?"
Lord Beerus: "Indeed. I would prefer to be alone for this."
Whis: "Of course. Before you take your leave, would you like to hear my thoughts?"
Lord Beerus: "Let me guess what they are. You're going to tell me something along the lines of 'You should not concern yourself with Liquiir's wellbeing. It's not relevant to you whatsoever. The emotions you are feeling are reserved for mortals and not befitting of a God of Destruction. With that being said, you should simply keep to yourself and resume your duties as a Destroyer.' Is that about right?" He's smiling much too nonchalantly right now. Bastard.
Whis: "Very good, Lord Beerus! It appears that you've found the answer all on your own. I'm very proud of you." Whis...how dare he! It truly sickens me how little Angels care about other beings. I understand their roles are to train and teach literal destroyers of entire worlds and more but come on! Well, maybe not the Angels whose universes are a part of the top four in regards to their mortal level. And maybe not Cus.
It's strange. While she appears the youngest between all of her siblings, she is, in fact, the oldest. And yet, she has a noticeably more caring nature. Perhaps she was raised differently? Or perhaps it's her own special blend of insight she's developed through the years, completely independent from the others? It's better than Whis', that's for damn certain!
Lord Beerus: "Abandoning Liquiir is not the answer!" I said through clenched teeth.
Whis: "Agree to disagree." You...you...
Lord Beerus: "Whis, you..." I sighed deeply. "Just call Bulma. And I don't want to hear another word from you!" Immediately afterward, I started walking away from my infuriating and seemingly heartless attendant so as to prevent myself from exploding with anger. Honestly, what in the fuck is wrong with everyone? Damn it. Well, whatever. They're not who I should be focusing on. Not at all. Now, maybe, hopefully, the Earthlings can be of some use to me.
I'm glad that Bulma was told about me coming to see her ahead of time. She can prepare to help me more easily this way. We're sitting on the couch in the living room where I drunkenly played with Liquiir's tails. Out of all of them, it's the main living room, apparently. Not that you could ever tell. Wait, have I complained about how many she has before? I feel like I have. Okay, I'm getting sidetracked.
Anyway, it's not only us two. Videl, Gohan, and even their daughter, Pan, are with us. Videl is sitting on my right, Gohan is on her right, Pan is sitting in his lap, and Bulma is on my left. She informed me that she believed multiple perspectives would be best in helping whatever my problem is. With Pan being only over a year old, she's too young for that of course.
Lord Beerus: "Thank you for agreeing to see me, everyone."
Bulma: "No problem. So, what's going on? I can only imagine how important this is if you're seeking our support. Although, I wonder why you didn't ask for Vegeta and Goku to be here, too." Sighing, I rolled my eyes and shook my head.
Lord Beerus: "Those two would be as helpful as an ice pack in a blizzard. You see, the reason I'm here is that...because..."
Videl: "Is it hard for you to talk about?" I looked to my right.
Lord Beerus: "Yes, Queen." I blinked several times in confusion. Meanwhile, Videl looks mildly amused. "Why did I just call you that?"
Gohan: "When you were at the party several days ago, you got drunk and called Videl and me king and queen."
Lord Beerus: "Oh, you have to be kidding," I groaned out loud while putting my weary head down and resting my right paw on my forehead. "Damn it all."
Gohan: "Lord Beerus, language. Remember, Pan's here and she's beginning to repeat words." I looked up toward the young human in question. He's covering her ears.
Lord Beerus: "I'm sorry, I'm just having a bad day. A horrible day. Probably the worst." He removed his hands and wrapped his arms around her.
Gohan: "It's okay. But tell us, what's going on?"
Lord Beerus: "Okay, fine. Do you all remember Liquiir?"
Bulma: "I know I do, he's the best! He's easily one of the friendliest people I've ever met," she said fondly with a smile. It slowly faded away, however. "What's going on with him?"
Lord Beerus: "Well, he...as it turns out, he..." Come on, Beerus, just spit it out already. "Ahem, excuse me! But, do you all want to know what I just realized?" I said hastily. "17 wasn't at the party. He might have been, I was so drunk that the party's mostly a blur to me. Even so, I'm almost certain that he wasn't. Why?"
Bulma: "Lord Beerus, you're stalling." Mortals love to point out the obvious, don't they?
Lord Beerus: "Obviously. Do you really think I'm not aware of that? Still, there is a grain of truth. I genuinely want to know where 17 was. You two weren't there to see him, but he helped immensely in the tournament. He was also the one who wished for all seven of the erased universes to be resurrected if you two didn't already know. What I want to know, is where he is. Tell me that, and I'll gladly tell you what's going on with Liquiir."
Gohan: "Don't you remember, Lord Beerus?" Gohan said, prompting me to turn my head to face him. "He said that his intended wish was to travel around the world with his family by cruise. He still got that wish, even without the use of the Super Dragon Balls. He has Bulma to thank for that." I looked over at her, to which she shrugged and gave a...I want to say a modest smile. I looked back at the young Saiyan. "They're all taking a long and well-deserved vacation," he finished. I turned my head to face forward.
Lord Beerus: "Yes, that's right." How could I have forgotten? He annoyed Belmod with his nautical wish and his nonchalant attitude. "Good for him. Now that we have that out of the way, the thing that's going on with Liquiir is..." Closing my eyes, I inhaled and exhaled deeply. "He wants to be my life mate and I accidentally rejected him," I revealed hesitantly. I then opened my eyes and looked around to find everyone staring at me blankly. It appears none of them were expecting me to say that of all things. Why would they? Of the plethora of topics they might speak about on any given day, I highly doubt that my personal life is one of them.
Gohan: "He wants to be your life mate and you rejected him?" Gohan asked in clear astonishment.
Lord Beerus: "I...yes. I should also tell you all that it's recently been brought to my attention that he didn't take the rejection well. He's depressed and most likely..." I cleared my throat nervously. "S-suicidal," I whispered. "Not only that, but there's also a significant chance that he's extremely mad at me. So mad that, if I were to see him and try to talk to him, he'd want to kill me. And so...I don't know what to do. I don't know how to help him. Help me to help him. Please." Still nothing but silence. Even Pan is completely quiet. Come on, give me something, people! Anything!
Videl: "Wow," Videl suddenly sighed out, seemingly hearing my silent plea for a voice to speak. "That's a lot to take in. Well, what I think you should-"
Bulma: "How?!" Bulma cut in loudly. "How could you do something so stupid and mean?!" Ah! Damn it, she's hitting me repeatedly on my arm! It doesn't hurt, but it's still annoying!
Lord Beerus: "Hey, stop that!" I raised my arm to block some of her hits. "Stop hitting me! It wasn't on purpose, it was an accident!" She stopped punching me, huffed angrily, and looked at me like I'm crazy.
Bulma: "How do you reject someone by accident?"
Lord Beerus: "We were cuddling and I jumped away. Really quickly." They don't need to know about his courtship ritual going awry. "Look, it wasn't meant to be taken as a rejection, okay? It was supposed to convey that I needed space and some time to think."
Bulma: "Then maybe you should have told him 'Hey, this isn't a rejection, I just need to be by myself for a while.' Would that have been so hard?"
Lord Beerus: "A lot was going on in my mind already!" I groaned agitatedly and tiredly. "Yes, I know that's what I should have done. Hindsight's 20/20. But, at the time, I just wanted to leave before things went too far." She rolled her eyes.
Bulma: "You still should have said something." She stood up. "I'm going to get some water. Be right back." Once she left my range of vision, I banged my head against the back of the couch with a single loud thud.
Lord Beerus: "What were you saying, Videl?" I asked while looking over at her. "What do you think I should do?"
Videl: "I was saying that I think that if you can't speak to him, maybe you could get someone else to go in your place."
Lord Beerus: "Eh." Wow, great response, me. My expression matches the sound I just made.
Videl: "You don't think it's a good idea?"
Lord Beerus: "Honestly? Not really. Sure, I could do that, but he'd probably turn them away. And that's assuming he's accepting visitors at all. Not only that but how would it sound if I, someone he might want to kill on sight, sent someone on my behalf? I imagine that he might want to kick their ass, too." She hummed in agreement.
Videl: "That's true. If I was in his position, I'd honestly feel the same way."
Lord Beerus: "My point exactly. Gohan, you're educated. You like books. You actually know what a book is. You're not punch happy like some people. Do you have any suggestions?" He chuckled nervously and slowly nodded.
Gohan: "Uh, maybe. I know you already said that you don't think it's a good idea, but I want to go off of what Videl said."
Lord Beerus: "Fine, proceed. Let's hear it." I crossed my arms, as well as my right leg over my left. My head is still resting upon the back of the couch.
Gohan: "Well, I can only think of two things to do." Oh, sure, only he says. That's two more possibilities than I can think of. "The first thought I have is that maybe you can visit his planet and talk to an expert on this situation and see what they think." Huh. I didn't think about that. That actually makes a lot of sense and it could work. Could.
Lord Beerus: "Not bad. What's the second?"
Gohan: "You can attempt to track down his parents in Heaven and ask them to talk to him for you. I'm sure he'll listen to his mom and dad of all people." I see...perhaps. Two courses of action that actually have a shot at working. He is definitely not Goku when it comes to the brains department. He has some.
Lord Beerus: "Those aren't bad at all. I'll think about them."
Bulma: "I'm sorry it took so long for me to get back to you guys." Bulma suddenly began beside me. I turned my head as she sat down with a bottle of water in her right hand. "I got a call and I couldn't ignore it." She took a few sips of her water before setting it down on a small glass table in front of us. "So, are we any closer to helping the moronic Destroyer of Hearts?"
Lord Beerus: "I didn't mean to..." I sighed. "Stupid is as stupid does," I said in a defeated voice. I've already accepted that I fucked up.
Videl: "We came up with a couple of plans that might work. Neither of them is a guarantee, though."
Bulma: "What were they?" I finally raised my head and sat up straight.
Lord Beerus: "We think that since I'm unable to speak with Liquiir myself, I could visit his planet and talk to an expert about this subject and get their opinion. Either that or I could find his parents and ask them to talk to him for me."
Bulma: "Oh. Was that not as obvious to you three as it was to me? I thought of those ideas almost immediately after you explained your situation."
Lord Beerus: "And yet, you chose to hit me," I argued.
Bulma: "And yet, you deserved it," she countered matter-of-factly. I shrugged.
Lord Beerus: "Can't argue with that. In any case, while helpful and certainly in the realm of possibility, I still have to think about them." I leaned slightly forward past Videl to see Pan, smiling without a care in the world. "Tell me, is your daughter speaking yet?"
Gohan: "Not full on sentences, but she does know individual words. Why, do you want her input?"
Lord Beerus: "It couldn't hurt. I'll take advice from anyone. Who knows, she may hold the answer I seek." Gohan softly smiled and gently turned her around to face him.
Gohan: "Hey, Pan, what do you think Lord Beerus should do? How can he fix his relationship with Liquiir?" He made sure to draw out each word carefully. I don't believe that she can understand him, but she'll at the very least pick up a couple of words that way. I think? Right now, she's just staring up at him with a slightly confused face.
Lord Beerus: "Come on, don't be shy," I urged her on. "Any advice at all is appreciated. Say whatever comes to your mind." She turned her head to look at me. And blink at me. "Nothing? Nothing at all?" Nothing but a baby girl's giggle. "Well, on that note, I think I'll take my leave." I stood up and stretched my arms above my head. "Thank you for your assistance. Hopefully, I'll be able to resolve this in a way that benefits everybody." Videl and Bulma stood up beside me.
Bulma: "Good luck, Lord Beerus."
Videl: "Remember, we're all here for you." If there's one thing I have, it's the emotional support of mortals. However, I'm not entirely sure if I want it. It feels like pity.
Gohan: "I'd get up with you, but my hands are full at the moment." He looked down at the young human. "Hey, Pan, wish Lord Beerus 'Good luck.'"
Pan: "Ha, ha! Kiss!" Gohan lightly gasped.
Gohan: "Not exactly what I said, but that works. You're so smart!" he praised.
Lord Beerus: "But wait, kiss what?" I crossed my arms. "My ass goodbye?" Videl covered her mouth to try and stifle her laughter.
Videl: "Don't say that in front of her."
Lord Beerus: "Why not? I might as well at this point."
Pan: "Kiss! Liquiir!" We all turned our heads to look at her. I definitely wasn't expecting that of all things.
Bulma: "Wow. Don't kids say the darndest things?" I nodded.
Lord Beerus: "Yeah. And you know, kid, I feel like kissing my ass goodbye would still be the easier option. Thanks for the suggestion, though."
Videl: "It's still impressive that she picked up his name. She really is so smart." Bulma chuckled.
Bulma: "She might be the world's next greatest scientist in the making. I'll have so much to teach this little genius!" I narrowed my eyes slightly and looked between all of the adults. Does the I.Q. of everyone except for me go down by about sixty points when a baby is involved? Whatever, I don't care. I just want to leave before I have to listen to any more of this.
Lord Beerus: "Okay, as I said, I'm going to take my leave. Assuming Heles doesn't nag me to death about whatever decision I end up making, you'll be the first ones to know if and how I fixed everything. Goodbye." Once everyone said their goodbyes to me, I went on my way to my Hexahedron. I'm going to take my time walking so that I have a chance to really think about what Gohan said. First, talking to an expert. Would that be wise? Would they be of any more help than Heles?
She did proclaim herself as an expert, herself. Being so annoyingly obsessed with love, there might be validity in her claim. Besides, what guarantee do I have that a more official expert would agree to see me? I assume that Liquiir's involved with his own people a fair amount, so they may already be aware of his situation. If they know that I'm the one who placed him in such a state...something tells me I won't get such a warm welcome, no matter how good my intentions are.
Fuck! Seeing his people would only exacerbate the situation, I imagine. Well, what about his parents? Oh, yeah, I'm sure his mommy and daddy would love to speak to the man who obliterated their son's heart. Ah, I was so stupid to allow my hopes to rise! Still, there's always a small chance I could always be overreacting and I might actually acquire some cooperation.
Considering he's so beloved within his universe, the odds aren't exactly in my favor now, are they? No, I highly doubt they are. In fact, I'm certain that anyone and everyone who's aware of his condition would want to kick my ass on sight. I know I would and that's why I really don't want to see my reflection because I know that the image greeting back would be the biggest asshole in the multiverse.
Stopping in a random hallway, I lowly growled and looked to my right. Damn it all! Coming here was completely pointless! Clenching my right paw into a tight first, I didn't hesitate to effortlessly punch a hole through a nearby wall. I hate feeling so fucking helpless! I angrily pulled my fist back and quickly crossed my arms before I become tempted to do even more damage with my fists.
Now, is there anyone else who might be of aid? Maybe Shin? No, on second thought, I don't want to talk to him about this. For one, what would he know? He's a young, ignorant fool who almost got himself killed! Two, he's technically not even another man. His kind is genderless! Despite the fact that a lot of them are capable of showing interest in others, like a certain lecherous old man, that's all the more reason why Shin would be useless.
Finally, it was difficult enough to speak to Videl and the others and, unfortunately, the number of people that may be willing to help me in any way, shape, or form, are severely limited. It irritates me to no end! Using my right foot, I kicked another hole into the wall. The wall is innocent, but I need an outlet for my anger that doesn't involve obliterating the entire planet. Even so, maybe I should have crossed my legs in addition to my arms.
Gohan: "That's what the banging noises are. So, does that mean you gave my ideas some thought and you decided that they're terrible after all?" Without turning to look behind myself and at Gohan, I scoffed.
Lord Beerus: "What do you think? There's no way in Hell that anyone related to Liquiir is going to help me, even if it's to help him. And now, I don't know who else I can turn to." He walked up to me until he reached my right side.
Gohan: "Well, you do have your brother, right?" I looked over at him.
Lord Beerus: "Ha! Please, like that fat ass would help me."
Gohan: "You never know, Lord Beerus. You're still family and you're brothers. That's a special bond to share with someone. Whenever Goten, my brother, has trouble with something, he almost always comes to me first. I'm sure that if Lord Champa saw your sincerity with how much you want to help Liquiir, he'd be happy to help you out." Gohan certainly has a way with words, doesn't he? And his mere presence...it's somehow giving me another tiny sliver of hope. Like his father, he practically radiates it. That's very much appreciated at a time like this. I looked to my front and nodded.
Lord Beerus: "Very well, you convinced me. I'll talk to him, see what he says about the situation." Out of the corner of my eye, I can see him smiling.
Gohan: "That's the spirit! Good luck."
Lord Beerus: "Yes, well, before you do that, tell me one thing."
Gohan: "What's that?" I looked back at him seriously.
Lord Beerus: "Where's the exit to this maze of a building? I don't spend much time inside and my mind was numb and hazy when I stumbled my way through here before. If I wasn't capable of sensing energy, I never would have found the room you and everyone else was in." He lightly chuckled.
Gohan: "That's easy. From here, you go straight, take a left, go straight again, take a right, continue going straight, and after taking another right you'll reach the exit in a few steps." I nodded.
Lord Beerus: "Thank you. Goodbye. Again."
Gohan: "Goodbye. Again." Saying nothing more, he turned around and began walking away. That's strange...some invisible force is making me stare after him curiously. I wonder why that is?
Lord Beerus: "Hey, Gohan!" I called after him on impulse before he could round the corner. He stopped and looked back at me.
Gohan: "Yes, what is it?"
Lord Beerus: "When everything is finished and all is said and done, I want you to visit my world." His eyes widened into a state of confusion.
Gohan: "Y-your world? Why?"
Lord Beerus: "Did I stutter?" I asked rhetorically. I then pointed at him. "Don't question your God of Destruction. At some point in the future, I'll call you to visit my temple. When that day comes, I expect you to be there as soon as possible. Am I clear?"
Gohan: "Yes, Lord Beerus. I'll be there and I'll be ready." I smiled a little at his answer.
Lord Beerus: "Good. See to it that you hold up your promise." I waved him away. "That's all, you may leave."
Gohan: "Okay," he replied hesitantly. Nodding, still looking slightly confused, he turned the corner and left. I placed my arms behind my back and began to follow his directions. He's a good kid. He's also good company, which is partly why I invited him to my world. Unfortunately, Champa is almost never pleasant to be around. I imagine that this visit will be the exception, due to my terrible predicament. I'm not going to expect any miracles, though. All I ask is that he's not that big of an asshole about this.
Once I navigated through the labyrinth that is Bulma's not so humble abode, I arrived at my brother's temple. Unannounced, of course. Who announces their presence, nowadays? There's always the chance that he's sensed me by now, but most of the time he's too lazy even for that.
I decided that it was best to enter from one of the side entrances on the right. It's more inconspicuous this way and I'd rather not have people be aware of the fact that I actually searched for Champa and his council. Continuing on with the inconspicuous route, I simply opened the door without knocking - it's wider than the average door, I might add - and went inside.
Vados: "Well, would you look at that. You did stop by, Lord Beerus." Oh, wow, Vados was expecting me. Shocking. I turned around to see her closing the door behind me.
Lord Beerus: "You were expecting me?" Once she finished closing the door, she turned to face me and nodded with that damn smile her brother always has.
Vados: "Indeed. Whis informed me that you were visiting those you are familiar with in hopes of gaining some sort of insight to aid you. With your unfortunate predicament with Lord Liquiir, of course."
Lord Beerus: "Yeah, that sounds about right, Whis tells everybody everything," I muttered beneath my breath. "So, does Champa already know the situation?"
Vados: "He does." I sighed and shook my head.
Lord Beerus: "I would have liked to have told him myself, but oh well. Before I speak to him, tell me. Do you think I should forget about Lord Liquiir and go along my own business?"
Vados: "Yes, I do."
Lord Beerus: "Okay, then. We have nothing more to talk about. Goodbye."
Vados: "Good day, Lord Beerus," she respectfully said with a slight bow. I turned around, closed my eyes, and focused on finding my brother. Actually, nevermind. I don't want to waste time. I opened my eyes and turned around. Vados is still standing near the doorway, smiling knowingly. "Vados, where's Champa? I don't feel like searching out his energy at the moment."
Vados: "He's in the dining room, most likely eating to his heart's content like he usually does."
Lord Beerus: "Okay, thank you. Now we have nothing more to talk about. Goodbye."
Vados: "Once again, good day, Lord Beerus." Another bow. Most of the Angels might be disingenuous in one way or another, but they're nothing if not truly respectful. It might be the one redeeming quality to some of them. Okay, enough wasting time! I have to do what I came here for already. I turned away from the attendant and progressed toward my destination. Having visited here several times in the past, I know just about every inch of this place. Needless to say, that goes for the dining hall as well. Just another right turn and...here I am.
And there he is at the end closest to me. There's no food in sight, he's just leaning his head against his right paw. That's good, I suppose. He's not so heartless that he'd eat an entire full-course meal, which would be a buffet for him, even while knowing that Liquiir's life is at risk. As it should be. He deserves as much respect as he gets from everyone and that's a lot. He's everyone's favorite Kitsunian.
Lord Beerus: "Hey," I awkwardly initiated. Talking to my brother is usually something I never look forward to and this is certainly no different. It's even worse. He turned around with a neutral expression and raised up his right paw. It's one of those gestures you do that means you acknowledge someone, but you don't want to give them a friendly wave because you don't feel like they're worth the effort.
Lord Champa: "Hey. Did you have fun punching a hole in Liquiir's chest?" Oh, come on! I keep telling everyone that it was never my intention to reject him. As upsetting as it is to be constantly beat over the head with reminders that I'm a cruel heartbreaker, it's fine at this point. I just want this nightmare to be over.
Lord Beerus: "No, Champa. I can guarantee you that I did not have fun in the slightest. Now, instead of making me feel worse than I already do, could you maybe be helpful for once?" He shrugged.
Lord Champa: "Sure, whatever you want. Take the seat next to me." He gestured to the seat on his left with his head.
Lord Beerus: "Thank you." I sat down beside him and looked at him expectantly. "I know that you know everything that's going on. What advice do you have to give?" Immediately, he pointed at me in an accusatory way.
Lord Champa: "You're a dick!" Okay, we're starting here with the obvious. Perfect.
Lord Beerus: "There's no point telling me things I already know. Besides, you said that you wouldn't make me feel worse."
Lord Champa: "I changed my mind. I will make you feel worse, so you shut up and listen!" As much as I want to punch him, I might as well accept the scolding. I've already been berated twice today, what's a third time? I'm just going to sit here and hold my paws tightly under the marble table like a foolish child who knows they did wrong. "Why are you even wasting your time like this, traveling from place to place, asking for help with love or whatever it is you're trying to do when we both know that you suck at that? Literally, anyone would be better suited for that subject than you!" I flinched slightly. He's right. I know this already. I'm truly terrible when it comes to sensitivity. That's why I'm trying my best to be better. For Liquiir's sake. That's good enough. Isn't it? "Be honest with me. Other than yourself, do you even care about anyone?" I looked at him in shock.
Lord Beerus: "Wha-what kind of question is that? Of course, I do." Why would he ask me that? Everyone cares about someone. I'm no different. It's like he's trying to hurt me, not just remind me of my failure and make me feel bad.
Lord Champa: "Do you? Do you really? Actually, I have a better question: do you even care about Liquiir?" Why won't he stop throwing that in my face? I'm here...I'm desperate! Does he not realize? Or does that still mean nothing?! Does that not prove how much I do care about him?!
Lord Beerus: "Yes, I do care about him!"
Lord Champa: "Really? Are you sure that you're not taking advantage of his kind heart?" My eyes widened.
Lord Beerus: "What?! I-I-"
Lord Champa: "I've seen you do it before, Beerus! You pretend to be nice. You pretend to be friends with someone. Once you get what you want from them and you're finished with them, you throw them away like trash! You never associate with them ever again! Is that what he is to you? Is he garbage?" I growled lowly. I'm breathing heavier, my right is eye twitching, and body is shaking with barely contained rage. What is this bastard trying to accomplish with this barrage of emotional torment?! I quickly stood up from my chair, knocking it down as a result, and turned my body to face him completely. I'm clenching my paws into such tight fists that my claws are digging into my skin and making my palms bleed. The blood is slowly trickling down my fingers and coalescing on my knuckles before falling down as droplets onto the hard, polished stone floor beneath us.
Lord Beerus: "Why are you saying such ridiculous things?! I don't think of him that way!" He stood up and practically got in my face. I swear, if he says one wrong thing, I will not hesitate to beat him to a bloody pulp!
Lord Champa: "Oh, I forgot! A toy's still good if it's not broken completely, right?! You're nothing but a sadist! You love hurting people! You get off to it, don't you?! And now that you've caused him enough pain, you're fixing him so that one day, the entire process can happen all over again! You'll keep this cycle going for as long as you can until you inevitably become bored of him and cast him aside! You don't deserve to say that you're his best friend! You don't deserve him!"
Lord Beerus: "That's it! You fat, worthless fuck!" I screamed while grabbing him by his regalia. I then slammed the back of his head on the stone table, completely shattering a good-sized chunk. Destructive energy is swirling around my body in an intense aura. If I'm not careful and it takes a more solid, tangible form around myself, I could accidentally find myself down a family member through disintegration. Or would it be an accident? Baring my fangs, I then looked at Champa, right into his eyes, undoubtedly giving him the most deadly and pissed off expression anyone could muster. "You don't know anything! You don't know a fucking thing!" I sniffled and attempted to get my breathing in check before hyperventilation set in. "When we first became Gods of Destruction, we had no one but each other!"
Lord Champa: "I-"
Lord Beerus: "No! Now you shut up and listen! We were in foreign territory. Our respective Angels were only concerned with training us, so even us having one another was barely true. We eventually grew apart and disdain took its place." My facial expression softened and I allowed Champa back on his feet. I still have a firm grip on him, however. "I was considering quitting because at first, everything was so hard. The training was brutal. I missed our family. Our home. I was so lonely." I gulped and looked away. I don't want to see him looking at me like I'm pathetic.
Lord Champa: "Beerus-" I gave him a stern look. I don't want to hear anything from him right now.
Lord Beerus: "At some point, during one of our summits, Liquiir was the only person who introduced himself who seemed like someone I could get along with...I was more right than I could ever know." My expression softened once more. "He made me feel welcome. Comfortable. Content with my newfound job. He's why I stayed. Any time with him at all was always an amazing time. I always looked forward to our time together. It's something I still treasure." Nothing but silence on my brother's part. What do you say to someone's who's pouring their heart out all over you? He cleared his throat after several more seconds.
Lord Champa: "I-I...wow. T-this really is really serious for you." I looked at him angrily again. Only now he's realizing that?!
Lord Beerus: "Of course it is! Why the fuck would I be here if it wasn't?! Look, Champa. Liquiir is my best friend in this vast, cruel, unfair multiverse!" I took several, shaky breaths. "If I could take his place, I would! I would. I really...really would," I barely choked out. I don't want to cry, but it's getting increasingly difficult. I sniffled and released Champa from my grip. I weakly pushed him away and then I very slowly and carefully picked up my chair before slumping back down. Right now, I'm perfectly content with staring blankly at the damage I made to the table.
After my outburst, I feel defeated. I just want this all to be over. Saving Liquiir from himself is beginning to feel like an insurmountable task. I don't know. I know that I shouldn't give up. I know that I don't want to give up. Even so, will I really be able to do anything in the end?
Suddenly, I heard the chair to my left creak slightly and after that, I felt Champa's paw on my shoulder. I looked from it to his face. He looks worried but also understanding at the same time. Two feelings he rarely shows, least of all to me. It looks likes Gohan was right. My brother is...acting like one. A good one, anyway. It's needed after what he forced me to endure a few moments ago.
Lord Champa: "Beerus, I'm sorry. I can't help you in any way." I blinked a few times. What did he just say? What did he just say?! I aggressively tore off his paw from my shoulder and practically threw it back at him.
Lord Beerus: "What the fuck is that?! I thought that you were about to give me some sage advice, but then you say that shit?! I practically showed you my heart and soul and that's it?!" I angrily stood up once again and began focusing destructive energy into my right palm. "Just for that, I should destroy your temple!" As soon as I finished my sentence, he quickly stood up and tried to force my arm back down to its side.
Lord Champa: "Wait, wait, wait! Hold on! Yes, it's true. I don't know what to do. That's why I said it! I don't want to waste your time and you give you false hope or whatever!" I looked carefully at him. He's being sincere. I deeply inhaled and exhaled before I stopped charging my energy.
Lord Beerus: "Okay," I quietly said through clenched teeth. I still feel somewhat annoyed. "Do you have anything to add that might help?"
Lord Champa: "All I can say is that I can't help you. But, I think we both know who can."
Lord Beerus: "Who?"
Lord Champa: "You know. She's very important to us both, just like how we're important to her?" What? Who is he-oh! I'm so stupid! Of course, she can assist me! I'm such an idiot! I slapped my forehead. Hard. Hard enough to create a loud echo in the room we're in.
Lord Beerus: "You're right! Ah, how can I be so dumb sometimes?! And don't you dare answer that!" I demanded while pointing my right index finger at him. He shrugged and crossed his arms.
Lord Champa: "I wasn't going to say anything." I lowered my arm and folded my arms across my chest.
Lord Beerus: "Good." I awkwardly rubbed the back of my head with my right paw. "Thanks, for...doing what you could. I appreciate it. And I'm sorry for breaking your table. With your head." He shrugged.
Lord Champa: "No problem, you've hit me much harder before. Anyway, yeah. Good luck. I hope that you succeed."
Lord Beerus: "I do, too. And also, I want to know. Why did you say all of those terrible things to me? Did you honestly think that way about me?" He shook his head.
Lord Champa: "No, I wanted to see how you'd react. I'm glad that I got the reaction that I did." I looked down.
Lord Beerus: "I see..."
Lord Champa: "Hey!" I looked up as he placed his right paw on my left shoulder. "With that being said, don't fuck up...or I'll gather every God of Destruction and we'll all take turns kicking your ass." He gulped. "You got that?" he said quietly, almost as if he was saying that last part to convince himself. Much like myself, he doesn't want to think about Liquiir's death and the happenings that may transpire afterward. Understandably, this situation must be having its toll on him as well. I gave him a single nod.
Lord Beerus: "That's fair." At this point, if I do fail, I'd be willing to take as many beatings as need be. No amount would ever right what I did, but it would be a small start.
Lord Champa: "Good." He took his paw back. It's shaking slightly. "See you later."
Lord Beerus: "Yeah. See you later." With nothing more to say, he walked past me and began making his way to wherever it is he's decided to go. For my part, I stood in the same spot quietly and patiently, waiting until the sound of his footsteps faded away into nothingness. I'm sure he's left now. So, with a final sigh, I slowly made my way to the Hexahedron. I know that I should be more urgent in my movements, but as the day goes on, my motivation is dwindling disturbingly fast. Champa's beyond negative and venomous speech certainly didn't help.
That doesn't change the fact that I will do anything for Liquiir! I say that, but I've barely made any progress. At least, I think so. It's my own worthlessness as a so-called best friend and why he can easily do better than me as a life mate. Maybe I should kill myself. Would that bring back some sunshine and rainbows into his dark and stormy mind? I don't know...if she can't help me, and all else fails, I hope that helps him, even if only by a minute amount. I really hate how emotional I've become.
Of all the people I had met today seeking advice, I'm admittedly shocked that I never visited her first. She easily knows me better than anyone, perhaps even myself, and without a doubt she will be the most help. Above all, I know that I'll feel the most comfortable around her. If she can't aid me in this most grievous of predicaments, no one can.
I nervously knocked on the white door of the yellow house before me. It's been so long since I've talked to her. Even longer since I've seen her. In fact, I haven't seen her in years. It's been so long, I can't even guess how long it's been. Still, I'm looking forward to seeing her after all of this time. The door slowly opened, revealing the person of interest. Her name is Tinara or "Tina" for short. Being my mom, it's no surprise that she's the most wonderful woman I know. To put it simply, if I was ever given the option to have a different mom, would I take it? Fuck no.
She's a couple of inches shorter than me. Not including her ears, she stands at five feet, six inches tall. She typically wears blouses with skirts and boots. Right now she's wearing a dark blue blouse, a dark blue...gored skirt? I think? There are a surprising amount of styles and I can never remember them all. Anyway, it stops just above her knees. As for her boots, they are black leather and they reach up to around the middle of her calves.
Physically, she looks more like me than she does my brother. She's obviously not as well-muscled as I am and she looks decidedly more feminine and lithe. Our tails are also similar in shape and size, except hers is slimmer and slightly shorter. I honestly wish I could say the same for Champa. I don't know what happened there to make it look perpetually bent at the end.
Also, like a certain moronic, pudding hoarding blob, her skin is a bubblegum pink. It honestly pisses me off how one of the people I despise the most shares a trait with a person I deeply care about. No, stop that. I will not allow terrible memories of him to taint the amazing memories I have of her. Now then, the most striking and noticeable feature of my mom is that she has different colored eyes. Her left is golden like mine and Champa's and her right is an icy blue. But, no matter how she's described, she will always be my mom.
Tina: "Yes, who is-" She stopped her sentence short immediately after laying her eyes on me. She gasped and, after flashing me a wide smile, lunged forward and excitedly wrapped her arms around my neck, causing me to stumble back. "Oh, my sweet little Bee! It's been too long since I've last seen you!" she exclaimed ecstatically. Seeing her so jubilant is almost enough to make me forget the emotional pain I've felt today. I smiled and returned the hug. It doesn't matter how old I get. I'll never get tired of being her sweet little Bee. And anyone who dares to make fun of that will get their asses kicked like there's no tomorrow! She suddenly pulled her head back to face me and sniffed. There are a few tears streaming down her face, proof of how elated she is that I'm visiting. "I'm so happy that you're here!"
Lord Beerus: "I'm happy to be here, too." She hummed happily and tightened her grip around my neck. "To be completely honest, mom, I'm here because I'm in desperate need of advice," I spoke truthfully. She adorned a concerned expression.
Tina: "Why didn't you say something sooner? Please, come in." I nodded and set her down. She gently took my right paw into hers and began leading me into the house. Before we got too far I closed the door. You would think that being the mom to not one, but two Destroyers would mean she's living an afterlife of absolute luxury. However, that's not the case. Her home is small. Humble. It's interior is what one would imagine a suburban house would look like. It's more or less how she lived when she was alive. No, how we lived.
It's funny. For the longest time, Champa and I always dreamed of moving into a larger home. A home that would make people say "Wow. Now that is a house where important people live." But not mom. She always preferred living peacefully and moderately. Living like that would have just made her feel uncomfortable. With her, less is more. And I always got the feeling that the "more" was simply us, her sons. Having a lot of stuff didn't matter to her, so long as we were there. That's why, in addition to the joy she felt, it hurt to see us leave and live our new lives as Gods of Destruction. Just as much as it pained us to leave.
I actually wanted to give her some divine energy to make her a goddess so that she could live as long as us. Of course, Champa wanted to as well. But she always refused, saying that it was never her place. She always claimed that she wasn't nearly important enough to be given such an incredible gift. No matter how many times or how hard we tried to convince her otherwise, she never relented. She wanted to live as a mortal and die as a mortal. Using that phrase when speaking of my mom still bothers me. But, hey, at least she has a halo. A rightfully deserved halo.
Lord Beerus: "So, mom," I started to get my mind off of death...I've had enough of those thoughts already. "How have you been doing lately?" She let go of my paw and, while turning around, looked at me sternly. She shook her head and wagged her right index finger.
Tina: "No, no, none of that. You told me that you desperately needed to speak to me. I will not permit small talk right now." I'm not going to lie, I'm actually glad that she's so strict about this. "Now, please, sit down so that we can talk about whatever's happening." I nodded and sat down on the green linen couch. She sat down on my left and looked at me worriedly. "What's going on, sweetie? It must be a big problem if it's bothering you, a God of Destruction."
Lord Beerus: "It is." I nervously fidgeted in my seat and held my paws together. "Do you remember Lord Liquiir?" I know that I've told her about him and showed what he looks like, but that was a long time ago. Will she even remember?
Tina: "Liquiir? Oh, you mean that adorable fox boy?" Apparently yes.
Lord Beerus: "Yes, the, uh...yes, him. You see..." She leaned forward and placed her right paw on my own, instantly relaxing me.
Tina: "It's okay, you can tell me." She leaned a little closer and gave me a concerned look. "Did you two break up?" I blinked several times and took my paw back.
Lord Beerus: "What? No, we've never been together at all." Leaning back to sit up straight once again, she tilted her head to the right and now she's staring at me in a puzzled manner.
Tina: "Really? You always spoke so fondly of him and every picture you've ever shown me of you two together you both always looked so happy. Like lovers." Well, that's enough to make me blush. I never once noticed that. I looked down at my lap out of sheer embarrassment.
Lord Beerus: "N-now you know. Although, the problem I face is...similar in nature."
Tina: "Oh. Do you have feelings for him, but you don't know how to approach him?" I slowly nodded.
Lord Beerus: "Yes. I've never felt this way about anyone before. All of these feelings are new and they're making me confused and admittedly scared. I have no idea how to go about them." She nodded in an understanding way and placed her paw on my shoulder. Once there, she proceeded to soothingly rub it.
Tina: "Is there anything else?"
Lord Beerus: "Yes. Unfortunately, that's not even the worst part of my dilemma. Liquiir...wants to be my life mate. And, without meaning to, I rejected him. Because of that, he's in pain." I gulped. "So much pain. I-I just don't know what to do, mom!" I shouted as a burst of energy erupted from my body, pushing her back a little. "I-I don't want to lose him, but I feel so weak and powerless! I feel like I'm trapped in an eternal spiral of despair and anguish. I feel like all of my nightmares are becoming a reality and I can't do anything about it! He's in an even worse state of mind and I just want to help him! I just want to save him. I just want to hug him, hold him close, and tell him that everything's going to be all right. I-I just..." I sniffled several times.
Tina: "Oh, Bee," she said in a sympathetic tone. I screwed my eyes tightly shut to prevent these damn tears of vulnerability from escaping me! I then held my head just as tightly between my paws.
Lord Beerus: "I'm sorry that you have to see me like this, mom. I-I feel so helpless." My voice is breaking and I'm on the verge of devolving to pathetic sobs. Every awful thing that Champa told me, even if it was just a cruel ploy to see how much I truly care about Liquiir, is hitting me full force right in the chest. Even harder than before. Earlier, I was livid. That's why I was able to hold back my tears. But now, I can't use my anger and frustration to hide the underlying emotions I've been feeling all day. I don't want to. Even so, I shouldn't cry, damn it!
Tina: "Don't be sorry, sweetie. It's okay to cry." She wrapped her arms around my neck and rubbed my back comfortingly with her right paw. Taking my own off of my head, I opened my eyes and looked over at her.
Lord Beerus: "But it's not, mom. A God of Destruction is supposed to be strong. Commanding. I can't possibly be viewed as such if-"
Tina: "Beerus, there's nothing wrong with having genuine emotions. There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love." She stopped hugging me and grabbed my paws with hers. "You have a good heart and you actually care about others, even if you've been taught to distance yourself for the sake of your job. In my opinion, what makes a good God of Destruction is not uncaring ruthlessness. Having compassion and respect for your fellow inhabitants of your universe is what makes a good God of Destruction. I know that you're not perfect, but no one is. It's mortal to be imperfect. And being mortal is great." I gave my wonderful mom a small, appreciative smile.
Lord Beerus: "It is, isn't it?" She nodded with a caring one of her own.
Tina: "It truly is." Using my right paw, I wiped away the last remaining tears on my cheeks. I feel much better thanks to my mom's kind and wise words. At the same time, they're bittersweet because, based on my mom's opinion, I'm far from being a good God of Destruction. I don't usually like admitting when I'm at fault, but I know this much. Until recently, I abandoned compassion and respect for other beings and now I'm honestly beginning to feel bad over that. I sighed. One thing at a time, Beerus.
Lord Beerus: "Thank you, mom. You don't know how much I needed that. May I...rest my head in your lap?"
Tina: "Of course, sweetie. Come here." My smile increased in size a little. After letting go of her paws, I lied down on my left side with my head in her lap.
Lord Beerus: "Could you also pet my head?" I shyly asked. Immediately, she did as I asked and lovingly stroked it, including my ears. My smile grew as I nuzzled her dress, enjoying the warmth her lap's giving off. I don't mind acting like a young kitten right now. I feel so comfortable and safe like this. I'm tempted to just sleep and forget about all of my worries, but Liquiir takes priority. I stopped my nuzzling and looked up at her out of the corner of my eye. "I'm truly grateful for your pep talk earlier," I began. "Still, I'd appreciate an answer about what to do with my situation."
Tina: "If you want an accurate answer, I think that you should be the one to figure it out."
Lord Beerus: "But if I thought I could do that, I-"
Tina: "No buts, mister," she gently cut me off. "Just try. Look deep inside yourself. You're a smart boy. You can figure something out if you really put some effort into it." Perhaps. I suppose I can give it a shot. A shot in the dark. I nodded at her words and closed my eyes in thought. I'm going to start with what I know. Liquiir's my best friend. He means so much to me. He's very special to me. I want to see him happy. I want to see him prosper. He deserves that much.
I know that if our positions were reversed, he'd want the same for me. Hold on, I think I've said something very similar already. Yes, when I was at my brother's temple. I've said it out loud and now I'm repeating my points internally. Why am I even thinking about this? My answer is one that I've already known, but have been too afraid to admit. But after today, I think that I can.
Lord Beerus: "Mom?"
Tina: "Yes?" I opened my eyes and sat up. I then deeply inhaled and exhaled and looked over at her.
Lord Beerus: "Again, thank you so much. You were a great help. I have to go and see Liquiir." Standing up, I made my way out of the living room and navigated my way through the halls.
Tina: "Wait, hold on," my mom called after me. I stopped and turned around. She's moving toward me with a concerned look. "You didn't seem to take very long to come to a decision." She stopped in front of me and placed her paws on either side of my face. "You don't have to tell me what it is, but maybe you should ponder on it some more." I placed my paws on hers and shook my head.
Lord Beerus: "No. I've been thinking all day and hearing your words were a wake-up call. I know what I want." Champa helped, too. His words were like a seed he planted in my mind. My small tantrum caused it to sprout. After coming here, to a quiet, calm place, with no judgment or hate to be found anywhere, she encouraged me to think for myself. That encouragement to collect myself, along with the encouragement to open the floodgates to my emotions, allowed that sprout to blossom into the answer I sought. Heh. I can be deep when I want to be.
Tina: "Okay, then." She reluctantly removed her paws and nodded. "Whatever you choose to do, I hope that it makes you both happy." I took my own back.
Lord Beerus: "It will," I assured her. "I know it will." I turned around and began walking away once again. Once I reached the door that leads to outside, I placed my right paw on the door handle and turned it. Wait, something in the corner just caught my eye. On my right is an unassuming coat rack. At the very top is a purple scarf.
A scarf that my mom wraps around her head sometimes. A scarf that I made. I can't believe it. She still has it. After all of these years, she still has it. It's nothing special. It doesn't look bad, but it doesn't look good, either. It's mediocre at best. I thought that she only wore it to make me feel good and accomplished with myself, that she would have gotten rid of it at some point, but she still has it.
Tina: "Bee? What's wrong?"
Lord Beerus: "Nothing. I just...I love you mom," I said quietly without turning to her.
Tina: "I love you, too," she said just as quietly. I smiled to myself and opened the door. This is the right choice. It's what's best for me. It's what's best for Liquiir. It's what's best for both of us. And mom, Champa...thank you both so much.
First off, I have a lot to say in this author's note. More than usual. But, I actually did edit it a little and made it shorter even after I put up the chapter. Now, I'll be honest, I choked up a little writing this. But can you blame me? Beerus was struggling, desperate, hoping for anything that might help him save Liquiir. As he found out, even the most powerful of beings need to let a good cry out. And it's okay.
And you know what? We have his wonderful mom, Tina, to thank for that wonderful life lesson. In case any of you were wondering, the name "Tinara" comes from the wine "Gattinara." You all know I had to keep the alcohol puns alive and well!
Also, fun fact, Gattinara is derived from the Italian word "Gatto," meaning "A cat." Do any of you think I planned that ahead? Not at all! I just chose that name because it sounded the most feminine and the most beautiful. My good luck is ridiculous sometimes. So is my bad luck, but that's neither here nor there.
As for the scarf, that idea wasn't my own. Quite a few months ago, when chapter three first came out, I had a private messaging conversation with reader and fellow writer, AnonymousZGirl. She suggested that I could make the females of Beerus' species commonly wear headbands. I thought about it and, as you can see, its iteration is in this chapter. She also gave me the idea for Pan to say something cute and funny relating to Beerus and Liquiir, so there we go. Thank you very much for your ideas, they were greatly appreciated!
Another thing I want to mention is that I had to give 17, the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the Tournament of Power, his due credit. You could easily argue that Goku was the MVP, but let's be honest. Without 17, whom I like so much as a character now, Universe 7 would have lost (and given how much of a surprise his obvious wish apparently was to everyone, the other universes probably would have stayed erased!)
I also want to mention that this chapter was originally meant to be longer and with Beerus actually going to Liquiir to enact on his final decision, but I opted to cut it a little short. Something I seem to have a difficult time doing with author's notes sometimes. I blame myself for always wanting to say so much.
As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Until the next chapter, D.F.T.B.A. (Don't Forget To Be Awesome!) Have an awesome day!
