A/N: A brand new chapter of Eternal Hope to start the new year? Here ya go!
WARNING: There is a decent section of this chapter that revolves around drinking alcohol and things some alcoholics might say. I am no expert, just did a tiny research, so if its wrong, just freaking go with it. Anyways, I know that some people can be triggered by these things, so I will write "WARNING" on the breakpoint that includes that scene. I actually think you can skip that part also, I just found it amusing to write idk.
Go on!
Nightmares, Heartbreaks & Drinking Sorrows
"Yoohoo…Braaa…"
The blue-green haired woman leaned behind a wide cliff, her breathing increasing as panic and terror flooded every fiber of her being. Her skin felt hot and clammy, the sweat dripping from the bangs stuck to her forehead stinging her shaking aqua orbs. Her hands were rolled up and clutched, causing her pale palms to moisten.
"Come out and playyyy…little Saiyan…" the voice sang, sinisterly.
Her eyes squeezed shut as her fingernails punctured her skin, trying to withhold a fearful whimper from her quivering lips.
"You knew this day would come…"
She swallowed thickly, her heart beating even faster as the loathsome voice appeared to grow closer and closer.
"After all…"
Her watering eyes widened, locking with a pair of crimsons ones which were practically swallowed by a void of pure unadulterated darkness like no other.
"You can't run and hide forever…"
Bra gasped and shot upright, her hand flying to her left breast, hoping to ease down her racing heart, which thumped harshly against her ribcage. Her aqua orbs shifted left to right in her dark room, the hairs on the nape of her neck standing as her imagination went wild with countless possibilities of just what might be lurking within the shadows. Wait…since when was she scared of the dark? Looking at the clock, she sighed.
The nightmare, which slowly starting to fade to the back of her mind, had taken all the sleep from her, leaving her awake at six in the morning. Rolling from the bed, she exited her room and went down the stairs, aiming to grab a snack and watch TV, however when she reached the rugged floor, she ignored the kitchen and looked beyond it.
The lights in her mother's lab were lit. Instead of shrugging her curiosity off, as she knew her mom's tendency to wake up at unusual hours to work on projects, new or shelved, she headed towards the lab. Without bothering to knock on the glass door, she went right on in to see…
"Kibō?"
Lifting his head up, he broke his sights away from his toy cars and trucks when he saw his mother standing near the door with a confused look, which he thought looked funny.
"Mama!" He laughed jubilantly, hurling himself into his mother's arms.
Catching him with ease, she beamed at him. "What are you doing awake at this hour huh?" she cooed as she flicked his nose, making him giggle and attempt to capture the finger with his chubby tiny hand.
"Where is grandma?" she asked, snuggling her son's cheeks with hers.
"There!" He chirped, pointing further into the lab.
Peering behind him, she saw her mother. From Bra's vantage point, she could see her tinkering with something that looked like…a radio? It looks freaking weird… She took note that a small satellite-like antenna was resting on the top, twirling with each time that her mother turned the knob on the side of the…thing.
"Mom?"
"Hmmm…" Bulma hummed. It didn't appear that her brain had registered that her daughter was even there, the odd radio having her complete attention and all.
Stepping closer to get a better look, she saw that it was, in fact, a radio. Of what kind, she doesn't know.
"What does this do?" She asked, her curiosity increasing.
"Hmmm…" she stuck out her pink tongue to the side of her lips, one of her blue eyes crinkling shut.
Just as Bra was going to tap her on the shoulder to grab her attention, Kibō's hand jutted out and latched onto a strand of his grandmother's ocean-green hair, making her yelp both in surprise and pain. Blinking back to reality, she twisted her head around to see her grandson clapping happily and her daughter holding back a giggle. Narrowing her orbs playfully at him, she plucked the tiny half Saiyan from her daughter's arms and kissed him on the cheek, giving him a hug before placing him on the floor.
"Hi there honey, how are you feeling?" Bulma asked, pulling her daughter into a tight hug with a smile on her face.
Withdrawing from her, Bra sighed, taking a seat adjacent to her. "I'm alright."
Studying her briefly, she nodded. "I think you should go back to sleep. You look exhausted."
"I would if I could." Bra said, releasing a heavy yawn. "So what is Kibō doing here? He's the one who should be sleeping."
Eying the small child, who had returned back to his toys, she gave a pensive look. "I heard him crying, pretty loudly actually. With your Saiyan hearing, I'm surprised you didn't hear it since you always do."
"What?! Why didn't you wake me up?!" Bra immediately felt alarmed, but Bulma's smile pushed the negative wave of thoughts away before they could intrude her mind.
"I would have, but considering what took place, I decided that it'd be best to let you sleep until later on this morning."
"Oh…how long was I out?"
"Hmmm…about a day."
Bra eyes widened, her mouth dropping. "A day?! Like an entire day?!" her mother nodded.
Bulma reached out her hand, cupping her cheek motherly. "I know about the fight…"
"With Bojack?"
"Yes, Krillin told me how he was dealt with, but that's not the fight I'm talking about."
Bra shook her head, not understanding where she was getting at. "What are you…" She trailed off, realization slamming onto her.
The half Saiyan's hand flew to the side of her head, fingering it softy; to her surprise, she could feel a tiny crack buried under her aqua hair, a tiny crescent-like cut where the wound once was.
Bulma's eyes became distant, the memories of the day her injured daughter was brought into her lab still fresh on her mind.
"Bra…you looked…it was bad…" Bulma swallowed thickly, her hands dropping to her lap and curling up tightly. "We got Dende to heal you and while it was working, the healing process was taking a lot longer than it should have. We all didn't understand why, but your entire body except your head was healed. W-we didn't bother to waste time figuring out why Dende's healing wasn't working, so we went to Korin to grab Senzu beans. Imagine our surprise when we found out that we had to get you to swallow not one, but three beans to completely heal your head wound!"
Bulma continued. "When it was finally healed, as you felt, a scar was left behind. It doesn't hurt does it?"
"No, just feels a little tingly." Bra replied, removing her finger from her scar. Man, whatever power Gohan has, it's dangerous. There has to be some way to get it under control…
Bulma let a breath out. "He feels horrible Bra, devastated." She said, making Bra's heart drop, as the Saiyan Princess knew Gohan would feel terrible when he came to; the tears he had shed during his unconsciousness state foreshadowed that.
"He came a couple of times yesterday, to check up on you. There were times that you woke up and even spoke to us."
"Oh? What did I say?"
Bulma snorted. "Most of it was nonsense, but you did apologize a lot and even talked about Goku." She suddenly grinned. "You should have seen the look on poor Gohan's face when you pulled him into a hug and told him that you 'Wubbers' him."
Bra turned red, looking at the floor. "Oh man…"
"Anyways, I had gotten our personal doctor to take a look at you and he told me that you'll be fine. He told me that you'll wake up on your own when you're well rested and if you didn't, that I should give him a call. I stopped worrying as soon as you woke up in front of Gohan and me. I'm sure those memories will return at some point."
"Oh Kami, knowing Gohan, I'm sure he's thinking I hate him or something." Bra said, her eyes becoming downcast. "I could never hate him. In my timeline, he was just a friend. We weren't that close, even when I grew up, but we got along pretty well. But here…it's obviously different. I'm older than him and…I see him as a little brother."
She began to fiddle with a lock of her neck length hair as she bit her bottom lip in hesitation, not knowing if she should share the next bit of information. "Please never tell him this, but there are moments where I see him as my son. But I think that has more to do with that bond I have with Goku. Many of his feelings are channeled to me at times. Unfortunately, this does not mean that I can feel how Goku is feeling right now…or ever. It just means that I can somewhat understand how much he loves Gohan. That and I can also compare it to the love I have for Kibō."
Hearing his name being said, he turned and waved at his mother with curvy eyes. Bra smiled, returning the gesture. "I'll go look for him later to let him know I'm alright."
Bulma waved her hand in dismissal. "Don't bother. He'll show up on his own. Just leave him alone for now."
Bra didn't seem to like that idea but agreed to it nevertheless.
"Anyways, why did you decide to bring my little guy here?" She asked, pushing her locks to the side.
"Our little guy." Her mother 'corrected', making Bra roll her eyes. "Well I stayed with him until he fell asleep, but not even five minutes later, he started crying again. Obviously, I wasn't going to leave him there crying, so I took him with me, grabbing some of his toys on our way out. Thank Kami that Trunks didn't wake up also, or I'd have to deal with the both of them!"
"Hey, besides today, my Kibō is not a whinier. He is overall well behaved." Bra said, smiling proudly. "Can't say the same for Trunks, that little brat."
"Trunks isn't bad either!" Bulma defended. "And if he's in a cranky mood, it's usually your father's fault."
"Keep telling yourself that…" She said playfully, Bulma sticking her tongue out at her childishly.
Bra's blue eyes then went back to the mysterious radio-looking device. "What is this?"
Raising a brow, she turned towards the radio. "Oh, this thing…" trailing off again, Bulma resumed tinkering with the radio, occasionally muttering nonsense.
"Mom."
"Darn it why isn't this…"
"Mom…" a vein protruded on the side of her forehead, pulsating rapidly as anger started to rise from within her.
"Maybe if I-"
Bra lost it.
"MOM!"
Bulma jumped, her eyes wide with shock. Swerving around, she saw her red-faced daughter fuming with annoyance.
"What is it? I'm busy with-"
"What-is-it-mother?!" Bra dragged out.
Turning again towards the radio, Bra feared that her mom was going to repeat the seemingly endless trace she kept on falling in, but to her relief, she finally answered her question.
"Well, this is a radio I created to communicate with your father." Bulma sighed, turning the little knob a few times. When nothing but static was heard, she threw her hands up in the air in defeat.
Bra expression dropped. "No luck huh…"
She shook her head. "No, I had connected with him a few days ago and also while you were still asleep. I would normally just call him through video or intercom, but for some reason, I can't reach him. My guess is that he was just too far from Earth for me to reach him. I made this radio so that it can send and receive signals from a much further distance than the ship was programmed to. It's still a prototype, but I was hoping…" She trailed off, not knowing what else to say.
"Why didn't you tell me about this?"
She shrugged. "You never asked." Bra made a face. "But when I was able to connect with him, I found out that your father had been looking for his brother."
"What?! I have an uncle?!"
"Apparently yeah… he told me that his father had banished him from their planet because he was far too kind and had no interest in fighting. This was strange since pure-blooded Saiyans are known to be aggressive, as shown by your father and Goku."
"Man, my grandfather was a douchebag."
"I'll say…"
"And that was a few days ago, right? What did he tell you the last time you contacted me."
"When…when I had asked him if he found his brother, he said yes. I was ecstatic, you know? Telling him that I couldn't wait to meet his brother and that I'd have a feast for them ready as soon as they arrived." Bulma's look suddenly became gloomy. "Bra, what he said next broke my heart. What made it worse was the way he said it."
Bra's heart was filled with dread. Don't tell me…
"He said 'Bulma…his name was Tarble' and then he ended our transmission." The blue haired heiress sniffled, wiping her watering eyes. "I've never heard him sound so…sad in my life. He's told me sad and awful things that had happened in his past, but not once did he sound the way he did when he informed me that his brother was dead."
Bra sighed, her shoulders sagging dejectedly. "Of course he had to die. I guess my dad and Gok-" she paused, her fists tightening. This isn't all about me. I've made my peace with his death, but has my dad?
She never put too much thought into it until this moment but…Goku's death had probably affected her father too. The two of them were the last full-blooded Saiyans and as much as he insulted her soulmate, calling him a clown and other colorful words, he still, in his strange way, respected him. Though it was never confirmed, she believed that that was why he refused to refer to her soulmate by his earthling name, Goku, instead choosing to address him by his Saiyan name, Kakarot. Because they were full Saiyans, fighting is something they would always love to do. For them, their thirst to become stronger is everlasting, eternal unlike for half-breeds. Being a half Saiyan herself she knew that she could never fully understand that thirst (her weak connection with Goku allows her to get it a little bit).
She could do without all the strength she possesses, do without all the fighting and blood spills, which is why it wasn't difficult to understand Gohan's dislike of violence. Hell, if Kami himself came down and told her that if she gave up all her powers, he'd bring back Goku to life, she'd do it in a heartbeat. Would Goku do the same? Considering his feelings for her, probably, but she knew that she could never allow him to do that because that meant changing him into someone he's not.
"Tarble…" Bra said, trying to visualize her uncle's appearance. Wouldn't be surprised if he looked like dad…she thought, smiling bittersweetly. "I think-I think he would have loved it here…"
"Yeah…" Bulma sat up and pulled her daughter into a hug. "I think he would have."
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In Orange Star city, four students from Orange Star High decided to eat at a local fast food restaurant. Two of the students talked animatedly about the day's actives and while a third voice interjected at times, the last one remained as quiet as a mouse. The third voice, Videl Satan, snuck glances at the quiet student and couldn't help but sigh, as she saw that Gohan had still not eaten a bite of his food. He had a French fry in hand, but he just kept it pressed against the plate, stirring in with ketchup to the point that the poor thing was soggy.
It killed the pigtail haired girl to see her boyfriend down in the dumps. She and the others had tried the entire day to brighten his mood, but nothing seemed to work; in fact, he hasn't even talked today, in class or out. She along with her friends knew how much Gohan loved to eat, how it helped lift his mood for the better on his gloomy days, especially when an argument with his mother had happened before he arrived at school (she isn't as strict with him with his studies as before though, thankfully). What followed after was depression, as he started wishing that his deceased father was here; Gohan told her that he always knew what to do to make him feel better.
One day, while they were hanging out, he had mentioned that he had at some point believed that the green guy, Piccolo, had been a better father then his own dad; he laughed tersely, telling her how 'full of shit' he was.
"Piccolo had kidnapped me when he saw the potential I had, to train me so I can help in the fight with the Saiyans. During that time, while training me, he grew to care about me. I was the reason why he changed his ways. But that's as far as that went. He cares about me or perhaps, if Namekians even can, loves me. However, it wasn't like how a father loves his son. It was companionship and friendship and I guess, with my dad being absent after the whole Namek and Frieze incident, him choosing to remain where he was to train instead of coming back home, it had confused me. Yeah, he had said that he'd come back later, but I still felt…this sense of abandonment. My mom did too and seeing her like that, on a daily bases, it really struck a core within me ya know?"
Resting her head on her pillow, she turned to the side, looking at his floating cross-legged form as he continued to say what's on his mind.
"There were days that she cried so much, that as much as I hate to say it, I got annoyed. I felt guilty for feeling that way because she wasn't crying for the sake of crying; she was crying because my dad had pretty much ditched us. To get away from the crying and also the increasing guilt of the irritation from her sorrow, I took off and went to the only person that made me feel a little better; Piccolo."
Dropping to the floor, Gohan sat on Videl's bed.
"Piccolo would…uhhh just listen really. He'd give advice here and there, but I can tell that he didn't want to listen or talk for hours about my issues. So when my complaining went on far longer than he could stand, he'd coax me into doing some light training, mental or physical, to release some of my anger. And well, that's as far as it went with him. I'd had asked him if he wanted to go play some catch or go fishing, but he always refused, saying that the others would be better suited for things like that."
"Heh, Bulma sure as hell wouldn't, her creative mind always keeping her occupied; that and Vegeta…" Videl couldn't help but stifle a laugh when he shivered in disgust. "Asking Tien was odd, so no to that and that left Krillin. He did agree, but it just wasn't the same."
"That's when my resentment for my father started." He laughed sadly. "But then when he came back, all of a sudden, those feelings went away. But then, it freaking came back ten times as bad when he and Bra became a thing."
Beginning to get tired of rambling, he fell flat on his back, his eyes facing the ceiling. "It wasn't until a few days after his death during the whole Cell thing that it hit me. Before all the Frieza bullcrap, he was always there for me. In fact, the very moment that his brother, my uncle, had arrived in this planet to recruit my father, that was the day that everything changed. And dad…he was trying to fix all of that. Not just for me, but for everyone else. He knew that if he did, he'd have more time to be a father to me and of course continue doing what he loves to do, become stronger. I know it all sounds stupid because it was so simple and I was blinded by-"
He froze when a pair of pale hands grasped his cheeks, caressing them softly as eyes sparkling as bright as blue crystals bore into his.
"Gohan, it's not stupid." Pulling him into a hug, Gohan couldn't help but inhale her sweet vanilla scent.
"You've been through a lot. More than anyone could mentally handle alone. It was never your responsibility to protect this planet. For Kami sake, you were just a child when all of that happened! A child that just wanted to be a normal human once he found out that he was not. A child that just wanted to grow up, go to school so that he could help people through the mind, not fighting! That's the way you wanted to help the world, not throwing yourself into life or death situations."
Videl laughed sadly while breaking the hug. "Do you really believe that anyone who had gone through the shit you went through would have had time to fully grasp even the simplest thing?"
"Well, as you said, I'm not exactly anyone...I am half alien."
Her eyes narrowed. "And what does that mean? You're superior to us little humans?"
Gohan shrugged nervously, not liking to be scrutinized, especially by Videl. "I am stronger…like by a ton…"
The 'little' human pinched her nose, her eyes sealing shut. "Gohan…"
The 'powerful' half Saiyan threw his hands up in surrender.
Smiling with satisfaction, she frowned when she looked at the clock.
"I guess…you'll be going huh…"Videl said, falling back onto the bed and closing her eyes.
"Actually…do you think I could stay with you?" He asked nervously, causing Videl to look at him in surprise. "Just for a while I mean…"
"Oh…ummm…" Videl paused briefly, as she didn't want to look too eager before she nodded. "Sure..."
Scooting over, Gohan laid beside her, making sure to keep a reasonable distance from her. Turning on their sides, their cheeks shaded a deep pink when their eyes locked.
"Uhhh…you sure your dad won't mind?"
"He's probably too drunk to care right now." She smirked. "Besides, even if he did come up here, there is nothing a 'puny' human can do against a 'powerful' alien, right?"
Rolling his eyes with a smile, he turned around, telling her goodnight.
When morning came, Videl found herself splayed across his chest and her heart pounding as she heard heavy thumps slamming at her locked door, followed by the angry voices of her father and Gohan's mother, who had driven to the mansion when she saw that her son had never come back home.
That was the day that Videl realized that she had it really really bad for Gohan.
Coming back to the present when she felt a tap on her shoulder, Videl eyed a concerned Erasa.
"Videl, I think you should go and talk to Gohan…"
"Huh? Why do you say that like he's not-" Turning to her side, her eyes rounded when she saw that her boyfriend was missing. She shot upright with alarm written on her face. "Where did he go?!"
Sharpner jerked his head at the window. "Sitting on the bench outside. I'm surprised that he just didn't go home seeing as how anything we have done hasn't helped-ouch!" he hissed, rubbing the spot on his arm that Erasa had hit him on.
Taking off, Videl pushed the restaurant doors open and met up with Gohan, sitting on the bench beside him.
"Gohan, why-"
Gohan exploded, his aura slightly flaring out. "Why can you just leave me alone?!"
Turning to Videl, he saw her on the ground, staring at him in shock. His eyes widen with horror as he mumbled a quick sorry and took off.
"Gohan! Wait!" Videl shouted, shooting off into the air, following him.
It appeared that the half Saiyan hadn't wanted to go fast because Videl had managed to fly in front of him, making him come into a standstill.
"It was an accident!"
"I know and so was yesterday! But that doesn't mean that I can just-just let it go and pretend it never happened!" Tears began to slide down his cheeks and all Videl can do is watch since every time she tried to get near him, he backed away.
"I'm not pretending like it didn't happen! No one that was there is pretending like it didn't happen, Gohan! It's just that everyone is trying to move on and that will take time. Dwelling on it is not going to change anything and you know that!"
Gohan shook his head, for what reason, he wasn't sure. "You don't think I've tried!"
"It's only been one freaking day! That's nowhere near long enough to move on, especially with something as horrible as what happened yesterday!" Videl said, trying to get close again, but Gohan wasn't having it. "Look how long it took for you to get over your-" shit, that was stupid, stupid, stupid!
Normally, Gohan would understand Videl's slip up. He would understand that she was trying to merely say that things had gotten better since then, not that he was over Cell killing his father. But when the half Saiyan was angry…not so much.
"Are you-are you-fucking kidding me!?" Videl was taken aback, both by the f-bomb, as the half Saiyan hardly swore, and the rage that was roaring within his dark orbs. "It's been like four years and I still feel like shit about all that! My father is gone because I decided to 'play' with one of the Cells. If I had just killed him when he asked me to, then I wouldn't have let the other one lure dad to his death him. That Cell wouldn't have gotten the chance to literally rip his heart out of his chest!"
"Stop blaming yourself for that! You said it before! That darkness inside of you is what caused you to make those bad choices! You had no control over whatever the hell was taking control over you! Besides, you act like you're the only one that lost someone that day…" Wow Videl, you are on a roll today…
Gohan laughed emptily, his expression turning dark, which was a look that was unfitting on him. "You know, I had thought that it was some kind of 'darkness' that made me do those things. That when I poured all of this-this darkness into one of the Cell to kill him, it was gonna be gone for good."
Videl suppressed a shiver when another dry laugh broke from his lips. "Oh, how wrong I was! Let me let you on a little secret, a secret that no one knows. About one year ago, during my sparring sessions with Bra, I started to get those headaches again. It grew worse and worse every time I transformed, but I didn't want to tell anyone because I didn't want anyone to worry about me. So when I went against Bojack yesterday, I knew the risk of using my full power! I knew that I could possibly lose control of myself again if I unleashed it all!"
Videl shook her head. "Gohan, what do you mean you thought? That was obviously the cause of your loss of self-control or else you would have never done that! And Gohan, you should have told one of us that you were having problems with your powers again. We could have helped you somehow."
"That's the thing Videl, you can't help me! No one can! It's just like I said, I had thought that the darkness, that negative energy that had manifested itself within me had been gone when I killed Cell. But as you saw yesterday, I still went batshit crazy! So last night, something popped in my mind: what if that's who I am? What if that's my true nature?"
Videl didn't know why, but she felt this dread, she felt this awful feeling that something was going to go wrong, but she just couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was yet.
"Calm down Gohan…we can-let's go to your house and just-just…" She was tripping over her words and Gohan, in his state of mind, took it the wrong way.
"You're afraid of me aren't you?" He asked, trying to force a dark smile but failed horribly.
"No!" Videl shouted, looking at him pleadingly, begging him to stop this nonsense.
"Well, you should be since I pretty much almost killed you with a single punch!"
"But you didn't!"
"Only because Bra stopped me before I could!" Gohan snapped back, trying to keep his anger at bay. "Or am I wrong?!"
Videl opened her mouth but then closed it. She was speechless and well, Gohan couldn't help but give a victorious sad smile. "Bu-but it was my fault! I'm the one that didn't move, believing that you'd stop yourself before you could touch me!" She tried weakly. While it was true, it didn't matter because he at the time was trying to kill them all; she just would have been his first kill out of the group.
"What if I told you that I might have liked it?"
Videl froze. "You might have? Stop talking bullshit Gohan!"
Gohan sighed, his anger slowly fading away until nothing was left; His shoulders and eyes then drooped in defeat.
"I'm sorry Videl, I didn't mean any of that. I'm just so frustrated and overwhelmed about yesterday. I mean Bra had stopped me from harming you, but she couldn't stop me from harming her. I know that she ended up stopping me, but it wasn't without a cost. She's unconscious and despite what the doctor says, she might not wake up and/or be completely stable again if she does. That blow that broke the side of her skull wasn't normal. If it was 'normal', either Dende or the Senzu beans could have healed her completely. It's insane that for the first time ever, Dende's magic couldn't fully heal someone. On top of that, it took three beans to seal the wound when one always worked just fine."
"It's…it's okay…" Once again, Videl tried to get close to him, but again the half Saiyan floated back.
"Please stop pushing me out…"
Dragging a hand down his face, he eyed her with tear rimmed orbs, making her heart squeeze with anguish.
"Videl…just-" Gohan voice fell, but then came back strong. "Just forget about what happened yesterday."
She smiled forcefully. "I thought we established that that was impossible."
Gohan's head lowered, a dark shadow of despair covering his eyes. "That's not what I meant…"
Videl stiffened, her heart rapidly thumbing against her rib cage so harshly, that it felt like it would break straight through her chest.
"What are you…"
"I don't know, what do you think…" He trailed off as he turned and slowly floated away from her.
Gohan raised his head when he saw Videl block his path.
"Move."
"No."
"Please move. I just want to be left alone…"
She shook her head. "Not until you tell me what you meant."
"…"
"Gohan!"
Out of fear, Videl had thrown herself at the half Saiyan, pulling him into a powerful kiss, pouring all her love for him into it.
And to her dismay, Gohan had not returned it.
Gentling pushing her back, the half Saiyan's heart sank when he saw her gorgeous icy blue eyes filled with tears.
"Then say it."
"I know you Videl…you're tough and you'll get over-"
"Say it!"
"It's…this way I can't hurt you and-"
"Stop beating around the bush and just say it! Or are you going to run from that too?" When Gohan remained quiet, she threw a fist at him, which he easily caught.
"Say it!"
Another fist flew at him, but he effortlessly dealt with that too.
"I said just say it! Say it you fucking coward or else you don't mean it!" With every fist he caught, his own heart started to chip away.
After a while, so much despair had clouded her mind that she was unable to keep herself afloat. Sweeping her within his arms, he brought them down onto the concrete below. Placing her back on her feet, Videl leaned against his chest.
"Please just say it…Gohan…" She whispered, choked back a cry.
Burying his nose within her mass of black hair, he inhaled her sweet scent, savoring it one last time.
This time, when he pushed her back, his dark charcoal orbs were sharp and completely stoic.
She stopped breathing.
"I'm not safe to be around. I don't want to risk hurting you…"
He then took off, leaving a trail of golden light behind as he flew as fast as he could from his broken heart.
Falling onto the ground with the back of her feet pressed against her behind, her head hung down as tears cascaded from her glossy orbs, splashing onto the grey asphalt.
That's how her friends found her.
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Walking around a city aimlessly with no destination in mind, she slipped into deep thought. The fight with her former teammates had left her tired, so exhausted in fact that she had passed out not long after the two half Saiyans did. When she had awakened, she found herself in a floating temple which Yamcha had referred to as the Lookout. Her eyes had widened when he had told her that the little green Namekian, named Dende, was the overseer of this planet, the Guardian of Earth. He was also the one who had healed her wounds, magic being his natural gift.
At that point, everyone that had been a part of the battle was long gone…except the older Namekian, named Piccolo, who Yamcha had explained usually lived here. He added that though he didn't say it, he's really here because he wants to protect Dende. She had waved her hand in dismissal when he opened his mouth to tell her why shutting him up.
The next inquires she asked was the entire reason why she was still here in the first place, as she would have just left as soon as she had awakened, not listen to this asshole's bullshit.
"So Yamcha, can you tell me a bit about those Dragon Balls" She asked, nonchalantly.
"That depends on what you want to use them for." The former bandit responded, eyeing her suspiciously.
Taking aback by how quickly and defensively he had responded, her answer didn't come out exactly how she wanted it to.
"What makes you think I want to use them?"
"Because you wouldn't have bothered asking if you didn't." He replied, crossing his arms.
Zangya frowned, also crossing her arms. "I just want to know more about them since Bojack aimed to wish for immortality. Is that really possible?" She mentally smacked herself on the forehead when she realized too late that the question she asked would further raise his suspicion.
And it did, as his eyes had narrowed into slits so low, that they almost looked closed.
"Is that why you wanted Bojack and his men out of the picture? So you can wish for immortality?!" He questioned with anger, not believing what he was hearing. "And to think I trusted you!"
The Hera-seijin snorted. "I do not care for immortality. I'm merely asking because if such a wish was possible, are the Dragon Balls powerful enough to bring people from the dead back to life?"
That question drained all the anger within him; he still hesitated in answering her, but nevertheless did.
"Yes, they can."
Yamcha was yet again surprised when Zangya's orbs lit up as blue as the afternoon sky. "And planets? Can they bring them back as well?"
"Yeah-"
The former bandit was stunned when the Hera-seijin grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him down to her level. "Let me use them!" She demanded, before swallowing her pride and adding on. "Please…"
"Uhh personal space…" Yamcha said, her pleading ocean blue eyes so wide and so full of hope.
Zangya released him and waited for his answer.
He didn't want to say any more than he has about the Dragon Balls, because if he did, they could have another Frieza and Bojack situation to take care of again. But those eyes… could someone who has such beautiful spheres be deceitful? Of course they could, however the powerful emotion behind them that, to him, clearly swirled with melancholy, well that didn't seem possible…
The fusion of Bra and her did say that Bojack had destroyed their planet… he added as an afterthought.
So despite his better judgment, he relented. "First we'd have to find the balls. Gohan already has one, so all I need to do is conceive him-"
"Gohan no longer has it." Piccolo interjected, Yamcha mentally cursing himself for forgetting the Namek and his super hearing ability. "I have it. Gohan is stronger than me, but it's much safer here since Dende can place a concealment spell on it."
"Listen Piccolo, I just-"
"You should really consult me before you make a decision that could put the Earth in danger again." Piccolo scolded, making Yamcha pout.
Zangya was unable to prevent her lips from twitching.
Facing the Hera-seijin, he said. "The only reason that I'm continuing this discussion is that I sense no maliciousness in you. However I do feel remains of it lurking in your mind, but it appears that you have it under control; that and the sorrow…"
Zangya huffed, not liking one bit how the Namekian read her like a book.
"The Dragon Balls…once all of them are collected, the eternal dragon Shenron will grant any person three wishes they desire, so as long as the wishes are within his power. For example, he cannot grant a wish that could affect something or someone that is stronger than him, nor can he force or make someone feel something they don't want to, such as the influence love."
"Three wishes…" The Hera-seijin murmured. That's more than I want… "I only want one."
Piccolo continued. "The wish that you want, are actually two."
"Two?"
"Yes. One wish to revive planets and another to revive all its civilians."
Zangya gave a tiny smile. "Am I allowed to make the wishes?"
"You can…but it all depends on how long the planets and its people have been dead."
The Hera-seijin suddenly felt cold. "They've been dead for a few years."
When she saw the sadden look on Yamcha and Piccolo sigh, she started to tremble.
"I'm sorry, Shenron cannot bring those that have been dead for more than one years' time." He said, his voice laced with sympathy.
And just like that, all her hope vanished, leaving her empty inside. "It's alright…" She said, willing her voice to not break. "After all, they've been dead for so long…so I really didn't lose anything more than I already had." She added, turning away from the two.
"I'm sorry that-"
"Don't-" Zangya thrust a hand out, causing Yamcha to yield as he had been making his way towards her. "I don't need your pity…"
With that, she took off without a second look.
After forcing herself to accept the devastating reality that she would never see her family and planet again, she rushed into the deceased pirate's spaceship, punched the information to blast off to outer space before collapsing on her bunk bed as mournful tears streaming down her cheeks, soaking her pillow.
She hadn't gotten far, choosing to remain orbiting planet Earth.
Now here she was, back on Earth, for reasons she didn't understand. She could leave and go anywhere in the universe with the spaceship yet she chose to remain on a planet filled with weak humans.
I guess I could explore the planet before I head on out. To where? I don't know…and that's what…
Zangya, the ever so prideful Hera-seijin, refused to let herself feel weakness…well at least not more than she's already had. As disgusted as she was to admit it, in some sick way, she was grateful that Bojack had beaten her; it had made her stronger physically and mentally.
Ugh, what the hell am I think!? That bastard doesn't- I shouldn't be thanking him in any way! He's the reason for everything… she sighed, running her fingers through her orange bangs, flicking it aside.
I need something to-
Her thoughts trailed off when she saw a sign that read 'Dave's Blasted Bar' hanging over a store.
She managed a small grin.
"Perfect…"
DBZxxxxxxxxxxxWARNING-STARTxxxxxxxxxxDBZ
Staring at an empty long line of shot glasses, she frowned, her half-lidded eyes burning into the bartender's so hard, that he gulped nervously, fearing that this strange blueish-green woman was going to murder him on the spot. I hadn't seen someone drink this much since that time this blue haired woman came in here. I had to lie to her and tell her that the Vodka I was selling her was the strongest we had, when actually it was not only the weakest, but it was watered down with some sprite! Still… considering her size, she should have gotten alcohol poisoning…especially after drinking eight…eight full glasses…very tall glasses actually, not shots!
But this woman…she is something special, fucking legendary both in looks and in attitude.
"I don't know what to tell you lady! This is Devil Springs Vodka! There is 80% alcohol in that shit and you just drank it all! Kami how the fuck are you still alive!?" He hadn't wanted to give her the strongest he had, but after she threatened to kill everyone in the bar, including him, he caved in. Actually, he's lying. He was giving her the third strongest alcohol he had. But he was not telling her the strongest he had because considering what she had already drunk, it most definitely will kill her. He did not want to have that on his conscious. All of these drinks have to be heavily mixed. They are not meant to be drank straight from the bottle.
What's even worse was that earlier on, while she was drinking, he had attempted to grab the phone to alert the police, but for whatever reason, before he could pick it up, it had mysteriously combusted. When he turned back to face the woman, he saw her give him a look as she brought her index and thumb together. His eyes went wide when a tiny green ball came to life. Making sure to keep her eyes locked with his, she threw her hand back and flicked the tiny orb at a drunk. The ball smacked against the forehead of the drunk, making him groan and slam right onto the table before it ricocheted to another drunk, knocking him out too.
Dave's jaw dropped. "Did you just-"
Zangya rolled her eyes. "Relax, they are alive. If they die, it won't be because of me. It will be because of the drinks you sell here."
Stretching forwards, far enough to snatch a second bottle of Devil Springs Vodka over the counter, she fell back on her seat, breaking the seal off the bottle. She then drank straight from it, instead of pouring it into shots like before.
"Shit, this is seriously like water! Is this the strongest this planet has to offer? I'm just beginning to get slightly light headed. At this rate, it'll take forever." She lied.
"Like it or not lady, that is the strongest I have in this bar. Now if you want stronger stuff, the stuff that can really kill…people…I'm sure you can find other bars that serve that."
Standing up to leave, with the bottle in hand, she stopped when the man foolishly got in her way.
"You have to pay up for everything you drank! And I gotta tell ya, it's gonna be a lot since this is the most expensive legal bar in the entire city."
She rolled her eyes. "How much is the fee for my orders?"
Stroking his chin thoughtfully, he mumbled the numbers, doing the math in his head. He then answered.
"Two-hundred and fifty Zeni."
While she did not understand the currency in this planet, she could immediately tell that that man was bullshitting her. She understood that it was a test because he believed that she was an alien, which she was.
Zangya narrowed her eyes, making the bartender squirm, she replied. "I may not understand the currency here, but I know you are lying to me."
Dave gulped.
Releasing a sigh, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a beautiful gold watch. It had weird markings everywhere and the digits on the small screen that appeared to be strange numbers shifted continuously. Suddenly it stopped and the bartender jumped back in surprise when a hologram projected from the screen of the watch. On the projection, the man saw the same foreign numbers shift rapidly for about a few more seconds before it stopped. His eyes paled when he saw two-hundred and fifty Zeni printed perfectly on the hologram screen.
Pressing a few digits on the screen, another projection blasted from the watch, this time scanning every single drink that the man served in the bar. The bartender couldn't believe what he was seeing as all the information from the drinks flashed through the watch's hologram screen.
Pressing one button, the image of Devil Springs Vodka appeared on the screen.
"Just like I thought. This kind of, what you call Vodka, cost in most places thirty Zeni. With the bottle, I drank and the one I have in hand, that adds up to a total of sixty Zeni. However, you were not lying when you said that your bar was the most expensive one in this city as you sell this Vodka for fifty Zeni. That adds up to one-hundred Zeni. You are charging me one-hundred and fifty Zeni extra."
Turning off the watch, she pocketed it and pulled out a small diamond-like rock. Zangya snorted when she practically saw the Zeni currency symbol sparkling on his eyes. "This covers everything, beyond it actually. It's probably worth about… three-thousand Zeni."
Reaching out for it, the Hera-seijin reeled her hand back. "I will give it to you if you hand over the bottle of Good ol' Sailor Vodka. At alcohol, it's the strongest you have. Since you do not serve the strongest in this planet, Spirytus Rektyfikowany, which is alcohol, then I'll settle for that."
"Okay!"
Zangya nodded as he rushed to grab the bottle. When he arrived back, he hesitated to hand it to her. He sighed, not believing what he was going to say next. "Listen lady, I think you should leave. As much as it hurts me and my bank account, I'd rather have you leave alive than die here, drinking your problems away. Something tells me you're special and you came here for a good reason…"
Heh, if he only knew the countless people I've murdered, he wouldn't be saying that.
"Whatever you did in the past, let it go. You can't change the past, but you can start anew right now, today, and have a bright and better future."
Staring at the bartender, a small smile cracked across her lips, which shocked the man. "And here I thought you didn't have a heart."
Faster than his eyes could see, Zangya swiped the bottle from his hand, replacing it with the small rock of diamond.
Going back to her seat, she put the other Vodka to the side. Popping the cap off her new bottle, she poured about less than half of a full glass cup. Reaching out, she grabbed a can that said Sprite and poured all its content in it.
"I thought you were gonna drink it straight from the bottle." The bartender said, walking back behind the counter.
"Oh I was."
"What changed your mind?"
"You did." Zangya said, taking a small sip from the glass. "I was trying to kill myself." She added, nonchalantly.
His jaw dropped, staring at her in disbelief. "But-but you-"
"I lied, just like you." Staring at the piece of diamond in his hand, she continued, knowing what he was going say next. "I know what you're thinking; how can you know if the piece of gem is real. That's simple, you don't. All you can do is either take my word for it or not."
Staring at the gem as it glittered from the light that shined on its surface; he said nothing because well, he just didn't know what to say.
After a few minutes of silence, he did his thing. "So…do ya want to let me know what's on your mind?"
DBZxxxxxxxxxxxWARNING-ENDxxxxxxxxxxDBZ
Pushing the door to the bar open, Yamcha blinked in disbelief.
When the former bandit woke up today, after checking up on the Saiyan Princess, who had finally awakened this morning, he decided to go and search for the Hera-seijin. He was worried about her considering how she left once she found out that her people were gone for good. The knowledge of being alone…well, he had this strong need to help her. It hadn't taken him long, as she hadn't bothered to hide her ki.
He wasn't surprised that he found her at a bar. He knew better than anyone that alcohol can help numb the pain of loss, no matter what kind; not for long though.
However what did surprise him was how…chumming she was with the bartender, Dave, and almost everyone here. They were all in conversation, the smiles' on the bartender and the drunks so wide that it nearly touched their eyes. They would at times bark out in laughter, enjoying whatever story that Zangya was telling.
Shaking his head, Yamcha couldn't stop his own smile from forming, clearing enjoying the cheerful attitude she was expressing. A tint of a blush made itself know when the Hera-seijin caught him staring.
"Hey boys, look who's here! It's the douchebag I was telling you all about! Say hello, asshole!" She slurred, burping out a hiccup.
"Hello, asshole!" the rambunctious drunks greeted, much to the former bandit's displeasure.
Rolling his eyes, Yamcha strode to the drunken Zangya, who was giving him the most…adorable smile he has ever seen on her face. Yeah, he just met her yesterday, but comparing her stoic appearance during the fight with the tyrant with this…stunningly beautiful one…oh boy did it make him feel some type of way.
"Zangya…"He greeted, making her giggle and hiccup again. Turning to the bartender, who was the only one sober here, he asked. "How long has she been here?"
"Oh, for a little over two hours. Do you really know this woman?" Dave replied, passing another beer to a drunk.
"Uh yeah. Why?"
"She's…she's something else." The bartender said with a grin. "The amount of alcohol she consumed, she should be dead!"
Yamcha's face paled. "WHAT?!"
Dave's grin didn't falter. "Don't worry, she's fine. In fact, I don't think she's completely wasted yet. I guess she wasn't lying when she said the drinks on this planet tasted watered down to her. Apparently, she's an alien."
"An alien huh?" he echoed, taken aback that the Hera-seijin would admit to being an alien. "And you believe her?"
The bartender laughed. "Nope. I might like her and hope she is going to be a frequent customer, but I think she's a nut-case!"
Yamcha cringed, praying that Zangya didn't hear what Dave had said about her; thankfully she didn't, as she was much too busy throwing her hands in the air, telling stories that the drunks thought were fake, when they were in fact true.
Continuing to look on with amusement, the bartender's expression turned somber as he whispered, "Look, I think you should take her out of here. Yeah, she's a trooper, but she did tell me before that her plan had initially been to kill herself drinking. Thankfully I had managed to talk her out of it, but I fear that she might still want to. After all, she has to have a limit right?"
Yamcha grimaced, giving Dave a sincere thankful smile. "Can you clear out the drunks? I have a feeling it's going to be troublesome to get her out of here."
Nodding understandably, the bartender shooed the drunks back to their seats, raising the volume on the TV that was suspended against the wall.
Zangya's dilated blue eyes widened, her head tilting with confusion at the sudden dismissal of her crowd.
Pulling up a seat, he sat down. "What's up Zangya?" He said cheerfully, trying to start things off slowly. He didn't want her to get violent after all.
Facing Yamcha, the blueish-green woman brushed her tousled hair aside; she smiled brightly. "Hi Yamcha! What brings you here?!"
"Uhh you know, I was just around the city and decided to buy a drink." He replied, wincing when the powerful scent of alcohol drifted up his nose from the burp that the Hera-seijin released.
"That's good." She said, lifting a hand and tracing his arm; Yamcha visibly shivered.
Nudging her hand off of him, he signed, decided to get straight to the point. "Zangya, you know this isn't going to make things better…"
She frowned. "But I do feel better."
The former bandit raised a brow. "Really?"
Opening her mouth, she snapped it closed, knowing that her response was going to be a lie. Yamcha couldn't help but feel guilty when he saw the happiness vanish from her face, leaving behind a sorrowful one.
"Zangya…why don't we-"
"Yamcha…I'm not a good person." She said, stunning the former baseball player. "Why do you insist on trying to help me?"
"Come on now, that isn't true-"
She narrowed her eyes, making him freeze. "You do not know me human. You do not know what I have done, what kind of person I truly am. I've killed thousands, possibly millions of people at Bojack's command. I helped him wipe out entire planets without batting an eye." She sighed. "And guess what? I loved every second of it."
"I know, but you were brainwashed by Bojack. If it hadn't been for him, you wouldn't have done the things you did."
Zangya's orbs rounded. "How do you know that?!"
"Brangya, she had no problem expressing her true emotions it seemed."
"Brangya..." she mumbled. "Right, when I fused with the Saiyan." Her mind was still clouded, but it was slowly coming back to her, just as Bra said it would. "That was…a strange experience. I've never felt so powerful than I did then."
"Oh?"
"It was…it was as if I had a purpose, which is something I've never had, even way before I was abducted by Bojack." Zangya laughed sadly, the liquor obviously dampening her inhibitions. "As Brangya, I felt reborn…and now that I can recall that feeling, I wish that the fusion had been permanent."
"Bra most definitely would disagree."
She nodded. "You're kinda right. Yes, she wanted to be her own person more than I, but she still had…this self-hate, this sadness. If I am correct, it was the feeling of lost. I believe she wanted to remain as Brangya to forget all her former troubles also."
"You know Zangya, you should probably talk with Bra. You both might get along pretty well." Yamcha suggested. "That's assuming you stay."
Zangya paused. "Do you want me to stay?"
Yamcha's eyes widened. "I uhh, wouldn't mind…" He responded, his cheeks tinted a nice shade of red.
Abruptly standing off her seat, Yamcha nearly fell off his stool when the Hera-seijin grabbed him by his collar and pulled him in, planting a wet kiss on his cheek. "I knew I like you for a reason…"
The former bandit's mouth dropped as Zangya gave him a playful wink, placed a golden nugget on the table as a tip for the bartender, and walked out of the bar.
"Man, you are one lucky bastard." Dave said with a grin, having watched the display of affection.
Yamcha chugged what remained of the Here-seijin's drink.
DBZDBZDBZDBZxxxxxSPECIALxxxxDBZDBZDBZDBZ
A splash of purple, orange and yellow paint coated the evening sky as the sun began its descent, making room for the moon. Sitting cross-legged against a tree, Bra sighed, the cool autumn breeze that brushed her neck length hair to and fro causing goosebumps to spread all over her arms. She had been wearing Goku's upper gi over her white shirt, but had to give it to Kibō, who was curled up on the green grass; bundled up in his father's clothes with his thumb in his mouth, he looked absolutely adorable.
Mount Paozu, that's where they were. The Saiyan Princess had spontaneously decided to visit Goku and Chi-Chi's former home…well more like the backyard, since the small house was long gone at this point, Gohan and his mother having permanently moved to her father's castle during the whole Androids incident.
Not wanting to go alone, she had brought her son along. Just as she placed him on his two little feet, he had made a break for it, running as fast as he can from his mother. Bra couldn't stop herself from giggling as she ran on after him, starting a game of tag. Sometimes, she would jump and hover in the air, in an attempt to get him to fly. She had a feeling that he could already fly, but he just didn't as often because he was simply too young to understand how to control his ki. But that didn't stop him from trying with all his might, surprising her when he had actually succeeded flying up and tapping her feet. However that wasn't good enough for him and upon landing back on the ground, he leaped again.
What occurred next made her shake her head in confusion and shock. After many failed tries, he began to get angry, so furious at his inability to accomplish his goal that she could have sworn that his eyes had flashed turquoise! Shortly after, he had fallen on his behind, admitting defeat as he then told his mother that he felt sleepy. Giving him a heartwarming smile, she swooped down and plucked her son into her arms and headed off to a hilltop to see the sunset, his joyful laughter left behind. He had fallen asleep the moment he touched the grass.
As the sun continued to slowly set, her thoughts wondered to the dream, no, nightmare she had this morning.
Majin Buu.
Throughout these years, the night terrors of the pink demon had reduced to next to none. Thinking back on it, maybe what Trunks said had started to stick with her. She truly wanted to leave all those painful memories in the past, where they belonged. Yes, she would never forget her loved ones in her reality, but to constantly dwell on it, well it wasn't going to magically fix things, bring them back. And even if that was possible, would she leave this timeline, which had become her home, to her former one? She'd see her real father and mother, along with the others…
Including Goku, a Goku that wouldn't love her in the manner that the one here did. Seeing him with Chi-Chi, living happily together would kill her; bringing Kibō could only cause nothing but problems for both Goku and Chi-Chi, which was the last thing she wanted to do; she didn't want to be the reason for their break up for a second time…
Going back to the Buu subject, she felt that there was something off about the hellish dream. In the past, she always dreamt of her family and friends getting murdered or absorbed by the pink demon, and at times her running and hiding like she did on the day she hopped in the Time Machine and arrived here. But the dream she had this morning, it felt different than any of the others she's had before. I mean, I had been running and hiding, which is one of the common dreams, but this time it was…it was almost as if I was actually there. It felt so real…
A sudden image of glistening red orbs drowning in a sea of darkness flashed before her as she fought Bojack.
When did that happen… she turned white as a ghost… when I was fused! I swear I saw…
Her eyes widened. What if-what if it's all a warning?! What if he somehow figured out a way to find me?! He'll do it again! He'll take them all away from me again! I can't let that happen! I won't let that-
Bra jumped when she felt a hand placed on her shoulder.
"Bra? Are you alright?"
The Saiyan Princess blinked, her mind returning to its rightful place. Looking to her left, she saw Gohan sitting there, with his face filled with worry.
"Yeah, why do you ask?"
Gohan rolled his eyes. "Well, you were freaking out just as I arrived, mumbling something about not wanting him to take them away from you again. Wanna tell me who him is?"
Bra waved her hand in dismissal, giving the half Saiyan a false smile that did not fool the teen in the slightest. "Don't worry about it Gohan, I'm fine."
Though he hesitated at first, he nodded, not wanting to push the subject. "And the head injury?"
Bra almost winced when she saw the remorseful appearance written on his face.
"It's okay. When I woke up this morning, I felt nothing." She decided to not tell him that the crack that his fist had caused didn't completely heal, as it would make him feel even worse than he already did; it was tiny anyways, so it was nothing to be alarmed about.
Yet he still looked concerned, which honestly Bra thought was sweet. "Gohan, it's okay, really."
"Really?" he asked, hopefully.
"Really." She reassured, with a sincere smile.
They then fell into a comfortable silence and it wasn't until about ten minutes had pasted that Gohan broke it.
"Why did you come here?"
Bra shrugged. "I dunno, maybe because it reminds me of him."
"Dad." Gohan sighed.
Turning to face the half Saiyan, the sun finally set as she asked him, "Does-does the bond your father and I have still bother you?"
Gohan was shocked that she would suddenly ask such a question, but nevertheless responded.
"A little…but I've long learned that you can't help who you love right?"
"Right…" Bra nodded, the teasing twinkle in her eyes making the half Saiyan blush.
"I'm not in love with you." Gohan stated, defensively, his cheeks becoming redder. I just think you're hot He thought, unintentionally. Why did his inner voice sound like Sharpner just then?
Thank Kami that it was dark outside now or else the female half Saiyan would be laughing at him.
Bra gave a Vegeta-like smirk. "Never said you were."
Turning to look at the luminescing moon, Gohan leaned forward with panic, covering the Saiyan Princess's eyes.
"Uhh Gohan, what are you doing?"
"You have a tail! I don't want to take down a giant ape tonight!"
Not liking Gohan invading her personal space, she shoved his hands off of her face.
"Relax kid. I'm not going to turn."
"Why not?"
"While your father and I were in the Time Chamber, we practiced controlling our ape form by creating an artifice moon."
"Oh. Dad told me that Vegeta did that on his first fight with him. I didn't get to see that because when I had arrived to help, Vegeta had already transformed."
Bra nodded. "Goku was the one that taught me because you know how he is; always learning things quickly, even if he saw father do it only once years ago. I didn't transform during our early practicing control sessions because I only glanced at it, not stare at it. I would feel it trying to take control of me, but I quickly looked away."
Looking back at the moon, she continued. "Goku figured out how to control it within a few days, but it took me a couple of weeks before I did." She smiled, remembering the close calls and Goku's worried expressions. "When I stare at it now, I just feel a tingly sensation on my tailbone, but it is only brief." She finished.
Gohan quickly changed the subject.
"Bra…I think I messed things up…with Videl."
"How so?"
Scratching the back of his head in a nervous fashion, he answered, "I sort of pushed her away when she was trying to help me."
"Okay, then go talk to her and apologize. I'm sure she'll understand-"
"I broke up with her."
The Saiyan Princess blinked. "Oh wow, I didn't even know that you two were a thing." Yet, she added as an afterthought.
"We weren't until the day of the tournament."
"Oh boy, that's like barely two days!" She said in disbelief. "Why did you go and do that?"
"I just didn't want her to get hurt you know? What if I transform again? I'm not stupid. If I go out there when another threat happens, which you and I both know it will, she'll follow me to the fight. I can't risk her getting hurt. I almost killed her, Bra!"
She snorted. "And you almost killed all of us too. Let's face it Gohan, when big baddies come down to wreak havoc on our planet, everyone's lives are at risk. You just have to accept that and always acknowledge that in every world threatening battle, someone we love might die."
Gohan's mouth dropped. "That's…that's kinda dark don't you think?"
Bra grimaced. "No, it's just a fact. And you saw what happened to Goku. The Dragon Balls can't always solve our problems. So you have to keep in mind that when you lose that special person, you might not ever see them again…at least until it's your time to leave to Otherworld."
"You know, when I brought up my problems with Videl, this is not what I had in mind. You just managed to make me feel worse." Gohan sighed.
The Saiyan Princess laughed. "Just saying it how it is kid." She then faced Gohan and felt like shit when she saw his gloomy look. "Gohan, I'm sure it will all work all. I'm not saying it has to be today or even tomorrow, but as long as you don't wait too long to talk to her, she will forgive you and perhaps become your girlfriend again."
A sudden dreadful thought consumed his mind. "What if she friend-zones me!?" He asked, Sharpner and Erasa crossing his mind.
"Hey, friend-zone is better than no-zone, right?" she responded, holding back a laugh.
"Actually, no."
"Whatever."
Silence fell again, this time lasting longer than before. Bra jerked slightly when she felt Gohan rest his head against her left shoulder.
"Umm, Gohan…what are you doing?" Bra asked, feeling uncomfortable with his closeness because, well he has never gotten this close to her.
"It's your scent." He started, letting loose a yawn, his eyelids lowering. "It kinda smells like dad's. It calms me down. It almost feels like he's with me…right now…"
The tension caused by Gohan's sudden odd behavior left her, leaving her with a feeling of contentment. She looked down when she felt a small body crawl on her lap and nest on it. Bra smiled as she picked up Goku's discarded upper gi and placed it on top of Kibō, making sure to leave his head out.
"That's exactly how I feel when I hold Kibō."
When she received no response, she knew Gohan had fallen asleep.
I don't know how, but I will find a way to see you again Goku…because if I don't, then…" she tried to cut herself off, not wanting to finish that thought, as it was completely selfish, but she just couldn't.
Why am I still here?
And then, as an ominous white hue appeared on the nape of her hair, bleaching her natural greenish-blue tresses to whitish-sliver, Bra shivered.
A/N: Well this is it. Bojack is over with and now it's time to move on to the finale; Majin Buu.
When will I update? I have no idea. What I do know is updates won't be as frequent as usual.
Thanks for sticking with me up until this point and I hope you stick around for the remainder of this story. I'll do my best to make this last saga as memorable as possible!
Later!
(Posted: 1/1/19)
~Gater~