Several years have passed since my death. I have adapted well to my afterlife as Enma Daioh's heir. He loved me just like my own father did when I was alive. I started calling him papa because I also grew to love him and was very affectionate towards him. I was his little princess and when no one was looking, he loved to shower me with small, but meaningful gifts. He prepared me well for my future as judge of the dead. He gave me a job to do as a lesson in both responsibility and respect for the deceased. I was now a reaper, a soul who ferries other souls to their respective place for their afterlife. Heaven or hell, I am tasked to escort them there and protect them from demons who prey on souls who wander away before they could reach their destination.
I have met many people this way, and to this day I haven't let a single soul be devoured by the demons. From time to time, I think back to my life and remember that Goku is still alive. It fills me with rage to know that he's down on earth enjoying his life while I had mine ripped away. Gohan had died some time ago, but I wasn't allowed to see him. He had been claimed by the witch Baba and thus was off-limits. That filled me with distain and bitter anger. How could anyone want to claim such an awful soul? He was a legendary martial artist to be sure, but in the end he was just a sad old man with a paranoia that everyone, even a child, was out to get him and his little Goku. If I was honest with myself, I would admit that if Goku's soul was ever assigned to me I would allow him to be devoured by the demons just as he allowed me to be buried alive. I would tarnish my perfect record just for him.
But I hardly ever had these times of remembrance. I was simply too busy ferrying souls and learning my duties as judge of the dead. Most of the time I don't even remember Goku or Gohan even existed. I was usually very bright and bubbly when I wasn't thinking about them. I was loved by many souls and some high-ranking souls even asked my papa if they could court me. They were all turned down, politely of course. Papa didn't want to marry his little princess off so soon. To a mortal, the time that had passed since my death would seem like a long time, but papa and I are immortal and thus we feel like we have plenty of time for me to choose someone to marry.
To the shock of the entirety of Otherworld, the Supreme Kai was one of the potential suitors! He'd heard of my pure heart and warm smile and wanted to see it for himself. Papa reluctantly gave permission for him to court me, but on one condition: I had to love him when he decided to propose to me, or there would be no wedding. He agreed to papa's terms and was allowed to meet me.
He was very kind and very sweet. He greeted me with a gentlemanly bow and kissed my hand. He was also very handsome in an exotic way. He definitely wasn't human, but he was still very attractive. His lilac skin was smooth and stretched thinly over his sculpted, yet petit body. His snow white hair was styled in a Mohawk. His wide soulful black eyes were like a plane of existence all their own. So many mysteries and hidden knowledge were hidden among passionate feelings shining in his eyes. He never raised his voice, but it was a quiet authority that made you listen to him with utmost attention. I fancied him, but I didn't love him quite yet.
We would go on many dates and talk many times before we trusted each other completely. He told me of personal secrets and fears he never told anyone before. Not even his trusted bodyguard and friend Kibito knew of some of the things he told me! In return, I told him of my previous life and how I died. Strangely enough, names failed to be mentioned and neither of us noticed or cared. Perhaps if I had mentioned the name 'Son Goku' he would never have asked me to accompany him to earth to fight in a tournament and ultimately destroy a great evil named Majin Buu. But he did, and it would change everything. For better or worse was yet to be decided.
"Shin-kun, are you certain these warriors are powerful enough to destroy Majin Buu?" I asked my fair-haired suitor from my seat in his lap. Shin, or the Supreme Kai to most, smiled softly down at me and asked me,
"You doubt me, love?" it was said in jest, but I was still worried. Shin noticed my hesitance and turned my head to face him.
"What's wrong, Shinigami-chan?" he asked me.
"I just feel uneasy. Something has been nagging at me since we got here, and I'm worried that everything will go wrong." I confided in him like I normally did. Shin was quick to comfort me as usual.
"Maybe it's because earth is where you lived when you were alive? You must feel homesick; after all, it's been a while since you've been here." I smiled, still unsure, but more willing to accept Shin's theory.
"Perhaps you're right. I'm being silly." I conceded.
The announcement of the child portion of the tournament was sounded and I bid Shin farewell. My part to play was to enter the children's tournament and assess two of the younger warriors Shin had in mind for backup. In case the main warriors he picked died trying to destroy Majin Buu. It was an unlikely event, but one that must be prepared for nonetheless. I was not given the names of the main warriors, just the two backups I would be facing. Shin said I would find out later, but it was too risky for me to know right then because of Babidi's spies. For now I trusted Shin's judgment with the knowledge that I would know when it was necessary.
"Okay Trunks-kun and Goten-kun, let's see if you'll be of any use to our cause. I'll do my best, Shin-kun. You can count on that!" I muttered to myself as a kind of pep talk before I entered the waiting area. I scanned the room for anyone with an unusually high Ki. It wasn't hard to find the two I was looking for because both of their Kis were radiating so much hyperactive energy that those with the ability to sense Ki would see them as moving bonfires. I meandered over to the two high Ki signatures, making sure not to look like I was targeting them directly. Eventually I 'bumped' into them and started to play the role of a child unaware of her surroundings.
"Oh no! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you!" I hastily apologized before looking up at them both. I had to stifle a gasp when I saw who I was supposed to evaluate.
The boy on the left was unusually pretty, but ultimately not who caught my eye. The boy on the right however, was a spitting image of Son Goku! my killer, or someone who looked like my killer, was standing right in front of me looking all innocent and helpful. Rage consumed me like fire, but I fought to keep up my façade so I wouldn't ruin Shin's plan.
"Aw it's okay! No harm done, see? Not a scratch on me!" Goten, the one who looked like Goku, boasted as he showed me his lack of marks. I forced myself to smile and said,
"Oh thank goodness! Say, you're really tough aren't you? I could've sworn I plowed into you hard enough to at least knock you down!" I played up on his pride and he immediately took a liking to me.
"Yeah! My big brother Gohan trained me! He's the best and strongest big brother ever!" Neither boy noticed my wince at the mention of 'Gohan.' Even in death the old coot haunts me! I switched to 'awe' in the blink of an eye.
"Wow, your brother sounds cool. Is he here at the tournament too?" Goten nodded excitedly.
"Yeah! Gohan's fighting too, but he's old enough to fight with the adults. It's not fair! I'm strong enough to fight too! Oh well, at least I got Trunks here to fight, or else I'd be really bored." Goten seemed to realize something. "Oh right! I didn't tell you our names yet, huh? I'm Goten, and this is my best friend Trunks!" The pretty boy with lilac hair nodded to me in greeting.
"Wow, Goten you just figured that out now? You didn't even ask her for her name yet." Trunks jabbed at Goten, who blushed in embarrassment.
"Gosh Trunks, you don't have to say it like that… but he's right! I haven't asked you what your name is yet huh?" I smiled at them and introduced myself.
"I'm Shinigami. It's nice to meet you." Trunks raised an eyebrow and said,
"That's a weird name. Who names their kid death?" I realized Shinigami wasn't a normal human name, but it was necessary to lay my trap. I shrugged nonchalantly and said,
"My papa wanted me to use that name throughout the tournament. Said it was good for hype or something like that. I wasn't really paying attention." This got Goten's attention.
"Hey, I know you can't say your name at the tournament, but do you think your daddy will let you say it after?" He was so hopeful. I smirked inside my head; bingo.
"I guess. Alright it's settled! I'll tell you my real name when the tournament is over!" Oh I'll tell you my name alright. Everyone will know what you did then.
We talked for a while longer, I found out some interesting things about Goten during that time. I found out that Goten was seven and Trunks was eight. I found out Goten's daddy was gone for a long time and had come back just for today. And best of all, I found out Goten's daddy was named Son Goku. I smiled evilly to myself as I excused myself to use the bathroom. I finally have you right where I want you Goku-kun. Death won't be sweet for you if I have anything to say about it. I hatched an evil plan just then. Retribution would be mine, and by the end of it all, Son Goku would be broken.
Okay cranking out the next chapter because is being weird and i don't know what's going on.
Notes about the story:
who expected that huh? I don't think anyone has ever come up with Enma Daioh deciding to adopt before! it's probably a weird thing to do, but it IS necessary. really, why would the supreme kai take any interest in a random soul? they'd have to have really good connections and what better connection than the judge of the dead?
and yes, meeting the supreme kai was also necessary. how else would she come back to life? no one she knew would use the dragon balls to revive her, so i had to improvise.
for those of you who are confused, Sakuya is lying through her teeth the whole time she's talking to Goten and Trunks. little trickster!
uh oh i wonder what Sakuya's gonna do next? o wait no i don't. i wrote that part already. ;3 muwahaha~ it's good to finally finish something!
