New Judgment
Chapter 5: Grade A-pe
It's been one year already… Man, time flies. I have been traveling across the universe as its Goddess of Destruction for a full cycle of the seasons. Though, I guess that cycle only applies to Earth, since every planet has different seasonal patterns. In fact, every planet is different. No matter what corner of the universe you visit, you're always guaranteed to find something new. It may not always be pleasant – heck, it may not always be safe – but that's what makes a universe… well, a universe.
Even working as hard as we have, Whis and I have only visited about 50 planets in 365 days. If it were Beerus working this hard, I'm sure that number would be on the hundreds. But well, that's exactly why I'm here, because Beerus didn't work that hard. He's still asleep back in our home, that lazy bum! Then again, I'm kind of glad I've been thrust into this life.
I've met so many people, whacky and memorable characters that I would never even dream of if I had stayed on Mt. Paozu. I've learned so much about the universe, and yet it's not even a pinch of all the secrets that lie ahead. And I've gotten much stronger, but not from some arbitrary training regime. I've had to fight my way through armies and face off against impossible odds in battle, but I always manage to come through in the end – thanks to cunning more than anything. And I always try my best, not because I want to get stronger, but because I'm fighting for others. I love this universe, and I will do anything I can to make it better.
Heh, I've actually earned myself a nickname! "The Judge of Salvation." As if "Goddess of Destruction" wasn't flashy enough already! Geez, why can't anyone just call me "Court?" I appreciate the love, but it's still so embarrassing to be called something so grandiose. Not to mention, I only feel like the title fits me some times.
Some planets have been very cooperative, and they "pass the test" with flying colors. Others may be victims to oppression or some other catastrophe; those are the ones where we'll stay days, sometimes even weeks helping the residents overcome their quandary. And some planets… well, some planets are simply irredeemable. Even in those planets, there's always at least a hint of benevolence. It may not be enough to save them, but I've made a promise to carry their light with me.
And when you do all of this for a living… boy, is it stressful! I needed a break, bad. So Whis and I decided to take a week-long vacation back on Earth. I was dying to see my family again, especially Gohan since he was a father now! I was so proud of my big brother, and I hoped he was proud of me as well. As for Whis, weeeell… Iunno. He was probably just going to spend the entire week trying different dishes across the globe or something. Either way, what was important now was meeting up with Gohan again.
"Gohan!" As soon as my brother opened the door, I gave him a tight hug. It must have startled him, but he started hugging me back soon after. "I've missed you so much…! Oh, and congratulations!"
"Thanks, Court! It's good to see you again!"
"Welcome back, Court!" Videl also gave me a warm welcome. "We heard from Dende that you'd be coming to visit, so we made something special for you."
"Thanks, Videl, I appreciate it. But first… would it be possible to see my niece?"
"Hmm-hmm, of course. She's upstairs with Piccolo."
Just like Videl said, my niece Pan was sleeping in a cradle with Piccolo meditating right next to her. His unflinching silence was a way of acknowledging my presence, his way of saying "welcome back." Piccolo was a man of few words. I approached the cradle quietly to get a closer look at Pan. She was adorable! I had to stop myself from audibly saying "aww" to avoid waking her up. Her face was all bubbly, and her hair was tied in a cute little ponytail, and… wow, she even kept her actual tail! Gohan must have convinced Videl that the tail was OK, seeing as I never had any problems with mine. It came in handy a lot when I literally had my hands full.
We left the room to let Pan and Piccolo sleep, then proceeded downstairs to the dining area. Mountains of food awaited us! This is something that about half of the planets we visited welcomed us with, so the novelty was starting to wear off, but it was still a heart-warming (and tummy-filling) surprise.
"Oh my gosh, Videl, this is delicious! Did you make all of this by yourself?!"
"Thanks! And yeah, I did! I've developed a lot of skills in the kitchen ever since I became a mother."
"You were already an expert before that, sweetie."
"Thank you, Gohan!"
I was happy to see my brother and his wife living together as a happy couple. Still, it must have been difficult with Gohan having to devote so much time for work. "So tell me, how have things been for you two?"
"Well sis, you remember what I said to you last time? I've successfully formed a Great Saiyaman network across the globe!"
"Whoa, really?! How's that work?"
"I've personally met with several experts in different fields all across the globe. We've got crime-fighters, doctors, scientists, you name it! Our mission is to maintain peace and prosperity in all the nations of the world, keeping organized crime and corruption in check."
"That sounds awesome, Gohan!"
"We've even got some of our friends helping out! Tien, Yamcha, the Briefs, and Launch, just to name a few. Though, the only thing I couldn't do was get them to wear the official uniforms…"
"O-Oh, haha! Don't worry bro, I'm sure they appreciated it nonetheless." Gohan, we all loved you, even with your horrendous fashion sense.
"But hey, enough about us. How about you, Court? What are your plans for this week?"
"Well, I'm going to be staying at mom and dad's place back at Mt. Paozu, but I wanted to get them a gift before arriving. That's the other reason I wanted this to be my first stop – do you know where I can find a gift for mom?"
"Oh, I can help you with that." Videl spoke up. "I know of this jewelry store that sells gorgeous necklaces!"
"Yeah, that sounds great! Thanks, Videl!"
"And what are you getting for dad?"
"Oh, I've already got his gift." I pulled out a dyno capsule from my pocket. "There's food from all kinds of places across the universe here. He'll probably finish it all in five minutes, but trust me, it'll be the best five minutes of his life."
I flew towards our house at Mt. Paozu with a small gift box in my hands. Videl helped me find the perfect necklace for mom! It was expensive, but nothing Whis' money-materializing magic couldn't handle. I'm glad he created some cash before we separated…
"Court! Oh my gosh, you're back!"
"Sis is back?! Oh, she is! Daaaaddyyyyy!" Goten ran back in the house to get dad, so in the mean time, I met up with mom outside.
"Mom!" Just like with Gohan, I gave my mom a tight hug, and she did to me as well. Though unlike Gohan, she started crying of joy.
"Ohh, my sweet daughter…! Not a day goes by without me thinking about you…!"
"Oh hey, Court!"
"Hey, dad!"
"Wow, you look a lot stronger now!"
"GOKU! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!" Mom to the rescue. Yup, she still had it.
The house looked the same as it did a year ago, maybe just a tad bit messier now that I wasn't around to help mom with the chores. Though, she was still managing herself well enough. Mom and dad also seemed like they hadn't changed much. I mean, dad's ki felt stronger, but the man basically trained at every moment that he wasn't being monitored by mom. Goten had grown a bit, but he was still a kid, just as playful as ever. I pulled out the dyno capsule that contained all that food that I mentioned earlier, and then saw as dad's eyes practically ignited with amazement. We all ate from it, but naturally the full-blooded Saiyan in the room devoured with the most fervor.
Once everything was said and done, everyone returned to their rooms. I was surprised to see that my room was still just as I had left it a year ago. Mom must have made sure that it remained clean for when I eventually returned. She was definitely an… eccentric person, but I had no doubt in my mind that I had the best mom in the world. I tucked myself under the bed sheets and let the beautiful stars and moon in the night sky send me to a deep slumber.
Hnngh… Sleep… Stars… Moon… Full… moon…? Hmm…? Wait a… minute…
"AAAAAAAHHHH!" Mom?!
"GAH! What happened?!"
"Whoa, sis?! Is that you?!"
"Goten?! Why are you so small?! Why am I so high up?!"
"Cause you're a giant monkey, silly!"
"What do you mean I'm a giant mon—OH GOD, I'M A GIANT MONKEY!"
"This is most peculiar."
"Whis?!"
"Oh hey, Whis! Can you train me?"
"Goku, I'm afraid there are more pressing issues at hand."
"What the—What is going on?!"
"I'm as baffled as you are, Master." He didn't look like it… "I was under the impression that Saiyans would lose all sense of reason upon transforming into a Great Ape. But you seem to be doing just fine, Lady Court."
"Huh…?" I checked myself and I was indeed a Great Ape. My body was almost entirely covered in fur, my voice sounded like that of a terrifying monster, and of course, I was gigantic. But my mind felt the same. I'd heard people mention that Gohan went completely berserk when he transformed in a few occasions back when he was a kid, yet all I felt at the moment was confusion because everything was happening so suddenly (which I'm pretty sure I would have felt in my normal form just the same).
"Well, actually, I remember Gohan sort of managed to control himself a few times, particularly with Turles. And Vegeta was just the same as Court is now." I guess dad was actually there for those fights, he would know better than the "all-knowing" Whis.
"I see! Then perhaps the reason Lady Court is not out of control is because her mental capabilities have fully developed. She is a very intelligent damsel, I'll have you know."
"D'aww, thanks!"
"I never thought I'd see a giant monkey blushing…" Goten was very nonchalant about the situation.
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANY OF THAT! HOW DO I GET MY DAUGHTER BACK TO NORMAL?!" Mom, however, was not.
"Well, there are two solutions: we can either cut her tail off—"
"NO." Do not even joke about that, Whis.
"… Oooor, we can destroy the moon."
"No! We don't need to go that far! Look, how about we just wait until it's morning again. I'll just find a cave to pass the night, and I should be back to normal in a few hours."
"I suppose that is the least extreme alternative. Hmm?" Whis took a look at his staff. "It appears that your niece has also transformed, Lady Court."
"Wait, Pan did?! Oh no, I've gotta go help them!"
"Hey sis, can I come, too?"
"Absolutely not, young man! It is way past your bedtime right now! Go back to your room!"
"Aww, but moooom, Court already destroyed half the house, my room included!"
"No she didn't." With a flick of his staff, Whis returned the house back to normal. Whis to the rescue…?
"Hey, that's not fair!"
"There's no time to waste! Let's go, Whis!" Luckily, I could still fly in this form. Whis and I made haste towards Satan City.
I couldn't help but imagine the newspapers for the next day plastered with "Flying King Kong" on the covers. For all the fuss that was made to prevent me from looking at the full moon through all those years, this was honestly not too bad. It just made me feel that much worse for my poor brother and Trunks that got their tails cut off for no reason. Maybe to the amputators it didn't seem so bad, but to the amputees it was like getting an arm or a leg chopped off! What is wrong with people?!
As we approached Satan City, I saw Pan in the distance where Gohan's house was, already transformed! Though she wasn't wrecking havoc in a complete state of rage, no, she was… she was just jumping around like a kid. I mean, yeah, that was dangerous still, but had I just been lied to about the whole "going berserk" thing? Nonetheless, I was sure Gohan and especially Videl would be in a bit of a panic.
"Gohan, look, it's another one!"
"Oh no!"
"Wait, wait, Gohan, Videl, it's me, Court! I know, this is really weird, I'm not sure I get it myself, but I'm going to help… somehow."
"Oh, thank go—Whoa, whoa, Pan!" Gohan was trying to get Pan to settle down, but that was a lot easier said than done. "I, uhh—Gah!" He dodged. "Look, I think she just wants to play!"
"Is that it? OK, then I'll play with her! Considering the size matter, I think I'm the only one who can, anyways."
"Are you sure you two will be OK?" Videl was obviously worried for her daughter, though at least she wasn't freaking out like mom was.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine."
"Master Court, may I make a suggestion?"
"As long as it doesn't involve chopping tails off, you may."
"It is currently night time here on the eastern side of the planet, but the sun is still up on the west. If you travel far and fast enough, you may be able to 'outrun' the moonlight and turn yourselves back to normal."
"Ooh, nice thinking, Whis!"
"Wait a minute, Pan can't go that fast!" Videl protested, and she also had a good point. "Besides, it'll be night time there soon, so you'll just end up prolonging the process."
"Then let's go towards the ocean to the east. It'll save us an hour or two for the sun to rise."
"C-Can you guys decide quickly?! I—Whoa! I-I don't think I can keep Pan in one place for much longer!"
It was almost comical to see Gohan struggle so much to control his own daughter, but enough about that. I called for Pan's attention by making playful gestures of my own, which incited her to follow me. We ran east, though I had to make sure that Pan wouldn't accidentally crash onto some of the outskirt farmhouses on the way. I found myself having to lift her and throwing her up onto the air while catching her before she hit the ground. Considering we were monkeys the size of a four story building, this must have been an unforgettable sight to behold.
Gohan and Videl were following right behind us, though I was surprised to see that they were… happy. I think I understood why, however. Despite the absurdity of the situation, they were still seeing their daughter happy, enjoying herself in the most unexpected family bonding time imaginable. And on top of that, I think their lack of hesitation towards letting me handle the matter meant that they truly trusted me. I remembered that I left Earth a year ago with a cloud of uncertainty, where some people were OK with my new "career" but it seemed like no one was really 100% with it. Now, they had nothing to worry about. I had proven myself and gained their trust. That was the most important thing to me.
I felt the sun rays hit my face, waking me up to the sound of ocean waves and seagulls. We were at the beach east of Satan City. I was resting up against a palm tree while Gohan, Videl, and Pan were still asleep behind a large rock to my left, hiding away from the sunlight. And most importantly, both Pan and I were back to our normal forms, with our tails still in place and the moon still intact. We must have been running and playing all night and eventually just passed out of exhaustion! Whis was nowhere to be found, but eh, I'm sure he was out eating food somewhere else.
What I did see, though, was a turtle with a man standing on top of it. Upon further examination, it was…
"Oh, Master Roshi! It's been a long time!"
"Ah—Ahh…!" His nose was… bleeding…?
"Huh? Hey, what's wrong?"
"This…! T-This is an unexpectedly warm reunion, my young beautiful maiden!"
"What…?" Ooooohh, I was naked… "… YYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Author's Note: The Great Ape transformation is criminally underrated. No matter how many different hair colors they throw at me with all those Super Saiyan transformations, nothing will ever beat the sheer tension and spectacle of a Great Ape, for me at least. Not to mention, if Great Apes were still relevant, all the Saiyans would get to keep their tails. And tails are just cool, man! They help to visually tell Saiyans apart from other humanoid species, and they add a special "flare" to the characters. If Akira Toriyama is going to conveniently write them out, then I'm going to conveniently write them back in.
I actually had to look up a map of Dragon Ball's Earth to make sure that Whis' idea of running west made sense. Conveniently enough, the Son residence and Satan City are more or less on the same longitude, so it would be night time on both places at the same time. I know this is fiction and I could have possibly gotten away with that plan even if the two places had been on opposite sides of the planet, but I do like to sprinkle some science here and there.
Anyways, sorry if the one year time skip seems a bit sudden. I just didn't want to stay writing planetary travel adventures forever. There's still going to be some of that in the future, but I need to move on in order to set some of the more interesting ideas I have in motion. I don't remember exactly how much time passes between the Battle of Gods arc and the Resurrection 'F' arc, but a year sounds reasonable.