"This must be West Field City." Chi-Chi noted, looking around.
"I see why it's called West Field City now; it's surrounded by fields." Bulma noted before they landed in town.
"Who cares? Let's figure out how to find these Kuma siblings." Vegeta demanded.
"Maybe we should find out my about them before we go after them." Bulma suggested.
"We already know what we need to know." Yamcha insisted.
"We don't know anything about them other than what Colt told us. And quite frankly, I don't trust that—creature." Bulma argued, narrowing her eyes at Yamaha.
"Sorry." Yamcha apologized, sulking.
"You want to know about the Kuma siblings?" An older woman questioned, walking to the group.
"You know of them?" Goku questioned, interested.
"Very little. Follow me." The woman spoke, leading the group into a small tea shop.
"Have a seat anywhere." The woman spoke once they were in the back of the shop.
She disappeared up front for ten minutes before returning with a man carrying a tray of teacups, a teapot, and different goodies.
"Enjoy." The man grumbled before heading back up front.
"My son: he runs my shop for me. My name is Nona. But you wanted to know about the Kuma siblings. I knew their grandparents and parents. I was friends with their grandparents on their mother's side many years ago. Their father's parents were killed when he was a teenager. Most believe they died in some accident. However, I believe that man killed them. He was cold as ice—until he met Keiko. Or so they say. Once they started having gifted children, he started becoming abusive toward Keiko because she never told him she came from a family with immortality and the powerful elements crystals. Once each child was born, Keiko's parents took them and infused them with a few of the crystals, giving each child elemental powers. Each child has the ability to use and control two or three elements." The woman, Nona, started explaining.
"Are they dangerous?" Tien inquired.
"What happened to all of them?" Bulma and Chi-Chi questioned.
"What was their father's name?" Gohan questioned.
"Was it a man named Colt?" Trunks inquired.
"Good heavens, no. The siblings' father's name was Derry. Keiko's parents died several years ago: her mother had a brain aneurysm, and her father sacrificed himself to save his grandchildren. Keiko was turned to stone and remains missing. Derry placed the siblings in a special institution that makes it so they cannot use their powers. He, too, is dead; he was cursed when trying to take the elemental powers from his children. He died eight days after he placed them in that institution. As for Colt: watch your back with him; he's no good. That serpent witch he has with him is just as bad. They want the crystals and the elemental powers." Nona answered their questions.
"Well, they must've escaped or something because Colt wants us to find, fight, and defeat them." Goten noted.
"Do you know what the siblings' first names are?" Gohan, Knickers, Trunks, & Goten inquired.
"Or what they look like?" Bulla and Chihiro questioned.
"No. I never met any of them, and I do not know their names. But I do know there are eight of them: six girls and two boys." Nona answered.
"Do you know how we can find them?" Vegeta impatiently questioned.
"I only know they are in the mountains west of here. If you want more information, you ought to go and see Benny; he's the location/navigation expert. If you're done with your tea and goodies, please follow me; I'll point you in Benny's direction." Nona answered before insisting.
"Can you tell us anything about a man called Hokuai?" Tien inquired.
"Hokuai, you say?" Nona questioned, sounding shocked.
"Yes, Ma'am." Tien replied.
"I haven't heard that name in a long, long time—not since I was a little girl. His curse must really be showing now. Each year he gets a new mark. And each year he becomes a little stronger, but at the price of losing himself more and more." Nona spoke distantly.
"That would be amazing." Goku declared.
"What would be amazing?" Bulma questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"To become stronger every year." Goku answered with a smile.
"You idiot! We become stronger every damn day, not just once a year!" Vegeta angrily shouted at Goku.
"One would think that gaining a new ability every year would be the best. But for Hokuai, it's agonizing. He feels nothing but great pain for anywhere between two and five months. It depends on how big the new mark is. Hokuai was a great friend to me when I was a young child. He only comes to those who need him most. He's the reason I met the sibling's grandmother—and my husband. May he rest in peace." Nona explained with a sad smile.
"You haven't seen him in some time, have you?" Chiaotzu questioned, watching Nona.
"No. But that's ok. I may no longer see him, but I know he is still watching over me." Nona answered with a smile.
"But anyway, head down the road about three blocks and turn left. From there, you walk down the sidewalk three or four—maybe five houses, and you'll find Benny. Once you get here, there will be only two ways with any houses: go straight or turn left. Of course, as I've already instructed, you need to go left. I'll call him to let him know you're coming. Maybe he'll wait outside for you." Nona directed them to Benny's to get directions to the siblings once she composed herself.
"Thank you, so very much." Bulma and Chi-Chi politely thanked Nona before following their husbands and sons to Benny's along with Bulla and Chihiro.
Meanwhile, Piccolo, Dende, Tien, Chiaotzu, Yamcha, and Krillin followed behind them.
"How much longer? Why can't we fly?" Bulla whined after not even two minutes; she was sick of walking.
"No, the question should be, why didn't Nona say anything about the three blocks being uphill?" Chihiro questioned. She didn't mind walking, but she hated going up or down hills.
"Quit complaining." Vegeta retorted, leading the way.
"Walking is good for you. You'll be fine." Bulma insisted, looking around.
"Certainly looks different, doesn't it?" Knickers questioned as he, Trunks, Gohan, and Goten also looked around.
"Yes, it certainly does. I don't even know where we are anymore." Bulma and Chi-Chi replied.
"But we'll get used to it." Goku cheerfully declared.
"Vegeta, you missed the turn." Bulma insisted once they reached the top of the hill. There were only two directions like Nona had said: straight and left.
"I knew that." Vegeta replied, turning left.
"Over two thousand years and you're still bad a directions." Bulma sighed, following her husband.
"I take offense to that." Vegeta retorted.
"Uh-huh." Bulma muttered.
"Hey! Are you the group looking for the Kuma siblings?!" Some guy on a porch called out to the group.
"Are you Benny?" Goku questioned, watching the man.
"Yeah, that's me! Do you wanna come over here, so we're not yelling?!" Benny answered before requesting.
"Well, let's go." Vegeta and Goku instructed, leading the way.
"Hey. Nona tells me you're looking for the Kuma siblings, but don't know how to find them. She believes you're not from around here. And I suppose that's kind of true." Benny cryptically greeted everyone.
"What are you getting at?" Tien and Piccolo demanded.
"Sorry. I'm saying I know you are all from over two-thousand-five-hundred years ago. I don't know any of the females among your group… I take that back: I know Bulma Briefs. Let's see: you're Vegeta, Goku, Piccolo, Tien, Chiaotzu, and Yamcha. And then you four are Gohan, Goten, Knickers, and Trunks. But I don't know the rest of you. You, I can tell are Bulma's daughter; you look remarkably like her. You are all famous: you're in our history books. And of course, Capsule Corp still stands. Though, nobody can get there. Well, Hokuai was able to come and go as he pleased, but he's the only one." Benny explained.
"Dat's not true." A young girl spoke, walking out.
"This is my daughter, Miran; she's only five." Benny introduced the group to his daughter.
"Sorry, Dad." A boy walked out.
"It's fine. This is my son, Daishi; he's eight." Benny introduced his son.
"Hey. Come on, Miran; you know not to bother Dad when he's in a meeting." Daishi waved at everyone before ushering Miran inside—well, he tried to anyway.
"No. But Daddy's wrong. Mr. Hokuai isn't da only one who can get into da pretty lady's building." Miren insisted, fighting to stay outside.
"Daishi, let her go. What do you mean by that, Miran?" Benny instructed before questioning his daughter.
"Mr. Hokuai said dat Akahana, Natsu, Haru, Momoko, Ayame, and Sayuri can get into da pretty lady's building." Miran explained.
"New imaginary friends?" Daishi questioned, picking on his sister.
"No! Mr. Hokuai said they are the brothers and sisters that a big group was looking for!" Miran cried, becoming frustrated.
"When did your imaginary friend tell you this?" Daishi continued to pick on Miran.
"Daishi, leave your sister alone." Benny scolded his son.
"Actually, Hokuai is real. We met him when we got out of a time chamber." Chi-Chi kindly spoke.
"And then Nona told us a little about him." Tien added.
"Are the names Hokuai told you the names of the Kuma siblings?" Knickers questioned, watching Miran.
"Uh-huh. See?" Miran answered before shoving a picture she drew in Knickers's face.
"Sorry about her." Benny apologized.
"No, it's fine. This is very good. Do you mind if we keep this for a little bit? It may help us find the siblings quicker. I promise to bring it back to you." Knickers requested, passing the picture to Trunks after praising Miran's drawing skills.
"Tank you. You can keep da picture. Mr. Hokuai said dat you would need a picture to help you know what day look like. I has more inside." Miran answered with a smile; she was missing one of her front teeth and one to the side.
"Well, thank you. And if you see Hokuai tell him thank you for us. I don't know if we'll see him again." Knickers and Trunks thanked Miran.
"But there's only eight of them in this picture; we were told there were eight siblings." Goten noted once the picture made it to him.
"Ok, head on inside. I hear your mother coming." Benny instructed, sending his children inside.
"Yes, Daddy. Good luck." Miran replied, heading inside.
"See ya." Daishi headed inside.
"Is something wrong?" Yamcha questioned, confused.
"Oh, hello. I didn't know we were having guests. Ooh. You look really familiar. I thought saw the children." A woman, Benny's wife, spoke, walking up.
"Everyone, this is my wife, Eden. Eden, these are the Z Fighters from over two-thousand-five-hundred years ago. The ones who mysteriously disappeared when Cell, Frieza, some androids, and that giant worm showed up. And yes, the children were out: Miran had something to tell these guys about six of the Kuma siblings and Hokuai." Benny explained, introducing everyone.
"Oh. What about the siblings?" Eden questioned, curious.
"That they sometimes go into the Capsule Corp—and their names. And that's how I know she's telling the truth and not making it all up; she shouldn't know their names. But anyway, the Z Fighters came here looking for how to get to the siblings and where they usually hide out." Benny answered his wife.
"Oh, I do hope you find and keep them safe—especially the youngest two. They deserve the safety they seek—especially with that Colt lurking around. But I should be headed inside." Eden replied with a smile before heading inside—after bitterly saying.
"So, Colt isn't a good guy after all?" Yamcha questioned, watching Benny, causing the others to smack their foreheads.
"It depends on who you ask. For the most part, everyone here knows he's full of bullshit. But for the few that do believe in him or are on his side are his partners or minions, or the people he manipulates into doing what he wants. Colt is a master manipulator—or so he thinks. However, maybe he is and because of Hokuai, most of us know better. About two years after all of you vanished without a trace, Hokuai's kind showed up and started taking care of things. Once Frieza and Cell were gone, the world as we know it started growing again. And it kept growing into what you now see. And I'm pretty sure it's still growing. For humans like my family and just about everyone else here: we don't stand a chance against Colt or Yumie—especially Yumie. Hokuai is the only one they're not afraid of and cannot defeat. I'm guessing you've met Colt." Benny explained before inquiring.
"Yeah. He was the first one who greeted us once we got out of a time chamber." Chiaotzu answered.
"Is the one who told you about the Kuma siblings?" Benny questioned.
"Yes." Everyone answered at once.
"He mentioned that they are very strong and dangerous. There was eight of them, but two of them don't get along with them." Goten mentioned right away.
"And Nona mentioned something about elemental powers." Trunks added.
"They both mentioned something about immortality." Gohan and Knickers finished what they could remember.
"Ok. Follow me. I'll tell you what I can about them; we'll go to my study." Benny sighed, running his hand through my hair.
"Oh, we are having guests?" Eden questioned as everyone walked in.
"Kind of. We're going to my study. Daishi, Miran: stay out of my study. If I catch anywhere near the door, your butts will be grounded for a month." Benny answered Eden before warning their children.
"Oh, dear: this must be serious. I'll bring you some lemonade and cookies." Eden became concerned before cheerfully insisting as she headed to the kitchen.
"Ok… So, you know the basics about the Kuma siblings. As my daughter told you, Akahana, Natsu, Haru, Momoko, Ayame, and Sayuri are the Kuma siblings—most of them. There are two other girls: Tsubaki and Ume. Tsubaki and Ume are not like the rest of their siblings—they never have been. Sure, they've never had the best behavior, but once they were captured and locked away, their attitudes became far darker from what we know. Those two do not come into town whatsoever—not this one anyway; I think they travel to a town to the east of them. Seeing as it's just the two of them, they're not much of a threat—not when the others stand up to them and keep us protected. When I say "us," I mean the entire city." Benny started explaining but paused as Eden walked down.
"Don't stop because of me: I know all this as well." Eden spoke, passing out lemonade and lemon bar cookies.
"I'm not stopping because of you, Love. I hear little feet that shouldn't be near the door." Benny replied with a small smile.
"Oh, of course. I'll keep them entertained." Eden insisted before heading up.
"You're not going to punish them, are you?" Bulma questioned, concerned.
"Oh, no. I understand that they're just children. So long as they don't come down here while I'm in a meeting or something along those lines, they'll be fine. But getting back to business at hand." Benny answered before opening a folder.
"Now, my wife, children, and I have never personally met any of the siblings—not many here have. In fact, there are only a few who have—mainly grocery store clerks when one of the older siblings comes around for food. I think they mainly go east of where they live as well. I know Akahana is the oldest followed by Tsubaki. Haru and Natsu, who I do believe are twins, are next. Ume is next followed by Momoko, Ayame, and finally Sayuri. I don't know how old any of them are, but I'm fairly sure the youngest three are closer in age than the others—except the boys. The store owner, who has met the older siblings on several occasions, tells everyone they are all very polite with vastly different personalities. He may have met the youngest three as well, but if he had, he doesn't say much. He's on vacation with his family right now, so I cannot send you to him." Benny continued explaining.
"Do you have any pictures of the siblings—other than what your daughter drew?" Vegeta gruffly questioned.
"Where is Capsule Corp?" Bulma inquired.
"No, I do not have any actual pictures of the siblings. Again, that would be the store owner. But again, he's not around. Your Capsule Corp is in the center of the middle of nowhere to the west. West Field City was created here, several miles west of the original West City. Other than the land becoming barren and the mountains naturally building; we don't know why West Field City was built so far away. Honestly, as far as we know, West Field City could have been built so far away because of the Kuma family; we don't know how long they have been around. The siblings now, are in their twenties and teens—and yes, they are immortal. And they are immortal because of their abilities. But honestly, no one here knows much about their immortality—how or why. But they are. We know that whoever they get close to—in an emotional sense, also become immortal. As for their elemental abilities: they each have three. One is extremely strong. One is super strong. The third and final element is just strong. But that is all I know about any of that." Benny explained, swaying in his chair.
"Can you show us how to get to the Kuma siblings?" Yamcha impatiently requested.
"Of course. But if you're planning on fighting or getting immortality, I would highly recommend you go in with a different attitude. You won't get immortality unless you can get close to them. I bet Colt told you if you defeated them, you'd get immortality, but that's a lie. And looking at you, I believe the only ones who would remotely stand a chance against any of the siblings would be Vegeta, Goku, Piccolo, Vegeta's boys, and Goku's boys. And that's only if the siblings aren't together. And even then, they're powerful on their own as well." Benny sternly replied, digging around a drawer. After a few seconds, he pulled out what looked like a map.
"Are you planning on leaving after you're done here? Or are you planning on staying at an inn?" Benny questioned, looking at a clock.
"We're leaving right after." Vegeta and Goku spoke before anyone else could say anything.
"So, I'm guessing you're flying." Benny spoke, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes." Piccolo and Tien answered.
"Ok. Who is going to be leading the way?" Benny questioned, watching everyone.
"That would be us." Vegeta, Goku, and Piccolo answered right away.
"So, that means we'll be leading the way." Bulma and Chi-Chi mumbled, making Benny chuckle a little.
"Ok. So, this is a basic rough map: it basically just has West Field City and surrounding areas. Now, listen very carefully about the options. You are here—in West Field City, and you want to get to either Capsule Corp or Kuma Mountains. Please note: the mountains aren't actually called Kuma Mountains; they're just known as West Mountains. They separate the west from the east—in a sense. Most, including myself, call them the Kuma Mountains because that's where the Kuma family primarily lived. But moving on."
"If you go north from here, it's a fifteen-minute flight to West Field Shopping District. That's where the malls, game stories, toy stores, electronic stores, and major grocery stores are. Here, we have a few smaller grocery stores, but the bigger ones are in the shopping district. Once you get to the shopping district, find West City Antique Museum. Anything from your time that could have been saved was and was stored in that building. Go behind the museum and you'll find an old rail track: follow it by a twenty-minute flight to Dark Town. When you reach Dark Town, because of the time, you'll have to wait in one of the saloons, diners, gas stations, or libraries because the route to Capsule Corp is polluted with some kind of natural gas that kills anything living—except for plants. Nobody knows where it comes from or why, but that's why Dark Town is a small town for passing through. It does not matter what you are and how strong you are, the gas will kill you. The gas comes through once in the morning and once in the evening and lasts about three hours. It would have just started about ten minutes ago."
"That's just one of the ways to get to Capsule Corp. Another way is a fifteen-minute flight south to West Field City Community Park. From there, you head West toward the mountains—which is a straight, six-hour flight. When you pass a bunch of fairs, waterparks, and other massive attractions, you'll know you're going in the right direction. When you get to the mountains, there are hours of mountains to trek through. But you can head north, and you'll eventually land upon Capsule Corp. That all really depends on where in the mountains you end up. Or from West Field City Community Park, you can head north-west and take a five-hour flight straight to Capsule Corp."
"From West Field City Directly, it's a five-and-a-half-hour-flight to Capsule Corp. It's longer that way because there are twists, turns, and a lot of dust that can and most likely will inhibit your ability to see clearly. You could also fly six hours straight to the mountains from here, but like going straight to Capsule Corp from here, there are more obstacles like dust, boulders, trees, and dilapidated buildings. to get past. Either way, from here straight to Capsule Corp or the mountains, you have to trek your way through the wastelands—or what most call the ruins of West City. It's mainly desert terrain, but there are still remnants of West City. And then no matter how you end up at Capsule Corp, it is another ten-to-fifteen-minute flight to the mountains from there." Benny explained, showing Bulma and Chi-Chi the map.
"Ok. Well, let's get going." Vegeta and Goku declared, standing up.
"Uh, I don't think so. No matter what way we go, we'll be traveling in pitch dark. The sun was already starting to set when we came in here. We're going to an inn. Do you still take the same currency now that you did then?" Bulma firmly told her husband and Goku before asking Benny, holding out some money.
"Yes, Ma'am." Benny answered, showing Bulma some of his money.
"You can wait one more night to find these Kuma siblings; it's not going to kill you. You didn't even know about them until a little bit ago." Chi-Chi agreed with Bulma, narrowing her eyes at Goku.
"Yes, Dear." Vegeta and Goku grumbled as Benny led everyone upstairs with an amused smile…
Pictures on AO3
