Chapter Text
“We have to cancel the above the heavens tournament,” Bulma stated.
Discussions had been going on for over an hour—but it felt much longer.
“No,” Vegeta responded.
The group had been divided but, for the most part, almost everyone agreed with Bulma—or remained silent. Trunks, Vegeta, and Champa were opposed.
“What about the winner for above the heavens? What happens to the wish?” Trunks crossed his arms.
“Thats the other thing,” Bulma sighed. “I think we should let Bulla have the wish and let her wish Yakov back.”
“No,” Vegeta and Trunks said at the same time. Vegeta glared at his son.
“Social media is not looking good,” Krillin said while checking his phone. “Hashtag Justice for Yakov is trending…and theres a large sentiment around Bulla getting special treatment for being a Briefs.”
“Some of the news outlets are doing a hack job of trying to analyze if this was premeditated,” Eighteen added.
“Does anyone know who ‘Pensa’ is?” Yamcha piped in.
“Erasa and Sharpener’s daughter?” Videl asked.
“Maybe,” Yamcha nodded, not knowing either of the names offered. “But she is leading a huge movement on socials to get Bulla arrested for murder. Oof, she’s calling for the death penalty. Eye for an eye.”
“This is what I mean,” Bulma held the bridge of her nose. “We have the Dragon Balls, we can use them and this will all go away. We’ve used the dragon balls for lesser things before.”
“No,” Vegeta said for the third time. “Bulla is a saiyan warrior princess; this is her first kill. It is difficult for every saiyan, but she is to process it like every saiyan before her.”
“Dad, what?” Trunks asked with some shock.
“You were on my side moments ago,” Vegeta furrowed his brows.
“I just don’t think we should use the dragon balls for stupid Jac—I mean, Yakov,” Trunks reasoned. “There are other more important wishes and we were going to determine who was going to use that wish with the tournament.”
Vegeta snorted.
“What?” Trunks asked.
“You were not going to win,” Vegeta stated plainly.
“You don’t know that,” Trunks responded.
Vegeta chuckled to himself.
“Enough,” Bulma stopped her boys. “Trunks, you can have the third wish. We are using the first to bring back Yakov, and the second to reset. Bulla can get disqualified for taking things too far but we’ll erase the memories of his death.
And Vegeta, yes, she’s a saiyan warrior princess…but your precious baby girl is also an earthling who just accidentally killed her ex boyfriend and has to live on a planet that is currently making her a villain.”
“Being a villain to these small-minded feeble weak—“
“Vegeta,” Bulma said softer, and reached for his hand. She knew that deep down…very deep down, he might have grown a soft spot for humans. She also knew that he would not be able to see his daughter suffer from this.
Vegeta kept his mouth closed but ran his tongue over his teeth.
“Should we put it to a vote?” Goku offered with a smile.
“So my fighters came all this way for nothing?!” Champa demanded.
“Quiet, you fat loud bastard,” Beerus flicked his nails. He wouldn’t admit it, and only Whis would dare to comment, but he felt it necessary to help Bulla out of this predicament. “This is only delaying your defeat, I’ll happily arrange another chance for you to prove how inferior your universe is at a later date.”
“You inconsiderate anorexic welp! What about the build up?!” Champa demanded. “I’ve been preparing for almost thirty chapters…I mean days!”
“Perhaps once this trivial matter is settled we can negotiate an alternative,” Vados offered and then whispered to Champa. “We might be able to leverage eighty-sixing that point system you called asinine.”
“Hmph,” Champa pouted. “Fine.”
“So it’s settled, we’ll give the dragon balls to Bulla,” Bulma nodded.
—
They don’t see me yet.
The sky got dark—they had called upon the magical wish dragon.
Bulla stood on the tournament stage—the audience gone. The cameras off.
They don’t see me yet.
“State your wish,” Shenrons deep voice.
“Hey Shenron,” Bulla called out. “I went too far…bring my ex boyfriend, Yakov back to life.”
“Your wi-“ Shenron was interrupted.
“No!” I say.
I told you I would be back.
This is the last straw.
—
Mort appeared below Shenron clutching a long knobby stick. With spectacular precision, he spun it around. An energy blade curving at one end. With one hand, the weapon spun until he snatched it with both hands. A scythe.
“If this was the first time, I could have forgiven it. I HAVE forgiven….for too long. A soul here or there? Every once in a while?
But you!
You people!
—Hundreds spanning over DECADES? Millions of lives!
I walk to my desk one day and 6 billion pages of paperwork?!—
all to undo…
Am I…?
Am I a joke to you?” Mort’s rhetorical question dripped with anger. “None of you take me seriously. None of you EVER take me seriously. This ends now.”
SH-SH-SH-Sh-sh-shhh. The scythe slashed.
All at once—Shenron started to pulse, squirm, and writhe. He appeared to be shrinking as bright light spurted out of him like a pin-pricked water balloon.
A cloud of energy detonated in place of the dragon—all of it expanding and expanding….until it stopped. Then; with more speed than ever, it vacuumed into Mort. He smirked, waved his hands and made the weapon disappear.
“I am the natural order. I am the eternal sleep. I am the end.
I am Death,” Mort’s eyes darkened. “And you. You don’t get to wish me away anymore.”
Vegeta’s fists tightened. Goku felt a shiver of excitement down his spine. Both of them preparing for the fight ahead.
“I’ll be back to collect your debts,” Mort said as he disappeared.