After the Tournament

A New Beginning

By Silver Lady

“I still can't believe how Goku could be so selfish,” Bulma mumbled to herself.

Piccolo had just told Goku's family and friends everything he knew about the mysterious Uub: from the vague information he had heard from Goku himself and the conversation Piccolo had overheard from the great hero of Earth with Vegeta. Bulma herself confirmed that Goku had mentioned to her and Vegeta about a very special fighter that would take part in the tournament. However she just couldn't have guessed, of course, that this fighter was a skinny, ten year-old boy.

Despite all this info and the events they had just witnessed at the now half-destroyed arena, it was still hard to believe that little boy could be actually Majin Boo's reincarnation, or Goku's sudden flight away with the kid. Well, the last part was easier to believe, now the numbness of the onsetting shock began to vanish. Typical for Goku, to leave them and rush back to his adventures when everything was apparently alright, never thinking about his beloved ones and everyone's feelings he could be hurting. It was Krillin who resumed the general feeling reigning at the room, after the long moment of silence that followed Piccolo's explanation.

“I think we'll have a hell of a long time before we see Goku again,” he stated simply.

At his words, Chichi started crying again. "Waaaaaaahhhh!!! How could he do this to me?"

"You just can't keep your mouth shut, can you?" Number 18 tossed a glare in her husband's direction as Videl rushed to bring a glass of water to try to calm down her hysterical mother-in-law, whom Gohan and the Ox King tried unsuccessfully to comfort.

Bulma asked herself the same question as Chichi. How could Goku do that to his own family, to her friends... to her? It was selfish, she knew, but . She didn't want to again see the dissapearance of the man who had been her first true friend.

Since she was little Bulma had been lonely. The other children resented her because she was so beautiful, intelligent, and rich, or they tried to make friends with her out of greed. When she became a teenager it grew worse; the boys seemed to be afraid of her temper and her jealous girl colleagues loved taunting and teasing her because Bulma couldn't get a boyfriend despite all her ' qualities'. Her first search after the dragonballs - a boyfriend - had been not only to stop being the laughing stock in the high school, but also a desperate try to get rid of her loneliness. Although it was not in the way Bulma expected, she had eventually succeeded, the fifty-year-old woman concluded, looking at all the friends she had gathered throughout those incredible years since her first encounter with that weird, strong little boy with a tail. He had been her first true friend, and after him, others came: Yamcha, Kameroshi, Chichi, and Krillin... She never would have met them if it wasn't for Goku. And, mainly, she never would have met Vegeta.

Vegeta...

From the window of the tower she could see her prince standing at the other side of the half-destroyed arena, with his arms folded and his back leaning against a wall, as the sun painted his muscles with gold. He was staring at the sky, probably in the direction where Goku and Oob had vanished away, as if he wished to go with them, too. The thought made Bulma´s heart skip a beat. Goku´s comment that she was finally beginning to look like an old lady still hurt. Yet, she shouldn´t have said Saiyans were freaks in Vegeta´s presence. It was true that after the Cell games he had started becoming more… homely, let´s say. Even refusing to get a job, Vegeta had gradually learned to accept and love the family he had accidentally made on Earth. But what if someday he became tired of all that and decided to follow Goku´s example?

Taking a small pocket mirror from out of her purse, Bulma checked her image and smoothed a hand over her neatly combed hair, frowning at the wrinkled figure wearing a tailleur and a sophisticated bob. She tossed an envious glance at the leisure hairstyles and clothes of 18 and Videl. Thoughout the last few years, Bulma had adopted a sober image, more appropriate to her age… to her position as the head of such a powerful company as the Capsule Corp. Perhaps she had overdone things a little on her soberness. Where had the old Bulma with short skirts and daring hairstyles gone?

Chichi´s new series of sobs - she had calmed down for a few moments - brought her back to reality. Obviously, Bulma wasn´t the only one with such thoughts.

“Even if Goku comes back, he´s no longer interested in me.” The house wife whined for her dad and son, “Look at me: I look even older than Bulma! No wonder he´s gone away…”

Gohan tossed a fast, fearful glance towards the scientist as he quickly tried to reassure his mother. “C´mon, mother, that is just not true.”

“That´s right, honey! You´re still able to make any man feel hot!” the Ox King added unconvincingly. “Besides, you know that Goku doesn´t care if you´re young or not…”

“You men are so silly!” Bulma burst out as she jumped to her feet and marched towards them, scaring the two men. “This isn't about Goku, it's about Chichi´s self-esteem. You don´t know how it feels to have a husband that looks so much younger than you."

She took a calming breath, before smiling thoughtfully. “I don´t see why we can´t gather the dragon balls again and ask Shen-long to rejuvenate us a bit. Not that I actually need it, but…” she trailed off, brushing vainly a hand over her short hair.

Chichi pressed her hands together, a new light in her eyes, “That´s true! I had forgotten about the dragon balls.”

“Uh… could I join you?” Yamcha butted in. “Maybe they would accept me back in a baseball career if I become younger.”

”Baseball, uh?” Bulma echoed mockingly, giving him a mischievous wink. “Are you sure if this is the only reason why you want to be young again?” she finished with a giggle that made her former boyfriend blush, before adding reassuringly, “Of course you can join us! And about you, Krillin?” the scientist asked, turning to the little man, whose hair was starting to become gray.

“Me? Well, Bulma, I don´t know…"

”He´ll join you,” 18 cut in. “That way, he won´t have any excuses not to take part in the next Tournament within the next 3 years.”

“Hey, wait a minute, honey, that´s not why I quit…” the little man failed to protest as Yamcha laughed at his situation.

“Its moments like this I feel happy that I remained single,” he stated lightly, causing the four married ladies to turn angrily towards him.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?” they chorused, making the scarred man back off.

Fortunately, Marron chose that moment to tug at Bulma´s skirt, interrupting the imminent lynching. “Bulma-san, these dragon balls are orange with red stars, right?”

The scientist´s eyes widened open as she quickly whirled toward the little girl.

“Yes!" she interjected enthusiastically. “Did you find some?”

”I didn´t, but Grandpa Roshi did,” the girl explained. “I saw when he found one at the shore, when we still lived with him. He made me not to tell anyone because he planned to make it a surprise for mom and dad. The surprise never came, though,” she concluded pursing her lips.

Everybody turned to look at Kameroshi, who looked even paler than the whitewash that covered the walls. “You… you big-mouthed brat! I told you to not tell anyone!”

As a response, Marron simply stuck her tongue out.

“A surprise, uh?” echoed her mother, taking a menacing step towards him. “I bet that you were hiding the sphere because you´re planning to wish for an inflatable doll or a bunch of new porn magazines, you selfish old pervert!”

”I want an inflatable doll, too!” Bra interjected, holding her arms up.

Yamcha laughed at the toddler´s innocence, “Shh, it´s not the kind of doll you´re thinking, Bra. That´s a special doll for adults.”

”I didn´t know that adults also played with dolls,” Marron stared blankly at him.

“They don´t. He´s trying to fool us, Ma,” Bra dismissed the explanation with a disdainful look at the friend of her mother. “When I asked Dad to play with me, he said he couldn´t because he was a man, and men don´t play with dolls.”

“He didn´t mean that kind of doll…”

”Are you calling my Dad a liar?” Bra asked loudly, stomping her foot on the wooden floor angrily, a perfect miniature of her mother when younger.

“You'd better dig your way out of this now before you get in much deeper, Yamcha,” Videl said with a laugh.

Meanwhile, Kameroshi backed away in an attempt to escape the advancing circle composed of Bulma, Eighteen, and Chichi.

“I have my rights!” he protested. “It was I who found that dragon ball.”

"Don´t be so selfish!" Bulma admonished. "You know perfectly well that now the dragon balls grant TWO wishes. We can use one to rejuvenate us all, and the other is yours, for whatever perfect wish you´ll have."

Still, the old man remained reluctant. "Well, I don´t know, Bulma... I found it so long ago that I can´t remember where I put it. Y´know how old people like me forget things easily. I might even have thrown it away..."

"We´ll refresh your memory quickly," Chichi decided as she and 18 made a few more threatening steps towards him. Reaching out, Bulma showed the palm of her hand to stop them, before turning again to Kameroshi.

"What do you want?" she asked in the slow, calm tone of an experienced businesswoman.

"What?" Mutenroshi faked an outraged look. "That´s an insult. Do you really think I´m the type that would?"

"I don´t think, I know."

"Well, I didn´t mean to ask, but... as you insist," he leered at her behind his modern sunglasses. "The years have been generous to you, Bulma. I´d just like to check out if your boobs are still as firm as they look. Just a small touch to kill my curiosity..." his mouth filled with drool.

A heavy silence fell over the room. Everybody froze and stared at them both, expecting to see Bulma punch Kameroshi at any moment. Moreover, that was exactly what she wanted now! How he could dare to INSINUATE that her breasts were no longer firm? Abusive, perverted old man, ogling at her as he had done so many years before...

Just like when she was sixteen.

A smile slowly spread across Bulma´s face.

"I have a better deal for you," she said calmly. "You give up the dragon ball and I won´t tell Vegeta that you asked that... or what you asked 20 years ago, when we met!"

The old martial arts master immediately paled. "It... it´s a deal."

Everybody laughed slightly as the general mood lightened. Since Goku and Uub had gone, and Otokosky, Captain Chicken, and Nokku had run from the tournament because of fearing the Saiyans, the managers decided to cancel the tournament, much to people´s anger and disappointment. To    , Goten and Pan had a small fight, just playing... well, Goten did. Goku was right; his younger son was really out of shape.

Bulma watched with pride as Trunks held up Pan´s small arm, signaling her victory. Her gorgeous son had grown up in a peaceful world and become a cheerful boy, very different from his stern, even bitter Mirai version. That had only been possible because of the combined efforts of everyone reunited there, she concluded, glancing at her now much older friends. Like herself and Chichi, Tenshinhan and Yamcha had lines around their eyes and mouth. Even Krillin, much younger than all of them, had already a few gray hairs appearing. Thanks to the Saiyans´ Next Generation, Earth had nothing to fear from outside menaces or even from within the world. Still, it would be sad if the `veterans' would have just to stand by and watch, as if they had done nothing. With the dragon balls, they all would recover their former strength and have a new life, being ready to help when necessary.

Minutes later, the families that formed the great Dragon ball clan waited at the gate for their fighters´ return. As Gohan and Videl proudly held a slightly embarrassed Pan, Chichi admonished Goten for having been “so brutal” to his little niece.

“Brutal, mom?” the young man sputtered in disbelief. “It was SHE who knocked me out!”

”Dad,” Bra made a beeline toward her father as soon as she saw him, tugging at his pant leg to get his attention. “Men don´t play with dolls, do they?”

”Huh?” Vegeta turned to look down at his younger child, frowning at the weird question. “Of course they don´t. Why?”

”Cause Uncle Yamcha plays. Aunt Eighteen said that Grandpa Roshi wanted an inflatable doll, then I wanted one too, but Uncle Yamcha said that was a toy for grown-ups, then I said he was lying because you told me that´s not true and you´re not a li…”

“Now, now,” Trunks laughed, dismissively waving a hand at his sister´s rant. “If I got something from all that ranting, it's that Master Roshi and Yamcha want an inflatable… doll?” Both son and father turned equally crimson.

Quickly regaining his composure, Vegeta solved the question in a definitive way. “Yamcha and Mutenroshi are both perverts. That´s all you need to know,” he stated to his daughter.

“What is a pe… pervert?”

”Thanks for enriching Bra´s vocabulary,” Bulma raised an ironic eyebrow at her husband.

“Mom, by the way…” Trunks cleared his throat uncomfortably and scratched the back of his neck, much as Goku did. “About the punch Dad gave that guy… please don´t be angry at him. Dad only did that because Nokku didn´t leave him alone. Right, Goten?”

”That´s true," his friend confirmed a bit nervously. “That Nokku kept blathering around Vegeta-san, and called him old man… he even said Vegeta-san would die, and laughed at…”

”I don´t need your pathetic defense, you brats!” Vegeta finally growled in outrage, making the two boys shrink fearfully. Bulma decided to put an end to that.

“Enough, you three!” she interjected, making the boys and the man turn towards her, anticipating the lecture they would obviously receive. Whatever they expected to hear, however, was anything but that.

“If that boy called Vegeta an old man,” the businesswoman started very calmly. "Then he deserved to be punched. In Vegeta´s place, I would have done much worse.” She concluded, with a long unused wink, as she turned and strutted towards the parking place where the Briefs´ airplane was.

Her friends, and, especially, the three males, stood staring at her, not believing she had said that.

“Did you hear what I did, Goten?”

”Uh-huh, pinch me, Trunks. I think I´m dreaming,” Trunks´ best friend managed to say after pushing his gaping chin back into place.

Bulma took a pause to look at them over her shoulder.

”C´mon, do you want a lift or not? If you´re staying there, you might as well go home by flying,” she finished good-naturedly, yet looking much more like her old self, to the relief of her husband and son. Whatever had caused the change, they decided dismissing it with a shrug.

Back at home, the scientist called a pizza delivering service, under the excuse that she was too tired to cook. Although her culinary skills had improved throughout the years, nobody was sad with this. While they waited for the pizzas, she showered quickly and then slipped into a simple polo T-shirt and a comfortable pair of pants used for her inventing. Underneath them, though, she wore a fancy pair of lacy underwear and bra, for the night after dinner. The age had affected her face more, but she still had her figure, thanks to sacrificing exercises and healthy food.

“I´m going to allow my hair to grow again,” she thought, staring vainly at herself in the mirror. "And rethink all my clothing styles.”

A small tug at the pocket of her T-shirt called her attention, and she put a hand in the pocket to investigate. It was a box of cigarettes. Vegeta, Trunks, and even little Bra frequently admonished her for continuing to smoke, despite the cigarettes having contributed to the ruination of her late father´s health. Among other reasons, they insisted it could make her look old before her time. Maybe it had really contributed to that, she thought, frowning at the small crow's feet in the corner of her eyes. With an angry gesture, she squeezed the small pack and tossed it into the paper basket at the right moment when Vegeta entered the room.

“What the hell is this damn inflatable doll stuff Bra is talking about?” he demanded using his usual direct tone. “And what has that perverted old man proposed to you in return for one of the dragon balls?”

“If you already know all that, then there´s nothing much I could add,” his wife retorted good-humouredly. “Except that, as a mother, Eighteen should have known better than talking about such things in front of children.”

“Hrn. I don´t care about whatever you´re going to ask Shen-long for this time,” he growled, folding his arms. “All I want to know is if Yamcha or Mutenroshi have told you anything to make you look so happy.”

“What are you talking about?” Bulma finally spun her head to look at him, confusedly.

“Don´t try to fool me! Since we gathered in the end of the tournament, you act like a million dollars! You even approved of the punch I gave that skinny moron! And now, when I entered, you have just thrown away an entire pack of cigarettes!” suddenly, his angry mood slowed down to be replaced by a subtle, very uncharacteristic anxious expression in his eyes.

“Bulma…” he said slowly. “Does this has to do with the visits you paid to the doctor at the beginning of the week? If there´s anything wrong, you must tell me… there are things that even Shen-long can´t heal, you know… and it's my RIGHT to know.”

Bulma´s eyes widened open and she burst into an uncontrollable laugh. Walking forward, she embraced her shocked husband and lovingly kissed his cheek.

“There´s nothing wrong with me, you silly!" she explained, still laughing as she gave him space to rub his kissed cheek with a hand. “I have behaved like a grumpy old woman, didn't I? It´s just that I realized how short human life is, and I´m trying to make it last a little long… this and the fact that I´m so happy you haven´t abandoned us like Goku did to his family.”

Vegeta just stared at her, his eyes widening a bit in shock - but not that much. It was his turn to laugh.

“What´s so funny?” she demanded, slightly offended.

“Not a big deal. Just the fact that you have lived around Kakarott for so many years and despite that you don´t know him at all. It´s ironic that his former enemies, like Piccolo and I, can understand his way of thinking when his friends don´t.”

“Well, if you know so much about him, then explain it!” she huffed, spurred with his presumption.

“It should be obvious for you that Kakarott has gone because he´s no longer needed here. His sons are grown now, Earth is at peace and well guarded. He promised he would come back to visit us. So why would he have to stay around just to keep your sentimental selfishness satisfied?”

Bulma opened her mouth to reply, but quickly shut it in the face of her husband´s cold logic. It just made sense, for all she knew about Goku; she could figure out thinking that exact way. If she had the opportunity of admonishing him being so neglectful and insensitive to his family, he´d certainly would scratch the back of his head and say, “Why are you so angry, Bulma? I promised I would visit you all,” his eyes wide with sincere confusion.

Vegeta turned toward the window to stare at the night outside, as he carried on. “Throughout his entire life, Kakarott has received everything on a silver platter - power, people who care about him and a hell of a lot of luck.”

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Bulma opening her mouth again and cut in quickly, “Yes, I know his life wasn´t that easy, and that he suffered losses, too! But Kakarott always ended up getting scathed from all the troubles he got into, and always recovered practically everything that was taken from him, even the lives of his beloved ones. He never knew really what it meant to lose everything in a complete and definitive way; he never spent years hating those responsible for destroying his life, or planning to rebuild it out of the wreckages… and he never lost hope completely. As much as Kakarot cares about people, what really makes him happy is still the thrill of fighting and finding new challenges, that´s why he left with that Oob brat.”

Vegeta let out a `hrumpf' that could have been taken for a sigh, “He never matured really, the idiot… never realized how very lucky he is.”

He ventured a glance over his shoulder and noticed his wife smiling at him, her eyes beaming with realization. Slowly, he turned his head to look at her better as a restrained smile also twitched the corners of his own lips; glad to know that his message was clear, even for someone as thick-headed as Bulma.

Then, suddenly uncomfortable, he abruptly turned around to bellow through the opened door.

“TRUNKS! Has that lazy delivery boy has already come or hasn't he? I´m hungry!”

You ask me if I'm happy here,
No doubt about it,
You ask me if my love is clear,
Want me to shout it.
Gave you the best years of my life, woman.
I know I failed to treat you right, but woman,
Don't let me out of here,
Oh, don't let me out of here.

I won't let you down, I won't let you down again.
I won't let you down, I won't let you down again.

You say our love is running one way,
Coming from your side,
No help from me to see it through,
To beat the high tide.
Take me and chain me if you please, woman
Don't help me dig deeper my grave, oh woman,
Don't let me out of here.
Oh, don't let me out of here.

I won't let you down, I won't let you down again.
I won't let you down, I won't let you down again.

THE END

Note: The lyrics are from an old 80´s hit from PHD, I Won´t Let You Down. I always thought that perfectly fitted Vegeta and Bulma´s relationship.