Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Second Chances for Bardock's Sons ❯ Another Earth, Another Chance? ( Chapter 2 )

Second Chances For Bardock's Son's

Another Earth, another chance?

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z or Dragon Ball. I only own Tomic, Cabernet, and a few other fancharacters. Toriyama and Funimation Toei Bird Studios Shuesha own DBZ. I don't get rich off this! This is Fan fiction! Don't sue me!

-------------------------

Raditz's mate was punching her way through the atmosphere of a small blue planet. Her cryogen swirled away with the mist of the revivification mist. Her eyes took in the big blue marble etched with feathers of long clouds. Red and brown continents peeked beneath, tantalizingly familiar.

Tomic gasped as she felt the impact of her craft. It bounced twice then rolled to a stop. Slowly she kicked the hatch open, and inhaled her first breath of Chikyuujin air. Sweetly the familiar fragrances tantalized her out of the small space. She struggled out, holding the sides of the pod frame. Around her rose the sides of the bowl like crater she'd made.

"Crap, I should have splashed down," she thought, shaking herself off. Staggering in the lower gravity, she peered around, blinking in the sunlight. Focusing thoughts she levitated upwards to the rim, pressing buttons on the blasted scouter that she forgot she wore. No sense in scaring anyone unduly from the arrival. Chances were that someone noticed and was already on their way.

Luckily there were no power traces, save small miniscule kis flickering in the yellow metallic lettering. Tomic landed on the side of the crater, and took her first steps in the vast plane that she had crashed upon. Mountains and rice patties as far as the eyes could see. Nearby her vision discerned farming fields, but her pod had bashed through the large canopies to land in the middle of a forest area.

Massive kis rushed forwards. Glancing up she saw the trees bust open, and a large toothy grin look down at her. Instinctively she leapt away, as the jaws clamped down on empty air. Her stomach rumbled, and Tomic realized this was not a threat, but dinner. Instantly she raised her hand, focusing a ki beam at the monster. It dodged in confusion, swinging its tail around. Tomic zipped in, and then grabbed its tail, swinging the creature around to her shock like a hammer at the Olympics. In a dusty heap the tyrannosaurus crashed into the far hillside.

"Damn, how strong am I?" she wondered. Leaping up again she landed on its neck, and then squeezed tightly. Pinching hard she found that nerve at the base of its skull. With a final squeeze she twisted and snapped its neck. Beneath her it stopped twitching.

"I'm sorry, but you were in the way, and I'm starving," she said, sliding down to look at the prey she'd killed. The stupid dinosaur was reddish in hue, perhaps twenty feet high. Tomic quickly set to work trying to skin and gut the thing. Before she could catch herself she had simply started to devour raw flesh from peeled skin.

"Ugh," she muttered, dropping the bones. Blood from the dinosaur splattered over the black and white armored breastplate of her third class suit. Birds trilled and twittered around her, leaves rustling in the quickening wind. Tomic dropped to her knees, feeling tears well up in her eyes.

"I can't do this, I just can't," she whispered, pulling the scouter off her face and letting it drop. For the first time in days she fell headlong on the grass and cried.

Her self-pity didn't last long because she rolled over to look at the blue vault of the heavens. Fluffy clouds drifted across to partly obscure an almost bottomless splendid view. Small distant trails indicated a jet liner overhead. She watched the course's trajectory, seeing it heading towards civilization. Snapping to her feet she caught a smell that twitched her nose. Diesel and the smell of charred automotive exhaust. A moment later she heard what sounded like an internal combustion engine. Tomic leapt down into the crater, and quickly punched buttons on the remote she drew out of her vest.

"Allrveg!" she grunted. "Dhryoommant! Levitrahhh!"

It glowed a cherry red, levitating upwards. A few more shouted commands and she caused the space pod to drift back into the cover of some trees. Pulling branches aside she covered the Saiyan pod easily, leaving an empty crater. Hopefully she could come back for the pod later, with nobody being the wiser.

"Last thing I need is some idiot trying to take it a part and drag it to Area 51," she commended, grabbing her discarded scouter. Reaching back to a former life she struggled to remember how to mask her ki.

A bleeping caught her attention. She slipped the scouter on, punching the trans-galactic link button. Nappa's harsh voice grunted, "Well, are you there, whelp?"

"I am, lieutenant commander. I've landed on the third planet in this system without any resistance. I'm going to survey the area, and start my search immediately," she said.

"Good. And you thought you couldn't' hack it? Better get a move on, and do whatever it is you're doing. We're almost done here on Oceanus. That mate of yours is taking his damn time on Aztec and he's worried SICK about you!"

"What about Cabernet," she asked.

"You've been asleep for six months," said Nappa. "Something's happened to her, whelp. Consider yourself lucky."

"Cabernet? What happed to her?

"Someone thought they could get to me through her. Well, I proved 'em wrong. Let's just say that there's one less planet filled with squid stinking up the sky," he said.

"Cabernet?" asked Tomic.

"Who is that, I must know!" yelled another voice.

"Excuse me… yeah… I'm talking to her now! WHAT?"

"Let me talk to her," came another voice. The voice she knew well.

"Raditz? Are you all right, where's cabernet?"

"Precious one, you're alive!" Raditz said quickly. "Are you all right?"

"I'm here on Earth! That's what the natives call it. So far I've hid my pod. What's going on?"

"Have you found any trace of Kakarot?"

"I'm just about to look. What's going on?" said Tomic.

"Cabernet… met with an unfortunate accident," Raditz said quietly. "Nappa. He went insane. I… tried to stop him. But it was too late."

"Cabernet?” asked Tomic, feeling her stomach twist with fear.

"We've found what we were looking for. You have to find my brother soon. I'm going to join you in six months if you don't call back with any progress. Things are not well here," said Raditz.

Lowering her voice to a whisper Tomic dared ask, "What about the Prince?"

"We've found him. But the price was… very high," Raditz said softly. "I'll tell you more when I can. We're having difficulties with one of the hostile takeovers."

"Hostile what?" Tomic blinked.

"We're finishing what he started. And we're trying to clean up the mess Nappa made when Cabernet… was slain," said Raditz.

Panting Tomic gasped, "How?"

"She gave her life to save the Prince. She'll be remembered as a hero. You must find Kakarot. We need every available Saiyan in six months," he said.

"Who's that you're talking to?" cut in a harsh voice. There came the sound of swearing and a large blast.

"My mate, sire… she's landed."

"Listen to me, third class. Private Tomic is it?" cut in the harsh voice that she knew so well, only it was higher pitched.

"Your majesty?" she said quietly. "You're alive…"

"Yes, idiot. I want you to listen and listen well. You're to make every effort to take control of that planet you're on. I don't care HOW you do it, but you've got to secure it at all cost! I'm sending your mate to assist you, and he'll arrive in three months to do whatever you haven't."

Tomic stammered, "Do you wish me to clear it?"

"Assess it and get me a suitable workforce. Kill all those who oppose you, and get me ten of the most eligible females on that miserable mud ball. And a thousand slaves. Use the Saibamen in your kit and do so! What you do with the rest of the inhabitants is no consequence. You can kill them or do whatever you wish. But you'd BETTER have that planet ready for my arrival in a year, got it?"

She could hardly believe what he was saying, "You're coming HERE? But…"

"That's right. Honestly I'm not surprised he picked you as a mate. You're just as idiotic as he is. You'd best prove your worth and get things ready! It will be all the worse for you and your mate if you screw this up! I'm angry enough as it is!"

"Yes… your majesty," she stammered. "As you command."

"Now Ill have your mate talk to you. I've got a little pest problem to take care of. Serve me well and you'll live in glory. Fail me, and you'll suffer Cabernet's fate! Now get to work!"

"At once… and sire… welcome back," she said quietly.

"Don't suck up. It's not seemly for a Saiyan warrior," he snorted. Minutes later she heard Raditz's anxious voice.

Raditz voice cut through static, "You still there love?"

"Yes… what's going on… he's alive? But he wants to come HERE? That's insane!"

Frought with frustration and reassurance Raditz said quickly, "Don't question him. I'll be there as SOON as I can to help you. But I'm counting on you to find him. And do whatever it takes to convince him. Don't be squeamish or sentimental; just take control of that planet. In whatever way you can. If you can at least eliminate any major threats in three months time I'll be there to help you mop up and we can get it ready for his Majesty's arrival…"

"Raditz, I'm scared, but don't tell him," she whispered. "Something feels VERY wrong."

"Don't worry about that now. Just follow his commands. And stay alive, whatever you do!" Raditz grunted. "I swear I'll come for you, alive or dead."

"I miss you," she whispered.

"I can't talk any longer. I'll call when I can. You must contact me the instant anything happens that goes wrong. Not that you aren't capable, but you're right when something does feel wrong. But I can't tell you now," he said with a tight voice. Then the link died, leaving Tomic to sit on the ground of the parallel world, and consider what had happened.

***

Stars peeked out of the gathering ultramarine shading light sherbet green to the horizon. A yellow disc lay to the right of the newly set departing rays of the sun, while a distinctly red pinprick of light seemed a few degrees behind it. Glancing up from the improvised campsite the observer marveled at the strength of her newly acquired eyesight.

"Venus, Mars, and Jupiter," she mumbled, dropping bits of wood in a pit of circular rocks. A huge dinosaur carcass had been all but picked clean, evident by the bleached white ribs curving up in semicircles to cast odd shadows on the cleared earth. At the rim of the huge crater that was half filled in, the spiky haired creature turned back to her campsite. Mumbling she picked up the bleeping device set to one side with the pile of dark armor.

"Great, as I feared. The inhabitants have seen me," she thought. Fortunately the battle powers were mere puny 5s on the horizon. The being once known as Tomic raised her hand and generated a glowing ball of plasma. With a giggle she hurled it up from the hill, to glow strangely in the gathering gloom. Slowly it whirled and zipped over the nearest field, forming a vortex.

"This is how I scare the locals," she thought, directing it mentally to bob and weave into separate spheres. Within minutes it pushed down the crops with the force of its power into a flattened disc worthy of a crop circle artist.

The dazzled farmers gasped, rushing back to pay more attention to the newly made crop circle next to the last one. Day after day the being once known as Tomic amused herself scaring off the local farmers with a wide array of strange markings. Giggling, Tomic had just enough time to levitate silently over the nearest wheat field. With cold ki she pushed down against the spires, forcing them aside to bend at the stalks by exploding the water 'nodes' in them. Back and forth she whizzed, generating the largest 'crop' marking she had thought. It amused her to no end, trying to think of ways to somehow 'warn' the humans to stay back without killing them.

For a week after her first landing she had silently observed the broadcasts from all over the planet in various languages. She determined through night flights and extended day flights out of radar detection that she was near North City. On the opposite side of Earth from where Goku must live. Lately she had not been able to pick up many traces with her scouter save two VERY powerful ones that moved slowly. Soberly they were only a third of her power level. Sighing, she thought hard about how she wanted to approach this.

Indefinitely she could keep the humans away from her with glowing balls of plasma, making them think there were little grey men. Other crop circles deterred them from her pod's landing site. She had already vaporized chunks of siderite to simulate meteors when a local group of scientists came to examine her pod's crater. They deemed it a simple chondritic meteorite and took the fragments away. To deter radar detection she used her plasma balls, something called Atomic Flux she had learned through modifying her alchemy powers and Saiyan ki.

"I don't want them to find me. If they don't find me, I won't have to kill them," she reasoned.

Eventually she would have to 'purge' on some level. The time scale of this world intrigued her, for she saw the huge tanks with RR in two sideways triangles moving from one train of mountains northwards. Red Ribbon army, she determined. Another set of armored vehicles she saw on the first day here, near North City was marked with 'imperial' markings indicating the local King, named Gurames. The country she had landed in was a simple farming community, where science was limited to improving agriculture. Experts to examine the 'UFOS' came from the University, but most of them were into the pseudo science of UFOlogy. Using tricks from her observations of their culture made it easy to bombard them with misleading evidence.

"Do I find some way of saving them? How can I possibly? They are human like I once was. But I'm the alien monster sent to destroy them. Yet I don't WANT to die," she thought.

A loud woman's scream reached her. One of the local farmers nearby, with a battle power of 15 raised his rifle. Tomic discerned them after peering through her scouter. Saiyan night vision saw the shouts of two marauders, bearing Red Ribbon markings.

"Stand aside! We're taking this farm for our leader!" shouted the epaulette dressed man in a long black coat.

"But you were destroyed! The Red Ribbon army was Destroyed three years ago!" gasped the obese farmer in his blue overalls and a pair of slippers. Tomic had christened him Farmer Brown, who had a middle aged and attractive blonde wife. Glaring from behind thick glasses he raised his rifle to cover the men spilling out of the armored land rovers.

"The rumors of our demise were GREATLY exaggerated, Mister Brown. If you willingly give over your farm we wont' kill you. Colonel White requires foodstuffs for my men. We haven't eaten proper food for days."

"Where will we LIVE?" asked Farmer Brown.

"That's your problem. And if you happen to tell the King we're here, that's the entire better that he gets the message we're not completely beaten! Setback but not beaten!" laughed Colonel White.

"Monsters!" he snapped.

"Step aside or die," said White.

"Never," said Farmer Brown. “You get the HFIL out of here! Before I blow enough holes in you that Swiss cheese wouldn't begin to describe it!”

"I strongly urge you to look behind you," said White. He motioned, and one of the soldiers leapt out of hiding, grabbing the farmer's wife and jerking her back. He put a knife at her throat.

"Crap!" the farmer dropped his gun.

"Stupid weakling. I don't like defiance. Give over the farm or your wife gets a new lesson in entertain…"

"Please let her go! I'll let you do whatever but let her go!" said Brown. He dropped to his knee.

"Oh, no backbone now?" White sneered. "She's a rather lovely creature. Blonde hair, middle aged. Too bad she's stuck with a fat slob like you."

"Shut up!" the woman screamed, spitting in his face. She bit down on her captor's hand, and he gasped in pain.

"Bad idea, bitch," White snapped, rubbing the spit away. He raised his hand and slapped her hard.

"Coward," said Brown, struggling to his feet. White punched him hard in the jaw, felling him.

"Leave them alone at ONCE," growled a feminine voice. White spun his head around to see a large figure suddenly glowing in a blaze of amethyst.

"Holy CRAP what the hell are you?"

"Get away from them now, human worm, or I'll disintegrate you where you stand!" Tomic snarled, light gleaming off her green scouter lens. She hurled several spheres towards the men holding the farmer's wife. Instantly they disintegrated into nothing, and she landed unharmed in the dust.

"I don't know who you think you are, or WHAT you are, but you'd better stop now!" White stammered.

"It's… it's an ALIEN! I told you there was a UFO!" stammered one of the soldiers, Lieutenant Green.

"Shut up! There's NO such thing as aliens! I tell you it's one of King Piccolo's monsters!"

"But King Piccolo was killed!" stammered the men.

"Shut up! Identify yourself!" White snapped, his men aiming to the farmer and his wife.

"Leave now, or die. The choice is yours human. These creatures are MINE to study!" Tomic snarled, levitating towards them in purple flames that buffeted her hair about. Intentionally she increased her aura, gleaming with shimmering purple plasma to give her an eerie glow.

"I don't' care what you are, bitch. Kill her. I'm sure Dr. Gero can take you apart if you don't surrender willingly, monster," said White. He shouted, opening fire. Tomic whizzed out of the way, then caught a few of the bullets in her hands that seemed awfully slow. Hurling them back she killed each of the targets she hit instantly. Whirling spheres surrounded her, as she came between them and the farming couple.

One of the shots grazed the farmer. He landed with a gurgle atop his frightened wife. Another shot crackled off, whizzing past Tomic's cheek and slamming into the woman's forehead. She dropped under her husband, dead instantly. Growling, Tomic raised her hand, directing a beam of white ki directly at the heart of the battalion. Instantly the men were consumed in her plasma blast, charring their bodies with white hot fire. It spread from man to man, and then they all dropped in smoking remains around her.

"You… you… killed them all!" Gasped white, who alone remained alive. A wide ring of bodies lay flat and scattered around them.

"I did. And I will kill YOU if you don't get the HELL out of here NOW!" Tomic screeched, gnashing her long canines.

White whimpered, turning tail and bolting towards the land rover. Tomic snorted, shaking her head as she allowed him to leave. Soberly she turned to the bodies of the farmer and his wife. Why had she tried to save them? Sadly she started to gather up the bodies of the men she'd killed, somehow grouping them in ranks of five. To her horror when she tallied up the lines, they equaled one hundred exactly.

"Oh crap," she gasped, dropping to her knees. Tomic buried her face in her hands, sobbing violently as the Saiyan blood lust left her.

In a dead ironic twist, she had eliminated one hundred earthlings. Trying to save two who were just as insignificant. Perhaps it was the pitiful cry of the whimpering woman that drew her attention. Yet another thin cry caught her attention as well. Tomic shot towards the farmer's house. She left the bodies where they were, continuing to hear the cry. Carefully she trod through the doors of the still lit farmhouse. A television flickered, with the simple furniture arrayed around it. Through the bedroom piled high with quilts she moved, till she pinpointed the source of the noise.

In a crib a small baby howled his head off. She had forgotten the farmer and his wife had just adopted a baby. Tomic groaned, turning her face towards him. He lifted his arms, still howling for his momma and dada. "Crap," she swallowed, not sure of what to do.

"Shh," she whispered, leaning over. Ripping off the scouter, she placed it at her armored hip. Reaching two gauntleted hands down she picked up the eight month old, who was still wailing incoherently. A small bottle of half prepared formula sat, with fresh diapers. Poking a finger under its diaper she noticed it was thankfully dry. Tomic felt small fingers dig into her hair pulling at it.

"Mamma!" the baby wailed.

"Drek, what do I do?" she caught herself mumbling in the harsh language of the creature she'd become. Now the baby was an orphan thanks to her. What did she care about these creatures that she now dwarfed with her battle power? Automatically her mothering instinct kicked in to hold the baby close and rock it, putting a blanket between it and the hard surface of her armored breast. She sat in the old rocker; giving it the bottle it was denied. Blue eyes looked up into hers with a question, trusting because she held the food.

"I could easily kill it, but I don't want to. It didn't ask for this," she thought. Maybe she could take it to the city and leave it behind at the local hospital. Maybe on this planet they did that for orphaned babies.

"Come on, little one; let's get you out of here. There's nothing for you here," she said, once she finished giving it a bottle. Tomic took the time to change its diaper and find warm baby clothes, and then held it as she gathered what remained of the babies things. These she packed into a yellow bag decorated with lambs and duckies. Stopping only to place the baby in a bassinet, she toed the front door closed and locked it with a key she found hanging in the kitchen.

Tomic held the now peaceful infant, who was pulling on her hair and making loud half syllables of speech. Sighing she rocketed off into the air, the bassinet in one hand and the baby's bag in another. The armored female Saiyan third class touched down somewhere in North City, peering about. Keeping to the shadows she followed the sirens and signs to the Orange Star Hospital.

Bewildered gasps sounded as orderlies and others backed away in fear. The imposing figure was just less than six feet, but her gleaming armor and fierce stare sent them in terror. She hissed threateningly, and then set down the bag.

"You, come here!" she shouted. "You nurse. This baby needs your attention!"

"Who… what ARE you miss?" gasped the nurse, who was regaining her wits.

"A friend," Tomic said, dropping on one knee and holding out the bassinette. "This baby I found orphaned. Its parents are dead. Courtesy of the Red Ribbon army. Does this hospital not take abandoned infants in distress?"

"You… this makes no sense, but we do, no questions asked," the nurse said, recovering her wits. She adjusted her pinned back hair, glancing at the other orderlies who had gathered at the sight of the space creature staring at them.

"Here. Take him," she said, lifting the baby out and placing him in the brave nurse's arms. "Here are his things."

"Wait, where are you going!" another male orderly shouted. "This makes no sense!"

"We don't ask questions. If she's leaving an abandoned baby you KNOW it's our policy not to ask!" hissed the nurse holding the peaceful baby. It immediately started to cry at the retreating space monkey who let her tail unfurl slightly as she retreated.

"Monkey woman!" mumbled a nearby kid. "She's got a tail!"

"No way, she looks human," mumbled someone else.

"Don't just stand there, get out of my way!" she snapped more harshly then usual. "Don't you know the Red Ribbon army's back? Forget you saw me! And be glad you're all alive!"

"Hold on there, miss… whoever or whatever you are. I can't let you go disturbing the peace," came the sharp voice of two police officers getting out of their car nearby. Seeing the gathering crowd they'd moved up to investigate.

"Officer, my apologies," said Tomic, giving a low bow. "But you've caught me at a bad time. This is not your affair. I simply returned the baby to a place where it can be cared for. Now leave me to depart in peace."

"What are you doing here… identify yourself!" the braver of the two officers stammered.

"A friend, who was once like you," she said quietly. Suddenly she blurred out of view, to appear behind the policemen.

"Hey, stop right there!" he shouted. She rocketed into the air, zipping away at a fast pace. Had she made a fatal mistake?

Soon she heard the sounds of helicopters in pursuit. Tomic mumbled, ducking her course towards the crash sight and the farm nearby. Finally after having hidden like a beast she had made a first contact with the humans of Chikyuu. A police helicopter caught sight of the smoking vehicles bearing scorched Red Ribbon army markings.

Tomic used the distraction to rocket away at top speed. She reached the shelter of the farmer's house, and then rapidly emptied the contents of their larder. She ate as quickly as she could, and then carried the rest off in her arms to the forest beyond. Fortunately the policemen were too busy gaping at the devastation around them to notice one space monkey eluding them.

*****

The being known as Tomic streaked through the layers of upper atmosphere. Wearing her black third class armor, she decided to bite the bullet and investigate the cluster of high battle powers at the farm. Was it Goku perhaps? She had seen a battle power of 350 for the past week in the distance, but hesitated to investigate. He wouldn't understand nor comprehend a monster such as herself, unless she proved to him she meant no harm. Another battle trace of 330 slowly encroached on North City from the east, making her wonder who it could be.

Tomic decided to see if she could find another landmark from her visions. So she concealed her space pod and headed out over the continent. She glanced down at the city approaching, and gasped. She glanced down at the inhabitants of Metro West. A tear blurred her vision and she wiped it away, hoping the baby she saved was all right. Gunning her ki she shot above the radar profile, heading towards what looked like Goku's trace. Although she had learned his history from the tales he told her in the other universe, she really had no clue about what had transpired in the gaps before then. Gohan had told her the story about Raditz's first appearance, and she had gleaned the tale from Goku himself.

“Fate has given me another chance so I can't blow it,” she thought. Like it or not, she had taken Raditz's hole in this story, and she knew that she had to stick to her course. Confusing the inhabitants of this world with her crop circles, UFO balls and others were a good smokescreen so they didn't guess her true nature. It bought her enough time to determine the nature of the civilization and how they'd handle an alien from another planet.

Now they knew her, having seen her drop off a baby in the middle of North City. It was unplanned, she had hoped that she could eventually get more educated humans to seek her ought, and somehow draw Goku to her eventually. Had she done it?

Security cameras whirled and only caught a glimpse of the blurring figure before it vanished. The female Saiyan materialized in the shadow of one bush, concealing herself just under one window. She narrowed her eyes in the rising sun. It was a new day that dawned within the city, and she could glimpse up through the window.

 

Within the large yellow dome at the heart of the metropolis, Tomic saw that the family owners of the multinational corporation sat around the table eating breakfast. Most people weren't aware that the true founder and CEO of Capsule was an unassuming short lavender haired scientist who had a propensity to carry his pet kitty Scratch over his shoulders. Stubbing out his lit cigarette, he settled down behind the kitchen table. Bunny Briefs his young platinum haired wife rapidly churned out pancakes from the electric skillet nearby. Wearing a tube top, tight capris and a frilly apron, she hummed a saccharinely cheerful song along with the morning radio show.

Bunny took a chance to peek at the small photo album she was putting together while waiting for the pancakes to turn golden brown. It had been a whole week since Goku and Chichi had gotten married. The party had been a triumph for Bunny, having pulled it together at the last moment. Life had settled down considerably after the bots had cleaned up the main Capsule garden dome. She giggled looking at the picture of Goku and Chichi after the ceremony. She admired how cute Chichi looked in her gown as Goku swept her up wearing his tux. Calling Nimbus he leapt onto the golden cloud hovering like a magical carpet, and whisked her off to their honeymoon.

After flipping two more pancakes over, she poured more batter onto the skillet. Then she returned to the album, turning to a picture of the Best man and maid of honor. Bulma clung to Yamcha's arm, wearing a robin's egg blue bridal gown that came to her ankles and matching high heeled shoes. In a blue cummerbund, white tuxedo, and blue carnation boutonniere, Yamcha was beaming a winning million zenni grin to the camera. In the next photo Bulma glared at him, because his hand had wandered down towards her butt.

Another picture on the next page showed Goku drooling as Chichi held onto a large cake slicer before the enormous cake. The next picture opposite showed her thrusting a huge piece into his mouth, with icing over them both. Then a shot of Goku and Chichi wrestling in the cake as she stuffed his face and he teasingly smeared icing on her cheeks. In seconds he had eaten the whole thing with Chichi sitting on his lap in the pile of crumbs while everyone groaned. Looking a bit perturbed she had endured the stares when Goku started to lick the icing off her fingers. Yamcha had waved everyone away, saying it was time for the tossing of the bouquet.

Dark coffee steamed from the pot that she tugged off the coffeemaker. She poured three mugs set at the three places in the small breakfast nook. Scratch mewed a tired yawn, straightening up only to stretch briefly before he curled around Dr. Brief's shoulders again. Pulling out a Marlborough light, the scientist inserted it between his lips to light it again. Mrs. Briefs waved her hand, wrinkling her nose in distaste. Although she hated the fact her husband and daughter smoked, she refused to let it dampen her spirits.

“Dear you can have your cigarette AFTER we eat?” she bubbled, setting down freshly sliced cantaloupe in the center of the table, along with a huge stack of pancakes and dish of crisp bacon.

“All right dearest, for you,” he sighed, stubbing out his smoke and letting her pick up the ash tray to empty and clean it. He stared at the wedding album his wife was leafing through, and then sighed.

“She did catch the bouquet,” said Bunny. “Do you think we'll be making her wedding plans anytime soon?”

“I don't care for that Yamcha boy,” snorted Dr. Briefs.

“He's so handsome and he's so sweet and well mannered, he'd make a handsome husband for our little Princess,” said Bunny.

“No comment,” Dr. Briefs mumbled. “Till he gets a decent job, I reserve my approval!”

“Good morning mom, dad,” Bulma Briefs yawned. The blue haired heir apparent to her father's corporation leaned over to kiss her father on the cheek, then her mother. Soon to be a college graduate Bulma then yawned immensely. She blinked azure eyes blearily in her effort to wake up. Slowly she plunked into the chair opposite her father, and picked up the fresh cup of coffee. Between two hands she rolled the cup, letting it warm her cold fingers.

“Did you have fun with your little friends the other day?” asked bunny. “Have you heard from Goku or Chichi yet?”

“I'm sure they don't wanna be bothered mum,” Bulma yawned again, scratching her scalp. A pale purple robe with dark purple stars hung partly open, showing a pair of comfy sweats bearing the Orange Star High logo. Bunny slipper covered her feet, and she crossed her knees lazily sipping her coffee.

“Well I should know better,” Bunny giggled. “Knowing newlyweds they'll be so wrapped up in each other and discovering the joys of good sex that they won't…”

“MOTHER!” Bulma yelped in protest, her eyes popping open. “I'm eating here!”

“That's nice dear,” Dr. Briefs said, from behind the newspaper screen he'd just erected.

“Where's that young desert bandit bad boy of yours, hmm?” asked Bunny. “And when is he moving back in?”

“Mother, please, Yamcha and I are just going steady, but we're not engaged or anything!”

“I don't want you seeing that riff raff! Even though he behaved himself at the wedding, I don't want you encouraging him,” Dr. Briefs said sternly.

“Dad, he's my boyfriend!” Bulma argued, drowning her pancakes in a lake of Vermont syrup. She slathered them with butter, and then cut into the stack violently.

“Soon to be EX,” added Dr. Briefs. “Honestly, can't you go on a date with any of the OTHER young men who are DYING to…?”

“Oh it's so romantic, you and him,” sighed Mrs. Briefs.

“Well he's NOT a bandit anymore. For your info, daddy dear, he's going to be one of the BEST ball players this season!” Bulma announced.

“A WHAT?” asked Dr. Briefs.

“A ball player for the Taitans,” said Bulma. “So there! He's gonna be an athlete, and you don't discourage me dating THEM.”

“She has a point, dear,” said Bunny, settling into her chair. She nibbled at her smaller stack of pancakes, watching her husband and daughter face off when Dr. Briefs dropped his paper to glare at them both.

“Fine. You can see him. But if that young man doesn't propose to you within the next year, he's history,” Dr. Briefs frowned. “I don't want my daughter to be without a good man at her side. Even though you're the one who's going to be running this place after I'm gone, you have a public image to keep up.”

“Just think of what it will mean having a young handsome baseball player on her arm? A trophy of trophies,” said Bunny. “And they'll have BEAUTIFUL grand children!”

“Mom really,” Bulma groaned, sinking into her chair. She set down her fork, and nibbled absently on a piece of bacon. “What if I don't get married?”

“Then you should spend your time keeping this company going,” said Dr. Briefs. “Whatever you do reflects on us. If you want to see him, marry him. If you don't', then find someone who's WORTH your time. Or just keep it discrete like a good young president to be.”

“President?” she blinked.

“That's right. When you graduate from college, I'm making you the Vice President, young lady. It's time that you assumed the role we think you're perfect for. You'll run this company just as well as any man,” Dr. Briefs said. “I don't want this Yamcha distracting you unless he decides to propose properly.”

“Fair enough, Dad,” said Bulma, blinking in shock. “You REALLY are serious about me helping you run this…”

“You've matured a lot, dear. But you must stop chasing rainbows and settle down if you're going to do us proud,” said Dr. Briefs. “I only have one daughter. And I wouldn't mind having a few young inventors to show the ropes to.”

“OH Daddy, you really are something,” Bulma sighed, shaking her head. She finished her first stack of pancakes and eagerly stabbed two more with her fork to pull onto her plate.

“I know you will make us proud whatever you do, Princess,” said Mrs. Briefs. “Prince Charming or not.”

Bulma almost spewed her coffee when she read the newspaper Dr. Briefs lifted up. He glanced up, seeing black splotches on the soaked print, asking, "Dear, what's wrong?"

"Gimmie that! Didn't you see that headline?" Bulma gasped.

"Can't you let me read the paper in peace, princess?" Dr. Briefs whined.

"Dear do calm down," Mrs. Briefs insisted.

"Don't tell me you didn't NOTICE this headline about the Red Ribbon army!" she wailed.

"WHAT?" Dr. Briefs gasped, looking to where she pointed. Smoothing out the coffee soaked paper he read the telltale lines.

"Red Ribbon not Defunct: 100 soldiers fried to crisp by mysterious energy," Bulma read.

"But they were destroyed by your friend Goku!" said Dr. Briefs.

"Somehow some of them survived. How's that possible, unless Yamcha was right after all, damn it!" Bulma cursed. "Damn I half hoped they were joking, but WHAT were they doing and what wiped them out?"

"Maybe one of your Z fighter friends?" asked Mrs. Briefs.

"It says here the only survivors were a half dead farmer's wife, who died shortly after policemen arrived, babbling about a monster in armor who saved them," mumbled Dr. Briefs. "Strange. That doesn't sound like the Z warriors, dear."

"Wait, lemmie see. Huh, this is the same farm where they saw a big meteor crash last week, and reports of UFOS and strange crop circles… no way, this is TOO weird," Bulma blinked.

"You should talk to those Z warriors and ask them if they've seen this. Whatever caused these Red Ribbon men to die it looks like it was ki," said Dr. Briefs. Excusing himself he got up and picked up the phone, stopping only to scratch his cat under its chin.

"I'll be right back. I'm gonna call Yamcha," said Bulma, pulling her hair up.

"You know that boy's only trouble," said Mrs. Briefs. "Even if he DOES have a cute ass!"

"Mom, come on!" Bulma groaned, as she rushed out and grabbed a jacket. Shoving feet into her shoes she burst past her father on the phone with his CEO and other company members, warning them of the Red Ribbon threat. His voice babbled with questions, asking any of them if they'd seen or heard what was happening corporate wise.

Wearing a pair of jeans and a Capsule T shirt, Bulma buckled her fanny pack at her hips, filled with a box of Hoi-poi Capsules. Carefully she selected one, and tossed it down. In a puff of smoke appeared her custom stratus air bike, gleaming in the sunlight.

"Crap, oh crap, this is too weird," Bulma mumbled, jumping onto her air bike. What surprised her was the whole ki thing. Gunning it she shot off towards the direction of the reported problem. She turned on the radio, listening to any news broadcasts.