(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all are enjoying the fic. I just wish to say to those who have been asking- apologies, but this won't be a harem. Toji will only end up with Freeza. Not Bulma also, not 18 also, not 21 also, only Freeza.
I made a promise to readers who are reading by setting the tag to non-harem. I don't go back on my promises. Only way I'd change it, is if everyone wanted it, since then you guys yourselves who I made the promise to don't want the promise to remain.
But I myself honestly prefer only Toji x Freeza.
Well, enjoy the chapter!)
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The soft hum of the spaceship's engines provided a steady backdrop as Bulma sat alone at the control panel, her slender fingers dancing across the holographic display.
She monitored their course through the vast emptiness of space, occasionally glancing at the status indicators that showed life support systems functioning at optimal levels.
Behind her, the ship bustled with quiet activity.
The Namekians had converted part of the vessel into a meditation chamber, while Gohan diligently worked on his studies in another section,
Chi-Chi hovering nearby to ensure he didn't slack off. Master Roshi and Ox-King were likely in the common area, trying to keep spirits up with stories and humor.
But Bulma's mind was elsewhere.
Somewhere out there, beyond the blur of passing stars, was Toji - fighting, surviving, maybe even...
"No," she muttered to herself, pressing her forehead against the cool glass of her table, "Don't think about it."
But King Kai's words echoed in her mind like an unwelcome melody: "TOJI IS KISSING FREEZA!" The mental image it conjured of Toji kissing that woman- that Evil Empress made her stomach twist in knots.
She knew it was ridiculous to feel this way.
Toji had been dying - suffocating in the vacuum of space. The kiss was desperation, survival, nothing more.
She and Toji barely knew each other. They weren't in a relationship. There was no logical reason for this hollow ache in her chest- he wasn't hers.
And yet...
Bulma retreated from the control panel, finding herself wandering to her small quarters. She'd brought only essentials when they'd evacuated Earth, but among them was her tablet loaded with books - including the fairy tales she'd loved as a girl.
She opened "The Sleeping Beauty," the digital pages glowing softly in the dim light of her room. Inside was the story of a princess awakened by true love's kiss.
But in Toji's case, the kiss hadn't been given to the princess - it had been stolen from the dragon.
"That's not how the story is supposed to go," she whispered, switching to another book.
"Beauty and the Beast." A tale of seeing past appearances to find love. But Freeza wasn't a misunderstood beast with a heart of gold.
She was a tyrant, a monster who had killed billions. Toji wasn't going to discover her hidden goodness with a magical rose.
Bulma snorted. "More like 'Beauty is the Beast.'"
Next came "The Little Mermaid" - not the sanitized version, but the original where the mermaid sacrifices everything for a prince who never notices her.
Bulma had always hated that ending.
"Is that me?" she wondered aloud. "Am I the mermaid watching from the sidelines while he chooses someone else?"
She remembered being sixteen, meeting Goku for the first time - a wild boy with a tail and incredible strength.
How she'd grown fond of him over their adventures. Then, years later at the tournament, seeing him all grown up, handsome and powerful... only for Chi-Chi to claim him with a childhood promise Goku barely remembered.
"History repeats itself, the hero then chose another princess," she murmured bitterly. "And now another is probably choosing the evil empress instead."
The ship's engines hummed a steady rhythm as she opened "Saint George and the Dragon." The hero slaying the terrible beast to save the kingdom. But in this twisted version, the hero was kissing the dragon instead of slaying it.
"He's supposed to rescue the princess from the tower," Bulma said, tossing the tablet aside. "Not fall for the fire-breathing monster guarding it."
The irony wasn't lost on her.
She - Bulma Briefs, genius heiress to the Capsule Corporation - was casting herself as the helpless princess in these stories.
She, who had always prided herself on being independent, resourceful, the heroine of her own tale.
"Princess Bulma, fleeing in her technological chariot while the hero's busy locking lips with the villain," she laughed humorlessly. "What a joke."
What was it with her, why was she always second choice, or not even a choice at all? Was she that unwanted? Her previous boyfriend cheated on her, and the two men in her life she fell for, both chose or are choosing someone else?
She picked up her tablet again, opening "Snow White" - the princess poisoned by the jealous queen, saved by true love's kiss.
Was Freeza the evil queen in this scenario? Powerful, beautiful in her own way, and utterly ruthless?
"But I'm not lying in a glass coffin," Bulma muttered. "I'm hurtling through space, running away."
She remembered the way Toji had looked at her sometimes during their journey to Namek - those quiet moments when their eyes would meet, and something unspoken would pass between them.
Had she imagined it? Projected her growing feelings onto casual glances?
"Rapunzel" was next - the princess trapped in her tower, letting down her hair for the prince to climb.
Bulma had certainly let down her defenses for Toji, showing him vulnerability she rarely revealed to others.
But unlike the fairy tale, no one was climbing up to rescue her from her self-imposed isolation.
"He's probably still out there with her," Bulma whispered, the thought bringing unexpected tears to her eyes. "The evil empress who tried to destroy Earth, kill his friends... and somehow that's who he ends up with?"
She scrolled to "The Frog Prince," reading angrily. "At least the princess in this one had to kiss a frog - not a genocidal space lizard! Her looking like a beautiful woman or not!"
Bulma closed the app, suddenly feeling childish.
What was she doing, comparing her life to fairy tales? She was a scientist, a genius, a woman who had helped save the world multiple times. Not some damsel waiting to be chosen.
And yet...
She opened the last story - "Cinderella." The tale of a kind-hearted girl, overlooked and underestimated, who finally gets noticed by the prince at the ball.
Bulma had always identified with parts of this story - not the suffering servant part, of course, but the transformation, the moment of recognition when everyone finally sees your true worth.
"I don't need a prince," Bulma told herself firmly. "I've never needed one."
But as she set the tablet down, she couldn't help wondering if Toji would ever see her the way she'd begun to see him - not as just an ally or friend, but as maybe something more.
"The princess and the hero," she whispered, "That's how the story is supposed to go. Not the hero and the dragon-empress."
She moved back to the observation window, looking out at the stars once more.
"In fairy tales, the princess always gets her happy ending," Bulma said softly to the void of space. "But this isn't a fairy tale. And I'm not just a princess waiting to be saved."
She straightened her shoulders, a new resolve forming within her. If Toji returned - when he returned - she wouldn't be the passive princess from her childhood stories.
She would be Bulma Briefs: brilliant, beautiful, and brave enough to fight for what she wanted.
Even if what she wanted was currently lost among the stars, kissing the dragon instead of slaying it.
A sudden beeping from the console pulled Bulma from her thoughts. The communication system was activating, indicating an incoming call from Earth. Her heart jumped - news, finally!
She rushed back to the control panel, pressing the accept button with trembling fingers. The screen flickered to life, revealing her father's face.
Dr. Briefs looked older somehow, the lines around his eyes deeper than when she'd last seen him.
"Dad!" she exclaimed. "Is everything okay? What's happening?"
Dr. Briefs adjusted his glasses, his ever-present cat perched on his shoulder. "Hello, sweetheart. I have news. The battle is over. You can turn course and return to Earth now."
"What happened? Is everyone okay?" Bulma leaned closer to the screen.
"Cooler is dead," her father said solemnly. "Goku defeated him."
Relief flooded through her, but something in her father's tone made her pause. "But...?"
Dr. Briefs sighed heavily. "There were casualties, I'm afraid. Krillin and Nappa didn't make it."
The words hit Bulma like a physical blow. "Krillin? No..." Her voice cracked. Krillin had been her friend since childhood - brave, loyal, always there when needed.
"I should get the others," she managed to say, pressing the ship-wide communication button. "Everyone to the bridge, please. We have news from Earth."
Within minutes, the bridge filled with concerned faces. Gohan arrived first, followed by Chi-Chi and Ox-King. Master Roshi entered last, leaning on his staff, several Namekians behind him.
"Dad, can you repeat what you just told me?" Bulma asked, her voice steadier now.
Dr. Briefs nodded. "The battle against Cooler is over. Goku defeated him, but..." He paused, his expression grave. "I'm sorry to say that Krillin and Nappa didn't survive."
Gohan's reaction was immediate and heartbreaking. The boy's face crumpled as tears welled in his eyes. "No! Not Krillin!" he cried out, his small body shaking with sobs.
Chi-Chi quickly wrapped her arms around her son, her own eyes glistening. "But Goku is okay?" she asked, voice trembling.
"Yes," Dr. Briefs confirmed. "Goku is physically unharmed."
Master Roshi had gone very still, his sunglasses hiding his eyes but not the grief etched into his weathered face. "Krillin was one of my finest students," he said quietly. "He died a warrior's death, I'm sure."
The Ox-King placed his massive hand on Roshi's shoulder, offering silent support.
From the back of the group, Elder Moori stepped forward. The elderly Namekian's expression was solemn but held a glimmer of hope.
"Perhaps I can offer some comfort in this dark moment," he said, his deep voice resonating in the quiet room. "We have recreated our Dragon Balls. They are once again functional."
Bulma's head snapped up. "You have? So we can wish Krillin and Nappa back and everyone else who died against the Saiyans back?"
"Yes," Moori confirmed. "Once we reach Earth, we can summon Porunga and make our wishes."
A flicker of hope spread through the group, the heavy atmosphere lightening slightly.
"Dad," Bulma turned back to the screen, "how are Goku, Vegeta, and Piccolo? You said they survived, but are they okay?"
Dr. Briefs stroked his cat absently. "They're physically fine. Those magic beans-"
"Senzu beans," Bulma corrected automatically.
"Yes, those. They healed their physical injuries completely." He hesitated. "But Goku seems... different. Krillin's death hit him particularly hard. He's not quite himself."
Chi-Chi's grip on Gohan tightened. "What do you mean, 'not himself'?"
"It's difficult to explain," Dr. Briefs said. "He's quieter, more intense. Vegeta mentioned something about a transformation, but I don't fully understand it."
"We're setting course for Earth now," Bulma informed him, already inputting the new coordinates. "We should arrive in about 6 hours."
"We'll be waiting," Dr. Briefs replied. "Safe journey, sweetheart."
The transmission ended, leaving the bridge in contemplative silence.
"I'll adjust our course," Bulma said, turning to the navigation controls. "We're going home."
As the ship changed direction, Elder Moori cleared his throat. "While we journey back to Earth, I believe there is something important I should share with you all. Something about the Dragon Balls that you should understand."
"What is it?" Gohan asked, wiping away his tears.
"Perhaps we should move to the common area," Moori suggested. "This will take some time to explain properly."
The ship's common area was spacious enough to accommodate everyone comfortably. They sat in a rough circle, all attention focused on Elder Moori as he settled himself in the center.
"First, I must thank you again for saving our people," the Namekian elder began. "Because of your heroism, we will gladly help you with wishes from our Dragon Balls. However, there is something you should know - something we normally do not share with outsiders."
He paused, his weathered green face solemn. "I must explain to you the dangers of the Dragon Balls."
"Dangers?" Master Roshi leaned forward, his interest piqued. "I've always sensed there must be more to their power than we understood."
Moori nodded. "To understand the risk, you must first understand where the Dragons draw their power from. The Dragons themselves exist in a realm beyond this universe. They are created through the power of the Dragon Ball Creator and possess powerful magic, capable of doing almost anything within certain limits."
"Like what limits?" Bulma asked, her curiosity engaged despite the somber mood.
"For this magic to work, it needs fuel," Moori explained. "That fuel is the Ki of the Dragon Ball Creator. The Dragon cannot perform feats beyond the amount of Ki the Creator can safely bestow upon the Dragon to convert into magical power."
"So the stronger the creator, the stronger the wishes can be?" Gohan asked, quickly grasping the concept.
"Precisely," Moori said with an approving nod.
"The Dragon therefore cannot affect someone significantly stronger than the Creator of the Dragon Balls. This is what happened with your Head Warrior, Toji."
"When he did not wish to be teleported to Earth from Namek, even if we had included him in our wish, it would not have worked. His will and power were simply too great."
"Fascinating," Bulma murmured. "That explains a lot about how the wishes work. But you mentioned dangers - what exactly is the risk of using Dragon Balls?"
Moori's expression grew more serious. "Though we've never witnessed this ourselves, we have asked the Dragons about the consequences of using their power. What they told us was... concerning."
The elder shifted, his robes rustling in the silence as everyone leaned closer.
"Each wish made has, depending on its nature, an effect on Creation - either positive or negative. When we wished for the revival of our people and their transport to Earth, it created an abundance of positive energy in the universe - the blooming of life."
"That sounds good," Chi-Chi said hesitantly. "What's the problem with positive energy?"
"Balance," Moori replied simply.
"In consequence, inside the Dragon Balls, negative energy forms to balance it out. Normally, this negative energy disperses over millennia. But if many wishes are made that do not bring death or destruction to the universe - wishes that preserve or create life - more and more negative energy will fill the Dragon Balls."
His voice dropped lower, taking on an almost reverent tone of warning. "Eventually, this corrupts the Dragons themselves. They will descend into this world, no longer bound to their Makers. Their power will come from the negative energy, allowing them to use it as fuel for power beyond measure."
"And what happens then?" Ox-King asked, his normally jovial face creased with concern.
"They will have a single desire: to balance the universe by bringing equal death, destruction, and war into it. Only when they feel the balance has been restored will they return to slumber in their realm."
A heavy silence fell over the group as they absorbed this information.
"So you're saying," Bulma finally spoke, "that by making 'good' wishes, we could eventually create something terrible?"
"In essence, yes," Moori confirmed. "This is why we must be cautious with the Dragon Balls. They are not toys or simple wish-granting devices. They are powerful tools that affect the very fabric of existence."
"But I've heard that we've been using the Dragon Balls for years!" Gohan exclaimed. "Are Earth's Dragon Balls storing negative energy too?"
"Most likely, yes," Moori said gently.
"Though I cannot say how much has accumulated. It depends on how many wishes have been made and their nature."
"Wishes to provide aid and save those who bring immense positive energy in the universe, will cause by consequence immense negative energy to form inside the Dragon Balls."
Master Roshi stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I've heard ancient legends and religious stories that hinted at this. Tales of beings who once brought destruction to balance creation. I always thought they were just stories."
"Many stories contain kernels of truth," Moori replied.
"So what should we do?" Chi-Chi asked, her protective instincts flaring. "Should we stop using the Dragon Balls altogether?"
"Not necessarily," Moori said. "But we should use them with great care and understanding of the consequences. For instance, we could limit ourselves to truly necessary wishes, or perhaps find ways to disperse the negative energy safely."
"Could we wish for the negative energy to be removed?" Ox-King suggested.
Moori shook his head. "That would only create more negative energy in response to such a positive wish. The cycle would continue."
"What if we made a negative wish?" Bulma proposed, her scientific mind seeking solutions. "Something destructive to balance out the positive wishes?"
"That is theoretically possible," Moori acknowledged. "But who among us would wish for destruction? What conscience could bear such a burden?"
The question hung in the air, unanswerable.
"I have faith," Moori continued after a moment, "that Earth's heroes wouldn't make wishes that cause destruction simply to balance energy. Your hearts are too good for that. But understanding the risk is important."
Gohan, ever thoughtful, raised his hand as if in class. "Elder Moori, if balance is so important, why did the universe get unbalanced in the first place? Shouldn't positive and negative always be equal?"
Moori smiled at the boy's perceptive question. "An excellent point, young one. The universe naturally seeks balance, but free will - the choices of conscious beings - can temporarily create imbalances. The Dragon Balls accelerate this process dramatically."
"It's like ecological systems," Bulma mused. "Push them too far in one direction, and they eventually snap back, sometimes catastrophically."
"A fitting analogy," Moori agreed.
The ship's navigation system suddenly chimed, a mechanical voice announcing: "Approaching Earth orbit. Prepare for landing sequence in two hours."
Through the viewports, they could see Earth growing larger - the blue and green jewel of their home planet.
Bulma rose, moving to the window. As she gazed at the approaching Earth, her thoughts returned to Toji. Would he ever return? And if he did, what would he find when he got here?
"We're almost home," she whispered, placing her palm against the cool glass.
Behind her, the others were still discussing Elder Moori's revelations, but Bulma's mind was elsewhere - with a man lost among the stars, possibly in the arms of a tyrant empress.
The ship began its landing sequence, descending toward a planet forever changed by the battle that had taken place in their absence.
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(Author note: Well, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter- yes, this confirms it, GT is a thing.
I hope you guys like that. I always liked that plot about the Dragon Balls, since it gave a reasonable explanation why the Z Fighters didn't just abuse it selfishly,
since they themselves are immensily positive influences on the universe, so a positive influence on them, is an insane amount of negative energy in the Dragon Balls.
Well, I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)