Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Second Chance ❯ Chapter Five ( Chapter 5 )

Author's Note: That might have been the most 'awww!' inspiring chapter I've ever written. I hope nycscribe35 is satisfied. Gohan is such an angel. More of that mushy stuff to come. Anyway, God Bless America, and on with the fic.

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z. If I did, I would at least have a better computer. And a car that doesn't sound like it has bronchitis. And-oh, screw it. We don't have all day.

Second Chance

Chapter Five

By nycscribe46

Aki stood beside Bulma, in front of a stern looking woman behind a desk. There was a nameplate, but rather than a name, it read simply, 'NOTARY PUBLIC'.

Apparently, this woman took her job very seriously.

"Now, Ms. Briefs, I must impress upon you the severity of the situation you are in, and the responsibility you are attempting to take upon yourself. You say this girl has no family?"

"Tell her, Aki."

Aki took a deep breath. She noticed the way that the woman was staring at her. Was it that hard to believe that someone looking like she did needed a home?

"My father died before I was born. My mother died three years ago. I've been by myself since then-"

"Homeless!" cried Bulma.

Aki stared at her, wondering what she was up to. She'd had a place to live. She continued,

"I was beaten-"

"By a gang! Just look at her, the poor thing!" Bulma exclaimed.

"Bulma found me and took me in. She's been so kind, and she wants to take care of me. I really like her, and I would appreciate it if you would provide her with whatever documentation you feel is necessary for my adoption. Thank you."

Aki refrained from curtsying, but she felt that her mother would have been proud of her.

"I see. Well, you'll have your day in court, but until then, Miss Kawaii will have to be placed in-"

"Oh, come on! She's been through enough, does she really need to go through living in some horrible orphanage?"

The notary public narrowed her eyes.

"I mean, not that Satan City's orphanages are bad or anything…"

Aki was a little confused about something, so she spoke up.

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

"Yes, Miss Kawaii?"

"Isn't the entire court process for adoption based on moving custody of the child from one person to another?"

"Extremely simplified, but yes."

"As of right now, I am in the custody of no one, because I am an orphan. I am not a ward of the state, and I am not a convict. Therefore, forced housing is against my civil rights. And the court session is merely an unnecessary formality in this case, because there really is no one to 'hand me over' to Bulma. The only way the law applies is if you insist upon making me a ward of the state, forcing this city's tax monies to feed and house someone who Bulma was willing to care for out of her own pocket, until the time when the courtroom is available. In which case, valuable time that an official presiding over said court could be spending presiding over more important cases with merit, will be spent telling Bulma that she is welcome to take me off the state's already full hands, because she can afford one more mouth to feed, and the city has to worry about far more important things than the welfare of one girl."

Aki exhaled rather loudly, and silently thanked Yahweh for both her mother's diligence and her own good memory. And then she prayed that the laws here were similar enough for her to get away with it.

The woman adjusted her glasses.

"I see. All very valid points, Miss Kawaii. And yes, Miss Briefs is very capable of covering your expenses, seeing as Capsule Corp's budget is far larger than that of Satan City. However, if I sign these documents saying that Miss Briefs is your legal guardian, if anything were to happen to you, I would be responsible for allowing it. Who's to say that Miss Briefs did not give you those marks?"

Bulma gasped in disbelief.

"I would never-"

Aki stopped her.

"Yes, Bulma, I know you wouldn't. But that's not the point."

The notary public saw that Aki understood what she was saying. She decided to give her a break. After all, the girl's first assumption had been correct.

"On the other hand, Miss Kawaii, you were correct when you said that you were not yet a ward of the state. The city has no claim on you. And in order for it to, it would be an unnecessary court session to take you away from Miss Briefs, only to result in yet another one for Miss Briefs to gain custody. It would indeed save a lot of the city's time and money to give her legal custody straight away. And I can see that you're in good hands. Miss Briefs, I trust that you will not let any harm come to Miss Kawaii?"

"Of course not."

"All right then. Please sign here." The notary public held out a form. Bulma took a pen from the woman's desk and signed her name. Then the notary took the pen and signed her own name. Mrs. Benevolence. Aki smiled at that. Mrs. Benevolence took the form and put it into a copy machine. Then she gave Bulma the original and placed the copy into a file cabinet.

"Congratulations, Miss Briefs. Do stay out of trouble."

Aki nodded, and left the notary public's office with Bulma.

Gohan stood when he saw them.

"How'd it go?"

Bulma held up the form and grinned.

"Just great. Say hello to Aki Briefs."

Aki smiled shyly at Gohan.

As they went down the steps of the courthouse, Gohan heard a crunching sound, and saw Aki grimace in pain, putting her hand to her lower back.

"Bulma, I think we should get over to Koran's now." Gohan said, looking Aki over with renewed concern.

"Okay, we'll just head back to Capsule Corp, and I'll get the hover car-"

Bulma turned around, but Gohan and Aki were already gone. She looked up and saw him flying away, holding Aki in his arms.

"Okay, I'll head back to Capsule Corp. Nice job, Romeo." Bulma muttered, wishing she could fly.

Meanwhile, Aki was annoyed at herself and her stupid creaky bones. Not that she minded being held by Gohan, but she didn't want to seem as if she was constantly in need of assistance.

"I don't need your help."

Gohan looked at her incredulously.

"No offense, but I think you do." His hands were getting a little too close to Aki's rear, so he adjusted his grip.

Aki moaned in pain as Gohan's hand barely touched her lower back.

"See?" Gohan couldn't help saying. "I think you may have injured a few of your vertebrata."

"I know I did. According to Bulma, I took something like a thirty foot drop while I was unconscious."

Gohan looked at her curiously.

"How did that happen?"

"I fell out of the sky. Ask Trunks, he was there too. He has a very colorful description of it."

Aki's answers seemed to lead to more questions. Gohan was even more confused than before.

"Do you know how to fly?"

"Yes, but I'm a bit too weak for it now, so I'd appreciate it if you continued to carry me to our destination, wherever it is. Thank you, by the way."

"You're welcome." Gohan could see Koran's place in the distance.

They arrived shortly, and Gohan set Aki down gently, with one hand steadying her.

Koran must have sensed them, and he and Yajirobe came over to where they were standing.

"Hey, Koran."

"Hello Gohan. Who's your friend?" asked Koran.

"This is Aki. She's Bulma's adopted daughter."

"Hello, Aki." said Koran politely.

Yajirobe stared at Aki, and her scars, his gaze lingering on the wound on her forehead.

"What happened to you? You look you just fought an army single-handedly and lost."

"I did." Aki said darkly.

"…"

"Do you have any senzu beans for her?" Gohan asked.

"Yes, I do. Wait a minute, and I'll get some." Koran left, giving Yaijirobe a disapproving look before he went.

Yajirobe shuffled off, muttering 'how was I supposed to know?' under his breath.

Koran returned with the senzu beans.

"Eat this," he told Aki. "It will make you feel better."

Aki did as she was told, and was surprised to find that she did feel better.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome. Bulma's daughter, are you?"

Aki nodded.

"Funny, but you look like Vegeta. Doesn't she, Gohan?"

Gohan looked closely at Aki's face. The scars were fading, and the bruises were nearly gone. Her dark eyes flicked towards him suddenly. She was pretty, but the way she was looking at him did remind him of Vegeta. He was almost afraid to answer.

"Um, yeah. Well, you do!" he said. She looked mad. But then she sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"I know. It's part of that 'long story' I didn't want to tell you before."

"A long story?" asked Koran. "Well, I'm not doing anything. Gohan?"

"I'd kind of like to hear it. Why do you look like Vegeta?" Gohan's brow furrowed.

"Is he… But I thought you said-"

"I did. He isn't. Not really. I'm-I'm not from around here, Gohan. Just yesterday, I was fighting a war in a completely different place. One of the soldiers who was fighting against me hit me with a beam from some kind of device that was supposed to 'tear at the fabric of space'."

Koran's eyes widened at this.

"I don't remember what happened after that. Bulma says that she and Trunks were outside, and they saw the sky break up and I fell out of a black void or something. They brought me inside, and that's when I woke up. Bulma thinks that the machine is some kind of dimensional transport device, and that my planet is really Earth, but different. I think she could be right. I mean, she showed me this map, and my planet is also the third from the sun in its solar system, with eight other planets, and the galaxy is the same as well. There's no way for me to get back there, though. Not without the device."

Aki bit her lip. Was she being selfish? She didn't want to go back. On Iftel she had nothing. On Earth, she had a friend. A family. A home to go to.

"Well, that explains the busted vertebrata," muttered Gohan.

Koran murmured in understanding.

"I see, Aki. You don't have to say any more. Do you understand, Gohan?"

Gohan shook his head.

"Aki is from Earth, and yet she is not. Vegeta is her father, and yet he is not. Is that what you were trying to say?" Koran asked her.

Aki nodded, relieved.

Gohan was still confused.

"Huh?"

Koran sighed.

"The universe is far too big for your comprehension, Son Gohan. Aki is from another dimension, from a planet exactly like Earth, only different. Obviously there is no war going on here. Circumstances must have brought Vegeta there, just as they drew him to Earth in our dimension. What became of him, if I may ask?"

"He died. I never knew him."

"That's too bad. Well, you'll get to know the one we have here."

"Oh, joy," muttered Aki.

Suddenly they all heard a puttering noise from outside.

"Hey, it's Bulma!"

Bulma put her flying vehicle in neutral.

"Gee, guys, thanks for waiting-Hey, Aki, you look great!"

Aki beamed.

"Thanks for your help, Koran," said Gohan, who had a slightly better understanding of where Aki had come from, and how she had gotten to Earth, thanks to Koran.

"No problem," replied Koran.

Bulma called Aki and Gohan to the hover car.

"I think it might be just a tad less inconspicuous if you guys were to come in here with me, rather than fly over to the shopping district."

Gohan put an arm around Aki, who decided not to mention that she felt good enough to fly just yet, and they floated over to Bulma.

As they got into the car, Gohan asked Aki,

"How does your back feel?"

"Great. Just great."

Bulma flew them to a popular clothing store for teenage girls in minutes. She parked right in front of it. Gohan looked up at the big, prominent 'NO PARKING' sign.

"Uh, Bulma, I don't think you can park here," he said.

"Watch me," she said. She got out of the car. Aki and Gohan glanced at each other and followed.

A thin man in shiny vinyl clothing came out of the store in a huff.

"Excuse you, but you can't park-ohmigod, you're Bulma. Bulma Briefs. Did you come here to go shopping in my store?"

Bulma nodded, barely hiding a grin. Sometimes it was good to be a rich, beautiful, highly recognizable genius.

"Oh, please forgive my rudeness, Ms. Briefs. Bulma. Can I call you Bulma?"

"Sure." They walked into the store. Aki snickered at the man's change of heart once he realized how wealthy Bulma was.

"You can park wherever you want. You can have whatever you want. Would you like to see our latest fashions?"

"Actually, I came to buy clothes for her." Bulma grabbed Aki's arm.

The man looked at her, probably going through what new clothes they had that would match her color chart and season.

"My daughter." Bulma smiled at her. Aki smiled back.

The man's eyes became dollar signs.

"Oh, we're going to take good care of you, my dear," he said to Aki. He practically dragged her over to a clothes rack.

"You'd better," said Bulma. Then she looked at Gohan.

"This might get pretty boring for you, Gohan. You don't have to stick around."

Gohan shrugged. His stomach growled.

"Say, Bulma, what time is it?"

"About 12:30. Why?"

"I'm a little hungry," Gohan replied. He looked over at Aki, and saw the delight on her face as the man placed yet another dress in front of her.

"But I can wait."

Aki excused herself, and handed the man all of the clothes that she liked. He went to the register with them happily.

"Bulma?"

"Yes, Aki? Is everything all right?"

"Yes, but I don't understand the prices, and I don't know what everything costs-"

"Don't worry about it. Did you get socks and underwear and stuff?"

"Um, no."

"Good. Unless you actually want to wear that." Bulma pointed at a magenta and orange tiger striped lingerie set. Next to a display of turquoise and forest green striped socks. Beside a large sign proclaiming them 'in-store designs'.

Aki shuddered in horror.

"I mean, the clothes are all right," Bulma went on, "because they're imported. But that guy goes a little nuts when it comes to designing stuff. That's just disgusting."

Gohan's stomach growled menacingly.

"That, on the other hand, is a cry for help. Don't worry, Gohan. We'll be leaving in a minute. I just have to pay for this stuff, and we'll go have lunch."

Aki smiled at Gohan, who blushed. Well, he was hungry…

Bulma handed the man a platinum card. He all but drooled.

Aki watched him slide the card through a machine.

"Is that money?" she asked Gohan.

"Kind of. It's credit. It removes money from an account Bulma has, and transfers it to an account for the store. It's all computerized."

"Ah," said Aki. Much more convenient than counting out pieces of gold and copper, she thought.

Bulma tugged the card from the man's hands.

"Do come again!" he cried.

"Yeah, right." muttered Bulma.

They left the store and decided to walk to the nearest restaurant before Gohan's stomach threatened to deafen them all with its sounds of attempted self-digestion.

When they were given their menus, Gohan glanced at Bulma. She assured him that it was her treat, and he proceeded to order one of everything on the menu.

He must be a saiyan, Aki thought. Out loud she asked,

"Gohan, what was your father's name?"

"Son Goku. Why do you ask?"

"I was just thinking that you must be a saiyan; you ordered quite a bit of food there. But Vegeta said the only saiyans left were him and his family, and the children of someone called Kakarot."

Bulma laughed.

"That's just what Vegeta calls Goku. Gohan's a saiyan, all right. Just wait till the food arrives. You'll see."

Aki had no doubt that she would.