Beerus shot Whis a look. "What are you even talking about?"
Before Whis could answer, Beerus's attention shifted toward the city below. Several strong energies had gathered in one place, and they were much easier to find than whatever roundabout explanation Whis had been preparing.
"There," Beerus said, pointing. "That many powerful presences in one spot… your Super Saiyan God had better be among them."
He started down without waiting.
"Let's go."
…
Capsule Corporation's yard had turned into the kind of birthday party only Bulma would consider reasonable.
A stage stood in the middle of the lawn. Tables were packed with food. Guests filled the yard, most of them people who had saved the world at least once, and beside all of it sat a mountain of gold as if Bulma had ordered it with the decorations.
Emily stepped onto the stage with a microphone and the confidence of someone who knew she was about to make the whole party scream.
"Everyone, keep your number cards safe," she said. "We'll have three prize draws today, and all three prizes are big. I'll announce them first."
That got the yard quiet fast.
"Third prize is a luxury cruise ship provided by Capsule Corporation. Value: two hundred billion."
Krillin nearly dropped his cup. Oolong started yelling before Emily had even lowered the microphone, and Master Roshi looked ready to guard his number card with his life.
A two-hundred-billion cruise ship was only third prize.
Only Bulma could make that sound like an appetizer.
Emily let the noise rise, enjoyed it for a moment, then moved on. "Second prize is the gold mountain Ken gave Bulma earlier. Bulma already asked him, and Ken agreed to let it be used as a prize. Estimated value: six hundred billion."
Every hand in the yard tightened around a number card.
Some people tried to stay calm. Some did a worse job than others. Even the fighters who usually measured everything in power levels and battle instinct stole glances at the gold.
Emily was the happiest person there. Bulma had already arranged for the gold mountain to end up with her, which meant the draw was basically a performance.
Her best friend had come through after all.
"And first prize," Emily said, almost glowing, "is even better."
Gine carried out a tray covered with red cloth. Once every eye was fixed on it, Emily pulled the cloth away and revealed seven Dragon Balls shining on the plate.
"The first prize is a complete set of Dragon Balls," Emily announced. "One wish. Anything you want."
The yard got louder, but the sound changed. The cruise ship had made people excited. The gold had made them greedy. The Dragon Balls made everyone start thinking.
"All right," Emily said, raising the microphone again. "Let's begin with the third-prize draw—"
The microphone cut out.
She tapped it once, then again. Nothing.
"This one's dead," she said, turning to Gine. "Can you get me another?"
Gine brought a replacement from Bulma. Emily switched it on, lifted it out of habit, and kissed the top.
The realization hit her a second too late.
Her face went red so fast that even the people who did not understand the joke could tell something had happened. Bulma's eyes widened. Gine froze with her hands still half-raised. Vegeta went dangerously still, the kind of stillness that usually came right before something exploded.
Goku looked around in confusion. Krillin turned red, glanced at Android 21, and somehow managed to look both wounded and hopeful at the same time.
Android 21 frowned back at him, completely lost.
Master Roshi coughed into his fist, trying and failing to look dignified. "Habit is a scary thing."
Yamcha gave the stage a long, regretful look. "Didn't know Emily had that side to her. Shame she's taken."
"Stop there," Roshi said. "Vegeta will kill you before you finish the thought."
Oolong's face was almost as red as Emily's. "I want that too."
"You're a pig," Roshi said. "Stay out of adult conversations."
"What does being a pig have to do with it?"
"It means go eat."
Goku leaned in, still trying to catch up. "What are you guys talking about?"
Yamcha grinned and started to nudge him. "Come on, Goku, you've never—"
Roshi shoved Goku toward the food tables before the sentence could finish. "Nothing. Go eat."
Goku walked off scratching his head. "Everyone got weird again."
Kale tugged at Gohan's sleeve. "Gohan-nii, what happened?"
"I don't know." Gohan looked to Videl for help.
Videl looked to Mr. Satan.
Mr. Satan's expression shut down at once. "Don't ask."
That left Gohan, Videl, and Kale even more confused than before.
Vegeta's glove creaked as his fist tightened.
Emily, you stupid woman.
Of all the things to do in front of everyone.
A little farther back, Tien had watched the entire exchange without understanding a single part of it. Chiaotzu floated beside him and whispered, "Tien, do you get it?"
"No."
Luckily, Zarek and the younger boys had already run off somewhere else to play, sparing the party an even worse wave of questions.
Near the food tables, Merus was still trying to approach the situation like a mystery with a proper answer.
"Did Emily mistake the microphone for a popsicle?" he asked Ken.
Ken looked at him for a moment.
Amarella, now human-sized so she could enjoy the banquet properly, kept eating. She had seen what Emily did too, but no one was hurt and the food was good, so there was no reason to waste energy on it. Ken had let her out for the meal. The Grand Priestess and the little demoness, on the other hand, could stay exactly where they were.
Merus frowned. "Was it not a popsicle?"
Ken sighed. "Merus, did Planet Nilala teach you nothing?"
Merus flushed. "Lower your voice."
"What's there to be embarrassed about?"
That seemed to steady him for about half a second before the original problem returned. "Wait. What does Planet Nilala have to do with the microphone?"
"Look into Emily's mind. You'll understand faster."
Curiosity won. Merus lifted his staff and took a peek.
His face changed immediately.
Then he slowly turned toward Vegeta, red all the way to his ears.
"So humans… do that?"
Ken smiled. "Now you understand."
Merus lowered his staff, looking like he had just discovered an entire subject missing from his education. "Planet Nilala did not cover this."
"That sounds like poor guidance."
Merus almost nodded, then stopped and stared at Ken. "Wait. You mean you—"
"It's not a big deal."
Merus looked down at his cup as if it might contain answers.
Amarella glanced over. "What are you two talking about?"
Merus suddenly became very busy eating.
Ken smiled. "Nothing important."
Amarella decided not to chase it.
Then Ken looked up.
"Merus."
Merus was still distracted. "What?"
"You haven't noticed?"
"Noticed what?"
Ken nodded toward the sky.
Merus followed his gaze, and his expression changed at once. "Whis-nii… and Beerus-sama?"
The cup in his hand nearly slipped.
"Beerus-sama is awake?"
"He took his time," Ken said.
Merus wiped at his forehead. "Why is he coming here? I don't like this feeling."
Onstage, Gine stepped in before the party could drown in Emily's embarrassment.
"Emily is feeling unwell," she announced, holding the replacement microphone with careful dignity. "I'll continue hosting Bulma's birthday banquet. Everyone, please prepare your number cards. We'll begin the third-prize draw now."
Emily had already fled.
There was no saving that scene. Too many people had understood exactly what happened, and Vegeta looked like he wanted to pretend he had never met her.
A transparent lottery machine was brought onto the stage. Numbered balls bounced inside until one shot from the chute.
It should have dropped into Gine's hand.
Instead, it flew straight up.
Past the lights, past the roofline, and into the clouds.
High above Capsule Corporation, Beerus caught the ball between two fingers.
Below him, the party was still going, loud and bright, with the smell of grilled meat, pastries, and hot dishes rising through the air.
"They're having a banquet," Beerus said.
Whis smiled. "So they are."
"Good. We'll taste the food first."
"And if the food disappoints you?"
Beerus looked down at the yard. "Then I'll decide what to destroy."
He descended before Whis could reply.
Beerus landed beside the stage and tossed the number ball toward Gine. She caught it by reflex, stared at him, and was still trying to decide how to address him when Bulma hurried over with a welcoming smile.
"Champa-sama! Long time no see." Bulma looked him up and down, surprised but cheerful. "You lost weight? That's impressive. Though I have to say, the chubby version was cuter."
Beerus's face darkened.
Bulma blinked. "What?"
"You've met Champa?"
"You're not Champa?" Bulma looked again, then turned to Whis. "And you're not Vados either? Wait, did Vados become a man?"
Whis's smile tightened just a little. "I am Whis. Vados is my older sister."
"Oh, that makes sense. You two look alike." Bulma pointed at Beerus. "Then who is he?"
"This is Beerus-sama, God of Destruction of Universe 7. He and Champa are brothers."
Bulma accepted that quickly. Gods showing up at her birthday party was not normal, but it was not enough to stop the party either.
"Then welcome, Beerus-sama. Whis, you too. Make yourselves comfortable. There's plenty of food, so help yourselves."
Beerus's mood improved at once.
At least this Earthling understood hospitality.
"Bulma," Whis said, raising his staff, "happy birthday. I brought a small gift."
A chunk of gold ore appeared in the yard, nearly three stories tall.
The party went quiet again.
Bulma stared at it.
Another one.
The guests stared too. At this rate, Bulma's yard was going to need its own security force.
"Thank you," Bulma said once she recovered. "That's very generous."
"In that case," Whis said, "we'll gladly enjoy the food."
Beerus had only planned to judge the banquet. A bite or two, enough to decide whether this party deserved to keep existing.
Then Earth food hit his tongue.
The irritation left his face before he could hide it. He looked down at the plate, took another bite, and immediately reached for the next dish as if the first one had challenged him.
Whis kept his polite smile for about three seconds longer.
Then he tasted the food too.
His expression did not collapse the way Beerus's almost did, but something in it changed. The food was absurdly good—fresh, rich, full of little details no palace banquet had managed to touch. The golden planet they had just visited suddenly felt like a cheap rehearsal.
Beerus had already stopped caring about why they were here.
Whis remembered perfectly, which made it worse.
This Earth should have belonged to Universe 7.
Now it belonged to Universe 6.
From now on, if he wanted food like this, he would have to cross universes for it.
Whis looked at his plate, then toward Ken in the distance.
Ken had not simply swapped Earth away.
He had taken the best kitchen in the universe with it.
Onstage, Gine checked the number ball Beerus had returned. "Number seven. Third prize goes to number seven. Who has number seven?"
Chi-Chi shot to her feet. "Me! I do!"
"Congratulations," Gine said, handing her the capsule. "You won the luxury cruise ship."
Chi-Chi clutched it like treasure, then asked the most Chi-Chi question possible.
"Can I take the cash instead?"
Bulma's face darkened.
Chi-Chi tucked the capsule away immediately. "I was just asking."
A two-hundred-billion cruise ship could always be sold later.
The third-prize draw ended there, but Beerus's arrival had already caught the attention of the few people in the yard who truly understood who he was.
Buu and Bardock watched him from the side.
Bardock leaned toward Buu and kept his voice low. "Little God of Destruction, can you beat him now?"
[End of chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
[Check out my Patreon to read 20+ chapters ahead]
[[email protected]/BellAshelia]
[Thanks for your support!]