Ascending | ✔

The flipside

The phone beeped noisily as Bulma waited for the person on the other end to pick up. She hummed to herself as she waited, picking up a pen and twirling it in her hands. She was sitting in her private quarters, a place where she could work on her inventions and relax at the same time. No one was allowed in there except for her but Vegeta and Trunks barged in occasionally anyway, whether it was for a good verbal spar or a request for a new video game.

Bulma was going to hang up and try again another time when they finally picked up.

"Yo!" a female voice on the other end said. "What's up, sis?"

"Oh, nothing much. It's not the end of the world or anything," replied Bulma. "But I'm having a party today. Do you think you could drop by, Tights? You still haven't seen Bra yet. I want her to meet her aunt."

"Right!" A small grunt sounded, then the barking of a dog and the hissing of a cat on Tights' end. "Umm, hang on..."

Bulma stared at the phone with a bewildered expression as the sounds grew louder, the dog and cat seemingly having a fight. "Is everything okay, sis?"

"Fine!" Tights voice shouted, her mouth far too close to the receiver for Bulma's comfort. "Let me just get out of these pajamas...!"

Bulma sighed but giggled to herself. Her sister, though her senior by a decade, could act so childishly sometimes. But that was the endearing thing about Tights - she was like a kid who would never grow up. Like all mortals, she would grow old, but grow up? Tights could be a graying old lady on her deathbed and still manage to crack an immature joke about someone's mother. She's just like Goku. It's adorable, really.

"Well?" Bulma said when it went silent. "So you coming over or what?"

"Yep!" chirped Tights, something jingling as she spoke. "Boy do I have a surprise for you. Bra too. I can't wait to meet my niece!" Her sandals clip-clopped against the tile flooring of wherever she was and Bulma heard a car door shut before said car had its engine revved.

"I'm only about an hour away from the mainland," Tights told her, the engine reduced to a content purr. "I'll be there in time. Expect a blue and pink submarine hovercar parked in the street."

"Got it. Bye, Tights."

"See ya, Bulma!"

xXx

Bulma had just finished freshening up when she went outside to see Chi Chi placing a large amount of food on the table. No matter how much Bulma insisted, the Son matron would always bring her own for her boys and the other guests. But what was puzzling was why she was here so early. Being the wife of Goku, she was normally late, having to practically shove Goku into proper attire.

"Hi, Chi Chi," Bulma greeted, making the raven-haired woman turn around.

"Oh, hello Bulma," Chi Chi said, looking like she hadn't slept for days.

Bulma tilted her head slightly. "Okay, spill. What's wrong? And where are Goku and Goten?"

"Goten's got a bit more homework to do before he can come," Chi Chi answered, tightening the bun on her head. It only served to accentuate the bags underneath her eyes from sleepless nights.

"And Goku?"

Chi Chi looked down at her feet. "I really don't want to talk about this..."

"Oh, but you need to," Bulma interrupted. "Seriously, Chi Chi. It's no good bottling up feelings like this. What's happened between you and Goku?"