#I AM THE LIVING LORD OF THE AFTERLIFE

[dagdasoneandonly]

x

[angelsrcute]

Haloo :D im wondering if u r taking requests now but if u r can u write a fyodor with immortal female reader ? It would be wonderful if u can can but u can ignore this request if u want to

“ But can't you see my dear? I am your doppelganger ♡”

⌗ A LOVE IMMORTAL SUCH AS MINE, WILL COME TO ME, ETERNALLY. 𐙚˙⋆.˚

(´∀｀*)ε｀　) ౨ৎ N–sfw content !! ; Dom!Immortal!Vampire!Fyodor + Sub!Immortal!Vampire!F!Reader ➜ cws: Modern au, Jealous!Fyodor, Vampire themes, fwb → lovers, alcohol mentions, biting, unprotected sex + use of lube, tit play, overstimulation, creampie, oral sex (f receiving), slight Yandere!Fyodor(?), Soft!Fyodor.

꒰ † ੭ — this ended up being my longest fic ever, lol, 1.3k words!! I am taking reqs! + a lil inspiration from olgami, it's such a good webtoon. (人´∀`)♪ Translation: "Мышка" (myshka)

When humans age, they die and pass on to the afterlife, don't they? Death was something that never came to you, ah immortality, such a cool thing. It was more like a curse to you, humans coming and going, years passing by but still no one seemed to notice the same face walking among them for all these decades. Faces unrecognisable as you try to remember their names, their relation with you, not that it mattered anyway.

Relationships were a nuisance, blink and they're already gone, dead, as you stand in their funeral. It was a really funny thing, oh how you wished you could die instead of watching your loved ones die.

Fyodor Dostoevsky. Not a famous name for humans but for vampires, they say he's the oldest vampire to ever live. Have you ever met with him? You did, decades ago, in his bed, in his mansion, fyodor needed some relief and so did you.

He was the one who saved you from your death, why? Because he thought you were interesting. He'd take care of you and teach you how to hunt, how to kill people and make sure no one finds out. He seemed like a lonely man too, house deep in the woods, living all by himself.

The other vampires though, had this bloodlust, to kill him, to become the lord themselves. Everyone clawing at any chance they get, to paint their fingers red with his blood. You never understood their reasoning, what's so good living a life like this?

Dressed in the finest silk and jewelries, he liked seeing you in white clothing the most. He said it made you look like a saint, the saint that brought some change to his boring life. He definitely wasn't a fan of other vampires eyefucking you at meetings. Well, they'd end up going missing anyway.

Cleaning up after him was annoying, why did he have to be so busy? that also playing the piano as he drank wine. Blankly staring at the body in front of you as you clean the floor, muttering curses at him.

It didn't take long but you fell for him, yearning for his touches, but you could never confess, fearing it would ruin your relationship. Your body burning like fire as he kisses you, snapping his hips against you, dress ripped off and discarded on the floor.

“You liked that dress? I'll tell them to make one for you again, money isn't a problem for me.”

Cold slender fingers playing with your nipples as he decorates your neck with bite marks, drawing blood from them. Tongue darting out to lick the blood as he whispers about how sweet you taste to your ears. Your nails digging into his shoulders as your eyes roll back from pleasure, his hands holding your leg up at this point.

Everything was going smoothly until one day he disappeared, without a single word. All the other vampires went crazy over this fact. Some were happy thinking he finally died, some just disappointed that they couldn't be the one killing him.

You returned to Russia after a lot of years, travelling all over the world, everything was different to you, with the years, technology also grew, like for instance, this human was staring into a phone. Bumping into you and not saying a single apology but they had the audacity to curse you instead, calling you blind.

Well, guess you just found yourself dinner, how lucky. Hiding the body with no effort, muttering to yourself “The world would be a little better without people like this.”

You went down an alley, there was a nice bar here, you remembered. Entering it, you took a seat after ordering your favourite drink. From the corner of your eyes, you could see a stranger coming up to you, sitting beside you, “I've never seen you around here, darling, do you need some help? I know a really nice place around here–”

The man went on rambling about nonsense, poor attempts at flirting, and why is he even talking about himself, you don't remember asking. Quietly sipping on your drink as you ignored the stranger. The stranger, though, seemed offended, “Hey I'm talking to you, whore, if you don't want attention, dress up more!”

Now that part really got on your nerves, what were you supposed to wear, a long ass winter jacket? You could just pretend to play along and just kill this guy, not even interested in drinking his blood! But someone else's voice stopped you, a voice too fucking familiar.

It was none other than fyodor, you watched as he grabbed your wrist and pulled you by his side, eyes narrowing at the stranger with a smile, “It's really rude to flirt with someone's lover, don't you think? You'll walk away from here and remember nothing.” The guy on command, got up and left the bar, the people in the surrounding, definitely didn't care.

“You look like you've seen a ghost, Мышка.” He chuckled, as if he just met you yesterday and not decades ago.

“What the fuck? Where the hell were you for all these years!?” You shouted at him, burning a hole into his face with your glare, “Of course I'm surprised, am I not supposed to be when you appear like that? God!”

“Let's discuss it somewhere private, shall we? I know a hotel nearby.” You hated how composed he seemed to be, but still followed him, giving him a chance to explain himself.

“I was a bit hurt, dear, why didn't you tell the man to leave? or were you interested?” He asked while sitting down on the bed.

“Is that what we're talking about? Give me an explanation, fyodor, where the hell were you?”

“A bit busy, don't mind me, I had business that needed to be taken care of.”

“That's it? You could've at least told me a goodbye! or sent letters.”

“Ah, but that would give away my location, wouldn't it? I didn't want any disturbances, but enough about me, where were you? I couldn't find you in my mansion.”

“I was travelling, and I did not see a point in staying there if you weren't there but you really had me worried, you know?” You sighed, sitting beside him.

Well this was supposed to be meeting up with a past ‘friend’. So why did this turn into a fucking session? According to a certain someone, he wanted to make up for his mistakes!

Currently between your thighs, lapping up your folds like he hadn't eaten in years, savouring the taste like it was his favorite meal. He teased your clit with his tongue, gently flicking it, before sucking it into his mouth. Your moans and whines were music to his ear, he could feel you were close, his tongue speeding up to make you cum.

“F-fuck…gonna cum–” You stammered before cumming, lewd slurping sounds filling the room before getting up and kissing you, slipping his tongue in your mouth, making you taste yourself. A string of saliva joining your tongue after he breaks the kiss, he definitely likes seeing you like this— face flushed, hair disheveled, neck decorated by pretty hickeys by him.

You don't remember what round it was, all you can feel is the way he keeps fucking his cum back in your cunt. Sweat glistening on your body as you can't help but let out whimpers due to overstimulation, “T-Too much, fedya…slow down–”

“I'm sure you can cum for me again, my dear.”

He kisses your tear soaked face while rubbing soothing circles on your clit to calm you down. You pull him closer to kiss again, running your hands through his soft hair before he cums in you for the last time and pulls out.

Fyodor runs you a warm bath and then puts you on the bed, climbing in to cuddle with you, well, such a memorable get together isn't it?

Taglist: @blueberrisdove

[ryomens-vixen]

GrievingSukuna! HEADCANONS

Summary: You passed away from an incurable illness that plagued you almost your entire life, and even as his favorite concubine, his most cherished, hell his only one left since he had disposed of the rest. The one thing he liked, that her genuinely cherished was now withering away in his arms.

⚠Warning⚠ Minors dni, mentions of death, Sadness, idk what else to put.

GrievingSukuna! Who has never once said "I love you" to anyone not even you. The thought of those words ever leaving his lips made him want to gag except right those words meant everything.

GrievingSukuna! Who listened to your frail voice reassure him that your time spent with him was a joyous one, and that your were just another concubine, that he shouldn't mourn the life of someone who was merely brought to his temple over a year ago for his enjoyment alone.

GrievingSukuna! Who silenced you with the most tender, loving, heart stopping kiss to ever grace your soft yet dry lips as he just could not bare to hear another word. You chipped away of his walls, held his cold heart in your warm hand, and yet you had the nerve to utter nonsense? You had become his pride, the air he breathes, almost his wife, and possibly the barrer of his supposed heir.

GrievingSukuna! Who listened to you final goodbye to him after one last kiss to which he finally spoke those three words...

"Oh, Lord Ryomen, Serving you was..was the best thing that life could have ever given me. Every moment I spent serving you.. I spent without regret, my only regret now is being too weak to serve you any longer. What kind of concubine am I? Heh, forgive me..please forgive me, I- I-..."

You had spent all your energy speaking this blasphemy to him. If he could he would have scolded you right then and there, but there was no time that. All he could was catch your fallen hand that reached for him in an attempt to hold him one more time. You didn't have enough energy left to finish your sentence yet he finished it for you in those last moments he uttered for the first and final time.

"I Love You, (Y/N)... You foolish woman."

He said it, he finally said it, those words from him you would carry into the afterlife with you, A tear fell from your beautiful (E/C) eyes. But these words were only meant for your ears, not even his servant that stood outside his chambers could hear him whispering those three words into your delicate ears.

GrievingSukuna! Who's world came crashing down once your chest rose and fell taking your last breath. Oh the heinous things he would do, the sacrifices he would make, the blood he would give to just hear your sweet voice once more. This hurt him, this pain.. It petrified him, it was like no pain he had ever felt before.

GrievingSukuna! Who after hours of holding your cold corpse, finally allowed his servents to come in and ready you for burial. His face was unreadable to them, but on the inside he was ready to explode with rage, he was ready to curse the heavens and hell for taking what was his away.

GrievingSukuna! Who stayed locked away in his chambers for the next few days leading up to your burial. Oh how you wounded him worse than any man or woman ever could. This wound wasn't something he could just easily no, no, this wound would forever be etched into his mind, body, and soul for as long as he lived.

GrievingSukuna! Who's face remained unreadable during the ceremony, you had no family to join him, just his loyal servents who had grew quite fond of you once upon a time.

GrievingSukuna! Who quickly storm away once your casket was lowered into the ground, he felt his eyes were burning... What was this? Tears!? Never in the beginning of time would Sukuna ever shed a pathetic tear, but he heart could not deny the human emotions that came with once being human. He wouldn't dare let anyone see such an ugly sight, him experiencing sadness.

GrievingSukuna! Who's sadness was quickly replaced with pure, unadulterated rage, every village in 100...No a thousand mile radius was fucked. If he couldn't have the one thing he cherished more than anything in the world then why should everyone else?

GrievingSukuna! Who would go days without returning to his temple until he's had his fill of bloodshed, maybe this was his new found way of coping with the loss of his concubine?

GrievingSukuna! After days of slaughter he would return home to your grave absolutely drenched from head to toe in the blood of the innocent and lay at your grave.

GrievingSukuna! Who would stay at you grave for hours, cursing you to the heavens for leaving him in disarray, for not ripping his heart out his chest to take with you so he wouldn't have to FEEL this pain any longer.

GrievingSukuna! Who would soon slaughter all that were loyal to him as he would rather live in solitude, then to be reminded that he has no one to share the servitude of his people with. Sukuna would rather be alone than to enjoy the finer things without you by his side.

[wookiecookiesfactory]

I wonder how Albus dumbledore reacted to baby Tom in your au in the afterlife

kfkfkfk Ok so, I am not sure if I had say it before but in my AU only Tom has certain notion about his past as lord voldemort, not completely, rather for him it would feel sort of like something you lived in a dream. So imagine a 45 years old Dumbledore meeting Merope and aw, she has a cute baby and Albus cant help himself, he wants to hold it.Tom is not having it.

ofc eventually as the years pass, the "wanting a father figure" feels kicks in and Tom proyects them on Albus, as most children that meet him do, they have a better relationship in this AU.

[see-arcane]

I am truly thankful that she is to be left out of our future work, and even of our deliberations. It is too great a strain for a woman to bear. I did not think so at first, but I know better now. [...] I daresay it will be difficult to begin to keep silence after such confidence as ours; but I must be resolute, and to-morrow I shall keep dark over to-night's doings, and shall refuse to speak of anything that has happened.

Jonathan, no, don't give into the guys' peer pressure noooo

It is strange to me to be kept in the dark as I am to-day; after Jonathan's full confidence for so many years, to see him manifestly avoid certain matters, and those the most vital of all. This morning I slept late after the fatigues of yesterday, and though Jonathan was late too, he was the earlier. He spoke to me before he went out, never more sweetly or tenderly, but he never mentioned a word of what had happened in the visit to the Count's house. And yet he must have known how terribly anxious I was. Poor dear fellow! I suppose it must have distressed him even more than it did me. They all agreed that it was best that I should not be drawn further into this awful work, and I acquiesced. But to think that he keeps anything from me! And now I am crying like a silly fool, when I know it comes from my husband's great love and from the good, good wishes of those other strong men.

[...] Well, some day Jonathan will tell me all; and lest it should ever be that he should think for a moment that I kept anything from him, I still keep my journal as usual. Then if he has feared of my trust I shall show it to him, with every thought of my heart put down for his dear eyes to read.

Mina, no, you have to communicate now, in the present, you're you, you can un-acquiesce, you can break the curse, just talk to Jonathan now, noooooo

GOD this is masterfully infuriating work, Bramward Stokerbroker. Here we have on paper just how much this new status quo--the 'proper' status quo--grates against both of them. You can almost hear them grinding their teeth with the effort to keep smiling and nodding through this unanimous* decision. They know it is For Mina's Sake that they are doing this. Sure, they both hate every second of it and it breaks a loving rhythm they've shared for years together, BUT THEY KNOW BETTER NOW :)))

(Lucy is screaming in the afterlife. Renfield has his head in his hands.)

But all that aside, a thing I'm hooked on this read-around is the fact that, hey. We are reading this. Spoiler, but the entirety of Dracula is actually compiled together by Mina after the story closes. These are all written documents we're reading that the entire group has laid eyes on already. With everyone (bar Art and Quincey for some reason, thanks Mr. 3 Lines Allowed and Mr. Laconic :/, Jack is just talking and waiting for Mina to transcribe now, augh) on duty in some way to record the progress of things so that they can be read later as reference...I have to wonder now.

How honest are these pages the Harkers are putting down now versus what they wrote before joining Van Helsing's Scooby gang? Neither one is writing in shorthand. It's all plain English.

I had a class once where one of the assignments was to keep a daily journal. One page filled out every single day, about anything. Anyone want to guess how many personal secrets or honest feelings I put in those pages for the guy grading my class to read? If you said anything higher than 0 you're wrong.

The Harkers have an audience to worry about right now. An audience of Prof. Et Cetera, Dr. Asylum Director (whose asylum they're currently living in! the kind of place where Jonathan could've ended up and innumerable women have been imprisoned for being women the Wrong Way! whee!), Incredibly Wealthy and Empowered Lord, and Mr. Likewise Rich 'We Should Do Guns About It' American. Who all seem to like them, fresh-from-the-lower class, industrious and Dracula-confronting sorts that they are. Fast friends, all of them.

(Jonathan is still only Harker to them. Simultaneously the Man Who Survived Castle Dracula and the gofer guy doing the footwork and the paperwork/property hunt while Van Helsing hits the library and the others...well, I'm sure they're doing something. Other than re-reading the first half of Dracula.)

(...Which was compiled and transcribed by Mina. Who faced down Dracula in her jammies. Unarmed. At night. For Lucy. But she can't handle your scary stories about the houses full of dirt boxes, let alone join you on the hunt she was explicitly prepared and eager to help with. Can't risk it, little lady, off to bed now.)

This is where they are now that they've ~joined forces~ with Van Helsing and the Suitor Squad. After all they've done, all they're still relied on to do, the Harkers are with allies who have had their acquaintance for less than three days. And now, to appease those allies and their opinions and to keep everything placid with these nice, outnumbering, socially and monetarily endowed parties, they do what they've always done when faced with the fact of their being perpetually on the low rung of the ladder.

The Harkers accommodate. Including in their own diaries, as these too are now deemed forfeit important to the Cause, should the gang need to comb back through it all for clues.

That's why the Harkers are the only ones writing it down--because they already were. They're the kids in the group project who can be trusted to do the work. So just let them keep doing it. Keep an accurate record now, kids! You do such a good job of it, we'd only be getting in the way, ha ha. Remember that we can and will read everything you put down in the future.

Hence: All of what we read today. And will read in the dates to come.

The Harkers are writing under a (friendly) gun right now. They can purge some feelings, but not all of them. And not completely. And not in any way that certain doctors and upper class people of power they barely know might misconstrue as ungrateful or mad in any sense. The Harkers are good people. The Harkers are helpful. The Harkers are team players even if that means no longer being a team themselves. They chafe a little at this, but it's all so new to them! It's alright. God's will and Van Helsing's be done. They know better now.

With all this in mind, it makes much more sense why Jonathan chooses to use shorthand for a Very Particular Entry we see coming up. An entry that Mina alone could read and decide to enter in the distant future, after the storm had passed.

And why, in light of all that happens, he cannot trust himself to put more than a vignette's worth of lines down as time goes on. Not if he wants to keep himself from laying out some actual honesty for everyone to read. Mina's entries will be weightier things, while she still has the capacity to write--carefully. Always carefully.

[j-k-writes]

The Lion of the Trident

Summary - After Rhaegar's defeat on The Trident, Robert and Ned must deal with the Prince's surviving forces, including Y/N Lannister.

Warnings - age gaps (Y/N is about 16/17 while Ned and Robert are 19/20), canon character death, general GOT warnings, ableist language (toward Tyrion), mentions of violence, sexual content

Y/N was awoken to the feel of frigid water pouring down on him. 

He shot up, gasping and shivering. He pushed himself further into the makeshift outdoor prison cell, covering himself further in mud. He shook his hair out as the chilled water settled deep into his bones, glaring up at the men responsible. 

“I know I stink, but that’s not quite the bath I had in mind.” Y/N’s words didn’t quite land the way he’d hoped with the shivers racking him visible to the men standing over him. 

“King Robert wishes to speak with you.” 

Y/N laughed, “King? I wasn’t aware Aerys had died?” 

The two men didn’t grant the Lannister heir with a response, grabbing his arms and dragging him to his feet. He attempted to jerk his arms free from the men’s grasp, but the days spent chained to a pole with little food and water had weakened him enough that the two men had no trouble dragging him to Robert’s tent. 

Realizing he had no choice but to let this farce take place, Y/N steeled himself holding his head high as they walked through the camp. He smiled at the jeers thrown his way, finding himself laughing at quite a few. The days of abuse, physical and verbal, he’d suffered at the hands of the usurpers were nothing compared to the years living in his father’s tight grasp. Perhaps if they set Lord Tywin in front of the young knight he’d have been more forthcoming with his information. 

Robert Baratheon looked exactly how Y/N remembered him, towering over every lord in his tent. Y/N’s eyes trailed down the Baratheon’s body, gaze settling on a fresh bandage applied around his torso. 

“Sit him down.” Ned Stark spoke, drawing Y/N’s attention away from the Stormlander. Y/N grunted as he was forced into a chair, wincing as the rough wood of the seat made contact with the bruises no doubt littering his body. The two men were dismissed, and Robert and Ned turned their full attention to Y/N. 

“While I admire the efforts, you will be getting no valuable information from me.” Y/N spoke, taking in the different reactions from the two men. Ned winced at the reminder of the Lannister’s treatment in the camp, while Robert simply frowned, scowl deepening. 

“Has Tywin Lannister declared for the Targaryens?” Robert asked, and Y/N laughed, wincing half a second later at the pain it caused him. Tywin Lannister was still holed up at Casterly Rock with Cersei and Tyrion, leaving Jamie and Y/N to fight their own battles. 

“Did you see the Lannister forces at The Trident, Robert?” 

“I saw you.” 

Y/N smiled, “And you caught me.” 

“Are you saying you were with Rhaegar’s forces against your Lord father’s wishes?” Ned asked. 

“Which answer would make you less inclined to kick me in the ribs?” Y/N asked, if the two men brought him here for information they might as well get on with it. Y/N wishes to return to bed, finding small comforts in his sleep, as fitful as it was. 

Once again, Y/N’s words made the Stark flinch. “I apologize for your treatment, it was not our intention-” 

“Save it, Ned.” Y/N spat. “I am not a boy, I know how war works. I chose the losing side, and now my fate lies in your hands. If you’re going to have me killed as a traitor I’d rather you just get on with it, perhaps the afterlife will have less mud.” 

Robert barked out a laugh, “Alright.” 

“Robert-” 

“You heard the man, Ned.” Robert said. “He is of no use to us.” 

“If he speaks true,” Robert made to interrupt, but Ned continued on ignoring his friend. “If he speaks true, Lord Tywin has not yet declared for a side. If we have his son, his heir, he may be more sympathetic to our cause.” 

Y/N scoffed, “My father has two other sons.” 

“The kingsguard and the imp?” Robert raised an eyebrow and Y/N frowned. Tyrion was a child of the House Lannister, and even that it seemed would not save him from the realms scorns. Robert was right in his statement, however, Jamie was a sworn knight of the kingsguard, and his father could not even look at his youngest son let alone declare him heir. 

“I am not just some whore who’s body you can sell.” Y/N spat. 

“The whispers I hear would say differently.” 

“What the fuck are you implying.” Y/N sneered at the same time Ned let out a choked ‘Robert’. 

Robert held his hands up in mock surrender, dropping the topic. Ned sighed, turning to Y/N, “I know we are not friends Ser Y/N, but you are a fine knight, and with you and your house’s support behind us in this war we can win.” 

“You’re already winning.” Y/N deflated, it was true. Rhaegar was dead, and from Jamie’s reports Aerys was madder than ever. The war was practically over, and Y/N Lannister had chosen the wrong side. “You do not need the support of my father or me.” 

“Would you rather die?” Robert asked, his eyes scanning the knight in a way that made him squirm in his seat. 

“If I must.” 

“You do not have to, Y/N.” Ned sighed, “Work with us to secure your father’s support and we will let you live.” 

Y/N bit his lip, sinking in on himself. He knew he had no real choice, they would not kill him no matter what he said, they wanted his father’s army too badly. He could either let himself be a prisoner or he could be an equal with the two men. 

“Fine, tell me what to do.”

Jamie had killed Aerys, Tywin had sacked the city, and now the throne was Roberts. Y/N however, instead of celebrating the victory with his father and brother, was in the chambers of Ned Stark, drunk, half naked, and pressed into the mattress. 

“Don’t you have a wife?” Y/N gasped as Ned roughly tugged at the laces of his trousers. 

“Do you ever shut up?” Ned asked, although his smile as he finally managed to undo the laces undercut any bite put into his words. 

Y/N laughed as Ned tugged his trouser down his legs, tossing them to the side. Ned looked up at the man, smiling, and Y/N took the opportunity to wrap his legs around Ned’s waist and flip them over. Ned gasped as his back hit the bed, and Y/N smiled down at him. He leaned down close to his ear, whispering, “No.” 

Ned grabbed the back of his head, roughly smashing their lips together. Y/N immediately relaxed into the Lord’s hold, allowing Ned to trace his mouth down his jaw. Y/N gasped as Ned pressed a soft kiss to his collarbone, before biting down roughly. Y/N ground his hips down roughly into Ned’s and the Stark’s grip in Y/N’s hair tightened as a low groan escaped his throat. 

“Have you ever shared a bed with a man before, Ned?” Ned paused, giving Y/N all the answers he needed. Y/N hummed, pushing Ned down into the bed. Ned stared up at him, chest rising and falling rapidly, and skin flushed a red that was sure to be unusual for a Northerner. “Let me teach you then, Lord Stark.” 

Before Y/N could move however the door to the chambers burst open and the men jumped apart. Ned, still half dressed, threw a blanket to Y/N who quickly grabbed it to cover himself. The men both looked to the door, where Robert, now King Robert, was standing, a jug of wine in hand. Robert did not seem shocked at the sight, an amused smile plastered on his face. 

“What do we have here?” Robert said, still smiling. He closed the door behind him with his foot, placing the jug of wine on the table near the door. He took a seat, “Well, don’t stop for me.” 

“Robert-” Robert held a hand up, and Ned closed his mouth. 

“Are you just going to watch us, Robert?” Y/N said, trying to keep his usual confidence, although he could feel his face burning. Ned made a noise at Y/N’s question, but Robert smiled. Y/N looked to Ned, who’s flush had deepened significantly, before turning back to Robert. “Because the Keep’s beds seem big enough to fit three.” 

Robert’s smile widened, and Ned made a noise that sounded like he was dying. On many drunken nights throughout their journey to Kingslanding Ned had confided in Y/N about he and Robert’s youth-fueled escapades, although they had never gone past sloppy kisses Ned had always wondered what it would have been like to cross the line. 

“What did you say to him to get him into your bed?” Robert said to Y/N. 

“He has gotten me into his bed.” Y/N said. “Although it took him more cups of wine than you to do so, my king.” 

Ned looked between the two men, opening his mouth, probably to ask about Y/N’s words, but Y/N stood dropping the blanket and all words died on Ned’s lips. Robert smirked, standing and stripping his extensive layers. Ned stood silently, looking between Y/N and Robert, and Y/N just placed his hand on Ned’s bare chest. 

“Get onto the bed,” He whispered to Ned, chuckling when the man stripped himself of his remaining clothing and laid down into the bed. Robert came to stand behind Y/N, pressing a kiss to the underside of his jaw. “Would you like to teach him or should I?” 

“You.” Robert released the man, walking toward the head of the bed. He crawled onto the bed, coming up behind Ned. He grabbed Ned’s jaw, forcing him to look at Y/N as he approached the bed. 

“Watch and learn, Ned.”

[ink-stains-and-constellations]

I usually write and post Undertale fanfiction on a different account, but I kept seeing those time-travel The Hobbit fics and I really liked the premise, so I wrote a small bit of one. I have no idea what else to do with it, soooooo here have the random fic I wrote at like 1 AM.

(Quick disclaimer, I'm not actually super well-versed in Middle-Earth lore. I've read and loved The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, but I haven't gotten around to reading The Silmarillion or anything yet. I probably got some stuff wrong in terms of lore, so sorry about that. This was written for fun and I'm not planning on making it into a longer fic, but I thought I'd share it because why not.)

Bilbo was dead.

He knew he was dead. He had died in the Undying Lands, finally succumbing to the age of his body, surrounded by Frodo and Gandalf and the elves as he drifted off into his very last adventure. He had lived a long life. A good life. One with regrets, of course, but also one with much joy and love.

Hobbit-lore had never said much about their afterlife - not like the lore of elves, dwarves, or even men - but Bilbo had always supposed it would be something like this, the comfort of home. For he had found himself back in his hobbit-hole, back in Bag-End, seated at his table with a lovely-looking tea spread out before him.

His aches, his weariness, were gone. His joints and back moved easily, without any pain to speak of. His eyesight was perfectly clear. Even his bald patches had vanished, his head and feet covered once again in thick bushes of curly hair.

"Why, I don't feel a day over fifty," he marvelled under his breath, grinning a little.

Leaving his food on the table, he explored his home, running his fingers along the backs of chairs and rifling through drawers. Most things were exactly as he remembered it - better, even for he had not seen his silver spoons for decades, yet there they were, sitting neatly with the rest of his cutlery. The only objects unaccounted for were the things from his adventure; Sting, the coat of mithril, the chests of gold and silver, and the ring (he caught himself a moment before thinking 'his ring'). But he had given Sting and the coat to Frodo anyway, the ring had been destroyed, and he didn't suppose he would need gold or silver in the afterlife, so he paid it no mind.

He had just sat back down to his tea when the doorbell rang. He was not expecting visitors, of course, as he had only just gotten to this hobbitish afterlife, but he was not nearly as fussy about that sort of thing as he had once been, so he got to his feet and went to greet his guest.

He wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but it hadn't been a dwarf, and it most certainly hadn't been a very familiar dwarf with a long beard and a dark green hood, worn and stained from travel, his bright eyes glittering from beneath its hem.

The dwarf hopped inside as soon as the door was open, hanging his hooded cloak on one of the pegs, then sweeping into a low bow. "Dwalin at your service!"

Bilbo was frozen, one hand still on the polished brass doorknob, staring at his old friend, who now looked decades younger and was wearing the same clothes he had been the first time they had met.

"Dwalin?" he asked. "What are you doing here?" Even if the dwarf was dead too, he surely wouldn't be here, wherever here was.

Dwalin frowned slightly. "I am here for the meeting, of course."

"Meeting?" he echoed, mystified.

"Yes, the meeting." Dwalin gave him an odd look, as if he should have already known. "And, er, whose service do I have the pleasure of being at?"

Bilbo blinked. "What?"

"Your name," Dwalin elaborated.

After a moment of mutually puzzled silence, Bilbo took a closer look at Dwalin. The clothes. The appearance. The expression, politely confused. Asking for his name.

I don't feel a day over fifty.

He swallowed. "I - Bilbo." Slowly, he bowed. "Mister Bilbo Baggins, at your service." He straightened, gesturing to the hall behind him. "I, uh - I just set out tea. Please, help yourself."

Dwalin nodded, bustling off down the hall. Bilbo did not follow him, but sat down on the ornamental chair by all the hooks and put his head in his hands. This... wasn't possible, was it? He couldn't be back then. He had died, for goodness' sake.

Before he could get very far with his thoughts, the bell rang again. He sprang up, nearly wrenching the door open to reveal an old, red-hooded dwarf, who immediately hopped inside.

"I see they have begun to arrive already," he noted as he hung his hood next to Dwalin's. He then bowed, giving Bilbo an entirely unnecessary introduction.

"Balin, at your service!"

"Bilbo Baggins at yours," Bilbo replied, bowing in return. "Dwalin is inside - please, go join him, I'll bring out more tea. Unless you would prefer a little beer?" he added, remembering his old friend's preferences.

Balin smiled. "Yes, and some seed-cake, if you have any."

"Yes, lots."

Balin set off down the hall to join his brother, and Bilbo went to the pantry to collect the beer and seed-cakes.

Well, that settles it, he thought, a tad grimly. I am back at the very beginning of it all. He wasn't entirely enthusiastic about the prospect, given that he knew what lay ahead, but he resolved to do his very best with this second chance. To make their journey better with his knowledge. Maybe he could even save...

He shook his head and quickly delivered Balin's food and drink, right before the bell rang a third time and he had to rush back to the door.

It was Fili and Kili this time, and Bilbo's heart started aching when he saw them, young and whole and alive, their yellow beards clean of blood and grime, their eyes sparkling and clear.

"Kili at your service!"

"And Fili!"

He took their hoods and bags, setting them carefully to the side, and bowed back, fighting the urge to pull them both into a hug. Somehow, he managed to speak past the lump in his throat. "Bilbo Baggins, at yours and your family's."

"Dwalin and Balin here already, I see," said Kili cheerfully. "Let us join the throng!"

Bilbo nodded and stepped aside to let them pass. He very firmly set aside his grief, his questions, his racing thoughts, and fixed his mind on the task at hand - namely, preparing enough food, drink, and chairs to host a company of fifteen.

While the four dwarves settled in and got to talking, he hurriedly set out more places at the table, then started raiding his pantry, bringing out everything from the wine to the cheese wheels. Halfway through, the bell rang again, and he practically sprinted to the door - in fact, he got there fast enough that Gloin had only just come puffing up to the doorstep.

Introductions were short, and the five newcomers soon joined the others at the table while Bilbo went back to emptying his pantries before they could do it themselves.

He had almost finished when a loud rapping echoed down the hall, the knock of wood against wood. Bilbo sighed heavily, thinking mournfully of the dent in his nice green door that he had never quite gotten around to fixing, and, whisking one last plate of food onto the table, set off to let his guests inside for the fifth and final time that night.

He made sure to open the door very slowly and carefully, so as not to repeat his mistake from all those years ago and end up with a pile of dwarves on his doormat. This time, all four of them hopped inside without incident, and Gandalf ducked through the doorway a moment later.

"Hello, Bilbo," he greeted with a smile. "I hope you do not mind terribly that I brought guests to our tea."

Bilbo sighed again, casting a glance in the direction of his depleted pantries. "Not at all, Gandalf."

"Excellent!" The wizard clapped his hands. "Now, allow me to introduce you to Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and especially Thorin!"

There were the usual bows and "At your service"s from Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur, and none at all from Thorin, not that Bilbo had expected any. He gave all four of them a deep bow in return.

"Bilbo Baggins." He glanced up, meeting Thorin's proud gaze and ignoring the pang of grief, an old, old pain that had never really gone away. "At your service."

Thorin merely turned to toss his sky-blue, silver-tasselled hood onto a hook beside the others.

"Now we are all here!" declared Gandalf, hanging his hat at the end of the row of hoods. "Quite a merry gathering. I hope there is something left for the latecomers to eat and drink!"

"Yes, there's plenty," replied Bilbo, gesturing for the group to follow him down the hall.

Gandalf fell into step beside him, peering curiously down at him. He opened his mouth to ask something, but Bilbo quickly interrupted.

"Be careful of the -"

Thunk.

"Rafters," Bilbo finished with yet another sigh, watching Gandalf rub his head.

"A little low, these ceilings," the wizard commented, grimacing.

"Or maybe you're just a little tall!" called a grinning Fili from the dining room. "We seem to be managing just fine."

"Impertinent dwarf," Gandalf grumbled, hunched over to keep from hitting his head again.

Bilbo darted ahead to pull out a chair for Thorin, the grandest chair he could find in his little hobbit-hole. Thorin paused for a moment, then slowly sank into it, nodding his thanks. Bilbo gave him a quick smile and took his own place at the table, which he had made sure to include this time, as he didn't want to miss out on all the food again.

He wasn't much for conversation, as he didn't want to slip up and reveal all the things he knew, but he didn't bother asking if they would stay for supper after the meal was finished. Already knowing the answer, he just made to collect the plates, and didn't protest when the dwarves sprang up to clear them away instead.

The dishes were soon cleaned and put away, and the dwarves came back to find Bilbo watching Thorin and Gandalf blow smoke-rings around the room.

"Now for some music!" Thorin declared as his company filed into the room, snuffing out his pipe and setting it aside. "Bring out the instruments!"

There was a rush for instruments just as Bilbo remembered, and he sat back in his chair to listen to the dwarves' music. It was enthralling as it had been the first time, and he felt as though he was indeed fifty all over again and feeling a great desire for adventure. He found himself humming quietly along to the familiar tune.

It eventually stopped, of course, once dark had fallen, and Thorin stood to begin his speech.

"Gandalf, dwarves, and Mister Baggins! We are met together in the house of our friend and fellow conspirator, this most excellent and audacious hobbit - may the hair on his toes never fall out! All praise to his wine and ale!"

The ache in Bilbo's heart increased upon hearing his friend's typically long-winded beginning, and he barely managed to reply, "You are very kind." His voice came out with a funny choked quality to it, as if he was about to cry. Which was, of course, absurd, he thought as he blinked furiously against his burning eyes.

Thorin stopped, staring at Bilbo, his brow furrowed. "Is something the matter, Mister Baggins?"

Bilbo quickly shook his head, scrubbing away the tears that were leaking down his cheeks. "Nothing at all, Thorin," he whispered, unable to help the familiarity that slipped out with his friend's first name. "And, uh -" He cleared his throat, speaking a little louder. "Please, call me Bilbo, all of you. It seems appropriate if we're to - uh, work together."

Slowly, Thorin nodded, although he did not continue with his speech. He just... stared at Bilbo, a puzzled divot between his heavy brows, until Bilbo shifted uncomfortably, worried that he had made a mistake.

"Tell me, Mister Baggi - Bilbo," said Thorin suddenly. "Do you have much experience in the matter of burglary?"

Bilbo felt his lips twist into a humourless smile as images flashed in his mind. A golden cup. A large gemstone that could be called white, if you ascribed the same colour to the stars themselves. Before that, a set of keys, countless morsels of food, even the very dwarves who now sat in his dining room. All done while invisible, of course, but perhaps this time he could be a burglar before he found the ring as well as afterwards. (He was a little reluctant to take possession of the ring again now that he knew what it was, but he also knew that it had been an invaluable asset on their journey, and besides if he hadn't found it, it wouldn't have been destroyed, so he resolved to pick it up again as he had before.)

"Yes. Quite a bit, in fact."

A murmur of surprise went around the room. Even Gandalf's bushy eyebrows raised, although he stayed silent, still puffing on his pipe.

"How about travel?" Thorin asked, evidently set on grilling him now. "Fighting? Sword or axe, what's your weapon of choice?"

Bilbo sighed yet again. "I'm rather skilled at darts, if you must know, and I quite enjoy a good hike now and then," he answered, voice dripping with sarcasm that he never would have dared back at the beginning, but he was rather used to being treated with the indulgence afforded to eccentric elderly folk, so he didn't think much of it at all until Thorin snorted and he realised that the dwarf had taken his words seriously.

Another outbreak of muttering spread throughout the room, and amidst all the questions about his sincerity, he caught the fated words, murmured by Gloin to Oin.

"He looks more like a grocer than a burglar."

Bilbo's teeth gritted, and he addressed Thorin again, discarding the sarcasm this time. "In all seriousness, I favour a sword, although seeing how I am not currently in possession of one, the question seems moot."

Thorin looked him up and down, as if trying and failing to imagine him using a sword. "I see."

Electing to ignore the dwarves' doubt, Bilbo stood, heading towards the hallway. "If you'll excuse me for a moment, I am going to -" His toes snagged on something, perhaps a hole in the carpet, and he stumbled, a hand darting out to steady himself upon Gandalf, who happened to be the nearest solid object.

"Oh, terribly sorry, Gandalf," apologised Bilbo, looking quite a bit less flustered than one might expect. "As I was saying, I am going to fetch a light. I will return in a moment."

"Excellent idea," replied Gandalf, peering down at Bilbo. The dwarves may not have found his stumble suspicious, but the wizard was well aware of the surefootedness of hobbits and suspected Bilbo to be up to something, which, of course, he was.

At fifty, Bilbo Baggins had been polite to a fault and wholly inexperienced in theft. However, having lived over a hundred and thirty years before his death, he now considered himself a fairly seasoned burglar and quite disliked being doubted or mocked. So when he saw the opportunity to prove himself, he took it, and by the time he returned with a lamp, Gandalf was rifling through his pockets in search of a map he was certain he had had on his person.

Bilbo placed the lamp on the table and tilted his head curiously at the wizard, struggling to conceal a grin. "Is there something wrong, Gandalf?"

Gandalf's shrewd eyes snapped to him, and he gazed intently for a moment or two before explaining, "I seem to have lost a rather important map. You wouldn't happen to have any idea of its whereabouts, would you?"

"Not the foggiest clue," Bilbo replied, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Oh - wait, what is this?" With a - perhaps unnecessary - theatrical flourish, he withdrew the map from his waistcoat, holding it up. "Well, it appears it's right here in my pocket. How odd." He dropped it onto the table in front of Gandalf, his grin breaking through his attempted poker face.

Gandalf stared at the map for a few seconds, then chuckled loudly and suddenly, patting Bilbo on the back. "Very impressive, my friend."

Bilbo laughed and went to sit back down, not noticing the suspicious look Gandalf shot him behind his back.

"Now, then," the wizard began, spreading the map out on the table. "This was made by Thror, your grandfather, Thorin. It is a plan of the Mountain."

Thorin glanced at it, then shook his head, disappointed. "I don't see how this will help us much. I remember the Mountain well enough, and the lands about it. And I know where Mirkwood is, and the Withered Heath where the great dragons bred."

"There is a dragon marked in red on the Mountain," put in Balin. "But it will be easy enough to find him without that, if ever we arrive there."

"Unfortunately so," Bilbo murmured to himself, his shoulders curling a little inwards.

"There is one thing you haven't noticed, and that is the secret entrance," pointed out Gandalf. "You see that rune on the west side, and the hand pointing to it from the other runes? That marks a hidden passage to the Lower Halls."

"It may have been secret once," Thorin countered, "but how do we know it remains so? Old Smaug has lived there long enough now to find out anything there is to know about those caves."

"He may, but he can't have ever used it. It is far too small for him - 'five feet high the door and three may walk abreast' say the runes, and Smaug couldn't have crept into a hole that size even when he was a young dragon, let alone now, after devouring so many of the dwarves and the men of Dale. In any case, the door should be closed and hidden, made to look exactly like the side of the mountain, and therefore kept secret from the rest of the world, if not from Smaug."

Bilbo leant closer to get a proper look at the map, which he had not seen for decades. The Mountain drawn in dark ink on the paper seemed a lot smaller than the Mountain of his memories.

"Also," Gandalf went on, "I forgot to mention that with the map came a key, a small and curious key. Here it is!" He presented it to Thorin, a key with a long barrel and intricate wards, flashing silver in the lamplight. "Keep it safe!"

"Indeed I will," replied Thorin, taking the key and fastening it upon the fine gold chain that hung around his neck. "Now things begin to look more hopeful. This news alters them much for the better. So far we have had no clear idea of what to do. We thought of going east, as quiet and careful as we could, as far as the Long Lake -"

Bilbo had heard Thorin's ramblings before, of course, and if this was an ordinary meeting with friends, he would have tuned him out. However, he was acutely aware of just how precious his time here was - every second with Thorin and Fili and Kili alive, every second with the others smiling and in good cheer, every second unburdened by deep, heavy grief - so he listened quietly to the voice he'd spent so many years missing.

"- but we none of us liked the idea of the Front Gate. The river runs right out of it through the great cliff at the south of the Mountain, and out of it comes the dragon too - far too often, unless he has changed his habits."

"That would be no good," added Gandalf. "Not without a mighty warrior, even a hero. I tried to find one, but warriors are busy fighting one another in distant lands, and in this neighbourhood, heroes are scarce, or simply not to be found. Swords in these parts are mostly blunt, axes are used for trees, and shields as cradles or dish-covers; dragons are comfortably far-off, and therefore legendary. That is why I settled on burglary - especially when I remembered the existence of a side-door. And here is our little Bilbo Baggins, the burglar, the chosen and selected burglar. So now let's get on and make some plans."

"Very well, then," agreed Thorin. "Supposing the burglar gives us some ideas or suggestions." He turned to Bilbo with mock politeness, although it was a bit less mocking than it had been the first time around.

Bilbo drew himself up, meeting Thorin's gaze with a determined look. He was the only one there who knew what was in store, and over the course of the night, he had come to the decision that he meant to bring them all through the journey and out the other side alive and more or less intact, if at all possible. "Certainly, Thorin," he answered briskly. "I should think that we ought to focus on actually getting there and finding the side-door before we worry about dealing with much else. I take it there is quite a lot of treasure?" he added, although he already knew.

Thorin nodded. "Yes, halls upon halls of it."

"It will be impossible for me to move it all by myself. I will be able to perhaps steal one or two pieces before the dragon notices us, so I would suggest you give some thought as to which pieces you should like." A large white gem glimmered in his mind again before he pushed the image away and forged on, ignoring the echoes of dread. "I would also suggest -" His voice trembled, and he cleared his throat, trying to keep his words steady. "I would also suggest that we take a moment to consider the possibility of things such as dragon-sickness, and how it may be overcome once the Mountain is in our possession."

"Sage advice," said Gandalf approvingly, filing away his suspicion to deal with later and patting Bilbo on the shoulder.

Bilbo threw him a quick smile, though he was unable to hide the hint of tiredness to it. He found that he didn't particularly want to speak of their journey anymore, not with the knowledge of what was to come weighing on him, heavy as a sack of dragon-guarded gold.

"And, well, don't you know, I think we have talked long enough for one night, if you see what I mean. What about bed, and an early start, and all that? I would appreciate some help with breakfast tomorrow, if anyone would be so kind."

"You're the host, are you not?" replied Thorin, raising a dark, heavy brow. "But I agree about bed and breakfast. I like six eggs with my ham when starting on a journey - fried, not poached, and mind you don't break 'em."

Bilbo crossed his arms, staring at the dwarf expectantly, until Thorin reluctantly added, "Please."

Bilbo nodded and grabbed a small notebook that had been laying on the mantlepiece, quickly jotting down Thorin's preferred breakfast. "Anyone else?"

The dwarves and Gandalf all ordered their breakfasts, and Bilbo managed to get a 'please' from every one of them. Afterwards, he had to find places for all of them to sleep, which was thankfully a much shorter affair than last time, as he had his previous experiences to go by. He did have to dig extra blankets out of the linen cupboard, and set several dwarves and Gandalf (who was much too tall for his spare beds) up on couches and chairs, but he eventually got them all stowed away and retired to his own little bed. The shock of finding himself back in the past, along with having to host thirteen dwarves and a wizard, had left him rather exhausted, despite the renewed strength of his younger body. Before he collapsed into bed, he remembered to leave a sliver of his curtains unclosed, so that he would be awoken by the rays of dawn.

He fell asleep to the sound of Thorin's humming from the bedroom next to his, and this time, it was comforting.

The Hobbit was created by J.R.R. Tolkien.

[effloradox]

Forehead kisses with Thomas Thorne?

I am not immune to the urge to give this man a kiss on the forehead 🥺

Also I combined this with a request asking for Thomas with the prompt ‘I thought you’d like some company’, I think it fit quite well!

Life in Button House was almost always the same no matter the day. You’d only been a resident of the house for a few years after a rather nasty accident on the grounds but you tried to make the best of your living situation (if you’ll excuse the obvious flaws with the expression). The other residents had been quick to welcome you into their daily routines and with time you got used to everyone’s quirks. Eventually you could ignore Lady Button screaming as she fell out of a window every night and you got used to things like Julian’s crassness and Kitty’s eagerness.

You hadn’t believed in life after death in your previous life so the last thing you’d expected was to fall in love during your unexpected afterlife. Thomas had been so shy when you first died; he’d barely been able to string a sentence together in your presence, so different from the poet that waxed lyrically every moment he was able to that you’re used to now. You’d managed to do many things during your life but true love seemed to have evaded you until after your death. It hadn’t taken long for you to fall in love with Thomas, and it had taken him even less time. Waking up next to him had become part of your daily routine so easily that you now couldn’t imagine him not being there with you every morning.

Things hadn’t changed much in the weeks since Heather passed until a new car had pulled up on the driveway of the house, and with it some new living residents. The new owners had put most of the others on edge though, that much was clear. You’d overheard some of their plans for the house and they made a lot of sense to you, some of them had been things you’d briefly mentioned before you’d died; but to some of the others the suggestions had been an affront. Thomas had seemed particularly upset about the mention that the library be repurposed into a recreation room; he'd disappeared not long after hearing that.

You’d given Thomas his space initially but after a few hours without his presence you’d set about looking for him. You’d checked all his usual haunts, leaving his sighing place until last in the hopes that his mood hadn’t dropped to that resort. You weren’t particularly surprised to find him there if you were being honest with yourself but it pained you to know that it was troubling him to that extent. You poked your head through the door, watching him for a moment before stepping through the door. You’d been about to announce your presence when the man in question had turned quite unexpectedly, letting out a small shriek when he spotted you.

“Good lord!”

“Sorry!” His expression softened towards you once he’d calmed down, panic no longer evident on his face.

“I didn’t hear you come in.”

“I thought you’d like some company?”

“From you? Always, my love.” You appeared at his side in an instant, his arm wrapping around your waist automatically. It doesn’t take long until you’re settled in his lap, both of you watching the new residents moving things out of their car.

“The others have a plan to try and scare the new owners away.” Thomas let out a soft noise to acknowledge your comment, his eyes still trained on the new couple. “Julian’s practising moving things with his ability to see if he can unnerve them.”

“And you?”

You hadn’t thought much of your phone being on your person when you died, whilst you still have it it’s not like you can use it for much. Just making notes, taking scenic pictures, and playing the few games you had downloaded that work without an internet connection. What it had left you with was an ability similar to Robin’s wherein you could mess with electronic devices to a certain degree. It would definitely be a useful skill if you decided you wanted the couple gone. You'd heard Julian mention it when they’d been plotting to scare the living away and it had been part of why you left to go and find Thomas.

“I understand why them being here upsets some of the others, and that some of their plans have upset you. But, I don’t think it’s such a bad thing. Wouldn’t it be nice if they did make the house look good again?”

“I suppose.” You can hear the uncertainty in Thomas’ tone and it’s all you can do to press a soft kiss to his forehead. The effect is instantaneous as you practically felt the tension seep out of his body, the frown lines you'd kissed disappearing in seconds. The two of you remain on the windowsill until you hear Julian shouting your name from somewhere in the house, no doubt to enlist you into trying to scare the new couple. You begrudgingly lift yourself from Thomas’ lap, taking one of his hands in yours as you move to walk towards the door.

“Come with me?” You can see in his eyes that he doesn’t want to, but he stands anyway and you can’t resist the urge to lift your entwined hands to place a kiss on his hand. The tender gesture turns him bashful as he struggles to make eye contact with you. It takes a moment for him to compose himself and you watch as he seems to steel himself before he speaks.

“Being your slave, what should I do but tend upon the hours, and times of your desire?” It takes you a moment to place his words, you’re sure you’ve heard them before and it takes your brain a few seconds to connect them to who wrote them.

“Shakespeare?” You know you’ve guessed correctly when Thomas’ face lights up like the sun. His smile is one of your favourite things about him, it never fails to make your heart flutter and this time is no exception.

“Kind is my love today, tomorrow kind; still constant in a wondrous excellence.” It’s Thomas’ turn to lift your hands as he places a gentle kiss on your knuckles.

Nothing good can last forever though. The moment is ruined when you hear a frustrated sounding Julian shouting your name once again, only this time he sounds infinitely closer. You can’t help but sigh with frustration at the interruption.

“Let’s go and find the others shall we?”

“Lead the way my dear.”

[forthedancingandthethriving]

[Juliano arguing with a rude patron when the crew is using the circus as a circus]

SMG4: Should we stop him?

Domain: No. If it goes on long enough, he'll make them cry and leave.

----

Bob: Nice hands.

Diana, amused: Thank you?

Bob: I bet they'd look better wrapped around my-

SMG4: BIBLE! WRAPPED AROUND THE BIBLE! PRAISE THE LORD, AMEN!!

----

Umbra: Please note that the Adminspace does not condone violence.

Umbra: Or at least, not murder.

Umbra: And... usually not violence.

Crash: The Adminspace condones sending a message!

----

Lily: Holy bubbles.

Diana: Language, little guppy

Lily: Oh, sorry!

Lily: Holy shit

----

Andrew: I am still your father.

Tulip: Nuh uh.

Andrew: What do you mean 'nuh uh'?!

----

Bob: You're up to something sketchy, aren't you?

Lily: You don't sound particularly mad about it.

Bob: I'm not.

Lily: You still seem disappointed though. Are you upset you weren't invited?

Bob: I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little hurt.

----

Tari: Isn't it weird that people kill mosquitoes just because they're annoying?

Saiko: If we did that to each other, our entire friend group would've gotten together and killed me years ago.

----

The Abyss: I can't imagine how you're dealing with all this.

Juliano: For the record, I’m not.

----

Lily, glaring at another girl: She has to die.

Lily Coding:What?

Lily, brandishing her trident: She complimented Root's outfit and said her laugh was cute, she has to die.

----

Meggy: Be nice.

Saiko: I'm always nice.

Meggy: Real nice, not bitchy nice.

Saiko: You're tying my hands, but fine.

----

SMG3: Four, if I died, would you move on and date again?

SMG4: That's a stupid question, I wouldn't let you die.

SMG3: But what if it was out of your control, like I was fell ill or something?

SMG4: I would march down into Hell and drag you back out.

SMG3: What if, somehow, I was at peace in the afterlife and didn't want to come back?

SMG4: I don't care what you want. Do you think I'm living without you? Are you crazy?

SMG3: Aww..

SMG3: Wait, why did you just assume I'd end up in Hell?

SMG4: Have you met yourself? You're a heinous bastard and that's why I love you.

----

Mario, on his knees in front of a closed restaurant: NOOOOOOO!!

Luigi: Mario, they had a rat infestation.

Mario: Have you not seen Ratatouille?!?

----

Whimpu: Who ate my lunch?

SMG3: The pigeons.

Whimpu: Very funny.

SMG4: No, really. As soon as you left, Lily and Juliano fed it to the pigeons outside because they're so fed up with your shit Spanish.

----

Mario: All this walking is making me hungry.

SMG4: Everything makes you hungry.

[chairofchaos]

Death

This is a sequel to When the Blood Burns. There are SPOILERS IN SUMMARY. Also, READ THE WARNINGS. You have been warned!

Pairing: Azriel x Eris Vanserra Summary: After Azriel kills his mate, what awaits him after his own life ends? Will he ever see Eris again? Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1k Warnings: DEAD DOVE DO NOT EAT. Major Character Death. Angst. A/N: Did I mention that I forgot to post this? Oops. Anyways. The next part is worse, and you will not feel better unless I feel extremely benevolent when I finally finish it. Which... I don't feel benevolent, at the moment. You have been warned.

The Velaris Star

Death Notices

Lord Azriel Vanserra, 45, passed away Monday, October 9. Funeral proceedings to be held in the Temple Proper on 16th street, Velaris, Saturday, October 14. Details on Page 6. 

Obituaries

Azriel Vanserra, 45, of Velaris, Night Court, died on October 9 from complications from treatment of wounds sustained during the War. 

He was born in Windhaven, Illyria. Upon completion of his training, he served as spymaster to the former High Lord of Night Court.

Azriel found the most enjoyment in the training and teaching of others. In his time as spymaster, he regularly found time to work with young soldiers, for which many have since thanked him, crediting him with saving their lives by instructing them in his limited spare time. In the years since the war, Azriel enjoyed collecting books from all over the world. The collection he amassed was the instigator for a library to honor his mate. 

The Eris Vanserra Memorial Library, located on Archer Street in the Rainbow, was established as a permanent branch of the Nights Alive foundation earlier this year. Nights Alive is a humanitarian aid project of the leadership of Night to support the veterans and victims of the War, and all those displaced by the battles which were waged. Staffed by fae who have sought refuge in the borders of Night following the raising of the Wall, the Library will continue to be a place of rest for those who desire a temporary escape from their struggles. Azriel’s support of the Library and its initiatives was well known, as he was there nearly every day, often in the Orange Room, where he would enjoy speaking with other veterans and their families over a cup of coffee.

Azriel was preceded in death by his mate, Lord Eris Vanserra, and his adopted sister, Lady Stella Cicaro. He is survived by his adopted brothers, High Lord Rhysand Cicaro, Lord Cassian Lunae, and his cousin, Lady Morrigan Savis.

All services to be held in the Velaris Temple Proper, 16th Street. Memorial service will begin at 19:00. Funeral proceedings will begin at 21:00, with a private burial to follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Eris Vanserra Memorial Library.

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“Welcome, Azriel.” A soft voice. 

Azriel had bowed before the face of death when she came to greet him. This must be the afterlife.

There were no doors, no windows. No visible source of light, and yet he could see.

Stone walls, as far as he could see. A hallway through the doorway over his left shoulder. And in front of him, a throne where a figure began to materialize around that voice.

“Azriel.” The figure on the throne solidified in front of him. “I am the Mother.”

He bowed, silent, stoic. His wings shifted behind him. His body, his wings, did not ache in this world. His hands were unmarred by scarring. He felt almost as though he were floating.

“Rise, Azriel,” she said. He could hear a small smile in her voice. He could rest here. He would be fine. 

She wore a dress of cobalt blue. It would have matched his siphons, but he did not wear them here. He had no need to fight. He would not have to fight anymore.

The Mother raised a pale hand to her face, raising the solid panel of fabric that veiled her figure until it fell back over her shoulders. She was different than he imagined she would be. More human seeming than fae.

“Do you know where you are?” she asked. Her blue eyes cut into his soul. He could feel her watching, examining, even as she wrapped a curled strand of dark blonde hair around her finger. Perhaps he imagined it, but she seemed almost sad.

“This is the afterlife,” he remarked. 

She smiled. It was unreadable. “Yes.”

“It was a slow death,” he added. 

She nodded. “Yes.”

“Do they mourn? I wasn’t kind, in the end.”

“They mourn. They mourn you deeply.”

Azriel sighed. “I wish they didn’t.”

The Mother’s head tilted to the side, that curl falling as she lowered her hand to the armrest of the throne. “Why?”

“I killed him,” he said stoically. 

The Mother sighed, gazing off to the side. It was not a tired sigh. It was pained. “I know.”

“I deserved to die.”

“You all die, eventually,” she remarked as her gaze snapped back to him with piercing precision. “Does that mean you all deserve death?”

Azriel ignored her. He couldn’t respond. Eris had not deserved the death he received. He had deserved a long life, peace, and a family.

“Azriel,” she said gently. He met her eyes. Blue. Blue, and sorrowful.

“I am not staying here, am I?” he asked quietly. She paused, fingers tracing whorls in the wooden grain of the throne’s arm. 

“I wish you could,” she sighed again. “It is beyond my power.”

He nodded. “Where am I to go?”

“To fight,” she looked at him sorrowfully. “You did not mean to, but you killed your mate. You will not know peace until you have been cleansed of his blood.”

“How long?” Azriel asked. “Will I see him, in the end?”

“I do not know,” she said. “I only know you will suffer. But in the end, yes. You will see him again.”

“That is all I ask,” he bowed again. 

“I am sorry, my child,” she whispered, standing. “I am.”

“There was nothing you could do?” he asked. “I begged you.”

She shook her head. “He would have died, regardless.”

“Did I… did I lose my wings?” he asked. 

She smiled that terrible, sad smile. “Sometimes. Sometimes you lost them, and sometimes, you didn’t. The only surety was that he died that day, and that you died on this one. His death is the tragedy of love. Your death becomes a lesson for those that follow. To be careful.”

“Mother,” Azriel looked at her before him, in that shimmering dress, her sorrowful eyes and gentle smile. “Did he love me?”

“He loves you more than life itself,” she answered.

Everything faded away.

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Taglist: @ninthcircleofprythian @lilah-asteria @dusk-muse @c-starstuff-man0

Let me know if you want on or off the tag train! You have been warned.

[zebaji]

Morrotober Day 3

Prompt: Opposites || Shadows

Summary: When Morro dies, he doesn't go to the Cursed Realm, but to the Underworld.

He thought death would be lonely. In his life he was certainly alone, so why should his afterlife be any different? Oh, it’s funny just how wrong Morro was.

The Underworld is a chattering, hive-like, loud place that is under the rule of an ugly-looking dude who has four arms. Samukai acts like a king, but he has no control over his people. He lumbers around, threatening the undead warriors into creating weapons and vehicles that he has no use for.

He is useless, Morro realizes and once he learns that his powers still work in this realm despite being only bone, he is more than happy to usurp the crumbling throne and begin organizing his very own skulkin kingdom– one that actually works.

It’s a great distraction, Morro thinks absentmindedly as he watches Kruncha add the final touches to the palace– the last piece of his kingdom. For he refuses to believe that he will rule the underworld forever. Sure it’s not the worst place he could be doing his time in death, but Morro has always strived for greatness. 

The Underworld is not a place for greatness. 

As his kingdom thrives, getting as close as it can to being great and falling short due to its failure of a realm, Morro begins to venture to the borders of the caverns. He had died underground, and reborn in a vast cavern, falling into the pit that had been the cause of his demise. But there must be other ways for the disgraced souls to enter here. How did one enter this realm?

He’ll keep an eye out for new occupants of this realm. See where they come from. There must be a crack in this vast void. Something that Morro can use for his own gain– for he wants to escape this wet and spykor-infested realm. He wants to see the skies, to feel the breeze. He wants the skin on his bones to feel the weather. Morro wants and wants, always unsatisfied with what he already has.

His people respect him and trust him. Dare he even say, adore him. He has everything he has ever wanted in his life. He has a home, a people, and acceptance of who he is as a person. But he is greedy. He is a king here, and yet Morro wants more.

At long last, his wishes are answered.

He watches as Garmadon falls from the highest point of the lowest ravine. He watches as Garmadon challenges him for his throne. He watches as Garmadon fails– simply because the Lord had not expected Morro to have elemental powers and the knowledge of Spinjitzu.

“What? Wu never told you about me?” Morro scoffs, voice bitter and painful as he speaks of his old mentor.

Garmadon’s eyes narrow, his shadows increasing in size. If this was a power play, then Morro refuses to lose. He floats a few feet above the man a smirks.

“You knew Wu,” Garmadon asks with a snarl and clenched fists. One could mistake his anger for caution, but Morro sees the sting of betrayal behind the man’s eyes. He smirks.

“It seems your brother has a really bad problem with harming the people he’s close with,” Morro laughs, antagonizing him further as he stares at the Lord with unconcealed amusement.

Instead of rage, Garmadon slumps, the fight abandoning his body. “Then I fear for my son. Wu stopped me from retrieving the weapons so I could protect Lloyd, and I fear what will happen to him.”

Morro wisely does not ask how Garmadon has a child. But he tilts his head, “You seek the Golden weapons?”

The Lord eyes him cautiously, “You seek them as well?”

“I do,” Morro confirms, thinking back to how they hadn’t done anything when he stood before them. He wants to burn them. To mold them into something that will do as he wants. He holds out a hand. “Let’s make a deal. You are still living, I am not. I will aid you in retrieving the Golden Weapons if you help me leave this realm so that I might live again.”

Garmadon contemplates his offer for a moment but ultimately shakes Morro’s bony hand. “Alright,” he agrees. 

Garmadon can control the shadows. He can make them as real as he wants, as tangible as any living being. The Lord explains that it’s an ancient type of magic, made from Oni and darkness. Morro learns it quickly.

The lord does ‘Reconisance,’ although Morro is sure that the man is just checking up on his son. But he also returns with tales of Wu gaining other students, the true wielders of the Golden Weapons. Morro refuses to feel the jealousy and the anger. He will be great and show his old mentor that he was the right person all along.

“We must hurry if we are to succeed,” Garmadon says, finally deeming him ready, and he guides Morro to the highest point of the lowest ravine. “Take your shadow here,” he points to a crevice between two stalactites. “You will arrive in a temple in Ninjago.”

Morro, if he had a tongue and throat, would have swallowed. Freedom at long last. He could almost feel it.

“There is a dragon guarding the Sword of Fire,” Garmadon continues. “It is expecting me, but not you. Tame it and bring it back to the Underworld. Then you will be able to take me and the rest of your remains back to Ninjago.”

Morro nods and stretches his shadow into the crevice. Just like Garmadon said, Morro finds himself in a temple filled of lava and a sleeping dragon.

Morro smirks. Greatness at long last.

<<Previous

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[dhampiravidi]

a second chance at death (and happiness)

Achilles had known that he would choose glory over a long life the moment he won his first duel. Granted, that duel had been against Patroclus, who he had already fallen in love with. The two vowed to bathe in the Lethe together once they reached Elysium, so they could have one or more lives together somewhere else. They shared the same heart, so they should share the same adventures.

And then Patroclus died, killed by Hector while wearing Achilles's armor. Achilles had never known grief like that before, and his only comfort was the visit from his beloved's ghost, after he'd tried to bury all his pain with Hector's. When Apollo's arrow, guided by Paris, found its home in Achilles's tendon, he cried out of course, but he was glad. He could tell by the strength of the poison (and how it sapped his own) that it was going to kill him. For a second, he remembered kind Chiron, and his own son Neoptolemus--and he pushed their memories aside. Achilles would be with his missing half as soon as he closed his eyes...

He found himself in the Fields of Asphodel, where he and the other shades, ghosts with hardly any color, wandered aimlessly between plain trees, only able to groan as opposed to talk. With a heavy heart and rage directed at the gods, Achilles sat and wept. Patroclus had gone to Elysium--why wouldn't he?--but Achilles had been damned. It felt like forever before he and all the other shades' attention was drawn to something with an enticing scent that seemed familiar...ah, blood. The thing that landed him in his own personal Hell. But he never expected to see Odysseus, solid and alive in Hades. As soon as he got the chance, Achilles warned the man against dying, explaining his own suffering. Odysseus had always been a person who commanded respect, and yet Achilles did not truly understand why until the hero convinced Lord Aidoneus himself to resurrect Achilles.

The king of Hades would warn Achilles against being impious in any way, but Achilles already knew. He would not mess up his chances at an afterlife (or another life) with Patroclus. And maybe he'd get to see his son after all--according to Odysseus, Neoptolemus should've grown up and married. Achilles had a brief reunion with his mother (a big hug and lots of kisses on his cheeks), then went to join Odysseus.

"I hope I'm not too late," Achilles said, only walking up to the older man once he and his people were done burying their friend. He held out his hand, thankful for the opportunity. Just breathing fresh air felt like a blessing, though it was far from the kind Achilles desired. "You quite literally saved my life. I am in your debt."

@eternaljunkyard

[elisajdb]

Life With You: Part XL

Revival

Floating on her crystal ball, Fortuneteller Baba viewed the lines of spirits waiting to see King Yemma. She shook her head saddened by the numerous deaths from Earth. It’s already begun. However, these spirits, once people, weren’t killed by Majin Boo but by Majin Vegeta. This wasn’t in her visions.  

She didn’t anticipate Vegeta’s death this soon. That's why when she viewed his death, Baba recovered Vegeta’s spirit and escorted him to King Yemma. Baba floated into the palace of the Lord of the Afterlife as he was rendering sentence. The spirit was very vocal, angrily yelling at King Yemma that they should not be sent to Hell. King Yemma ignored the yelling, opened the floor under the spirit and watched it be sucked into Hell.

“That was an angry spirit,” Baba murmured.

“Very.” King Yemma beckoned the next spirit forward for judgment. “Goodbye, Mrs. Niver.” As he read the spirit’s life, King Yemma frowned, “Another one was killed at the Tenkaichi Budokai by Vegeta. He has been quiet for years.”

“I’ve come to warn you Vegeta has also died. I want you to allow Vegeta to keep his body.”

“Why? Do you know what’s happening on Earth?” King Yemma noticed a spirit floating next to Baba. “Is that Vegeta? Did you jump him ahead of the line?”

“Trust me on this, King Yemma,” Baba pleaded. “Don’t send Vegeta to Hell. Wait until the trouble on Earth has passed.”

“But Goku is on Earth.”

Vegeta’s spirit spoke angry gibberish.

“Baba….” King Yemma had a strong suspicion Baba was hiding something. “Is this why you thought Goku should return to Earth?”

Baba twiddled her thumbs nervously. “I had a vision.”

“Baba, I warned you about your visions and interfering with the natural order of things.”

“If I didn’t interfere, the natural order of things would be the end of Earth! I thought sending Goku would change Earth’s fate but things aren’t going as I hoped. Vegeta fell under Bobbidi’s power. He died too early! He helped with Cell and died trying to save Earth against Majin Boo.”

King Yemma knew from his first death, there were pages of horrible deeds committed by Vegeta. Two good deeds weren’t enough for Vegeta to retain his body. However, King Yemma trusted Baba and what he saw coming from Earth was a warning. “I’ll return his body. Take him to the Viewing Room, Baba. He can stay there until I need him.”

As King Yemma signaled the next spirit forward, Vegeta’s spirit morphed into his body. The Saiyan Prince looked at his hands and body amazed. He felt his forehead. He didn’t feel Bobbidi’s emblem.

I’m free from his possession.

“Come, Vegeta.” Baba urged Vegeta to follow her. “You can stay in Earth’s Viewing Room.”

Vegeta followed Baba down a long hallway. They passed doors with the names of planets on the front. Appreciative that he retained his body, Vegeta wanted answers from Baba. “You knew about Bobbidi and Dabura and you didn’t warn us? You brought Kakarrot back so he can play hero?!”

“Earth needs Goku, Vegeta. You, Gohan and everyone else weren’t enough to defeat Dabura and Majin Boo.”

How insulting! “I am not second fiddle to Kakarrot!”

“You had more warnings about the dangers to come than in my vision and yet, you died before my vision predicted. Bringing Goku into the fold, hastened your death because of your pride!”

Vegeta snarled but he couldn’t dispute Baba’s words. His pride did cost Gohan’s life. If Majin Boo isn’t stopped, it will cost Bulma and Trunks’ lives, too. “So,” he spoke calmer, “in your visions, Boo’s shell still cracked. What happened?”

“At the Tenkaichi Budokai, you and Gohan fought in the final round. Bobbidi’s minions attacked both of you and drained your powers. The Supreme Kai refrained the others from getting involved.”

“Jackass.” Vegeta wasn’t surprised. “In both realities, the Kai is an incompetent fool.”

“It was a grave miscalculation.” They entered Earth’s Viewing Room. There were many ogres watching monitors of different areas on Earth. “Your strength was restored and you went with the Supreme Kai. Krillin was killed instead of Kibito. No one was spat on.”

“So, Gohan, Piccolo and I fought Bobbidi’s minions. Did Gohan fight Dabura?”

“No. You did. You defeated Dabura but before you could kill him, he spat on you.”

“I was turned into stone?!”

“It didn’t last long. Piccolo and Gohan killed Dabura and brought you back but it was the tipping point to unlocking Majin Boo’s shell. It was chaos after that.” Baba took Vegeta to a monitor where Goku lay unconscious. Seeing Goku, reminded Vegeta of Gohan.

“Did Gohan travel to the planet of warriors?” Before judgment is passed on him, Vegeta wanted to apologize to Gohan.

“He would be there now if he was dead.”

“If?!” This news stunned Vegeta. “Gohan’s alive?”

The back of Goku’s head throbbed as his eyes opened to the rocky desert. He spat out the grainy ground that rubbed against his lips. Goku slowly stood as he recalled what happened. He and Vegeta made a truce to stop fighting and help Gohan with Majin Boo.

That was the plan but Vegeta tricked and knocked him out. Goku picked up the empty bag of senzu beans. Dammit, Vegeta. He tried to find Gohan and Vegeta’s ki. They were strong together but Goku knew they couldn’t defeat Majin Boo alone.

Where’s Gohan? Where’s Vegeta?

Goku picked up Krillin and Piccolo’s ki. Maybe they can tell me what’s going on. Goku disappeared and reappeared on Kami’s Temple. There, he got the grim news about Gohan.

Gohan’s too powerful to be killed by Majin Boo.

But he remembered Gohan’s battle with Dabura. Vegeta was right. Gohan has slacked in his training but Goku couldn’t believe he was dead.  

Not the son who gazed at him with the most curious eyes. Not the son who followed him around the house crawling with his bottle wrapped around his tail. Not the son who had strength Goku never imagined; who made him proud with his kind heart and intelligent mind. Not the son who cared for his wife and second child in his absence. He couldn’t be gone.

I helped you with Cell. I wanted to help you with Majin Boo.

But Vegeta blindsided him and it cost Gohan’s life. Gohan can be brought back with the dragon balls but until then, ChiChi has to know. I don’t know how I can tell her.

Goku knew he had to be the one to do it but he had another pressing issue. Majin Boo. “He took down Gohan and Vegeta. He won’t be easy to defeat.”

Piccolo agreed. “At this rate, every living being on Earth and in the universe will be killed.”

“But we have you, Goku,” Krillin wasn’t worried. To him, the battle was over. “You’re the only one who can beat him. You have one full day. You still have time.”

Some things never change. Goku remembered during his heart virus coma, his friends talked of him dealing with the Artificial Humans and Cell. I’m dead and they want me to fight again. “Krillin, I can’t do it.”

“You have to. You’re the only one who can beat Majin Boo.”

Goku thought his absence would mean he’s not the hero anymore. Gohan took his place and Goku thought his friends would keep training and be teachers to the younger ones. That wasn’t happening. Krillin and Yamcha retired. Gohan wasn’t as strong. Goten and Trunks were on the rise but not ready.

I could try as Super Saiyan Three but I lost hours fighting Vegeta.

King Kai warned him against using Super Saiyan Three. It would eat up his time on Earth and if he lost all his time before he returned to the afterlife, he wouldn’t exist anywhere.

It’s also not my place. He was dead and this battle was in the realm of the living. He interfered in aiding Majin Boo’s release. Interfering anymore may cause catastrophic damage. At least that’s what King Kai warned him. Be it a warning or a false narrative, Goku saw the effects of returning to the living world. 

He lost his eldest son and Vegeta was dead.

But if he explained all of that, Goku knew Krillin wouldn’t understand. Instead, he told him,  “Vegeta is just as strong as me and he’s gone.”

“Oh….” Krillin slumped at the grim truth. “Guess you’re right.”

Even though he couldn’t interfere, Goku wanted to help. ChiChi and Goten were still here. He didn’t want them to die. Goku thought the only way for anyone to beat Majin Boo was a Fusion. “If Gohan and Vegeta were still alive, we’d have a chance.” I could’ve taught them Fusion.

“This is similar to Cell, Son. It doesn’t matter how many of us are here. Without strong powerhouses like you, Gohan and Vegeta, we’re done for.”

“I know.” Even you, Piccolo? “They could’ve fused or I could’ve fused with them.”

Goku explained the Fusion technique. “I could never try it since no one is close to my power. I did learn the technique with another warrior so I know what to do. I thought I’d have time to try it with Gohan after the tournament but……”

“We still have a chance!” Krillin saw hope in their dilemma. “When you go back to the afterlife, Gohan and Vegeta will be there. You can fuse with one of them!”

“And what good would that do us?” Krillin’s constant speaking without thinking annoyed Piccolo. “Son cannot return to this realm when he goes back. Vegeta will not keep his body and if Son fuses with Gohan, he can’t return to this realm when we wish Gohan back.”

“Don’t scold me as if my ideas are stupid! I’m trying to come up with something while you haven’t suggested a thing!”

“Contemplating is better than speaking without thinking, Krillin.”

Before an argument could break out between the two, Mr. Popo suggested Goten and Trunks could fuse since they have a similar size and power. Goku thought it was a long shot but it was the best idea they had. “I’ll train Goten and Trunks until I leave. Piccolo, you’ll have to take over for me.”

“Good idea, Goku!” Krillin cheered as his hope rose again. “Those two are gonna do it! I know it!”

“Possibly,” Piccolo conceded it was their best option, but he still worried. “It will take time for Goten and Trunks to learn the technique. Millions will die in the meantime. The entire planet could be wiped out before they’re ready. This is a terrible gamble, Son.”

“Maybe,” Goku understood Piccolo’s concerns, “but we have the dragon balls. We can wish everyone back.”

“In the meantime, I’ll get the others,” Krillin offered. “Our families will be safe.”

The skies above them suddenly darkened. Goku knew what was happening and he didn’t like it. “Shenron. Why is he being summoned now?”

“Bulma,” Krillin guessed. “She collected the dragon balls to wish everyone back Vegeta killed.”

For a brief moment, Goku worried. Does this mean Mrs. Niver will come back?

“This is bad,” Dende worried. “If all three wishes are used now, the dragon balls will be inert for a year.”

“I’ll stop her,” Goku put his fingers to his forehead but among the billions of lives on the planet, Bulma’s ki was too hard to pinpoint. Goku had a hunch his wife was with her. Focusing on ChiChi, Goku quickly found her. He was right. ChiChi and Bulma were together.

Goku arrived after one wish was used. He sent Shenron away promising to request the other two wishes later. As the dragon dispersed into seven separate balls, ChiChi ran into Goku’s arms.

“You’re back!” ChiChi snuggled against his chest. “You’re safe.”

“Worried about me?” Goku teased. “I’m dead, ChiChi. What else could happen to me?”

“Don’t talk like that,” ChiChi gently chided him. “After everything that has happened today, I have a right to be worried.” She looked around expecting her sons to be with Goku. “Where are Gohan and Goten? Videl said Goten and Trunks were flying to you and Gohan.” When Goku didn’t answer immediately, ChiChi worried, “Did something happen to our sons?”

“Stop worrying,” Goku brushed off ChiChi’s concerns. “Everyone’s on Kami’s Temple. We all have to go there to be safe.” He addressed the group around them. “I need everyone to line up and hold on to each other. I’m gonna transfer us to Kami’s Temple. We’ll be safe from Majin Boo there.”

“Who is Majin Boo?” Yamcha asked. “What’s happening?”

“I’ll explain when we are at the temple.”

“I hope Vegeta has an explanation for what he did.” Bulma joined the line with Yamcha. 

18 held Marron as she stepped to Goku. “Is Krillin with you?”

“He’s fine. He can’t wait to see you two.”

“Good.” 18 took her place next to Gyu-Mao. No one else saw it but ChiChi noticed the worry leave her friend. She’ll feel that relief when she sees her sons.

As Goku checked to see everyone lined up, Goku noticed ChiChi touching his shoulder and not his hand. “I thought you were gonna hold my hand.”

“I'd rather hold you.”

Goku blushed at ChiChi’s bedroom eyes. “Don’t look at me like that,” he whispered.

When they were transported to Kami’s Temple, ChiChi was disappointed to see Piccolo, Krillin and Dende. She was happy 18 reunited with Krillin but where were her sons? Goku said everyone was here but as the seconds ticked without a sight of her sons, ChiChi’s worry increased.

“Goku,” ChiChi asked again, “where are Gohan and Goten?”

ChiChi’s question sparked Bulma to ask about Vegeta and Trunks. Behind Goku, ChiChi saw Krillin panic. Her eyes went to Goku who suddenly bore a serious face. Oh, no. Gohan. Goten. Not them. Please don’t tell me something happened to them.

“This isn’t easy for me to say,” Goku began gravely. “Goten and Trunks are safe but Gohan and Vegeta are dead. Majin Boo killed them.”

No! It was the last news ChiChi wanted to hear and what she feared the most. I lost my husband. I can’t lose Gohan, too. Not him.

Not the boy who gave her the sweetest smile; the shy toddler who clutched at her skirts as she cooked his favorite meals; the boy who had grown so much since being away for a year and became a shoulder for her to lean on during one of the darkest periods of her life. Not her baby boy who was growing into a bright young man with so much waiting for him.

Gohan.

She felt lightheaded and hot suddenly. She stood still but everything around her spun into a blur. She couldn’t see Goku or her father. Her weakening legs buckled under pressure as she collapsed and blacked out before her head hit the pavement.

“ChiChi, please wake up." Gyu-Mao hovered over ChiChi. He looked helpless at Goku as he rushed over. “Goku. Help her.” This is my fault. Goku picked up ChiChi. "I'll take her to my old room." Leaving, Goku could hear Bulma wailing for Vegeta. Hearing her grief reminded Goku of who he lost. Gohan’s nervous smile flashed in his mind. It was the last he saw of Gohan before he left with the Supreme Kai. Get it together, Goku. Gohan and Vegeta were dead. Majin Boo had to be stopped. Everyone was depending on him. But I can't do it. Everything is on Goten and Trunks. He spoke confidently of the boys but knew it was a big risk putting everything on their small shoulders.

ChiChi stirred in his arms awakening. “Goku?” She was so woozy. She touched his face to be sure he was there. “I’m here. You fainted. I’m taking you to my old room.” “I can make it,” she gently pushed at him forcing Goku to place her on feet. "I need you to tell me Gohan’s not dead. You made a mistake.” Goku remained firm but ChiChi's tears almost broke him. "Sorry, ChiChi, but he's gone. I can't feel his Ki." "No! You’re wrong!” Goku didn’t waver. “Please be wrong,” ChiChi begged her husband. “Please," she sobbed. "My baby can't be gone. Tell me you’re lying, Goku. Please tell me you’re lying!" Goku held ChiChi against him. It was all he could do to comfort her. Gohan’s last smile flashed in his mind as ChiChi’s sobs got louder. I wanted to help you, Gohan.  “I'm sorry.” "You were gonna protect him," ChiChi sobbed against his shirt. "You said you'll never let anything happen to Gohan. You told me to trust you. I did and our son is dead!" Her voice raised. It wasn’t in anger but heartbreak. Goku never saw ChiChi cry like this except when Gohan told her he died and wasn’t coming back. "Gohan!” she wailed his name. “Not our baby! Not him!" Goku wished ChiChi screamed at him. He wished she was angry and blamed him for their son's death. He could handle that. He couldn’t handle this ChiChi who wailed with a broken heart; who believed he would protect their son. He couldn’t handle he let her down. This is my fault. I should’ve defeated Vegeta as a Super Saiyan Three. Gohan would be alive if I did that. Gohan appeared in Goku’s mind again but as a baby looking in awe of him. This faded to a giggling baby Gohan crawling to him. This transferred to Gohan on one of the worst days of Goku’s life: Gohan taken by Raditz. That horrible vision whirled to Goku finding Gohan with a broken neck on Namek. When Gohan needed him, Goku was there.

Except today. I'm sorry, Gohan. I didn't protect you. I shouldn't have come back. "Goku?" Goku turned his head to see Bulma. He didn't notice her encroaching. "Bulma, what is it?" Bulma always kept herself looking good. Her hair was never out of place and her makeup was perfect but now her eyes were red, her face was slightly puffy and her lipstick was smeared. "Why did you let him die?" He didn't need this. He didn’t want anyone else to make him feel guilty about Gohan’s death. "I didn't let Gohan die." "I'm not talking about Gohan. I'm talking about Vegeta. How could you let him die?" "Bulma, I didn't let Vegeta die. I didn't know." "What do you mean you didn't know? You were with him, weren't you?!" "I....." Goku wanted to be careful with his words. "I wasn't with him." "What?" Bulma choked on her tears. "Did you let Vegeta fight Majin Boo by himself? Why weren't you with him?! You're supposed to fight Majin Boo! You're the one who beat the bad guys! It's what you've always done! Why didn't you do it this time?!"

“Bulma….”

“Why did you come back? Vegeta turned into a psychotic killer because of you! Gohan is dead! Bad things happen when you’re around!”

“Stop it!” ChiChi snapped back. She lost her son. She understood Bulma’s pain of losing a lover but she wouldn’t allow Bulma to take it out on Goku. “I know you’re hurting, Bulma, but you’re not the only one. Goku and I lost our son!”

ChiChi’s words forced Bulma to collect herself. ChiChi was right but so was she about Vegeta. He wouldn’t be dead if Goku had done what he had always done. “I want to know what happened to Vegeta. Goku knows and he won’t say. Don’t you find it strange he survived while they died? Don’t you want to know what happened to your son and why Goku wasn’t there when Gohan needed his father?”

Bulma’s words felt like a slap. Closing his eyes, he saw Gohan again. I’m sorry, Gohan. As he thought of his son, Goku felt ChiChi’s eyes on him. He didn’t need a rift with ChiChi but he knew Bulma’s words created a fissure in their mutual mourning. “Bulma….” Goku didn’t want to say it. “Don’t,” he warned her. “Please.”

“Tell me!” Bulma screamed. “I’m your oldest friend. I deserve to know the truth! What happened to my Vegeta?! Why didn’t you save your son?!”

“He knocked me out!” Goku hadn’t meant to yell but Bulma’s probing while he mourned his loss pushed Goku to his limit. “I felt Majin Boo’s power. I told Vegeta we should stop fighting and help Gohan and the Supreme Kai. Vegeta agreed but when I turned my back on him, he knocked me out.” Goku hated admitting that. He let his guard down to people he trusted. It was the first time he lowered his guard around Vegeta and cost Gohan’s life. “When I woke up, Vegeta and Gohan were dead.”

The truth rendered Bulma speechless. She stood as a statue while swallowing the news of Vegeta causing his and Gohan’s death. She wanted to yell at Goku. She wanted to accuse him of lying but she knew her oldest friend. He could hide the truth but he didn’t lie. “Why?” Bulma whispered. “Why would Vegeta do that?”

“Bulma, I would’ve saved Gohan and Vegeta if I could.” He heard ChiChi crying softly against him. He took that as his cue to leave. ChiChi needed him. “Sorry.” He walked away with ChiChi. They were silent the rest of the way to his old room. When they entered, he walked ChiChi to his bed. “You should lie down, ChiChi.”

ChiChi waved off that suggestion. “Lying down won’t bring me our son back, Goku.” She stepped away from him. She felt embarrassed for fainting. She hadn’t done that in years. “Goten.” She thought of her only living child. Her sweet baby boy adored Gohan. “How can I tell him Gohan’s….. Gohan….” she began crying again.

Goku embraced ChiChi. He hated this day. His family was broken and he blamed himself. “I’ll tell him.” He consoled her. “I’ll tell him, ChiChi, but I gotta tell ya,” he warned. “I can’t stop Majin Boo. I need Goten and Trunks.” ChiChi immediately stiffened in his arms. She pulled away. “They’re strong, ChiChi.”

“You want them to fight that monster?” No. Not another son. “He killed Vegeta and Gohan.”

“I know, but to be in this realm, I was given enough energy for twenty-four hours. I lost some of it fighting Vegeta. The more energy I use, the quicker my time goes.”

ChiChi thought of Vegeta and how menacing he was. He wouldn’t go down easily. “How much time do you have left, Goku?”

Goku shrugged. “I probably have sixteen or seventeen hours. I don’t have enough left to stop Majin Boo. The best I can do is train Goten and Trunks and leave the rest to Piccolo.” ChiChi turned away from him. He knew she didn’t like that but this was the only way. “I know you didn’t like it when I took Gohan to train----”

“No,” ChiChi cut him off. “That’s not it.” Seven years ago, she would’ve been against this but ChiChi learned from her mistakes. “Goten and Trunks are strong but they’re not Gohan. They are boys who grew up in peace. They never dealt with the consequences of not winning. They have the strength. They have the skills but not the mindset for what you want them to do.”

“So, they’re spoiled.” Goku saw that in Trunks. He didn’t act like the Trunks he met seven years ago. This one was the pure embodiment of his parents’ strong personalities. Goten was shy and playful. He wasn’t far behind Trunks so Goku knew if they focus, they will defeat Majin Boo. “I’ll get them ready and Piccolo will take over when I’m gone.”

He was determined and ChiChi knew she couldn’t stop Goku when he had his mind set on something. “Then make the same promise you made with me over Gohan.” She lightly jabbed his face. “You make Goten and Trunks as strong as possible. You train them to make Majin Boo pay for killing our Gohan.”

ChiChi’s approval was everything to Goku. She’d get angry and not agree with his decisions but ChiChi always had his back. “Promise.”

“Good.” She had his word. That was all she needed. ChiChi gave Goku a quick kiss. “Then go. You don’t have a lot of time.”

Goku pulled away from ChiChi but when he reached the door, he hesitated. He needed what only ChiChi could give him. A kiss. It was long, slow and melted ChiChi like wax to a flame. She gripped his shirt with one hand while the other nestled his hair so she wouldn’t pool to the floor. Goku’s kisses were a silent language. In it, ChiChi could feel his anger, frustration and sorrow. She took that from him and sent her love and hope while conveying her understanding and forgiveness.

Goku broke the breathless kiss with a vow. “I’m making a promise to you, ChiChi. If I face Majin Boo before I leave, I’ll make him pay for what he did to Gohan.”

Goku left ChiChi and returned to the group waiting for him. He wanted to fight strong opponents for fun and eat to his heart’s content but when the need called for one to take command and delegate, leader was a role Goku shifted into naturally.

Goku was going to voice it was time to wake up Goten and Trunks when Bobbidi and Majin Boo appeared in their minds. Bobbidi spoke to the entire world about what he wanted. Piccolo, Goten and Trunks. He threatened to destroy cities if they didn’t come to him.

“I will go,” Piccolo volunteered. “My death will spare lives.”

“They’ll kill you and destroy Earth anyway.” Experiences with Freeza and Cell taught Goku some beings couldn’t be trusted on their word. “You must train Goten and Trunks when I go. We can bring everyone back with the dragon balls. Let’s go.”

Goku, Piccolo and Mr. Popo were halfway to Goten and Trunks' room, when they saw ChiChi coming to them. “ChiChi?” She was angry and wearing the same look on her face when she ran down the stadium steps to aid Gohan against Spopovich. “You heard the broadcast.”

“Those monsters want to kill our Goten! I’ll fight that weaselly maggot and his fat sidekick before that happens!”

“You can’t.” The last thing Goku needed was ChiChi going off half-cocked and getting herself killed. “Goten and Trunks have to fight them but I gotta prepare them first.”

“I can’t stand here and do nothing, Goku. I did too much of that when Gohan was a child.” ChiChi knew Goku wouldn’t let her fight so she offered an alternative. “I want to watch you train Goten.”

Behind him, Piccolo waved his arms and shook his head mouthing ‘No.’

Piccolo will take over when he’s gone. However, Goku hadn’t forgotten how tough Piccolo was with Gohan and how that had stunted some of his fighting. A softer guidance would erode Piccolo’s toughness.

“All right.”

“Thank you,” ChiChi embraced Goku while Piccolo threw his hands up disgusted.

ChiChi went with Goku, Piccolo and Mr. Popo to the room Goten and Trunks slept in. Goten sprawled on the bed with his covers kicked off while Trunks slept on his side covered. ChiChi and Goku went to Goten’s bedside while Piccolo went to Trunks. “Goten,” ChiChi gently shook Goten awake. “Goten, it’s time to wake up.”

“Hey!” Piccolo yanked the covers off Trunks. “Wake up!”

Goten opened his eyes. He looked around confused this wasn’t the desert with Trunks and his Dad. He forgot that when he saw his mother. “Momma!” Goten jumped up and hugged ChiChi. “It was so bad, Momma!” he wailed for his mother’s comfort after his terrible ordeal. “Me and Trunks wanted to see a genie and we found statues of Mr. Piccolo and Mr. Krillin. Trunks broke the Mr. Piccolo statue but he regurgitated his body back after the fat genie turned another guy into a cookie and ate him!”

“Oh,” Goku slyly grinned at Piccolo, “So that’s how you got your body back.”

“More or less,” Piccolo grumbled, “but I didn’t regurgitate. I regenerated.”

“Then Mr. Vegeta showed up and fought the fat genie. He was so awesome but he got beat up really badly. Me and Trunks tried to help him but Mr. Vegeta got weird and told Trunks to take care of his Mom. Mr. Vegeta hugged Trunks, Momma!” Goten gasped still astonished. “Mr. Vegeta never hugged Trunks but it was a trick to knock him out.” He rubbed his stomach where Vegeta punched him. “He hit me, too. We wanted to help but Mr. Vegeta was a meanie!”

“Why are we here? Where’s my Dad?” Trunks saw Piccolo. “Did you leave him?”

“Come on.” Goku gently pulled Goten from ChiChi’s arms. “Get your shoes on, Goten. We have to take you and Trunks to a room.”

“Is my Dad there?” Trunks got out of bed and put on his shoes. “Is that where you are taking us?”

“Everything will be explained.”

Trunks didn’t like Goku’s cryptic words but he accepted he had to do as told….for now.

“Is Big Brother there, too, Momma?” Goten grabbed ChiChi’s hand while following Goku out of the room. “I wanna tell him about my day.”

ChiChi gently squeezed Goten’s hand as her lower lip quivered. She told herself to not cry and worry Goten but it was so hard to hold the truth from her little one. “Do as your father says.”

“Okay.” Goten agreed. “Where are we?” he looked around at the wide hallways and tall columns. “It’s so big here.”

“This is a place where your Daddy lived for a few years.”

“Oh,” Goten looked at the man a couple feet ahead of him still in awe he was his father. “He’s so big, Momma,” Goten whispered.

“I know.”

Goten looked at his father shyly before whispering to ChiChi. “I like him.”

ChiChi whispered back. “I’m glad.”  

Goten and Trunks were ushered into a training room Goku used. Goten looked around eager and curious while Trunks was suspicious. “All right. We’re here. Where is my Dad?”

“No more stalling, Son.” Piccolo didn’t want to waste any more time. “Tell them or I will.”

“Tell us what?” Trunks lost his patience. “Where is my Dad? Tell me!”

“Momma?” From Trunks’ burst of anger, Goten picked up the shift in the air. Mr. Vegeta wasn’t here and neither was his Big Brother. Why was everyone so quiet? “Momma, where’s Big Brother?”

It hurt ChiChi to remain quiet but Goku wanted to tell Goten. She braced her heart on how crushed her son will be when he learns his Big Brother is dead.

“Gohan and Vegeta are dead. Majin Boo killed them.”

ChiChi winced at Goku’s bluntness. She could hear the news like that but it needed to be softened for Goten and Trunks.

Both boys were silent as the news settled in. ChiChi wasn’t sure if they understood what Goku said but tears began to trickle from the boys’ eyes. Their little bodies trembled. Goten snapped from the shock first bursting into tears and wailing. “Big Brother!!!!”

“No!!!” Trunks denied the news. “It can’t be! My Dad didn’t die to that monster!”

“Big Brother is dead!!!”

ChiChi stepped forward to scoop Goten into her arms but Goku’s arm blocked her. He silently warned her to not get involved.

“But, Goku….” ChiChi protested.

“You told me you will let me handle this.”

Goku was rarely stern with her. In the past, she relented but after being on her own for seven years, ChiChi found herself struggling to be a submissive wife. Goku turned away unaware of ChiChi’s internal struggle. He didn’t like being rude to ChiChi but his time was waning on Earth and he needed Goten and Trunks to learn Fusion. 

“If you don’t like it, then hurry up and learn this technique and avenge them! Got it?!”

No. ChiChi didn’t approve of how Goku was handling this. This isn’t the way, Goku.

“I know it’s harsh,” Goku softened his tone as if realizing he was being too hard, “but it’s the only way. Bobbidi may find this place soon. We need to start training immediately.”

Goku began explaining what Fusion was. He thought the boys were listening but when he asked them to turn into Super Saiyans, he noticed Goten and Trunks glaring at him. “What’s wrong? Am I going too fast?”

Trunks sneered at Goku. “What were you doing when Dad and Gohan got killed?”

Oof. Goku hoped the boys wouldn’t think to ask that. He didn’t have time to make up an excuse so he told the truth. “I was knocked out.”

“Knocked out? At a time like that?! Trunks was disgusted. “I thought you were strong!”

Trunks wasn’t the only one angry and disgusted with Goku’s answer. Goten was, too. “What can we learn from you?!”

“How dare you?!” Piccolo was patient as Goku broke the news but from how Goku and ChiChi woke Goten and spoke to him, it was shameful to see they were still coddling parents. Piccolo knew Goku was holding back the truth. He heard the conversation between Goku, ChiChi and Bulma and it pissed him off Trunks and Goten would dare talk so rudely to Goku as if he was a coward. “You are speaking to Goku!!”

“It’s okay, Piccolo.” Goku let the insult roll off him. “I am weak. I could never beat Majin Boo. I can teach you this trick. If you want to get back at Majin Boo for what he did to Gohan and Vegeta, this is the way.”

“If you can’t beat Majin Boo, why should we believe you know a way to defeat him?!”

“Yeah!” Goten agreed with Trunks. “You’re big but you’re not strong like Big Brother or you wouldn’t have let him die!”

“Goten.” ChiChi couldn’t allow her son to disrespect his father. “That’s enough. Apologize to your father.”

“No!” Goten refused. “You and Big Brother told me Daddy is a great man and very strong! How can he be so great if he was knocked out and he let Big Brother and Trunks’ Daddy die?! He’s weak! I can’t learn anything from him!”

When Gohan yelled at her in the hospital, ChiChi was hurt. Everyone agreed with him. The pain she felt then ChiChi could see in Goku’s eyes now. Gohan was calmer after that outburst. She suspected Goku talked to him. Now it was her turn to talk to Goten for Goku. “That’s enough, Goten.” ChiChi didn’t scream but her voice did rise, warning him.

“It’s okay, ChiChi.” Goku knew what ChiChi was doing but she didn’t need to. “I can’t be great if I let Gohan die.”

“And my Dad!” Trunks jumped in. “Dad talked about you like you should be respected, but why should we respect a dead guy? If you are so great, you wouldn’t be dead or you would’ve died instead Dad and Gohan like you did seven years ago!”

“Why you little….!” Piccolo had enough of the brats. “A good smack across your face would do you good.”

ChiChi blocked Piccolo from striking the boys. She knelt to Goten. “I know you are upset and sad about Big Brother. I am, too, but you don’t take it out on Daddy.”

“But he…..”

“He’s not responsible for Big Brother or Vegeta dying. Remember when we talked about Daddy? Remember when you asked how Daddy died?” Goten nodded. “What did I say?”

Goten kept his head down and his eyes on his small hands wrapped in his mother’s. “Daddy died to protect us. He died so we can live in peace.”

“That’s right,” ChiChi was proud Goten remembered. “He stayed away to protect us. He was gifted a chance to see us again. Do you think a man like that, your Daddy, would let your Big Brother die?”

Goten raised his head to Goku. He was a mystery for years. He saw his photos; and heard many stories about him from his mother and Big Brother. The stories made Goten want to know this man. It made Goten love him when he didn’t know him. Momma and Big Brother can’t be wrong. “No.” Tears rolled down his cheeks. He felt bad for yelling at his Daddy. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”

Goku gently rubbed Goten’s hair. “All is forgiven.”

“But Big Brother, Momma. It hurts he’s gone.”

ChiChi embraced Goten as he cried. “I know, Goten. It hurts for me, too, but the best way to deal with it is to fight back and make that bad Majin Boo pay for what he did.”

“I will, Momma,” Goten promised. “Daddy, teach me how to beat Majin Boo.”

“I’m ready, too.” What ChiChi said made sense to Trunks. His father spoke highly of Goku. He wouldn’t respect him if he thought Son Goku was weak. 

ChiChi allowed Goku to resume training but Bobbidi interrupted addressing Piccolo, Goten and Trunks again. He gave them more incentive to fight when Majin Boo destroyed another city. ChiChi and Piccolo tried to shun Goten and Trunks from closing their eyes and seeing the horror of Majin Boo but Goku was glad they saw the violence. They needed to see what was at stake if they didn’t win.  

Their lessons were interrupted half an hour later when Bobbidi announced he knew Trunks’ address and was heading to West City. This brought a panic Bulma into the room.

“Goku, they are heading to West City. They are going to kill my parents.”

“We can bring them back with the dragon balls.”

“He’ll destroy the city, Goku! And if he does that, he’ll destroy the dragon ball radar I left there. There are special parts I can’t replicate except in my lab.”

“Whaaa!” Goku screamed. “Why did you leave it there?! Okay. Change of plans. Trunks, I need you to fly home and get that radar. I’ll stall Majin Boo and Bobbidi.”

“Are you sure about that?” Trunks accepted Goku wasn’t to blame for his Dad and Gohan’s death but he didn’t think Goku could handle Majin Boo alone. He doesn’t look tough enough. “Won’t he flatten you?”

“I’ll manage. Now hurry before they get there.”

“All right,” Trunks ran out of the room. He leapt off Kami’s Temple and flew towards West City as fast as he could. “I don’t think Goten’s Dad can handle Majin Boo. He killed my Dad and he’s stronger. What can Goten’s Dad do?”

“Don’t go alone,” ChiChi pleaded with Goku. “Take Piccolo with you.”

“You’re doubting I can stall Majin Boo?” That wasn’t the ChiChi he knew. “Have I lost my touch with you?” He winked at her. “You used to think I could do anything.”

She slapped his arm. This wasn’t the time to flirt. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Piccolo walked out of the room disgusted. He knew what was going to happen. “Seven years and it’s still disgusting to see.”

Bulma stepped out of the room to give Goku and ChiChi a moment alone but Goten stayed curious. Were they going to hug? His young eyes grew when he saw his parents press their lips together. Goten knew Mommies and Daddy's kiss but it was strange to see his parents do that. It was strange to see a man close to his Momma. No man did that except one.  

Mr. Kenji touched Momma’s cheeks with his lips but he never touched her lips like Daddy is doing. When his Daddy pulled away, Goten noticed his mother’s face was red. Did Daddy make Momma sick kissing her? Why is Daddy smiling like that? Goten continued to stare at his Daddy as he put two fingers to his forehead and disappeared. Daddy’s magical.

“Momma? Can Daddy stall Majin Boo?”

ChiChi had a hand over her heart. It was pounding so fast. Goku’s swagger. His confidence. His kiss. It was everything. “Goten… your Daddy can do anything.”

ChiChi believed that with all her heart. She knew Goku spent his time away training. She knew he was stronger but even she was stunned at the transformation that took over Goku.

Super Saiyan Three.

The entire planet shook. ChiChi knew Goku held a lot of power but seeing it cause the entire planet to shake was mind-blowing. It was one long terrifying earthquake creating avalanches and tidal waves. Some poorly structured homes were destroyed. Bridges wobbled while some collapsed and only settled after Goku’s transformation. His blonde hair sprouted to his hips. He glowed as electricity crackled around him. The energy pulsing from Goku was enormous. Everyone around ChiChi was awed by Goku’s power. The wife of Son Goku, however, had one question.

Goku, what happened to your eyebrows?!

He was still attractive. ChiChi felt nothing could squelch that feeling but the lack of eyebrows was unnerving. He’s still handsome but not as handsome as he always is.

THIS IS SUPER SAIYAN LEVEL THREE. SORRY IT TOOK A WHILE. I’M NOT USED TO IT YET.

Oh…..

Goku’s voice rocked her core. That familiar tingle nearly caused her knees to buckle. I guess his voice makes up for his missing eyebrows. Ooo! It was mesmerizing watching Goku fight. She mentally cheered for every punch Goku smashed against Majin Boo’s face. That’s for Gohan! ChiChi was proud of how Goku handled himself against Majin Boo. He’s so much stronger. This new transformation will take a while to get used to but I bet Goku was so happy when he reached it.  

Yes! ChiChi whooped and hollered at Goku grabbing Majin Boo by his antennae and punching his face like a boxer pounding his punching bag. Get em, Goku! Make him pay for taking our son!

He’s so handsome. ChiChi admired Goku’s chiseled face. Clothes hid his body but thinking of what the training in the afterlife did to Goku’s body made ChiChi want to touch him with her hands and mouth.

I wish we had time for one more. If only I could feel him against me. What a send-off I would give Goku. Piccolo suddenly turned to her. His scrutinizing eyes caused her to blush. Is he reading my mind? She saw his purple cheeks. He is! Stop reading my mind!!

Sorry! Piccolo hastily grunted and turned away from ChiChi.

The people of Earth weren’t alone in watching the battle between Goku and Majin Boo. In the observation room for Earth, King Yemma’s staff were glued to the monitors. One who wasn’t a servant but a special guest viewed the battle with malice.

Vegeta.

Minutes earlier, the Saiyan Prince was cautious for Goku. Having battled Majin Boo and lost, Vegeta knew Goku had a tough fight ahead of him.

“Be on your guard, Kakarrot. Majin Boo is extremely powerful.”

“I hope he doesn’t die again like you,” a well-dressed ogre observed. “If Son Goku is killed on Earth, he can’t return to this plane. He’ll cease to exist.”

“Kakarrot has twenty-fours on Earth. He won’t fight Majin Boo for that long.”

“Son Goku returned to Earth with energy to sustain him for twenty-four hours. If he doesn’t return to replenish when his time is up, he’ll cease to exist.” The ogre added, “He lost six hours fighting you.”

The ogre didn’t know it but he helped Vegeta understand Goku’s cryptic words during their fight.

“Do you know what I gave up to give you this fight?!”

You sacrificed your time to fight me, Kakarrot. You knew what you were doing was costing you.

Free from the negative energy of Bobbidi, Vegeta felt guilt. This day wasn’t for him to settle the score of their one-sided rivalry. It was for ChiChi to reunite with her husband. It was for Gohan to see his Dad again. It was for Goten to meet his father. Today is all they had and I sold my soul to take that from them. I didn’t win the fight. It was all for nothing. 

“I wanted to teach you about Super Saiyans so it’s easier to understand.”

Vegeta brushed aside his thoughts and focused on Goku speaking to Majin Boo. “Is he giving Majin Boo lessons on being a Super Saiyan? Kakarrot, what the hell are you doing?”

Goku turned into a Super Saiyan. Then he upgraded to Super Saiyan Two. “I wonder how long it took him to break that wall.”

“And then….” Goku smirked. “THIS….IS THE NEXT LEVEL UP!”

Gasps and murmurs spread through the room as an explosive amount of energy expelled from Goku. They weren’t shaking like Earth but Vegeta could feel Goku’s power reach King Yemma’s palace. This was beyond anything he felt before. How can Kakarrot have this power? How can I feel it here? “Kakarrot……” his power kept growing. What was he doing? What was he turning into? “What….. the… fuck!!”

Vegeta was enraged at the power pouring from Goku’s new transformation but also at the shocking revelation Goku had this power and kept it from him. Did he….?

THIS IS SUPER SAIYAN LEVEL THREE. SORRY IT TOOK A WHILE. I’M NOT USED TO IT YET.

That son of a dick!!!

“He made a fool out of me!!!” Their battle flashed in his mind. Goku’s grunts and pains thrilled him. It felt so good. They were finally at the same level again. “I thought Kakarrot was giving me everything but that bastard was holding back his real power! That son of dick toyed with me as if I were a child!!”

Rage bubbled in Vegeta as Goku punched Majin Boo’s face like a punching bag. Even with the djinn’s power, he couldn’t attack Majin Boo like that. “He mocks me handling Majin Boo better than me.” Majin Boo retaliated with a huge blast of his power. It was a direct hit on Goku. A hit like that left Vegeta’s face scarred and bloodied. Goku’s face wasn’t blemished. “He’s not scared.” Vegeta thought of when Majin Boo used a piece of flabby flesh from his stomach and wrapped Vegeta in it to be his punching bag. “He’s not humiliated like me.”

Vegeta’s clenched fists shook. “Why? Why is it always me?!” Recoome manhandled him and Goku defeated him with one blow. Freeza beat the hell out of him before killing him. Goku’s fight with Freeza pushed him to be a Super Saiyan. “That damn virus spared Kakarrot from facing the Artificial Humans while I was humiliated again!” Even his first match with Perfect Cell destroyed him. “Kakarrot lost that fight but he died with dignity.” It wasn’t fair. “Everything Kakarrot does is better than me. Everything comes easier while I bust my ass and I still fail!”

“Oh, get over yourself!!”

While the staff stepped away from Vegeta during his angry tirade, Baba remained and listened to his ranting. “It wasn’t easy for Goku. He worked hard to get all he achieved while you had everything served to you because you are a prince!”

Vegeta glared at the old woman. Who was she to talk to him this way? “What do you know?!”

“This ball I’m floating on isn’t an accessory. I’ve viewed both of your lives. You’ve had hardships but so has Goku.” Baba’s globe illuminated to reveal Goku as a child standing over Gohan Sr.’s crushed body. As Baba spoke, images of Goku’s childhood were revealed to Vegeta. He saw Goku burying Gohan Sr., his solitary training, his fights against the Red Ribbon Army; his matches at the Tenkaichi Budokai; his anger at Krillin’s sudden death; his battle against King Piccolo; his marriage to ChiChi and care for baby Gohan.

“Goku’s fought for everything in his life. Goku didn’t whine when defeated. It motivated him to get stronger. It motivated him to learn all forms of fighting practices to better himself.” A happy image of Goku with his wife and baby melted to Vegeta and his past fighting battles as a child, losing matches to a teenage Zarbon and his mentorship under Nappa. “You lose. You sulk. You get angry. You’re told you’re a prince and thus you’re entitled to be better and stronger because of your royal blood. How many times did Nappa say you are entitled to things because you are a Saiyan Prince? How many times did Nappa say you are the strongest Saiyan because of your royal blood? Did he ever say you are the best fighter and strongest because of your skills?”

The image in Baba’s crystal ball revealed Goku and Vegeta’s first match. That battle triggered Vegeta to this day. That was the first time Vegeta questioned his teachings. Nappa told him he was the strongest Saiyan and the best fighter because of his royal Saiyan blood.

For years, he wrestled with the reality that what he was taught was wrong. Vegeta thought he needed to train to be proven right. He thought he finally got the upper hand after his time in the Room of Spirit and Time only to have his ego blown at Goku and Gohan managing Super Saiyan as if it was their base form. His bruised ego took a beating at Gohan defeating Cell. Goku battling Majin Boo as Super Saiyan Three was another slap.

“It’s not easy to undo what one has been taught.”

“It may come to many universes needing you to do that,” Baba gravely reminded him. “Is your ego more important than that?”

Baba floated off then. Goku was using a lot of energy in his Super Saiyan Three form. She will have to return him to the afterlife very soon. On Earth, the battle continued between Goku and Majin Boo until Goku suddenly ended the fight and returned to his base form. He told Majin Boo to stop killing and that in two days he will have the fight he wants. He parted disappearing in front of Majin Boo and reappearing on Kami’s Temple.

“Daddy!” Goten embraced him. “Daddy, you’re so strong!”

Goku patted Goten’s head chuckling. “I impress ya, huh?”

“Goku!” Goku nearly fell over when ChiChi plowed him with a hug. “You were wonderful but, Honey,” she touched his face. “You’re sweating badly.” She opened her scarf around her neck and wiped his face. More sweat popped on his skin. “It’s not stopping and your skin is so warm. Come inside. I’ll get you some water and fix you something to eat.”

“I’m okay.” Goku gently broke off her excessive sweat cleaning. “Don’t worry about it.”

“You must be in bad condition if you are refusing my offer to fix you something.”

If only ChiChi knew how right she was. He was exhausted. King Kai was right to warn him against turning into Super Saiyan Three. He could feel his energy fading. He needed to return to the afterlife to replenish himself. I probably have an hour left.

“Maybe,” he smiled to alleviate her concerns, “some of your yummy cooking can get my energy back.”

“I can do that. I’ll go into the kitchen and fix you something right now.”

Piccolo knew that wasn’t going to help Goku but he assisted in his deception. “Mr. Popo will take you to the kitchen.”

While ChiChi hurried to her task, Piccolo worried about Goku’s state. It was abnormal. Something was bothering Goku but he decided to not pry. Instead, they viewed Earth below and witnessed Bobbidi’s sudden death by Majin Boo.

“That monster’s gonna kill everyone on the planet.”

“Maybe,” Goku breathed very hard. “He’ll hold off. I told him someone stronger will be ready in a couple of days. Everyone here will be safe until then.”

“Goten and Trunks need to perfect it by then. The good news is they have plenty of hours to learn from you before I take over.”

“I have less than an hour left, Piccolo.” Goku explained how Super Saiyan Three ate up his time. Baba arrived to tell Goku he had half an hour left.

As they waited for Trunks, Piccolo had to know. “Could you have beaten Majin Boo as Super Saiyan Three?”

“Majin Boo’s very strong. He processes fighting faster than me. I could’ve tried but it’s not my place.” Piccolo questioned what that meant so he explained. “I’m dead. I’m not suppose to be here, Piccolo. My fight with Vegeta quickened Majin Boo’s release. It still would have happened but it’s up to the living to fight. Dead warriors can’t keep saving the world.”

Piccolo thought the explanation was too eloquent for Goku. “That sounds like King Kai. Not you, Goku.”

“Some of it is, but I agree. Master Roshi was a world savior. Then I became the hero. Gohan and the next generation of fighters are suppose to take over. I’ll help Goten and Trunks but this is their fight.”

“I never thought we’d be in a situation where again the fate of the world is on children.” Piccolo thought of Gohan and the Cell Game. It worked out then. Piccolo wasn’t sure of this time. “A pity about Gohan but when you go back, check to see if King Yemma is holding him or maybe the Supreme Kai.”

“Why do you say that?”

Piccolo didn’t want to get Goku’s hopes up but he needed to know what he learned. “Vegeta said Gohan’s dead. He might not be.”

“Vegeta wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true.”

“I asked Yamcha about the wish. I thought the wish brought back everyone Vegeta killed but Yamcha wished everyone who died today back to life.”

Goku caught on. “Gohan never died before. He should’ve came back with everyone else.”

“Yamcha thought that, too, but thought you interrupted Shenron before he finished reviving everyone.”

“Is that possible?”  

“No. Roughly 150,000 people die a day. Shenron can revive that many people in a minute.”

“And it did take me a while to track Bulma’s ki. I had to use ChiChi’s Ki to find her.”

“Gohan could have been wounded so badly Vegeta couldn’t detect his Ki.”

Goku rubbed his chin as he considered that. “That’s possible. When I woke up, I couldn’t pick up Gohan or Vegeta’s Ki but I found yours and Krillin’s. I thought you could tell me what was going on.”

“And if I hadn’t told you Gohan’s dead, you would’ve tried searching for Gohan’s Ki.” They both would’ve.

If they had time, Goku would search for Gohan’s body but he was too weak and had less than half an hour on Earth. “Wouldn’t this mean Gohan’s here and is badly wounded?”

“I thought about that but Kibito was killed. You told me Gohan left with the Supreme Kai. They were together when everything went down with Majin Boo. If Shenron revived Kibito, the first person he will check on is the Supreme Kai.”

Goku snapped his fingers. “Kibito healed Gohan at the tournament. If the Supreme Kai is with Gohan, then maybe Kibito found Gohan and healed him but….” They were missing something. “That wouldn’t explain why we can’t feel Gohan now.”

“My knowledge is limited but there is a planet for the Supreme Kai. Gohan might be there.” But there was a problem with that theory. “I don’t understand why they would take Gohan there and not return here.”

Goku didn’t know either but he was going to find out when he returned to the afterlife. “Thanks, Kamicollo!” This was the best news! Gohan might be alive! “Sometimes I forget you’re in there.”

Piccolo glowered at Goku. He hated that name! “Don’t call me that!”

“Sorry.” Goku was too giddy to be truly sorry. Gohan could be alive!!! He wanted to tell ChiChi and Goten but they didn’t have proof. “Let’s keep this between us. I don’t wanna get ChiChi and Goten’s hopes up.”

Trunks returned and Goku resumed training. ChiChi busied herself in the kitchen. In thirty minutes, she had a stew cooking on a stove, steak marinating and ten sandwiches on a plate. She was in the process of making another plate of sandwiches when her father rushed into the kitchen.

“ChiChi, Goku is leaving! You must say goodbye.”

ChiChi dropped her loaf of bread. “Goku can’t be leaving now,” she said but remembered Goku told her he lost time fighting Vegeta. She smacked her father against the doorframe as she rushed out to Goku.

“Goku!” ChiChi threw herself into Goku’s arms. She cried against his comforting chest and soaked in the warmth she’ll never feel again. Take me with you. ChiChi briefly thought. I wanna be where you are. It was a selfish thing to say but she didn’t want Goku to go.

“We talked about this, ChiChi. I must go,” Goku was tender as he gently pushed her off him. He held her hand and gently brushed his thumb against her skin. “ChiChi, don’t be sad. You still have Goten.”

For how long ChiChi wondered. “What if Majin Boo takes him, too?”

“Don’t worry. If the boys learn Fusion, they can’t lose.” He put his other hand over hers and gently squeezed signaling they have to let go. “I’ll say hello to Gohan for you when I see him.”

“Okay.” ChiChi released Goku’s hand. She pressed her hand to her chest and willed herself to remember his touch. She heard Videl say she thinks Gohan is still alive. ChiChi wanted that to be true but knew Goku wouldn’t tell her Gohan is dead if he was not.

Baba urged Goku it’s time to leave but Goten’s soft voice held him back. “Um… umm.”

“What is it, Goten?”

Perhaps it was being a mother or someone who loves Goku so much but ChiChi knew what her little boy wanted. “You want Daddy to give you a hug.” Her little one’s pink face confirmed she was right.

“Why didn’t you say so?” Goku picked up Goten and gave him a final hug. “Goten,” Goku whispered, “take care of Mom for me.” Goku placed Goten next to ChiChi, tenderly rubbed his head and with a final goodbye, jumped in the air with Baba.

“Bye, everybody!” Goku cheerily waved. “See ya again when you die!”

ChiChi smiled despite her tears. Goku’s tone-deaf bluntness strikes again. Typical, Goku.

Goten wasn’t smiling. He was sad. He only had a Daddy for a few hours and now it was over. He liked him a lot. He was stronger than Big Brother and Mr. Vegeta and cooler than Mr. Kenji. “Momma,” Goten’s teary face spoke to his Momma. She knelt, held her arms open and welcomed him in. “I know,” his Momma’s soothing voice comforted him. “I miss Daddy already, too.”

ChiChi stood in the doorway watching Goten and Trunks sleep. They worked with Piccolo until after eleven. The boys were barely standing before Piccolo called it a night and let them rest. The fighter in ChiChi held back the mother in her from scolding Piccolo for working the boys so hard.

At least he didn’t hit them but will they be ready in time?

ChiChi was wary. The boys have the power but not the experience. ChiChi remembered how determined Gohan was to train for the Artificial Humans. He had experiences with the Saiyan invasion and Namek to toughen him for battle. Goten and Trunks never had that kind of reality to deal with. They were experiencing loss losing Gohan and Vegeta but ChiChi wasn’t sure if that was enough to motivate the boys.

ChiChi continued down the hall. This palace was eerily quiet. Her home in the mountains wasn’t this quiet. My home. Is it still standing?

From yesterday’s broadcast, ChiChi knew Majin Boo was destroying cities, towns and communities. Nothing was going to be spared.

Is Papa’s village still standing? ChiChi thought of Aki and his family and Kaifun. They went home before Goku returned. Aki probably has his family in the bunker but that won’t protect them from Majin Boo. Are they still alive? Is anyone on Earth still alive?

There wasn’t a TV here so she couldn’t be updated on what was going on.

Are we the only ones left?

As ChiChi stepped onto the tiled courtyard, she saw Bulma standing on the edge. I doubt she slept. Though Bulma experienced and survived dangerous situations, this was different. She wasn’t directly affected with the previous events as she is now. Her relationship with Yamcha at the time of his death was different from her relationship with Vegeta at his death. This was the first time she lost a lover and had a child involved in the danger.

“Bulma?” Bulma wiped her face. “I can come back.”

“Don’t.” Bulma stopped ChiChi from leaving. “You can stay. I need you to stay.”

“Did you sleep?”

Bulma snorted a soft laugh. “Does two hours count?”

“I couldn’t sleep the night Goku and Gohan didn’t return home, and when I knew what happened, I don’t think I slept an hour that night.” She hated that dark time. Next to Goku’s death at the Cell Game, it was the worst moment of her life. “I think it was a week before I could sleep the whole night.”

“How many hours did you sleep last night, ChiChi?”

“Probably six.”

Bulma wished she got half of that. She walked along the curved border of Kami’s Temple. Her human eyes did not grant her the sight of the destruction bestowing the planet but she knew many were gone. “Is this how it felt for you? Did you feel empty? Angry?”

“Helpless I couldn’t stop it. Frustrated I didn’t know anything. It’s the not knowing that drives you crazy.” ChiChi walked in step with Bulma. “But you have us to help you through this.”

ChiChi said it to comfort her but it made Bulma feel guilty. “But you didn’t have anyone.”

“I had my father.”

“I’m sure he was some comfort but it wasn’t us. It wasn’t me. I…..” Bulma tried to find her words. “I didn’t realize I was selfish. I was…..” Bulma prided herself on being right. She didn’t want to admit to being wrong but in this case…. “I’m sorry, ChiChi.”

ChiChi never expected an apology from Bulma. She made her peace with things done to her years ago. She knew the source of the apology and wished this was not the way for Bulma to admit her faults. “You don’t have to, Bulma.”

“I should. I was part of why you were the way you were then. I was used to Goku always fighting. He wasn’t my husband. He wasn’t the father of my child. He… he wasn’t my lover. When Goku died, I was sad but ….  losing Vegeta …. contending with Trunks….” Her emotions were everywhere. She couldn’t handle it. How did ChiChi...? Is this what she felt? “I don’t want him to, ChiChi! I don’t want to lose Trunks like I lost Vegeta! He’s eight years old! He shouldn’t be fighting a monster like Majin Boo! He should be play fighting with his Dad! He should be goofing off with Goten! He should…..”

“Be living the life of a child.” ChiChi finished. “I know.”

“I didn’t.” The guilt was pouring out of Bulma. She thought of Gohan fighting Saiyans; Gohan going to Namek and flying off with Krillin to fight Freeza and his gang. It was acceptable. Gohan was Goku’s son. He should be fighting monsters and aliens like his father. He should be going into space.

Now Bulma knew she was wrong to think that.

“No wonder you were so pissed with us.” Bulma thought ChiChi overreacted. She thought ChiChi was overemotional with Gohan going to Namek and cold to Goku. How did Goku put up with her for five years? How could ChiChi leap over her husband? What a bitch. Bulma was ashamed of how she thought of ChiChi. She felt disgusted with herself. “You’re probably not shocked but I didn’t think fondly of you then.”

“Who did?” ChiChi was amused Bulma didn’t think she noticed. “All of you hated me.”

“We did.” Bulma remembered Master Roshi and Krillin complaining about ChiChi. She remembered her complaints. “We were so awful to you.” I kept what was happening on Namek from her. I never visited her when Goku was dead and Gohan was kidnapped. “I was such a bitch to you. You should’ve slapped me.”

ChiChi wanted to slap them all. Multiple times. It took years for that pain to mend and for her to finally have a laugh at it. “If I did that, you wouldn’t be standing here now.”

A genuine laugh broke from Bulma then. How true that was. “It’s amazing how far we’ve come. We went from having nothing in common to both taking Saiyans as lovers and now this. Widows. I guess we should change our club from the Saiyan Women Club to the Saiyan Widow Club.”

“The monograms stay the same,” ChiChi joked.

“Yeah.” Bulma looked up at the morning sky thinking of Vegeta. She leaned her head against ChiChi’s shoulder as she, too, looked up thinking of Goku.

“I couldn’t have made it without my Dad. Your parents will help you, Bulma.”

“Maybe when this is over but not now. West City is gone, ChiChi.” She revealed the shocking news as if talking about the weather. “I talked to Dad last night. I told him I will call today. He’s not answering.”

“How can you…..?” They were out of range of any cell phone tower.

“Satellite phone. I knew I needed one after I came here years ago.” Bulma pulled out her phone. “The robots would have answered. I haven’t gotten anyone in an hour. We don’t have Goku, Gohan or Vegeta. I hope our boys can do it, ChiChi. Because we don’t have anyone else.”

The last twenty-four hours were a chaotic blur for Mark. He was declared the world champion again but he couldn’t celebrate his victory with the attack in the stadium by Contestant Vegeta dominating the news. He was wanted by the police until news spread that people killed at the stadium were alive again. The news was still sketchy since everyone hadn’t been accounted for.

On top of that, a monster calling himself Majin Boo was randomly blowing up cities. West City was a target since someone reported Trunks Briefs live there. He was one of the three people wanted by Majin Boo, but hours passed and West City still flourish until an hour after dawn, news came West City was destroyed.

Satan City was still around and many people were flocking there to be safe since it was the home of the man who killed Cell.

Mark never returned home after the tournament. He was transported to a deep underground facility where the King of Earth and many high-ranking officials retreated to when Majin Boo’s destruction began. He stalled going after Majin Boo saying he needed to recover from the tournament. This delay bought him time to come up with a scheme he hoped would pay off.

“Why the hell do I have to go?” Mark placed his camera in his bag. He’ll need that to show proof he killed Majin Boo. “Those people who killed Cell should be the ones to go. Why can’t they kill Majin Boo and let me take credit for it? Eighty percent of the world is dead. What are they waiting for?”

Mark grabbed his box of chocolates and placed it carefully over the TNT he packed.  He laced the sweet chocolate with the deadliest poisons on Earth. “Maybe they can’t kill Majin Boo because they are dead, too.”

And that scared the hell out of Mark. If that was true, then he was Earth’s only hope. “Why do I have the bad luck?”

As he zipped his bag, Mark thought of his daughter. Videl was so angry with him. Baby Girl. He never thought she would find out the truth.

“I know you didn’t defeat Cell.”

“We’re rich because you lied and took credit for something you didn’t do!”

“I wanted to be as strong as you. I thought I was invincible because I thought you defeated Cell.”

“I almost died today because I didn’t give up against Spopovich because I’m your daughter!!”

“I don’t wanna look at you anymore, Dad.”

Mark called Videl several times but she never answered her phone. Mark didn’t know if Videl had it turned off or if she was dead.

Videl, I hope you are still alive.

Someone entered the room. Mark expected it to be a soldier coming to escort him to the helicopter that will fly him to Majin Boo’s home. He was surprised to see the King of Earth. They had a bad parting several years ago when King Furry discovered he didn’t defeat Cell. He hadn’t spoken to him since or participated in any events celebrating Mark.

“I know you don’t like me but thanks for letting me stay here.”

“I didn’t want you here but my Generals insisted. They thought the world savior should be here to recoup after the Tenkaichi Budokai.”

Over the years, Mark tried to make amends but King Furry refused all of his gestures. “I understand why you’re mad at me, King, but I’m not a bad person, and if you think I deserve karma for what I did, I got it yesterday. My daughter knows and hates me. I don’t know where she is or if she’s still alive.”

Mark thought that would garner sympathy but King Furry kept silent.

“I did it for Videl. I wanted her to have a better life. Does it mean anything it probably cost me her?” King Furry’s continued silence angered Mark. He was finally admitting his wrongs and all he got was silence. Couldn’t he get a little empathy? “Eighty percent of the world is gone. I’m probably gonna die on this suicide mission. The entire human race may be gone today. Are you gonna die holding this grudge against me?!”

“In a day, generations have been wiped out. Family lines have been purged. You’re not the only one suffering, Mark, but unlike other families, you have been remarkably lucky. Share your luck with the rest of the world.”

Mark sighed. He didn’t need a lecture in riddles before he died. “Could you spell it out?”

“Use your good luck and save the world but also do right and end this charade. Do right by Son Goku and his family.”

Son Goku again. King Chappa, his daughter and King Furry praised him. Why was Son Goku special? There was nothing special about Son Goku in his eyes. Nothing was told of him since the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai. No endorsements. No cameos in movies or TV shows. No talk show appearances. Sounds like a punk who got lucky and quit martial arts before he was found out to be a fraud. “Why do you care so much about Son Goku and his family? He was the previous world champion but he didn’t do anything since. He didn’t keep the Tenkaichi Budokai alive. I did that. He didn’t capitalize on his fame. I did. If he’s a pauper, that’s his fault and I owe him nothing!”

A soldier entered the room. “Mr. Satan, we’re ready to board.”

Checking his appearance in the mirror, Mark disappeared and Mr. Satan came alive. His belt shined, his cape was clean and wrinkle free and his hair was perfect. He was good to go. “Majin Boo, you’re going down! You’ll beg for mercy when I’m done with you!”

Mr. Satan strutted down the hall with his chest puffed out and head held high. Soldiers saluted him while the staff in the facility applauded. When he stepped outside, he tossed his hands up and received thunderous applause and cheers. So many believed in him. So many held hope he will save the world again.

But as his helicopter flew to Majin Boo’s home, Mr. Satan chatted victory with the General and had one thought.

I’m so fucked.

The more Goten and Trunks trained, the more worried Piccolo became of them and victory against Majin Boo. Training for Goten and Trunks continued after breakfast until the first fusion commenced. It was a disaster where Goten and Trunks morphed into a chubby blob. The second fusion morphed the boys into a frail old man. The third fusion worked and the fused boys called themselves Gotenks.

Gotenks was powerful as Goku predicted but his ego was out of control. Gotenks flew off cockily predicting victory. He returned five later minutes with a bloodied, bruised body. Once the boys unfused, they were promptly disciplined by their mothers. The boys were humbled and spent the rest of the day training.

They were in sync again but their ego grew even more. Krillin said it best. “Better body but same stupid attitude.”

Gotenks wasted his time flying around the Earth, cockily thinking he only needed a minute to fight Majin Boo but when he finally used that minute, the boys unfused and ran away. Now they were having lunch and will have a nap; something forced on by both mothers.

Piccolo thought he could handle ChiChi but contending with ChiChi and Bulma was too much. He gave in and while the boys ate and rest, Piccolo checked up on Majin Boo. He guessed that 80% of the world’s population was gone. Tien was still around but all the major cities including Earth’s capital and West City were gone. So was Gyu-Mao’s village.

The biggest surprise was Majin Boo and how Mr. Satan hadn’t gotten himself killed. Mr. Satan praised the monster, gave massages, cooked and read bedtime stories to him. Without fighting and being kind, Mr. Satan convinced Majin Boo to stop killing. The nightmare would’ve been over if not for two foolish humans who attacked them. Mr. Satan was heroic in fighting off the criminals but they retaliated by shooting Mr. Satan. Majin Boo revived him but this act of violence caused a dark evil to purge from Majin Boo.

“This isn’t good,” Piccolo observed the fat Majin Boo and the tall Evil Boo battle each other. Fat Boo lost when the Evil Boo turned Fat Boo into a cookie and ate him. 

“What’s gonna happen now?” Dende saw everything unfold with Piccolo. “Where is he going? There’s not many people left to kill.”

“Shit!” Piccolo cursed when he noticed Evil Boo flying towards Korin’s Tower. “He’s found us! He’s coming here!”

There was no place to run or hide when Evil Boo arrived on Kami’s Temple. Evil Boo wanted Goten and Trunks. Piccolo stalled using Videl as leverage and sacrificing the remaining people on Earth. His deal gave everyone on Kami’s Temple an hour before Evil Boo vow to kill again.

ChiChi approached Piccolo while Krillin left to wake up Goten and Trunks and take them to the Room of Spirit of Time. ChiChi knew minutes in that room will give the boys days but she wondered if that was enough. ChiChi hated the beast who killed her son. She wanted to slap that beast and demand her son’s return. It was illogical. She knew that but she wanted to inflict some pain on the monster.

“Piccolo, can Trunks and Goten defeat him?”

“You saw them, ChiChi. They’re invincible fused.”

“Invincible but incompetent.” ChiChi wasn’t as skilled as Piccolo but she knew martial arts. She knew Goten’s style and witnessed the Fusion failures. “They have the power but they don’t know how to use it. Trunks is too arrogant and Goten is too playful. It’s a bad combination. I warned Goku this when he told me his plan.”

“He didn’t have a choice.” Piccolo knew Goku’s idealistic plan had more flaws than merit but without Gohan and Vegeta, they were the only option. “There’s no one else, ChiChi. The best we can do is stall for time. Evil Boo will give us an hour. It’ll be over then.”

Whatever that end was, ChiChi didn’t have hope it was a victory. “They had two days, Piccolo. We both know they need more than Fusion.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, “but we don’t have anything else.”

“There’s one thing…..” ChiChi knew what could do it. “One thing that could give them motivation to win. At least I hope so.”

Piccolo looked away from Evil Boo to ChiChi. Why was she suddenly scared? “What are you thinking?”

“Krillin’s death pushed Goku to be a Super Saiyan. Goku’s death help Gohan beat Cell. Maybe my…..”

“No.” Piccolo knew what ChiChi wanted to do. “Don’t do it.”

“Those boys need to be pushed and Fusion isn’t enough. If I have to choose being turned into chocolate and eaten by that monster, standing around gawking while he shoots me dead or die fighting, I choose the latter. I won’t stand around and wait to be killed.”

If given a choice, Piccolo would go down fighting, too. “I understand, but the boys know about Vegeta and Gohan.”

“That hasn’t done what Goku hoped it would. Maybe seeing my death can help, and if it works, you can bring me back with the dragon balls.”

And if it doesn’t work and I meet Son in the afterlife, he’ll kick my ass.

“Okay then.” ChiChi made her decision and wasn’t changing her mind. “I’ll go now.”

Piccolo tried one more time to reason with ChiChi. “ChiChi, you don’t stand a chance. He’ll kill you in a second.”

“I can give more than a second.” ChiChi knew she would die but she wasn’t going down that quickly. “It may give the boys a chance and save everyone else.”

“ChiChi….” Piccolo tried again but ChiChi leapt from the balcony and marched to Evil Boo. Goten and Trunks were awake and coming to him. They stopped when they saw ChiChi walking to Evil Boo. Don’t let your mother’s sacrifice be in vain. Let it motivate you. Piccolo winced at ChiChi’s slap against Evil Boo. He had been on the receiving in of ChiChi’s infamous slaps. It stung him but it had no impact on Evil Boo. I can’t believe she attacked him with a slap.

ChiChi was right she could last more than a second against Evil Boo, but it wasn’t much longer after that. Evil Boo turned ChiChi into an egg and crushed her.

At least she wasn’t eaten. She probably didn’t feel it.

Goten reacted as ChiChi expected.

Maybe her sacrifice will be worth it.

Goten got the motivation he needed but Piccolo worried about Trunks. She wasn’t his mother.

Will he keep his arrogance in check to focus in the Room of Spirit and Time?

“Um, excuse me. Piccolo, is it?” Videl wanted to speak to him. “Boo knows my father. Do you know why?”

“Your father became Majin’s Boo’s friend.”

Videl didn’t conceal her disgust. “My father became friends with that monster? He killed everyone on Earth.”

“And that was the smartest thing to do. Your father had his ulterior motives but making friends with Boo, the innocent side before the evil side took over, was the best strategy. He got Boo to give up killing.”

“My Dad?”

“We wouldn’t be in this situation we are in now if not for some stupid humans but your Dad tried. For once in his life, he deserve the title, ‘World Champion.’”

After learning the truth, Videl didn’t think her father had a heroic bone in his body. “I know it was Gohan and his Dad who saved us. I was so angry at my Dad for what he did. I can’t believe he did something good.”

“I didn’t think he was anything more than a blowhard but spending time with others can change perceptions.” 

Videl agreed. I thought Gohan’s mother was rude and irritable but…. Videl thought of how ChiChi fixed her hair after she wrecked it. She was kind to me even after discovering who my Dad is. She raised two kids alone while my Dad took the money she should have had. “You sound as if you’re speaking from experience.”

Piccolo smiled at the teen. “I couldn’t stand Gohan’s mother. She hated me and I wanted to kill Gohan’s father. I consider them family now.”

“I see.” Videl rubbed her cell phone in her pocket. She hadn’t spoken to her father since she lashed out at him. Before she was transported to Kami’s Temple, Videl received a call from her father but ignored it. She tried calling Erasa and Sharpner but there was a dead signal every time. She didn’t have a satellite phone and seeing what was done earlier, knew her friends were dead. She never called her father. She was too angry but seeing ChiChi die and learning what her father accomplished against Majin Boo, she wanted to talk to him.

“NO MORE WAITING!!!” Evil Boo cried out as he destroyed the hourglass.

Videl trembled. She saw what this monster did to Earth. She saw what he did to ChiChi. I don’t wanna die. I wanna talk to my Dad.

Time was running out. Piccolo led Evil Boo away and Videl saw this as her chance to talk to her father. The signal on her phone was dead and the battery was low but maybe, just maybe her father will get her message. “Dad… it’s Videl. I don’t know if you will hear this but I might die and I have to say this to you before I go…..”

“He rubbed me to see if I were a male.”

ChiChi threw her head back laughing with her companions. “That sounds like Goku.”

Death came so fast for ChiChi that she couldn’t comprehend it. After she slapped him, Evil Boo said, ‘You’re an egg.’ ChiChi thought Evil Boo would fight her but he aimed his antennae at her. ChiChi felt something tingling her body and poof! Nothing.

After that, she stood before a large man behind a giant desk talking to Baba.  

I’m dead. She looked at her hands amazed she still had them. I still have my body.

Goku told her people are turned into spirits while very few keep their bodies. She suspected based on Baba and King Yemma’s conversation, Evil Boo was the reason she kept her body. There were so many deaths coming in from Earth, that it created a massive overload and overwork of all the ogres. They couldn’t keep up with all the deaths and since these deaths might be temporary, King Yemma allowed the last casualties from Earth to keep their bodies.

ChiChi used this stroke of good luck to ask about Goku and Gohan. She wanted to be with her family. She received the shocking news Gohan is still alive. He wasn’t on Earth but in another realm and Goku went to look for him. ChiChi wasn’t allowed to follow so she settled for the next best thing.

A trip to the Grand Kai’s planet. She will see where Goku lived his seven years and meet people he became friends with. ChiChi wasn’t alone. There were several fighters from across the universe on the plane. ChiChi sat with a group from Earth. There were two Earthlings who knew Goku.

Nam and King Chappa.

Right now, ChiChi laughed at Nam’s story of his adventure with Goku after the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai. “I always knew Goku would grow into a fine man, and speaking to you, I know he had a happy life with you.”

“Thank you, Nam. We were very happy. It ended too soon but I’m very happy with our sons.”

“The world needs to know the truth.” King Chappa shared his encounter with Mr. Satan upon learning who ChiChi was. “I wanted to expose Mr. Satan but he cheated my students out of competing.”

“It is a shame Mr. Satan prefers to perform fraudulent acts but in death, he will receive his karma.” Nam doubted Mr. Satan’s heroics but he wasn’t as bothered as King Chappa. “We have been granted to visit a world with the universe's best fighters. This is an achievement Mr. Satan will never receive.”

The plane landed on a runway near the Grand Kai’s palace. Everyone departed and was met with a group of fighters. ChiChi noticed the fighters waiting paired up with the ones who departed the plane. King Chappa and Nam were picked up leaving ChiChi alone until a tall, beautiful woman approached her.

“Hello, I’m Kimani. Welcome to the Grand Kai’s planet. A few of us volunteer to welcome the newest dead fighters and show them around. Think of me as your guide until you get acquainted here.”

“Thank you. I’m Son ChiChi,” she bowed. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“There’s no need for formalities with me. I know who you are, wife of Son Goku.”

“You know me?” ChiChi gave the woman a quick look over. You know my husband?”

Kimani smiled as she thought of ChiChi as her best friend. “All the fighters do. Goku is very popular here. He’s a big kid always wanting to fight with the strongest. Although,” Kimani made a disgusted face, “he needs to work on his manners. He’s very uncouth. It’s unattractive and not appealing at all. Oh,” Kimani caught herself as if she said something bad. “I don’t mean to offend. Of course you found Goku attractive and appealing. He didn’t do anything for me.”

“I see.” She was different from other women. ChiChi noticed when out with Goku, other women would look and some would be bold enough to make advances. Kimani didn’t appear interested. “That’s my Goku but how do you know me?”

“Goku talked so much about you and Gohan. I left behind someone when I came here, too,” she lied. “Goku and I connected on that. Goku shared so many stories, I think of you as a sister.”

“That’s very kind of you.”

“Goku was so excited to see you and Gohan but I don’t understand why you are here and he’s not.” She carefully inquired, “Do you know why?”

“That’s a long story.”

“Oh, we have time,” Kimani wrapped her arm around ChiChi’s. “You can tell me and I’ll tell you all about Goku’s life here.”

While ChiChi and Kimani got acquainted, Goku was billions of miles away on the Supreme Kai’s planet. He focused on Earth and Evil Boo’s energy until it suddenly disappeared. The Old Kai created a globe for him to see what was happening on Earth. It activated in time for Goku to helplessly see Evil Boo escape the Room of Spirit and Time, turn everyone into chocolate and eat.

King Kai was right he should let the living fight their battles but being around his family and friends again; saying goodbye to his wife and youngest son and watching his closest friends die revealed to Goku he wanted to live again.

"The dragon balls….." Goku kept saying the dragon balls will revive everyone. He didn't worry about the deaths because of the dragon balls. It was easy to say when those deaths didn't have the faces of people he knew. He couldn’t be so detached seeing friends he’d known most of his life turn into chocolate and be eaten by Evil Boo. Wait. Where's ChiChi? He didn't see her turn into chocolate but everyone was gone except for Piccolo and Gotenks. "Where is she?" "Who?" Supreme Kai asked. "ChiChi. I didn’t see her turn into chocolate." Kibito asked, "Who is ChiChi?" "My wife. I don't see her." "Boo killed her before," the Old Kai casually informed Goku as he turned a page of his manga. “She was turned into an egg and crushed.” Killed? If Goku’s heart was beating, it would have stopped. He killed my ChiChi. “When did this happen?” He killed ChiChi. He killed ChiChi!

“Goku?” the Supreme Kai noticed a craze look glaze over Goku. His Ki kept rising as the ground around them trembled.

He killed ChiChi. He killed ChiChi.

Gohan and the Old Kai noticed the ground trembling. “Dad? Who died?”

Gohan’s voice saved Goku from exploding. As angry as he was, he couldn’t tip Gohan off to the news about ChiChi. He calmed down but his curious son needed an answer. “He killed Bulma.”

“Oh.” That was sad but Gohan didn’t expect his Dad to react that way with Bulma’s death. He pimped her off to the Old Kai. “Good thing it wasn’t Mom. We might not be standing here if she was killed.”

“Busy day,” Kimani mused as another plane landed on the Grand Kai’s planet. Kimani left ChiChi with King Chappa and Nam to welcome the new arrivals. She enjoyed talking with ChiChi. She was naïve and open to share many things about Goku. Many things, Kimani thought she could use to win Goku over when he returned.

Only two passengers departed the plane this time. A tall man and a short man. At least the tall man is cute. “I’m Kimani. Where are you from?”

Krillin noticed Yamcha staring at Kimani. She was a beautiful woman. Krillin would drool, too, if he didn’t have 18 and they weren’t on a mission to find ChiChi. Baba told them she came here when they asked of her. “We’re from Earth.”

“Earth?” Kimani’s eyes lit up. “The last fighter we received from Earth would’ve greeted you but he left to return on a one-day visit. I am greeting people from the North Quadrant in his place. He is Son Goku. Did you know him?”

“We’re his friends.” Yamcha quickly found his voice with the beautiful fighter. “I’m Yamcha!”

“I’m friends with Goku, too,” Kimani bragged. “We’ve gotten very close.”

“Close?” Krillin wondered how close as he looked over Kimani’s fit and beautiful frame. “Are you sparring partners?”

Kimani’s sly smile and flirtatious eyes hinted at more. “You can say that. We spar and practiced Fusion together. We even swam and flew naked. Goku has a beautiful body.”

“Naked?” Yamcha blushed. “You two? But Goku’s married.”

“Marriage is dissolved by death. You’re not tied to bonds in the living world here.” Kimani didn’t have Goku yet and saw no wrong in flirting with his friend until then. He could give her insight into winning Goku over. “Are you married, Yamcha?”

“No,” Yamcha flushed. Kimani’s eyes on him made him nervous and excited. “Krillin is but his family is on another planet.”

“I’m only here to look for ChiChi,” Krillin wanted it clear he wasn’t here for any conjugal activities.

“We’re here for eternity. You can’t spend it bonded to one person.” Kimani trailed her finger over Yamcha’s face like a painter with his brush. “Here you’re free to do and be with who you want.” Yamcha blushed as Kimani pulled his face close to hers. Yamcha’s lips parted as if expecting a kiss but Kimani pulled away laughing and walked off. “I’m looking forward to Goku’s return so we can resume our relationship. His wife is here, too, if you want to meet her.”

“Wife?” She met ChiChi?! She’s still around after that? “I can't believe it.” Yamcha couldn’t take his eyes off Kimani’s retreating hips. “Goku has a girlfriend. Do you think ChiChi knows?” Krillin shook his head. “No. Kimani doesn’t look as if her ass has been kicked. Goku doesn’t have a reason to tell ChiChi about Kimani. He went back to Earth for a day. ChiChi didn’t have to know.”

“Yeah,” Yamcha agreed. “But I still can't believe Goku. I didn't think he'd be like that.” “Goku is dead so he's not cheating on ChiChi, and when you die, marriage bonds are broken.”

Krillin said it so casually as if it was natural but Yamcha couldn’t wrap his head to Goku thinking that way. “I never thought Goku would be interested in other women. He seemed happy with ChiChi.” “Goku discovered women with ChiChi. Here, he found someone compatible. Look at Kimani. She’s more than beautiful. She’s a fighter and if she sparred with Goku, she must be very strong. Goku can’t pass that up.”

“ChiChi is a fighter, too,” Yamcha defended her. “They were compatible when they got married.”

“Then.” When they were teenagers, Goku and ChiChi were very compatible. Krillin thought ChiChi was beautiful and he was jealous Goku landed a beauty like that without trying. “Goku’s gotten so much stronger since and there were issues between them before Goku died.”

“Issues?”

“Goku’s obsession with fighting and not being around the family. ChiChi told 18 Goku promised to work after the Cell Game. Goku chose to say dead. You put it together.”

Yamcha picked up Krillin’s hint. “You’re not saying Goku stayed dead to be free?”

“Who knows what goes on in Goku’s head but it makes sense. He said it on Kami’s Temple he wasn’t being a martyr staying dead and look where Goku has been. Seven years on a planet of fighters and he meets a woman like Kimani.”

Yamcha hoped Krillin was wrong. “I hope that’s not it. If it is, ChiChi blew it not moving on with Kenji.”

ChiChi was right about Goten and Trunks. They’re not ready.

The boys had the strength but not the discipline. Even after knowing Majin Boo killed everyone on Earth, they were playful and didn’t take the fight seriously. When he trained Goten and Trunks, Goku noticed Goten was listening but Trunks trailed off a few times. The boy was like his father. He didn’t want to listen to him. Gotenks’ latest arrogance caused the Fusion to end and left Goten and Trunks vulnerable to Evil Boo.  

Luckily, Gohan finished his training with the Old Kai and was on his way to Earth. Gohan’s power was phenomenal. Goku wanted a spar to test his son’s powers but he let his son leave to be the hero he knew his son can be again.

That’s my boy!

Gohan was incredible! His blows had an impact on Evil Boo every time. He bled. He got frustrated. Evil Boo couldn’t stop Gohan or land a strike on him. And then the worst thing happened again.

Gohan’s cockiness returned.

Instead of finishing off Evil Boo, Gohan allowed Evil Boo to create a diversion and escape. That cursed Saiyan trait came out of Gohan during the Cell Game. It happened to Goku against Freeza but that experience taught him to finish an opponent. Goku thought Gohan learned from Cell but he made the same mistake again. He got careless in his arrogance and let Evil Boo escape. He was hiding and Goku worried was planning a plot against Gohan he won’t be ready for.

There was a good thing about this reprieve. Gohan found Dende and Mr. Satan. “He must be the luckiest guy on Earth.” Goku mused. “How did he survive?”

The reunion of Earth’s only survivors ended when Evil Boo returned and requested Goten and Trunks to fuse again. “I can’t believe they’re doing it,” the Old Kai shook his head at the boys fusing. “Boo is up to something. Don’t they see that?” The Old Kai’s suspicions were proven right when Evil Boo absorbed Gotenks as Super Saiyan Three and Piccolo. “See?”

Goku screamed into the globe. “Gohan! Kill him now!” It was Gohan’s best chance to defeat Evil Boo by killing him before he completely absorb Piccolo and Gotenks, but Gohan didn’t react in time.   

The Old Kai was impressed with Evil Boo’s sneakiness as he revealed his plan to Gohan like a cartoon TV villain. “He sensed me giving Gohan his power-up. Gohan was walking into a trap the moment Evil Boo went into hiding.”

“But Gohan’s still superior, right?” The younger Supreme Kai hoped so. “Gohan can still win.”

“It won’t be easy.” Goku knew Gohan had an uphill battle. “Evil Boo absorbed Piccolo. He knows Gohan’s strengths and weaknesses.”

Goku was right. The battle reversed in Evil Boo’s favor. He outmatched Gohan in speed, strength and fighting prowess. It was worse than Gohan’s fight against Dabura as he was completely outmatched, bled and beaten so cruelly that he laid on the ground helpless and unable to stop Evil Boo’s attacks.

“Dammit!” Goku slammed a fist into the grass. It couldn’t end like this. He could not watch his son die. I need to get to Gohan. I can’t let Evil Boo kill him and Goten. “There has to be a way to help Gohan!” Goku didn’t care if he ceased to exist. He will save his son!

“I did not foresee this happening with Gohan.” The Old Kai knew it was over for Gohan but there was one more player who could enter the game. “There’s only one choice left. Goku, you have to go back.”

The Old Kai wasn’t the only one who realized it was time for a dead warrior to return to Earth. At King Yemma’s palace, Vegeta was also summoned. Vegeta knew he didn’t have a chance against Evil Boo but he wanted another fight against the monster.

Vegeta didn’t expect Goku to be on Earth again. If he had time, he’d kick Goku’s ass for what he did to him. The younger Saiyan mocked him and let Vegeta think he had a chance against him when he hid his Super Saiyan Three form. He was so furious he didn’t care to hear the younger Saiyan babble about putting on an earring to fuse and beat Evil Boo.

Combine with Kakarrot? I rather die again and cease to exist.

That was Vegeta’s expectation. He’ll die fighting Evil Boo and cease to exist. Evil Boo would continue his rampage killing Goku and destroying Earth. Let Evil Boo destroy Earth and any planet he wanted. Vegeta didn’t care anymore except he did and Goku knew how to reach him.

Bulma.

She was his weakness as ChiChi was Goku’s weakness. Goku made a passionate plea of how Evil Boo killed everyone. Their family and friends were gone because of this monster. Bulma was turned into chocolate and eaten by Boo. Trunks was absorbed and inside Evil Boo. Goku offered a chance for them to rescue their sons and bring everyone they love back to life.

Vegeta was still angry with Goku but he pushed that aside to bring back his family.

It’s the least I can do. It was my pride that freed Boo.

Vegeta agreed to put on the earring and as he clipped it to his ear, Goku revealed the price of their union. 

“I should warn you. Once we combine we can’t split apart.”

Ah, fuck! I’m gonna be stuck with this fool for the rest of our lives? At least his wife is a good cook.

“Vegito’s handling himself well against Boo.”

“As long as they keep their Saiyan pride in check, they’ll win.” The Old Kai knew a lot about Saiyans and viewing Vegeta and Goku arguing before they fused didn’t leave the Old Kai optimistic about the fight. “Their personalities are like those little boys performing that silly Fusion dance. They’re arrogant and are taunting Boo like them.”

Vegito’s fight frustrated the Kais as they seemed to fall into the same traps as Gotenks. When they were absorbed, the Supreme Kai thought it was the end of them all but the Old Kai noticed Evil Boo didn’t change as he did when he absorb Gotenks, Gohan and Piccolo. This left the Old Kai thinking Vegito had a plan and deliberately got himself absorbed.

His theory was proven right when an hour after the absorption, Goku and Vegeta escaped Evil Boo with Gohan, Goten, Trunks and Piccolo. Evil Boo went through another transformation that turned him into a shorter version of himself. The Old Kai thought this Evil Boo was easier to defeat but the Supreme Kai turned white in fear exclaiming Evil Boo is in his original form.

The change prompted the Supreme Kai to tell the origins of Evil Boo and how he was a menace of pure evil. He killed the Supreme Kai of the North and West and absorbed the Supreme Kai of the South and the Supreme Kai over all of them. Their burly and chubby forms were reflected in the forms of the Evil Boo Gotenks and Gohan fought and the chubby form of Majin Boo who Vegeta and Goku originally battled. Without them, this shorter Evil Boo had no soul or remorse. It could not be controlled. All he wanted to do was destroy.

This was reflected when Evil Boo created a giant Ki with enough power to destroy the Earth. The Old Kai ordered the Supreme Kai to Earth to hand Goku and Vegeta his potara earrings so they can fuse and destroy Evil Boo. The Supreme Kai left but when he arrived on Earth, there wasn’t time to give pass on his earrings. There was only enough time to grab Goku and teleport him, Vegeta and their extra passengers back to the sacred planet of the Kai before Earth was destroyed.

The loss of Earth was a massive blow. The Old Kai knew if Evil Boo had the power to detect him drawing out Gohan’s power while he was on a killing spree on Earth, he survived blowing up with the planet and after he regenerate, will come here to finish them all. Until then, they could take the moment to regroup and create a plan for the final battle.

Son Goku, however, was caught up in the massive loss that came to him when they escaped Earth before her destruction.

Gohan. Goten. I’m sorry. Forgive me.

When Evil Boo created that massive ball, Goku knew he and Vegeta couldn’t stop it. It was too big and powerful. Escape was their only option. They flew away heading to the spot where they dropped off their sleeping sons and Piccolo. On the way, Goku saw Dende and Mr. Satan Making a split-second decision, Goku swooped down to Dende and Mr. Satan. He ignored Vegeta’s ‘What the fuck are you doing?!’ and picked up the Earth’s Guardian and Champion.

Goku rejoined Vegeta but as they raced to their sons, Goku felt the massive evil energy of Evil Boo edging closer to him. It was too fast and would consume them before he could reach his sons. Goku had another split-second decision to make: pick up his sons and die or escape to the Kai’s planet and regroup.

Maybe I can teleport down to the boys and grab them before escaping.

The plan had a very slim chance of working but Goku wouldn’t abandon his sons. He tried concentrating on the boys’ Ki while flying fast to get away from Evil Boo’s destructive Ki. It was impossible to do two things at once.

There ain’t enough time. I can only teleport once.

It was a cruel blessing for Goku he didn’t have to choose where he will teleport to. The Supreme Kai appeared and extended his hand. Goku grabbed it while Vegeta grabbed his shirt. As they vanished from Earth, Goku gave one last look to his sons, Piccolo and Trunks.

“Dammit!” Goku slammed his fist into the grass again. “We made it but the Earth. Gohan. Goten. Piccolo. Trunks. They’re gone.”

My boys. I let them down.

“You son of a dick!” Vegeta growled. He grabbed Goku by his shirt and screamed. “Why the hell did you save those two and a damn dog and not our sons?! Have you lost your fucking mind?!!”

Goku looked away. He understood Vegeta’s anger. He was angry with himself but he didn’t want to hear it. “Vegeta… not now.”

“Not now?! You don’t get to tell me what to do after what you did! You abandoned your sons for a damn buffoon, a dog and a weak-ass Guardian! I thought you learned from seven years ago but you haven’t changed. You abandon your family when they need you the most!”

Goku slowly turned his head back to Vegeta. He would say that to him after what he did? Goku slapped Vegeta’s arm away. He rose to his feet, glowering at the shorter Saiyan. Vegeta was an ass and Goku had a lot of patience with him but this was too far! “If you weren’t so obsessed with beating me, Majin Boo never would have been released! Our wives wouldn’t be dead! Our sons wouldn’t be dead! Earth wouldn’t be dead!”

“This isn’t all on me, Kakarrot! If you didn’t mock me and fought me as a Super Saiyan Three, it never would’ve come to this!”

“Maybe I would have if you weren’t sensitive over your pride! When will you get over that, Vegeta?! We have lost everything important to us because of it! I understand your anger, Vegeta, but don’t take it out on me you couldn’t save Trunks!”

“I was following you to our sons!”

“You know there was no way to reach them before Boo’s destructive blast got us! I saved Dende and Mr. Satan because they were closer. Even if I didn’t stop to get them, there’s no way I would’ve gotten to our boys in time. But you know that or you wouldn’t have grabbed onto my shirt instead of going for our sons!”

“If you’re done with your childish bickering,” the Old Kai steered the Saiyans to focus, “we need to develop a plan to defeat Evil Boo or we’re all done for.”

Dende came up with the plan to use the Namekian dragon balls to revive Earth and her people. The Old Kai protested against Namekians using the dragon balls to aid other planets but changed his mind when Goku offered to get him a picture of a pretty Earthling who died. Vegeta knew in his gut Goku was speaking of Bulma. It was an unfortunate logical choice for Goku to make. Vegeta knew of Bulma’s previous antics to get dragon balls. He knew of her flashing Master Roshi. Bulma wasn’t that way anymore but Vegeta was damned he was going to allow Goku to use his Bulma like that. He snapped at Goku demanding he use his wife instead. Vegeta knew Goku would reject that idea but he never expected Goku to lie about ChiChi and put down her looks as an excuse.

He’s lying about ChiChi being flat-chested. He was close to ChiChi several times. He danced with her at her investiture. He knew ChiChi wasn’t flat-chested but he loved the idea of telling ChiChi Goku said that just to see her murder him.

Goku and Vegeta refused to use Supreme Kai’s potara earrings. If they were going to win against Evil Boo, they will do it on their own. Neither thought as they prepared themselves for the final battle against Evil Boo, they will have the entire universe to aid them and Mark, Earth’s biggest con artist, prove he is Earth’s world champion.  

Mark thought of himself as a shrewd businessman and a confidence artist rather than a con artist. He proclaimed himself as Earth’s world champion when he knew his biggest fights were cleverly advertised and carefully arranged. He was a big showman who dazzled the crowd with wit and catchphrases. He knew he didn’t defeat Cell but the opportunity presented itself for him to take credit, receive the fame he always wanted and provide Videl with the life she deserved. He never saw anything wrong in his deception or felt guilt for what he did.

Videl’s reaction to what he did was the first chip in his guilt-free armor. When Videl confirmed it was Son Goku and Son Gohan who defeated Cell and Son Goku died leaving a widow and two kids, it bothered him.

“He, his Mom and little brother live in poverty while we live off the money they deserve!” 

Mark didn’t want anyone living in poverty for what he did. He knew about being poor and hated it and tried to ration his guilt. If Son Goku didn’t provide for his family, it’s not my fault, but if he’s dead and can’t provide for his family, then it is my fault for taking money from them.

Mark tried shaking off the guilt thinking Son Goku wasn’t a special man while he was. Why did King Furry and King Chappa think so highly of him? Why did Videl? She wasn’t born when Son Goku won the tournament. Mark didn’t understand until he, the last Earthling, saw the final battle of Evil Boo. Son Goku was amazing. The special effects he called Goku’s light techniques were real. The physical effect of Son Goku and Evil Boo on the Kai’s planet was real. Son Goku didn’t rely on catchphrases. He battled like a true warrior with physical strength and amazing skills. He saw how the battle exhausted Son Goku. Mark would have quit but Son Goku kept fightig. Mark admired that. He wanted to be that heroic. He wanted to be the hero he was seeing. Mark saw his chance to help by convincing the people of Earth to send their energy to Son Goku and  when he carried an exhausted Vegeta from ground zero before Son Goku launch his massive Spirit Bomb against Evil Boo.

Son Goku is a good man. He’s a real hero.

Son Goku put away the reign of terror of Evil Boo for good. The universe celebrated. Everyone in the afterlife celebrated. Mark celebrated with his new friends as the Kais, Dende and little Bee returned. While the Kais spoke to Goku and Vegeta, little Bee discovered chubby Boo. Seeing Dende heal Goku and Vegeta, Mark picked up Boo and brought him to the group. “He’s still alive. Please help him,” Mark begged. “Can you heal him with your magic?”

“Oh, sure. Of course,” Vegeta dripped with sarcasm. He raised his hand at Boo. “Move the fuck out of the way so I can finish him!”

Mark understood Vegeta’s mistrust but this Boo was his friend. He wasn’t a killer anymore. “Please don’t! He killed because the bad one made him. He’s gone now.”

Bobbidi was gone but Vegeta didn’t believe they can trust chubby Boo. “That doesn’t mean another one can’t come out, influence Boo and bring the end of the world again. Now step aside, Fool!”

“No, don’t!” Mark got on his knees. “He turned bad because a stupid human hurt me and killed his dog! Please don’t kill him. I’ll make sure he stays at our house.”

Goku wasn't sure about keeping Boo around, but hearing Mark’s plea, he changed his mind. “Vegeta, maybe we should believe him.”

Mark smiled. Yes. Yes! Son Goku was not only a real hero but he was an all-around good guy, too!

Vegeta wasn’t so easily persuaded. “You could never make the hard choices, Kakarrot. You spare people instead of killing them.”

“I was right to spare you,” Goku pointed out. “And Boo isn’t as bad. He fought Evil Boo and saved your life.”

Must he be reminded of that? Vegeta volunteered to fight Evil Boo and give Goku time to rev up his Ki and later to buy time for Goku to build up the Spirit Bomb. He got his ass kicked again and it was humiliating that when Goku was ready to launch the Spirit Bomb, he was too weak to move. He was slung over the shoulders of a con man like a piece of meat. Vegeta knew he wouldn’t be here if not for Mark and chubby Boo but, “Two good deeds aren’t enough to absolve all the evil unleashed, Kakarrot.”

“He only acted bad because he was around the wrong people,” Mark tried to persuade Vegeta to not kill his friend. “Around me, I will make sure he stays good.”

Vegeta kept his hand pointed at Boo but he sounded as if listening to Mark when he asked, “You think you can control him?”

“I got him to stop killing,” Mark was proud of that. “I’ll continue teaching him good from bad. We don’t have to worry about Boo being evil anymore.”

“You will keep him in line.” Vegeta chuckled. Saiyans have their pride but we are not as narcissistic as Earthlings. “Humans aren’t immortal. What happens when that dog dies of natural causes? What happens when you die? How do you expect to explain him to the delusional people of Earth? They won’t believe in aliens but they believe you saved them from Cell and now Boo. Kakarrot may be dumb enough to put the safety of his family and planet in your hands but I’m not foolish enough to take that risk.”

“Ah, come on, Vegeta. If it wasn’t for Mr. Satan, the people of Earth wouldn’t have given their energy.”

“Kakarrot, seven years ago, you put the fate of the world on your child. It cost your life. Do you expect me to put the fate of this planet on this bumbling fool’s shoulders? I’m not risking my family for your dumbass decision.”

“Funny you say that after what you did.”

“My mistake shows I know what the hell I’m talking about.” There was another reason Vegeta didn’t want Mark to take in Boo. He knew the con artist’s good intentions were paved with ulterior motives. He’ll use that fat one to continue the con he’s the champion. After years of seeing Mark on TV with one promotion after another and lie after lie about the Cell Game, Vegeta had enough. “It’s time he stops making a living off Saiyans.”

“Making a living?” Goku didn’t understand that but he noticed Mark shrinking behind Boo as if trying to hide. What did he do? “What are you talking about, Vegeta?”

“This jackass made himself rich off your and Gohan’s work from Cell. Cities and streets are named after him. Money that should’ve gone to your wife and sons, went to him and his kid. Every year on the anniversary of your death, they praise this fool. I have to hear from Bulma how this affects your wife. She demands no TV that day. She doesn’t want any of your friends visiting and she locks herself in her room to cry. I’m tired of this clown making money off Saiyans.” Vegeta saw his words affected Goku. That woman is his weakness. One more reveal will get the younger Saiyan to see things his way. “If your wife had some of the money, she wouldn’t be struggling as she is now. Maybe she wouldn’t have been tempted with the biggest mistake.”

Goku knew ChiChi was obsessed with him to win the prize money. Was that why? “But why doesn’t her Dad help her? He always has.”

“I’m sure he does but even I know it costs money to feed Saiyans and unless you have an abundance of money like Bulma, you're screwed.”

“Did ChiChi say that?”

“Your wife is proud, Kakarrot. She wouldn’t say it, but I’ve been by your house a few times. It’s getting worn down.”

“I see.” If things were that bad, Goku knew he had to do something about it. The answer was simple. “If you’ve made money off me and Gohan, Mr. Satan, then you owe us money.”

“I do?” First that hot 18 chick and now him. They’re gonna make me broke. “I’ll give you money if you let Boo live with me.”

“No deal.” Vegeta knew he was right about Mark. “Boo dies and you still give Kakarrot what he’s due.” His hand illuminated over Boo. “Or else.”

“If it can help,” Supreme Kai intervened, “we can take Boo. Evil Boo killed the Supreme Kai of the North and West. He absorbed the Supreme Kai of the South and the Kai that was over all of us.” The Supreme Kai looked down at the sleeping chubby Boo. “That is his form.”

“He is our responsibility,” the Old Kai agreed with the younger Kai. “It should have been us to stop him and not Saiyans. We’ll keep him here.” He patted Supreme Kai’s back. “And I’ll teach this one to be a proper Kai.”

“Can you make sure he won’t turn?” Mark was reluctant to agree to this deal. It was for the best Boo to be with his people but Mark worried about Boo turning again. “I got him to give up killing.”

“He’s not evil incarnate anymore.” Supreme Kai knew it was a big task but it had to be done. “It’s the least I can do for being the only Kai to survive. I was the youngest and weakest Kai. This is my chance to atone for my failures. I can do it with your help if you can convince Boo staying here is best.”

Vegeta didn’t like this. Death to Boo was the safest option. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to have him around.”

Goku liked the idea. He also saw this as an opportunity to get another fight out of Boo. “Boo and Mr. Satan helped us, Vegeta. We owe them. Let’s train and fight Boo if he loses control.”

Vegeta gave up. He never got his way but Goku always got what he wanted. While Dende healed Boo, Mark asked the Supreme Kai, “Can I visit Boo or will you bring him to Earth?”

“It won’t be a good idea if Boo visits Earth.”

Goku had a solution to that, too. “We can use the dragon balls to erase everyone’s memory of Boo.”

“Misusing the dragon balls again,” the Old Kai foresaw a dark future if they didn’t stop abusing the use of dragon balls. “You’re tempting fate for something disastrous to happen. We’ll host visitations.”

“Sounds good but in a few years, you can try having Boo visit Earth.” Goku’s suggestion wasn’t as farfetched as everyone thought. “Earthlings don’t have a good memory. Twenty years ago, King Piccolo and his minions killed a lot of people and tried to take over Earth but no one talks about it anymore. No one remembers Piccolo is the son of King Piccolo and we fought. Earth forgot about Vegeta and Nappa attacking. They’ll forget about Boo, too.”

Supreme Kai wasn't as confident as Goku but he was willing to try. “We’ll arrange for visits here and in a few years, we’ll return to Earth.”

When Dende finished healing Boo, Mark and Bee welcomed his return with hugs (from Mark) and licks (from Bee) “It’s over, Boo. We defeated the evil one.”

That made chubby Boo happy. “So we go back to playing now?”

That was Boo now he wasn’t a killer anymore. All he wanted to do is play, sleep and eat. “Another time. Boo, it’s time for me to go home. My home is on Earth and your home is here.”

“Here?” The planet was messy and beaten up. He could stay here but he wanted his friend with him. “You leaving?”

“Yeah. It’s time for me to go but Bee can stay with you.” Mark placed Bee in Boo’s arms. “I’ll come back to visit.” Mark gestured Boo to look at the Supreme and Old Kai. “These two are gonna take care of you. They’re good people and my friends.”

Boo didn’t know the Old Kai but he remembered the Supreme Kai. He was mean. He fought him. Boo didn’t like that. “But Boo wants you to care for me. Boo wants you to stay.”

“I know but these two are gonna take care of you. You’ll be happy here,” Mark promised. “You and Bee. There are no bad men here. Bee will be safe and you have a big planet to explore.”

Boo wasn’t convinced. He hadn’t forgotten how mean the Supreme Kai was. “He was bad to me. He hit me.”

“I apologize for that, Boo. I got the wrong impression of you but I’d like to be your friend if you let me.”

The Old Kai kicked the Supreme Kai’s left leg. He tumbled to the ground where the Old Kai kept him down with his booted foot. “A little humbling will help you achieve your goal.”

Boo liked the Old Kai. If the Supreme Kai was mean to him, the Old Kai would hit him. “You feed me?”

“Yes.”

“You read me stories?”

“Yes.”

“You give me baths and massages?”

Supreme Kai raised himself to argue but the Old Kai pressed harder to keep him down. “Of course.”

“Okay,” Boo accepted that. “I stay.”

Mark gave Boo a hug and spoke a few parting words. He patted Bee’s head, received a few licks and walked away from them. He was sad about their parting. He was scared of Boo but discovered he was an innocent soul and a true friend. That was something Mark hadn’t had in a long time.

I’ll see him again but I am gonna miss him.  

“I’m ready.”

The Supreme Kai rose. The universe was saved but at a humbling price for him. He was merged with Kibito forever. He will be chubby Boo’s caretaker and engage in acts not befitting a Kai but he also found a teacher in the Old Kai who will help him be the best Kai he can be. He also wouldn’t be alone anymore. The Old Kai and chubby Boo will keep him company for many centuries. It wasn’t a bad deal when he truly thought about it.

“Goku, shall we go now?”

“Go?” “Back to Earth,” the Supreme Kai reminded Goku. “I will return you, Vegeta and Mr. Satan.”

“After all we’ve been through, you don’t have to call me Mr. Satan. That’s my stage name. We’re friends now.” Mark put his arms around Goku and Vegeta’s shoulders. “You can call me Mark.” Vegeta growled and Mark instantly took his arm off Vegeta’s shoulder. “Or Mr. Satan. Whatever is good for you.” He still had his arm around Goku. He gave him a friendly squeeze. “I wanna get back to Videl. I know you wanna get home to your family.”

“Home?” Goku knew the Old Kai gave his life to him. He knew was alive but he was swept up in the adrenaline to aid Gohan and caught up in defeating Evil Boo. He didn’t have time to consider his return to life meant he will go home to his wife and sons. I can be with ChiChi and Gohan again. I can get to know Goten. I can go home. Home to his beloved Mount Paozu where the air is fresh and water so pure and clean. Home to a quiet community of animals peacefully living among the mountains. Home where he had his happiest memories growing up with his beloved Grandpa; where he formed happier memories with his wife and son and where he will create memories with his youngest child.

I’m going home.

Goku thought of his goodbye to ChiChi. They had their talk at the Tenkaichi Budokai but it wasn’t enough. Now, he had all the time to say what he wanted and make up for the pain he caused her. He thought of Goten and their goodbye. Only a few hours together and Goku loved him so much. The little time they had wasn’t enough but Goku accepted what he was given. He thought of his goodbye to Gohan. He sent Gohan off with a smile crushed that would be the last time they see each other until Gohan crossed over. 

Not anymore. 

ChiChi. Gohan. Goten. I’m coming home.

The reality hit Goku hard. He pulled away from Mark and walked off. He needed a moment to let this sink in. I’m alive. He thought of his family waiting for him. He thought of the excitement to tell them he is back for good. His eyes became watery. He quickly wiped his eyes against the back of his hand. This wasn’t the place to get like that. He wasn't around the one he could succumb his emotions, too.

“Kakarrot,” Vegeta put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s been seven years,” he spoke so only Goku could hear. “Haven’t you kept ChiChi waiting enough?”

ChiChi. If he was nearly brought to tears, Goku knew ChiChi would cry like a burst dam. He couldn’t wait to tell her. “Yeah, I have. Let’s go home.”

Goku noticed Vegeta smiling. It was rare to see that from him unless he was mocking someone or engaged in a good fight but ever since Vegeta gave Goku his praise while he fought Evil Boo, Goku felt things have forever changed between the two. The rivalry was over and a real friendship can finally begin. Goku looked forward to that but one thing had to be cleared first. “That wasn't nice, Vegeta." "I’m telling the truth, Kakarrot. You have kept your wife waiting long enough.”

“Not that. You used ChiChi in our fight. You tried to get in my head and make me think she was with someone when I was dead. That was dirty." Vegeta stopped walking. “I said that?” "When you were possessed by Bobbidi," Goku refreshed Vegeta’s memory. "That was really mean." Shit. Did I almost tell Kakarrot about Kenji? "I was willing to do anything to win, Kakarrot. Nothing was off limits." "Yeah, but that was really low, Vegeta. I wouldn’t do that with you and Bulma." "Oh fuck off!! At least you go home to a happy mate. I gotta deal with Bulma. She's probably pissed at what I did at the tournament." “Oh yeah.” Trunks would be happy to see him but Goku knew Vegeta was in for a rough reunion with Bulma. "You're dead for sure." Shit. If Kakarrot knows that, I am in trouble. Vegeta knew over the years he wasn’t the best mate. Despite his aloofness to her, Bulma always accepted Vegeta’s outburst and isolation with understanding. Sometimes she did get angry but most times, she let it go. She knew him enough to give him space when needed and welcome his desire for company. For the first time, Vegeta worried he pushed Bulma too far.

“So, what happens now?” Gohan wondered. Evil Boo was defeated but what of his Dad? “Dad defeated Boo. Why haven’t we heard from him?”

ChiChi wondered that, too. The battle was over and everyone remained on Kami’s Temple as if waiting for something to happen. Two hours have passed since Boo’s defeat and nothing was heard of Goku or Vegeta. I guess Goku got special treatment to fight Evil Boo. “We should go home, Gohan. It’s been a couple of days and I know you and Goten are hungry. We can eat the feast I made for your father.”

“But I thought Dad’s coming back,” Gohan remembered his Dad wanted to fuse with him. Gohan did not see a halo over his Dad’s head. He thought he was alive. “I could’ve sworn…”

“Thanks for the ride! Goodbye!”

ChiChi turned at Goku’s voice. How was Goku allowed back on Earth? Was Goku granted a do-over and given another day with us?

“Daddy!” Goten rushed ahead of ChiChi and Gohan to welcome Goku back. Goku scooped up Goten and raised him over his head. “You did it, Daddy!” Goten cheered. “You were awesome against Majin Boo!”

“Couldn’t have done it without you, Mommy, Gohan and everyone!” 

A crying Mark hugged Videl and embarrassed her with kisses. “Dad!” Videl complained. “I’m not five anymore. Stop!”

“Vegeta!” Bulma threw her arms around him and nearly knocked Vegeta over. He stared wide-eyed at Bulma kissing his cheek and hugging him again. This was not the reunion he expected.

After Gohan’s hug, ChiChi got her hug in. “You’re back. Were you granted another day with us?”

Another day? Goku laughed. Hadn’t ChiChi noticed his halo is gone?

“Daddy!” Goten pointed over Goku’s head. He noticed. “Your halo is gone.”

Goku grinned at his youngest son. “Ya noticed.” ChiChi was looking over his head now. Her wonderous eyes gazed at where the halo should be. “Goku?” She held the question she was too afraid to ask.

“There’s a lot to explain,” Goku said as everyone gathered around. “Thanks to everyone, the evil Boo is defeated. The chubby Boo is still around but he’s on the Supreme Kai’s planet.”

“Ah, hell,” Piccolo groaned.

“No. No. It’s a good thing,” Goku assured Piccolo. “He’s not bad anymore. He will be cared for by the Supreme and Old Kai. We’ll visit and see how he’s doing.”

“Count me out.” Piccolo had enough of Boo to last a lifetime.

“But that’s not all the good news.” Goku looked at his family and friends. All had smiles as if knowing the good news but were waiting for him to confirm. “Excuse me for being away for so long but the Old Kai granted me his life so I can live again.”

“You’re alive?” ChiChi hoped this wasn’t a dream. She couldn’t take it if it were. “You mean we can go home as a family of four to our little house?”

“Yeah, if you don’t mind putting up with me again. I can’t wait to get back to Mount Paozu and eat your home cookin’!”

I’ll put up with you forever. ChiChi embraced Goku. His chest was warm against her face but what triggered ChiChi’s tears was the sound of Goku’s heart beating against her ear. He’s really alive. Goku’s coming home.  Seven years of pain. Seven years of heartache and loneliness were finally over.

Gyu-Mao watched his daughter collapse in Goku’s arms. Throughout her marriage with Goku, Gyu-Mao witnessed ChiChi’s anger and frustration with Goku. He was there to see the happy times between the couple as they raised a child together. He witnessed her heartbreak at Goku dying twice. He was there to help ChiChi through her mourning. He even encouraged her to move on and date Kenji, but through it all, ChiChi’s heart always remained with Goku.

He is her only love.

It was a rare kind of love and one Gyu-Mao knew he wouldn’t see replicated if he lived ten lifetimes.

“I think we should let them have a moment alone.” Gyu-Mao ushered the others to disperse to give Goku and ChiChi privacy. Everyone spread out into different areas of the temple. Vegeta, Bulma and Trunks settled in a spot alone. Mark and Videl continued their family reunion on the steps of the palace. Krillin, 18 and Marron waited near the trees. Mr. Popo and Piccolo celebrated Dende’s return  together while Yamcha, Master Roshi, Oolong, Puar and Gyu-Mao huddled together watching all the happy families. Gohan and Goten were closest to their parents but far from them to have their moment.  

“This is a dream.” ChiChi held Goku’s hand against her face. “A happy dream.”

“It’s not a dream, ChiChi. I’m back.”

“I never allowed myself to hope you could come back to me. It was years before I finally accepted your death and you weren’t returning.” She kissed the palm of his hand. “It’ll take a while before I believe this is real.”

“Let me speed things up so you know I am here and this is real.” Goku brushed away her tears with the pad of his thumb before resting his hand on the back of her neck. He settled his mouth over hers and groaned at ChiChi’s familiar flavor filling his mouth as his tongue thrust inside. Sweet and spicy she always was as she left his body hungering for her. Over and over his tongue rolled over ChiChi’s drowning Goku in a taste and smell Goku could never get enough of. He pulled back to see color blooming on ChiChi’s cheeks. “How’s that?”

How’s that? He knew and ChiChi knew he could smell it. “I think I need a little more convincing.”

While Goku convince ChiChi he is back, 18 thought of her friend and how happy she must be having her husband back. “I have never seen ChiChi so happy.” 18 bounced her daughter on her thigh. “Goku’s not impressive but as long as ChiChi is happy.”

Krillin knew ChiChi would be happy as long as she never learned what he knew. When he and Yamcha found ChiChi, she was with Nam and King Chappa. She talked of meeting Kimani and how happy she was Goku made a friend.  She didn't know of Goku's real relationship with Kimani. “I hope Goku doesn’t let it slip he left his girlfriend behind.”

“Girlfriend?” 18 stopped bouncing Marron. “What are you talking about?”

His wife and ChiChi were close friends. ChiChi could learn through 18 what he knows so Krillin knew he shouldn’t tell 18 but he was dying to share this with someone. “Don’t tell ChiChi but when me and Yamcha went to the Grand Kai’s planet, we met Goku’s girlfriend. Kimani. She’s a beautiful fighter.”

18 waited for Krillin to laugh and say he’s kidding but he didn’t. “Goku had someone while ChiChi remained loyal to him? She gave up a good life with Kenji while Goku carried on with another woman?” 18 took Marron off her lap and stood. “I need to tell ChiChi.”

Krillin grabbed her hand. “No! Didn’t you hear me? ChiChi can’t know this. Do you know how devasted she would be if she learns this?”

“You expect me to be quiet while ChiChi lives with a sleazebag?”

“Goku’s not a sleazebag and they weren’t married anymore. Goku was free to pursue a relationship.”

“You didn’t feel that way when Kenji wanted ChiChi. You thought she was cheating and should be loyal to Goku.”

That was different. “Goku died saving the world.” 18 turned her back on him disgusted. “How can you move on when a guy does that?”

Krillin and 18’s bickering caught Bulma and Vegeta’s attention. Aside from the hug and kiss, Bulma spoke very little to Vegeta. She smiled and chatted about how they will go home and see her parents but Vegeta felt something was different with Bulma. He waited for Trunks to chat with Goten to address it to Bulma.

“Bulma, about what happened at the tournament….” How to explain you ruthlessly killed people just to goad Goku into a fight? “I wasn’t in my right mind.”

Bulma smiled as if not bothered by what he did. “Vegeta, it’s good you were given another chance and you helped defeat that monster.”

The smile was on her lips but not in her eyes or her voice. “But?”

“Vegeta, Trunks is happy you’re alive and we’re all alive again. This is a good day. Don’t ruin it talking about what you did.”

The anger simmered in her voice. “Trunks is happy I’m alive. Are you happy I’m alive?”

The smile fell away allowing her real emotions to surface. “Oh, so my feelings and what I think of you matter now? I didn't see that when you slaughtered hundreds of people!”

She was angry and Vegeta rather deal with Bulma angry instead of her pretending to be happy around him. “You’re right to be upset, Bulma.”

“You think that’s all I am feeling now? You don’t think I’m hurt. You don’t think I’m embarrassed? You don’t think I’m…..” she stopped. This wasn’t the time or place. “We’ll talk about this after we’re home.”

While Vegeta braced himself for an uncomfortable talk with Bulma, Gohan and Videl chatted about Boo and how their lives have changed forever.

“It’s gonna be awkward going back to school.” Gohan had a lot to face. He took a month off to prepare for the tournament. He exposed himself as Saiyaman and the Golden Warrior. His classmates and teachers will have a lot of questions. “So much for anonymity.”

“I’m sorry about that Gohan,” Videl apologized. “I pressured you into competing and threatened to expose your secret if you didn’t.” It was only a month ago but for Videl, it felt years have passed. Her feelings then and what she felt now were so different. She had a lot of respect and admiration for Gohan and was ready to acknowledge the feelings brewing in her for him. “I’m used to publicity. I’ll help you through it.”

“Really?” Gohan was glad she said that. He needed help and Videl was a natural at dealing with the press. “How can I thank you?”

A date would be nice. But Videl didn’t want to drop that on Gohan with her Dad watching them. “I took a month off to prepare for the tournament. If you can help me get caught up with school, we’re even.”

“Deal!”

As Gohan and Videl made plans to see each other, Goku and ChiChi emerged looking for their sons. Their appearance brought everyone together again. “ChiChi told me she has a feast waiting for me so I’m ready to go home. We’ll see you later.”

“Let’s not make it five years or three or seven,” Bulma quipped. Odd-number reunions always spelled a bad omen for them. “Let’s meet up in a few weeks for a reunion and welcome back party for you, Goku.”

“Sure. Sure,” Goku picked up ChiChi. The only reunion he wanted was with ChiChi’s cooking and her. “Bye!”

The journey from Kami's Temple to the Son Family home took over an hour. The reunited family spent the time sharing things that occurred over the seven years. Gohan spoke of his school life and balancing it with his heroics as Saiyaman. ChiChi shared some of the lives at Gyu-Mao’s village including people who have passed and those who might die from shock seeing him alive again. Nearing home, Goku noticed changes over the landscapes. Miles of forests were cut in half and replaced with roads, homes and towns. It was sad to see such development since Goku was a nature lover and loved the country. When he passed an isolated steep hill with a flat top, Goku’s heart beat excitedly. The familiar, tall butte always signaled to Goku he was almost home.

Entering Mount Paozu country, Goku saw more familiar signs of home. A family of dinosaurs flying together; acres of tall and lush trees he climbed as a child, lakes filled with fishes Goku hunted for his family and valleys of buttes Goku climbed and meditated on. Goku spotted a few homes spread out but none close to the home he longed to see.

“There it is, Goku.” ChiChi sounded as excited as he. “Our home.”

Goku felt a tightness in his chest as he descended on the dome home he left seven years ago.

 He felt himself land and release ChiChi. He heard her talking but didn’t understand her words. Gohan and Goten spoke, too, but Goku didn’t understand. All he saw was the home he never thought he’d see again.

I can’t believe I’m back here.

Gohan, Goten and ChiChi began walking to their house. Goten voiced he was hungry. Gohan spoke of the schoolwork he will have to catch up on while ChiChi worried about the state of her house. It was she who noticed Goku wasn’t with them. She turned to see him still standing in the spot where he landed.

“Goku, aren’t you coming inside?”

“I am.” But he wanted to stay here and look at his home. It’s still the same. That tall tree that provided shade under a hot day was still here. The stump of the tree he accidentally smashed ChiChi into was here. Goku chopped that tree and used the wood for fire. The ax was still wedged into the stump. “I….. I never thought I’d see this place again.” Memories he shut off seven years ago began flooding in Goku.  He remembered the early mornings he worked out in the front yard. He remembered showing Gohan real insects from the books he studied. He remembered helping ChiChi with her martial arts and stealing kisses from her as she hung laundry on the clothesline. He remembered the naps with ChiChi and baby Gohan under that big shady tree. For seven years, he didn’t dwell on the memories. It was painful to be reminded of the people he couldn’t be around anymore. Now they were rushing in Goku like a burst dam. “I……” a tear fell from his eyes. “I can’t believe I’m here.”

ChiChi returned to his side and wrapped her arms around him. Overwhelmed with memories and feeling ChiChi hold him, the dam broke and out came his tears. I’m home. I’m really home. More arms came around him as Gohan and Goten hugged him, too.  

Goku didn’t know how long he cried or how long he was held. He soaked it in knowing he needed this from his family. He was always the one to be strong for everyone. He always had to hold his feelings in and be the comforter. This time, he was comforted as his family let him know they will be strong for him.

Eventually, the family parted and walked inside their home together. Goku stopped at the door when he saw balloons decorating their living room with a banner hanging from the ceiling. ‘Welcome Home, Goku!’ “Wow. You did this for me?” Goku thought he’d get a good meal. Curious of the decorations, Goku explored the room. There was a new TV but the bookcases and furniture were still the same. He remembered what Vegeta said about his home being worn down. He looked for signs. The ceiling was fine but the walls looked weary as if it needed a coat of paint but the extra photos ChiChi hung up to include Goten distracted anyone from looking at the wall too hard. There was a photo album on the coffee table with a camera. ChiChi and her camera. He suspected she left that out to take pictures of him for his one-day visit. The color on the sofa was fading. Seven years ago, ChiChi talked of getting rid of it. It must be in worse shape now.

He was going to sit down when his nose twitched. There was an alluring smell coming from the kitchen. “Ah. I missed this!” ChiChi wasn’t kidding when she told him she prepared a feast for him. The table and counters were covered with food. Goku nearly drooled at the sight of so many dishes.  

ChiChi followed Goku with an inspecting eye over her busiest room. “The kitchen looks intact.”

“Why wouldn’t it be, Mom?” Gohan asked. “The dragon restored everything to what it was before.”

“Yes, but your father,” ChiChi lightly slapped Goku’s hand when he opened one of the food containers, “shook the world when he became a Super Saiyan Three. He might have knocked a few things over. You and Goten should check the house to make sure nothing is broken.”

While Gohan and Goten inspected the rest of the house, ChiChi opened a couple of container lids and inspected her food. The food wasn’t spoiled but it didn’t look as fresh as it did three days ago. ChiChi checked the rest of the kitchen for damages. Goku inspected the room, too, for signs of it being run down. The paint was peeling from the stove. One of the chairs from the kitchen table was loose. The wallpaper was peeling. It was slightly worn but not too bad. The refrigerator stood out as it was bigger than the one he remembered seeing.

“Is the refrigerator new?”

“Yeah,” ChiChi answered from the pantry. “I got it a few years ago. An old friend gifted it to me.” ChiChi came out of the pantry holding a large bag of rice. “A few boxes and cans were knocked over but nothing is broken.”

“I’ll take that.” Goku took the bag that was half ChiChi’s size. “Where do you want me to put it?”

“You can put it in the sink but it’s not heavy, Goku.”

“I know. I wanna help.”

“You do?” ChiChi touched his forehead. “You’re not running a fever.”

“Ah, come on,” he whined. “I wasn’t that bad.”

“No, but you usually help around the house when you’re feeling guilty about something.” ChiChi pulled out her colander and a large pot from the lower cabinet. “What is it, Goku?”

While she waited for him to answer, ChiChi carried on about her work, pouring rice in the colander and rinsing it under water. She dumped the rice in the pot and poured more in the colander.  

“Vegeta told me things haven’t been good while I was dead. I didn’t know you were having money problems.” ChiChi stopped rinsing the rice. “I didn’t know the house was getting run down.”

“I didn’t know he noticed but Vegeta has always been more observant than others.” ChiChi resumed rinsing the rice. “It’s not your fault, Goku.”

It felt like it. ChiChi always did her wife duties but Goku often shirk his husband duties. It wasn’t always like that. Before his first death, Goku did a lot. He earned an income with his freelance work and sometimes fixed things around the house. Aki helped him but Goku was there.

“Sorry, ChiChi.”

“Don’t apologize.” ChiChi added more rice to the pot. “You’re home. We’ll figure it out.” Things were bad but with Goku home, ChiChi wasn’t as worried. She already had a plan to resolve some of their problems. Goten’s prize money will help and 18 did promise to give her some money she will fleece from Mr. Satan. She had that plot of land that will be turned into a farm. With Goku’s muscles, they can grow ten times as many crops.

As she poured more rice in the colander, Goku turned her to face him. ChiChi saw his guilt. She was surprised he was so bothered. ChiChi opened her mouth to assure Goku it’s fine but Goku swooped in and swallowed her words. He claimed her lips like a starving man for water. His tongue thrust inside her surprised mouth familiarizing himself with her again so much that when her sweet taste coated his tongue and her alluring scent filled his nostrils, he groaned so deeply ChiChi felt it in her core as it sizzled awake after a long drought. The kiss was meant to be an apology but the potent scent wafting from ChiChi affected Goku’s reasoning. His tender kisses became fierce and heated as he pushed her against the sink and ground his lower body against hers.

Oh, this was not an apology. This was foreplay and it was happening in the middle of their kitchen. ChiChi gripped Goku’s shirt. She needed to push him away but that hardness, that need from him rubbing against her was so hard to say no to.

But she did… slowly.

ChiChi pulled her lips away while her lower body remained connected with Goku. She subdued her moan biting her lower lip as Goku hit that sweet spot between her legs. She gripped his shirt tighter. It felt so good but they had to stop. “Apology accepted, Goku.” He tried to kiss her again but she pressed fingers to his lips. “We gotta stop. The boys…” she mention their sons to bring Goku to his senses. Goku stopped and stepped back.

“Sorry,” he apologized. “I wanna show how sorry I am.”

“You’re forgiven.” ChiChi turned on the oven and stove. She grabbed a couple of glass containers and placed them inside the oven. “I have to finish with dinner.”

That also would’ve prevented Goku from acting on his lust but when ChiChi bent before him to place the food in the oven, Goku knew he needed one more taste.

He grabbed ChiChi’s arm and pulled her back to him. Her soft breasts crushed against his chest and his softening bulge hit the right spot between her legs. “I can wait for dinner. I want some dessert now.” Goku dipped his head and touched her lips again. Her mouth opened against his allowing his alluring tongue to sweep inside. His rough moan blended with her airy sigh as she succumbed to him.

How had she lived without this for seven years she wondered.

ChiChi clutched his shirt and kneaded his neck, silently demanding he hold nothing back. Seven years without, ChiChi wanted everything Goku could give her. He humbly responded by pushing her hips to the counter and trapping her between it and him. He angled his head and took her deeper with his tongue, going a little harder as a lance of pleasure travel from her breasts to between her legs. She moaned, unable to quiet herself as she felt that familiar length harden against her.

One more kiss and I’ll stop she told herself. Two more kisses she compromised. She was negotiating a third when her sons entered the kitchen.

“House is okay, Momma! Hey!” Goten cried out when Gohan covered his eyes. “Big Brother, I can’t see!”

“This isn’t something for children to see.”

ChiChi pushed Goku from her so hard he stumbled against the table. ChiChi turned her back on her family shielding her flushed face and heaving breasts from them. “Gohan…..” she took a deep breath. “Goten. You two were in a nasty fight with that Boo monster. You should take a shower before dinner.”

“Right, Mom,” Gohan agreed eager to leave the room with his brother protesting he still couldn’t see.

ChiChi didn’t look at Goku. They were so wired and needing of each other any look would have them in each other’s arms again. “I need to finish reheating the food and cook the rice.” ChiChi picked up her pot of rice but Goku took it from her and placed it on the stove.

Glad for the help, ChiChi grabbed another large pot from under the cabinet. ChiChi dumped a large portion of rice into her strainer and began rinsing it under water when Goku’s arms wrapped around her. “Goku, I have to finish preparing dinner.”

Goku accepted they couldn’t fool around. The boys will interrupt again and he was getting hungry. “I’ll hold you while you cook. I did that sometimes.”

He did and ChiChi loved it. Goku would hold her like a comfy pillow. Sometimes he would drop tender kisses on her cheek and neck and ask her what she’s cooking. ChiChi didn’t feel lust brewing from Goku then. It was wholesome intimacy ChiChi would’ve allowed if not for the sudden release of gas that expelled from Goku. “Ah, Goku!” ChiChi shoved him away. “That’s not romantic at all!”

“Sorry.” Goku hadn’t meant to release the foul gas. It suddenly came out. Another one came out stronger, louder and fouler. “Ooo!” Goku gripped the back of a chair as prickling needle-like pain stabbed his stomach. “ChiChi, I’m feeling weird.”

ChiChi waved her hand. “No, you stink!”

“No.” Goku rubbed his stomach. What was going on with him? “My tummy hurts.” He rubbed his butt as pain suddenly hit him here, too. “And here. It’s kind of tight here like I have to take a dump but it never felt this bad before.”

Seven years ago, ChiChi would scold Goku for being so crude but now Goku’s crude talk didn’t matter even if he was stinking up the kitchen. “Maybe you have to go to the toilet.” “I guess. I haven't used one since I died.”

ChiChi opened a window to air out the room. “But you told me you ate food at the Grand Kai’s palace.” “Yeah, but I never felt the need to go. Ooo,” he clutched his stomach as it felt like it was being twisted in knots. “It’s really hurting.” Maybe afterlife food is different from living food. “What happened with the food you ate the morning you died?” “I never released that.” In the afterlife, no one had a desire to eat or sleep. Bodily functions that were needed for the living ceased for the dead. Sleeping and eating were things done out of a desire but never a need.

ChiChi’s eyes grew as she understood what was happening. “Are you saying you have seven years of backup and it's ready to come out?” “I guess so.” Goku staggered out of the room as more gas expelled from him. “I better get it out.” ChiChi worried for the toilet and the awful smell that will linger. “Can our bathroom handle that?”

The toilet survived Goku’s unleashing but it did leave a foul stench in the bathroom. Goku opened the windows hopeful the natural air will kill the scent he left behind. That release left Goku feeling dirty. He removed his clothes and tossed them in the small trash can. They were so tattered from his fight against Evil Boo he knew ChiChi will want it in the trash.

He stepped in the shower and soaked under the hot water. Goku swam in lakes on the Grand Kai’s planet but it had been years since he truly cleaned himself. Natural body functions and strong scents didn’t exist in the afterlife. Alive Goku could smell his musk returning.

ChiChi really must be happy I’m back. She didn’t care I’m a bit stinky. He used most of ChiChi’s shampoo to clean his hair and her soap to clean his body. He got everywhere and used multiple towels to clean himself thoroughly.

Goku stepped out of the bathroom with a towel on his hair and one around his waist. He felt clean but also hungry. “I hope dinner is ready. I’m starving.”

As he dried off, Goku explored his bedroom. Aside from different sheets on the bed, the new curtains and the shrine ChiChi dedicated to him on top of the chest drawer, their bedroom looked the same as it did seven years ago.

Goku opened the top drawer expecting to find his boxers. He found ChiChi’s bras instead. “Oops.” Did he forget? He thought this side held his clothes. He pulled the drawer next to it and found ChiChi’s panties. That was strange. He was sure he had one side and ChiChi had the other. He pulled the drawers under it. One drawer was filled with yarn and the other had ChiChi’s clothes. He checked the remaining drawers and discovered all of them had ChiChi’s clothes. “Where did my clothes go?”

Goku opened the closet. The top shelf held blankets and extra bed sheets. The rack was filled with ChiChi’s clothes. “Hmm. Did she throw out my clothes?” Goku sifted through the clothes hoping to find at least one article of clothing. “I guess she made space when I died but what am I gonna wear?” On the closet floor were ChiChi’s shoes and two boxes. “Maybe it’s in there.”

He opened the box on the right first. It was filled with things Goku categorized as ChiChi’s: books and knitting supplies, a camera and a photo booklet with a letter attached. ChiChi took plenty of pictures of the family. When she got the film developed, she would immediately organize them in a photo album. It was strange ChiChi hadn’t done that with these photos.

Curious, Goku opened the booklet. The first photo was of ChiChi, Gohan and Goten. They were wearing baseball jerseys. Goten’s shirt nearly swallowed him and his giant foam finger was half his body size. He looked so small in this photo. Goku guessed Goten was three or four since Gohan at four was about that size. Gohan was nearly as tall as ChiChi in this photo. “Wow. He sprouted.”

In the next photo, a girl was in the picture with them. She posed next to Gohan and stood a few inches taller. “Who is she?” Goku went to the next photo. Yamcha was in this one smiling with his family. “Ah, I see. They went to Yamcha’s game.” Goku went through the photos. There were pictures of Gohan, Goten and the girl eating, watching the game and posing on the baseball field. A few times Goku noticed Gohan staring at the mysterious girl. In those photos, Goku could make out a blush on Gohan’s face.

“Is that Gohan’s girlfriend?” He missed so much! Girls were the furthest thing from Gohan’s mind seven years ago and if what Krillin said is true about Videl, Gohan then Gohan had two girlfriends. Or more. Who knows how many he dated over the years. “I can’t believe ChiChi let Gohan date that young.”

Goku sifted through the photos smiling at them all until he came to a photo of ChiChi and a man. “Hmm.” Goku didn’t recognize him. This photo wasn’t taken at a baseball game. They were at an amusement park. The man was tall and in shape judging from the arm muscles in his tank shirt. “Not as big as my arms,” Goku muttered as he studied the man. ChiChi took photos with other men. ChiChi took pictures with Aki but he or Gohan were in the picture. Gohan wasn’t in this one. Goten was and he sat on the man’s shoulder. That didn’t sit right with Goku. There was another photo of the man with ChiChi, Goten and Gohan. Gohan wasn’t smiling.

In another photo, the man stood with ChiChi in a kitchen. Goku didn’t recognize the place. It wasn’t his home or Master Roshi’s. The area looked big and fancy. Gohan was in the next photo with Goten. Both had books on a table and looked to be doing schoolwork. ChiChi was in the background cooking.

Did ChiChi cook for this guy?

The man appeared again on Master Roshi’s island with his friends. It was a group photo and everyone dressed up. Studying the white suit and white dress Krillin and 18 wore, Goku figured this was their wedding. ChiChi looked beautiful in her blue dress but why was this man here? There was another photo but it looked taken from upstairs. Vegeta was in the photo standing across from ChiChi and the man.

Him again. Who is this guy?

There were more photos of ChiChi, Gohan and Goten in a fancy hotel room. The guy appeared in a few of them. Each time Gohan appeared with the guy, he didn’t look happy. Goten and ChiChi did. There was nothing suggestive in the photos but there was something Goku didn’t like. The last photo in the booklet made Goku uncomfortable. It was of ChiChi wearing a sleeveless black dress. Goku knew that dress because ChiChi modeled the dress for him before he died. She told him she wanted to wear it when they resume date nights after the Cell Game. He died but…..

Did ChiChi wear this dress for that guy? !

There were no photos left but an envelope attached to the booklet with ChiChi’s name on it. Goku opened the envelope and found a letter inside.

Dear ChiChi,

I know you are not expecting this letter but please read this. I wanted to see you several times but I didn’t want to upset you. I’m sorry I upset you the last time we talked but I spoke out of anger and frustration. I didn’t mean it. You must believe me. I reacted the way I did because I love you.

Yes, I love you. I know you will find that hard to believe. You’ll say it’s too soon but I do. You’re an easy woman to fall in love with. I’m not Goku and I can’t replace him in your heart but I care for you deeply. I care for Gohan and Goten and I want to be a husband to you and a father to them.

I love baseball. I don’t know what I’d be doing if I didn’t play but spending time with you and your boys showed me what I’m missing and I want it. I love Goten so much. That sweet boy deserves a Daddy. I’m not Goku but I can be a Daddy to Goten. It’s too late to spare Gohan the pain of losing a parent but I’ll make sure Goten doesn’t grow up with the pain and loss you and Gohan have in your heart. I can be a husband for you , and if we’re lucky, we can have children together.

Gohan doesn’t like me but once he sees how much I love you and Goten, I know he’ll accept me. Maybe he’ll think of me as a second father. I want to help him with his first date and first love. I want to teach him how to shave and drive a car. I want to be with you as we watch him get married.

You know how much I adore Goten. I smile whenever I think of him. He’s such a good boy and I know why. He’s raised by a good Momma. Goten made me see how fun being a Daddy can be. I don’t know how to fish but I can learn for Goten. I’m not attracted to martial arts but I can hire the best teachers for Goten, and for his beautiful mother, I’ll give you everything.  

You are an amazing woman with a loving heart. You have a beautiful smile and if you don’t mind my saying, a sexy body. Your innocence is infectious and you’re a damn good cook. I want you to be mine. I want to wake up and fall asleep to you every night. I want to take you out of the mountains and show you the world. You deserve that. I know you don’t desire jewelry but you’ll look beautiful in them. I know you love flowers so I’ll bring them to you every day. I want to see you in our home with our child growing in you. I want to see you with more children and grandchildren. I want to give you the love you deserve. A strong woman like you needs to be cared for. You will have everything and you will never be alone.

Remember the fun times we had. Remember the long talks we had. Remember and think of what we can have. I hope you will respond and make me the happiest man in the world. If you don’t, I wish you a happy life, but if you need me, I’ll be there.

Love Kenji

“How could I have forgotten?” ChiChi chastised herself as she hurried to her bedroom. Dinner was ready. Gohan and Goten sat at the table waiting for Goku. ChiChi wondered what was taking him so long. He went to their bedroom an hour ago and hadn’t emerged. Gohan did check on him earlier and told her he was in the shower.

ChiChi wondered what could be keeping him until she remembered. “I hope he’s not mad.”

Entering her bedroom, ChiChi found Goku sitting on the edge of the bed. His elbows were on his knees. His fingers were laced over each other hiding half of his face. He sat there quietly brooding. ChiChi wondered why when she noticed the open chest drawers and open closet.

He knows.

ChiChi hadn’t thought about Goku finding this out. He was returning for a day. There wasn’t a need to tell him and she never thought Goku would learn of it. “I’m sorry, Goku.”

Sorry? Is that all she could say? This wasn’t ChiChi burning his gi with an iron or pricking him with a needle during a clothes fitting. She had another man. He was in their home; he met their boys; he might have been in their bed. “Why?” was all Goku could say. “Why did you do it?”

I waited for you. Why couldn’t you wait for me?

ChiChi was taken aback by Goku’s anger. That’s a bit over the top. “You were dead and you weren’t coming back this time. It wasn’t easy for me, Goku. I saw your clothes every day. It was a harsh reminder you weren’t coming back.”

ChiChi went to the closet and picked up the box on the left. She placed it on the bed. “I donated your regular clothes to secondhand stores but Gohan was upset when I wanted to donate your fighting gi to martial arts schools. We compromised to keep those.”  

ChiChi opened it and pulled out Goku’s gi. “There’s a box of your gi in your grandpa’s home. You can’t wear it now. It’s been there for years and needs airing and a good washing. I kept one here.”

Goku looked at the box and back at ChiChi confused. He was too distraught with the letter and photos to bother checking the other box. Clothes? She thinks that’s why I’m mad?

“Some days were harder than others.” ChiChi held his gi to her chest. “I needed to hold this to get through some days. Gohan will cremate this with me when I die.” She handed the gi to him. “But now that you’re here, you can wear it and in a few days, we can go shopping for clothes.”

Goku took the gi speechless. He didn’t know what to say.

“You’re not mad at me about that, are you?”

“No.” Goku shook his head. “I get why you did that.” He didn’t understand how ChiChi could betray him with another man.

“Good.” ChiChi pressed a kiss on his cheek. “Hurry up and get dressed. Dinner’s ready.”

ChiChi left the room happy. She didn’t see when she left, Goku wiped her kiss from his cheek.

Sitting with his family for the first time in seven years should have been a happy moment for Goku. He should be happy to eat ChiChi’s food again. He should be happy eating with his sons. He should be happy to look across the table at the woman he love but Goku didn’t feel happiness. He felt heartbreak at what ChiChi did and his afterlife friends’ warnings were justified.

Goku was angry with them. ChiChi wouldn’t do that. She’d wait like him. They didn’t know her like him but he was wrong. They did know her. He didn’t. Even his beloved Grandpa tried to warn him.

“So, when you go back, I want you to be happy for ChiChi. If she has remarried, I want you to thank her husband for taking care of ChiChi and Gohan.”

“I can’t do that,” Goku whispered. “I can’t.” He implored his grandpa. “Don’t make me, Grandpa. Don’t make me say that.”

“You have to, Goku, because, in the end, you weren’t there. You didn’t go home. You didn’t tell your wife if you die, you will stay dead. She was unprepared for all of that. You said your goodbyes to your sons and your friends but not to your wife. You broke her heart when you did that.”

“I didn’t mean to.”

“I know. I know you didn’t but you can’t go back angry and disgruntled ChiChi moved on. I didn’t raise you to be like that.”

“I know, Grandpa, but---"

“I know you meant well, Goku, but you can’t return all Super Saiyan angry ready to throttle this guy who did nothing except love your wife and son and make them happy. You will not do that. Promise me you won’t.”

As painful as it was, Goku vowed to keep that promise. During dinner, he did what he always did when hiding his feelings, he smiled. He laughed and acted innocent to hide the pain in his heart.

After dinner, Goku thought he could forget his pain temporarily by chatting with his sons. While ChiChi and Gohan cleaned up, Goten presented Goku with the photo album ChiChi kept up to date after he died.

Photos. That was the last thing he wanted to see.

But that was how he spent the remainder of the night; looking through photos and listening to stories. Goku couldn’t enjoy it because he only thought about ChiChi and Kenji. How long did they date? How many times were they intimate? Did ChiChi love him? Why did she do it?

After nine, it was time to put the boys to bed. Goku tuck Goten in. The little boy was a joy and the only one to make Goku truly smile tonight. After saying good night to their sons, Goku and ChiChi went to their bedroom. Goku settled in bed wearing his gi pants while ChiChi took a shower. While he waited for her, Goku was distraught and felt haunted.

Were they in this room together? Were they in this bed? Did they sleep on these sheets? He sniffed it. They were clean and newly washed. Goku couldn’t smell ChiChi’s scent. It didn’t mean she and Kenji didn’t take a tumble here.

It’s over. That letter meant they ended it.

Goku wanted that to mean he is the only one for ChiChi but he couldn’t see it that way. It didn’t matter if the relationship ended. Someone invaded his place and invaded his woman. His Saiyan blood demanded he confront but his Grandpa’s words refrained him from doing so.  

ChiChi emerged from the bathroom. Her hair was down and she wore a thin, red see-through nightgown that almost had him exploding into a Super Saiyan. Goku gripped the sheets to control himself. He was heartbroken but his body wanted her. Ah, how he wanted her. He could smell the exotic scent from between her legs. His mouth watered for a taste. It called for him to claim her but he couldn’t. Not after what she did.

She looks so pretty but did she wear this for Kenji?

“Do you like this?” ChiChi twirled for him. Her skirt flared showing her cute bottom and bare sex.

Goku gripped the sheets tighter. “Yeah,” his voice was tight as he willed his lower body to not react. “It’s nice.”

“I’m glad. I know I’m not young anymore but I’m happy you like it.” ChiChi climbed into bed. “I’m a little nervous.”

Because you were with another man?“ Why are you nervous?”

ChiChi blushed. Did Goku have to ask? “It’s been a while, Goku, and you’re so much stronger.” She climbed on Goku and straddled him so she was directly over his groin. “Let me start things off.” Goku pulled the sheets tighter. Don’t react he told his body. Don’t react. “Be gentle and patient with me.” ChiChi kissed his chest and slowly moved her way up his neck. It was torture! His body wanted to pin ChiChi underneath him. He wanted to bury his face between her legs but his mind wanted to shove her away.

When ChiChi moved in to kiss his lips, Goku turned away. “I can’t.” Goku closed his eyes. Remember Grandpa’s promise.

Goku’s rejection surprised ChiChi and his ‘I can’t’ felt cold. Maybe he’s having second thoughts now we’re not caught up in the moment. “I know I’m not young anymore but I thought in the kitchen when we…. and at the Budokai, we ….”

“That ain’t it.” She was beautiful and his body wanted her but his mind couldn’t stop thinking of ChiChi and Kenji. “My body is feeling weird, ChiChi.”

“Oh.” ChiChi slid off Goku. “Do you have to go to the toilet again?”

No, but he was feeling a little tired. As the day carried on, Goku felt his body adjusting to being alive again. “I do feel sleepy.” He wasn’t lying about that. He felt fatigue but not so much he couldn’t go one round with ChiChi. She didn’t need to know that. If he could fool her with sleepiness……

“Guess you’re getting used to a living body again.” ChiChi got out of bed. If they weren’t going to be intimate, there wasn’t a need for her sexy lingerie. She went to the chest drawer and pulled out a cotton nightgown. “I’m glad that’s it,” she laughed as she removed her see-through gown and returned it to the drawer. “Í thought you changed your mind because I am older.”

Goku pulled at the sheets again as he watch his naked wife put on the cotton nightgown. “Ya ain’t old. Ya look the same to me. Still pretty,” he admired her breasts before she covered them. Remember Grandpa’s promise. Goku smiled at ChiChi as she returned to bed. He hoped to throw her off but it wasn’t easy fooling ChiChi. She knew him better than anyone. She could read his smiles and emotions. It might take a day or two but she always knew when he was hiding something. “I’m tired and I wanna sleep. I didn’t do a lot of sleeping when I was dead.”

“I bet you trained for days without rest,” ChiChi joked. She was disappointed but ChiChi understood. They weren’t on limited time anymore. What’s another day or two? “We can talk about the seven years.”

That was the last thing Goku wanted. “I just wanna sleep, ChiChi. I’m really tired.”

“A lot of fighting and food does make you sleepy.” ChiChi remembered after Goku won the Tenkaichi Budokai, he ate a hearty meal at her father’s castle and slept ten hours. Sometimes after grueling training with Piccolo and Gohan, Goku slept a very long time. He must be exhausted fighting Boo and adjusting to a live body again. “We can catch up later. We have plenty of time.” ChiChi pressed her lips to Goku’s cheek. “Good night, Goku.”

ChiChi expected Goku to say good night but he turned his back on her without saying a word. “Goku?”

“Good night, ChiChi.” He said it but ChiChi wasn’t comforted by Goku’s words. It added to his strange behavior at dinner. Something was off with him. Goku acted happy but ChiChi felt he wasn’t. Maybe adjusting to the living world affected Goku mentally and physically and in a few days, he’ll be his normal, lovable self. ChiChi wanted to believe that was it but her feminine instincts twitched there was another reason for Goku’s behavior and it told her trouble was brewing when everything was finally going right for them.

Part Forty-One: Bonding: Goku and Goten

[elkieanddoppo]

warning: messy plot

~~

dooming the least doomable dazai ship is actually crazy but it happened....

"Two birds on a wire. One tries to fly away. And the other,, watches him close from that wire. He says he wants to aswell but he's just a liar."

Kunikida and Dazai both promised to each other that they'll stay alive. As surprising at it sounds, yes, Dazai agreed to the promise.

Dazai had to leave for Mersault. Because his plans will start there. But then he was killed by his former partner, Chuuya Nakahara. Or did he actually die?

No. It was still a part of his plan.

He didn't die. He continued with his 'fight' with Fyodor until he successfully 'defeated' him.

Did I say successfully? Actually, Fyodor's ability states that when he dies, he'll transform into the person who killed him. And in this case, it was Bram, the Lord of the Undead.

Bram was back in Yokohama when he felt the chill. He knows what's happening. He pushed Aya who was beside him and told her to run away. However, she didn't get a chance to when Fyodor suddenly took over his body.

Timeskip when Fyodor and Ame-no-gozen were against three ADA members, Tanizaki, Kunikida, and the late-comer Atsushi. They were no match for the other two, Kunikida thought. So that's when he thought of a plan. The kids should run away while he's distracting this... creature.

And so he did exactly that.

The ame-no-gozen pierced his sword right into Kunikida's chest.

As he fades away, he said these lines:

"I'm sorry, Osamu. I couldn't keep my promise. But don't worry, my ideals will live on. Please take care of it and yourself. Please do not follow me into the afterlife. I love you."

~

As Dazai finally arrived, he immediately searched for any of the ADA members. He spotted atsushi running towards his direction.

"Atsushi, where is everyone?"

"D-dazai-san! You're back...! I... The president is somewher among these boulders. He said he's gonna rest for a minute, also said to let him be as he's mourning.... So i ran towards here and i.... well um idk where the others are... tanizaki and... kunikida though... tanizaki went for the ame-no-gozen, i couldnt stop him from running away from me. i tried to catch up to him but well.... im sorry."

"... you tried your best, atsushi." dazai said as he pat the younger's head. "where's kunikida then?"

atsushi's breathe hitched. he lowered his head as he tried his best not to cry. he gets a notebook from his pocket and gave it to the brunette.

"im so sorry, dazai-san... he- kunikida-san is...." atsushi let his tears flow as dazai took the notebook from his hands. it had ideals written on the front. this was kunikida's notebook. where is he. please dont tell him...

"no. please stop joking, atsushi..." dazai felt his tears fall. he didnt even bother wiping it. showing weakness, be damned.

"im sorry. im sorry i couldnt protect him. dazai sannnn" atsushi cried.

hes gone.

hes gone

HES GONE

HIS BELOVED PARTNER

HIS LOVER IS GONE

he.. he promised... he promised he wont die....

then dazai screamed. screamed so loud that chuuya has to run up to him and comfort him.

he couldnt stop crying.

whats the point of even living anymore.

without kunikida, he's nothing.

without kunikida, dazai osamu is just a broken doll.

[eightdoctor]

If you have Finished the EDAs their are three non EDA Stroies published by the BBC staring 8 and one published by Virgin

They are as Follows:

The Dying Days (set during the green-peace gap)

Wolfsbane (set during the Earth arc between Causalities of War and the Turing Test, also stars the 4th Doctor and Harry Sullivan)

Fear Itself (set after Earthworld)

We Can’t Stop What’s Coming (the only post Gallifrey Chronicles story with Fitz 8 and Trix dealing with the coming of the Last Great Time War it is found in the Target Book)

Several Short Trips are also set during the series:

‘Bounty’ ‘Dead Time’ and ‘the People’s Temple’ are all in the audio anthology Earth and Beyond and show Sam Jones’s first trips in the TARDIS a prior to Vampier Science.

Femme Fatal (found in More Shirt Trips starts Sam and Iris Wildthyme)

The Queen of Eros (found in Shirt Trips and Side Steps also with Sam)

Growing Higher (Found in Short Trips: Zodiac)

Fitz is also in:

Only Living Girls (a short story in Iris Wildthyme and the Celestial Omnibus)

Fitz’s Story (a full cast audio story relased by Big Finish in the anthology a Company of Friends, also in that anthology is Benny’s story which is a loos sequel to the Dying Days)

Dead Romance (an unnamed appearance as the physical manifestation of the Horror in his Father Kreiner incarnation, acts as a Sequel to Interference)

Compassion appears beyond the EDA’s in:

Toy Story (set between the two Formans World Sections in Interference but should be read afterwards to avoid spoilers, also introduces Lolita, the TARDIS’s sister

Book of the War (book Zero in the Faction Paradox spin off)

Of the City of the Saved (book 2 in the Faction Paradox spin off. focuses on the Original Compassion, Laura Tobin, in the Afterlife also sees Compassion 2 and the TARDIS Compassion play a significant role)

Warring States (book 5 in the Faction Paradox spin off series)

Breakspear Voyage (Book 9 in the Faction Paradox spin off. a brief appearance)

The Faction Paradox Protocols (the first series of Faction Paradox audios. her appearance in performed media, also stars Sabbath)

Every City of the Saved Story (she is in all of them in some form of another. Read City of the Saved First to avoid spoilers all other appearances of the City of the Saved also star her.)

Scarlette from Adventuress of Henrietta Street also goes on to appear in

The True History of the Faction Paradox (the second series of Faction Paradox audios, shows her birth)

Faction Paradox Issue 1 and 2 (the only two issues if the Faction Paradox comic, also starts Sabbath)

Sabbath beyond his prior two mentions also appears in the audio story ‘Sabbath and the King’ but one should listen to both Faction Paradox series’s prior to this one for full understanding.

Faction Paradox also appear in:

Their own multimedia spin of series

The 13th Doctor Anthology the Wintertime Paradox (which ties into the Time Lord Victorious multimedia event as that is how the Faction Return)

Several Iris Wildthyme stories

The War in Heaven also appears in

All of Faction Paradox bar the comics

Several 10,000 Dawns stories

The Past Doctor Adventures novel’s ‘the Infinity Doctors’ and ‘Verdigris’

Several Iris Wildthyme stories

The Bernice Summerfield spin of series starting with Where Angles Fear (but foreshadowed in Down) and Concluding in Escaping the Future.

Iris Wildthyme also appears

Everywhere

So if you feel disappointed about finish the EDA’s and want more EDA fun you have all of these to look forwards to!

:)

thank you for this thorough ask…. though i have already listened to all of the faction paradox stuff and would rather disembowel myself before reading another lance parkin novel so soon this is a wonderful reference!! big appreciations xx

thant being said i think i am just going to reread them.

[dickarchivist]

Hello!

I am obsessed with your OC Clone squad. Thanks for sharing them with us!

You said you’re taking requests so I’m sliding in with one 👀

I’m taking from the same delicious NSFW prompt list @dystopicjumpsuit used!

The prompt is “Keep your eyes open, look at me, baby.” with Ghost. He seems so sweet and deeply caring. With his cybernetic eyes perhaps eye contact is important to him/his partner???

Do with this as you please, no pressure! 💕

Thanks @starrylothcat for the fic request!! I'm so excited to deliver, and for my sweet boy Ghost too 😭

I Will Know You Forever, Even In Darkness

Clone OC Ghost × fem!Reader (civilian mechanic) (new relationship)

Word count: 2860

🔞Minors DNI🔞

Prompt: “Keep your eyes open, look at me, baby.”

Summary: After a scare on a mission, your new sweetheart's in recovery at the hospital. When you're finally allowed in to see him, you make up for lost time.

Contents and Warnings: fluff and smut the ultimate combo, bit of angst at the beginning, PiV sex, mentions of eye trauma (nothing graphic), yearning good lord the yearning this man does for you. Happy ending, pinky promise.

Author Notes: This fic takes place directly after the mission that causes Ghost to lose his eyes and get his prosthetics. No actual eye trauma is described in detail, it's only stated that he lost them from acid splash, and he's given cybernetics as a replacement.

Small cameo of others in Grave Squad, the jedi of the 404th, and even smaller cameo/mention of two other sw OCs I've made over the years.

Sorry this one's so long, but also not sorry at all because I think it's really good.

When The Crypt lands in the hanger, you're absolutely thrilled. Ghost and his brothers were home at last. You set down your tools and twll your assistant you'd be back in a second, to which they roll their eyes with a smile, "Boyfriend's back huh?"

"Shush," you giggle, and start toward the ship with glee. But the closer you gwt, the more your smile fades

Wraith is out first, Specter and Banshee carrying a stretcher after him, "Careful! He's fragile, don't jostle him, I just got his vitals stable again!"

Guilt bubbles in your stomach as you hope and hope that the clone on the stretch was Phantom. You wouldn't wish for any of them to be hurt, but please. Please, anyone but--

"Ghost's gonna be fine," Phantom stretcha as he gets out of the ship, play wrestling with Wraith in a bad attempt to lighten the worried media's mood, "You saved his face, I'm sure he'll thank you for that when he wakes up."

"If he wakes up, Tommy!" Wraith spits at his brother, poking his finger hard into his chest, "Like I said, he's fragile, we can't be too cautious! I don't know the extent, he could die for all-"

"Wraith." Specter's voice cuts like a knife. He had noticed you when you'd arrived, and knew all the talk wasn't helping your anxiety.

"He's... he's not going to die, right?" There's a tremble in your voice, your hands are gripping the front of your jump suit so tight its almost hard to breathe, "He can't, he's- please..."

Phantom pushes his brothers along, the stretcher jostling just enough that Ghost's arm falls limp from it, and the cry that comes from you is mournful enough to make the hanger fall silent.

Wraith tries to comfort you, but his anxious yammering only proves to make things worse. Phantom catches your shoulders, then pulls you into a hug, "Hey, hey Mesh'la, it's fine. It's fine, Cap's been in worse spots than this. His name is Ghost, not Dead Guy, right? Afterlife can't get him, he's stuck here with us. Take a breath, okay, it'll be fine. He'll be fine."

His brothers keep you up to date while you aren't allowed in to see Ghost. He's lost both his eyes. They tell you he was heroic, only thinking about the lives of the people he was protecting during the battle. Wraith later confides in you that he believes it was his fault, that if he hadn't forgotten his helmet, Ghost wouldn't have given him his. Ghost's eyes wouldn't have been lost. You want to be angry, but you know them too well at this point.

"Rai, you didn't take his helmet off him. You didn't throw the acid. You didn't do anything malicious... Specter said you kept him alive, it was your quick actions that saved him. Stop calling yourself Ghost's attacker, he'd hate to hear that..."

Wraith nods, but doesn't say anything else, just goes back to Ghost's hospital room to do his best in helping his brother. You get the feeling that Wraith isn't going to belive it's not his fault until Ghost tells him that himself.

On the fifth day, you hear a voice you don't recognize.

"I don't care, no one is going to replace Captain Ghost." There's a few garbled words, then the voice came back, more forceful, "Ghost, not CT-1313." There's another pause before you hear a snarl, "HIS NAME IS GHOST!"

There's hushed murmers, then the voice speaks again, "Good, now that we're clear that this is a man and not a number: you'll give him new eyes. Yes, I do mean that. I do not care what it costs you, he's an irreplaceable asset to the 404th, and I will not have him decommissioned when the best course of action is to replace what he's lost."

You don't realize how close you've gotten to the door until it a little girl grabs your hand, "It's not polite to easedrop... it's fun to do though."

You'd seen her once before, Ghost called her "Vod'ika", and you aren't sure if that's her name or not. She's got her ear pressed to the door, and she giggles, "Oooh, Master Dax is angry, he's using his little voice."

"Master-" when the door opens, a yellow zebrak in jedi robes stands before you. His bright blue eyes catch you, then the little girl behind you.

His glare turns to a funny face immediately. Hands beside his head flaired out, tongue sticking out, eyes crossed. It makes you laugh for the first time in days. "Good!" The zebrak booms, holding your shoulders, "We like happy. Happy means hope, and what's wrong with a little hope right? You must be this "Cyare" Ghostie has been muttering about in his sleep, I know all his brothers, and none of them have that moniker, Athena there is "Cyar'ika", so Cyare must be you!"

You know that word, you heard it often when you were a mandalorian foundling as a child. Beloved. Your face blooms with blush, and you look down at the kid behind you, then back to the man, "uh... y-yeah, I guess so."

"Good, good good good, excellent, good!" He puts his arm around your shoulders, leading you away from the door you'd been camped in front of since Ghost was admitted, "Listen Cyare, Ghost's gonna be fine, Wraith and another clone, I don't know if you know him, Repeat, they'll be preforming Ghost's surgery. Why you ask? Because I don't trust those smug asses with my boys!" His laugh booms again, and you can't help your giggle either, "Now, Re is from my previous Padawan, now a master, so proud. Re is from Annika's battalion, the 418th, let me tell you..."

Master Dax talks your ear off for hours. But it takes your mind off of the situation, and before you know it, Specter is collecting you from the enthusiastic jedi, "Buir, shut it. C'mon, Ghost's up, he wants to see you."

You wave to Dax and Athena, thanking them for spending the day with you. As you walk the now familiar path to Ghost's room, you find that your pace moves quicker the closer you get. Specter chuckles at your side, "Just run, we told the staff to let you in."

"Thanks," you manage before sprinting away. You're running so fast the doors don't part for you at one point and you slam directly into them, eliciting uproarious laughter from a few of the clones lucky enough to see the disaster. It takes a lot of patience to slow down enough for the automatic doors, but eventually you're where you need to be.

Wraith is waiting inside Ghost's room for you. He's fidgeting more than normal, and when he sees you, his speech goes into over drive, "Okay keep in mind I'm not perfect I did my best and he's my brother so of course I did my very very best for him and Repeat was a huge help please don't be mad at-"

"Wraith," Ghost's voice sends your heartbeat further into overdrive, "Shut up before she thinks you killed me." There's humor... stars you're so happy to hear that light chuckle, "C'mere Cyare, I want the first thing I see to be you."

Before you go to his side, you stop at Wraith, kissing his cheek lightly, "Thanks for brining him back to me..."

"Y-yep." As Wraith stumbles out of the room holding his cheek, you cross to Ghost.

Your hand finds his, and immediately his head turns to you with a smile, "There she is, my heart. Rai said the bandages could come off a few hours after surgery. Told him I wanted you to be there for it, hope that's alright."

You don't say anything. You climb into the bed with him, your arms wrapping around him, tangling your legs together as best you can with the blanket over him. Ghost kisses the top of your head as you settle in, rubbing your back, "I'm alright..."

"I know."

"If I'm not handsome anymore, you can always date Phantom, he hits on you enough to where I think he might be serious." He chuckles, but when you don't, he stops. Ghost's hand finds your cheek, and brings you to look at him, even though he can't see you yet, "Hey. I'm not going anywhere, alright? I'm alive, and I want to see you... please Cyare, let me see you."

You move on him, straddling his hips, thankful for his eyes being the only injury this time. You hold his face gently, and he steals a kiss to your palm, making you blush. "Ghost..?"

"Hm?"

"It's not just your looks, you know that, right? It's you. Even if you're still blind, or your face is weird, I'd still want to be with you... Phantom's gross anyway, not made of boyfriend material like you." When he laughs this time, so do you. Hope, you think, a little hope is good.

Careful, so much so you're holding your breath, you begin to take off Ghost's bandages. His eyes are closed underneath, and you cover your mouth for a moment. It's like a mask of scars tissue, still gently pink from the acid. When he flutters his eyes open, white irises meet yours, and you can help but cry. Tears stream down your face, and Ghost looks almost dejected before you croak, "You're okay..."

Ghost lets out a breath of relief, his new eyes focusing on you, "I was hoping to see you smile, but I'll take happy tears too. They are happy, right?"

"Yes!" You burst, bouncing in his lap a little with the laugh, reaching for him again as you go to kiss him.

Ghost gives an appreciative "mmm~" as your lips find his. He puts his hands on your hips, one leaving its post rather quickly and rubbing across the small of your back and side. He's surprised when you deepen the kiss, and you feel his length move under you as your tongue slides over his. He chuckles when you part, and looks up at you with new eyes, "Careful there Cyare, I'm getting excited."

"Is... is that a bad thing?" You bite your bottom lip a little and deliberately roll your hips on him this time, "I... I missed you, and these last few days, I couldn't stop thinking about... a-about how I don't want to be without you."

Ghost throbs against you, but you get the feeling it wasn't because of your movements on him, rather your words. You keep rolling your hips on him, wanting to feel him yourself, "For a moment I thought you were gone, and I realized I didn't get to tell you how I feel-"

"Stop," he holds you still, his hands finding yours, "Don't say it. N-not unless you mean it, got that? Don't say it because you feel like you have to."

You recognize the look of fear in his eyes, of rejection, pain from a love once spurned. You're not each others firsts, but you do know one thing, you want him to be your last firsts. You put your hands on Ghost's and guide them to your heart. It beats fast against his palms, much as his does on yours when you reach out to him. You mirror each other's moves, one hand each going to hold your cheeks. His thumb rubs your cheekbone, eyes locked with yours, "Cyare..."

"Kar'taylir darasuum." The mandalorians who found you, became your family, they had taught you this phrase when you left them. With how Ghost's eyes soften at you, you know he understands them too. You repeat them to him all the same, beginning to rock on him again, "I will know you forever, Ghost."

Ghost repeats them back to you, his hand guiding your face to his for another kiss. It's slow and lingering, when you pull back, he's smiling so warmly, lips gently parted with soft breath, "I will know you forever, even in darkness."

Ghost's eyes roam down between you, and blush finally shows on his face, "Cyare, if we don't do something about these clothes, I might throw a fit."

You're both giggling as you fumble with your clothes. Soft stolen kisses, small gasps of appreciation, little stories of "What's this scar from?" And kissed freckles. When you're standing beside Ghost's hospital bed fully bare to him, he looks at you with so much adoration. His hand reaches for yours, and you're guided back to his lap. He's bigger than you thought, his length hard in your hand. "Wow..."

"I could say the same," Ghost chuckles and puts his hands on your hips, eyes on your slick folds before slowly working up to your eyes again, "Never seen such a beautiful body before."

You bite your lip as you move against him, running his length through your folds to slick him. The groan he makes joins yours as you toy his tip against your clit. Ghost smiles up at you, hands holding your breasts, circling your nipples with his thumbs, "Stars you feel great already... Cyare, mmm~"

Your eyes flutter closed as you take him into your waiting walls, "Ghost..."

“Keep your eyes open, look at me, baby," when he speaks, it's so soft, so breathy and light, you're not sure if you heard it or thought it. You look down at him, and he already looks love drunk. Eyes half lidded, his hands move down to your hips again and pull you further onto him. You moan, bracing on his chest, and he groans with delight, "That's right baby, eyes on me... I want to see you."

"Ghost... kriff, s-so full," your eyes stay on his as you start to move on his lap, taking him fully each time you lower back down. You start slow, easing yourself through the burn of the initial stretch, but soon you're at an even pace. The sticky wet sound of his length moving in and out of you fills the room with your tandem breathing.

His hands hold you tight, hips bucking up into you as you bounce on his length. His eyes flicker between yours, your breasts bouncing, and the way he glides in and out of you with such easy. You whine for him, hands balling in his chest hair, clenching around his length, "Feels so good, Ghost, s-stars." When his fingers slide to your clit, you cry out for him with an arch of your back, "Ghost! Ah!"

"D-dont look away," his other hand holds your face, thumb running over your bottom lip before you take it in your mouth and suck. Ghost's eyes widen a little, his hips stuttering before the pace quickens, "Oh kriff..."

You release his thumb and lock eyes with him again, "I'm close, do-don't stop, don't stop, Ghost, oh-" a whine releases from your lips as he rubs your clit faster, eyelashes flutter but you keep your eyes open, closer and closer to the edge, "Ghost, oh, oh baby, oh Ghost!"

"S-stay with me baby, come on, s-so close, so--" he grunts, his hips snap up into your walls in an intense build of pressure before he sits up off the bed with a cry of your name, spending himself inside you without restraint.

His wild bucks and intense attention to your clit were enough to get you to the edge, but feeling him fill you with his spend, it sends you over into ecstasy. You collect his lips in a kiss as you orgasm, body clenching around his length and shuttering with aftershocks of pleasure. Tears prick the corners of your eyes as you come down, and as Ghost holds you close, kissing your neck and shoulder, you feel so warm and safe.

Small drops of warmth hit your shoulder, and for a moment concern holds your body still. Was he hurt? You pull away to see Ghost's face, and to your surprise, tears are filling his new eyes, falling down his cheeks. You hold his face gently, wiping the tears from his unmarked skin, Careful of the sensitive scarring, "Ghost... what's wrong baby?"

"Nothing," he laughs a soft cry, kissing your lips just once, "I'm... overwhelmed. Spent the last month thinking of this, the last week needing to see you, just one more time, and..." He chuckles, feeling silly, kissing you again, "I can't believe this is real."

Your heart flutters, how is he this sweet? You press a delicate kiss to his forehead as you ease the both of you down. You nestle under his chin, still full of him, not willing to let that feeling end yet, "It's real, I promise."

After a few minutes of silence, Ghost rubbing your back in soothing circles, you're nearly asleep when you hear him again, "Did you mean it...?"

"Hm...?"

"You love me?"

You press a sleepy kiss to his jaw, "I love you, Ghost."

His heart picks up, you can feel it against your own, and it has you smiling. Ghost gives you a little squeeze, going back to rubbing your warm skin, "I love you too, Cyare."