#and goku (and his friends) leaving chichi completely in the dark about all of the world-threatening chaos they go through

[songouda]

i keep thinking about how i'm portraying goku while shipping him with my s/i and i feel kind of bad because i think if i were really in the db world and in a relationship with goku, he would treat me just like he treats chichi (WHICH ISN'T A BAD THING but it's more like he would be kind of unaware of how his actions affect mozz and would constantly run off w/o saying anything and be kind of rude) which makes me sad

but then i remember these are my toys and i get to play with them the way i want to so i get to make goku 100x more love dovey with mozzarella than he actually is with his canonical wife and that while goku might still forget to tell me things when he's running off to save the world and/or train, he would try his best to remember and at the very least would entrust someone else (like piccolo or krillin or chichi herself) to inform me of what's going on. he also hangs out with me allll of the time and never wants to leave my side and we go everywhere together and live happily ever after :o)

[darklymelanatedstories]

You will be mine (ft Piccolo&ChiChi)

Part 1

Everything went downhill when he left. When he died at the hands of a monster, who the police still could not find, and left Gohan and I alone, along with another baby already on the way. Having one more mouth to feed while working at my horrid job just to make ends meet and make sure my baby boy doesn't go to bed hungry.

Goku wasn't the most involved parent but he kept us living a comfortable life. He kept us safe and happy but now he's gone and we couldn't even give him a proper send off because the detectives still haven't found the body of my supposedly deceased husband.

"There was blood all over the scene. The DNA match, it's your husband. But there's footsteps leading away from the scene but they stop at a dead end."

How could his corpse just get up. Was he still alive?

"An anonymous witness said that they saw his body there before we arrived. The footprints match with the sneakers he wore."

It doesn't make sense. He couldn't have just walked away and vanished of the face of the earth.

"It's no doubt that this is a suicide. There isn't any evidence of another human being that was at the scene of the crime."

They say it was suicide but I know my Goku. He was too happy to have taken his own life. He had so much to live for. He had his life, his friends. He had us...he had me.

No. Someone must've done it. For some reason Goku's good nature got him more enemies than friends. Someone must've done it.

"Alright, ma'am. Since you keep pushing for this, who you do think would want your husband dead?"

A lot of people. The people that couldn't get rid of Goku just as he couldn't get rid them.

"Frieza? You better have some pretty tight evidence and a lot of guts to be accusing one of the most powerful people on Earth for murdering your husband."

"Cell? Cell has been locked in holding for years. He couldn't have done this and the androids have done their time. Your husband even fought for their freedom, remember?"

"Chi Chi, you honestly think the husband of Bulma Briefs could have done this? If it were Vegeta we'd have known by now. I know this is a hard time but you should stop wasting our time and going around accusing people. You have a child to look after. You don't wanna have anyone suing or pressing charges."

Could even be one of his closest friends. These guys weren't always angels when they met Goku. But maybe they were right. Maybe I let Goku's death get to me. I can't worry about that now. I have a child to look after and soon I'll have two.

Speaking of which...

"Hey mom we're back." Placing the sparkling clean plate, from my absentminded cleaning, back into the sink, I placed a smile on my face before turning to my little boy who was already running to me to trap in one of his powerful bear hugs.

"Sorry we're late. We got held up a bit.",he said.

"It was my fault." The sound of the deep baritone voice echoed in the kitchen as he stepped in with one hand stuffed in his jean pocket and the other one clutching something tightly in his palm.

"We thought we'd get you something nice." He looked at Gohan, giving him a smirk. "Right, Gohan?"

"Yeah!!" My little boy started jumping up and down excitedly then grabbed my hand impatiently to drag me to the outside.

"Ok calm down! What is it you wanted me to–"

My eyes widened. In front of me was a big red capsule Corp brand car with a large white bow on the hood. Probably a newer model since I haven't seen much of them driven around.

"What a beautiful car." I was about to ask why piccolo suddenly got himself a new car when he came up next to me swaying the keys on his finger.

"And it's all yours."

I looked at him in disbelief. "Mine?"

"Yep. I figured it'd help that you don't have to take the bus to work everyday plus it'd save you alot of time on your errands."

I was stuck between feeling happy and grateful for the thought and amazing gift, and feeling insulted to be thought of as a charity case. I don't know how many times I've told him that I was fine. I wasn't a damsel in distress that needed saving. I could do this one my own but–he's so sweet.

Ever since Goku "died" Piccolo has been nothing but helpful despite me practically chasing him away whenever he offered his services or money. Goku wasn't a very wealthy man and he didn't have life insurance so when he died he left us high and dry, but Piccolo would always be there...for some reason.

Always coming around whenever he had the chance to spend time with Gohan or just to keep me company and be my shoulder to cry on whenever I missed Goku.

Maybe it has something to do with him being very close to Gohan but I can't complain. Out of all the people I know, Piccolo proved to be the one I can trust.

"So, do you want to try it out?",he asked. I was so busy with my own thoughts I didn't even realize that he had opened the door for me.

"Uh," Gohan suddenly had a nervous look on his face. "Are you sure about this, Mr Piccolo? Mom is a already a force to be reckoned with, now imagine what her with road rage would be like."

Piccolo's eyes widened looking as if he paled at the thought. "On second thought, it's getting dark. Maybe we should try it out another–"

"Nope, too late!",I shouted, jumping into the driver's seat and clutching the steering wheel just in case the boys would try pulling me out.

Piccolo got into the driver's seat and we noticed the little scamp trying to creep away.

Piccolo honked the horn, startling him and freezing him on the spot. "Gohan, get in here!"

"But I've got homework–"

"Oh no, it was your idea to go car shopping. If I die, you're dying with me."

I rolled my eyes as I turned the key. "Jeez, you don't drive for a few years and now people are afraid you might kill them."

Hearing a laugh from my passenger I turned to find his obsidian eyes staring back at me. His eyes were filled with something, something I can't put my finger on.

I noticed his lip twitch a bit before he turned away from me and put his seatbelt on. "Let the kid stay home and I'll judge your terrible driving myself."

"It's passengers like you that make me wanna crash the car.",I teased earning a growl and slightly terrified look on his face. I rolled down my window and told Gohan to stay safe and that I'd be back soon.

Piccolo scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest, covering the Namek logo on his white T-shirt. "He'll be fine, it's me I'm more worried about."

•••

"So how was that?",I asked with a smug look on my face as I parked the car outside his home. Hey, he had to get home somehow.

He grunted. "I'm surprised I made it in one piece."

"Listen, if you're too chicken then don't ride with me next time."

"Very funny.",he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

Raising my head up with a smile I replied with, "I know, I'm hilarious."

He gave me a scowl to which I just laughed at because I couldn't take him seriously no matter how intimidating he might seem.

"Thank you.",I said once I regained composure. "For everything. I really appreciate you helping our family out."

He flashed me a rare smile. "Well it wasn't easy, what with you threatening to end my life with your murderous frying pan and all."

I nudged him in the arm. "Leave my frying pan out of this."

I took his hand in mine, feeling how he stiffened lightly at my touch. He looked at me and I gave him a warm smile. "Goku was right about you and I see why Gohan loves you too. I'm lucky to have a friend like you, Piccolo."

He sighed, it sounded...sad. Maybe it was because the mention of Goku.

"Yeah, friends.",he muttered. "That's what they're for, right?"

I squeezed his hand gently and I felt him do the same. There seemed to be a lingering before he let go and got out of the car.

I said my goodbyes and drove off for home. I'm about to have another baby in 8 months. I have to find my husband's killer, with or without the stupid police. At least I know that I'll have Piccolo by my side to help me.

_________________________________________

Intoxicated, he stepped into the dark room where the only light source was coming from the open door from which he came him and the windows where the curtains weren't shut. Finishing his glass of whiskey in one chug, he manoeuvred his way to his bed, the torturous words still replaying in his mind.

When he neared his bed, he noticed the box on his dresser. The box he forgot to put back in his hiding place. The box he didn't want to put back. He loved looking at it. The box brought back that loving memory.

The box that contained the ring.

The ring of the man he had murdered.

A devilish smirk shaped his lips as he opened it, the moonlight shining on the gold ring.

He held it up to his face as a chuckle left his lips which immediately turned into a deranged cackle.

Phase one was complete.

"You will be mine."

[iamtheempress]

Cold Blooded

A Dragon Ball Horror Fic {Part 12}

☆☆☆

Not even a whole day is all it took, and goddamn was it a long day for Vegeta. Time was of the essence and gods knew how much longer they had until Frieza did anything to the Earth, and Vegeta be damned if another planet be killed under his watch by the likes of Frieza… The biggest waste of carbon life in the known universe.

Vegeta had a vendetta, for the sake of his race, and his woman, his eyes not leaving his lovers face, his fiance, his mate.. Bulma coulda sworn he watched him shed a tear. All the Z fighters were in attendance to help scout for the Dragon Balls. Words were left unspoken between the group. They haven't experienced a death so immediate in their lives as of recently. The most recent being several years and several fights ago.

Bulma came in and looked at the sullen princes back, he's cradling her like a baby.. Looking constantly at the woman that took his breath away. “Vegeta..? Vegeta, Goku is coming back now he has the last two. Everyones outside and ill walk with you.. shes my friend too.. been one for a long long time...” She muttered pushing the blonde locks from Carlies face, still teary eyed from finding her friend dead on the ground of her laboratory.

 “He took her ring… He took it from her lifeless hand. Frieza is a monster.. And if he continues to breathe the same air of this universe ill make sure everyone he encounters, know hes a monster… the…” He turned to her and  started walking back down the hallway, Bulma in tow and holding the 7 star ball in her hand. “You saw the camera footage did you…” Bulma asked, Vegeta remained silent.. He saw everything. To say he didnt feel pride in her to see her fight to her last breath would be a lie. Why did it have to be her.. Why didnt he stay with her… He blamed himself every step of the way. “She fought to her last breath… and she took her last breath into that god damned monsters mouth…” He growled adjusting his woman's corpse in his arms, she's shrouded in a blanket. Her head supported on his bicep so it wouldn't flop about seeing as though Frieza crushed it entirely flat. He didn't speak to anyone. The balcony was uncharacteristically quiet for the amount of people standing around. Bulma added the 5th dragon ball to the group and as she heard it clack, Goku instant transmissioned to Vegetas side, pat his shoulder and looked at Carlie, “I couldn't fly any longer, you needed these now.”  The moment Goku returned with the final two he spoke up. Goku added Dragon Ball 6 and 7 to the pile and looked Vegeta in the eye in that same look Goku always gives.. But this time.. Much somber and understanding. “If it was ChiChi id be the same way…” The two Saiyans looked to the small dead human… “It's all you Vegeta. Floors all yours.” Goku pat his back and backed up abit, his excitable demeanor literally pissed Vegeta off to no end, there's a reason Vegeta even considered Kakarot a friend and this was that one reason. It’s now or never.

The balcony of Capsule Corp has now seen everything and summoning SHenron here was certainly not a first. A dead woman in the arms of the prince is a first for many. “Come forth mighty Shenron.” He asked watching the sky turn black and the Dragon snakes across the sky and looks down upon Vegeta. A glorious and frightening sight to behold.

“You have 3 Wishes… What is your first wish?” It bellows, its voice booming, Godlike. “I wish for Carlie to be alive again.. And without wounds of what happened.” He asked plainly looking down at her face. “Your wish has been granted… she will return to the land of the living shortly…” Vegeta sighs in relief, that wave of ease falls upon the group as Bulma wipes sweat from her brow. “You have 2 more wishes.”

Vegeta completely was besides himself.. 2 more wishes. He gulped hard. He considered his words carefully, “If it wasnt for me she would be alive… I wish for her nothing but happiness, even if im not there.” He sounded defeated. Like hes considering leaving her.. He hated thinking on it but he wanted to give the wish a shot. The dragon blinked and spoke, “Her wish was granted many years ago. She wished for a prince, success and happiness, all in one wish.” Vegeta was dumbstruck, her one wish to him was all 3 at once.. And she got that. Even if she was dead. “Now. What are your two wishes?”

The prince grinned. “Dragon, I wish Frieza lives the rest of his days knowing what he did to her.. And i hope it hurts him like hell.. Every waking moment of his miserable life.” He snarls. Shenrons head lowers closer to Vegeta’s  view and speaks. “Your wish has been granted for the rest of his days; he will live with the scars she has given him. What is your final wish?” The mighty eternal dragon asked Vegeta, the dark sky swirling as the dragon prepared himself to return back to the center of the earth.

Vegeta grinned widely, “Make that tyrant unable to destroy the Earth. I wont let him destroy this planet.” HE growls viciously Carlies hand twitching slightly, Vegeta noticed this and looked down. “Your wishes have been granted, farewell.” The dragon announced and returned to his place in the center of the Earth releasing the sky of its complete darkness and returning the mid afternoon suns rays to bestow themself upon the sorrowful prince and the rest of the z fighters. Carlie squinted her eyes and grimaced only to open them and feel her neck and stomach, shocked and face once again filled with color. “Vegeta…! What..? WHere? I was just…-” She stammered holding onto Vegeta, Bulma ran over to her partner and kissed her forehead “No more questions alright? Your back and thats all that matters. Dont worry about your lab ill take care of that, Car.” She winked and made the blonde scientist smile and blush.

Goku rubbed the back of his neck and pat Vegetas back. “Oh yea i shoulda told you about her wish to have all that back there should I hehe!” Vegeta rolled his eyes and scoffed “Quit your babbling idiot.. Its not like she wouldnt have had all three of those wishes WITHOUT the Dragon Balls.. We were destined to meet, end of discussion.” The prince smiled and met foreheads with her feeling the warmth of her face against his made him feel alright one again.

Two spiteful wishes for the price of her coming back was worth it. Worth bringing his princess back. The Emperor on the other hand; was suffering on the outreaches of the solar system upon his ship, his once pristine white membrane tainted by deep scars in the form of golden long scratches raking in every which way. Making it look like he lost a long arduous fight with a barbed wired fence. He looked like hell and he was raising it substantially upon his ship screaming and cursing the woman who brought such a disgusting parting gift to him. The emperor fell to his knees and looked up at a wall that was completely monochromatic. His reflection was telling. The broken tooth, the long scratch on his chin down his sternum. The ones that caked his whole chest. Tainted in golden veins. He would be perfect if they werent there, but alas. Here we have the Emperor. Shedding his first tear. For a brilliant young Earthling he fell hopelessly inlove with, one who's betrothed to the one race he swore to exterminate but failed miserably. To the Warrior Prince nonetheless. This is a reminder of Frieza’s biggest failure… and that ring in his hand felt like molten hot metal, but he cant take himself to part with it at all, its too much for him.. Like he misses her with all of his being.

He in a frustrated fury looked over this ring to inspect why it burnt him so harshly.. Surely there has to be a logical reason. He read the inscription. “Strengths in our Blood.”

☆☆☆

Authors note: I really gotta thank everyone who supported me every step of the way with this fic it was REALLY fun and unique to write! I loved everyone who said that it was great and im more than happy to create more with time. I love you all expect more !!!!!

@dragonblobz @lilfriezatyrant @gallickingun @kamehamethot @gonuclear @memevember @msgreenverse @lizardhipsdontlie @thotful-writing @supremeleadershitlord​ @memevember​ @dragonball-hcs-or-sum-shit

[elisajdb]

GoChi Week 2020: Day Seven: Post ToP

Snippets in Time:

 Day Seven: Post ToP

  Not too long ago, Goku returned to Earth after a wild ending to the Tournament of Power. His and all the twelve universes were saved and revived thanks to 17’s wish. It was a close one. For a brief moment, Goku feared his team wouldn’t win and their universe will be wiped away but luck was on their side again.

 After picking up Goten, Goku headed for home where an angry ChiChi waited for him. Bulma told ChiChi about the Tournament of Power. Bulma was usually the main culprit to keep secrets from ChiChi. Like everyone else, Bulma was furious with him on how the tournament came to be and lay all the blame at Goku’s feet. Bulma knew she wasn’t strong to physically beat up Goku, but she knew the perfect way to get revenge on her oldest friend was telling his wife what he did.

 ChiChi was furious! Goku laughed it off but his hand in the tournament’s creation, his tattered clothes and Goten’s dirty clothes, sent ChiChi in a fiery tirade.

 Goku knew he was in deep trouble. ChiChi was left in the dark about the Tournament of Power. He truly didn’t want to do that but after the incident with Hit where he set up his own assassination, he couldn’t risk ChiChi knowing about the tournament. When ChiChi learned about his part of Hit killing him, it almost killed his marriage. It was the first time in his life, he feared ChiChi would ask for a divorce. His heart stopped the day she moved out and took Goten with her.

 “I can’t, Goku. I can’t look at you. I don’t want to even think of you. After dying twice one me, how can you be so selfish to set up an assassination attempt on yourself?! Are you so selfish and fighting hungry you didn’t care about me at all on what your death would’ve done to me?!!”

 Goten saw the incident as a vacation at Grandpa’s home until Mom cools off but Gyumao, Gohan and Goku knew the gravity of the situation and how fragile Goku’s marriage was at that point. It went against what he wanted but Goku followed Gohan’s advice and didn’t contact ChiChi. Gohan visited his mother every day to read her feelings on when his Dad can begin groveling.

 It was two weeks before ChiChi would even talk to Goku. It was another week before ChiChi moved back home on the promise Goku will follow her demands. Goku had to put real effort on the farm again; he had to spend more time with her and Goten. No more will he teleport to visit his friends and spend more time with them than his family. It was time for Goku to be a dedicated family man and father again like he was when he was a new Dad to Gohan.

 Goku dedicated himself to honoring ChiChi’s request. It was the least he can do to make up to her and show her he was truly sorry for his actions. 

 It took a while but Goku got into a happy routine of being a farmer. Over the months he dedicated himself into growing large and plentiful crops and selling them at the market. He was a man of his word spending more time with ChiChi and Goten.

 The ice between him and ChiChi began to melt. Two months after the incident with Hit, ChiChi engaged in intimacy with him again. As more time passed, they became flirtier and more playful with each other.  For several months, things were perfect. Goku was a family man working on the farm, spending time with ChiChi and Goten and his eldest son and granddaughter. It was great but ever so often, that little itch crept up in Goku. In the beginning, Goku ignored it. He was focused to making up with ChiChi but over time it got bigger and bigger until it had to be scratched again.

 Goku wanted to fight. He could never give up fighting. ChiChi knew that and she knew he will have an urge to fight again. Goku knew ChiChi wouldn’t mind as long as it didn’t interfere with his work as a farmer or family time with her and Goten. All Goku wanted was a simple tournament to get the urge of fighting out of his system for a while.

 What he got was a simple tournament escalating into a life or death situation where his universe will be wiped out if he loses. It was a worst-case scenario but Goku played it off it wasn’t a big deal. All they had to do is win and their universe will be saved. It was a tall order and after the Saiyans, Freeza, Cell and Majin Boo, it was something no one wanted to go through again. Everyone wanted to spend their remaining years on Earth in peace. Instead all Goku’s friends and even Gohan were angry with him and his chill attitude over the tournament. Experience taught Goku he can’t show his real feelings in a crisis. So, he played the overconfident, oblivious naïve fool to deceive everyone.

 With him back in ChiChi’s good graces after the Hit incident, telling ChiChi about the tournament would’ve been suicide. If Gohan got angry with him, he couldn’t imagine how angry ChiChi will have gotten. All that goodwill he built up would be gone in a flash. He feared it would’ve been a tipping point to ending his marriage so Goku kept it a secret.

 It was easier than he thought. He gathered his team without ChiChi’s knowledge, made a deal with 17 where Trunks and Goten will protect the animal wildlife he cares for. ChiChi didn’t detect anything when Goku left with Goten. She assumed he was spending the night with Trunks.

 With ChiChi unaware, Goku looked forward to the Tournament of Power. He was eager for the fights; insane and entertaining matches and the raised stakes that got his fighting juices pumping. It was incredible seeing his friends put so much heart and dedication to the fighting. The thought of their universe being wiped out was a strong motivator but Goku was happy to see it, especially in Gohan. He was proud to see how Gohan skills have sharpened since Freeza’s attack on Earth.

 It was a great tournament but coming back home seeing Vegeta’s reunion with Bulma and their new baby, recalling how Krillin and 18 fought side by side together, hear Gohan talk of going home to Videl and Pan, made Goku miss ChiChi and Goten. Reality hit hard on how close he came to losing his family.

 The tournament’s end also left Goku thinking it’s time to take a real break.

 These months he spent working on the farm, spending time with ChiChi and Goten, Goku did it out of necessity; to make up to ChiChi. He didn’t take a break from fighting because he wanted to. Now he was ready to do it. He wanted to resign from fighting for a while and be a farmer to support his family. He wanted to spend more time with ChiChi and Goten. He missed out with Gohan but Goku wanted to watch Goten grow up to be a man. He will settle that itch to fight by sparring with Vegeta or Gohan occasionally but for now, Goku was done with the big tournaments.

 If only he can convince his wife this.

 Right now, Goku sat on the edge of his bed while ChiChi tended to his wounds. Her anger had finally cooled but her silence was worrisome to Goku.  

 An angry ChiChi, Goku can handle. A silent ChiChi brought out Goku’s worst fears. Goku didn’t know if ChiChi had forgiven him or if she was seriously contemplating walking away for good. At least with ChiChi angry, he knew how she felt.

 “I didn’t mean for the tournament to get out of hand, ChiChi. I just wanted a fight.” Goku winced at the stinging antiseptic on an open wound on his back. He really should’ve stopped by Korin’s Tower and get senzu beans. “I would’ve told you but after Hit…. I didn’t want to make you mad again.”

 More silence from ChiChi. “I know. I know. Putting the universe at risk of being wiped out would’ve made you mad.” She heard ChiChi open a bandaged and placed it on his back. “I did everything in my power to find the best warriors for the tournament that would guarantee us victory. I had to ask Freeza for help. Do you know how much I hated that? He killed Krillin, almost killed Gohan and I had to ask for his help to save us. Then Whis rewards Freeza by returning him to life.”

 Goku thought Freeza’s revival would garner a reaction from ChiChi. Instead she continues to quietly tend to his wounds. “But I learned my lesson, ChiChi. This tournament really made me see how selfish I’ve been recently. I can’t say no to a good fight but even I know when it’s time to walk away for a while.” He was getting used to ChiChi’s silent treatment. She probably won’t believe what he’ll say next but he was completely honest. “No more tournaments. I’ll spar with Vegeta and Gohan when they have time but I wanna spend more time with you and Goten. I wanna spend more time with Gohan and Pan. I’m ready to settle down.”

 “Until your next big adventure,” ChiChi finally spoke. She sat beside him and leaned her head on his shoulder. “I’m no fool, Goku. You’re burnt out….for now. You need a break from fighting. It happened after you defeated Piccolo all those years ago. It would’ve happened if you didn’t stay dead after the Cell Game.” She linked her hand in his. “I know you’re gonna do something that gets you in another crazy fight with Earth at stake. You’re gonna make me mad. You might even leave me for periods at a time but I know you’ll always make the right choice for us and if you leave, I know you’ll come back.”

 “Always,” Goku promised giving ChiChi’s hand a light squeeze. “I’ll always come back.”

[love-sapphirerose]

10 Toxic Anime Couples We Wish Would Break Up Already

https://www.cbr.com/toxic-anime-couples-break-up-worst/

What a feeling it is, to be in love. It's a popular belief that there's someone out there for everyone, a Yin to every Yang,  a lid for every pot and so on. The same can be said for anime characters and there's nothing like seeing two characters with great chemistry deciding they belong together. 

Unfortunately, not all relationships are created equal. In fact, there are many that are downright toxic. Incompatible, inconsiderate, mean-spirited, abusive, or just wrong on so many levels, here's some examples of anime couples that make you wonder why these characters haven't just broken up already. 

10. SASUKE AND SAKURA FROM NARUTO AND BORUTO

It's no secret that Sakura has been in love with Sasuke for a long time. It was even a dream come true for Sakura when the two were put on the same team together, but from day one the romance between them has always been one-sided. Sasuke originally had little to no interest in Sakura. Even after she admitted her feelings in tears, Sasuke seemed to care very little about her.

It continued this way even after Sasuke attempted to kill Sakura and yet despite that, the two eventually got married and had a child. Unfortunately for poor Sakura, Sasuke is a bit of a deadbeat who's rarely ever home to be around his wife or daughter. If their relationship has proven anything, it's that Sakura has the patience of a saint.

9. JOSEPH JOESTAR AND SUZI Q FROM JOJO'S BIZARRE ADVENTURE

The second JoJo may be a master of Hamon techniques and outwitting his enemies, but he has no understanding of romance or matters of the heart. Joseph met Suzi Q when he trained with Lisa and they were later married at the end of "Battle Tendency."

Joseph is guilty of being consistently inconsiderate to Suzi, losing his temper when she forgot to tell his friends he was actually alive and keeping her in the dark about their daughter's condition during "Stardust Crusaders." However, his worst act was during "Diamond is Unbreakable," where it's revealed Joseph had an affair with Tomoko Higashikata, who would bear his illegitimate child. They surprisingly didn't divorce, even after that. 

8. GOKU AND CHICHI FROM DRAGON BALL Z

Maybe this one was doomed from the start, considering Goku thought marriage was a kind of food at first. Goku may be DBZ's most powerful warrior, but his skills as a husband and family man could use work.

Goku's mind is focused solely on fighting and getting stronger, which leaves little time for things like spending time with his family or getting a job to support them. It's not that he doesn't care for them, it's more that he doesn't understand that they need him on a personal level. On the other side of things, Chichi's high expectations of Goku cause her to often lash out when she feels he's not doing his part. Between Goku's naïve, free spirit and Chichi's angry outbursts, it's clear they're just not compatible. It says something when even someone like Vegeta somehow makes it work with Bulma.

7. ODA AND KICHOU FROM NOBUNAGA TEACHER'S YOUNG BRIDE

A relationship between a student and a teacher is already bad. It's much worse when the age discrepancy transcends time itself. Oda is a middle school teacher whose life gets turns upside down when Kichou, a 14-year old girl from the Sengoku era, appears before him and reveals he's actually a descendant of the historical figure Oda Nobunaga and claims to be his bride. The rest of their relationship is summed up by Kichou trying to get Oda to make babies with her. 

It's about as uncomfortable as it sounds. Despite the fact Kichou is supposedly much older than her appearance, that doesn't take away from the fact that she looks like she's 14 and watching her try to force herself onto Oda feels wrong for so many reasons. 

6. KYOUSUKE AND KIRINO FROM MY LITTLE SISTER CAN'T BE THIS CUTE

There's absolutely no reason why these two should even be together. Kyousuke and Kirino have no chemistry. In fact, most of their interactions are just arguments and verbal abuse. Yet somehow, even though there were many girls that surrounded Kyousuke that would make for a better romantic interest, he ultimately chooses to be with Kirino for seemingly little reason.

Already it's a bad Tsundere romance, but addressing the elephant in the room makes this go from uncomfortable to extremely icky. They're also brother and sister.

5. ERIKA AND KYOUYA FROM WOLF GIRL AND BLACK PRINCE

To be fair, Erika did bring this on herself by lying to her friends that she and Kyouya, the most popular boy at their school, were dating. However, Kyouya takes advantage of this situation by going along with it, on the condition that she becomes his pet. The rest of this anime showcases just how sadistic and cruel Kyouya is to Erika, abusing her and humiliating her at every turn.

For some reason, over time Erika genuinely starts to love Kyouya and wants him to reciprocate her feelings, even though he continues to treat her like trash and withhold any kind of affection. If anything, these two are the very definition of an abusive relationship. 

4. SEJI AND MIKA FROM DURARARA!!!

This romance involves a love triangle with a severed head. That is not a joke. Mika fell in love with Seji one day. However, Seji had no interest in her. Mika didn't give up though, going so far as to stalk Seji and eventually get surgery to resemble the same severed head Seji loves. After finding out the truth, Seji accepts Mika but makes clear that he will ditch her if he ever finds the real head.

The reason these two just don't work as a couple is that there's no love between them. Seji doesn't care about Mika, he's just using her to replace the head of Celty while Mika is completely fine being used as long as she's with him. There's an obsession on one side and manipulation on the other.

3. LADD AND LUA FROM BACCANO

Every couple has their way of talking intimately to their partner, but Ladd goes a little too far with Lua when he describes the ways that he'll kill her. Anyone else would find the fact that Ladd is very clearly a psychopath horrific, but Lua is almost blissfully unaware of the situation to a disturbing level.

To Ladd, Lua is just his plaything. Love isn't the word one would use to describe their relationship, they're less like a couple and more like a kidnapper and a hostage with Stockholm syndrome.

2. ENJI (ENDEAVOR) AND REI TODOROKI FROM MY HERO ACADEMIA

There's a loveless marriage and then there's this horrorshow. Enji, also known as the #2 hero Endeavor, only really married Rei so that he could have children who had both his fire quirk and her ice quirk. His hope was for a child that could surpass his rival, All Might. 

The abuse Enji showed Rei and his children to reach this goal was violent, to say the least. A lot of it was left simply implied, but what is known is that it was so bad that Rei was driven to the brink of insanity,  and burned her own son. Shoto Todoroki. Afterward, she was committed to a mental hospital. All of this was the result of Endeavor trying to satisfy his own ego.

1. LOUISE AND SAITO FROM THE FAMILIAR OF ZERO

Louise and Saito are probably one of the most infamous examples of a Tsundere romance. After accidentally summoning Saito to her world from Japan, Louise makes the poor boy her familiar and proceeds to verbally and physically abuse him for any little thing.

Even though he's very clearly a human, Louise treats Saito more like an animal. Eventually, the two begin a relationship, even though nothing really changes in their relationship. Why they decide to stay together is a complete mystery, since their relationship feels both disingenuous and neither side does anything to earn the other's affection.

[scarletraven1001]

Academia! - Chapter 2

Summary: Bulma begins adjusting to her new school, and Vegeta is inexplicably annoyed by absolutely everything about her. However, when the blue-haired girl gets herself in a bit of a bind, he finds himself jumping to the rescue.

A Vegebul high school AU, inspired by the lovely  fanart  of @okebtrash!

Previous Chapter:  1

Also on Ao3.

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Note: Hello! Sorry for taking so long with this update. My job has been terrible to my fanfic-life lately, but this story (because of all the amazing art OMG) has been screaming in my head, so I really needed to write it!

I hope you all enjoy this! Feedback would be very much appreciated.

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Chapter 2: The Prefect

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Everything she did made him angry.

Everything.

From his usual perch at the edge of a small balcony, Vegeta watched the blue-haired succubus as she flounced around the school grounds, her infuriatingly short skirt flitting annoyingly around her upper thighs.

Her insipid, pointless half-ponytail – bound by a ridiculous rubber ornament that looked like two tiny balls – bounced on the side of her head along with her steps as she waved at Kakarot and his woman, and she promptly sat down with the usual pair like an awkward third wheel on a motorbike.

The woman – he refused to even think about her name – began to chat animatedly with the other girl while Kakarot stuffed his face like a baboon.

Oh, how he hated her.

It was not even as if the woman did anything explicitly wrong. She just got on his nerves, in a strange way that he could not quite comprehend.

She was trouble. But he did not know why.

And Vegeta, the elite prefect, hated being uninformed.

It was easier to hate her, than to keep wondering why his eyes always strayed to her whenever she was in the vicinity, or why the sound of her screeching, annoying voice made him turn to her like a compass facing the north.

He really, really hated her.

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“No way! Seriously?” Bulma asked, her chopsticks freezing on their way towards her mouth, the bit of teriyaki chicken dangling as it perched before her slackened jaw.

“Seriously!” Chichi laughed while Goku, her boyfriend, grinned with a nod, unable to speak around the sandwich he was chomping on.

“Goku, I can’t believe you punched her out of a fighting ring!” Bulma laughed, before she finally resumed eating, eying the grinning couple before her.

“It was a karate match!” he defended. “My grandpa always told me to never hit girls, but I needed to hit Chichi so I could win and get to fight the reigning champion!”

Chichi just laughed. “Yes, and so I lost to him that day, but I didn’t really mind, because he asked me out afterwards. Win-win!”

Goku grinned. “I told her I’d treat her to lunch because I hit her. And after that, we just kind of hung out together.”

“And now he’s my boyfrieeend,” Chichi sang dreamily.

“I still don’t know what that means-”

Bulma shook her head with a laugh while Chichi just laid more food out onto Goku’s bento box.

A sudden breeze off to her right made her compulsively look up, and as she did, her eyes strayed up onto a nearby balcony, where she found a pair of intense, narrow eyes looking condescendingly down at her.

Their eyes met, and as she hesitantly lifted her hand up to wave at him, he stiffened, quickly turning away and disappearing from her sight.

“What a strange guy,” she thought.

“Neh, Bulma-chan?”

Bulma turned back to Chichi, who was smiling as she held out another plate of tiny pork dumplings.

With a wide grin, she took a couple of pieces for herself, savoring Chichi’s incredible cooking.

If it was true that the best way to a man’s heart was through his stomach, then the dark-haired martial artist was thoroughly bulldozing her way through to Goku’s, whether he understood it or not.

“Are you alright?” Chichi asked, and it was only then that Bulma realized that her chopsticks had paused on their way to her mouth, yet again.

“Oh, yes! Yes, sorry,” Bulma said sheepishly.

Goku seemed unconvinced though, as he stopped chewing for a few moments. “Are you sure? You look a bit upset.”

Bulma smiled. “Well, not really upset, per se… Just…” she hesitated. “Do you guys know anything about Vegeta?”

Chichi blinked. “The prefect?”

Bulma nodded, while Goku brightened.

“Yeah! Vegeta’s awesome! He’s my biggest martial arts rival, and my best buddy,” he said.

Chichi rolled her eyes. “Goku, he hates you.”

“He does not,” Goku said. “He’s just a bit mean-looking sometimes.”

“Sometimes?!”

Bulma coughed slightly. “So, he really isn’t very… erm… friendly, huh?”

“He hates everyone-”

“He’s just misunderstood, Chichi-”

Bulma’s mind wandered as the two started bickering, making a few realizations.

One: Vegeta was apparently indifferent to almost everyone.

Two: He was a martial artist, and for some reason, Goku liked him.

Three: If he was always the way he appeared, then Bulma had a very slim chance of befriending him.

She had never been around people her age, always being stuck around much-older scientists in Capsule Corp’s research and development team. Fellow teens were an enigma that Bulma had not yet managed to study and completely comprehend.

Being the genius that she was, though, she knew that teenagers are strange, hormonal people, and mood swings were a norm rather than an anomaly.

Some just disliked you for no reason, and perhaps, Vegeta was such a case. In fact, he seemed to strongly dislike her.

She knew that it shouldn’t really bother her, since she had already made quite a few good friends during her first two weeks in Shenron High. Her mother had warned her that it was impossible to make everyone like you in high school, and Bulma should be content with being well-liked as of then.

However, she found that a part of her refused to accept that Vegeta just didn’t seem to be all that fond of her.

It didn’t really make sense to her. It wasn’t as if he was special.

But somehow, a strange little thrumming, from deep in the bottom of her gut, just insisted that yes, he was.

Bulma was nothing if not a scientist, and she knew that she would not rest until she fully understood the reasons, the issues surrounding the animosity that Vegeta displayed towards her.

Nodding to herself, Bulma decided: She was going to get to the bottom of this.

She had no idea how, but she will.

But first…

“Ne, Chichi?” she called. “May I have some more of those dumplings?”

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“Alright, class,” the teacher spoke, a stern look on her face as she assessed each student with a tick in her eye.

Vegeta gulped, self-consciously adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose when the teacher’s gaze landed on him.

Ms. Uranai was a hard sell, a very old woman who seemed to have used up all her youth teaching delinquent high-schoolers.

She was bordering on ancient, and Vegeta would not have been surprised if she had actually lived through the History lessons that she gave the class.

“I am rather disappointed in you all,” Uranai said. “This exam was not that difficult, and yet, only two people got high marks. Two! You should be ashamed of yourselves.”

The whole class sat unmoving while the old educator narrowed her eyes at them, holding out a folder.

“All these papers in this folder, have unacceptable marks,” she said, putting the folder down on her desk with a look akin to disgust. “I will leave them here. Do what you want with your own results.”

Nobody dared even blink while Ms. Uranai turned, retrieving two sheets from her desk. “These two passed. More than passed, honestly. And I shall be announcing only these.”

Vegeta straightened. He was sure that his paper was there…

“Mr. Ouji,” Uranai called, much to his relief. “Come and take your exam please. Ninety-eight percent.”

He heard a few soft, hesitant applauses from the edges of the classroom as he stood up to get his test.

Ninety-eight? Who could ever top that?

Uranai handed the paper to him, before her eyes suddenly brightened as she looked down at the remaining sheet in her hand.

“And this! This one almost erases my disappointment with the rest of you. Almost,” Uranai said, suddenly beaming. “Ms. Briefs, our new student, come and take your exam.”

Vegeta barely hid the snarl that rose from his lips at the sound of the blue-haired little witch’s name, and he turned, trying not to glare at her, as she shifted in her chair a few seats away from his.

A couple of other hesitant claps, as Bulma stood with a gulp, looking almost scared of the exam as she walked forward.

Vegeta watched as the girl finally held her exam up to see her results, and as she looked at it, her already large blue eyes turned huge in her apparent disbelief.

Uranai grinned widely, as Vegeta stiffened in denial.

Could it be…?

“One-hundred percent. Congratulations, Ms. Briefs.”

The class erupted into surprised applause then, and Bulma looked up, a huge smile on her face as she looked around at everyone.

Vegeta looked around in distaste, lifting his hands to clap reluctantly, even though he was seething.

Kakarot actually whooped, the idiot, and Chichi looked so delighted, it was sickening.

He looked back at Bulma, who was positively preening.

He narrowed his eyes in irritation, unabashedly meeting her gaze when it landed on him.

Her smile dimmed slightly, before she turned away to smile at the other people in class.

How… dare she…

How dare she best him.

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She was so happy, she could float.

Well, maybe not float, but she could probably build a small copter to help her fly.

Her first exam in high school, and she was the only one to receive full marks.

This ought to make her mother happy.

Her father, not so much.

Dr. Briefs had been entirely against her going to regular school.

He would probably just sigh, and Bulma could practically hear him now…

“Bulma, you are a certified genius. Of course, you would get full marks. You could probably give your teacher an exam.”

She huffed, mentally sticking her tongue out at her father.

She walked slowly towards the corner where she knew her driver awaited her. She had given him explicit instructions to not move a single inch closer to the school than the tree that she had picked for him to wait beside.

She wanted the full ‘school experience’.

Classmates, a uniform, the walk home…

Her father had emphatically put his foot down regarding her request to walk all the way home.

With a bounce in her step, she carried her bag, happily humming a tune.

She was just about to turn the corner that would make the car visible to her when a small ball bounced up from the edges of the trees that lined the sidewalk.

Intrigued, she stooped down, her short skirt hiking up her bum as she picked the ball up.

“Wow, what a sight, ain’t it, fellas?”

She straightened in surprise, tugging her skirt down as she dropped the ball and turned around, only to find a group of four boys, narrow eyes leering at her from a few meters away.

They were all wearing green uniforms, and Bulma recognized it as the ones worn by another school on the opposite side of town.

“May I help you?” she asked stiffly, taking a small step back when the boys moved forward.

“We heard that a pretty new girl had started in Shenron,” the guy in the middle of the group said, his large eyes raking shamelessly over her body.  

Bulma frowned. “Well, I am pretty, alright. You’ve seen me now. Satisfied?”

Another stepped forward. “Not really. See, just looking isn’t always enough, is it?”

Bulma shuddered, small tendrils of fright beginning to zip up her spine.

She had never before been in such a situation.

She was alone in the street, just a few scant meters away from her driver, but they were still a few meters too far.

Her driver would be sitting in the car, and even if she screamed, she was certain that he wouldn’t hear.

She was stuck, facing off against four perverts who were all twice her size –

“What the hell are you losers doing here?”

All heads turned towards the low growl, and Bulma felt an elated sort of thrill go through her while a small gasp escaped her lips.

His flame-shaped hair was unmistakable, and his narrow eyes were in furious slits as he regarded the thugs who were terrorizing her.  

“Vegeta!” she cried out in relief, and as he turned to look at her, Bulma noticed a few things that seemed odd.

He was, on the outside, still the same stern boy who watched over the school with the eyes of a hawk, the boy who snarled at students running in the halls or holding hands in the library.

Yet…

Something about the way he carried himself as he stood before the bullies was not the same, and it took Bulma a few moments to begin to understand the changes.

He was not wearing his glasses, and without the glare of the specs, his eyes looked ominous, sharp, far more intense than she could ever remember them being.

His navy blue uniform was not as prim as it was at school, leaving a few buttons opened and exposing a rather rumpled white shirt underneath.

Even his stance was different, just a bit jauntier than usual, his weight mostly on his left leg, while his arms crossed threateningly before his chest.

Vegeta was not tall, not by a long shot, but as she looked at him, he appeared so impossibly imposing, and she surmised that it was the looseness of his posture that just made him seem a lot wider, as if he was ready and rearing for a brawl.

It also did not escape her notice that the four boys had stilled, their body language screaming more than just a bit of discomfort, and she realized, much to her delight, that these boys were afraid of him.

Together, those men could possibly be nearly eight times Vegeta’s body weight, but they were afraid of Vegeta.

Vegeta smirked, before he spoke again.

“Well? What are you doing in my district? And just you four?” he sneered. “Is Ginyu still in the hospital from my beat-down last week?”

The shortest one stepped forward, hands in fists at his sides, but he was stopped by the tallest man with a hand on his shoulder.

“No, Guldo,” he said.

“But Recoome-”

“No,” he repeated, his voice overflowing with contempt. “We can’t take him. Not without Ginyu.”

“Damn right, you cannot. And even with Ginyu, I dare you to try,” Vegeta said. “Get the fuck out of here, and don’t ever think of bothering my classmates again.”

“Keh,” the boy apparently called Guldo said. “What’s the matter, Prince? Are we encroaching on your property? What do you think, Burter?”

A rather tall one with a wide forehead spoke up. “I think the Prince is looking after this girl.”

“Tch,” Vegeta spat. “I care nothing for her. But, as a student of Shenron, she is under my watch. If you know what is good for you, you will leave now, before I lose my patience with you for daring to speak to one of my people.”

Bulma watched as the four boys angrily, mutinously turned, and Vegeta stood, glaring after them until they got into a large white SUV.

They sped away, but not before a few middle fingers were raised towards her dark-haired classmate, who raised both fists back in a demented sort of salute.

When they were all out of sight, Bulma finally let out the breath that she had been holding.

She turned to Vegeta with a grateful smile, but was not expecting to see him striding purposefully towards her, brows furrowed low over his eyes.

“You are unharmed, yes?” he asked as he reached her, his gaze quickly assessing her while she nodded.

“Yes. Thanks to you,” she answered. “I’m so glad you happened to be close by!”

“Tch,” he said again. “You are stupid for walking alone all this way, in the first place.”

“I am not-”

“You are,” he growled. “You have a driver waiting for you just beyond those trees. Why don’t you just have him pick you up from the school gate?”

She startled when Vegeta moved past her, walking towards the place where the car was parked.

Bulma shook herself free from her disbelief for a second before she jogged to catch up, walking beside him as he appeared to be leading her towards her car.

“I just… I wanted to know what it’s like to walk from school,” she said, giggling slightly. “I see it on TV all the time, and I wanted to try it.”

“Is this all just some game to you?” he asked snidely. “An experiment? An immersion activity?”

“Vege-”

“I have read up on you,” he continued. “You are a prodigy. A genius. You do not really need to go to school.”

She looked down, staring at the brown leather of her shoes in chagrin.

“I just wanted to know what it’s like to be… normal. Is that really so bad?”

He paused, and Bulma looked back at him as he stood just a pace behind her.

Vegeta looked thoughtful, melancholy…

“No. It is not,” he said after a beat. “Yet, you need to be careful. Just because you are pretending to be normal, as you say, does not mean that you are.”

He sounded so sure, almost condescending, and Bulma bristled. “What would you know?”

His smirk was slow, mocking. “More than you would think.”

He started walking again, and before Bulma knew it, they were standing in clear view of her car, where she could see her clueless driver napping in the driver’s seat.

She turned to Vegeta again, and though he had gotten on her nerves for a moment, she resolved to forget about the slight and focus more on the fact that he had actually stood up for her.

“Ne, Vegeta,” she said. “I really am grateful. Thank you for your help back there.”

He simply waved her off, and with a last smile at him, she turned to walk to her car.

She had almost gotten in when she turned back, brow raised.

“Say, would you like a ride home?” she asked.

His house was probably close by. After all, if he was there, didn’t that mean that his house was in the same direction where she was going?

He shook his head, then began walking back in the opposite direction.

She shrugged, before she opened the door and stepped into the car.

It was not until several minutes later that she began to wonder…

If his house was in the opposite direction… what had Vegeta been doing there?

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Vegeta felt his brow twitch as he walked back towards the school.

He did not know what had possessed him to trail after Bulma that afternoon, but he supposed that he was glad that he did.

It was very unlikely that Ginyu’s boys would have let her go as completely unscathed as she had gone, if he had not been there.

He chose to focus on how Bulma was safe, thanks to his strange lapse in sense, rather than dwell on why he had followed her in the first place.

Those thoughts were much, much easier to deal with.

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To be continued…

Read Previous

[k18fics]

Prelude To Power

Chestnutfest has been GREAT I’m so sad it’s over, but I have a longer fic in the works, I hope you guys will stick around and read that :) This is my submission for free space K18 day. Thank you @chestnutisland for putting this all together, I loved all your submissions and all the submissions other people have done. Krillin Jr. Anon whoever you are, this one is for you! This fic has NSFW content, you’ve been warned. 

Prelude To Power

The words plagued his mind. You are a disappointment. You are weak. All your training was for nothing. You are pathetic. Those were all the things the love of his life said to her after they returned from the tournament to save the universe. He had been the first one eliminated in the fights and she looked at him with utter disgust even though he had only been knocked out because of a trick. She didn’t see it that way. They’ve been back for over two weeks and she still didn’t hide her utter disappointment and Krillin started to fear that his wife would leave him. He was weak and pathetic and why would a woman like her be with him when there were so many better options. He was convinced that she was only with him now because of Marron. He couldn’t give her everything she desired and that had to change. He needed to get her an insane amount of money, strength and stability...power.

So he got up at three in the morning on a difficult night. There was a giant thunder storm rumbling outside. The building shook from its power and the rain pelted the windows mercilessly. He couldn’t blame Marron for being too terrified to sleep. It took him and 18 hours to finally get her to sleep. So when he got up, 18 was deep asleep. She didn’t usually sleep so deeply, but he knew that tonight she would and he could get out unnoticed. He left a note with the words, I know I’m a disappointment to you so when I return I will be better. I will be stronger, more handsome, and richer. I will make you proud.

He left the note on his pillow and climbed out the window. The rain immediately soaked him but he ignored it and flew into the air.

It was nearly two hours later when 18 woke up with a jolt from the loud thunder. She stayed frozen in the darkness waiting to see if Marron woke up. There was nothing but silence. She sighed in relief and turned to her husband who was always a light sleeper. “Thank Kami she didn’t wake...” She sat up and looked around the dark room. Her husband was not there. “Krillin?”

She clicked on the light and saw the small note on his pillow and picked it up.

I know I’m a disappointment to you so when I return I will be better. I will be stronger, more handsome, and richer. I will make you proud.

18 jumped out of the bed in a panic. “H-he left me?” She was being hard on him to push him to train and be more confident but she pushed him too hard and now he left her. She crumpled up the note in anger. No. She wouldn’t allow that. She grabbed the phone and called the only person she knew who would know exactly where Krillin was.

“Hello?”

“Bulma?”

“18? What the hell is going on it’s 5am!”

“Where is Krillin?”

“Huh? What do you mean? He’s not with you?”

“He left, said he went to be stronger and more handsome,” 18 said anxiously. “You and Goku are his best friends. He would’ve told you about this.”

“I’m...uh, sorry 18, he didn’t tell me anything,” she said. “The last time I saw him he...”

When she cut off 18 tensed. “What? What is it!”

“He, uh...came to borrow the dragon ball radar.”

“Dragon...No!” 18 cried.

“18 he’s gonna make a wish and those things are not reversible! Go find him!”

18 hung up and immediately called Goku. Chichi answered groggily. “Chichi, grab Goku and both of you instant transmission here right now, it’s an emergency!”

“Wha—“

“Please!” 18 cried desperately.

“O-Okay,” Chichi said then hung up.

“Kami Krillin what are you doing?” 18 said desperately.

In a flash Goku and Chichi appeared with a sleeping Goten in Goku’s arms. Goku set him down on the bed then said, “what’s going on?”

“Help me find Krillin, he’s gathering the dragon balls to wish to change himself in someway,” 18 said.

“What? B-but we agreed long ago to never use the dragon balls in that way,” Goku said.

“Please Goku,” 18 cried as tears sprung to her eyes. “I love him just the way he is.”

“I’ll stay here with Goten and Marron,” Chichi said. “Go hurry.”

In that moment the sky flashed yellow and Shenron appeared in the sky. “No!” 18 cried gripping Goku’s arm. “Goku go!”

Goku placed two fingers on his forehead and they flashed to Krillin’s exact location. They arrived just in time to hear Krillin say, “I wish I was as strong and tall as Goku.”

“No!” 18 cried running to him. “Don’t do it! Krillin please!”

“I’m sorry 18,” Krillin said as lightening flashed above them. “I am tired of being a disappointment to you and you will eventually leave me.”

“Krillin you Baka I love you just the way you are,” 18 said. “Take the wish back.”

“Too late, it has already been uttered,” Shenron’s loud voice boomed.

“Can’t we negotiate Shenron?” Goku said stepping forward.

“No!” Krillin cried hot tears slipping down his cheeks. “I made the wish now grant it.”

“Krillin ple...”

“Wish granted,” Shenron said interrupting 18’s plea.

“NO!” 18 lunged at him but Goku was there in an instant stopping her for touching him as a yellow light enveloped Krillin completely. 18 struggled against Goku almost violently trying to reach Krillin but Goku was way too strong. She couldn’t even move an inch.

“It’s too late 18, there’s nothing you can do,” Goku said holding her tight until she calmed down and burst into tears. Goku felt the sharp raise in Ki and gasped. Krillin’s ki rose through the roof and he was scared his human body couldn’t handle that.

Vegeta, Piccolo, and Gohan joined them at that moment. “We felt a Ki as strong as yours dad,” Gohan said. “Is our planet in danger again?” Vegeta and Piccolo crouched in fighting stances ready to defend. Gohan stepped towards them, “18.”

18 was sobbing hard as she lunged at Gohan and hugged him. Gohan had been the only Z fighter that befriended her without hesitation after the Cell Games, probably because he didn’t fear her, and he had been visiting often to have play dates with Pan and Marron. She trusted him way more than any of the other fighters. Still crying in front of someone else was something she didn’t even do in front of Krillin if she could help it.

“K-Krillin?” Gohan said fearfully.

Goku nodded glancing up at the light. “He made a wish to Shenron to be as strong and tall as me.”

Vegeta looked stunned and Piccolo said, “Can a human handle that kind of power?”

The light disappeared and Krillin remained floating in the air. There was a blue aura surrounding him that was similar to the Super Saiyan God power. His hair was not spiky or blue though. He still had his same short jet black hair style. His muscles bulged out more  and ripped right through his orange gi shirt. The tattered remains of his gi shirt slid off his wet skin as he flew down to them and landed in front of 18. He stood at least a head taller than her at Goku’s height.

18 stepped away from him as her face contorted in anger and she lunged at him throwing the hardest punch she could right at his face. A punch like that would have sent Krillin flying through the air and possibly killed him, but instead her fist hit the steel wall that was his face. He didn’t even stumble back. She spun on her heel and took to air not even looking back.

“What did you do Krillin?” Gohan said.

“I just didn’t wanna be a disappointment to her anymore,” Krillin said.

Vegeta huffed. “Well she looks pretty damn disappointed right now.”

“I kinda didn’t ask her for permission,” Krillin said.

“Even Goku wouldn’t do that,” Piccolo said.

“And he’s a terrible husband,” Vegeta added.

Gohan was the one offended by that comment, Goku just continued to look clueless. Obliviously Goku squared up to Krillin and said, “we got to spar!”

....

“And the new champion of the World Tournament and winner of 50 million Zeni is,” the announcer cried on the TV screen. “Krillin!” The crowd cheered as Krillin displayed the championship belt and waved to the cameras. His gi was intact because not a single fighter could even touch him. Girls surrounded the fighting area and screamed at him fanatically. One girl managed to pass security and lunged herself at Krillin. Krillin swiftly dodged her and security quickly escorted her off stage.

“In addition to being the new champion,” Hercule Satan said taking the announcer’s mic. “I,  Hercule Satan, am hiring Krillin to be my representative. He will be my champion. If someone should defeat him they will have to face the real champion, the one, the great, Hercule Satan!”

The crowd went wild. The TV shut off and 18 growled angrily as she stormed into the kitchen. Bulma and Chichi who were with her quickly followed her.

“Are you mad because Krillin is famous and now a rich millionaire? Cause that’s not a bad thing?” Chichi said.

“Or are you mad because your husband is now getting a lot more female attention then he used to before?” Bulma said.

“I liked him how he was before!” 18 cried. “It’s been two weeks but I can’t help but feel like I lost my husband.”

“If you liked him how he was before, why didn’t you tell him that?” Chichi said.

“I married him and had lots of sex with him,” 18 said. “He was short, broke, and weak, and I still did that. Isn’t that enough?”

Bulma snorted. “Of course not 18. He’s my best friend and no one knows him, like I do. He’s been burned so many times before by women, friends, even his own parents. He’s felt like a disappointment to all of them. You were his salvation. Even when people kept saying you were totally out of his league he was always confident by your side. He’s the most insecure person I’ve ever met and you cured him.”

18’s face softened.

“Then you were disappointed in him and he went back to his old ways,” Bulma said.

“He just changed his appearance 18, he’s taller and stronger but he’s still the same Krillin,” Chichi said. “I see him coming to train with Goku, who he is as a person has not changed at all. And that’s why you love him right? Because of who he is?”

18 nodded. Bulma touched her shoulder gently and said, “so see that and learn to get used to these changes.”

18 sighed and sat at the table. “It’s just strength and height right? I can get used to that.”

Bulma smirked and said, “well if he has more height now he probably also has a larger cock.”

Chichi choked on the water she had just drunk and 18 looked at her shocked. The three friends had no problem talking about their intimate lives to each other but it still shocked them how explicit and blunt Bulma could be.

Bulma, completely unphased and totally confident, sat across from 18 and said, “you told us before that he has 7 inch cock that was super thick. Very nice for a guy his height. And Chichi you said Goku was 12 inches, lucky girl, so Krillin at his same height now should still have the thickness but at around 10-12 inches now.”

“Bulma, don’t make her nervous,” Chichi said looking at 18 who did indeed look very nervous.

“Don’t be scared,” Bulma said with a laugh. “You know that Krillin is a way better lover than both our husbands because he actually cares about your pleasure. It won’t take you too long to love his new cock.”

“Let’s,” 18 said her face turning bright red, “talk about something else.”

...

Krillin returned home after 9pm. 18 was on the couch rocking a fussy Marron to sleep. When he walked in the little girl scrambled out of her mother’s arms and ran to her father cheerfully. “Daddy!” She cried as he picked her up and hugged her tight. 18 observed them closely. The girl didn’t seem to notice any differences in her father, her unending love was exactly the same. Shouldn’t she be the same? He was exactly the same in every other aspect. His heart, his soul, his face, his kindness. It was all the same.

Krillin lifted his daughter in the air and tossed her a few times. She giggled wildly and cheered. “Okay squirt,” he said putting her down on the ground. “Go up and pick a book and I’ll read to you okay?”

“Yay!” Marron cheered before scampering up the stairs to the bedrooms.

After she was gone Krillin put his duffel bag down and walked to the couch where he sat down beside 18. She stared at him quietly and took the paper he gave her. “Deposited the money. I don’t have to do any more tournaments or publicity stuff for a long while. I only need to fight in Satan’s name if he gets challenged and he’s paying a salary of a million zeni a month. We have a total of 175 million right now.”

18 glanced down at the bank statement in awe. Then looked back up at Krillin. He grinned at her and said, “we can buy a mansion if you want. As many cars as you need. Any shopping sprees you wanna do. Anything you want, I’ll give to you.”

18 felt the urge to kiss him then so she did. She leaned forward and gently pecked him on the lips. Krillin looked a bit stunned. It was getting near two months since he made the wish and 18 hadn’t even hugged him in all that time. Now she kissed him? That was progress.

“Damn it Krillin,” she said. “I am...sorry.”

Krillin looked at her surprised.

“I liked you just the way you were before and I...made you think I didn’t and that’s why you made that wish,” 18 said. “I don’t say this much, but I love you Krillin. I always did.”

“I love you too 18 and I’m sorry for doing this without talking to you first,” Krillin said. “I just wanted to make you happy.”

“Daddy I found a book!” Marron cried skipping down the stairs.

“Okay sweetie go on upstairs and I’ll come read to you,” Krillin said. He leaned over and kissed 18’s cheek. “Duty calls.”

18 stayed downstairs for a while and thought about her situation. No doubt about it, he was still her sweet, gentle Krillin. She could get used to his height and strength. He could cuddle her better because she was much skinnier and smaller than him now. He could actually overpower her and dominate her which did have a very nice appeal. And he was rich now and Kami knows she loves money. The fact that other girls wanted her man definitely made her feel proud.

With a heavy sigh she started up the stairs. When she arrived to Marron’s room she saw Krillin shirtless in just his pajama white sweatpants cradling a sleeping Marron to his chest and reading from the book with his other hand.

“...And the princess moved to the castle to be with the prince and they lived happily ever after. The end.” Krillin gently put Marron in her crib and covered her. He turned on the monitor and turned on the nightlight. 18 scampered away into their bedroom before Krillin could see her. It was a bit odd to sleep beside Krillin since his change. She was used to his short little legs reaching as far as her shins but now her legs reached his and he took a bit more room because he had more muscle mass.

She zoomed into the bathroom to put on a sexy teddy cause regardless of the changes Krillin still got flustered and so damn cute when she teased him. The teddy was thin and white so you could see through it. She made sure to wear no underwear or bra underneath. The teddy reached just barely past her butt and it had a bit of lace on the edges. She fixed her hair a bit then grabbed the lotion from the sink.

She walked out into the bedroom just as Krillin was shutting the door behind him. “I went to see if...” he saw her appearance and gulped. “If, uh, y-you we’re downstairs but you weren’t.”

18 climbed onto the bed seductively and started slowly rubbing lotion on her arms. “I figured I could get comfortable here and just watch TV here.”

“Y-Yeah,” he said gulping. He watched her hands like a hawk as she slowly rubbed the lotion all over her arms.

“You did good at your last tournament made it look like some of those guys were actually a challenge,” 18 said handing him the lotion. “Here get my back.”

Krillin stumbled forward like a dork and put way too much lotion on his hands.

18 snorted. “Gotta control that new strength. You better make that last for my legs too.”

Krillin stammered dumbly and said, “Yes yes I’m sorry.”

He wiped a hand on each knee leaving a huge blotch of lotion to spread then climbed up behind her back. He started rubbing her shoulders slowly lathering the lotion in. 18 smirked at his clumsiness. Same old Krillin. “I gotta confess something.”

Krillin paused at her words. “I’m listening.”

“I saw a fan mail letter yesterday from this girl saying some very dirty things and I almost flew over there and snapped her neck,” 18 said.

“Hah, I don’t even read any of those letters. Let them drool,” Krillin said pressing himself against her and speaking right into her ear. “I’m only yours.”

18 gasped and shuddered. She could feel his definitely larger erection pressing against her lower back. She turned her head to him and came face to face with him. Their mouths were just a few inches apart, she could feel his breath on her face. She teased him a bit by biting her lip and gently brushing her lips against his but not actually kissing him. When he tried to kiss her she turned her head and grinned at his grunt of frustration.

“You didn’t finish spreading the lotion on my legs.” Krillin moved without question. He settled himself between her legs and gently started spreading the lotion her had placed earlier down her legs. He rubbed them down her calves and feet then started sliding up to her thighs. He felt her tense up as he caresses her thighs gently and moved closer and closer to her apex.

18 sighed deeply and bit her lip trying to contain herself. He moved higher and higher until they were face to face with him kneeling between her legs. They looked into each other’s eyes for a moment then Krillin said, “I know I changed myself without your permission and that you liked me the way I was, but do you like me this way too?”

18 sighed and gently slid her hands up his bare back. “I like you any way Krillin because I love you. I don’t care if you’re tall, short, weak, strong, rich, or poor. I love you.”

Krillin leaned forward and kissed 18’s lips gently. She responded in kind rubbing his back and letting him lay her down on the bed while kissing her. She could feel his immense power underneath her fingertips and knew he would actually need to control himself or he would kill her. The thought exhilarated her and she intensified the kiss. With one hand he ripped her teddy clean in half as if it were nothing but a piece of paper and she shuddered in desire.

Krillin groaned and started kissing down her neck. 18 arched up into him and gasped. She slid her hand down Krillin’s torso and pushed down his sweatpants and boxers. Krillin lifted off of her for a moment to finish taking off his clothes and throwing it aside. 18 moved up to her elbows and stared.

Bulma and Chichi were right, his member was a lot bigger than before because of his height change. Krillin was the only man she’d ever been with, she’s never had a cock that size before. She gulped nervously.

Krillin read her like a book as always. He tilted 18’s chin up and said, “it is a bit bigger than what I had before. 11 inches now, but don’t worry I’ll be gentle.”

“A bit? 4 inches bigger is definitely a difference I’m gonna feel Krillin.”

Krillin chuckled and laid 18 down on the bed. He went back to gently kissing her neck and caressing her sides tenderly. “You remember our first time 18?”

18 just moaned softly in response.

“You said to me that there was no way I would fit inside you, but then I did and then you got used to it,” Krillin said. “Just relax and trust me.”

18 nodded nervously. “I’m yours Krillin.”

Krillin grabbed his member and gently rubbed it against her. She was drenched and it didn’t take much to coat his member in her juices. Properly lubricated he placed his member at her entrance and prodded her gently. 18 groaned and placed her hands on his shoulders. She was used to his thickness so he easily spread her out as he entered her slowly and she moaned in pleasure. He pushed himself halfway in and paused to let her adjust.

He kissed her lips and gently pulled out and back in to the same place. She moaned against his lips and dug her nails into his shoulders as he pushed just a little deeper with every thrust. Then suddenly with one hard thrust his entire length was inside of her and she cried out moving a hand down to his stomach to push him away.

He remained still, letting her adjust as she panted hard and hissed. “It’s painful, but Kami so good,” she breathed.

Krillin began to move very slowly. 18 grunted lowly and pressed on his stomach trying to slow him down. “Relax,” he whispered in her ear grabbing both her hands and pinning them down on the bed. He put just enough pressure that she couldn’t move them even an inch. He started moving faster and 18’s moans escalated unable to contain herself. It was unbearably good and she didn’t know if she could handle this.

He moved a bit faster and harder and she tried to wriggle her hands free because she needed to grip the sheets or she would pass out from this pleasure. He was too strong when she used her ki to try to escape he just tightened his grip. He kissed her then passionately swallowing her cries as he thrust harder than she had ever felt in her entire time with him.

Before he would pound into her at his full power and speed and it would feel so good but now he was doing it harder than that and it was obvious he wasn’t even using a quarter of his strength. It was a pleasurable pain that made her insides flip and tingle wildly. She wanted to scream it felt so good but she contained herself by moaning against Krillin’s lips and twisting her hands in his grip to grab onto the sheets. She was on the verge of an explosion.

He moved unrelenting and her breaths and moans escalated with every thrust. The first orgasm hit her in waves. She arched up and pulsed around him then she started trembling wildly and then she tensed. She thought the orgasm was ending until she was hit with another, and another, and another.

They kept hitting her back to back like they did that night when she had 25. It was the day after they been wished back during the Majin Buu fiasco. She was desperately on him after witnessing his death and then in other world they were separated and she thought she’d never see him again.

He was sweating but he seemed to have enough energy to pump in and out of her for the rest of the week. The orgasms seemed to be in one long ending change. She would pulse around him then tense up at the end and immediately start pulsing again.

She had counted 37 of them before she started seeing stars in her eyes and the pulsing was so intense Krillin could no longer continue pumping. He started moving again with the rhythm of the pulses pushing in harder and deeper every time the pulse expanded and contracted. He moved impossibly fast that She couldn’t even see his hips move and he pounded into her so hard She thought it would shatter her whole body.

He grunted loudly as 18 felt the biggest of the orgasms washed over her. It felt like She got hit by a truck. 18’s body flew off the bed in pleasurable agony and Krillin’s thrusts started to become erratic. She pulsed hard and juices squirted out of her hard. Usually when she would squirt it would push Krillin’s cock out of her a stream would jet out, but because of his strength it just spilled out all around his cock like a faucet if you try to block it. Her legs shot out straight ahead and her whole body trembled out of control.

She saw black at edges of her eyes as she started to lose consciousness, but before she passed out she felt his hot cum spill deep inside of her. Even the jets were strong and she felt jet after jet fill her up so much it started spilling out of her around his cock before he was even finished cumming.

She lost consciousness when he collapsed on top of her moaning out, “I love you Lazuli.”

...

18 gulped as she stared wildly at Bulma. “You’re kidding right?”

Bulma grimaced. “Fraid not 18.” She handed 18 a paper. “You are pregnant.”

18 read the paper twice over then tossed it away angrily. “Redo the test.”

“I did it five times,” Bulma said. “You are one hundred percent pregnant.”

“B-but I’m on birth control,” 18 said anxiously.

Bulma shook her head. “I know. I designed that special birth control for you because normal birth control doesn’t work for an Android. I don’t know what happened. Maybe Krillin has super powered sperm now.”

18 scoffed. “Seriously?”

“I was on birth control when I got pregnant with Bulla, Vegeta fucked me while in God form.”

“God form? How are you alive?”

“Apparently it’s a form control training,” Bulma said. “In order to save their energy or something like that. Chichi likes this training.”

18 snorted. “She’s actually sleeping with Goku more than once a month?”

“It’s everyday now, you know how obsessive Goku is with ‘training,’ but honestly I just think he became obsessed with it like all men do.”

“Krillin is not sex obsessed,” 18 said with a huff.

“Back in the day he loved those dirty magazines like Master Roshi,” Bulma said smirking. “He’s not an innocent flower.”

“No he’s not,” 18 said blushing. “He definitely knows what he’s doing.”

Bulma laughed. “I bet! Okay so let’s get you on those prenatal vitamins early this time. Marron caught us by surprise and you had difficulties, but this time we’ll start early.”

18 grimaced. “I’m not looking forward to the morning sickness. I only came to get checked because my cycle was late and that never happens.”

“Not for an Android no,” Bulma said with a small laugh. “I want to be prepared though so I want to run some more tests.”

“Tests?”

“Super powered sperm can make a super powered baby,” Bulma said. “When I was pregnant with Trunks I flew one time, and with Bulla I threw a Ki blast at Pilaf cause he pissed me off.”

18 cocked an eyebrow. “Interesting.”

“It’s too soon now, in a month I should know more.”

18 nodded. “Okay.”

“Here,” Bulma said handing her the prenatal vitamins. “I’ll have more next week. You go home and tell your husband.”

18 gulped. Oh yeah. That.

...

When she arrived Krillin and Gohan were sparring in the backyard and Videl was on the porch playing with Pan and Marron.

Krillin was evenly matched with Gohan in the sparring but 18 knew he could give more. “Hey 18!” Videl said cheerfully.

18 smiled forcibly and walked onto the porch where she carried Marron into her arms. Another baby. How would she tell Krillin?

Later that night after Gohan and Videl left with Pan and Marron for a slumber party, 18 decided a long warm shower was in order to get her thoughts cleared up.

She didn’t know how Krillin would react to the news. The Krillin she knew before would be thrilled and excited to have another child but would this new Krillin be the same? He was more popular, more handsome, more busy. Maybe he would hate the idea of having another child.

She felt the cold air hit her back as Krillin joined her in the shower. Usually she would feel his presence right underneath her shoulder but now she felt him looking over her like a tower. When he engulfed her into his arms and laid his chin on her head she sighed in relief. It was odd but she still felt comfortable and happy in his arms.

“What’s wrong 18?”

Still perceptive. She turned slowly in his arms and looked up at his face which she still wasn’t used to. She wrapped her arms around his neck and got up to her tiptoes to kiss him. He held her firmly against his chest and kissed her back gently.

“Come on 18,” he said breaking the kiss and gently caressing her jawline. “You’ve been distant since you got back from Bulma’s. Is everything okay? You still mad at me?”

“No, Krillin I’m not mad, it’s just...”

Krillin waited patiently as she trailed off.

“Krillin,” 18 took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.”

Krillin looked stunned for a moment then he burst into happy laughter. “Pregnant! Oh what great news!” He slid down to his knees and kissed 18’s stomach. “Another beautiful child with the woman I love! I can’t wait to meet him or her.”

18 looked down at Krillin’s bald head and he looked up to meet her eyes. They were still the same sweet eyes that looked at her with complete love and adoration.

It was in that moment that she realized this wasn’t a new Krillin. This was a Krillin who was taller and stronger yes, but this was still her amazing, goodball of a husband who adored her with all his heart. This was the same Krillin she always knew.

She caressed his cheek and smiled. “I love you.”

Krillin lifted her up and gently placed her against the wall with her legs wrapped around his hips. The warm water gently tickled their sides Krillin leaned his forehead against hers and said, “I love you too. We’re gonna have another baby.”

She felt his tears hitting her cheek as he cried in pure joy and she kissed him. They kissed and kissed until the water turned cold and then Krillin was pushing inside of her gently. 18 gripped his head and cried out in pleasure.

He grunted as he thrust into her slow and deep placing one hand on the bathroom wall to keep himself steady. 18 was already starting to tremble. Her body felt so hot and the cold wall against her bare back was exhilarating.

“Faster,” she moaned digging her nails into Krillin’s shoulders. He complied moving faster and harder so that their skin was slapping together upon the impact but not enough to cause any damage.

18 reached over and shut off the water. “Bed, now!”

Without pulling out of her he carried her swiftly out of the shower and into the neighboring bed. They didn’t care about dripping water all over the floor or about wetting their sheets.

They were arriving to the bed when 18 shoved Krillin’s shoulders roughly making him land on the bed and her on top of him making his cock go deeper inside.

“Ahh!” Krillin cried as 18 cursed.

She placed her hands on his chest and started riding him. Krillin gripped her hips and guided her as she moved faster and faster.

“18,” Krillin groaned moving his hips up to meet her thrusts.

18’s body started trembling, she moved erratically unable to continue moving so Krillin pumped his hips up.

18 gripped the bed post and arched her back as the orgasm rushed through her body. She trembled and moaned loudly shutting her eyes at the intensity of it.

Krillin grunted lowly as he thrust up and released himself into her.

...

5 years later

“Mom!”

18 sighed in annoyance when 12 year old Marron stormed into the room angrily. “I got it,” Krillin said standing up from beside her on the couch. He was in a crisp designer suit with his hair brushed back.

“What is honey?”

“Krillin Junior stole my paintbrushes!” Marron said with a huff. “Tell him to give them back.”

Krillin grinned and leaned down to be at Marron’s level. “And what did you take from him sweetie?”

At that moment a blonde little boy with bright round eyes like his father but icy blue just like his mothers ran in waving around a paintbrush. “That’s cause she stole my Hercule Satan action figure!”

“That guy is a fraud you shouldn’t have an action figure for him!” Marron cried.

“I use him to get beat up by my other action figures, give it back!”

“No! Give back my paintbrushes you little twerp!”

“Kids,” Krillin said stepping in between them. “Enough of that. Marron you can’t take your bother’s toys and then get mad when he takes yours.”

“But Hercule is lame! I can’t believe he’s Pan’s grandfather!”

“Hercule is the reason we can live in this amazing house and even buy you the best paintbrushes,” Krillin said. “It’s not all about being the strongest, I learned that lesson long ago.”

Marron nodded in understanding. “Yes daddy. Here,” she handed the toy back to Krillin Jr. who took it happily.

“And you, little guy,” Krillin said crouching lower for the young boy. “When your sister takes your things you come talk to us you don’t just take her things that’s not how it works. Now give the brushes back.”

Krillin Jr. pulled the paintbrush set out from his pants and handed them to Marron smirking.

“They were in your pants!?” Marron screeched. “Gross!”

Marron lunged at him and Krillin Jr. immediately started flying away. Within seconds the two children were flying around the living room throwing Ki blasts.

“Well my method didn’t work,” Krillin said chuckling.

“Stop it right now or no more TV for a week!” 18 yelled standing up from her chair. Both children immediately stopped, zoomed back down to he ground, and lowered their heads in shame. “Up to your rooms now! And if I hear a peep out of you you’ll lose your privileges for a week AND you’ll have to wash Daddy’s underwear.”

The kids looked mortified and immediately zoomed up the stairs quietly.

Krillin laughed. “I still don’t know how you do that.”

“It’s a gift,” 18 said turning him around and hugging his waist. She tucked her head under chin and snuggled in his arms. “Good luck with your interviews today.”

“I’ll probably end up having to fight in Hercule’s name, I don’t want to ruin the suit,” Krillin said.

“I doubt anyone could even touch you.”

“True.”

“I love you,” 18 said lifting her head up to look in his eyes.

“I love you too,” Krillin said with a grin.

18 smiled and reached up to kiss his cheek just like the first time. He still blushed.

[ask-saiyan-chigo-blog]

Chigo’s story part 6

She forced her way in and landed with a force on the ground before him. Her eyes grew huge as she was actually right this time. Right before her stood the one and only Frieza, but not in a form she would have remember him by. “Who the hell are you supposed to be! Interrupting me with this dumb entrance!” He screamed at her. She wanted to reply, but instead she froze up into her boots. Feeling absolutely heavy all of a sudden. Frieza started to laugh at her appearance before him. “If you came here to get killed, I could make it easy for you!” he said to agitate her. She started to grind her teeth and finally loosened up..  “Don’t you dare speak to me, you monster! I will make you perish for.. FOR WHAT YOU’VE DONE!” She shouted fiercely which made her tail fluff up. Frieza lifted himself up into the air while he looked down directly at her. “Oooh.. I see how it is! You are a surviving Saiyan hmm! Here to come for your revenge?’ he asked bluntly with a huge smirk on his face. ‘You are way too weak to even be a warmup!” He mocked while he made himself laugh. Chigo could not take any more and started to level her power up fiercely. Which became a dent into the atmosphere and storms started to raise up around them. “Don’t you dare underestimate me you piece of FILTH!” She screamed as she launched her whole body towards her nemesis. “I will break you apart, FRIEEEEZAAAAA!!” She knew that the moment she came too close he would disappear into thin air, so she forced a surprise blast out of her palms with all she got. He wanted to mock her even more with just easily pushing it away with the back of his hand, but he was wrong. She was in fact way stronger than he ever thought and had to hold the blast away with both arms. She left out a war cry and Frieza forced a blast of his own out of his hands to level hers off him. He also powered up dozens of times and the blast came way to close for comfort. Chigo could not hold it up anymore and made sure she moved away from the Explosion both of their blasts made when collided. The force that came off it was unbelievable and Chigo lost her balance up in the air to cover her face. Frieza saw a perfect opportunity and forced his way through the fire to grab hold of her with his tail. She screeched trying to get it off her, but he made sure there was no such thing as an escape. The more she moved the tighter the grip got and Frieza did not make it easier, he grabbed one of her free arms and started to punch her into the stomach. Making her scream it out. “This is what you get for insulting me, you filthy monkey!” He said while he surely enjoyed hurting her. Chigo clenched her teeth and forced a wave of pure energy around her body to force him of her. It only lifted up his tail a bit higher towards her mouth and she bit onto it with sheer force, which made Frieza loosen up and retreat. “How dare you!!” he screamed at her while he rubbed the area she bit him. She left some deep bite-marks onto the spot and she taunted him about how awful his tail tasted. Frieza started to snarl at her in response, but was soon distracted by some warriors that surrounded the scene. she could only guess that they noticed our power levels and came to check upon the fight for themselves. “This can't be.. not now.. Goku....” Frieza whispered as his eyes were only focused on one warrior among the others. “Heeeeeyy Friezaaa, long time noo seee!!” Screamed the one with black spiky hair, waving like crazy. Frieza's expression was what interested her most, the moment the guy kept repeating his name he became more and more frustrated. Chigo did not want anyone to interfere with her longed for battle so she broke the distraction with a speeded up flash and moved right before Frieza, ready to kick him off balance. Frieza blocked it just in time and glared fiercely into her eyes. “You are forgetting who you are fighting with, fool..” She said to rise his attention towards her. He screamed it out with madness and lunged at her with full power. He left a tremor into the air as their fists clashed, it was something she never thought possible. His speed and strength were too enormous to avoid, she could not beat him with the power she possessed. She knew that all too well, but this was not the time to back up. She kept thinking about the pain he caused her race, her family and that she waited for this one moment her whole life. Frieza took not too long to best her down on the ground. She spitted out gushes of blood as he stamped his foot onto her back and kicked against her ribs. The warriors were discussing whether or not they should help her, but they did not want to scar the pride she showed so well. They were impressed with the fact she kept standing up even though her wounds were showing a threat. The moment it seemed like she laid lifeless on the floor one of the warriors hurried up forward towards the fight. “Piccolo wait..” Goku spoke up as he grabbed his friend by the arm. You could see his worried eyes peer towards her. “We waited long enough.. This is a shared enemy Goku.. We can't let her get tortured like this..” Piccolo answered. She grasped the soil in between her fingers and screamed to not come any closer. She got up onto her knees with the last bit of strength, right before Frieza. He gave one last pitiful laugh and fired his cannon that was directed towards her heart. Chigo closed her eyes and was ready to accept her defeat. Her mind was completely blurred and all of a sudden it felt like the world broke around her. She opened her eyes and noticed everything stopped moving. The blast stopped right before entering her chest and she could not believe the force that was flowing through her soul. A power she never felt before... She stood up onto two feet and screamed so loud her lungs could not keep up. A surge of energy moved the blast away and Frieza could not believe his eyes. “HOOOOOWW, HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE!!” he screamed trying to blow her away with all he had, but that did not work at all. All his effort got turned around right towards himself as she walked slowly forward. With every step she took, she created dents into the ground.  Even the others had to move back and brace themselves because of her force. She lifted one hand up directly towards Frieza and formed a huge ball of red energy. “This is the end for you.. Frieza..” She said as she placed one foot in the front of the other to ready up to fire it. “TAKE THIS.. DRAGON BARRAGE!!!!” She screamed and a huge tornado like Ki -blast blew Frieza off balance, leaving nothing more than himself to hold it off this time. He screamed for his life as his hands began to give up on him. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” Were his last words before you could see him dissolve into nothing.. Chigo still tried to hold her body up, but collapsed on the ground not much later... With her laying defenseless on the floor with ripped clothes and wounds scattered all over her body. Piccolo hurried over to crouch down beside her. He placed his hand onto her forehead and the other one on her heart. He had to heal most of the deep wounds Frieza left on her or she would die from bleeding out. Her breathing was out of control and she cramped out in pain. They all hurried to come to a decision in the critical time they had left. “So who is going to take her in?” Goku asked confused. “If I take a strange woman home, Chichi will kill me!” He said with his hands in his hair. “Didn't you have any Senzubeans on you Goku? I'm afraid I won't heal her enough in time as it goes on like this!” Piccolo responded. You could hear Vegeta shout from the other side as Goku was searching through his garb for the Senzubean-pouch “Hurry it up will you, Kakarot!” Goku panicked and shook his head, he came to a reminder he gave them to Krillin before they arrived here. Vegeta signed and looked at him in awe. “I can't believe you right now! You idiot!” He screamed and Goku responded with a silly laugh. “There is no time to fool around! I can't take her to the lookout as it's out of reach!” They both looked into Vegetas direction as last resort. He checked her from top to toe and noticed a tail from underneath her body, as impressed as he was he pointed it out. “She... she's a Saiyan! LOOK!” The others started to notice it to. “I... I will take her!” He responded flustered and fast after. “But... what about Bulma, you know how psycho she can get? Maybe we should take her to Master Roshi's place instead.” Goku answered. “NO! That woman and I aren't together anymore anyway as she cheated with that disgusting insect Yamcha!” He said as he got pissed about mentioning it. He crouched down beside Piccolo and lifted her up. “Oh.... ehh.... you want me to tag along than?” Goku asked worried. Vegeta ignored him totally and flew off. “Come with me instead Goku, I still faintly feel Frieza's energy somewhere.” Piccolo said while he checked his surroundings. Goku nodded in response and followed his old friend. As annoyed as he was Vegeta didn't notice the Saiyaness had opened her eyes. She looked impressed at her hero who was that concentrated about getting her to safety. She sniffed him out and closed her eyes. “He.. he smells like.. me..” she whispered while placing her hand on his chest. Vegeta noticed something was up and looked down. By his sudden movement she made a soft noise and his eyes met directly with hers. He was amazed with the fact she had beautiful dark blue eyes and lost himself within them. They kept on staring silently for a while until the tips of their nose touched and Vegeta’s upper body bounced back by surprise. He noticed to late that his hands lost grip and he still tried to grasp her when she slipped down. She held her hands in the front of her face as she was powerless to stop her freefall. Vegeta smacked his cheeks to wake up and forced his way down to reach her speed. Just on the nick of time his feet reached the ground and pushed himself up to catch her. She grasped him tight as they leveled up in the air again. Her tail also automatically grabbed hold onto his leg. “I ehh.. didn't mean to drop you.. you just surprised me..” he said with his cheeks bright red. She was still shaking and not calming down at all. So he decided to lift her up some more so his face reached hers again. His instincts kicked in and without hesitation he grabbed the back of her head and moved it closer to his. They were only a few inches away and they could feel each other’s warm breaths on their lips. Her grasp around him tightened up and she started to blush. Without hesitation she accepted his invitation and deeply kissed him. That moment they knew that they had imprinted on each other on their first touch. They forgot the critical situation they were in and were lost in a trance together. Suddenly the hard truth came to reality and she loosened her tight grip. She placed her hand on a huge wound that opened up again and breathed heavily in pain. Vegeta did not wait any longer and braced her as he paced up his flight speed. “We are almost there, hold on..” he whispered worried in her ear.

[elisajdb]

Life With You: XX

Part Twenty:

 Family Reunion: Part One

  “I won’t have you lie to me again! Where is my husband?!”

 Master Roshi wished he checked the caller ID before answering the phone. If he had checked, he wouldn’t have picked up the phone and he wouldn’t be talking to ChiChi right now. The woman sounded as angry as when he last saw her nearly a year ago. “I don’t know.”

 “Liar!” ChiChi barked through the phone. “Goku was revived yesterday.”

 “How do you know that?” Master Roshi didn’t call her after he talked to Goku. Bulma didn’t either.

 “I saw the sky turn dark. I know what happens when the dragon balls are used. It’s been twenty-four hours. He should be here. Now tell me the truth. Where is Goku?!”

 “Why would you think I would know?” Master Roshi shouted back.

 “Because you kept the secret of what happened to my husband and son from me for a day! You told me Goku wouldn’t be wished back until he completes his training! He was wished back yesterday!”

 Master Roshi rubbed his temple. Gyu-Mao didn’t know about the dragon balls. It had to be Goku who told ChiChi what happens when they’re used. He wished his former student kept his mouth shut on that topic. “We did wish Goku back yesterday. He told us the Saiyans are coming today and he’ll be late.”

 “You…..” the anger disappeared from ChiChi’s voice. “You spoke to Goku? How is he? How did he sound?”

 At least she wasn’t angry anymore. “Sound cheerful as usual. I don’t know why Goku isn’t back yet but he’ll be here. Just stay home and he’ll be there after the fight is over.”

 “I’m coming over there!” ChiChi announced. “And don’t even think of turning your home into a capsule and moving off that island. I know that trick!”

 “No, wait!!” Master Roshi reached out to ChiChi but she already hung up the phone. “Dammit.”

“Was that ChiChi?” Bulma asked. She, Oolong and Puar were surrounded by the TV waiting for any breaking news of the Saiyans arrival.

 “Yeah,” Master Roshi hung up the phone. “She’s on her way.” He sighed. “She sounds as ornery as ever. The past year hasn’t calmed her at all.”

 “Well, she did go a year without her husband and son,” Bulma tried to emphasize with ChiChi. “Maybe she’ll calm down when she sees Goku and Gohan again.”

 “Are you sure we’re gonna know about the Saiyans arrival this way?” Oolong flicked the remote on the TV for any breaking news. “Goku’s brother arrived without any notice.”

 “Raditz was looking for Goku. These Saiyans are coming to get the dragon balls and kill all of us. They are gonna draw attention.”

 “Where is Goku?” Oolong asked. “We wished him back yesterday!”

 Master Roshi rubbed his beard. “Goku did say he will be late. Piccolo and the others will have to hold off until Goku returns.”

 Oolong snorted. “Assuming everyone is alive when Goku gets back.”

 “Oolong!” Puar scolded him. “How can you say that?”

 “I’m being truthful. What fight have we won without Goku? When you guys went after King Piccolo, the Old Man and Choazu died. How do you know it won’t happen again?”

 Bulma and Master Roshi couldn’t answer that question for they wondered the same thing. 

ChiChi was not happy when she hung up the phone. “Master Roshi wished Goku to life yesterday but Goku told him he will be late and the Saiyans will come today.”

 “Today?” Gyu-Mao didn’t like that. The news Goku will be late and the Saiyans will arrive today left a bad feeling in Gyu-Mao’s gut. “That’s a month early and why do you wanna go to Master Roshi’s place? Goku will come here after the fight.”

 ChiChi shook her head. She knew better. “No, he won’t. Goku will go to Master Roshi’s after the fight and he’ll expect me there. It’s what he wanted.”

 Goku and ChiChi returned home after spending a day at Gyu-Mao’s castle. Aki dropped off food from the local farms and was invited to stay for dinner. Gohan loved the attention he received from his grandpa and father’s friend. ChiChi worried Gohan will be spoiled, but one look at Gohan’s sweet smile at the attention, melted her worries.

 “Gohan enjoyed himself.” Goku remarked to their son in ChiChi’s arms.

 ChiChi caressed Gohan’s hair. He had dried food stains on his clothes and face. He was a messy eater tonight. “Gohan needs a bath.” ChiChi stepped into the bathroom. She turned on the water in the sink and undressed Gohan. “He’s wearing more than he ate.”

 Goku stood by the door watching ChiChi prepare Gohan for his bath. Dinner was great. Aki was fun company but his discussion of King Piccolo was still on Goku’s mind. “I didn’t know how far King Piccolo’s terror reached,” Goku admitted. “I was consumed with getting stronger and avenging Krillin and Master Roshi’s deaths. I didn’t know how scared everyone was of him.”

 Gohan played in the soapy water as ChiChi wiped him clean. “King Piccolo scared everyone when he put a target on all martial artists. The whole village was on high alert. Dad didn’t believe King Piccolo and his minions will settle for only killing martial artists. All able bodied men were on night and day shifts to keep watch over anyone coming into the kingdom. The ones that weren’t on shift worked with Dad to designate safe zones for everyone in case we had to evacuate the village.”

 ChiChi pulled a clean Gohan from the sink. Goku helped by offering ChiChi a towel to wrap Gohan in. “I’m glad we never had to implement an evacuation plan from the village.” ChiChi left the bathroom with Goku following her. “It was definitely a scary time. I hope we never experience that again.”

 They were in Gohan’s room now. ChiChi busied herself with getting Gohan in a diaper and a clean onesie. As he stared at his wife and son, Goku wondered what he would do if they experience terror like that again. Piccolo was Earth’s only threat. He could handle Piccolo but if he came here, Goku’s first priority will be getting his wife and son to safety. There’s also the possibility a threat bigger than Piccolo surfacing. His home was the safest place if they had to go into hiding but Goku knew of one place he considered safer than his home.

 “If Earth experiences anything like King Piccolo again, I want you and Gohan to go to Master Roshi’s place. It’s the safest place other than here.”

 ChiChi turned to Goku. She held Gohan protectively against her. “What about you?”

 Goku answered with a kiss to ChiChi’s lips. He placed a gentle hand on Gohan’s head. “I gotta protect you and Gohan. So, while I’m fighting, I want you and Gohan to go to Master Roshi’s. Wait for me there.”

 Gyu-Mao was impressed. “I didn’t know Goku had the foresight to prepare for a time like this. I don’t agree with Goku allowing Piccolo to take Gohan but maybe he had the right intentions in doing so.”

 “The right intentions? He let our four-year-old son be trained by a monster that tried to kill him years ago.” ChiChi shook her head in disagreement. “Goku better have a good explanation when he talks to me over what he did.”

 Gyu-Mao’s teacup suddenly shook on the kitchen table. The shaking spread all over the house. ChiChi grabbed the counter while Gyu-Mao remained seated until the shaking subsided.  

 “Was that an earthquake?” ChiChi asked once it was over. “I didn’t know this area had earthquakes.”

 Gyu-Mao rose from his seat grim. “I don’t think it was an earthquake. We better hurry over to Master Roshi’s.”

 “Wait….” ChiChi stopped her father at the door. “You don’t think that was an earthquake?”

 “Earthquakes aren’t known in these parts. We know these aliens are coming today. It could be them.” Gyu-Mao popped open his capsule revealing his car. “We’ll listen to the radio on the way over.”

 ChiChi sat worriedly as her father drove them to Master Roshi’s. The radio was on but nothing was mentioned of the tremble they felt. ChiChi began thinking it was a small earthquake and nothing more until they were ten minutes away from Master Roshi’s island when news suddenly broke into regular music programming.

 “A catastrophic earthquake has struck East City. Communications have been cut off leaving the safety of all residents in doubt. Military and police surrounding East City are on their way to investigate.”

 “East City?” ChiChi recalled her and Goku visiting that city when buying furniture for their home days before the wedding. They even brought Gohan there on a family outing at an amusement park. “That area is miles from here. Hundreds of miles.”

 “And we felt a slight tremble,” Gyu-Mao pressed down on the gas pedal. They needed to hurry to Master Roshi’s. “I don’t think that city is there anymore.”

 ChiChi clutched a hand over her heart. “The aliens. My baby will be fighting monsters that destroyed an entire city.”

 “Don’t worry, ChiChi. Gohan isn’t alone. Piccolo and Goku’s friends are there.”

 “And what about Goku?” The thought of her son fighting the aliens without his father angered her. “Why isn’t he there? What’s he doing?”

 Gyu-Mao wanted to know the answer to those questions, too. “We’ll find out more when we get to Master Roshi’s. We’re almost there.”

 ChiChi kept her ears tuned to the radio. Nothing new was reported when they reached Master Roshi’s island. While Gyu-Mao turned his car into a capsule, ChiChi was lost in horrible memories rushing to the forefront of her mind during her last visit. When Bulma came by to pick up the dragon balls Goku collected, that was the last she saw of her. Since then, no one came by. No one called. No one even sent a letter to see how she was coping in the year without her husband and son. It was very clear to ChiChi where she stood with Goku’s friends.

 Gyu-Mao entered the home first. He saw Master Roshi, Bulma, Oolong and Puar surrounding the television. “Master Roshi, have the aliens arrive yet?”

 Master Roshi turned to his former pupil. Gyu-Mao wasn’t happy his teacher kept the news of his son-in-law and grandson from his daughter, but over the year, his anger thawed. Master Roshi could feel the anger had waned from his pupil. His pupil’s daughter was another story. “The aliens left East City and are heading off to meet everyone. The fighting should begin soon.” Gyu-Mao’s massive frame filled the entire doorway. He couldn’t see ChiChi. “Did ChiChi really come with you?”

 ChiChi suddenly appeared from behind her father causing Master Roshi to have a mild heart attack. “Master Roshi,” ChiChi gripped the old man’s shoulders. “Where is Gohan? Have you heard from Goku yet?”

 Master Roshi shook his head. “Gohan’s still with Piccolo. Goku’s on his way but the others are with him.”

 “How do you know that?” ChiChi demanded to know.

 “With this.” Bulma held up Raditz’s scouter. “I can read all the strong power levels on Earth. The two aliens are heading to three strong Kis here. Three others are going to that same spot.”

 ChiChi stared at the device in Bulma’s hands. She noticed various numbers all over the screen. “Is one of them Goku’s?”

 “No,” Bulma didn’t hide her disappointment. “I know the Ki of our friends. Two new ones appeared less than an hour ago. It’s the aliens. Goku’s Ki is the biggest but it hasn’t appeared on this scouter yet.”

 “Are you saying Goku’s not on Earth?” ChiChi questioned. “You wished him back yesterday!”

 Bulma understood ChiChi’s frustration. She felt it, too. “I don’t get it either. When Master Roshi and Krillin came back to life, they were revived immediately.”

 “You had our bodies,” Master Roshi reminded Bulma. “Goku’s body was taken by Kami. Maybe there’s a delay because of that.”

 ChiChi turned away from them. She paced the room. “After all this time, Goku’s not on Earth and these aliens are here ready to hurt our son.”

 Gyu-Mao noticed the television. He saw a reporter standing in an empty field. “That’s East City? It’s completely gone.”

 “Those aliens did it,” Oolong chimed it. “They wiped the entire city off the map.”

 “Oolong!” Bulma scolded the pig and bopped him on his head. She looked at ChiChi; read the worried married woman’s face. If those aliens did that to East City, what will they do to her son?

 Bulma jumped back as ChiChi approached her. “Bulma, can you track the destination of the three Ki the Saiyans are going to?”

 “Uh…. yeah.”

 “Then let’s go!” ChiChi grabbed Bulma’s hand. She pulled a reluctant Bulma towards the door. “I’m not letting my baby fight those monsters alone!”

 “No, wait!” Bulma pleaded. “Let me go!”

 “ChiChi!” Gyu-Mao freed Bulma from ChiChi’s grasp. “It’s too dangerous!”

 “It’s too dangerous for a five-year-old but he’s out there without his father.”

 “These aliens are two powerful!” Master Roshi jumped in front of the door, blocking ChiChi. “You’d only get in the way.”

 Gyu-Mao grabbed ChiChi’s arms and pinned them behind her back. “Goku is on his way. You know he will never let anything happen to Gohan. Have faith he’ll get there.”

 “Hang on, everyone. It’s starting.” Bulma sat down with the scouter over her left eye. Everyone gathered around as Bulma read the various power readings popping on the scouter.

 Free from her father’s grasp, ChiChi wrung her hands as Bulma mentioned the rise in power levels while Master Roshi speculated on what could be going on. The higher the power readings Bulma read, the nervous ChiChi got. What was her five-year-old doing out there among beings that could destroy the planet? Gohan didn’t fight. Sure he had the strength but he didn’t have the skills.

 Unable to sit anymore, ChiChi paced. Goku, where are you? It’s been a day. Why aren’t you on Earth? Why aren’t you with Gohan?            

 Gyu-Mao remained positive for his daughter. “It’ll be okay, ChiChi. Gohan is Goku’s son. He’s strong like Goku. He’ll be fine.”

 “No, he won’t!” ChiChi argued. “Gohan’s five years old. He’s never been in a fight. How can you think a five year old is ready to fight monsters ready to kill everyone on this planet? Gohan may be part Saiyan and maybe they do force their young to fight early but Gohan’s also human and he’s not ready for this! ”

 “Oh, no!” Bulma gasped. “Someone just died. A Ki just vanished from the scouter.”

 “Gohan?” ChiChi grabbed Bulma’s shoulders. “Is it Gohan? Is Gohan dead?”

 “No.” Bulma pushed ChiChi away. Gyu-Mao pulled ChiChi back so Bulma could read the scouter correctly. “It’s not Gohan. It’s a bigger Ki.”

 “One of the Saiyans?” Oolong asked hopeful.

 “It’s one of our own.” Master Roshi’s eyes were hidden behind his dark shades but his voice was filled with anger and grief. “I didn’t think he would be the first to go.”

 Bulma noticed Master Roshi didn’t look at her. “Don’t tell me it’s Yamcha.” Master Roshi’s silence confirmed it. “No.” Bulma shook her head. “No, it can’t be Yamcha.”

 “It’ll be all right, Bulma.” Master Roshi spoke gently to her. “This is Yamcha’s first time dying. We can wish him back in a year.”

 “I know, but….” tears pooled down Bulma’s cheeks. “He’s still dead. I know we argue a lot but I care about him.” Master Roshi embraced Bulma as she cried on his shoulder. “I’m gonna miss him so much.”

 ChiChi quietly watched Bulma and Master Roshi mourn Yamcha’s passing. She looked across from her to see Puar had fainted and Oolong waving a fan over her. ChiChi put her hands together in prayer. Gohan, please hold on. Please don’t die. Goku, where are you?

 The numbers on the scouter beeped wildly again indicating the fighting resumed. Hope continued to die as two more power readings were erased. Two more people died. Bulma and Master Roshi assured ChiChi it wasn’t Gohan. ChiChi didn’t find comfort in their words. Given how quickly Goku’s friends were dying, ChiChi worried Gohan’s time was running out.

 My baby boy. My five year old son shouldn’t be out there. Goku, how could you think it was okay for Piccolo to take Gohan? How could you think he’s ready to fight aliens? He’s getting traumatized watching people die around him.

 “This is strange,” Bulma tapped the scouter. Something wasn’t right. “All the numbers have dropped. No one’s dying but it doesn’t seem anyone is fighting.”

 After two hours of no change, the speculation of what is happening continued.

 “They must be taking a break,” Master Roshi figured. “Maybe Piccolo convinced the aliens to stall the fighting until Goku arrives.”

 “Where the hell is Goku?” Bulma slammed her empty glass down. “All our friends are dying! We lost Yamcha, maybe Choazu again and I don’t know who the third one is.”

 “Yajirobe?” Oolong guessed. “Maybe Tien but he’s really strong. He couldn’t have died. He’s the next strongest besides Piccolo. Maybe Krillin died again.”

 Gyu-Mao entered with a tray of sandwiches and a pitcher of iced tea. He placed the tray on the table and refreshed everyone glasses. “The good news is the fighting has stopped. This break may give our friends time to come up with the strategy to defeat these aliens.” He encouraged everyone to eat. Oolong and Bulma reached for a sandwich. Gyu-Mao refilled ChiChi’s glass. “Here you go, ChiChi. Drink. Eat.”

 ChiChi dismissed her father. “I can’t eat or drink anything. I can’t do anything. I….” she sighed. “I need to be with my son.”

 In the nearly three hours since the ceasefire began, everyone found ways to kill time. Oolong and a depressed Puar watched the news coverage of the destruction of East City. Bulma called her parents. ChiChi sat alone, weeping sometimes but staying mostly quiet as she could only think of her family. More than once she thought to grab Bulma and call Nimbus to take her to Gohan. Seeing how her father and Master Roshi kept near the door, she knew they were expecting her to make a run for it.

 “He’s back!” Bulma screamed. “Goku’s back!”

 “Goku?” ChiChi rushed to Bulma’s side. “Are you sure?”

 “A large Ki just appeared. It’s equal to the Saiyans. It has to be Goku!” Everyone erupted in cheers. ChiChi hugged her father. Oolong and Puar danced. Master Roshi grabbed Bulma’s butt and was promptly slapped. Putting distance between herself and Master Roshi, Bulma focused on the numbers popping on the scouter. Bulma’s joy immediately evaporated as she noticed someone’s Ki falling rapidly. “Someone else is dying. It’s a big Ki. It could be Tien this time; maybe even Krillin. It…it’s gone.”

 “Who was it?” Oolong looked to Master Roshi for an answer. He detected Yamcha’s death but could only speculate on the last two.

 “It’s not Krillin.” Master Roshi was certain of that. “I’ve been around Yamcha and Krillin long enough to know their Ki. They were my students. This one is strong but I’m not familiar with it. It could be Yajirobe.”

 “You really think he’s there?” From what Bulma knew of him, he was a coward showing up at the end of a fight. He hid the entire time Goku fought Piccolo.

 “It has to be him. It’s not Piccolo who’s dead. Everyone knows he needs to stay alive so we can use the dragon balls to wish everyone back.” Since he wasn’t familiar with his Ki, it was very possible Piccolo was killed but since he needed to stay alive for the dragon balls, Master Roshi hoped that wasn’t true. “What’s going on now, Bulma?”

 “Goku’s finally there and he’s fighting.” Bulma read the numbers popping on the screen. “All right!” Bulma cheered. “One of the Saiyans died. Goku got one!”

 “Well,” Gyu-Mao relaxed besides a worried ChiChi, “looks like things are finally going our way. Goku’s back, he’ll defeat the other Saiyan just as easily and return with Gohan. Your family will be reunited very soon, ChiChi.”

 ChiChi wished she could be as relaxed as her father but couldn’t be until Goku and Gohan were in her arms again. “I hope so.”

 Bulma tapped the scouter over her eye. “Looks like Goku and the other Saiyan are leaving the other two. Wait.” Bulma studied the readings on the scouter. “They’re leaving, too.”

 Master Roshi rubbed his beard, speculating what this could mean. “If two are leaving the battle site, then they must be coming here. Goku must’ve sent them away to report to us what’s happened.”

 “No.” ChiChi put a hand over racing heart. “That’s not it.”

 Bulma wondered why ChiChi looked so worried. Goku was back. Everything was going to work out. Didn’t ChiChi have faith in her husband? “What else could it be?”

 “Goku always wanted Gohan to see him fight. Until last year when he allowed Piccolo to take our son, Goku always put Gohan’s safety over everything else. If Goku sent Gohan away, he’s doing it for his safety.”

 Master Roshi understood ChiChi’s worry. “This Saiyan is stronger than Goku expected.”

 Oolong cringed. “What if Goku dies again? The dragon balls can’t bring back people who’ve died twice.” Master Roshi smacked Oolong. “Ow! Why’d you do that?”

 Gyu-Mao wrapped an arm around ChiChi. “Goku won’t die again, ChiChi. He’s had a whole year to prepare. He’ll win.”

 Seeing Gyu-Mao comfort ChiChi, left Master Roshi feeling a twinge of guilt. He let ChiChi think Goku allowed Piccolo take Gohan when he was actually dead. Goku was probably very confused when he saw Gohan. Then again, if he’s like the Goku he knew, Goku’s chest was filled with pride seeing his five-year-old son on the battlefield.

 Still, the old martial arts master thought ChiChi should know the truth in case Goku did die again. “Listen, ChiChi…..” Rapidly rising numbers on Raditz’s scouter, diverted him from continuing. “What’s going on, Bulma? Did something happen?”

 Bulma couldn’t make sense of the rapidly increasing numbers. “I---I think it’s Goku but this power level is increasing too fast. 17,000…. 19,000…. 21,000….!!” Smoke rose from the scouter…..a few pops and sizzles and the scouter exploded. Screaming, Bulma closed her eyes protecting herself from any sparks flying debris. “How….” Bulma opened an eye. She noticed the glass shield of the scouter popped onto the floor. “How can this be?”

 Master Roshi picked up the glass shield and instantly dropped it. It was hot. “It overloaded. Goku’s power was too much for it.”

 ChiChi was on her feet beside him inspecting the glass. “We can’t keep up with the fight anymore.”

 “No.” Bulma picked up the scouter shield and removed the other piece over her ear. “I guess we just wait until the others come here.”

 Wait. She’s waited all day. This whole mess started just before noon. Now it was almost sunset. In that time, a whole city was destroyed. Four of their friends were killed. Her son could be among the dead. For a year, she was told to wait for her husband and son to return to her. For a year, she had to worry what was happening to her son.

 Wait, they told her. Wait for Goku and Gohan to return. Wait for the fighting to be over.

 “I’m done!” ChiChi had enough. “I’m taking Nimbus and I’m going to my family!”

 Gyu-Mao wasn’t close enough to grab ChiChi. “Stop her!” Oolong was the closest. He grabbed ChiChi’s left leg. ChiChi yanked Oolong off her leg and tossed him. The shape shifting pig went flying over the sofa. Master Roshi was next. He grabbed ChiChi’s waist with the full intent of grabbing her breasts. ChiChi broke his hold and kicked him sharply in his face. Gyu-Mao grabbed ChiChi from behind putting her in a full nelson hold. Her feet dangled off the floor. ChiChi deliberately swung her body, getting some momentum as she flipped in the air and behind her father to give a firm kick to his back. Gyu-Mao released his hold on ChiChi as he crumpled to the floor.

 No one to stop her, ChiChi dashed for the door.

 “Wait! We’ll go with you!”

 That was the only thing refraining ChiChi from leaving. She turned. “You will?”

 This is crazy. Really, really crazy. Bulma smiled kindly as she approached ChiChi. “If I were you, I’d want to be with my husband and son, too. We might as well go since we can’t use the scouter.”

 “Do you know where to go?” ChiChi asked. “Nimbus can easily take me there.”

 Bulma held up the broke scouter. “Just let me pinpoint the last location before this thing went dead and I’ll punch the coordinates in the ship.”

 “I see.” It was nice to have at least one of Goku’s friends on her side. “Thank you, Bulma.”

 “I’ll call you when I’m ready to go.” Bulma pulled a capsule from her pocket and tossed it on the beach. A large air ship appeared from the smoke.

 “Bulma!” Master Roshi joined Bulma as she stepped in the ship. “Are you crazy? We can’t take her with us. She needs to stay here.”

 “Oh, because you, Oolong and her Dad did so well restraining her.” Bulma rolled her eyes. “You have to be smart dealing with over emotional people like Goku’s wife.”

 “You would know,” Master Roshi murmured. “So, how to do you plan to stop her?”

 Bulma fingered the scouter. “I’ll stall for half an hour with false coordinates. After that….” Bulma shrugged.

 “False? But you said---“

 “This thing is broken. Even if I could find the last coordinates, it’ll take hours.”

 “Let’s stop by Master Korin’s Temple and pick up some senzu beans. That’ll buy us more time. He might be able to direct us to the real battle site.”

 Bulma gave Master Roshi’s a thumb’s up. “Now you got it. By time we get there, the fight should be over.”

 An hour ago

 Is that Gohan?

 It looked like his son but it didn’t feel like him. High above everyone, Goku watched Gohan unleash an enormous amount of Ki against the tall Saiyan. He deflected Gohan’s attack but Goku was shocked and impressed such power came from his little boy.

 How did he get so strong…. and was that a Masenko? That’s Piccolo’s move.

 Gohan dropped to his knees exhausted. He couldn’t move as the large Saiyan approached for a final attack. Goku jumped off Nimbus. “Nimbus! Go!”

 With lightning speed, Nimbus zipped down and scooped Gohan before Nappa could crush the child under his foot. He saved his son but everyone else……

 I’m too late. I didn’t make it back in time.

 Goku dropped from the sky. He felt the gazes of the two Saiyans on him. They weren’t his concern….for now. Goku’s eyes were on Piccolo’s still body as he walked by the stunned Nappa. He knew his casual dismissal was insulting but Goku didn’t care. He only cared about Piccolo. If Piccolo was dead, then no one can come back.

 “Piccolo.” Goku touched Piccolo’s neck. As he feared, no pulse.

 “He died trying to save me.”

 Gohan’s words stunned Goku. Piccolo saved Gohan? That Masenko….. Did Piccolo train Gohan? So many questions and no time for answers. There was a battle he needed to fight. Goku saw Yamcha and Tien’s dead bodies. Nappa bragged about a smaller one blowing up. So they got, Chaozu, too. Even if Piccolo hadn’t died, there was no way to bring him back.

 All of them worked together and died. Piccolo….I never imagined he would sacrifice himself for Gohan. No! It suddenly dawned on him. “Kami…” He was gone, too.

 Goku ignored the big Saiyan trying to swing at him and ordered Gohan to follow him. He’ll get some answers from Krillin and Gohan. Goku couldn’t take his eyes off Gohan. His little boy changed so much. After giving Krillin and Gohan senzu beans, Gohan confirmed his suspicions. Piccolo did train him.  

 How did Piccolo convince ChiChi to let him train Gohan? Did ChiChi change her feelings when she learned Piccolo joined me to stop Raditz? I doubt ChiChi knows everything Piccolo and Gohan did. Maybe I’ll take Gohan fishing after this so he’ll tell me.

 Goku turned to his opponents. The tall one, Nappa, killed everyone. The short one, Vegeta, hadn’t stepped in to fight yet. Goku knew he will have to be on his toes with that one when they battle. Still, Goku was confident he will be the victor. With King Kai’s training, Goku felt almost invincible.

 He had to be invincible. He had to be perfect. He owed it to his friends. They all died buying him more time to get to Earth. Without their sacrifice, the world would be in ruins now. For his friends, he couldn’t show mercy to these Saiyans. For them, he had to kill these Saiyans.

 An hour later

 “I can’t believe I listened to you, Goku! What about you saying you wouldn’t show them mercy? You were so angry at the beginning of the fight! What happened?!” Krillin turned away frustrated with Goku and himself. “I shouldn’t have let Vegeta go!”

 Goku understood Krillin’s anger. His actions now were very different from the beginning of the fight. Then, he was filled with rage. He wanted to kill Nappa and Vegeta. He told Nappa he wouldn’t show mercy but during both fights something changed. He taunted Nappa, loved the frustration from the Saiyan as he dodged each of his blows but when it came time to kill Nappa, he showed mercy. Nappa was going to kill his son and Krillin. Goku had every right to kill Nappa in that moment but instead of killing him, he only wounded him enough so that he couldn’t fight anymore. He even told Vegeta to take Nappa and go.

 Why did I show mercy when they are responsible for everyone’s deaths?

 It didn’t matter in the end since Vegeta killed Nappa. He should’ve died at his hands but Goku couldn’t do it.

 I lost my killer instinct. They killed my friends and I showed mercy.

 It was worse with Vegeta. Vegeta exceeded Goku’s expectations. Not even two times Kaio Ken was enough to stop Vegeta. He pushed his body to the brink and even then needed Gohan, Krillin and Yajirobe’s aide to stop him. Vegeta was a menace who would not stay down. Last time, Goku was outmatched, it was during his first fight with King Piccolo. Then, he got frustrated like Nappa. He lost his cool and when he realized, he couldn’t defeat King Piccolo, he felt fear for the first time in his life. With Vegeta, he didn’t lose his cool, he didn’t feel fear. He was excited. Pushed to think faster, fight stronger and smarter against Vegeta, he felt excitement.

 Picture it, Kakarrot! Picture the carnage! Feel your Saiyan blood stir!!

 Raditz told him that when he tried to tempt Goku to join him in space. He wanted him to kill all life; thought by creating images of death by his hands would stir his Saiyan blood.

 It did the opposite for Goku. It repulsed him but fighting Nappa and Vegeta, stirred something in him he now found troubling.

 Fighting against these Saiyans; fighting against my own sparked something in MY Saiyan blood. It was exciting. It was thrilling. I loved it. This feeling….is this what Raditz meant about stirring the Saiyan blood? Is this what Raditz and all Saiyans feel?

ChiChi was going out of her mind. It’s been nearly an hour since they left Master Roshi’s island. Bulma assured her they were going the right way but suddenly decided they should fly to Master Korin’s Tower and pick up senzu beans. Korin didn’t have any beans left but offered to show them where Goku and the Saiyan Vegeta were fighting.

 Korin acknowledge her with a kind smile when he came on board. He was kind to her now as he was when she visited his home a few months ago.

 Korin’s Tower was so high above ground she couldn’t see the top. It was hard to believe a tower built so high it could reach the clouds.

 “I wonder if I can do this.”

 “Of course you can.” Upa’s confidence in ChiChi was very high. “You’re Goku’s wife. If he can do it, if his friends can do it, you can, too.”

 ChiChi appreciated the young man’s confidence. Goku told her of Upa and his father. When she introduced herself to them, father and son invited her to stay the night and start her journey up Korin’s Tower in the morning. With a pouch of food and water for nourishment, ChiChi leapt on the tower.

 It took ChiChi a full day before she reached the bottom of Korin’s Tower. She dozed off a few times but never fell off. ChiChi leapt to grab one of the round entrances and pulled herself in. Goku told her no one stayed on the lower level so ChiChi climbed up the staircase.

 “Hello? Master Korin?”

 “Up here.”

 ChiChi climbed the stairs faster. When she reached the top, Korin stood alone as if expecting her. ChiChi bowed before him. “Hello, Master Korin. I’m Son ChiChi, Son---“

 “I know who you are,” Korin cut her off. “You’re Goku’s wife.” The white cat looked ChiChi over. “Pretty and one with better manners than Goku. My appearance doesn’t surprise you?”

 “Goku told me about you.”

 Korin smirked. “I get the feeling he tells you a lot. I know Goku is dead but why are you here?”

 “I wanna get stronger. Goku told me climbing this tower was part of his training. I know it’s only tap water but I wanna get your flask. It may take me more than three days but I wanna try.”

 “Ya wastin’ our time!” the crass voice of Yajirobe entered the room before he did.

 “Anyone who climbs my tower is free to challenge me for the flask.” Korin reminded his guest who wouldn’t leave.

 Yajirobe snorted. “She ain’t gettin’ stronger. Tell her to go home an’ stay there. Ya only gettin’ in the way.” Yajirobe looked ChiChi over. “Why ya wanna get stronger anyway? Ya ain’t tryin’ to fight them Saiyans are ya?”

 “It’s not your business.” He was rude like Goku’s other friends. “Why are you here? This isn’t your home.”

 “Ya a long way from yours! Tch.” Yajirobe scratched his butt. “Just go home. Ya ain’t strong enough to fight these Saiyans. Ya only gonna get in the way.”

 “If she wants to get stronger,” Korin said, “there’s nothing wrong with that. Earth can use every fighter available.”

 “Maybe but she ain’t a fighter. She’s Goku’s wife.” Yajirobe shooed ChiChi away with his hand. “Go home and wait like a woman who knows her place should.”

 Yajirobe’s rudeness was frustrating. “I was among the top eight fighters at the last tournament!” How dare he speak to her this way? “Where did you place?”

 “It don’t matter.” Yajirobe ignored the question. “Kami wanted me to come to his temple for more trainin’. He didn’t ask for ya, which means Kami doesn’t think ya strong enough to fight these Saiyans.”

 “Do you wanna challenge me?” ChiChi questioned.

 “Ya got a mouth on ya. Goku ain’t bein’ a good husband not stiflin’ it. I’m his friend. I saved his life. You should treat me with respect.”            

 “Respect?” ChiChi balked at his words. She was Goku’s wife. Where was his respect for her? “You’re not being a good friend speaking so ill of his wife.”

 “Ya don’t deserve it!” Yajirobe yelled back. “The Goku I know wouldn’t have died! What ya do ta him?! How come he was so weak he couldn’t defeat one person?!” The stunning slap from ChiChi reverberated from Yajirobe’s head to his toes and spun his body so fast he lost his balance.

 Yajirobe wiped the blood off his lips as he rose. If ChiChi’s eyes could morph, her pupils would be filled with fire. “You may be Goku’s wife but I don’t tolerate any woman hittin’ me.” Yajirobe threw a fist at ChiChi. ChiChi dodged and threw a punch of her own to which Yajirobe blocked. A flurry of fists and kicks were thrown by Yajirobe and ChiChi. Yajirobe had to bite his words. ChiChi wasn’t strong enough to fight the Saiyans but she was stronger than he ever thought to give her credit for.

 Yajirobe grabbed his sword. He wouldn’t kill her as he did Cymbal but he thought if he cut her, she would pull back. Yajirobe grinned. Right across her breasts would be perfect. It would embarrass her enough so she’d pull back but give him a peak at what’s underneath. It was a win either way for him.

 He unsheathed his sword with perfect precession. Instead of his sharp blade slicing the cloth over ChiChi’s breasts, it slapped the hard rod of Goku’s power pole.

 His sword was blocked?

 Before Yajirobe plotted his next move, a sharp foot stabbed him between his legs. “Damn,” he cursed crumpling to the ground. He barely took in a breath before a hand grabbed him. His eyes saw the fury in ChiChi’s before he was spun and tossed off the tower!

 “Yooouuuu bi……..” Yajirobe’s words were drowned out as he dropped down to the ground below.

 Korin strolled to the balustrade. He couldn’t see Yajirobe but he knew he didn’t die. He’ll have a huge bump and he’ll be in a foul mood though. “He’s not gonna be happy when he gets up here.”

 “How long will that be?”

 Korin chuckled. “Probably not until you leave.” He waved his stick, shaking his flask. “Let’s see how strong you can get.”

 “A little more to the left,” Korin directed Bulma. They were closer to Goku and Vegeta’s battle site. From the lowered Ki Korin felt, he suggested the battle was near its end.

 “Are you sure Gohan’s safe?” ChiChi asked him.

 Korin grunted, “Probably.”

 “Probably?” She couldn’t handle probably. She needed to know. ChiChi shook Korin. “Probably?! That’s not good enough! I need to know!”

Master Roshi rolled his eyes. The gall of this woman shaking a highly respected Master as Korin. Did she treat Goku like this he wondered? If Goku dealt with this over the years….. “I told you we should’ve left her behind.”

 Eventually Korin broke free from ChiChi’s grasps. He rubbed his neck. “I think someone left the battlefield. There’s one less Ki.”

 “Did someone die?” Bulma asked.

 “No,” Korin shook his head. “It didn’t feel like that.”

 “I see them!” From her view Bulma could see Goku’s broken body lying on the ground. “It’s Goku!”

 ChiChi leapt from her seat to see Goku. Goku’s body looked crushed. He was badly beaten but alive. Where was Gohan? She couldn’t find him? Were the others wrong? Was he killed?

 There! She spotted him unconscious and naked in Krillin’s arms. Her poor five-year-old son. What happened to her baby?!  

 Why, Goku? Why did you think Gohan should fight? Why did you let our baby be in Piccolo’s care for a year? Look at what your decision did to our son! I won’t forgive you for this.

 Bulma brought the ship down for a landing. As soon as the door open, ChiChi knocked Master Roshi out of the way. Running, she saw Goku. He was hurt, maybe paralyzed but alive. Her son wasn’t moving at all. He needed her. Not his father.

 “Gohan!” ChiChi screamed. After a year of waiting, worrying and crying, her son was in arm’s reach. She leapt over Goku, her focused was only on Gohan in Krillin’s arms. “Gohan!” ChiChi snatched her son out of Krillin’s arms. Her yelling didn’t wake her son. Was he dead? No. He can’t be dead. ChiChi laid Gohan on the ground. She tapped his face. “Wake up. Wake up, baby. Mommy’s here.” No response. He wasn’t opening his eyes. His body was warm. His heart was beating. He was alive but he wasn’t responding to her. “What did they do to you?”

 Krillin shook his head at ChiChi. He pointed to Goku feeling ChiChi should focus her worry over her husband’s condition. “Gohan’s fine. It’s Goku….”

 “I shouldn’t have let you with him,” ChiChi wailed as she cuddled her son to her. “I won’t do it again.”

 Krillin turned away. He heard enough. Some wife. He joined Master Roshi and Bulma who crowd around Goku.

 “The Saiyan….got away….” Goku told Master Roshi and Bulma. “Sorry.”

 Liar. It wasn’t the first time Goku lied to them. He lied about not knowing Piccolo before the martial arts tournament started. This lie was hurtful. The Saiyan didn’t get away. Goku wanted him to get away. They had a chance to kill Vegeta but Goku wanted him to escape all because Goku liked fighting with him. He enjoyed it.

 Dammit, Goku. Is enjoying yourself in a fight more important than avenging our friends. Krillin thought Goku as his best friend. He thought he knew Goku but with his silence during the five years of his marriage, this decision to spare Vegeta, Krillin felt his friend changing into someone he didn’t know.

 More confusion followed at the bittersweet reunion. Bulma had a breakdown when she learned Piccolo died which meant Yamcha wasn’t coming back. Yajirobe was bitter Master Roshi speculated he died instead of Piccolo. It was possible Kami, Piccolo, Yamcha, Tien and Chaozu weren’t coming back but with Vegeta mentioning the planet Namek, Krillin saw a sliver of hope everyone will return.

 Master Roshi and Yajirobe placed Goku on a makeshift stretcher. ChiChi had went ahead of them back to the ship. They all assumed she was seated but both were surprised to see ChiChi standing as if waiting for Goku. She quietly held Gohan but kept her eyes on Goku as he was brought on board. ChiChi never said anything but her eyes met with Goku’s as he was secured to the ship’s floor. Goku smiled at her. “Hmph,” ChiChi murmured. She turned her back on him and sat in the seats in front of him.

 Is ChiChi mad at me? What did I do?  

Master Roshi flew the ship to pick up Tien, Yamcha and Piccolo’s bodies since Bulma was consumed with grief over thinking Yamcha couldn’t be wished back. Yajirobe sat on the floor with Goku. Goku didn’t mind the company but he rather have his wife and son next to him. He hadn’t seen them in a year.

 ChiChi

 ChiChi turned her head slightly. She could’ve sworn she heard Goku speak to her in her mind.

 It’s me, ChiChi. It hurts too much to speak so I’m talking to you through my mind. Don’t respond back since I only want us to know I’m speaking to you.  

 ChiChi answered with silence.  

 I don’t know why you’re mad at me but it’s nice to see you, ChiChi. I thought about you and Gohan a lot. That’s all I wanted to say.

 Having that off his chest, Goku tried to relax. Pain was felt all over his body. Every bump or slight turbulence hurt him. The makeshift pillow was coming loose and he felt the blanket sliding off him.

More bumps and shaking followed before the ship suddenly stopped.

 “What happened?” Goku asked Yajirobe.

 “We’ve landed.” Yajirobe stood. “We gotta collect the others.”

 “Bulma, did you bring those capsules?” asked Master Roshi.

 Goku could hear Bulma sniffing. “Yeah. I got them. I wish we didn’t have to use them.” Goku heard fading voices of Bulma, Krillin, Korin, Master Roshi and Yajirobe leave the ship.

 Only Goku, ChiChi and Gohan remained on the ship. Goku thought to talk to ChiChi. Maybe he’ll learn why she’s mad at him. “Chi—“ He turned his head to see ChiChi had come around from her seat.

 ChiChi dropped to her knees before him. Goku eyed ChiChi adjusting his pillow. She fixed his blanket to cover his feet and tucked it in a few places so it wouldn’t slide off him during the rest of the flight. It would put a strain on his voice but Goku tried to talk to ChiChi. “Chi—“ he was silenced with ChiChi’s lips on his. He didn’t hesitate. He kissed back missing ChiChi’s lips for nearly a year. He let ChiChi take control of the kiss. He opened his mouth to hers as she explored him, taste his dried blood on his cut lips; feel her delicate fingers caress his hair. She smelled so good and tasted so wonderful.

 Goku was slightly out of breath when ChiChi pulled back. Maybe he was wrong about ChiChi being upset with him. He thought he was wrong until he saw ChiChi’s eyes. “I missed you, too, but Goku, I’m so angry with you right now! You selfish fool! I can’t forgive you for what you did!”

“Huh?” Why was she angry? What did he do? ChiChi didn’t know about him letting Vegeta getting away. “For saving the world?”

 He was joking but seeing the ire on her face Goku knew he made a big mistake. ChiChi was furious. “Ow!” he grunted when ChiChi smacked his face.

 “It’s not a joke what you did! Why do you and your friends think this is a joke?! This isn’t funny! This is our son’s life! This is our family!”

 ChiChi’s anger at him involved Gohan. That didn’t help Goku solve this mystery. “Could you---“ ChiChi rose in a huff and returned to her seat. Footsteps shuffled on the ship as Goku heard the others return. Whatever ChiChi’s problem at him was had to wait.

 In the air again, Gohan finally woke up and Krillin mentioned a way to bring their friends back by finding the planet Namek, Kami’s home world. This led Goku to contact King Kai and the group developing a plan to visit Namek and use their dragon balls to bring Kami, Piccolo, Tien, Chaozu and Yamcha to life.

 Now there was a solution to bringing their friends back, Goku focused on his family. There were so many questions he had and the answers lied in his wife and son.

ChiChi sat alone in the waiting room of the hospital. It was after midnight and Goku was still in surgery. Krillin and Gohan were examined by doctors, bandaged and were resting in their rooms. While she waited for Goku to come out of surgery, her father stayed with Gohan so he wouldn’t be alone in his room. Master Roshi, Bulma and Master Korin left an hour ago. Before they left, they spoke with Krillin in his room to get more details on what happened at the conclusion of Goku’s fight with Vegeta. As she saw them leaving, she noticed Master Roshi and Bulma appeared visibly upset mumbling, ‘How could Goku do that? What was he thinking? Our friends deserve better.’

 Only Master Korin approached to let ChiChi know they will return tomorrow but he didn’t share what was discussed in Krillin’s room. She was being shut out again but at the moment, ChiChi didn’t care. Her only focus was on Goku and waiting for him to come out of surgery.

 Master Roshi and Bulma were probably still upset with her for what happened earlier. ChiChi delayed treatment for Goku because she wanted Dr. Barkley to be in the room with him. They hadn’t spoken since Dr. Barkley came to her house months ago. To her relief, Dr. Barkley promised to come. Unfortunately, she lived two hours outside West City. The wait infuriated Bulma who was the most passionate arguing with ChiChi to let the doctors care for Goku. ChiChi understood Bulma’s reasons but she had her own. She knew how Goku felt about doctors and strangers touching him. She remembered how things were during her pregnancy. Goku was comfortable around Dr. Barkley. She also was the only doctor who understood his alien physiology.

 Master Roshi and Bulma saw ChiChi’s actions as her way of lashing out at Goku for Gohan fighting. They thought ChiChi was punishing Goku by delaying treatment. It wasn’t that way and her actions were justified when she, Goku and Dr. Barkley were in Goku’s room after an initial examination of his injuries.

 Goku laid flat on his hospital bed with ChiChi by his side. In the room were Dr. Barkley and Dr. Mansfield, a doctor from Wukong Hospital. Alone in his room, Goku heard his friends arguing with ChiChi over delaying his treatment but ChiChi understood him. She knew he didn’t like physical examinations or different hands on him. He was comfortable with Dr. Barkley and knew with her in the room, she would make this as painless and comfortable as possible.

 Dr. Mansfield stood with Dr. Barkley as he gave Goku and ChiChi a breakdown of Goku’s injuries. “Judging by the x-rays, Goku, nearly every bone in your body is broken. Your spine has been twisted but not broken. Paralysis isn’t permanent but I can’t guarantee you will walk again until I see how your body accepts the metal rods.”

 “Metal rods?” Goku repeated. “What does my body have to accept that?”

 “Goku,” Dr. Barkley spoke in a gentler tone, “Dr. Mansfield wants to insert metal rods in your legs to help you walk. As part of your recovery, you will need screws and pins in your back, hips, legs and arms. It’ll help the bones heal faster and stay in proper alignment.”

 “I don’t know what type of martial arts you were engaging in,” Dr. Mansfield like everyone was unaware of the truth over Goku’s fight, “but given the state of your injuries, you’ll never perform martial arts again. My team is waiting to start surgery immediately.”

 “Surgery?” Goku looked at ChiChi. “What will he do?”

 ChiChi grasp Goku’s hand. “Dr. Mansfield want to cut you open and insert the metal rods, pins and screws in your body.”

 “Will they take them out once I’m healed?”

 ChiChi shook her head. “No. It will stay in your body forever.”

 “NO!” Goku protested. He shook his head. “No surgery! The senzu beans will heal me. We just have to wait until Korin grows more.”

 Dr. Mansfield refrained from rolling his eyes. Senzu beans sounded like alternative medicine which he wasn’t fond of his patients using. “I don’t know what senzu beans are but alternative medicine won’t work here. You need these medical implants.”

 “No, no, no!” Goku shook his head violently. “ChiChi, don’t let him do this to me. I don’t want this.” Goku tried to get up but only screamed in pain.

 ChiChi put a hand on Goku’s chest. “Shh. Calm down.”

 “No surgery, ChiChi,” Goku begged. “The senzu beans will heal me. I know it.”

 Dr. Barkley came to Goku’s other side. “Goku,” she turned his face to her. “Are you sure about this? You can’t move your body. Can a senzu bean really heal you?”

 “It can.” He turned his head to ChiChi. “ChiChi, tell her. I used them at the tournament. Remember how I couldn’t move and I ate a senzu bean.”

 ChiChi remembered. She also ate one after her time with Korin. She knew how effective the beans were.  “He’s right,” she told Dr. Barkley. “We’ll wait for the senzu beans to grow. Can’t you bandage Goku and put him in a cast or something until then?”

 Dr. Barkley agreed to ChiChi’s suggestion but Dr. Mansfield needed more convincing. He was very vocal on Goku needing medical rods, screws and pins.  However, as the doctor, he had to do what the patient wanted even if he thought it wasn’t the wisest decision.

 “ChiChi?”

 ChiChi turned as she rose. Dr. Barkley entered the waiting room looking exhausted but pleased. That gave ChiChi hope her decision was the right one. “How is Goku? Can I see him?”

 “Goku’s being transferred to Gohan’s room. He was in a lot pain when we bandaged and cleaned his wounds. We placed him in a special recuperating bed. Since Goku didn’t have rods or pins placed in him, this is the most naturally device we can put him in to help his bones heal properly until you give him senzu beans. Goku will have to be confine in it all day.”

 ChiChi already knew that will be a problem. Goku hated feeling confine. As soon as he feels the tiniest bit better, he will escape.

 “We had to give him a high dose of morphine to ease the pain.” Dr. Barkley rubbed the back of her neck. She was tired. “I’m surprised it had any effect but given Goku’s weakened state, his body is vulnerable. I hope those senzu beans do heal him. Goku has a long recovery if it doesn’t. His body may never be the same again.”

 “What is his recovery if the senzu beans don’t work?”

 “Um,” Dr. Barkley thought for a moment, “given his physiology, it will take four months before his body heals. With therapy, he could walk in six months. But,” she added, “Goku’s physiology is different from humans. We really just have to wait and see at this point.”

 “Thank you.” ChiChi appreciated Dr. Barkley’s help and advice. “I owe you for coming even after I haven’t spoken to you in months. I thank you for keeping Goku and Gohan’s secret.”

 Dr. Barkley thought it was she who owed ChiChi after keeping secrets from her and Goku. “Just tell me this. Is what happened in East City today tied to the aliens your father told me were coming last year?” Dr. Barkley asked. “News have no idea what happened. They found two round pods. One flew away but the government confiscated the other one. It’s being studied. I didn’t think it was connected to what your father told me until you called.”

 Since Dr. Barkley knew everything else, ChiChi didn’t see any reason to lie now. “Yes.”

 “Well,” Dr. Barkley sighed, hoping ChiChi wouldn’t confirm that, “at least the threat is over but there were people I knew in that city. So horrible they died that way.”

 ChiChi didn’t have the heart to tell her one of the aliens escaped and it was possible, the threat wasn’t over.

 After speaking a few more moments, ChiChi left Dr. Barkley with a promise to talk to the woman again in the future. When she entered Goku and Gohan’s room, she noticed her husband and son were asleep and her father in a chair besides Gohan’s bed. ChiChi went to Goku’s side. She caressed his sleeping face.

 “They just brought him in a few minutes ago. He looks exhausted.”

 “He needs rest.” ChiChi turned away from him to Gohan. He had bandages wrapped around his forehead and arms. He slept soundly, too. ChiChi caressed his black spiky locks. Her eyes watered. Her husband and son were finally home.

 “So, do you,” Gyu-Mao picked up his chair and placed it between Goku and Gohan’s beds. “Come on. Lay down.”

 “Dad…..”

 “I talked to the nurses. You can stay the night.” He pulled a side lever on the chair. It converted to a recliner chair. “One of the nurses got this fancy chair from one of the doctor’s office. We’ll have to return it in the morning but I can bring another chair and few items for you when I come back tomorrow.”

 ChiChi hugged her father. “Thank you, Dad.”

 Gyu-Mao picked up ChiChi and placed her in the chair. He covered her with a blanket. “It’s been a long day for you, ChiChi. I want you to rest.” He placed a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 Gyu-Mao quietly closed the door as he left. For several minutes, ChiChi sat in the recliner, recounting the events of the day. Physically, she was fine but mentally, ChiChi was exhausted. To her right, Gohan slept soundly. He was physically fine and only needed three days in the hospital. Mentally, she knew her child will never be the same. To her left, Goku slept. He was in horrible shape. He was covered from head to toe in bandages in a weird bed with IVs dripping in him. His was confined to that bed and probably won’t be able to move until the senzu beans are ready.

 It will be long recovery for her family but ChiChi was happy. Goku was alive again and her son was home. Tonight she will sleep with a smile. After nearly a year, her family was back together.

ChiChi was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The morning started off wonderfully for the first time in eleven months. Goku and Gohan were with her. ChiChi thought the family of three would spend the morning catching up before visitors but not long after all three were awake, Krillin entered the room.

 Knowing he was a close friend of Goku’s and missed Goku, too, ChiChi bit her tongue. She thought Krillin would visit for a few minutes before understanding her family needed time alone but he stayed all morning to talk about his training in the past year on Kami’s Temple with Tien, Chaozu, Yamcha and Yajirobe. Later, he grabbed the remote and began watching TV. Two hours after Krillin arrived, Master Roshi, Master Korin and Yajirobe dropped in. More laughs and stories were shared while ChiChi grew increasingly frustrated.

 Her father arrived just after noon with a change of clothes, toiletries and capsules for ChiChi. He was the only one to detect his daughter’s frustration at the guests who wouldn’t leave. Bulma arrived not long after her father but quickly left with Mr. Popo to find the ship Kami travelled to Earth in since Nappa’s spaceship blew up on TV by the remote she had.

 Bulma returned a couple hours later with great news that Kami’s ship will get them to Namek. It would be a two month round trip but Bulma wasn’t going alone. Krillin agreed to go and to everyone’s surprise, Gohan volunteered to go.

 ChiChi was vehemently against it. Children didn’t go into space. It wasn’t safe. On top of that, she was reunited with her five-year-old son after a year apart yesterday. She hadn’t a chance to spend even an hour alone with him without Goku’s friends arriving and interrupting her family time. Gohan’s desire to go was fueled by bringing Piccolo back and that snapped whatever patience ChiChi had left. She was boiling. Bring back Piccolo? What did that demon do to her son to earn such loyalty that he would want to wish him back? This was the same monster that tried to kill his father years ago. ChiChi yelled, louder than she ever had at Gohan before. She wouldn’t allow her son to go to a planet with who knows what threat was out there. She would not be apart from her son anymore. Her son was always obedient. He always listened. If she yelled loud enough, Gohan will obey.

 To the surprise of everyone, Gohan raised his voice at her to be quiet. ChiChi and everyone were in stunned silence. Even Goku.

 Goku remained silent during the exchange between his wife and son. When Gohan mentioned going to Namek, Goku didn’t want Gohan to go. He didn’t want to part from his son for two months after being away for a year. When Gohan mentioned his desire to go was for Piccolo, Goku understood. He didn’t know all that has happened in the past year but he knew Piccolo trained Gohan. ChiChi knew about that since she obviously approved it but ChiChi didn’t know Piccolo gave his life for Gohan.

 ChiChi started yelling. Her outburst over Gohan not going to Namek was surprising to him. ChiChi raised her voice at Gohan a few times but never like this. When she screamed like this, it was always directed at him. She could be loud but Goku learned ChiChi was all bark and no bite. He knew if he raised his voice or didn’t back down, ChiChi would give in. Gohan obviously figured that out, too, when he raised his voice to his mother.

 Goku was proud of how strong Gohan had gotten over the year but ChiChi’s deflation at Gohan yelling at her bothered Goku. Maybe he should’ve intervened. At the very least, he should’ve had everyone leave while he, Gohan and Gyu-Mao talk to ChiChi in accepting Gohan’s decision to go to Namek.

 Bulma promised ChiChi she and Krillin will keep an eye on Gohan but it wasn’t enough. ChiChi looked so hurt. Goku noticed Yajirobe staring at ChiChi grinning smugly. Goku didn’t find this funny at all. Why did Yajirobe?

 ChiChi announced. “I need to get some air.” Goku kept his eyes on ChiChi as she left. ChiChi didn’t look at him but Goku saw a tear roll down her cheek.

 “Good riddance,” Yajirobe rumbled. “Maybe now we can get some peace.” He whispered to Goku so Gyu-Mao didn’t hear. “That woman has too much mouth. Just say the word and I’ll give her a good smack for you.”

 That was the second time Yajirobe offered to hit ChiChi. He ignored it yesterday in the airship. Today, he was irritated. There was a sudden prickling feeling inside that awakened. He felt a sliver of this emotion on King Kai’s planet when King Kai read Goku’s mind while he thought of an intimate moment between him and ChiChi.

 “Yajirobe,” his voice was devoid of it’s usually innocence, “you can go now.”

 “What for?” Yajirobe complained. “I ain’t causin’ trouble. That’s your wife. She’s not a nice person. She was rude to me a few months ago.”

 There it was again. That irritating feeling. It pulsed in his blood. “You can help Korin with the senzu beans. Go. I insist.”

 “They won’t be ready for another month.” Yajirobe crossed his arms indicating he was staying put. “Besides, I wanna try the hospital food. I earned it after fighting Vegeta.”

 Gyu-Mao was the only to notice the tension in Goku’s voice. “My son-in-law has been through a lot. He’s fighting it but I can tell he’s tired and needs some rest.” To the others he said, “Your entertainment since morning has been great for Goku and Gohan but we should let him rest for the remainder of the day.”

 “Sure,” Master Roshi caught on that he and everyone were being excused. “We can visit you tomorrow.”

 “You can hang in my room,” Krillin offered. He grabbed a reluctant Yajirobe and dragged him out. Korin and Master Roshi followed after him.

 “I gotta get back home anyway,” Bulma said. “There’s a lot to do before we leave for Namek.”

 Only Gyu-Mao, Gohan and Goku remained in the room. Gyu-Mao went to Gohan’s bed and picked him up. “Come on, Gohan. Let’s leave your Daddy to rest. We still have catching up to do.” Gyu-Mao carried Gohan to the door. “Goku, I want you to talk to ChiChi when she comes back.”

 With everyone gone, they could have that talk he wanted to have since yesterday. He was still very confused. “Gyu-Mao, I don’t understand why ChiChi is mad at me. What did I do?”

 Gyu-Mao pitied his son-in-law. Maybe Goku had the best intentions letting Piccolo train Gohan. Maybe Goku saw Gohan was needed in the fight against the Saiyans. However, Gyu-Mao couldn’t grasp how Goku didn’t understand how upset his daughter would be with him for his decision a year ago. He was a little annoyed himself. His daughter was left alone because of Goku’s actions. She suffered so much and Goku didn’t grasp that.

 “It’s not my place to say but, Goku, you need to have a talk with ChiChi.”

 Gyu-Mao wanted so much to tell Goku but couldn’t. Other than that dreadful first fight and the time after Gohan’s birth, Gyu-Mao never got involved in Goku and ChiChi’s issues. While they needed guidance in the first year of their marriage, in the months after Gohan’s birth, both matured and whatever squabbles did surface, Gyu-Mao felt Goku and ChiChi could work it out together.

 “Are you….” Goku hesitated, “are you upset with me?”

 Gyu-Mao stood at the door holding Gohan who stared at him curious about the answer, too. “There is something you did I don’t agree with but you had the foresight to see what I couldn’t and for that, I can’t be angry with you.”

 He spoke in riddles. Goku didn’t understand. “What did I do that you don’t agree with?”

 “Talk to ChiChi, Goku. I want to spend time with my grandson.”

 ChiChi hoped it wasn’t obvious she’s been crying. A nurse caught her crying in the hallway alone. She escorted ChiChi to an empty room where she got ChiChi some water and lent a kind ear. ChiChi didn’t confide her business to the kind nurse but voiced frustration at her husband’s friends and how she can’t find anytime alone with her family. After a few kind words of support from the nurse, ChiChi returned to Goku’s room and braced herself for more hours of Goku’s friend talking and occupying time with her family.

 To her surprise, the room was empty except for Goku. They left? All of them? “Where’s Gohan?”

 “With your Dad. He wanted to spend time with Gohan alone.”

 A little smile turned up her face. Now she knew why the room was empty. “I see.”

 Goku knew he needed to use this time alone to talk to his wife. Other than the moment on the airship, ChiChi only spoke to Goku when needed to. When he woke up this morning, ChiChi’s attention were on Gohan. He thought at one point ChiChi would address him but Krillin entered the room and for the next hours he was entertained by his friends. He hadn’t noticed but he wondered if ChiChi was upset about that.

 “I missed you, too, but Goku, I’m so angry with you right now. You selfish fool! I can’t forgive you for what you did!”

 ChiChi was still angry with him and Goku didn’t understand why. There were many questions he wanted to ask but there was one question he wanted an answer to more than anything.

 “Why are you so mad at me?”

 “I don’t wanna have this talk now, Goku. Maybe later when you’re home…..”

 “No!” Goku disagreed. “I wanna have this talk now. What did I do that made you so angry? I’m the one who died and got my body broken again. I’m the one who should be angry. Not you.”

 Not her? She wasn’t allowed to be angry after what he did? Fine! If he didn’t want to wait, she’ll let him know. “I shouldn’t be angry after what you did! You know exactly why I’m angry! You’re so selfish you won’t even apologize!”

 “Apologize for what? Tell me!”

 “Apologize for everything! This is all you fault!” ChiChi screamed. “My baby yelled at me because of you! My baby was fighting monsters that could destroy this planet because of you! My baby was taken from me for a whole year because of you!”

 The more ChiChi yelled the more confused Goku got. “How’s all that my fault?”

 ChiChi saw red. How dare he? How dare he play innocent? It won’t work this time! “Because you allowed Gohan to be trained by Piccolo! My baby should’ve been with me but he was with that monster and now Gohan’s grown attached to him. He wants to bring him back to life!”

 Well, now he knew why ChiChi was angry but it didn’t explain why she blamed him. “Why do you think I allowed Gohan to be trained by Piccolo? I was dead.”

 “You gave Piccolo approval to train Gohan before you died! Don’t even think you can talk your way out of this. I know the truth!”

 Obviously she didn’t because he didn’t approve this at all. “ChiChi, when I died, I thought Gohan was taken home to you. I didn’t know Piccolo trained Gohan until yesterday. I thought you let Piccolo train him. Gohan definitely had the potential but I didn’t think he was ready for a fight like yesterday but if you thought he was….” he would shrug his shoulders if he could, “then I trust your decision. You always did what was best for us even when I didn’t understand.”

 It was instant. ChiChi’s anger dissipated like a popped balloon. She saw it in Goku’s eyes. He was telling the truth. “You really didn’t know.”

 “No. When I died, I made sure Gohan was okay. I even joked you wouldn’t be mad since Gohan was fine even though I was dying.” The look on ChiChi’s face was pure shock. It only left Goku thinking one thing. His friends didn’t tell ChiChi the truth. Goku forced down his own shock and rising anger at this revelation. “What they did tell you, ChiChi?”

 “Oh, my Gods,” ChiChi covered her mouth in shock. Her heart raced in her chest and her mind spun. She felt light headed enough to faint but ChiChi paced the room so that didn’t happen. All this time she was angry with Goku when he didn’t do anything wrong. She felt so ashamed of how she acted towards Goku. Damn her temper. Damn his friends. They did it to her again. They kept the truth from her.

 “ChiChi,” Goku was serious, “what did they tell you?”

 “When you weren’t home for dinner, I was annoyed,” she confessed quietly. “You promised you will be back by dinner. I forgave you for missing dinner. I understood it’s been five years since you saw your friends and you lost track of time. I got angry. Gohan needed to be in bed. He had preschool in the morning. If you wanted to spend more time with your friends, you could’ve dropped Gohan off and gone back. If you didn’t want to do that, you could’ve called and I would’ve accepted Gohan missing school for one day. I did think something happened but I rationalized that wasn’t possible. You’re Goku. You’re my husband. You’re the strongest man alive. Nothing could happen to you and you wouldn’t let anything happen to Gohan.”

 ChiChi exhaled as she fanned her face. The tears were threatening to burst like a damn. “When you didn’t return the next morning, I called my Dad, thinking, hoping you and Gohan spent the night there and you forgot to tell me. I convinced myself not to worry but to be angry with you. How dare you not call? How dare you let me worry all night? I convinced myself you were being selfish and absentminded. I knew I would find you on Master Roshi’s island laughing and playing with Gohan.”

 ChiChi couldn’t hold it in anymore. Tears fell like a river and Goku felt as if he was being squeezed to death by Vegeta in his ape form. ChiChi must’ve been really worried if she waited all night…..Wait. It finally hit him. I died in the afternoon. “No one came to you the day I died?”

 “No, Goku. I confronted everyone the next day. Master Roshi told me your brother arrived on the island, overpowered you, took Gohan and held him as ransom. He said you and Piccolo formed a temporary truce and left to rescue Gohan. When they found you, he said you were dying.  You were dying not dead when Piccolo took Gohan. Dying, not dead, Goku,” she repeated. “They let me think you agreed Piccolo should take Gohan and train him for the Saiyans.

 “How could they do that? How could they deceive me like that? I was angry at you and it wasn’t your fault.” She gasped at the sudden realization. “They knew you wanted Gohan to come home to me but they let Piccolo take our son. How could they?”  

 No wonder she was so mad at him. Goku didn’t understand his friends. Why didn’t they tell ChiChi the day it happened? If she had known, she wouldn’t have been so mad when she confronted them on Master Roshi’s island and she wouldn’t have been so mad at him after his fight with Vegeta.

 ChiChi dropped to her knees so they were at eye level with each other. “I’m sorry, Goku.” ChiChi pressed her lips to his forehead. Tears from her eyes dropped on his face. “I thought you knew. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”

 “You missed my lips.” ChiChi pulled back to see Goku smiling at her. “I can’t forgive you if you miss my lips.” He pouted his lips at her and just as he hoped, ChiChi laughed. She didn’t miss this time as she pressed a passion filled kiss to his lips.

 “Oh, Goku,” ChiChi pressed her forehead to his. “I love you so much. My temper.”

 “Is a turn on.” He winked at her. That earned him another laugh and kiss from ChiChi. “Don’t get so mad at me, ChiChi. You know I can’t do anything about it now.”

 “Oh, Goku,” ChiChi blushed. She couldn’t believe her husband. Only he could make her mad one minute and turn her into a blushing schoolgirl the next.

 “No more tears, ChiChi,” Goku told her. “No more anger. You dealt with this for a year. It’s my turn. Can you promise me that, ChiChi?”

 ChiChi nodded as she wiped the last of her tears away. When Goku was firm, when he had a take charge attitude, she knew to trust in him to make things right. “I promise.”

ChiChi left with her father when visiting hours were over. Without his friends, things were very relaxed with his family. There was some tension between ChiChi and Gohan but Goku promised to work that out, too. Alone with Gohan, Goku saw this opportunity to catch up on the past year with his son and after what ChiChi told him, there was a plenty he needed to talk to his son about.

 “So, Piccolo trained you?”

 Gohan smiled. He was very happy about that. “Yes, Daddy.”

 It was still something hard to wrap his head around. Piccolo, who tried to kill him six years ago and succeeded last year, trained his son? While part of Goku was pleased his son learned how to fight, he didn’t like it wasn’t him. Oh, ChiChi forbid him but he knew at some point, ChiChi would give in. At the time, he didn’t have a winning argument to give her. Gohan was too young to learn how to fight even if he was a bright child.

 In regards of his son this past year, there were so many things he wanted to know. Who told Gohan he was dead? Goku remembered how he reacted seeing his grandpa’s body. Knowing Gohan was a sensitive child, he worried how Gohan reacted to his death. If ChiChi told him, she would know how to handle it but it wasn’t her that told Gohan. It had to be Piccolo.

 “How did you find out about me being dead?”

 “Mr. Piccolo told me. When I woke up, he was the only one around. He told me you were dead and he was going to train me to fight the Saiyans. I didn’t want Mr. Piccolo training me. I wanted you to but he said you were dead.”

 I wanted that to, Gohan.

 Since Gohan was taken without ChiChi’s consent and his friends told her he approved it, Goku realized Piccolo took his son and his friends didn’t do anything. They wouldn’t have lied to ChiChi if they tried to stop Piccolo. If he was informed, he wouldn’t have agreed to it. He might’ve been wrong with that decision because Piccolo did a good job getting Gohan stronger. If ChiChi had given her consent, he would feel better about this situation.  

 “So, Piccolo told you I died.” He imagined Piccolo was very blunt when he told Gohan. “That had to be a shock.”

 Gohan nodded. “It was, Daddy. I cried and Mr. Piccolo threatened to kill me if I didn’t stop. Mr. Piccolo told me about the Saiyans and how I had to fight because I had hidden power in me that could stop them. I didn’t believe him but he threw me towards a mountain and told me to unleash my power.” Gohan laughed at the memory but Goku wasn’t smiling. “I thought I was going to crash into the mountain but something happened and I plowed through it.”

 “Really?” That definitely wouldn’t be Goku’s way. “Why did he do that?”

 “Mr. Piccolo said it was my emotions that made me strong.”

 Emotions? No wonder he never noticed. As long as his diapers were changed, he was fed, held and entertained when he wanted, Gohan was a calm baby. During his toddler years, Gohan was curious but quiet. He didn’t protest when ChiChi gave him lessons. He was obedient and easy going. Gohan never had the outbursts Goku witnessed until the ordeal with Raditz.

 “What was it like living with Piccolo for a year?”

 “I didn’t live with him for the whole year. I lived on my own for six months.”

 What? On his own? “You were by yourself for six months?”

 Gohan nodded. He was happy to share his ordeal with his Dad because he saw it as something they had in common. “It was part of my training. Mr. Piccolo said if I can live on my own for six months, then I’ll be strong enough for him to train me.”

 If ChiChi knew this, she would flip out. He was upset himself. His four-year-old son was left alone to fend for himself for six months. Even he wasn’t that young when he was on his own after his Grandpa died. Goku was glad Gohan proved himself strong enough to survive but he didn’t like the ordeal Piccolo put his son through.  

 “It was scary the first night, Daddy,” Gohan confessed.

 “It was?”

 “I was alone except for all the wild animals that tried to eat me. I had to go to the bathroom outside. I slept on the ground without a sleeping bag. It was so cold. For dinner, I only had some sour apples.” He stuck his tongue out disgusted as if he could still taste it. “It wasn’t Mommy’s cooking.”

 Gohan’s face and the mention of ChiChi’s cooking was the only thing that brought a smile to Goku’s face.  “Nothing is as good as Mommy’s cooking.”

 Gohan laughed. “Yeah. I missed her a lot.”

 He did, too. “So, what did you do for six months?”

 “I ran from dinosaurs and tigers that wanted to eat me. I hid in a cave eating fruits, mushrooms and berries you showed me when we went camping. I was so hungry I even ate insects.” Goku laughed. He remembered how Gohan refused to eat insects when they went camping. “I finally learned how to catch a fish.” Gohan was very proud of himself. Goku was proud, too. He and Gohan went fishing several times but Gohan was too timid to catch a fish. “I thought of you and Mommy a lot. I wanted Mommy to find me. I kept waiting until I understood I had to stay and fight the Saiyans. I remember what you said about sacrifices when you left Mommy and me to go training.” Goku remembered that. He was glad his advice kept his son alive. “I thought of you when I decided to train myself. I remembered the times I watched you training in our backyard or when we went camping.”

 All those times. He really was paying attention.

 “Mr. Piccolo’s punches hurt a lot more than yours.

 “What?” Goku turned his head. “Piccolo hit you?”

 “When we started training,” Gohan explained. “He punched and kicked me a lot. He shot a lot of his Ki at me when I complained. I went to sleep with a lot of bumps and bruises on my face.” Gohan giggled again. “Some days my face was so swollen, it looked like a bee stung me.”

 “Yeah,” Goku forced a laugh to assure Gohan he wasn’t bothered with what he was told. He was very bothered. “I had some tough teachers, too. So, Piccolo was really rough on you?”

 Gohan shrugged. “Yeah, but it wasn’t always rough. He was nice a few times. You’re right, Daddy. Mr. Piccolo isn’t bad like his Daddy. I saw it.”

 “How?”

 “I figured out Mr. Piccolo gave me the sour apples. He gave me new clothes and a sword. Mr. Piccolo left me alone for six months, but that first night, he watched over me. I never told Mr. Piccolo. I knew he would deny it because he likes to act tough at times.” Gohan giggled at the secret he will share with his Daddy. “He never like it when I gave him hugs.”

 “Hugs?” Goku snickered. “You hugged Piccolo?”

 “A few times. He didn’t know what I was doing. I think he thought I was attacking him.”

 Goku laughed out loud. He would’ve like to have seen that. When Piccolo comes back, he will bring this up to him.

 “Daddy, are we monsters?” Gohan suddenly asked.

 “Monsters?” Goku’s stomach suddenly turned. Did Gohan figure it out? “What do you mean?”

 “On my first night alone, I saw the full moon. I don’t remember anything after that but my tail was gone the next morning.”

 Goku wasn’t there but he knew exactly what happened. Gohan changed into a Giant Ape and Piccolo destroyed the moon like Master Roshi did when I transformed at the tournament. Piccolo must’ve removed Gohan’s tail for extra incentive.

 “I forgot about all of it,” Gohan continued unaware of his father’s thoughts, “until our fight with Vegeta. When Krillin and I returned, we saw a giant ape crushing you. I didn’t know what that was but Krillin did. He told Yajirobe we had to cut off his tail. When Yajirobe did, the monster turned back into Vegeta.” Goku mentally cursed himself. If he was strong enough to stop Vegeta before he transformed, Gohan wouldn’t have figured out the secret of his tail. “You told me to look at the ball in the sky. It looked like a full moon. I looked and I don’t remember anything except your and Krillin’s voices. You told me to go after Vegeta but I don’t remember fighting him. I remember going to sleep and waking up in Mommy’s arms. My tail is gone again, too.”

 Goku hoped Gohan had a forgetful memory like him or it’ll be years before he figured it out.

 “Are we monsters?” Gohan repeated.

 That was a tough question to answer. Goku wasn’t sure how to answer since he hadn’t dealt with the truth himself. He was still adjusting to the knowledge he killed his own grandpa. “If we have our tail, we can transform into a giant ape. It doesn’t make us monsters. Transforming into a giant ape is something we can do because we have Saiyan blood in us.”

 That didn’t comfort Gohan at all. “Does Mommy know?”

 “No.” Goku wasn’t sure how to tell her or if he should tell her.

 “Will you tell her?”

 If ChiChi knows, then she’ll know I killed Grandpa. “Let’s keep this between us….. for now,” Goku suggested. “I just came back to life and you’re going in space in a few days. There’s a lot going on right now. We’ll talk more about this when you get back.”

 It sounded good to Gohan. “Okay, Daddy.”

 Speaking of ChiChi, there was something he had to address with Gohan before they went to sleep. “You shouldn’t have yelled at Mommy today.”

 “But she wouldn’t listen, Daddy.” Gohan knew he was wrong but Mommy wasn’t being reasonable. “Mommy wants me to stay and go back to school. I want that but I need to do this. Mr. Piccolo took care of me. I got strong because of him. He gave his life for me and Mommy didn’t care.”

 “Mommy doesn’t know what happened yesterday.” Goku made that clear to Gohan. “Mommy has no idea what happened to you since you saw her a year ago. Until yesterday, I thought you and Mommy were together this past year.” He hadn’t meant to raise his voice at Gohan but he needed to understand this was serious.

 It worked for Gohan’s shoulders slump at Goku’s stern voice. “I guess you didn’t know because you died but Mommy knew, right?”

 “Mommy knew but, Gohan, your mother has been through a lot this year. There are things she went through I’m just now finding out about.” He sighed. “And I’m not happy about it.”

 “Like what, Daddy?”

 Goku smiled at Gohan. He could hear the concern Gohan had for his mother. “Don’t worry about it, Gohan. This is something Daddy has to deal with. Just remember what I said about you and Mommy. Don’t raise your voice at her again.”

 “Yes, Daddy,” Gohan promised.

 Gohan’s promise was enough. Goku knew Gohan wouldn’t do it again. “Let’s go to sleep. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

 “Okay.” Gohan flicked off the lamp bringing darkness to the room. Gohan settled under the covers. “Good night, Daddy. I’m so glad you’re back.”

 “Good night, Gohan. I’m glad to be back, too.”

 Gohan had fallen asleep but an hour after their talk, Goku still laid awake. He was very unsettled by what ChiChi and Gohan told him. That familiar annoyed prickling from earlier returned the more he thought of what his family went through. Gohan’s ordeal bothered him a lot but Piccolo was dead and as tough as he was, he did look out for his son. ChiChi’s ordeal really bothered him. ChiChi was alone for a year. ChiChi didn’t know about him and Gohan for a day. His friends had a lot to answer for when he talked to them again.  

 Part Twenty-One: Family Reunion: Part Two.

 AN: I thought I could put the whole reunion in one chapter but it was getting too long. So I split it in two. The good news is Part Two will be up very soon. In the anime everyone watched Yamcha, Tien and Chaozu die on TV but given they could’ve been anywhere on Earth, I don’t think news cameras would’ve known exactly where to find them even with that Yajirobe gag.

[elisajdb]

Just the Two of Us: IV

GoChi Week 2019 - @gochi-week

GoChi Day (3/28)

Characters: Goku and Chichi 

Prompt:  Soulmates 

Title: Soulmates

AN: Slightly stronger T rating for this one. 

Goku knew this day would happen. He didn’t know when but he knew it would happen. He only had to wait. He didn’t know it would be seven years but it was here and he only had one day. It will have to count. When he thought of seeing Gohan and Chichi again, in his mind, he expected them to look the same. He knew he shouldn’t think that. After seven years, Gohan will have grown and he certainly did! Gohan had an inch or two over him in height. Chichi looked as pretty as he always saw her.

 Then there was Goten.

 He never thought when he died, when he left his family, Chichi was pregnant. He wasn’t sure he would’ve made the same decision to not return if he’d known about Goten. He had doubts about his decision. Seeing Gohan so tall made Goku realize how much he missed. He didn’t see his oldest son grow up. With Goten, he missed everything. All the firsts: steps, words, laughs and cries; he missed it all.

 Chichi had to burden all that alone. He knew how difficult it was for Chichi when she was in labor with Gohan. Did she go through the same thing with Goten? How difficult was it for her to care for Goten when he was a baby? Sure, Chichi had Gohan but Goku remembered how difficult it was during those first months with Gohan and adjusting their schedule. Maybe things were different. Chichi knew more now than then, and having raised Gohan, Chichi knew how to deal with a second baby that’s half Saiyan.

 “We have twenty minutes before we have to join the other competitors,” Gohan said. “Goten and I will wait with the others while you and Dad have a moment to talk.”

 Talk? Goku panicked. There was so much to say. Would twenty minutes be enough? What would Chichi say? He ran away from her when he couldn’t promise Gohan wouldn’t fight Cell. She could be angry that’s the last memory he left with for seven years. She could be angry with him for not contacting her after he died. He said goodbye to everyone on Kami’s Temple. Everyone except his wife. He left it to Gohan to break the news to Chichi. It had to be him. After the whole Raditz ordeal, Goku didn’t trust his friends to tell Chichi anything. Perhaps he should’ve tried harder giving Chichi a proper goodbye.

“Daddy,” Goten called to Goku. “Aren’t you gonna put me down?”

 What if Chichi was angry with him leaving her pregnant? Goten looked like him. Was Chichi tortured by his twin staring at her, day after day, year after year? Did that torture turn to anger and resentment?

 “Daddy,” Goten waved his hand in front of Goku’s face. “Did you hear me?”

 Since meeting Goten, Goku held Goten in his arms. He never let him go even while Gohan led the family to a private spot to talk.

 “Sorry….. Goten.” He lowered Goten to his feet. He had to get used to that name. The irony. Seven years and he’s learning the name of his second child. Goten ran to his brother and walked off with him leaving Goku and Chichi alone. Goku stared at his departing sons until they turned a corner and were no longer in view. One day. Twenty-four hours. Will he have enough time?

 I don’t wanna go back.

 “It’s nice to see you, Goku,” Chichi said after a long silence. Goku turned to face Chichi. She held her hands crossed over the other in front of her. She kept a respectful distance from him. Goku noticed as his family came to this spot, Gohan walked closed to him but Chichi didn’t. Was she really angry with him? “You haven’t changed. I guess….” she laughed mirthlessly, “that’s what happens when you’re dead.”

 “You haven’t either.” His eyes did a quick sweep over Chichi. “You’re still the same.”

 For several moments, both stared at each other. After seven years, what could they say? He would leave it to Chichi to speak. After leaving and letting her go through pregnancy and raising their second child alone, he wanted her to do the speaking. She probably had a lot to say. He needed to give her that. He owed it to her.

 Bravely, Chichi took a step toward him. She touched his face and her eyes immediately watered. “Warm. I wasn’t sure how you would feel. Since you’re dead, I thought your body would be cold. I’m glad it’s not.” Her fingers traveled to his hair, gently touching his dark locks. Goku’s eyes closed. He recalled Chichi doing this to him during a break at the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament. Back then, they were so young and innocent. They had no idea how their lives will be turned upside in a few years; how he will die twice, how his alien past, the psychological and physical changes he will undergo will rock their relationship to its core. They’ve changed so much since then.

 Especially, Chichi. He put her through so much. Sometimes even he wondered how she stayed with him after all these years. Even now, it was clear Chichi hadn’t moved on as friends he made in the afterlife warned him. All these years Chichi remained faithful.

 Goku cupped her face. A tear fell from her eye and dropped on his thumb. “I’m sorry,” he apologized. “For everything.”

 Chichi pulled away and wiped her eyes. “Um, how are things in the afterlife? I imagine you’ve met a lot of people.” Her lips were turned up in a smile but her eyes were dull. “I bet you made a lot friends. Tell me about them.”

 She was holding back and avoiding the elephant in the room. Goku didn’t want that. He wanted Chichi to say what was on her mind and how she really feels about his absence. This was her only chance. When he left, it will be for good and Goku knew Chichi will later regret not saying anything.

 “I saw your reaction to the news of my death. You collapsed on the floor.” Chichi’s eyes grew wide at his confession. “I’m sorry for not contacting you when I died. I wanted to but King Kai said I couldn’t. It was breaking the rules but he allowed me to talk to Gohan to help him defeat Cell since the universe was at stake.”

 “And on Kami’s Temple?” her voice was emotionless. “There was no fight then.”

 He could hear the underlying anger in those last words. “I was only allowed because I had to tell everyone I didn’t wanna be wished back. I begged King Kai to let me talk to you but he wouldn’t. He said, ‘If I give in and did this for you now, you’ll bother me every time you want to check in on your family.’”

 Chichi reacted with silence and a long stare until…. “Well,” Chichi wryly agreed, “you would’ve.”

 “Yeah,” Goku forced a laugh. “I guess King Kai made the right decision on that.”

 Silence fell between them again. Goku didn’t know what to say and Chichi….. “We shouldn’t have this conversation,” Chichi told him. “You’re only here for twenty-four hours. What’s done is done. We can’t change what happened. We should focus on the time we have left and make happy memories for Goten and Gohan.”

 What about happy memories for you, Chichi?

 No. What Chichi wanted wasn’t enough for Goku. Goku didn’t like this unsettled tension hanging between them. “I won’t be happy if I left and you didn’t get a chance to say what you’ve kept inside all these years.” Goku reached out to hug Chichi but she stepped away before he could touch her. Her rejection felt like a crippling punch to his stomach. “I screwed up that badly, haven’t I? You hate me.”

 Again there was silence. If his heart could beat, it would be threatening to burst from his chest. “No. It’s…. I do wanna touch you.” With less than twenty-four hours, Chichi wasn’t going to draw this out. “If I let you put your arms around me, I’ll remember how it feels. I’m trying my best to not feel too much. If I touch you that way, it’ll be even harder on me after you’re gone.”

 “Oh.” At least she didn’t hate him but her words were painful to hear. Still, if that’s what Chichi wanted…..

 “Your decision wasn’t easy for me to handle,” Chichi spoke quietly. “I broke down. It was one thing having to wait a year for you but to know you wouldn’t come back…. that crushed my soul. I was in a dark spot for a while. I felt my soul was gone. I didn’t let Gohan see how much your death broke me. I cooked and cleaned. I even conjured up a yell every once in a while to make Gohan think I was fine but I was not. I was empty. It was only discovering I was pregnant with Goten that I begin to feel life in my soul again. He pulled me out of my dark place, Goku. When he was born and I held him for the first time, I saw you. I thought you came back to me. I noticed the effect Goten had on Gohan; on everyone. It was as if you came back to all of us.”

 “So,” he mulled over her words, “with Goten…….”

 “I began to heal. Not completely,” she admitted. “I don’t think my soul will be completely heal until I join you in the afterlife. You are my soulmate after all.”

 What Chichi confessed was very heavy to hear but he needed to hear it; Chichi needed to say it. “I’m sorry I put you through a rough time but I’m glad you’re better.” Above all else, he wanted Chichi happy. “I didn’t know about Goten.” He wanted her to know that. “If I had known…..

 “You still had a son that needed you.”

 “Not as much anymore,” Goku murmured. “I know my decision to stay dead was gonna be hard on you and Gohan, but I thought it was the best thing for you. I thought returning would be selfish. If I’m alive, then you and Gohan would be in danger of another threat. Maybe it will be a year from now. Maybe three or five years but it will happen.”

 Chichi shook her head, trying to make sense of Goku’s words. “Why would you think this?”

 “When I was a kid, Bulma once told me bad things seem to follow me wherever I go. I didn’t care and I didn’t believe her but when I discovered the creation of the Artificial Humans was a grudge against me by Dr. Gero; when I saw his hatred for me brought the world on the brink of destruction by Cell, I finally believed her.”

 “That’s ridiculous!” Chichi was outraged. How could he think that about himself? “You’re not a threat to our safety. This trouble that Bulma claimed about you led to a more peaceful world. You defeated the Red Ribbon Army. Not even King Furry’s army could stop them but you did. Do you know how many lives have been saved because you stopped the Red Ribbon Army? King Piccolo,” Chichi brought up. “You were not the one who freed him from his prison but you saved us. Do you know what a wasteland this planet would’ve been if you hadn’t stopped him? None of us, including our children, would be here if not for you.”

 Chichi’s defense for his childhood battles were valid. He wondered about his adulthood. “My brother came for me. He took Gohan. I died, everyone else died and an entire city was destroyed when I couldn’t make it back in time.”

 It was true the ending of the battle vs Vegeta and Nappa was bittersweet. “People died. That’s horrible but it would have been worse if you hadn’t shown up. No one on this planet would be here if not for you. You also saved the lives of many galaxies because you overthrew Freeza. Your mistake was not finishing him off,” Chichi admitted that flaw of Goku’s, “but you do have a knack for making friends out of enemies: Yamcha, Tien, Piccolo and even Vegeta. You changed so many lives for the better by being you.”

 Goku never considered that. All he could think leading to the Cell Games, everything was his fault. If he survived the battle against Cell, he knew it was a matter of time before another threat came. If he died, there will be peace at last for his family and Earth. Now he saw the mistake in his thinking. “You always know what to say, Chichi. Maybe I should’ve told you about this.”

 “You’re damn right you should’ve!” Chichi cupped his face. “You listen to me and you listen good. You are not a threat to our safety. Never have been. Never will be.” Startling him and herself, Chichi pulled his face to hers and kissed him. In it, she poured all her love for him. When she parted from the kiss, she was breathless. She pressed his forehead against hers. “My poor Goku. You’re always sacrificing your feelings, your wants and desires for us. It’s not fair. You gave up everything for us. I had my father, Gohan and Goten and you didn’t have anyone.” Chichi wrapped her arms around his neck. She held him close. “Oh, Goku. I hate you suffered alone.”

 Chichi’s words were soothing to his soul. He didn’t realize how much he needed to hear. However, there was something else more important that happened that warmed his soul.

 “You kissed me.” Goku was amazed. “You’re hugging me.” His arms wrapped around Chichi’s body. He needed this. He needed her. “I didn’t think you would touch me like this again.”

 She didn’t think she would either but this talk told her she was wrong on that matter. “You need this.” She kissed him. “And I need this, too.” She kissed him again. This time, Goku returned the kiss. Chichi’s mouth parted under his command and he slipped his tongue inside. It was seven years but he hadn’t forgotten this skill they learned together when they were so young and innocent. With a hand on her back, Goku molded Chichi to his body; felt her clothed breasts rubbed against his clothed chest. A hand gripped her backside and pressed her further against him. His ears flamed. Chichi wasn’t the only one moaning!

 This longing, this craving consumed them both. Chichi could feel her body reacting. She could feel Goku’s hardening body rubbed against hers. She could feel the moisture forming between her legs. Instead of squelching these feelings; instead of comparting her emotions, Chichi welcomed them. After seven years, a part of her she kept dormant, came alive. She’ll mourn later but she needed this today.

 Chichi broke the kiss but her hands remained on his face and in his hair. “I need you.” Her breathing was ragged. Her gaze met his. The need in his eyes. She hadn’t seen such a look in seven years; not since the night before the Cell Games; the night she knew Goten was conceived. She wanted him now but knew they had to wait. “I can’t wait for tonight.”

 “No,” Goku shook his head. “Not tonight. We ain’t waitin’ for tonight. We’re doing this now.”

 Chichi eyes blinked baffled. “What? We have to get back.” The entire twenty minutes weren’t over but they needed to return to the others. Goku took her hand and pulled her further down the corridor. “Someone could see us. We don’t have time.”

 “We’ve been here a while with Gohan and Goten and no one’s come this way.” He pushed Chichi against the brick wall. “I smell you. It won’t take long to get you ready.”

 Goku pressed his mouth against Chichi’s. They kissed as if they were starving and needed each other for substance. As she challenged Goku’s mouth for dominance, his hands were fast at work. She felt her purple obi come loose, her yellow cheongsam opened and bra pushed over her breasts in seconds.

 “Ah!” Chichi gasped feeling Goku suckled a breast while a hand disappeared in her turquoise pants. “Mmm!” she bit her lower lips so she wouldn’t scream so loud. Her cheeks were flushed as she panted at the rapid succession of Goku’s hand between her legs. She moved her hand to free Goku’s obi. She meant to slip her hand down Goku’s pants to return some of the pleasure treatment he was giving her. Instead, Goku grabbed her hand and slapped it against the wall while his mouth bit down on the nipple of her other breast and suckled deeply.

 Her breasts heaved, her breath came in heavy pants and her eyes nearly rolled back. This was in a public setting where they could be caught. Instead of being scared, Chichi was thrilled and her body pulsed with hot desire and excitement.  Chichi felt her pants slide further down her thighs and her open legs suddenly lift off the ground. Chichi bit Goku’s clothed shoulder as she felt Goku enter her.

 Goku groaned in Chichi’s neck as her tight and warm body wrapped around him. “You’re so tight.”

Chichi’s eyes were shut as she welcomed the intensity of Goku’s thrusting. Time was short so he smacked his body against hers rapidly. Her hands gripped his body, her lips bit into his neck to keep her screaming at bay at the quick pounding until she convulsed around him.

 She winced feeling Goku bite down on her neck as he pulsed in her. Goku’s hold on her relaxed. Chichi felt her legs touched the ground again. Goku’s face still buried in her neck but his teeth no longer pierced her skin. Instead, his heavy breathing fanned it.

 They held each other for several moments as their bodies relaxed from the quick, intense sex. “We need to head back,” Chichi told him. It was the last thing she wanted but she knew the others will come for them reminding her and Goku the competitors had to enter the tournament. Someone could come down the corridor now and see their state of undress. “Come on, Goku.” Chichi gently pushed Goku away. “We need to get dressed.”

 Wordlessly, Goku released her. Chichi adjusted her clothes, pushing her bra down, pulling up her pants and fastening her Cheongsam. She winced feeling the added moisture between her legs. She’ll have to excuse herself to the restroom when they get back. Saiyans she thought with a blush. She forgot about that.

 Chichi noticed Goku pulled his pants up but stared motionless at the ground. Chichi didn’t understand Goku’s behavior. She picked up his obi, tucked his shirt in his pants and secured his obi around his waist. Goku remained silent as Chichi finished dressing him.

 “Goku,” she tugged his hand. “We have to go back.”

 “I don’t wanna go back.”

 Chichi tried to decipher what he meant. “If you don’t want to compete, that’s fine.” In fact, Chichi hoped for this. She wanted her family to spend as much time together as possible. She didn’t want Goku sacrificing a few hours competing. They could use that prize money but she’ll find another way to deal with the family’s finances. “You, Gohan, Goten and I can go back to our home on Mount Paouz. I have a wonderful meal waiting for us. If you need to fight, you can do it with our sons.”

 “No.” Goku shook his head. “I don’t wanna go back to the afterlife. I wanna stay here. I wanna catch up with Gohan. I wanna get to know Goten. I’ll even get that job you wanted to me to get if I can stay.”

 Chichi wished she could grant Goku’s wish. She wanted to remove the ache in his heart. She couldn’t do either but she could try easing the pain. Chichi brought Goku’s head down so his forehead pressed against hers again. “I want that, too. More than anything I want that but we have to deal with the hand life gave us. You have to go back to the afterlife. You’ll miss us but you’ll be happy with your friends there. We’ll miss you but we’ll be happy, too. When we join you, nothing will take us from each other. We just have to wait.”

 It was gonna be a long wait Goku thought dully. He did make friends in the afterlife. He was happy but he was still lonely. He wanted to be with his family. “When you cross over, I’ll be there to welcome you,” Goku promised. “I’ll be there to make our souls whole again. I promise.”

 Chichi embraced him. She needed to hear that. His promise to be there when she crossed over ease the ache in her heart that she’ll feel once Goku leaves. “Thank you and I’ll bring with me memories of our children, stories of everything that happened.”

 With a final kiss, Goku and Chichi parted. “We can make some today.” They resume their walk down the corridor. It was time to leave their private spot and join the rest of the world again. “I only have one day. We better make the most of it, Chichi.”

 “We will,” Chichi promised. “It’ll be the best day ever.”

[scarletraven1001]

The Cure

Vegeta has been infected by a potent flu virus, and it is up to Bulma to find a cure. Emotions run high as Bulma fears losing him, and Vegeta fights to reassure her that for as long as she wants him, he will never, ever leave her.

[One-shot, post-DBS.

For the February 2018 / Spring 2018 @tpthvegebulsmutfest. Day seven: Cancer.]

Also on Ao3.

 8-8-8-8-8

The Cure

8-8-8-8-8

Bulma should have known that something was wrong when, upon waking, she found Vegeta still in bed.

He was usually up before everyone in the entire Capsule compound, training after only a few hours of sleep. He would emerge from the training room as soon as breakfast was served, because by then, he had already completed his warm-ups.

She had gotten up quietly, smiling fondly at his nearly inaudible snoring, then made her way downstairs to help their children prepare for the day.

It was about an hour later, as she was in the dining room strapping little Bulla into her high chair, when she realized that her husband still had not come down from their bedroom.

“Trunks,” Bulma called out to her son, who was already seated at the dining table in his high school uniform. He was holding a bagel in one hand and a text book in the other, his eyes moving rapidly across the words as he frantically tried to cram for that day’s upcoming exam that she was sure he didn’t prepare for at all.

Trunks turned to her distractedly, “Yeah, mama?”

“Could you go get your father?”

“He should come out of the training room soon enough,” he said dismissively, taking another large bite of his breakfast as he turned back to his book.

“Actually, he’s not there. He’s still in bed,” she answered.

The sixteen year old dropped his book along with his jaw, looking at her in disbelief. “What, seriously? No way.”

Trunks looked up in the direction of their bedroom with a confused furrow between his brows, before he went and headed upstairs, a tense look in his eyes.

Less than a minute later, she heard his voice calling out, “Mama! Mama you gotta come up here, quick!”

“Bulla, baby, stay here, alright?” she told her toddler, who was happily shoveling food into her mouth, as she stood to see what the problem was.

Trunks, who had hit a huge growth spurt in his last year of middle school and was now a few inches taller than her, looked like a troubled child again as he stood just outside their open bedroom door, wringing his hands in agitation.

“Trunks, what happened?” she asked, walking past the young man and into the room, where she found her husband laying on his side and facing away from her. He was curled up under the sheets, entirely concealed by the comforter save for his flame-haired head and left shoulder, dead to the world in slumber.

She was about to call his name to wake him when she realized that something about Vegeta was… off.

Why the hell didn’t she notice this earlier?

“Vegeta?” she called out softly, hesitantly, reaching out to place a gentle hand on his exposed shoulder.

A gasp left her lips, eyes wide and disbelieving, and she pulled her hand back in shock.

Vegeta was burning up.

His Saiyan body temperature was always marginally higher than an earthling’s, but as she touched him now, she recoiled at the nearly painful heat that she felt on her fingers.

“Vegeta?” she called out, slightly louder, concern gnawing at her insides when he didn’t budge even when she tried to shake him awake.

“Woman,” he finally responded, but his usually powerful voice was now raspy and coarse, barely loud enough for her to hear. “Cease this shaking at once.”

She breathed a sigh of relief, but it was very short-lived, as her usually infallible, nigh-invincible warrior of a husband suddenly barked out a throaty, painful sounding cough.

“Vegeta? Are you alright?”

He finally turned to her, and her eyes widened in shock as she took in his bleary eyes, pale face and very dry lips. Dark bags ringed his eyes and his nose was a dark pink, and he was rather unfocused as he tried to meet her eyes.

Vegeta was sick.

She never thought it would ever be possible.

Worry filled her entire body as she regarded him, slightly panicked at the thought of the existence of a virus strong enough to reduce her god-like husband to this state.

“Oh kami,” she muttered, then placed the back of her hand against his forehead, confirming the burning heat that she had felt from his shoulder earlier.

“Babe, I need you to just lay down here and wait for me, ok? I’ll just get the kids settled, then I will whip up something to make you feel better,” she said softly to him, leaning over to place a soft kiss on his sweat-dampened forehead.

He nodded weakly, and Bulma reluctantly left his side to see Trunks, who was still standing restlessly near the doorway.

“Trunks,” she began. “I know this is strange, but your father is very sick.”

“Crap! I knew it, something felt wrong with his ki,” he answered, running an agitated hand through his short purple hair. “But how on earth did that happen, mama? We Saiyans never get sick.”

“I don’t know, Trunks. But I need to find the cure. The last virus to ever affect a Saiyan…” Bulma trailed off, gulping audibly, and Trunks’ brows knit even closer together in worry.

“Uncle Goku’s heart virus,” he said coldly. “You told me about it. ‘Future me’ brought the medicine that ‘future you’ made for him.”

“Exactly,” she confirmed with a nod. “I need to make some medication for this virus, as well. It wouldn’t have affected your father if it was a common flu, so it must be a potent virus strain.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

“I need you to get granny and tell her to take care of Bulla today. I will ask Son-kun for a senzu, but if that doesn’t work, I will take your father to the eastern medical wing. You and Bulla need to stay away from both of us because if it affected your father, chances are it will affect you two, as well.”

“What about you?” he asked, his eyes narrowed in concern.

“I will make the medicine, so if I catch the virus, I will take some of it as well. But don’t worry, I will be careful. Now go. Find granny, tell her to get Bulla,” she instructed, pulling her cellphone out and hitting speed dial. “You go to school and don’t worry. We’ll be fine.”

“Hello?” the other line picked up as Trunks nodded and flew to find his grandmother.

“Chichi, is Son-kun there?” Bulma asked into the phone.

“Sure, just a sec. Goku-sa! It’s Bulma-chan!”

Shuffling, then “Hi Bulma!” her long-time friend answered.

“Son-kun. I have a problem,” she said without preamble. “It’s Vegeta. He’s very sick. Can you come and bring me a senzu bean?

“Sure, I’m on my way,” he answered, dropping the line. A few seconds later, he appeared before her, two fingers on his forehead from his instant transmission. He was clad in his usual orange gi, but was wearing a disturbed look on his usually smiling face.

“Did you say Vegeta was sick?” he asked, pulling the senzu bean out of his pocket and handing it to her.

“Yes, I did. Thank you,” she said as she took the bean. “Stay here while I give it to him. I don’t want to chance you catching this virus as well.”

She left Goku in the hallway as she made her way to her husband again.

She knelt beside the bed near him, a gentle hand on his shoulder to rouse him. “Vegeta. Can you open your mouth for me? I have a senzu bean.”

He opened his bleary eyes as he opened his mouth, then began chewing the bean.

One minute passed. Then two.

“It didn’t work,” she said, dread settling in as the realization hit her. This meant that this virus was potentially lethal.

She watched her husband go back to sleep, as she pulled her phone out again to call the chief of their biological research division.

“Suni,” she said as soon as the other line picked up, briskly walking out of the room to meet Goku in the hallway again. “I need urgent assistance. I am at the main Capsule house. Bring me two full sets of contact precaution PPEs immediately. Send urgent instructions for all staff to clear out of the eastern med bay, I know it doesn’t have any patients right now. Prepare a complete specimen sampling kit in the med lab. I need this done now, Suni.”

“Oh geez. It didn’t work?” the other Saiyan asked, eyes wide in alarm. “Now what, Bulma? Do you want me to get Whis?”

“No, he’s at that big meeting with the other angels. He told me last week. You won’t be able to reach him now.”

“I want to help. How can I help?”

“The Dragon Balls,” she answered, running back into her bedroom again, anxious eyes straying towards Vegeta as she dug into her cabinets for the dragon radar.

She ran back outside and handed the radar to Goku, as she heard her mother answer the door downstairs, knowing that it was her bio team with the protective gear.

“Son-kun, go and collect the dragon balls, just in case. I will call you if I end up needing them. For now, I just need you to take him to the med bay, then you need to stay away from Capsule Corp because I don’t want to risk you catching this thing as well,” she instructed as she saw her staff come up the stairs with the two sets of yellow gowns, face masks, shoe covers, hair nets and latex gloves.

She instructed Goku on how to put the items on before they both went into the room again to get Vegeta. She watched Goku’s eyes widen in shock as he took in the sight of his long-time friend and rival lying prone on the bed.

“He’s gonna be fine, Son-kun. I won’t let anything happen to him,” she reassured him as Goku picked Vegeta up, blankets and all.

“You know the usual med bay where we go when one of you are injured? Take him there and place him in the first room with a bed that you see. I will follow you in my hover jet. I will make the medicine and a vaccine. If this virus was strong enough to affect Vegeta, it may be strong enough to affect you, my children and yours. I need to formulate a vaccine,” she said, and she watched Goku nod at her before he flew off in the direction of the med bay, as she began to run to her car, worry gnawing at her very core.

I can do this. I will make that medicine, and I will make that vaccine. I know I can.

8-8-8-8-8

Bulma held her head in her hands as looked into the room monitor she left with Vegeta to keep an eye on him while she was in the lab.

She bit her lip as she watched the small centrifuge run her samples around, hoping against hope that her suspicions were correct. She had taken off most of her PPEs and was now in a labcoat, because if her hypothesis was sound, then she wouldn’t need the protective gear.

Goku had done as she asked, and when she arrived, she had asked him to leave her and Vegeta so she could take the samples and begin making the medicine.

Before she began working on the medicines though, she gave Vegeta some antibiotics, hoping they would help, but knowing it was futile if even the senzu were powerless against the virus.

She took her fluid samples and encapsulated them, while she opened up a capsule full of soup, water and other light food.

It took her a while, but she finally lifted Vegeta to sit up against the headboard. She was still in her protective gear as she fed him, and he watched her as she tried to coax some soup and drink into his parched lips. He was leaning heavily against the headboard and against her, and her heart was aching for him as she watched him try to ingest more food with her help.

“Bulma,” he rasped, reaching a hand out to hold one of her latex-wrapped ones. “I am full.”

“Could you at least drink some more?” she asked, holding up a glass of water with her other hand.

He nodded, then began drinking, and she was crushed as she watched him take very small, very painful-sounding gulps of liquid.

When he had drunk and eaten as much as she could possibly feed him, she lay him back down, placing a hand over his forehead. He was still burning up.

The last time he was this helpless was after the gravity room exploded all those years ago, and she was seriously getting anxious about what had infected him to make him so ill.

“Vegeta, I’m gonna let you go to sleep in a while. But do you think you could remember exactly when you started feeling sick? You never let on, you seemed perfectly fine yesterday.”

He blinked up at her, before he answered. “Two days ago. After I went to that animal farm with Bulla.”

The zoo.

He gulped again, his breathing harsh as he continued. “There were some strange-looking monkeys in a cage. One of them was sick. I started sneezing when I smelled him.”

Bulma’s mind whirred. A monkey?

“Bulma,” he whispered hoarsely, and she leaned closer to him to catch his next softly whispered words. “You can fix this. I know you can.”

Tears gathered at the edges of her eyes at his words, and she leaned down, planting a kiss on his forehead through the face mask still covering her mouth. “Yes Vegeta. I can. I will.”

‘I must.’

It was up to her to find the cure. To cure Vegeta. To save the love of her life.

She had immediately suspected that the monkey he was referring to had to have been involved in this somehow, and she very nearly trashed the whole medical facility as she looked for samples she knew she had stored for very specific types of viruses.

The machine stopped whirring, pulling her from her thoughts and Bulma immediately stood to regard the samples.

It was just as she suspected, as she analyzed the samples and noted that the two tubes that showed any reaction to her chemicals were the samples she had taken from Vegeta, and the one with the simian DNA.

Bulma immediately set to work. Knowing what she was dealing with now, she had a springboard, and knew that with her technology and brains, she could find the exact source of this virus and formulate her medicine to make Vegeta feel better.  

It appeared that her powerful alien warrior husband was infected by an evolved strain of simian retrovirus. By her research, the virus was not infectious to earthling humans in its current form, but there was a chance that it will eventually progress and be harmful to them as well.

Several hours later as the sun had already begun to set, a tired but very happy Bulma had her answers, a syringe of extra-strong antibiotic for Vegeta, and seven sets of vaccines germinating in the lab – six for her Saiyan family and friends, and one sample to accompany her research findings.

The scientist in her cheered the fact that she had come up with another brilliant discovery and was now working on a way to counteract it. She had compiled her reports, the data now ready for an initial proposal to the office of disease control in Satan City.

But the woman in her was anxious that this discovery had to harm her own husband first.

Relieved at least that she could now handle the disease, she headed to her patient to administer the antibiotic.

“Vegeta,” she called out as she entered his room. “I have your medicine.”

He glanced at her weakly, then began to sit up.

“No, babe, don’t get up,” she said, rushing to his side, pulling the blankets aside to bare his arm to her. She flicked the syringe slightly before she stuck it into the protruding vein in his arm.

“You’re gonna be fine. I got you,” she whispered to him, hoping that her medication works as expected, and soon.

She pulled the syringe out and discarded it into a sharps dispenser, then sat at a desk at his bedside, thinking he was asleep.

A soft whisper came from him, and her heart burst at his words.

“Yes. I know you do.”

8-8-8-8-8

A couple of days and two more doses of medicine later, and Vegeta was pretty much back in form.

He was loud and abrasive again, and she had woken up in their bedroom to find that the stubborn man had dressed in his armor and fighting attire, about to pull on his boots, and was insisting on going back into his training room as he was ‘fine’, he said.

“Vegeta, no. You are not going to train today. You need to rest some more!” she protested loudly, grabbing his arm as she tried to hold him back.

“Woman, I have been in bed for more than 48 hours! I have rested more than enough!” he shouted back.

“You didn’t see yourself two days ago! You were very sick and we were all so worried!” she tightened her grip on him. “Trunks was so upset that he only got 95% on his exam because he was so distracted thinking about you! Son-kun collected all seven dragon balls in two hours, he was in such a panic!”

“And I am telling you that I am feeling fine now, woman!”

“And I am not saying that you don’t feel fine now, what I am saying is you should rest more! Ease yourself into your routine, don’t just barge into the training room and bash your own skull in like usual!”

“I do not bash my own skull in, what are you even talking about?”

“Vegeta just sit the fuck down!”

Vegeta sulked as he sat down onto the edge of their bed, crossing his arms and looking away from Bulma with a huff.

Bulma sighed, her shoulders sagging.

“Vegeta, seriously. I was so worried about you,” she began, remembering the state he was in, and she felt treacherous tears begin to form in her eyes again as she thought back to that day, to the anxiety she had over whether or not the medicine was actually going to work… If she was going to be unable to save her own husband’s life, after he had repeatedly put himself through hell and back to always keep her and their family safe.

Vegeta turned to face her then, wincing as he noted the tears beginning to fall down her cheeks.

“Bulma, I am fine now. And I have you to thank for that,” he said, reaching for her and making her sit beside him on the bed.

Bulma wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling her face into his chest, her heart constricting painfully at the thought that if she had failed to find the cure, she could have lost this man.

He continued speaking, “I shall be more careful. I am just glad that I had been the one to catch the infection instead of Bulla.”

She nodded. “I think you caught the infection faster because you are full Saiyan. That is why the first person I called in to vaccinate as soon as the vaccines were finished was Son-kun.”

She looked up at him as she felt a rumble begin in his chest, rolling her eyes as she saw the widening smirk on his face.

“Oh yes, the sight of that fool screaming in terror as you tried to stick that tiny needle into his arm is definitely a memory that I shall cherish until the end of my days,” he said, a sadistic gleam brightening his eyes.

She gave him a soft reprimanding slap on his chest as she chuckled and he cackled in glee.

“Well, at least you found some entertainment in that,” she muttered.

“I hope that now you too are feeling more cheerful,” he said, and she felt his forefinger on her chin, lifting her face up to meet his eyes. The same finger moved up until it was softly caressing her bottom lip. “I owe you my life, Bulma. I do not know what would have happened to me if you hadn’t been here to find the cure.”

She smiled softly at him. “I will always be here for you, Vegeta. I would go to the ends of the earth to make sure that you are always healthy and happy.”

“And I would risk this entire universe if it meant that this smile remains on your lips,” he whispered, before he leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on her lips.

She felt a dark blush take over her entire face as she processed his words.

‘Did he actually say that?’ she asked, bewildered, even as she closed her eyes against the fuzzy feelings that his kiss, and his uncharacteristically romantic words, had evoked in her.

She realized that he must be feeling rather emotional at knowing that she had actually pulled him up from the edge of death. He wrapped his arms tight around her, lifting her against him, pulling her onto his lap as he deepened their kiss.

His tongue played softly with hers, running across her teeth, sampling every inch of her mouth. He delved into her, and Bulma moaned as his sensuous kiss began to stir the passion within her.

She felt his hands tangle in her short blue hair as he breathed in deeply, his mouth moving to slant more fully across her own. Her own hands began to wander, stroking the thick muscles on his upper arms that she could feel straining against his skin-tight clothes.

He groaned against her mouth as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers playing with the short hairs on his nape, and he responded by clutching her head possessively, taking full control as his kiss became more demanding, more ardent.

She began to pant as he pulled away from her to nip lightly at her chin, his lips and teeth leaving a hot trail of desire up her jawline until he reached her ear.

His teeth clamped softly on her earlobe and tugged, making Bulma cry out as her body started to writhe against him.

“Bulma,” Vegeta whispered into her ear, his warm breath sending shivers up and down her spine. “I want you, Bulma.”

She groaned, his words filling her with heat, her head falling back as he started planting kisses down her throat.

“Are you – oh!” she panted, “Are you sure you’re well enough, Vegeta?”

He chuckled against her throat, the sound sending delicious vibrations through her. “Let me show you, woman.”

He loosened his hold on her to clutch at the hem of her nightgown, which had ridden up and was now pooled around her hips. He pulled it up her body, his hands skimming her waist and the sides of her breasts, and Bulma sighed in delight as she felt her bare breasts meet the cold air of the room.

Vegeta stared hungrily at each inch of flesh he revealed, and Bulma was struck once again by how, even though they had been together thousands of times before, Vegeta still looked at her body as if he was seeing it for the first time, every time.

It was one of the things that made her love him so much.

When he had her gown off, Vegeta lifted her and brought her to the center of their bed, laying her back on the soft sheets and fluffy pillows.

He then got off the bed and stood on the floor to her right. Bulma turned her head to watch him as he smirked at her before his hands reached down to pull his armor off.

Once the white and gold breastplate was over his head, he untucked his tight top from his pants, then started to pull that off, as well.

He was so stunning, and Bulma watched with eager eyes as the shirt was pulled up, showing off his delectable six-pack, the rippling muscles leading up into the wide chest that she ached to feel in her palms.

He brought his hands down to his narrow waist and clutched the waistband of his pants, peeling off the constricting material, revealing his solid lower abdomen. She let her eyes linger on his hardening erection, his powerful thighs, before the pants were falling down to his feet where he carelessly kicked them off.

She sighed in satisfaction as he crawled back into bed and settled over her, his eyes meeting her eyes, his chest meeting her breasts, and she felt one hand roving over her stomach as his other arm braced him over her while his keen eyes took her in.

“Vegeta,” she whispered, her hands reaching out to cup his cheeks in her palms, before she allowed them to slowly move along his neck, his shoulders, and finally, to rest on the bulk of his chest, above his nipples, her right hand feeling the rough pounding of his heart against his rib cage.

He leaned down to plant another kiss on her lips, another slow and sensual liplock, as the hand on her stomach moved down to cup her through the material of her panties.

She mewled as she felt his fingers move over her mound, softly massaging her, his fingers lovingly stroking her lower lips through the thin cloth.

He began to move down, his mouth pulling lewd gasps from her lips as his wrapped around one of her nipples and began to softly suck.

Bulma arched her back, desperately pushing her chest closer to him, while her legs parted to invite him to touch her more thoroughly, more deeply.

Vegeta placed one hand under the small of her back, pulling her to a sitting position as he placed his weight on his knees, straddling one of her legs. The sucking movements on her nipple began to get stronger, his teeth leaving small bites across her chest while he alternated between her mounds, licking the paths his bites left along her torso.

Her arms reached out for him, grasping his shoulders, and she cried out when he punctuated a particularly hard nip on the side of her breast with his finger slipping beneath her panties to push lightly into her core.

His mouth left her chest to seek her lips once again, engaging her in a hard kiss as his finger found her clit and began to press insistently against it. She released a harsh cry, grinding her core onto his hand as he moved it down so the rest of his fingers rubbed against her center’s outer lips.

One of her hands moved down, clasping the hard ridges of his back. She felt a shudder leave him as she journey downwards, until her finger found the dark scar above his buttocks, where his tail used to be.

She let her fingers feel the rough skin, and he growled against her mouth, his fingers on her core pressing more insistently as she caressed him.

Unable to stop exploring his body, her hand drifted lower to grab his butt, kneading the tight roundness of him as she felt his fingers enter her core.

“Oh Vegeta!” She cried out, and he took advantage of her distraction to lay her back against the bed again. Her hands fell away from him as he moved up, his hand leaving her core, and she nearly cried in frustration as he stared at her with darkening eyes.

She watched as his hands moved to remove her soaked panties, slowly sliding them down her legs and off her feet.

Vegeta clutched the small article in his hand, then, with a wicked smirk at her, brought it up to his nose and took a very deliberate sniff, a deep inhale that made his chest fill with air as her aroused scent washed over him.

She moaned in lust, her arms reaching for him again, but he ducked away from her grasp before he reached down and flipped her over so her stomach was flat against the bed.

His hands were on her hips then, pulling her up so she was on all fours before him, her legs wide apart. Her hands tangled into the blankets beneath her as she felt his hands on her buttocks, softly massaging her soft bottom, and she felt his thumbs moving in ever tightening circles towards her core that peeked between her thighs.

She looked over her shoulder to see him, and she saw that he was kneeling behind her, his eyes glued to her center. She watched as he moved his face closer to her, taking another deep breath, before his head moved forward and she felt his tongue move in a long, slow swipe up her nether lips.

Bulma gasped, before a loud, keening whine left her throat, head falling back as the unbelievable sensations run amok through her entire body.

She felt his tongue move within her, his thumbs pulling her lower cheeks apart as he pillaged her center, kissing her there deeply, unabashedly, growling against her and making her shake and quake with need.

She felt his mouth open against her, and she screamed as Vegeta devoured her, taking her pleasure and breathing into it, his hands against her caressing her so softly while his lips were pure sin.

Her back stiffened, and her arms supporting her began to shake as she felt her release build up at the pit of her stomach. She rocked back against his mouth, his name pushing out of her throat as her body begged him for completion.

“Ve-Vege-taaaa!” she called, ending in a moan.

He kept licking her, kissing her, coaxing her… before she felt his thumb rub over the hard puckered hole behind her core as two fingers suddenly enter.

“Oh kami, Vegeta!” she screamed as her release washed over her, her body shaking uncontrollably as she rode it out, while Vegeta kept licking her, pleasuring her, leading her down from the amazing climax that he had given her.

Her arms and legs were boneless, and as Vegeta moved his mouth from her center, she helplessly fell on her face onto a pillow as her limbs gave out completely. Her hands were shaking, and she could feel her feet twitching.

Damn, that was amazing. She sure wished she could make her throat work so she can tell him.

It seemed she didn’t need to though, as her arrogant prince sprawled himself across her back, his legs moving in between hers as he pressed himself flush against her, and he chuckled into her ear.

“Liked that, did you?” he asked, moving his head to place a wet kiss on the nape of her neck.

“Mm-hmm,” she affirmed, turning her head to the side, still trying to catch her breath.

“Consider it my deepest gratitude for helping me survive a virus,” he said, his warm breath tickling her neck.

His hands were moving around her body again as she felt him, now hard and fully erect, pressing in between her butt cheeks and rubbing against her core.

She moaned, her body instantly coming back to life at the promise of more pleasure from this beautiful man.

“You saved me, Bulma…” he said, his voice low and passionate as Bulma felt him grasp her waist on her left side, pulling her body up until she lay on her right side under him. She bent her right arm to support her weight on her elbow, her other arm moving up to clutch his powerful bicep.

Vegeta then lifted her left leg, bending it up until it was curled fully against her, the tips of her toes touching the bed. He moved his arms on either side of her, bracing himself on his palms, his arms caging her torso in beneath him.

His face was directly above hers as she craned her neck to face him, and her heart melted at the gentle look in his intense eyes.

“You are the cure…” he whispered heatedly before he leaned down to capture her lips in his, as she felt him nudge her core and begin to enter her.

She moaned loudly against his kiss as she felt the head breach her, and he stopped moving his hips as he put his back into pillaging her mouth with his. That part of him inside her throbbed within her and she rotated her hips as much as she could, rubbing her buttocks against his abdomen and thighs as she lured him into becoming one with her.

He growled softly against her, and he angled his hips to slide into her.

Bulma’s entire body felt it as he entered her, his body rubbing against her insides so sweetly, completing her.

He pressed his body against her but didn’t thrust, his lips still on hers. She gasped against him as she felt his hips move in slow circular motions, and it felt like he was stirring her, making her come to life with his body within her.

His left hand moved to clutch her breast, kneading it eagerly as he continued rubbing himself against her.

Bulma pushed back against him with her hips, and Vegeta finally released her lips, looking deep into her blue eyes as he pulled nearly all the way out, then thrust back into her sharply.

He began moving in a very slow grind, going deep into her then slowly pulling out, then leisurely pushing back in again.

She moaned deeply, her eyes clenching shut against the sensations of Vegeta making slow, delicate, love to her.

The feelings coursing through her seemed unreal.

He was gliding fluidly against her, his whole body touching her, his breath on her cheek, his lips falling onto her eyes, her temple, her lips, as she panted in desire.

“Vegeta…” she mewled as she forced her eyes to open so she could watch his face as he moved sensuously against her.

“Oh kami… this feels so good… Ah!” she murmured, her face so close to his that she could follow the drops of perspiration falling from his forehead.

“Bulma,” he answered as his hand on her breast moved up to hold her face.

He looked so open to her in that moment, his eyes shining in wonder, and she felt so overwhelmed by the emotions on his face that she pressed her lips onto his again, kissing him as warmly as she could even as she panted into his mouth.

“Vegeta… I love you,” she whispered softly as she released his lips, looking into his eyes as she spoke. “I was so scared. I thought I was gonna lose you.”

“Never,” he swore, his movements picking up slightly as he tried to press even harder into her. “I won’t leave you.”

She cried out as he began to thrust faster into her, her breasts bouncing with their movements.

“For as long as you want me, Bulma… I will always come back to you,” he hissed as he finally began to move urgently against her.

Bulma cried out loud at his deep and fast penetration, her core shuddering as he started pounding into her, his arms still holding her close to him.

He set his left hand back to cradle her breast, clutching its roundness in his palm as he heaved above her, vigorously moving within her, and Bulma ground herself as hard as she could against his pistoning hips.

“Vegeta!” she kept calling his name out as his body drove hers, pushing and pulling her into rapture as his eyes looked into hers, their lips meeting once more as he too began to pant harshly in bliss.

Bulma pressed herself desperately against him as her lips began spouting unintelligible words amidst the blinding pleasure of his touch.

“P-please,” she moaned, her hands clutching fistfuls of their sheets as her feelings began to overflow. It was too much, but she couldn’t get enough, could never get enough…

“Bulma… cum with me,” he enticed her, and his lips covered her mouth as she began to lose control, claiming the scream that bubbled up from deep within her soul.

“Vegeta! I… oh kami… I am so close!”

He released her breast as brought his arm to wrap around her waist, pulling her flush against him, close enough to feel his heart rioting against his chest.

“Bulma,” he rasped against her, staring into her eyes.

And finally, the mind-numbing pleasure that had built up inside her could no longer be contained, and she came with a shout, her eyes locked on his as she finally leapt off that zenith, her core fluttering sweetly against his hardness.

A few more thrusts and he too came, pressing his forehead onto her temple, eyes closing in bliss, as he emptied himself into her, shuddering as his release left him deliciously weak.

His arm supporting him began to give out, and he pulled her to his chest, before he pivoted until he was lying back on the bed, her sprawled across his chest, his arms wrapped protectively around her.

She ran her fingers along the skin of his chest, marveling at the beauty of his skin, at the splendor that was Vegeta.

He was the first to speak, his voice soft and gruff as he basked in their afterglow.

“I am sorry if I worried you,” he said, his hand trailing lazy patterns on her skin.

“It’s alright. But I am never letting you go to the zoo, ever again,” she muttered, eyes closing in bliss as she felt his heart beating steadily within his chest.

“But I meant what I said, Bulma,” he continued, and Bulma looked up to see his jaw flex, throat bobbing as he spoke. “I will always come back to you.”

His voice was so soft, and she relished the sentimentality that he never showed anyone else, that he rarely showed even to her.

She smiled lovingly at him, and in a voice choked with emotion, answered.

“And I will always be here, only for you, my prince.”

8-8-8-8-8

END

8-8-8-8-8

End Notes:

One episode of the English dub of DBS had Vegeta call Bulma ‘babe’, and he said the word so off-handedly that now I head canon that they call each other that sometimes.

And yes, I have fallen into the trap that is ‘sick Vegeta’, and I really enjoyed writing it! I thought that he wouldn’t be a very whiny patient, though I am pretty sure that Bulma would be all action-girl at the thought of her Veggie having the sniffles.

On Cancer: The very word usually invokes in my head the thought of disease, hence the sick Veggie trope. However, the Cancer symbol of the Crab actually denotes nurturing, feminine qualities, as Cancer is the caretaker of the zodiac. More details on Cancer and its symbol, the Crab, here.

Reference for the Cancer position here.

Feedback will be greatly appreciated!