Most DBZ HS fics star Bulma and Vegeta, and while this includes them they will be low on the list and their relationship will not be explored much at all. However, Goku and Chi-chi will keep their place as secondary couple. Krillin and Juu(18) being the main this time around.
Oolong and Puar will be included in this story as HUMANS by my choice. Puar will be female. No agruement will be accepted on this.
Normally I use english names because I speak english. But since 17 & 18 are silly names for a non-androids. 17 will be Juuna nicknamed Jay and 18 will be Juuhachi nicknamed Juu. Narration will always refer to them by nickname.
Dedication: Since he's the reason I'm posting this, I gotta dedicate this to my friend Krillin Fan. (Kamekid: We owe him, he reinspired our love of Dragonball/Z and K18) And to my friend Maggie who wrote the original draft four years ago.
Disclaimer: It's on my Christmas list, right under Obi-wan Kenobi(Kamekid: He's old and then dead.) Don't care, I love him.
Prologue
Juu sighed as she got out of the jeep parked in the driveway of a far too large three story house. Too large for a "family" of three anyway. Its window frames were a dark gray, and the siding was a reddish-brown wood color. There was a porch stretching across the front with a stone walk leading from the steps to where the girl and her brother stood in the driveway. The lawn was slightly overgrown and a tan fence lined both sides.
"Welcome to nightmare suburbia." her twin brother, Jay, groaned. Throwing his bag over his shoulder he headed up the walk without her. Reaching for her own bag she followed his lead into their new home. Still eyeing the area she noted that there were two chimneys on the roof meaning there were fire places. The steps creaked as she stepped on them. The sound didn't seem to even catch her attention.
She was so distracted by her "surveillance" she was not looking ahead and crashed right into her brother as he stopped abruptly in the living room. She dropped her bag as he spun to face her.
"Watch it klutz." he barked. She paid him no mind and simply rubbed her head momentarily. She continued to gaze around as if studying or perhaps looking for something. The furniture in the room was dark and very plain. There were many useless looking antiques scattered all around the room. She noticed with a frown the fireplace had been hooked up electrically so there would be no real fires. That was one hope crushed.
Sighing she threw her bag back over her shoulder and headed for the staircase. Her brother was not far behind. Shifting her gaze to the ground she slowed her pace to almost a stop. Ignoring her strange behavior her brother ran past her. Moving her gaze with him she continued up stairs. Turning the same way he did, she slowly strolled down the hallway.
When she reached the end she turned and found her brother talking (or rather arguing) with a woman somewhere in her late forties. She was of course their mother, Aurora. Unfortunately, to them, there was hardly a trait the twins didn't share with her except ice blue eyes and (in Juu's case) hair color. Their mother, like Jay, had ebony hair. Their father was a brunette. Their late grandfather (their mother's father) in his early years had been blonde, but his hair had grayed long before they were born. So Juu was the lone blonde of the family. Not that she mined. In fact she took pride in it. Then she could tell people she was adopted and it was believable.
Tuning out the two bickering idiots that were sadly her family Juu quickly determined which of the two bedrooms was hers. The one on the right was just a plain brown door with a silver door knob; nothing too fancy. But the one on the left...
Apparently in Aurora's eyes Juu was still ten. The left door was a bright clean white with purple hearts and pink flowers decorating the outside. The door handle was baby blue and the whole thing looked utterly ridiculous.
She quickly opened the door and went inside before she got pulled into an argument. Turning on the light she found that things were no better inside. Her walls were hot pink, and white flowers had been painted on them. Her bed sheets and blankets held the same pattern as the walls and door. Her carpet was bright pink. Her dressers and night stands were light purple.
Glancing down at her attire she wondered how her mother had even imagined Juu liked these awful baby colors. Almost every thing she owned was navy blue, denim, or white. Occasionally she liked black or red or even purple. This was too far. She liked casual, simple, and practical. This was childish, loud, and annoying.
She slid her bag across the floor where it settled with the rest of her boxes. Groaning loudly she flopped herself onto her Barbie-like bed. She turned on her side and listened to her brother and mother yell. Their voices were muffled but it didn't matter, she knew exactly what they were saying.
It pained her to hear, but her brother and mother always fought. After their tenth birthday Jay had decided he would no longer take the rules and abuse of anyone. Meaning of course their mother. He said he wasn't doing anything without a fight first. Ever since that day fights, police and drugs had been a constant factor in Jay's life. He had calmed down slightly when Shadow entered his life, but it had flared back to maximum with the move.
Jay snapped and Juu heard him punch the wall calling their mother whatever vulgar names he could think of. He yelled the she had always "liked Juu better." He continued to scream obscenities until Juu heard the hard noise of bare skin hitting bare skin. Aurora had hit him and demanded he stop. Moments later a door slammed shut.
The fight was over and they, unlike her, were both left with something real. Juu thought of her brother's door. She recalled how plain it was compared to hers. She stared at her own bedroom door and imagined what his room was like. He had a smaller room than she did; his walls were a dark green or blue. He had a single dresser, a bed, a night stand, and a window maybe. His room was ordinary and empty. His furniture was old too. Everything, she was sure, was in good condition, but it was plain, and there was no thought.
Her mother didn't care for Jay. She didn't even pretend that she did. She didn't care for Juu really either, but because the blonde was a girl, acted as if she did. Grabbing her pillow she buried her face as if trying to block out the world. What was worse, honestly hating your son or pretending to love your daughter? Silently Juu began to cry.
Hours later Juu slipped out of her room and found her way downstairs again in the dark. She heard faint sounds on her left and headed down the only lit hall she could see. Glancing around she once again noticed of plain the walls and furniture was, and how every inch of this place was filled with unloved expensive junk.
'Anything to keep up the appearance of fine taste and culture.' she rolled her eyes as she slowly made her way. She glanced at the walls trying to find something, anything she had held dear or found soothing. She had been here enough times in her much younger days. When it was "granddaddy's house" she had found it creepy, now it was just boring. Her mother had made no changes before the move other than to the bedrooms that is.
Soon she came to the dinning area, and looked in to find her family eating placed purposely on opposite ends of the 8 seat table. Juu sat as well taking a seat closer of course to her brother. He was the lesser of the two evils after all. In fact in some weird unnatural way the two were friends. The closest friends that either had ever had, not necessarily by choice though.
They sat in silence even after the older sibling joined the group. Filling her plate she picked at her food feeling the tension grow with each passing second. Her mother took small bites with her eyes partially closed and her face turned down toward the table. Jay leaned back lazily flicking at his food rather than eating it. She ate quickly to avoid what she knew would be coming eventually.
"Juuhachi." her mother said strictly as if they were at a formal meeting. "Did you know that there's a young girl living next door who's about your age? Charming girl really, she's in the honor society and on the soccer team, like you. Doesn't that sound nice?" the question sounded more like a challenge. Almost as if daring her daughter to contradict.
Juu simply nodded and her mother grimaced obviously not satisfied. Ignoring her daughter's response she continued, "Her name is Chi-chi, she and her father live in the house on our left with her uncle and cousin." Juu didn't even bother to fake interest; she simply narrowed her eyes at her plate. Her mouth set in a line she waited for her mother to drop the bomb.
"I thought it would be nice for you to get to know one of your new classmates, so I told her that you'd go over there tomorrow and meet her." Juu scowled. There it was. She hadn't been here 24 hours and her mother was already trying to control her life. Her fists clenched and she bit her tongue to keep herself quiet. 'Well, at least it's an excuse to get out of here.' she sighed inwardly.
Juu looked over at her brother, but he seemed to be in his own world. He had clamped his hand hard on the table. Their mother smirked almost evilly. "Oh no dear, she's not his type at all. She has class and brains. Nothing like his kind." That was it Jay would no longer be silent.
"It's just not fair." Jay finally announced, a hint of the sadness he'd never admit glazing his voice. No one was surprised by the words. This was not about the girl next door. Juu then averted her gaze to her plate and away from her brother. Their mother's eyes, taking the opposite route, narrowed and fixed upon her son.
"What exactly is unfair?" she asked her voice icy and dangerous. Jay shot out of his chair causing it to fly backwards. He knocked his plate to the floor as well as if to stress his point. Their mother's eyes opened slightly, but her coldness outweighed her shock. She hated defiance.
"This whole thing. The divorce. The move. The new town. The new school. Everything." he continued his pain lessening as his anger grew. 'Jay, stop.' Juu pleaded in her mind, 'Just stop you're going to hurt us all.'
"Did you think about us?" he raged against Juu's mental warnings. "What about our friends? Our jobs? Our lives are back in the South city. And... and how about Shadow mom? Did you think of her? Of us? Of how much she means to me? Of how much I love her?"
"I'm forty-three and I don't know what love is." Aurora spoke with enough force to silence her son. "I doubt you do either, especially at fourteen, Juuna." She shifted her gaze back to her plate and continued to eat. Jay however was not finished.
"It's Jay." he spat viscously once he found his voice. "And who are you to say how I feel. You're too much of a heatless bitch to know anyway. You just wanted me away from her because I can't be happy if you're not. You're a jealous, heartless, selfish asshole." he finished with a yell so loud if left him panting. Juu nervously turned to her mother, scared of what she'd see.
"You little bastard." her mother hissed joining her son on her feet. She strode across the room and grabbed him by his upper arm. He twisted in her grasp, grinding his teeth in frustration.
"You! Do you know the kind of stress you've put me through?" she pointed a finger to his face and tightened her hold. "All you've done is bitch and moan about your little whore. You don't care about how hard I've had it. Or about all the trouble I went through to get this house ready for our stay. Do you know what I had to do for you to get into Kame Academy like your sister?"
"Not much I'm sure." he yelled ripping himself from her grasp, "A blowjob or some bribery at most." She raised her hand and slapped him hard. He bared his teeth and stormed from the room. She didn't bother to follow. "I'm outta here." he yelled before the door slammed shut. Juu and he mother silently finished their dinner.
Juu left the room soon after. With a quick shower and change she headed straight for her room. Once she closed the door, she looked across the room. She then noticed for the first time her room had a small balcony.
Finding her way out the door she stood in the cold night and frowned her brow in thought. She didn't care to waste her mind on her mother and all the false promises. Why should she forcibly remind herself that she was trapped here until she graduated under her mother's thumb? Why dwell on the knowledge that the future would find her becoming her mother? Why put herself through the pain of truth?
She didn't want to think of her brother either. He knew no one here and was wandering around alone. Before the night was over he would no doubt be wasted, numb, and delusional. Why torture herself by worrying when it would do neither of them any good? Why should she foolishly prey for him when they would only go unheard? No, he'd be home. He was too arrogant and stubborn to die like that.
So finally her thoughts settled on her father. She tried to remember the times she and her father were happy together, but they were so few. She wanted to think of the days they played airplane, and ate ice cream. She wanted to relive all the trips to the park and the times she watched him work at home while she pretended to read. Truthfully Juu hated to read anything that was fiction.
Instead she could only remember the bad times. The times he fought with her mother. The days when the office became more important than her and her brother. The forgotten events. The missed birthdays. The empty feeling he left them with. The affair. The divorce. And ultimately choosing not to have her or her brother in his new life.
She turned her head to the stars and stared as if lost in a dream. She gripped the railing and breathed out slowly trying to name the constellations she once watched with her grandfather. She couldn't. She sighed, a scowl staining her face.
Then slowly closing her eyes she turned her eyes to the ground. Her eyes drifted out of focus and she leaned her head on her hand. Then quietly as a tears slipped down her checks she whispered, "Kami, why do you have to be such ass wholes all the time."
"You okay?" a soft voice called from above her. She looked up so fast she could have given herself whiplash. There above coming off the next house was a balcony. Perched on that balcony with his legs swinging between the spokes was a teenage boy about her age. He was looking down at her with a look of sincere concern on his face. One hand placed strategically over his mouth.
"What?" she asked obviously angry, though she didn't know why. The boy began blushing fiercely and began to scratch the back of his neck. He looked away from her embarrassed and hurt.
"I was just...I mean I...I was." he stuttered twirling his fingers together childishly. The whole time keeping his right hand in place by his lips. She gave him a cold stare and narrowed her eyes as he scratched his head. 'What a weirdo.' she thought.
Sighing he faced her again. "I just wanted to help. You look sad."
"So? How's that your business?" she demanded. He flinched slightly at her tone and went quiet momentarily again. The last thing she needed was another hormone crazed guy trying to hop into her pants. His shoulders sank and he hung his head.
She stared daggers at him while he muttered something incoherent to his feet. His hand now gripping the other, but his mouth closed tightly. She wanted to just ignore him and forget his existence. Yet her curiosity was always stronger than her angry so she ended up leaning toward him and demanding, "What did you say?"
"I said, 'My parents are jerks too." he repeated only slightly louder than before looking sideways at her. "My bio ones anyway."
"Not like mine." she answered her voice softening. She saw his face brighten at her simple change of tone and was amazed at how much something so small meant to this guy. It made her feel... weird. She felt her lip twitch into a small smile before she could stop it. This brought a smile to the boy's face. Then Juu saw something that made her smile even more. 'That's why his hand was on his face.'
She laughed softly at the twin rows of metal lining the boy's mouth. "You have braces." She had begun laughing because he looked funny. His mouth was so abnormally big that the added metal only made it look as if his mouth took up his whole face.
"Just for another year." he muttered his face the deepest shade of red she'd ever seen. That combined with his messy hair and metal filled teeth made him looked small and helpless. 'And,' she admitted only to herself, 'kind of cute too.' her smile grew even larger.
"You're very pretty when you smile."
"What?" the words had broken her from her thoughts. The boy became frantic again after she responded.
"I mean... that... that it's better than frowning." he tried to correct himself, "You looked awful before. I mean not that awful, not like ugly or anything. It's just this is much better. Than before when you were sad. That kind of pretty, you know. Not to say you aren't also pretty like pretty pretty, because you are. Very pretty. Not that I'm coming on to you I just wanted you to know that... you... look... nice... when... you... smile...Okay?"
Her face formed a strange look somewhere between joy, and confusion. She had to admit though she liked when he called her pretty. There was just something about the way he said things that sounded so sincere and real. That was a blessing in a house full of fakes like hers.
"Thank you." she said quietly before heading back into her room.
"Wait." he called out just a little too desperately and quickly. She turned back to find him trying to pull one of his legs from between the balcony spokes. "I...I didn't get you name." he continued shyly.
"Oh well what's yours?" she asked her hand on the door to her room.
"Krillin." he answered simply finally pulling his leg free...and banging his head in the process.
"I'm Juuhachi, but call me Juu." she answered closing the door.
"I like Juuhachi better." he answered rubbing his head. She froze in her actions and gave him a glare.
"No really call me Juu." she half threatened.
"Fine." Krillin surrendered, "Sweet dreams Juu." She smirked closing the door completely. She settled into bed and stared toward the ceiling. Downstairs she heard the door open and close signaling her brother's return. She listened to him creep into bed and settle in as well.
When she could no longer hear him she turned on her side to face the balcony doors. Smiling as she closed her eyes, she whispered, "Sweet dreams Krillin."
Warning: You may find Juu and Krillin's relationship devolops fairly fast. But this story is more about them dealing with life after they get involved with each other. Them getting together is only the start. There will be much more to come afterward.
Review please
Kap.
