A/N: I actually liked this story so much, I figured I'd re-submit it and see if other people like it as much as I do.
--The Untold Stories: Feels Like the First Time--
Krillin looked over at the clock beside his bed. He rubbed his eyes sleepily and looked at it again. It seemed he hadn't been mistaken. The clock read 5:30. It was the longest he'd slept in days, being plagued with the nightmares of Cell. Well, they were more like memories than nightmares. Nightmares would involve things that haven't happened. Krillin was reliving the Cell incident in his dreams. That was a better description of it. The dreams had nothing to do with the mass destruction caused by the insect of an android. They had nothing to do with the grotesque appearance of the monster. No. Dreams like those would have been too simple. The dreams he had were of a more specific incident during the crisis. His dreams were of that pivotal moment when he had been so helpless. The moment that changed the entire course of things. The moment when SHE was devoured...
Krillin shook his head. Just thinking about it made his brain itch. Or maybe the itch came from the fact that his hair was beginning to grow back. He couldn't be sure which one it was. All he knew was that he couldn't get the blond android out of his mind. ::If I could only see her one more time,:: he thought. ::If I could only be near her...::
Suddenly the bedroom door swung open and Roshi peeped in. "Hey, Krillin, did you plan on going to the cookout today?" the old man asked.
Krillin looked at the clock again. It wasn't 5:30AM. It was 5:30PM. He'd forgotten that he'd taken a nap after training today. "Yeah, I'm going," he informed him. ::At least I'll be able to talk to someone besides Old Man Roshi,:: he thought. ::Who knows? Maybe ChiChi would be willing to go out with me now.:: He shook his head and chuckled to himself.
"Good. Tell everybody I said hello. Normally, I wouldn't miss it for the world, but I'm gonna stay here and catch up on some of my reading," Roshi said. He pulled one of his magazines out of his back pocket and started drooling at the sight of the cover.
"You never get tired of those magazines, do you?" Krillin asked. He may as well had been talking to himself because Roshi continued looking at the book and walked away.
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--elsewhere--
17 pulled out a pistol and shot a soda can off of a tree stump that was about 50 yards away. "Come on, 18. Just try it out. It's fun."
18 rolled her eyes. "Please. Those things are just noisy toys for boys. I'd much rather do something interesting once in a while." She tossed her hair out of her eyes, as she often did when she grew bored of things.
"What did you have in mind?" 17 asked. "Finding new clothes? That's always right up your alley."
18 shrugged. "I wouldn't mind something of that nature." She stood from her seat on a fallen tree trunk.
"That seems to be all that you think about," 17 pointed out.
18 was silent for a moment. She knew that clothes weren't the only thing she thought about. And 17 knew it too. But the other thing that occupied her mind was something they had both decided should never be brought to the light again.
"Very well, Sister. We will find the clothes you desire," 17 told her. He twirled his gun and put it into the holster on his hip.
He knew that she was thinking about it now. That was the only reason he agreed to assist in her hunt for clothes. Of course, all the clothes in the world would not cover up the unnamed feeling. She couldn't understand any of it.
She thought about that young man much too often. She remembered kissing him, yet she wasn't sure why she'd done it. She was curious. She wanted to know why she thought about him so much. But she wouldn't dare talk to her brother about it. He was already aware of her feelings through their link as twins. He didn't want to hear the details. He'd even said so.
::Oh, well. At least I'll get some clothes out of it,:: 18 thought.
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--at the cookout--
Krillin arrived a little after 6:00. Almost everyone was there in the forest near ChiChi's house. They'd set up the grills, manned by Yamcha, Dr. Brief and Mrs. Brief, next to a clear pond. Bulma and 2-year-old Trunks were in the pond along with ChiChi and 1-year-old Goten. Vegeta was standing alone by a tree on one side of the pond while Piccolo stood alone by a tree on the other side. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. Well, except Piccolo and Vegeta.
Gohan walked over to him. "Hey, Krillin. Where's Roshi?"
"He decided not to come. He had some...important work to do," Krillin said with a laugh.
Gohan laughed too. Krillin wondered if the kid even knew what he was laughing about.
"Have you heard anything from Tien and Chiaotzu?" Krillin asked.
Gohan shook his head. "I was just about to ask you the same thing."
Krillin shook his head. "Nope. I haven't seen them since the Cell Games." Just mentioning the Cell Games made Krillin think of HER.
"Well, what about that android girl? Have you seen her?" Gohan asked.
::It's like the kid can read my mind!:: Krillin shook his head.
"Oh," Gohan said. He looked as if he were in deep thought.
"HEY! Look who it is! Hey, Krillin!" Yamcha called to him.
The others looked over at Krillin. They all walked over and greeted him.
"Krillin, I haven't seen you in such a long time," Bulma said. She held Trunks by the hand. "You should come visit more often."
"Hi, Bulma," Krillin greeted. She was wearing a pale pink and white bikini. After having a child only 2 years ago, she really looked good. He stared at her for a while.
"I suggest you put your eyes back in your head before you lose them permanently, cueball!" Vegeta bellowed from his post by the trees.
Krillin swallowed hard and looked down at the child.
Little Trunks just looked up at him angrily.
Krillin studied the miniature fusion of Bulma and Vegeta. "Hey there, little guy. Remember me?" He put his hand on Trunks' head.
Trunks stuck his tongue out at Krillin.
"I've told you before. That's a nasty habit, little man," Bulma said to her son. "Say hello."
Trunks pouted. "Hello, Mr. Krillin."
Goten waddled over to Krillin and pulled on his shorts to get his attention.
Krillin looked down at the young replica of Goku. The baby pointed at his open mouth, then started humming and rubbing his tummy. "Man, I haven't seen this little guy since he was born. He's so big. And he looks just like his dad," Krillin said to ChiChi. She had on an old-fashioned full bathing suit, dark blue in color. And she looked great in it. ::Her son is one year old and she looks like that in a bathing suit? Man, Goku would have been one lucky dog if he would have come back.:: He was surprised that ChiChi would even come out in one of those. She was usually so reserved.
ChiChi smiled sadly. "Yes. He really takes after his father."
::Uh, oh. I think I've upset her,:: Krillin thought. ::I guess that means that this isn't a very good time to ask her out on a date.:: He rolled his eyes and decided to pick up the tiny version of Goku instead.
Goten giggled and pulled Krillin's ear.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!" Krillin chanted.
"Oh, Goten." ChiChi retrieved her son, who only put his thumb in his mouth. "I'm sorry about that, Krillin. He likes to play."
"It's okay. I don't mind," Krillin told her.
Everyone talked about old times and about things that were going on in their lives these days. And of course, in between they ate and talked some more. The whole group was full of conversation except Piccolo and Vegeta, neither of which were even at the table with the rest of them, and surprisingly Krillin.
"Krillin, you've barely said a word since you got here. Is something wrong?" Bulma asked.
Krillin shook his head. "Nothing's wrong. There's just nothing for me to say."
"Well, I've got something to say to you. Liven up or I'll be forced to tickle you," Bulma said with a smile.
Krillin laughed a little. ::Vegeta probably didn't like that statement.:: He looked at Vegeta out of the corner of his eye. It was easy to see that the Saiyan wasn't happy at all. ::Bulma's gonna get me killed. I'm surprised he let her ex-boyfriend stick around.::
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--elsewhere--
"You have no idea where we are, do you, Brother?" 18 questioned.
"Quiet. I know what I'm doing," 17 said.
The two of them wandered seemingly aimlessly through the woods. They'd been traveling for hours and 17 had insisted that he knew a shortcut to wherever they were headed.
"I don't see why we couldn't just fly to a store or something," 18 stated.
"Come on, 18. It's more fun this way. Besides, I've got a surprise for you," 17 informed her.
::A surprise? What's he planning?:: 18 asked herself.
She continued to follow 17 through the woods and to a clearing. They'd arrived at the shoreline.
"Is this your surprise? The ocean?" 18 asked. She turned to 17 and noticed that he was looking at some trees.
"This isn't the surprise. The surprise is a little farther out. But we'll need a raft to get there," 17 told her.
"I can't believe you're making us go through all of this when we can easily fly," 18 complained.
17 smiled to himself. "Are you going to help me build this raft or not?" He uprooted a tree and stripped it of its roots and branches.
"Okay." She'd given up. ::If performing this ridiculous task will get me some new clothes, I guess I'll do it.::
She started mimicking her twin's actions and soon they had 6 bare trees lined up side by side. 17 found some vines and began putting their raft together. They both pushed it out onto the water and hopped on.
"Are you going to tell me where you're taking me?" 18 asked.
"So impatient. We'll get there in time. And when we get there, you'll know," 17 told his sister. He had a sly grin on his face. But when didn't he have one of those looks on his face? He was Android 17.
18 sighed and sat cross-legged on the raft. She would just have to wait. And waiting wasn't one of those things she did gracefully. ::Why do I let my brother talk me into things like this?::
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--back at the cookout--
Krillin just looked around at everyone he'd grown to know and love. Well, for the most part anyway. ChiChi and Gohan were talking to Dr. and Mrs. Brief. Bulma and Yamcha were talking and watching Goten and Trunks throw rocks into the pond. Vegeta watched Yamcha closely from his post at the edge of the woods. And Piccolo still manned his post. Krillin could only shake his head at the sight.
"Come on over, Krillin. Don't be a stranger," Bulma beckoned from her seat on a beach chair next to Yamcha.
"Yeah. We were just talking about when we first met," Yamcha told him.
::Something tells me I'm gonna regret this,:: Krillin thought. He went over and sat on the other side of Bulma. ::That's Bulma for you. She sure does love being the center of attention.::
"...Goku seemed fine. I don't know about Oolong, but that whole desert thing was a nightmare for me. Especially without capsules. There was no house, no food. Nothing," Bulma prattled on.
Krillin's mind was otherwise occupied. ::Things just aren't the same without Goku around,:: he thought. He sighed. ::He still would have been here too, if I hadn't let that girl get away... I wonder how she is. I wish there were some way for me to get in touch with her...:: He shook his head. ::What's wrong with me? My best friend's dead because I let her go, but I'm still here thinking about her.::
ChiChi seemed to appear out of nowhere. "You've been off in space during the whole cookout. Is something wrong?"
Krillin looked at the woman before him, a little surprised. He didn't remember seeing her walk toward him. Bulma had gone over to talk to Vegeta and Yamcha was playing with the kids. He looked at the surface of the pond as the toddlers continued to throw pebbles into it. "Nothing's wrong, ChiChi. I've just been thinking..."
ChiChi sat in Bulma's chair. "It's about Goku, isn't it?"
Krillin was silent. He didn't want to say anything to upset her.
"It's okay, Krillin. He's still with us in spirit. And as long as we remember him, then no one can ever take him away from us," ChiChi said. She looked at Goten and smiled. "And you see that little guy over there? That's our little reminder."
Krillin looked at ChiChi and even though she was smiling, he could see the sadness in her eyes. She missed Goku. "Who could ever forget Goku? You're right. He'll always be with us." As soon as he said that, a rock hit him in the forehead. "Ouch." He looked over at the culprit.
Baby Goten was laughing loudly.
"Goten, that wasn't very nice," ChiChi said.
Krillin hopped to his feet. "I'll get you for that, you little munchkin!" he shouted playfully. He started running after the tiny assailant.
Goten giggled wildly and started running away from him.
--later--
"Bye, guys. It was good seeing you all again. We're gonna have to get together more often than once a year," Bulma suggested.
"Once a year is a little too often," Piccolo grumbled loud enough for everyone to hear.
They all said their good-byes and everyone started to leave.
"Hey, Krillin. Why don't you stick around for a while? I'm sure Mom won't mind," Gohan said. "I wanna talk to you about something."
Krillin looked at the youngster strangely. "What is it?"
Gohan looked around to make sure no one was near. Then he whispered, "I think we should try to find out where those androids are."
Krillin's eyes were the size of grapefruits. "Are you nuts? We'd never find them. We don't even know where to start."
"That's true. But we know that they aren't in any cities," Gohan rationalized.
"You're right about that. With all the trouble they caused someone would be bound to report them if they saw them," Krillin said. "But even if we knew where to start looking, your mom would kill both of us if we left at this hour. It's almost 9:00."
Gohan sighed. "You're right. Hey, maybe we can go tomorrow."
"Maybe. I'll come over tomorrow and we'll see," Krillin whispered as ChiChi and Goten walked by.
"Come along, Gohan. It's almost dark," ChiChi told him. She looked at Krillin. "It was nice seeing you again, Krillin."
"Same here. Bye, ChiChi," Krillin said. ::That lady's been unusually nice today. She didn't nag one bit. Weird...::
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--elsewhere--
18 lay on her back looking at the sky. It was that awesome color that appeared just before the sun completely set. That purplish color that made the clouds look as though they weren't even a part of the sky. She looked over at her brother.
17 had kept a branch and some vine from the shore to make a fishing pole. Heaven only knew how he planned on fishing without bait, unless he had some somewhere that she didn't know about. Her twin had always been an 'outdoorsy' kinda guy. He loved adventure and simple things. Those things were okay sometimes, but 18 had to draw the line somewhere. Every once in a while, you had to be civilized. To settle into a more steady life rather than live amongst the trees or the deserts. To get a new wardrobe.
"There it is. There's the surprise," 17 suddenly spoke.
18 wasn't sure if she wanted to see exactly what this surprise was. But the anticipation she'd suffered this whole trip wouldn't allow her to ignore such an announcement. She sat up on the raft and looked around. ::What's he talking about? There's no surprise out here,:: she thought. As she finished the thought, she spotted a tiny island off in the distance decorated with a pink house. "So, its an island and a house. Big deal."
17 chuckled. "You don't remember anything, do you, Sis? That's the house those fighters were hiding Goku in. That's where the little bald guy lives."
She wasn't sure how to react. She'd been thinking about the man so much as of late that she actually didn't know how she should feel if she were to ever see him again. Sure, she had about ten minutes to think of something, but this was all so shocking. ::Should I be happy that he brought me here?:: she asked herself.
"You have unsettled business. I thought you might want a chance to get whatever it is off your chest," 17 told her. "I don't know exactly what's going on, but I know that this man has some kind of effect on you. You haven't been the same since you met him."
18 gasped. "I haven't been the same? What are you talking about?"
17 smirked. "You're distant, Sister. It's like we aren't even on the same wavelength anymore. Sometimes, I actually have to wonder what you're thinking."
"So? You say that like it's a bad thing," 18 sassed back. She couldn't help wondering what the little man had been doing this whole time. She looked back toward the tiny island. ::I don't know what this feeling is, but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna find out soon,:: she thought.
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--Kame House--
When Krillin arrived, Roshi was sitting on the sofa, "reading" his magazine. ::Nope. He never gets tired of those books.:: He walked over and stood beside the turtle hermit. "You missed a great reunion."
"AAAAAAA!!!" Master Roshi yelled, dropping his magazine and cowering in the corner of the room. He adjusted his sunglasses and looked at Krillin. "Don't you young people know how to knock?!"
Krillin grinned.
"What did I miss? Did someone have another baby or something?" Roshi asked.
"Nope," Krillin responded. "We just talked about old times. You know how that goes... But Bulma had on this bikini that I know you woulda liked."
"WHAT?!!! You shoulda called me! I woulda been there in a flash! Some friend you are!" Roshi shouted.
Krillin nudged Master Roshi. "That's not all. ChiChi had on a bathing suit too."
Roshi suddenly suffered from a severe nosebleed. "Next, you're gonna tell me they had a mud fight! I can't believe you would keep something like that to yourself!"
Krillin shrugged. "I thought you were having more fun here with your magazines."
"Are you crazy?!!! There's nothing in a magazine that can beat a live show!!" Roshi yelled.
A strange sound came from outside.
"What was that?" Krillin asked.
"Maybe they came over to see me. You think they're still wearing that swimwear?" Roshi questioned deliriously.
"I don't think so," Krillin told him. He walked over and opened the door. "Is someone out here?" It was late dusk, so it was getting harder to see.
"Of course there's someone out here," a female voice said from the shore.
Krillin saw two figures standing near the shoreline. ::I could swear...,:: he thought. He squinted his eyes to help him focus.
Roshi came to the door. "No one's out here, Krillin. I don't get visitors after 6:00." He looked out at the figures near the shoreline as well. "Or then again, maybe I was wrong."
"I'll let you handle things here," a male voice said. "I'll explore the island." That figure went one way while the other figure slowly made its way over to Krillin.
"I-it's y-y-you," Krillin stammered.
Android 18 looked down at Krillin strangely. "You look different." She studied the newly growing hair atop his head and smirked.
"What do you want, Android 18?" Krillin asked, taking his fighting stance. There was no way he could fight the woman who stood before him. Not only because she was much stronger than he, but because he had feelings for her. After such short encounters with the beautiful blond android, he had developed feelings for her.
"Android 18? So this is the woman you've been lusting after for such a long time?" Roshi questioned. "I can see why. She's quite a looker."
18 folded her arms across her chest and laughed under her breath. ::What a ridiculous old fool,:: she thought.
Krillin's face took on a reddish hue. "It's not safe out here, Master. You should go back inside." He never stopped looking at the female android. After Roshi went back into the house, Krillin continued, "So, why are you and your...whatever here?"
18 walked closer to him and watched as he slowly relinquished his stance. "I told you before that Android 17 is my brother. He's my twin."
"Oh... Right... Well, Goku's not here, if you're looking for him," Krillin told her.
17 sat on the roof of the house. "This is pathetic. Neither of you have very good memories. We're not in search of Goku anymore."
They both looked up at him.
18 sighed. "You said that you were going to let me handle this."
"Yes, while I explored the island. But this island is so small that it only took a moment to look around," 17 said simply. He jumped down from the roof and looked Krillin over. "This guy is what's had you so befuddled as of late, right, Sister?"
Krillin just watched them as they talked amongst each other. ::Befuddled?::
18 was silent.
17 chuckled to himself. "Well, I see that you want to be alone. I'll just explore the surrounding islands. In the meantime, Sister, get it straight in your head what's going on. I'd rather get all of this messy business behind us so that we can be the way we used to be." With that said, he sped off into the distance.
Neither Krillin nor 18 spoke for a long time...
Krillin cleared his throat. "So, if you're not here to destroy Goku, then why ARE you here?"
"Maybe I just wanted to get out and see the sights," 18 sassed. She put her hands on her hips and looked at him.
::The sights...,:: he thought. He looked the android up and down.
18 looked up at the moon. Dusk had turned to night and the stars were shining down on them. "I wanted to thank you again for what you did for my brother and me," she said quietly, still stargazing. "When no one else thought about our well-being, you did."
"Uhhhh, you're welcome?" Krillin looked at 18 strangely.
"But," the android continued, "I'm not won over by gestures of kindness! So you don't have a snowball's chance in H. F. I. L. with me! Got it?!" She finally looked back at him.
Krillin cringed. "I read you loud and clear... But you ARE aware that you've told me this before, right?"
"I'm not finished!" 18 bellowed.
"Y-y-yes, m-ma'am," Krillin stuttered.
"I'm not doing you any 'favors' just because you did this for me," 18 said.
"'Favors'? No! No! I don't expect any favors! You've got it all wrong! I just wanted you guys to have a chance to live your lives peacefully. I'm sure most of your lives were spent being Dr. Gero's little lab rats," Krillin explained.
18 looked angry. "Are you calling me a rodent?!"
"No, 18," Krillin laughed.
18 shook her fist at Krillin. "Don't you dare laugh at me!!!"
Krillin cowered. "Yes, ma'am."
"Now, I've said what I came here to say," 18 announced. "I hope I've made myself clear."
"Crystal clear," Krillin said, sounding disappointed. ::I don't understand why she hates me. I was only trying to help.::
18 flew off to find her twin. She could usually pick up on where he was, but for some reason, today, it was hard to find him. Maybe her concentration was thrown out of whack. Amazingly, seeing Krillin tonight and saying the things she thought she should say didn't make her feel any better. It actually made her feel worse. In a way, she wanted to go back and apologize, but there was really nothing to apologize for. She'd meant everything she said. She wouldn't do him any 'special favors' just because he'd done something for her. At least she DID thank him for it.
::So, why do I feel worse now than I did before I came?:: she asked herself. Visions of Krillin clouded her mind. That last look on his face did something to her. She wasn't sure what it was, but seeing him so sad made something inside her feel different. Like SHE was sad. But that wasn't possible. She'd always been under the impression that her emotions could not easily be triggered. And if they were, it was in sync with her twin's. Not with some Dudley-Do-Right on the streets. ::What's happening to me?::
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--Kame House--
Krillin sat on the front steps, looking out over the water. Well, it was dark out, so he couldn't really see the water. But that was okay, because he had no interest in the water itself. His only interest was the young lady who'd flown off in that direction.
::What makes her think that I'd want a 'favor' from her?:: Krillin thought. Then he smiled. ::Well, I'd be lying if I said I DIDN'T. But that's not why I made that wish.::
"Hey, there," a voice overlapped his thoughts.
Krillin looked all around to find the person who had spoken. "Who is it?"
17 landed in front of him. "Say, where'd my sister go? Did you do something to her?"
"No. She went off to find you," Krillin informed him.
"How long ago was that?" 17 asked.
"Just a couple of minutes, really," Krillin told him.
17 growled. "If I find out that you did something to upset her, I'm gonna hunt you down and yank your heart out through your ear." He jetted off to find 18.
::The violence. Geez,:: Krillin thought. He finally decided that it would be best to go inside. When he opened the door, he saw Roshi looking under the sofa cushions.
"I don't think I even wanna know what you're doing," Krillin said.
"I'm looking for my favorite magazine," Roshi told him anyway. He looked up at his pupil. "So, did you have a chance to cop a feel?"
Krillin looked at the ceiling. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight, Master."
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--on an island near Kame House--
18 sat on the ground and leaned her back against a tree. She hadn't tired herself out or anything like that. She'd just become bored. Her brother wasn't anywhere to be found. Maybe she should have stayed on that island with Krillin. Of course, there was no way she could face him after saying what she'd said to him. And even if she DID decide to go back now, she wouldn't know how to get there. ::Great. I'm gonna have to spend the night on a deserted island,:: she thought. ::Well, it couldn't be much worse than living in the woods.::
Living in the woods was not her preference. She would much rather live in a nice little house with cute decorations. With a fireplace and a washer and dryer. With a closet filled with pretty ensembles that she would only wear to fancy get-togethers. With a comfortable bed and a bath tub that she could relax in whenever she desired. Isn't that what NORMAL people wanted?
People like Krillin had the sweet life. He lived in a house. ::Must be nice to have a place to call home instead of always moving from place to place every day.:: She wouldn't mind having a little house like that one. Maybe even settling down and raising a family there. ::Whoa! Where did THAT one come from?::
Suddenly she saw a bright light flash off in the distance. 18 knew right away that it was her brother. So. He couldn't find her either. It was strange. They usually had no problem knowing each other's location, but now they had to actually find out where the other was. ::Are we really growing apart that much?::
18 flashed her aura several times, then let it shine. If that didn't get his attention, nothing would.
In a matter of seconds, 17 was in front of her. "What did that midget do to you?"
"Do to me? He didn't do anything to me," 18 told her brother.
The two took off toward the forest from whence they came. ::Thank goodness we don't have to ride that raft back. I prefer first class travel,:: 18 thought.
"Well, did you get whatever was bothering you out of your system?" 17 asked.
18 was silent for a moment. "I'm not sure..."
17 frowned. "You're not sure? Are you saying that we came all this way and you chickened out?"
"I did not 'chicken out,' Brother. I said what I had to say," 18 argued.
"Really? What did you tell him?" 17 inquired.
18 sighed. "I just told him that he hasn't won me just because he did something nice for me."
17 laughed. "Is that what you told him? Because with the way you've been acting, it seems he has."
"What do you mean? What are you talking about?" 18 asked.
"I thought I said it plain enough for you, but I suppose I'll have to explain it to you in elephant talk," 17 began.
"I am not an elephant!" 18 yelled.
Before she could fly over to him and start strangling him, he continued. "You are having new feelings. We were told that something like this might happen, but I guess you don't remember. We were told that one day we may meet someone who affected us in a way that no one else could. And not even our bond as twins would be enough to fight the feeling. This guy must be that person for you." 17 frowned. "Though, I must admit, it IS a bit shocking. I wouldn't have pegged HIM to be your type in a million years. I figured you'd be more of a Vegeta fan."
"Yeah, right," 18 said sarcastically. "Do you really think that's what's happening here?"
"It's the only logical explanation," 17 told her.
"Well, who told us something like that in the first place?" 18 questioned.
17 shrugged. "I don't remember WHO said it. I just remember what they said. Maybe it was Dr. Gero."
"I somehow doubt that," 18 said.
"So, what are you going to do? Will you accept this fate? Or will you fight it to the death?" 17 asked.
18 looked straight ahead as they flew into the woods and between the trees. "I think you know the answer to that question," she replied with a smirk.
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--the next day--
Krillin stood knee-deep in the water in the famous Kamesennin stance with his eyes closed. He'd been standing just like that for at least 15 minutes, concentrating. Focusing his energy. The water whipped around him, creating a curtain of sorts. Every now and then, the curtain of water would decrease in size. Right now it was about 6 feet high and 3 feet in radius. He was working on getting it at least within one foot all around him.
He stood up straight with his arms straight down by his sides. He could feel the water closing in around him. Ten minutes later, the water moved more calmly now and had closed in to 2 feet all around him.
"Hi, Krillin!" a female voice called out to him.
As soon as Krillin's eyes popped open to see who it was, the water around him fell, soaking him to the bone. ::Aw, man. I was so close to perfection,:: he thought. He looked over toward the house and saw ChiChi standing there.
"Um, hey, ChiChi," he called back. ::What in the world is she doing here?:: He saw little Goten hugging her leg. "Hey, Goten!" He made his way inland.
Baby Goten held onto ChiChi's dress with one hand and held the other one in the air, opening and closing it. He had a huge smile on his face.
::Just like his father,:: Krillin thought. He looked up at ChiChi again. She was wearing a pale blue dress that looked very Asian. And her hair was down. That was a huge surprise. ChiChi rarely wore her hair down. "Uh, what's up?"
ChiChi put her hand on Goten's head. "Gohan wanted to come by. And since he did so well with his studies, I thought that it would be okay. I hope you guys don't mind."
"Oh, we don't mind," Krillin said. He looked around. "Where is he?"
"I'm not sure. GOHAN!!" ChiChi called out.
"KOWAN!!" Goten said, trying to mimic his mother. He laughed.
Krillin looked surprised. "He can talk?"
"A little. It's mostly just gibberish though," ChiChi told him.
Gohan came out of the house with a strange look on his face. And he was blushing.
"Gohan, what are you doing in there?" ChiChi asked.
"Um, Master Roshi wanted to show me something," Gohan explained, scratching the back of his head.
ChiChi growled and stomped into the house. "Where are you, old man?!!!"
Goten went over and clung to Gohan.
Krillin shook his head. "Guys, this might not be pretty. So we should all go and hide somewhere."
"But Krillin, there's nowhere we can go," Gohan reminded him.
"Oh, right," Krillin said.
There was a loud crash inside the house.
"I DON'T WANT MY LITTLE BOY LOOKING AT THESE MAGAZINES OF YOURS!! THEY'RE FILTHY AND TASTELESS!! HE'S NOT GOING TO GROW UP TO BE LIKE YOU!!!" ChiChi yelled.
Roshi came hurtling out of a window. "AAAAAAA!!" He was out cold.
ChiChi jumped out of the window that she apparently threw Roshi out of. "I AM NOT RAISING A HOUSE FULL OF PERVERTS!!" She cleared her throat and straightened her dress. She walked back toward Krillin and her sons. "Come along, boys. I can't let you be exposed to this kind of filth." She picked Goten up in her arms and started back toward her air car.
"But, Mom. I just wanted to spend some time with Krillin," Gohan said quietly. "Please. We hardly ever get to see each other. We won't go back into the house. I promise."
ChiChi shot him a menacing look.
Both Gohan and Krillin cowered.
"We'll leave the island," Gohan suggested.
ChiChi folded her arms across her chest. "I don't like the idea of you flying all over creation. I want you home by 5:00. Understand?"
Gohan nodded vigorously.
"And if he's not home by then, I'm blaming you. He's in YOUR care," ChiChi told Krillin.
Krillin nodded vigorously as well.
ChiChi looked at Goten. "And you're coming home with me."
Goten presented the cutest smile on Earth. He and his mother boarded their vehicle and took off over the water.
Krillin breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his brow.
"We'd better get out of here before Master Roshi wakes up," Gohan told Krillin.
Krillin nodded. "Your mom's a real take-charge type."
"Tell me about it," Gohan said. They both flew off.
- & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & -
--elsewhere--
18 looked at the outfits on display in the small clothing store. "Yuck. These clothes wouldn't be fit for a duck."
17 just sat on the counter at the front of the store and yawned.
"You really expect me to pick even one outfit out of this selection? I won't," 18 spat out. She unleashed a ki blast on the outfit she was holding, setting it ablaze. Then she threw it on the rack with the other clothes, setting them on fire as well.
"Hey! What are you doing to my store?" the middle-aged lady behind the counter asked.
17 turned to the lady. "Quiet. Or I'll do the same to you." He hopped off of the counter. "Come along, Sister. There must be a better store somewhere in this one-horse town."
18 followed her brother out of the store. Something was really wrong with her now. She felt bad that she'd set that poor woman's clothes on fire. ::Of course, I can't change the past, but apologizing might make me feel better.::
"Are you coming, 18?" her twin asked.
18 had stopped a couple of meters from the store. "Wait... I should help put out that fire."
17 frowned. "Are you serious? Listen, 18. If shopping with you is going to be this much of a hassle, then maybe we should rethink our approach," he said sarcastically. He laughed.
"Maybe you're right," 18 pondered.
17 sighed. "What are you going to say next? 'We should pay MONEY for these ridiculously-priced ensembles'?"
"If we want to live normal lives like normal people, then maybe we should," 18 told him.
"Who said anything about living like normal people? We are NOT normal people. Don't you understand that?" 17 asked.
"But Krillin made that wish so that we could have the opportunity to live a regular life," 18 explained. "If--"
"THERE THEY ARE, OFFICER!! THEY'RE THE ONES WHO STARTED THE FIRE!!" the store owner cried. She was standing by the police cars that had just pulled up.
17 folded his arms across his chest. "Ah. Now, we're no longer living like normal people. We're living like fugitives on the run from the law. Let's go."
18 shook her head. The two of them flew off with the two police cars in tow.
"Halt!! Or we'll be forced to open fire!!" one of the police shouted through a megaphone.
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--over a small town--
"Hey, Krillin, look down there," Gohan said.
Krillin looked down and saw a store with smoke rings coming from it. "We should help. Come on, Gohan."
They flew down to the site. There was a middle-aged lady running around the store, frantically spraying the fires with an extinguisher.
"Ma'am, come stand behind us," Krillin told the owner of the little store. After the lady did what Krillin said, he looked at Gohan. "You know what to do."
"Right," Gohan said with a nod.
Both of them powered up a little and sent a burst of air from their hands. The wind put out the fire immediately.
"Thank you so much. I was running out of extinguisher," the owner said, bowing to them.
Gohan smiled. "Glad we could help, ma'am."
Krillin nodded.
"You have powers like the people who did this," the owner told them.
Krillin raised an eyebrow. "The people who did this were like us? Who were they?"
The owner frowned. "I don't know. They were young. A blond girl and a black-haired boy. The police went after them only a few minutes ago."
Gohan and Krillin looked at each other. "17 and 18!" they said simultaneously.
"Which way did they go?" Krillin asked.
"Um, north on the highway," the owner answered.
The two of them took off in that direction. ::Why would they do this? I thought they'd changed for the better. Maybe I was wrong about them,:: Krillin thought.
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--on the highway--
17 took a wide turn to the left and one police car pursued him, while 18 took a wide turn to the right and the other car pursued her. The twins found their way back to each other and came to a dramatic halt.
"Ha! This is so much more fun than shopping!" 17 shouted, jetting straight up into the sky.
"You WOULD think so!" 18 shouted, jetting straight up as well.
The two police cars collided, exploding on impact.
The siblings levitated about 50 meters from the highway.
17 smiled at his sister. "You can't tell me that you didn't get a charge from that. Wasn't it exciting?"
"Well, maybe a little," 18 said.
"THERE THEY ARE!!" they heard someone say from a distance.
"Here we go again. I hope you're ready," 17 said.
18 turned around to see who was approaching. ::That voice sounds so familiar.:: When she was finally able to make out who it was, she gasped. "That's Krillin."
17 turned toward the two approaching figures as well. "So it is. And he brought a friend."
The two new arrivals stopped in front of the twins.
"Should have known. At the heart of destruction lies two androids," Krillin said.
"Good one, Krillin," Gohan complimented with a smile.
"Gohan, shhhhhh," Krillin whispered. "We're supposed to act tough."
"But Krillin, I'm stronger than both of these androids put together. They're not really a threat," Gohan said.
Krillin smacked his own forehead.
"You may be stronger. And you may be faster," 17 began. "But... Hmmmm... I forgot where I was going with that."
"Krillin," 18 said, ignoring both Gohan and 17. "I'm sorry for hurting your feelings yesterday. But I DID mean what I said."
Krillin looked confused. "I'm not here to talk about yesterday. I'm here to talk about that store you two set on fire." He looked straight down. "And those police cars you two blew up."
"Wait a minute," 17 interrupted. "What are you two doing here, anyway?"
"We were looking for 18 because Krillin has a crush on her," Gohan informed them.
Krillin blushed. "Gohan," he whispered to the boy, who immediately covered his mouth.
"So, you were looking for my sister because you have a crush on her," 17 repeated. He looked at 18. "Well, don't tell me, tell HER."
"Go ahead, Krillin," Gohan instigated. He pushed Krillin over to 18.
18 blushed a little and looked away.
"Um, 18. I kinda...like you. I was hoping we could get to know each other," Krillin finally said.
"But according to you, I'm a villain," 18 pointed out, still not looking at him.
"That's true," Krillin stated.
18 looked at him angrily.
Krillin cringed. "But look at Vegeta and Bulma. They're together."
"Oh, come on, Sis. Just say you'll get to know him. It's not like he's asking you to marry him," 17 told her.
18 folded her arms across her chest. "Fine. We can 'get to know each other.' But don't expect anything good to come of it."
--The End--
--Krillin thinks everyone's hot, doesn't he? Take it easy on him, would you?
--Thanks for reading!! Hope you enjoyed it. Please give me your feedback. Just so you know, I have a tendency of ending things like this. Why? I don't know. I just write the stuff. If you liked it, please let me know. If you didn't like it, please let me know. And if you find the time, please let me know why you liked it or disliked it.