A/N: I do not own DBZ. I do own all of my characters in this story, however.
The story is set after the battle with Buu. It has been about 20 years, though in my time line there was no Dragon Ball GT, and Goku never returned to Earth.
The time had come. After months of waiting and planning, Lorian had to act. It was now or never. Her father was leaving home, most likely for several months. She could sense his ki from a great distance, and he had definitely left Maidejai. She breathed a sigh of relief when she felt his presence leave the atmosphere of Earth, and quickly gathered the few remaining items she wanted to take with her to the surface. A pang of sorrow ran through her as she glanced around her enormous bedroom one last time. She was going to miss this place.
She admitted to herself that she was also going to miss her father. The bond they shared was strong. Even now she already found herself wishing he was back home, so she could see him one last time. But if he was there, she knew she would never be able to leave. Her father had forbidden her to interact with the people of Earth, unless they had been brought to Maidejai to instruct her. But she was 25 now, a grown woman, and she could take care of herself.
Of course, her father didn't think so. He seemed to believe she couldn't feed herself, much less fend for herself in the wilds of Earth. He thought she was still a child, and when she compared his age to her own, she knew this was true. But how was she ever to learn what life was about if he never let her live?
She sighed, wishing there was some other way, but knowing there wasn't. Her father could be so stubborn at times! Since her mother had died, he had been very strict with Lorian. She knew he loved her and only wanted her to be safe, but it was past time to treat her like an adult and let her make her own decisions. Even now, she knew he would refuse to let her leave if he knew where she was going. And that was why she had to leave before his return.
Lorian hadn't made this decision lightly. In fact, she had thought about it since her eighteenth birthday. It had started out as a fantasy: living on her own, free of her father's will. Over the years, as her mind turned to the idea more frequently, she began to devise plans on how to make her dream a reality. She had been tutored in the history of Earth and its people, and had learned many of their languages and customs. She had found a place to live, purchased a vehicle for transport, and opened a bank account with her entire personal fortune. Everything was in place. It was time to leave.
Steeling her resolve, she activated an android made in the image of her that she'd had created by some of her father's scientists, and set it on autopilot. She knew it would walk around her room and carry out her daily tasks perfectly, thus buying her time so her father's servants wouldn't know she was gone for quite awhile. She quickly made her way to her balcony and, after glancing around to make sure no one was in sight, she leaped over the railing, down into the clouds.
Her descent was initially slow, as the area around Maidejai was magically enhanced so it resisted the pull of Earth's gravity. But once she was free of the protective barrier, her gentle free fall turned into a drastic plummet. Lorian was unafraid, since she had learned to fly at a very young age, but she didn't want to use her power so close to the palace since she might be detected, so she let herself fall until the land below her was alarmingly close. Only then did she expend her energy, slowing her descent until she lightly landed on her feet behind a thick hedge in the center of a city.
She paused for a moment to survey her surroundings. To her right was an enormous structure, thoroughly modern with its gleaming steel walls and countless windows. In bold letters across it's front was a sign that read Capsule Corp. She sensed the presence of hundreds of humans inside, but they presented no threat to her. On her left was a road of some kind, teeming with people, but she ignored them. The real danger, if there was any, would come from above, from her father's palace. So she glanced skyward as she tentatively reached out with her ki, searching for traces of her father's men. When she sensed nothing, she began to relax, though she did not lower the shield she had created to hide her ki.
Lorian rose and brushed some dirt off her clothes. Normally she dressed comfortably in robes and gowns, but since she had decided to live among the humans, she had emulated their current fashions. She was wearing a red spaghetti strap tank top, khaki shorts that left little to the imagination, and sandals. She felt strangely exposed, but after weeks of observing people, she knew this was how they dressed. She had to admit the temperature was warmer on the surface, since Maidejai's magic barrier had kept the area around the palace mild and pleasant all year, so the slight amount of clothing assisted her in remaining cool.
She walked from behind the hedge and hesitantly stepped onto the sidewalk. She began to walk slowly, but she wasn't used to moving in the sandals, and she nearly fell when her toe hit a crack in the cement. Frowning, she focused all her attention on the ground to avoid tripping again. She made it about five feet when she ran into a wall and bounced back. Before she hit the ground, a strong hand reached out and grabbed her arm, helping her regain her balance. She instinctively raised her free hand to brace herself, and her palm came to rest upon a wall of muscle that pulsed under her touch. Lorian looked up to thank her rescuer, but suddenly she found herself speechless.
The person who had saved her from a rather embarrassing fall was a young man who looked to be about her age. He was tall and powerfully built, and the grip he had on her arm was firm. He possessed an air of confidence that hinted at fearlessness. His black hair was short and a bit wild. His dark eyes gleamed with innocence. He was incredibly handsome, and he radiated purity and power.
All of this combined to make Lorian speechless for the first time in her life. She was extremely aware of the warmth of his skin beneath her hand, was in fact becoming quite breathless from his proximity. She knew she should say something, anything, so they weren't just standing there staring at each other. But her brain refused to function.
He seemed to be having similar difficulties, or maybe he just wasn't used to being stared at. His eyes flew down the length of her body (by the Dragon, she felt as if she was naked!) and back up again, lingering on her face. The look was an openly appreciative one, but she didn't find it offensive for some reason. Perhaps because his own physical presence had such a pronounced effect upon her? She stared up at him in helpless fascination, and when his gaze met hers, a current of electricity passed between them that was so intense it caused Lorian to gasp in surprise. His gentle eyes widened a bit, and as she continued to meet his gaze, he smiled.
Lorian became aware of the fact that she still had her hand on his chest, and she quickly removed it, more than a bit embarrassed. Her action caused his smile to dim, and he released the hand he'd been holding with what seemed like reluctance. Or was that just wishful thinking on her part? Though they were no longer touching, his body was still so close it made thinking difficult. She finally forced herself to act, clearing her throat.
"Thank you."
Goten had just left Capsule Corp. He had stopped by to see his friend Trunks after a quick work out. Trunks was president of the company, and worked quite a bit. He had been up for a night out and had agreed to leave work early. Goten had left in a hurry because his mother Chi Chi had invited him over for dinner that night. Though he was a grown man and had an apartment of his own, nothing beat his mother's cooking. Since he was in a hurry, he wasn't paying attention to where he was going, and he ran into a girl head on. She started to fall over, and Goten reacted out of instinct, grabbing her arm and pulling her up. Her hand reached out and landed on his chest while she tried to gain her bearings.
It was then that he got his first glimpse of her. She was very tiny, her head just barely reached his chest, and the arm he held was so small his hand completely encircled it. Afraid of hurting her, Goten slid his hand down her arm and laced his fingers through her own, marveling at the way his hand dwarfed hers. His eyes traveled over her quickly. He was helpless not to look at her, but he didn't want to offend her. Her legs were very long and shapely, her waist small, and her curves full. Her face was enchanting. She had sinful lips, a dainty nose, and high cheekbones. Her long, dark brown hair reached the center of her back and was shot through with red highlights. And when his gaze finally met hers, he was hypnotized by the unique golden color of her eyes.
The girl returned his look boldly, and a strange awareness ran through him, much like when he faced an enemy in battle. His body instinctively tightened, his heart began to pound and his skin burned where she touched him. He wondered if she could feel his heart hammering under her gentle touch. No woman had ever made him feel this way.
Say something! He thought, but words escaped him. So he did the only thing he could remember how to do at that moment. He smiled. The girl blinked as if waking from a deep sleep, and hastily removed her hand from his chest. This minor rejection was not what Goten had been hoping for, but he respected her wish for distance between them, so he reluctantly let go of her hand.
She stood for a moment in silence, and then in a voice that was both defiant and vulnerable said, "Thank you."
For an instant Goten stood there stupidly, knowing he should say something in response, but unable to form a coherent sentence. Finally, he managed to stutter, "You-you're welcome."
His halting words filled Lorian with a sense of relief, because it was obvious he was feeling as nervous as she was. She gave him a radiant smile and said, "If you hadn't been so quick thinking and strong, I might've gotten a few bruises!"
I'd kiss them and make it all better, Goten thought. Then her words of praise registered. She thought he was smart and strong! A warm glow spread through him, and when she smiled at him he felt as if he was the greatest man alive.
"It was nothing," he replied, even though he was feeling strangely light headed from her words. "I'm just glad you didn't get hurt."
Lorian knew such a minor fall would not have been able to damage her, but she was pleased he seemed concerned for her. As she gazed upon the handsome young man's strong profile, she doubted anything could harm her in his presence.
Goten could feel her eyes studying him, and he straightened his stance beneath her close regard. He hadn't planned on running into anyone, and he knew he was a mess since he'd just been at the gym. He found himself wondering if his hair looked ok, if he had anything on his face, if his clothes matched, if his clothes were sweaty, if his hair looked ok, if he had anything on his face…
Lorian noticed the man seemed to be on edge all of a sudden, and she wondered if she'd made him uncomfortable by staring at him again. She couldn't seem to help herself though, there was something about him that mesmerized her. She'd never felt this way before, and she had been around plenty of men in her life. She felt…safe, something she usually only experienced with her father.
Goten fidgeted for a moment or two before finally giving into the urge to look at her again. She was still staring at him in a way that was intense yet approving. He returned the look openly, and several seconds flew by in complete silence.
It occurred to Lorian that she knew nothing of the city she was in, but that this young man probably did. If he would consent to be her guide, he could show her around and she could bask in his presence a little while longer.
"Thank you again," she began, her voice uncharacteristically shy. "My name is Lorian de Varr, and I just moved here. I was out looking around, but I'm afraid I got lost. You wouldn't mind taking me home, would you?"
Goten blushed at her last words, but he could tell by the girl's innocent expression she didn't realize how they'd sounded. Lorian de Varr, he thought, filing the name in his memory. He frowned at her mentioning she was lost, immediately feeling concerned. He knew he had food waiting, which was normally of utmost importance to a Saiyan, but he couldn't just leave the girl on her own.
"My name is Goten, and I could show you around the city if you'd like," he said, realizing too late that she hadn't asked him to do that, just to get her home. He held his breath, but she only smiled, and he went on before she could speak. "First I'd need to visit my mother. She's expecting me for dinner, but if you wouldn't mind coming with me, I can stop by her place and let her know my plans have changed."
Lorian smiled at his words, delighted she was getting a chance to spend more time with him. The idea of meeting his mother didn't bother her, because her knowledge of human courtship customs was limited. She had no idea what meeting the parents usually meant. "I don't mind at all. Lead the way, Goten."
The sound of his name on her lips was every bit as dazzling as the smile she gave him. Without thinking, he reached out and grabbed Lorian's hand. A thrill of sensation leaped between their fingers and filled him with the urge to kiss her. Even as his eyes flew to her lips, Goten's mind warned him to go slow. So he forced himself to look back into her eyes, and he noticed she was staring at his mouth. That made it all the more difficult not to kiss her, but he sensed she wasn't like other girls he'd known, so for once in his life Goten restrained himself from doing what his heart desired.
He smiled softly and said, "Right," before slowly leading her down the street.