Disclaimer: All rights to the name "Dragonball" belong solely to Akira Toriyama and Toei Animation. I neither own this franchise nor do I profit from the writing of this story.
Author's Note: This story was actually inspired through me playing the "Attack of the Sayains" RPG game. It may be a bit OOC but I wanted to focus on a very minor character and give her a bit more insight than the series suggests. Anyway enough from me. Enjoy.
It was a wonderful dream.
She could not recall all of it but she was sure that it was probably the best dream that she had had in quite a while. In fact she had enjoyed it so much that she wanted to slump back to sleep. Already she could feel the webs of REM starting to shut her eyes closed and swirling patterns of the dream scape appearing before her. She just had to close her eyes completely and-
"ATTENTION WORTHLESS MINIONS OF MINE! I REQUIRE YOUR IMMEDIATE PRESENCE IN THE MEETING ROOM AT ONCE! I REPEAT I REQUIRE YOUR IMMEDIATE PRESENCE IN THE MEETING ROOM. IGNORE THIS MESSAGE AT YOUR OWN PERIL!"
Mai groaned as her master's voice boomed over her bedroom through the speaker near her door. Her head ached and her eyes stung. She desperately wanted to continue sleeping. However she would never disobey her master, at least not openly.
Despite the protests from her body she soon forced herself up and started towards the door near the speaker. She pressed a rather large red button and spoke out.
"Master Pilaf this is your servant Mai reporting. I have just woken up but I will be on my way to the meeting as soon as I can."
There was a pregnant pause before the speaker soon responded in a static filled voice.
"BETTER MAKE IT SOONER THAN SOON! I WILL GIVE YOU 15 MINUTES. TAKE LONGER AND I WILL MAKE SURE YOU'LL REGRET IT!"
With that the room was silent once more and Mai sighed as she soon made her way toward her private bathroom.
Her bathroom was strewn about with various hair care products and discarded articles of clothing. She sighed once more at the mess and told herself for that she would have to clean up.
Knowing that there would not be enough time to take a proper shower she rummaged through the bathroom sink, knocking aside pieces of make up, nail polish and hair spray and finally spied her toothbrush and toothpaste. Making haste she brushed her teeth quickly.
Her eyes were still only half open and after having brushed her teeth she immediately turned the faucet on to wash her face and shake the cobwebs.
She yelped a bit as she felt her eyes stinging but soon the pain subsided and Mai forced her eyes open. One look in the mirror and she suddenly frowned.
Is that really...me?
Most days Mai didn't really pay attention to herself in the mirror but today she could not help but suddenly stare at herself.
Her long, black hair was ruffled and messy. There were some individual strands that decided to stand out and poked out of the top of her head in an somewhat unsightly manner. The layering was not existent and she was plagued with split ends.
For whatever reason Mai started to run her daintily hand over her face. Her eyes were bloodshot and red. She had not been having good sleep lately. In fact she only had about three hours of sleep just now. Her and Shuu were sent on a mission last night and came back to the castle at around 3:30 AM. It was just striking 7:00 AM right now.
She continued to trace her face and she could start to see the faintest outlines of a wrinkle at the bottom left of her lip.
Suddenly Mai started to gain an obsession with her own body and immediately took her nightgown off and observed her own body.
She turned and looked at herself.
Mai was not the most shapely woman but she would be considered quite pretty even with her hair the way it was.
However Mai did not see herself like this. She tugged at the small love handles on her waist before placing one hand on her pubic mound, obscuring the hair that covered it, and placed another hand over her c-cup breasts. She turned around and examined her posterior and spied the large scar that was on her right shoulder blade, the biggest scar among some others she had on her body.
I-I'm hideous...
She was only twenty six years old. However she felt like she was fifty. Immediately her mind drifted back to her dream.
It was a wonderful dream. She did not remember much of it but she did remember the last part. The part where a unrecognizable man had told Mai that she was beautiful and that he wanted to marry her.
Then her dream fast-forwarded a few years and suddenly she saw herself a mother of two children, a boy and girl. She laughed with mirth as her emperor and boss, Pilaf, was going through hell trying to get the two kids to listen to him. They kept running circles around him taking his little hat away while he shouted curses at them.
Shuu would be at the kitchen helping her make dinner as she smiled at the thought of her wonderful and kind husband coming home after a hard day of work and enjoying the food she made.
They would all sit at the table, her husband taking one end of the table while she took the other. Shuu would sit next to her little girl while Pilaf would sit next to her young boy. They would dig in after a short prayer. Shuu would kindly feed the toddler next to him, being unusually tender and kind to Mai's daughter while Pilaf and the five year old boy would start fighting over the pork dumplings at the center of the table and stick their tongues out at each other.
Mai and her husband would smile at the sight of this before the man of the house would get up and walk behind Mai. He then placed his arms about her waist, making her blush, and soon the entire world disappeared and it was only the two of them.
"I love you Mai. You're the most gorgeous, wonderful woman I have ever met. I never want to let you go. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Tell me Mai, do you love me too?" asked the man.
Mai felt like her heart was about to burst. Never did she ever feel so happy, so content so loved. She turned to the man before her, the one whom she would give her entire being to, and soon spoke.
"Of course I do. I love you so much-"
That was when her dream ended and she woke up, tired and irritable before being subjected to Pilaf's annoying voice first thing in the morning at ear splitting decibels.
And now here she was standing in front of the mirror and at once she felt tears start to sting her already pained eyes.
That dream had felt so real. Her heart felt a tug of pain. She really believed that she had a husband, that she bore two beautiful children for him. That he was kind enough to let Pilaf and Shuu live with them as they became one big happy family.
She missed him.
She missed her husband and she missed her precious children.
That all those that had constituted her happiness was suddenly ripped away. That all they were just figments of her imagination. They never existed except within the recess of Mai's mind. It was so cruel. How dare Fate do that to her? To take away her beloved and her children and try to convince her that they weren't real even when she held her own husband within her very arms. That she could feel his breath on her, his brawny arms embracing her body and his chiseled chest with which she could lay her head on. She could even hear his heartbeat.
How could that not be real?
So desperately did she want to think now think that she was in a nightmare right now. That she would wake up and join her husband once more in bed. She would cry and lean into him and he would stroke her long hair with his hands and pull her close to him and tell her that it is alright that he was there to love and protect her.
But she knew better.
Reality was what she saw now. A disheveled and ugly woman with whom no man had ever thought to go and court. A woman who was now beginning to realize that she wanted to have someone to love and that she wanted to have a family.
She was eternally grateful to her emperor and master, Pilaf, but now she had her own dreams and hopes and none of them included taking over the world.
Before she knew it she was already in fetal position on the floor of her own bathroom and was crying her eyes out.
Goku could only scratch the back of his head as his wife was beginning to rattle on and on about some things that he was supposed to bring. She was speaking so fast he could hardly keep up.
"Remember Goku do NOT forget the baby formula." said Chi-Chi with total finality.
"Aww but Chi I don't know if I can remember all this stuff." pouted Goku in slight protest.
Chi-Chi narrowed her eyes as she heard this and spoke once more.
"It's not my problem that you can't read and I'm unable to give you a shopping list. You make sure you get everything or there is no dinner for you." replied Chi-Chi rather harshly.
"Okay...sure." said Goku somewhat dejectedly as he received a bit of money from his wife and soon started to make his way to Pazou Town about 200 km away.
"Nimbus!"
At once the small cloud had come up and soon Goku jumped on it and was making his way over to the small town relatively close to his residence.
As he was flying he could not help but think over his life so far. It had already been a little over a year since he had defeated the Demon King Piccolo at the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament. Even from his house Goku could sense his enemy was training relentlessly and Goku knew that he had to keep training if wanted to stay ahead.
However since their baby boy, Gohan, had come into their lives, Goku found himself having less and less time to train and spent more time helping his wife out around the house and with the baby.
While he did not mind doing any of these things (baby Gohan never ceased to fascinate him) he could not help but think that his wife was treating him somewhat...mean lately. She had only started to act like this once Gohan was born and Goku could not understand why.
There were times where he would wake up in the middle of the night and find that Chi-Chi was not in bed with him but actually on the couch in the living room. There he would often find her crying for some reason but Goku never had it in him to go and ask what was exactly wrong.
Sure he knew that his wife had a bit of a temper. That was evident when they had their fight against each other back at the tournament. But during the first year of their marriage she had been nothing short of sweet and kind to him.
He would work hard all day, training at the crack of dawn before finishing and going about his tasks in collecting fire wood, hunting game, and tending to their garden. While he did not have a formal job per say Goku did put in his hours and it was rare that he got home before dusk.
How Goku remembered how happy Chi-Chi had been when he got home. How he would bring lumber to help fuel the fire for their home, or perhaps track down a T-Rex and kill it so that they would have meat for at least a couple of days (Goku's appetite was tremendous).
She would always run up to him and hug him, even if he was all sweaty, and say that she was so lucky to have such a handsome, wonderful hard working husband. He would take a bath after eating a good dinner. Sometimes his wife would join him and scrub his back or perhaps give him a good massage to ease the soreness of his muscles after a hard days work.
Goku never thought he could be happy doing something other than traveling the world and fighting but sure enough he found that he was totally content with his life right now as a husband supporting and caring for his wife. It was during this year this affection for her had went from polite acquaintance to actually loving and caring for her. He did not think he would ever love someone like this. Not even to his old grandfather did he feel such an attachment to.
But since Gohan was born it seemed that Chi-Chi had changed drastically. She fretted and complained alot. When Goku got home at dusk instead of coming at him lovingly as she did before Chi-Chi would start to complain. She would ask where Goku had been all day and why he wasn't home spending time with his child.
And Goku, being Goku, would say sorry and then the next day stay home the entire time helping around the house and taking care of Gohan. But then Chi-Chi would come at him angry once again and say why he was bumming around the house doing nothing when he should be out and about working or at least try to find a formal job.
This was what confused Goku the most. He exactly what Chi-Chi told him yet she was still getting mad at him. Why was it that he couldn't ever make her happy nowadays. It was like the woman he got married with was suddenly replaced with someone else.
Despite all this Goku always took the blame for his wife's unhappiness and did his best to do what she said. It was rare nowadays that she smiled at him. Her smiles were now only reserved for their son, Gohan.
Goku was soon shaken from his thoughts as he spied down the land below him and found Pazou Town. And from the looks of it there was trouble a brew.
The young warrior braced himself as he soon landed. Perhaps knocking the lights out of some bad guys would make him feel better.
"Are you sure you're alright Mai? We could just tell our emperor that you are not feeling well." said Shuu in concern.
"I-I'm alright Shuu there is nothing to worry about." asked Mai somewhat glumly.
"I guess not..." responded Shuu somewhat somberly.
The small fox man knew something was wrong with Mai the moment she walked into the meeting room thirty minutes late. Pilaf had really gotten into a row and scolded her greatly and said that she was not to have a bite to eat for the next two days for her insolence.
Mai was probably the more attentive and capable of the two of them and she always made it a habit to come to the meetings early. Sometimes she even had tea waiting for their emperor.
But Mai was never late so to see her come in and in the defeated state that she was in. Something was up.
However Shuu could not think too much into it as they were nearing their destination.
Both Mai and Shuu were being sent to Pazou Town in order to retrieve an artifact called "Flute of Dominating Will." According to the local lore it was an ancient instrument that Kami had left behind in accident after he had come down personally to stop a war that would destroy the country side. Kami had used the flute and anyone who had heard it were suddenly bound by its spell and had to do what the holder of flute told them to do.
Emperor Pilaf wanted this item in order to further his aims towards world domination.
It sounded like a silly fairy story but neither Shuu nor Mai were willing to disobey their master and soon left in their battle jackets (the robot suits) in order to subdue the town and get information as to the whereabouts of this flute.
They soon entered town and at once pulled their machine guns and blasted the air.
The whole town soon went into a frenzy at seeing the two robots but soon Shuu spoke out through the speaker. His voice came out lower and more menacing due to his tweaking the program a bit.
"Silence...all of you! We are here to look for something. If you can tell us where it is at then we will not bring harm to any of you." said Shuu.
At once an elderly man stepped forward. He seemed to be the leader of this town.
"What is it that you wish to find that you needed to bring such force?" asked the old man.
"We wish to find the Flute of Dominating Will. Tell us or we raze the entire town!" threatened Shuu.
Normally Mai would join in by turning her speaker on and start cackling. Like Shuu she also modified the speaker so that her voice projecting from it would come out harsher and more menacing.
However she was not feeling up to it. She looked down her own hands and started to wonder if this was really worth it. This silly petty crime and plans to take over the world. What would it bring her?
"If you two wish to find the Flute of Dominating Will you must enter Cave Pazou. The flute is rumored to reside there. But fair warning travelers. No one who has gone down has come back up." said the old man as he pointed a knobbly finger toward a nearby cave.
"Thank you old man. You have done well to think of the welfare of your people. We shall be going." said Shuu sadistically.
Mai followed Shuu and soon they entered the cave of darkness. They turned their lights on and proceeded to follow the trail of stalactites.
The whole time Mai had stayed quiet which had worried Shuu even more. He soon spoke to lighten the mood.
"What do you think our Emperor is going to do once he gets his hands on this? Probably some great, awesome scheme or something!" said Shuu excitedly.
"Hmn." responded Mai glumly.
"Mai...are you not excited? This can give us the edge we need to rule the world. Imagine we could become super powerful now! Everyone will fear us!" said Shuu excitedly.
"I-I guess that's sound good." replied Mai softly.
Shuu's ears drooped as he heard just how sad Mai was. Here he was trying to cheer her up. Before the mention of one of their plans working towards world domination would bring the most joy out of his female colleague.
But now even that was not cheering her up. What had happened to her?
"Shuu...do you think what we're doing is right?"
At once both battle robots stopped. Shuu widened his eyes and took a finger to his foxy ears and tried to clean them out. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"W-What makes you say that Mai?" asked Shuu nervously.
"I don't know. Lately I have been feeling...strange. All my life I thought that only world domination would make me happy but now..."
"M-Mai you're not making any sense." asked Shuu.
"Y-You're right. I'm not making any sense. What was I thinking. Let's go find that flute and make our Emperor happy." said Mai with a tired smile.
Shuu breathed a small breath of relief. At least Mai seemed to be getting back to normal a bit.
"That's what I want to hear. Let's go!"
The two of them continued down the cave before suddenly there was a crack on the ground and Mai suddenly fell in.
"Mai!" cried Shuu as he tried to grab the other robot's arm but missed. He could only watch helplessly as Mai and her robot fell down into the abyss.
Mai yelled out in fear as she felt her battle jacket falling towards an unknown depth. Soon she heard the sound of thunder and her mind knew no more.
Goku landed into town and could see that everyone was in a state of unrest. At once he went around asking what happened.
His inquires soon got the attention of the village elder and at once the old man smiled at the sight of Goku.
"Well if it isn't our old friend Goku. How have you been doing my boy?" asked the old man.
"Oh elder! I'm so glad to see you. I have been doing fine but I see that you all aren't. What happened here?" asked Goku seriously.
"A pair of thugs came into town with battle jackets demanding the whereabouts of the esteemed Flute of Dominating Will. I had no choice but to tell them the location lest they set our town ablaze. But I fear what they will do once they actually get a hold of the flute. Goku I beg of you. Can you go and stop them. We'll make sure to reward you handsomely for your efforts!" said the old man.
Goku's eyes narrowed at the thought of some thugs pushing around and bullying people weaker than themselves. As much as he did not want to say it Chi-Chi's new attitude toward him was taking its toll and Goku felt very high strung and stressed. The thought of pounding someone was beginning to sound really good at the moment.
"Don't worry. I'll stop them." said Goku seriously before dashing into the cave.
"Best of luck to you young man."
All around her all she could see was fire. Her skin was burning and breathing was very difficult.
She had to keep running. If she didn't stop then she would die. That much was for certain.
So she ran. Ran as fast as her little legs could. But she knew that they were catching up. The horrible, terrible people that had gone into the town and killed everyone before lighting everything on fire. The same horrible people that killed her mommy and daddy right in front of her.
She wanted to cry. Already she missed her parents so much.
All of all sudden she felt a searing pain strike one of her shoulders. The blow was so strong that she tripped and fell flat on her stomach. At once she felt a huge foot land on the small of her back, pinning her to the ground while she felt something getting pulled out of her shoulder. She screamed at the pain.
"That was nice Gunner. Didn't think anyone could hit such a small thing from so far away." said a cruel sounding voice.
"This knife has killed more people than this world's military. I pride myself in taking the time to bleed out my prey." replied the man named Gunner as he licked the blood off of his Zero Tolerance Military Issue Dagger.
She tried to squirm her way out but it was no use. The boot on her back was far too heavy. She knew that it was over. She was going to die.
"Don't worry little girl. You'll be seeing your parents soon enough. Only after I carve a new smile on that neck of yours!" said Gunner cruelly.
The young girl closed her eyes. This was it. She was dead.
All of all sudden she felt the weight on her back suddenly get thrown off. Immediately sensing this she got up in a flash and turned towards her attackers.
The two men there were being held in place by a eery looking blue glow. She turned and nearly gasped in surprise at who her savior was.
He as a short, weird looking thing, barely taller than she was. He was blue with pointed ears and teeth. However she knew that he had some great power. He was glowing blue and smiled wickedly at the two men. It was then that she knew that this strange creature seemed to hold these men in place with hardly any effort on his part.
"My my, what do we have here? Humans doing what they do best. Killing their own kind. And not only that but two rogue, male bulls such as yourselves against his one girl? Such wickedness, such cruelty. If I did not know any better I would have pegged you two as demons." said the short creature wickedly.
"W-What matter of creature are you?" asked one of the men in fear.
"I-It's a demon. He's a god-damn demon!" cried Gunner in fear as well.
"A demon you say? I suppose you're right. And once I take over this worthless world you'll get to know more of my own kind. Wait, what am I saying? You two won't live long enough to see it!" said the small creature as it opened its eyes wide and a strange light came out.
Both men screamed in utter pain before both blew up, their innards smacking around and making a mess of things.
The little girl was shocked at how easily these big, strong men just died to the creature next to her. At once she started to shiver in fear. She knew she was next.
"That's a pretty bad wound you got there. That'll leave a scar." said the strange blue creature as it examined the little' girls back before spreading his hand out and placing it on the wound. At once the blood started to retreat back into the wound and it closed up. It still left a nasty, red welt but the girl's life was no longer in danger.
"P-Please d-don't hurt me. I promise I won't do nothing to make you mad." said the girl as she tried her last ditch attempt to save her own life.
"Hmmm...you say that you won't ever to anything to make me mad huh? Well I'm plenty mad at MY family for outcasting me. But I'll show them. I'll show them my strength and take over this world! What about you girl?" asked the creature.
"M-My mommy and daddy are gone. Those horrible men and their friends hurt and made them die." sniffed the young girl.
"So you have no mommy. And no daddy. I see. How about we do this? I get to be your new mommy, or daddy, or whatever you call your sires, and in return, when you grow a little older, you get to help me take over the world. Do you want to do that?" asked the creature rather gruffly.
The little girl looked over at the blue creature and used her hand to wipe the tears from her eyes.
"Y-You promise to be my new mommy?" asked the little girl with curiosity and hope.
"Yes, yes I will be your mommy or whatever. Just answer my question girl!" replied the blue demon harshly.
"O-Okay. I can help you take the cover of the world if you'll be my mommy!" smiled the girl happily.
"Its TAKE OVER THE WORLD you silly girl, not take its covers." grunted the small demon harshly.
"You sound funny!" laughed the little girl as she forgot that this same creature just cause to men two internally explode.
"Gah such insolence girl! I could kill you right now if I wanted!" said the demon threatningly, his body glowing.
"So pretty..." said the girl in awe as she saw the creature's demonic aura.
The demon was stunned to say the least. He was somewhat touched to see such an innocent, defensless creature now coming towards him and looking up to him. He knew that this little girl was going to be a fine subject of his one day. He just knew it.
"What's you're name girl?" asked the creature.
"Mai. My name is Mai." replied the little girl with a smile.
"I see. Then come with me little one. We have alot of work to do." said the demon gruffly.
"Wait! What is your name?" asked the young Mai curiously.
"Its Pilaf. Emperor Pilaf to you!" growled the demon.
"Mommy has a funny name!" giggled Mai cutely.
"Gah! No food for you if you keep that up!" roared Pilaf in annoyance.
The little girl did not seem to pay much mind to him as she soon started to run around humming contently. She lost her parents and nearly everyone that was important to her today. However she was happy because a new mommy had now come to take care of her. A strong, powerful one that she knew would never die and leave her alone.
Mai groaned as she opened her eyes. All around her was pure darkness. She wasn't even sure whether her eyes were open or not.
She felt around her belt and soon found what she was looking for.
The flashlight was small but the light coming out of it was sufficient. She soon started to start her power jacket on but was dismayed to hear nothing but loose gears and revving. It would not turn on.
Mai cursed to herself a bit as she soon opened the hatch and made her way out. She immediately shivered from the cold draft of the cave.
"Shuu?" shouted Mai.
Mai could hear her own echoes but there was no response.
I must have fallen deeper than I thought. Damn it.
She continued to fumble around thinking of a way to get out. As she was pacing about she suddenly heard the sound of a pitfall behind her and at once she spun around and shone her flashlight at the stranger.
Before her was a young man a bit younger than her but not by too much. He seemed to have a kind demeanor but Mai still kept her guard. However there was one thing that was getting to her.
The man's hair.
Where have I seen hair like that before? It looks so familiar.
"Hey are you alright there?" asked Goku.
Mai did not know how to respond. All she did was nod here head up and down to make her affirmation.
"Oh boy I'm glad. From what you friend told me it seemed that you had a nasty fall. Glad to see you're doing alright." said the man as he offered his hand.
Mai was somewhat suspicious. She did not know how long she had stayed stuck down here but it would have made sense for Shuu to have sent for help. Biting down her fears a bit she soon spoke.
"Who are you anyway?" asked Mai in curiosity.
Goku seemed a bit perplexed by the question but then again he couldn't blame her. The woman's friend apparently didn't recognize him either.
"Don't you remember me? I was always there to stop you and your crazy master from trying to take over the world." replied Goku with a silly grin on his face.
Mai drew a breath into herself in shock.
There's no way! It can't be.
"G-Goku?" asked Mai hesitantly.
"Yup! And I know you to be one of Pilaf's people...Mai wasn't it?" replied Goku in a jovial manner.
"W-Wow. You really did grow didn't you." replied Mai in an unsure voice.
"I guess. Anyway its time to get out of here. Come." said Goku as he stepped forward.
As soon as he did Mai was suddenly reminded of all the times that Goku had really decked her and her colleagues back in the past. How that boy was so strong it was quite scary.
And now he was an grown man. Surely he was stronger than ever now.
Without even knowing it herself Mai started to step back as she felt fear suddenly overtake her body.
What is he going to do to me? Will her hurt me like before?
The fear was completely unwarranted but still Mai could not help herself. She knew that Goku did it because they were at odds with one another. But still she could not shake that fear. The fear that Goku was only here to hurt her.
Goku noticed at once the woman's unease and soon placed his hand down and stepped forward once more.
"No...please don't come any closer." whispered Mai fearfully.
Goku could not help but frown at this woman's apparent fear. What was she so scared about?
"I'm here to help you but I can't if you keep stepping away from me." said Goku in mild agitation.
"You're lying." replied Mai quietly.
Goku's face softened as he heard this. He could not believe that this woman was scared of him. But why? What had he done to make her so afraid?
"Look...I'm not going to hurt you or anything. I just want to-"
"How do I know? Its not like you had a problem with it before?" muttered Mai as she interrupted Goku.
It was then that Goku had had enough. He needed to get this over with so that he could finish shopping. This woman had been nothing but trouble for him during his childhood. He was doing her a favor. She should have been glad.
Using Zanzuken he phased behind the woman and attempted to grab her. She yelped a bit in surprise and tried to run but Goku managed to grab her jacket. Even so Mai felt the need to continue running and soon her jacket tore into pieces. Mai fell down from the recoil and immediately covered up as she was only in a sports bra.
Goku frowned as he saw her reluctance to cooperate. He did not want to do this the hard way but he really could not afford to waste time. He soon stepped forward to just drag Mai out of this cave when he suddenly saw her.
While he was somewhat surprised to see her state of undress he could not help but suddenly see the man scars that lined her body.
"W-What happened to you?" asked Goku in grave concern now.
Goku could only hear a dark chuckle coming from the woman below him. He looked down to see her place her arms about her body as if to protect herself. She soon crawled back a bit.
"You happened to me...that's why. Each and every one of these scars...all of them happened to come from you in way or another Goku." replied Mai bitterly.
It was then that Goku suddenly felt his heart seize up.
Goku never wanted to cause anyone pain. He knew that sometimes it was necessary to maim or even kill someone bad for the greater good.
Yet this woman...she was hardly a threat even back when he was a child. Yet he still wailed on her (and her comrades) as if they were all the spawn of King Piccolo himself.
It was then that Goku suddenly felt guilty about what he had done to this woman. There was no need for him to have gone as far as he did when he did battle with her and Pilaf.
"Now you know Goku. Please...just leave me alone and tell Shuu to send someone else. I know that you did not come here to hurt me. But I can't trust you. Not after what you had done to me." replied Mai bitterly once more.
It was then that Goku spoke.
"I-I never realized what I did. I'm so sorry..."
Mai looked over and found, to her complete amazement, that Goku was beginning to tear up a bit. His fists were clenched and his eyes were shut. But there was no denying.
The guilt was tearing him up.
"My grandfather always told me to treat women with respect. And now that I think about it I really did beat you up alot...more than was needed. I-I'm a martial artist darn it! I'm supposed to be helping others not maiming women...I'm so ashamed." replied Goku with a guilt ridden voice.
Mai did not know what to say. She honestly never believed that Goku was going to react this way.
Then, all of all sudden she felt herself suddenly lifted up bridal style and couldn't help but blush. She was so surprised that she didn't even fight back. Instead she looked up at Goku and suddenly she felt her heart beating at a thousand miles per hour.
I-I can't believe I'm reacting like this...to Goku of all people! But why...why do I feel its so right to be here right now in his arms? Why?
She soon started to no longer feel fear of Goku but instead security. Never had she felt so safe. She felt like with Goku here no one could hurt her. No one. Without even thinking about it she soon placed her head on his chiseled chest, placing her ear right over his heart so that she could hear him. The low thumps of his beating organ seemed to put her at peace.
Goku, for his part, felt strange that this woman was reacting the way she did. Just a moment ago she was running back scared of him and now she was acting like this? He didn't understand it.
All through his childhood he remembered doing battle against her while she was inside her robot. Back then all he could see her as was just another villain that never knew when to quit. He had no problem knocking her lights out back then.
Had she always looked like this? So small...so harmless? What the hell was he thinking when he was kid, beating her and her associates senseless the way he did?
Goku soon steeled himself so that he could fly out of this cave but was dismayed to find that he did not have enough ki. His Buku-Jutsu was still rather poor and he could only fly for short periods of time before tiring. He would have to get with either Tien or Krillen sometime. He knew that their Buku-Jutsu was far better than his.
So Goku did the next best thing and carried Mai over to a soft area where there was not that much stones and laid her there. He soon got his outer gi of his training suit and placed it under her head before sitting down in the darkness next to her.
Mai could not believe how tender Goku was treating her.
He must feel really guilty.
As she thought this she soon turned her head up and stared into Goku's eyes. She blushed and soon moved her head away.
S-Since when had he become this handsome?
Yes she remembered back in the day when the young Goku would not hesitate to attack her. But now?
"I'm sorry."
Mai's eyes widened as she heard Goku say this.
"Goku what's done is done. I did not mean to make you feel this way. If anything I should be the one saying sorry." said Mai somewhat sadly.
"I knew that you were a bad person but still. I had no right to hurt you like that." said Goku with some regret in his voice.
Mai couldn't help but feel her spirits sink as she heard that. She had started to debate whether what she was doing was really the right thing but to hear someone outright say that she was a bad person? It really made her feel sad.
"What makes you think I'm a bad person Goku?" asked Mai quietly.
"Well...isn't it obvious? You hurt people and try to steal their stuff. And then you want to use the Dragonballs for world domination. I think all that stuff is pretty bad." said Goku in a matter of fact tone.
Such straightforward goodness. This man really only sees everything in black and white. Goku...what are you?
"You know Goku...I did those things because Pilaf told me to. I knew that they were bad and sometimes I felt sorry for doing them but I could never disobey Emperor Pilaf." replied Mai glumly.
"If you knew that what you were doing was bad then why continue doing them? Why not leave Pilaf?" asked Goku in a puzzled voice.
It was then that Mai started to grasp her pant legs as tears started to come out of her eyes.
"You know...Pilaf is not the bad man that you make him out to be. Did you know that if it were not for Pilaf I would be dead right now?" asked Mai.
At once Goku's eyes went wide with surprise.
"My parents died when I was very young Goku. The men who killed my parents were also going to kill me. Pilaf saved my life that day and offered to take care of me. Pilaf was there for me when nobody else was. For that I'm eternally grateful to him. I will do anything he asks of me. If wants me to rob a bank then I will. If he wants me to take over the world with him then I will. My loyalty to him is that strong. I want to make him proud. I want to make him happy. Just as he did for me all those years ago." replied Mai with a bitter tone.
Goku did not know what to say. For the longest time he had always just assumed that Mai, Shuu and Pilaf were just a bunch of crazy yahoos who did not know when to quit. But now...he was beginning to see them, most importantly, Mai, as not a villain but as a human being. A human being with her own set of reasons for doing what she did. Her own sense of justice.
It made Goku suddenly feel even more guilty.
"You know what I really want Goku?" asked Mai as she suddenly put her head on his shoulder.
"W-What? World domination?" asked Goku rather stupidly.
"No...I want a family. You know I had a dream that I had a family. That I lived with not only Pilaf and Shuu but also with my kind husband and my two children. I was so happy. I don't even know why I'm telling you this. But understand Goku. I may have done bad things but I'm not a bad person." said Mai as her tears were beginning to come out in earnest now.
Goku looked down at the woman next to him and he couldn't help but feel a mix of pity and...something else.
She's so pretty...why hadn't I seen this before?
"Why don't you find someone then? I mean I never even saw a girl until I was twelve years old and I'm married now. I'm sure you can find someone." said Goku as he tried to comfort the older woman next to him.
"No one will want me. I'm ugly Goku. No man in their right mind will want to have me." replied Mai sadly.
It was then that Goku had enough and turned her face toward him, drawing a deep blush from the woman next to him and he soon spoke.
"I never knew it until know but you're very pretty. Don't say things that aren't true."
Mai's breath hitched as she heard this.
"Y-Your lying. You're just telling me that to make me feel better." spat Mai almost in anger.
"No...I'm not lying. You could ask all my friends and my wife. I'm terrible at lying. What I'm saying is the truth. I really do think you're pretty Mai." replied Goku with a soft smile.
Mai could not help but feel her face heat up. Her heart was beating rapidly once more and her stomach soon started to have butterflies.
"Please...tell me I'm pretty again..." she whispered softly.
Goku looked down at the woman laying her head on his shoulder and could not help but feel his stomach feel strange, like it was doing back flips. He soon went forward and placed his hand on her cheek, making her blush even harder this time.
"You're so pretty Mai did you know that?" replied Goku softly this time.
Mai almost felt like her heart was going to explode from joy. No man had ever said she was pretty. No man ever paid her such special attention. She snuggled up next to him and she realized that this was like in her dream. She felt so safe next to him and at once she was becoming alarmed at where her thoughts were taking her.
A-Am I really falling for Goku...? I am. I really am falling for Goku
"Goku...please can you hold me?" whispered Mai softly.
Goku did not know what to say. He had never held another woman other than his own wife. But knowing how distraught and sad Mai was he soon complied. He held her from behind, one arm just below her neck and above her breasts and the other arm around her soft waist.
"Am I really a bad person Goku? I don't think I am but really am I? Do you think that I'm not capable of having a family?" asked Mai quietly.
"No I don't think you are a bad person, at least not anymore. You did the things you did because you were loyal to someone who was good to you. I know what I did in the past was unforgivable. I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you the way I did." responded Goku, his guilt really gnawing at him now.
"I always thought you were such an annoying brat always getting in our way. Now I see. You're such a good person Goku. I...I wish I was in your wife's position. To know that I have a man so strong could also be so gentle. Tell me Goku...if you weren't married would you marry me?" asked Mai quietly.
Goku was shocked at this question. Never had anyone asked something like this of him before.
He looked down at Mai once more and he could feel how soft and warm her body felt against his. It was drastically different from Chi-Chi. His wife's body was hard, strong and athletic a complete contrast to this woman's body which was fuller and softer.
And her smell.
He could smell the faint traces of her perfume on her. It was...nice considering Chi-Chi did not like to wear perfume except on very special occasions.
The more he saw Mai the more he felt his heart start to accelerate.
She's so gorgeous. How could I have not seen it? That such a special woman like her had been under my nose the whole time. D-Did I make a mistake?
He then began to think. How would being married to this woman be like? She seemed far more docile and calm that his own wife. Even back when they were at odds with each other she still had a more docile temperament towards Goku then Chi-Chi ever had.
All of all sudden he realized that being married to her would not be such a bad thing. If anything...maybe it would be better than his current wife.
He loved Chi-Chi, he really did, but the insults and her anger really did start to wear at him. Some of the things she told him really did hurt. It was almost as if she was trying to grind him down so that she could feel a sense of power over him. Goku did not want to believe that to be so but it was very hard to think otherwise.
For whatever reason he knew that if Mai was married to him she would not treat him that way. She would treat him the way Chi-Chi treated him the first year of their marriage. Kind, loving and gentle.
"I would marry you Mai. Not even a second thought." whispered Goku.
Mai felt her breath hitch as she heard this.
Did Goku actually say that? Would he be willing to marry me despite our past? Goku...do you know that at this very moment my heart is in your hands now?
"Can you do me a favor?" asked Mai softly.
"What is it?"
"Kiss me. Kiss me like you would with your own wife." asked Mai.
It was an odd request but it was something that Goku was not going to deny the woman. He bent his head down and soon his lips met with hers.
The kiss was chaste at first but soon it became harsher, more passionate and full of vigor.
Both were inexperienced but it did not matter. They were wrapped up in their own world and soon they parted.
Mai touched her lips hardly believing what had just happened.
My very first kiss...and with Goku at that. It was...amazing.
Meanwhile Goku was having thoughts of his very own.
Wow...I always thought kissing was so gross. Even with Chi-Chi I sometimes feel weird doing it. But why? Why did if feel so...amazing with her?
It had confused him so much. Why did it feel so right to kiss her...a former enemy of his? He didn't know but he started to have this strange feeling come over him. His heart was beating so fast it was like he was in the middle of a battle. Never did he feel this way around Chi-Chi.
Before he knew he soon spoke.
"Can I kiss you again...Mai?" asked Goku in a bout of bashfulness never seen on him before.
Mai's eyes opened wide with surprise. Yet she was more than happy to oblige.
"Yes...yes you can but before you do can you do me one last favor?." replied Mai softly this time.
"Of course." replied Goku.
"T-Tell me that you love me. Even if you don't mean it I just want to hear you say it. Please..."
Goku shocked Mai as he boldly went in and kissed her tenderly. He soon drew back and cupped her face with his hand. Mai closed her eyes in contentment as he used his other hand to stroke the long strands of black hair on her head.
"I love you...Mai."
So Goku went forward and kissed her again.
Only this time they did not stop at just kissing.
Even if it were just for today, just for today Mai wanted to feel loved. To feel what it was like to be wife betrothed to a loving husband.
Even if that husband happened to be Son Goku.
Author's Note: Well, what do you all think? Weird pairing huh? Anyway hope you all enjoyed.