The Bonded

Part One


Marron set the tray down and began pouring tea for her guests. The room was full. Chatting with her was a dark-haired haired female of a similar age. On the other side of the table, three muscled, ebony haired men and one with purple hair were talking amongst themselves and to an assortment of females, one with cropped blue hair. Standing with his back to the wall was a green-skinned alien. Before him, a pig and an ancient were talking together beside a very old, quiet turtle, two males engaged in conversation behind the animals, and a petite blond stood to one side. Marron began passing out the steaming Japanese cups and was thanked off-handedly amidst the conversations.

"It's good to hear that you're taking care of yourself, Goku -- thanks, Marron -- without a woman around. How's Vegeta?"

"He's doing fine. Training, still, and he has two students. What about Bra? I haven't seen your daughter in years. Why couldn't she come?"

"She had some date with her boyfriend that she couldn't reschedule. Although I doubt she tried very hard. She seems quite taken with this one."

To their side, Goten bowed to his brother's family and sat down with his sibling, curious as to what had happened in the last few months. Trunks stood close by, leaning over to speak to Videl and then sitting on a couch, arms crossed loosely. Across the room, a stocky and short man was talking to a well-aged, brash male.

"I figured that Earth will need some defense if it's ever attacked."

"Good point, especially now that Roshi's, uh -- can't train anymore."

"He's dead, Yamcha."

"I know." He sighed. "Hard to imagine we would miss the old guy, huh? Anyways -- if Earth is ever attacked, we can always rely on the saiya-jin."

Krillin nodded and look towards Goku, absently accepting tea from his daughter. He really had not changed at all. Surrounded by his friends, familiar faces marred with age, Goku looked out of place. Yamcha's dark gaze turned towards Goku as well, thoughtfully.

A sharp ring cut off the lazy conversations as Bulma tapped a glass with a piece of cutlery. All eyes turned to her as she stood. "This isn't my home --" she nodded briefly to Krillin and then to Juuhachi-gou, "-- but welcome. It's about time we got together again. We don't seem to see so much of each other in peaceful times. Let's all catch up and enjoy the hospitality!" There was a brief applause, and then Marron stood.

"Barbeque starts in forty minutes, everyone." The applause for her was much louder and Bulma laughed before returning to her conversation.


The smell of roasting meat floated lazily on the summer air, its richness completely lost on Goku. He was eating with the same dedication he had twenty years ago. All food within a meter radius of him disappeared at an alarming speed, and he spoke around mouthfuls.

"Things got pretty quiet -- great ribs! -- so I decided to take on a few students." He devoured half of the rice at the table and Kririn watched a week's worth of preparation disappear in moments.

"I know what you mean. There's so little going on. I took on my students for the same reason."

"Yeah -- mmph -- it's not like the old times."

Changing the mood abruptly, Krillin looked hard at the other man. "I just don't understand how you can do it, Goku. There's no one to fight, you live alone, you aren't even aging."

Goku froze with chopsticks in front of his mouth, giving his old friend a peculiar look. "You're wrong. I don't live alone, Vegeta's there. It's different, Krillin, just the two of us, but not bad." The thoughtful look on his face faded and he turned back to his food.

Krillin shook his head but said nothing. It continued to amaze him: if it had not been for the slight ache in his bones and general feelings of age, he would not have known any time had passed. Goku looked no worse for the wear. He was not the only one. To his left were his sons, eating at the same rapid rate and looking as if they had just reached their prime. Piccolo sat to the side, with his water canteen, the lines of age almost undetectable. Even Krillin wife looked no older than she had when they first met, thirty-some years ago. But then, she was an android.

But age was not the only thing that bothered Krillin. Goku's defense aside, Krillin was still amazed the other was doing so well. When Chichi had fallen ill and the disease had been pronounced fatal, Krillin feared his friend would fall into a depression. After all, they had been together for years and had two children on top of that. Goku had been sad, but when the heart disease finally overtook Chichi -- the same genetic illness that had killed her father years before -- Goku had mourned and then moved on, fitting well into a comfortable life living with Vegeta and continuing to train and fight. It was not that he did not care, but it was not the reaction that Kririn had predicted.

Krillin sighed, the small expression unnoticed by those around him. Things just didn't end up right, he thought. Not the way that I expected them to. Everything has changed.

His reminiscing was interrupted by a playful shove that send him sprawling to the ground. Towering above when he looked up was Gohan, who had apparently eaten his fill. Krillin jumped to his feet, almost as agile as he had been in his prime. "Gohan! How's it been, kid?"

Gohan was no longer young, but Krillin continued to use the name, something more fond than frustrating. Gohan embraced his friend and pulled back smiling. "Fine, Krillin. Wonderful."

"How's the family?"

Taking a step to the side, Gohan gestured widely behind him, where Pan and Videl where talking animatedly with Marron. "You can see those two are ok. Makuno's at home, with a babysitter."

"Sweet little runt..." Kririn mused at the mention of Gohan's son, and he mentally assessed Gohan. He looked happy -- if peace agreed with anyone, it was the demi-saiya-jin. A wife, family, and a good job at Orange Star University. His friend was fine, and Krillin was unworried. If only his father was doing as well, he thought, but pushed the thought from his mind. He smiled and relaxed, falling into an easy conversation.

Across the island that accommodated the newly expanded Kame House, there was a late arrival. The figure was very well muscled with a bald head and three narrow eyes. After landing he looked around himself blankly, as if he expected someone to be following him. Goku was waiting and bowed to his friend, then stepped forward and laid a causal hand on Tenshinhan's shoulder. "Hey. How are you?"

After a moment had passed Tenshinhan's eyes focused on the saiya-jin's face and he responded. "Not too well. But even without Chouzu, life must go on. What about you, Goku?"

"You said it. Life goes on." He changed the subject, "Everyone's here now," ticking them off on his fingers, "Gohan and Goten, Trunks, Videl, Pan, Bulma, Yamcha, um ... Krillin, Juuhachi-gou, and Marron, of course, Piccolo, Pu'ar, and me. Food's in the backyard. I think Kririn will want to talk to you, Tien. Something about one of his students.

"I'll go see him. Vegeta didn't come?"

"No. He still doesn't think of himself as part of the group." He shrugged. "You know Vegeta."

"Ah." Tenshinhan paused, glancing to his side with a thoughtful expression and leaving Goku to wonder at what he was thinking. Looking back up, he smiled faintly. "Good to see that you're doing well, Goku."

The saiya-jin watched the other's retreating back with a frown. Why is everyone concerned about me? he wondered. I'm doing fine ... but they don't seem to accept that. He shook his head. It's as if they still don't trust Vegeta, even after all this time. There is nothing wrong with him! Goku shrugged in an admission of defeat to an argument he didn't dare begin. He set out, walking around the house to join the crowd.


As the sun began to set over the island, Krillin peered upwards. He watched as the glowing trails twinkled like stars and then faded into the dusk. Juuhachi-gou came from behind and took his hand, her face also upturned.

"When do you think we'll see them again?" Krillin asked softly, tightening his grip on her hand.

She only sighed in reply and then turned to him. "Who are you worried about?"

"Goku."

She smiled very slightly at him then, her face mature but un-aged. "Trust him. He's a strong man, he'll be fine."

Krillin stretched up and kissed her lips softly. "I love you." She returned the words and then they dropped hands, turning back to the Kame House.

Marron grinned out into the dark at her parents' private emotions and stacked the last plate. She started the dishwasher and dried her hands, humming a composition under her breath. In passing, she wished her parents good night. Entering the living room, she pulled on a pair of earphones and grabbed a stool, setting it in front of the twin keyboards in the corner. As night overtook the world, she warmed up her fingers and then broke into a heavy-based, ominous minor song for her ears alone.