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CHAPTER TEN

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Goku was sitting at his table and solemnly gazing into his fireplace as his food lay cold in front of him. He didn't feel much like eating at the moment. The only thing he could think of was the princess.

He was startled out of his daydreams by a strange thumping noise outside his house. He blinked as he stood and went to the door, and Goku was more than surprised by what he saw outside.

"Artemis?" He asked in a puzzled tone as he walked out of the tree hut. He stepped over to the white feline and watched with curiosity as he stacked wood and stones on top of each other in a straight line. "What are you doing?" Goku could vaguely tell what it was, but he was curious as to why.

Artemis pushed a stone under a piece of wood, barely glaring over at the saiya-jin. "I would think you would recognize a wall when you see one," He grunted.

Goku scratched the back of his head. "Well, yeah, but the wall's supposed to go around my swamp, not through it," He pointed out.

Artemis continued to build. "It is, around your half. See, that's your half, and this is mine," He explained curtly.

Goku frowned. "Oh! Your half. Hmm.." He was getting annoyed now.

Artemis glared up at him. "Yes, my half. I helped rescue the princess, I did half the work, I get half the booty. Now hand me that big old rock, the one that looks like your head," He snapped.

Goku grabbed a piece of wood to chuck at the cat, and Artemis grabbed the other side of it. They began trying to shove off one another and growled angrily as they pushed.

"Back off!" Goku growled.

"No, you back off!" Artemis hissed.

"This is my swamp!" Goku snarled at him.

"Our swamp!" Artemis countered.

"Let go Artemis!" Goku warned.

"You let go!" Artemis yelled back.

"Stubborn ass!" Goku snapped.

"Smelly Saiya-jin!" Artemis returned just as coldly.

"Fine!" Goku yelled as he let go, letting Artemis fall to the ground. He turned and headed back for his door while Artemis blinked at him from the ground.

"Hey, hey, hey, come back here, I'm not finished with you yet!" Artemis cried as he ran after Goku. The tall saiya-jin kept walking.

"Well, I'm through with you!" He hissed over his shoulder.

Artemis cut him off before he could go inside. "Uh-huh, you know, with you it's always me, me, me. Well, guess what? Now it's my turn!" He exclaimed, stamping his foot on the ground, and Goku stopped in his tracks. "So you just shut up and pay attention! You are mean to me, you insult me, and you don't appreciate anything that I do. You're always pushing me around, or pushing me away," Artemis was in full blown lecture mode, and Goku was getting an earful, which he deserved.

The saiya-jin wasn't ready to listen, though, and he whirled around to face Artemis after trying to walk away from him again. "Oh yeah? Well if I've treated you so bad, how come you came back?" He snapped.

Artemis slammed him into the door of the outhouse and glared at him. "Because that's what friends do. They forgive each other!" He growled.

Goku smiled at him. "Oh, yeah, yeah, you're right Artemis. I forgive you... For stabbing me in the back!" He shoved Artemis away and went inside the outhouse, slamming the door behind him.

Artemis let out a frustrated howl. "Auugh! You're so wrapped up in layers, onion boy, you afraid of your own feelings!" He yelled.

Goku's muffled yell came back from inside. "Go away!"

Artemis snorted in annoyance. "See? There you're doing it again! Just like you did to Rei, and all she ever did was like ya, maybe even love ya!" He ranted.

Goku snapped from within once again. "Love me? She said I was ugly! A hideous creature! I heard the two of you talking," He said viciously.

Artemis frowned. "She wasn't talking about you, she was talking about--uh, somebody else." He wished he could just tell Goku, but that was the princess's call to make. Goku slowly opened the door.

"She... wasn't talking about me? Well then, who was she talking about?" He asked.

Artemis sneered at him and gave him his back. "Uh-uh, no way. I ain't saying anything. You don't want to listen to me, right? Right?" He snapped.

Goku rolled his eyes. "Artemis," He said softly.

The feline just glared over his shoulder. "No!" He said before looking away again.

Goku sighed. "Ok, look, I'm sorry, all right?" He said half-heartedly. He received a glare in response. Goku bit his lower lip. "I'm sorry. I guess I am just a big, stupid, ugly saiya-jin. Can you forgive me?" He said with sincerity this time.

Artemis smiled at him. "Hey, that's what friends are for, right?" He grinned.

Goku smiled a bit. "Right. Friends?" He grinned widely as Artemis nodded.

"Friends." The two shook hands.

Goku scratched the back of his head nervously.

"So, um, what did Rei say about me?" He asked.

Artemis snickered. "Man, what are you asking me for? Why don't you just go ask her?" He chuckled. Goku suddenly looked panicked.

"The wedding! We'll never make it in time!" He cried.

Artemis smirked triumphantly. He made a victory pose and let out a heroic laugh. "Ha-ha! Never fear! For where there's a will, there's a way, and I have a way." He winked at Goku then let out a long whistle.

The two watched in awe as Filia jumped from the bushes and smiled at them. Her look was still alarming for Goku though.

"Artemis?" He gulped. Artemis laughed in embarrassment.

"I guess it's just my animal magnetism," He said softly.

Goku snickered at him. Now that he understood, it was kind of humorous. "Aw, come here, you!" He hugged the shorter feline and gave him a nuggie.

Artemis twisted out of his grasp with a laugh. "All right, don't get all slobbery. No one likes a kiss-ass," He snickered.

Filia helped Goku get onto her back and pulled the saiya-jin's arms around her neck. "All right, hop on and hold on tight.. I haven't had a chance to install my seat belts yet," He joked as he climbed into his love's back.

Filia kissed him tenderly as she started to fly fast and began to head for Lord Darien's castle.

At the castle, the crowd of people was making stupid cooing sounds that they were actually being led through by cue cards, courtesy of Mr. Satan. Rei found this utterly ridiculous, but she didn't say anything. The priest was still trying to get through the first sentence, and they had been standing there for almost five minutes now. Rei decided it was taking far too long, it was almost sunset.

"Um, excuse me, can we just skip ahead to the 'I do's?' " She asked quietly.

The priest glanced at the chuckling groom. "Go on," Darien ordered. He squeezed the princess's hand and gave her a sickening smile. Rei wondered what she had gotten herself into.

Outside the wedding hall, Filia had just landed. Her sudden appearance had made the knights scatter in fear, and she looked down at them hungrily. Artemis turned to give her a quick kiss and smiled at her. "Go ahead and have some fun. If we need ya, I'll whistle. How about that?" He asked.

Filia nodded and gave her smaller love a quick pinch to the rear before running after some of the frightened guards. Artemis grinned to himself as he ran after Goku, who had rushed towards the chapel.

"Goku, wait, wait! Wait a minute, you wanna do this right don't you? Look, there's a line; there's a line you gotta wait for. The priest is gonna say, 'speak now or forever hold your peace.' " He imitated the priest as he explained things.

Goku rolled his eyes. "What are you talking about?" He huffed.

Artemis kept going. "And that's when you say, 'I object!'" He stamped his foot for emphasis. Goku frowned at him.

"Oh, I don't have time for this!" He started to go inside, but Artemis pulled him back.

"Hey wait, wait, what are you doing? Listen to me! Look, you love this woman, don't you?" he said calmly.

Goku nodded. "Yes," he said lightly.

Artemis raised an eyebrow at him. "You wanna hold her?" He asked.

Goku nodded again. "Yes."

Artemis's voice took on an almost melodic tone. "Please her?" He asked.

Goku growled at him. "Yes!" He snapped. Artemis did a quick dance and sang out.

"Then ya got 'ta, got 'ta, show a little tenderness~!" He stopped and grinned at his friend. "The royals love that romantic crap!" He explained.

Goku glared at him. "All right, cut it out! When does this guy say the line?" He asked in annoyance.

Artemis opened his mouth, then closed it, looking thoughtful for a moment. "We gotta check it out," He whispered stealthily.