My Place among the Gods

Kochou-hime

All characters belong to their respective owners.

Confrontations Linger

"Serena!" Darien exclaimed as he placed a bundle of flowers on the table before her. Both Goku and Serena had matching dumbfounded faces as they looked up toward the man.

"We've been looking for you everywhere! We were going to check the Rose building because Mina said she thought you had class there, I guess its lucky I saw you here!" Serena looked to Mina.

"But Mina, you knew I was…" Serena began before she was cut off by Mina.

"Whoops! I guess I forgot you'd be out here!" She said loudly and expressively, "Gee Serena, think you could answer your cell phone once in awhile?" Mina finished with an annoyed tone in her voice. Serena picked up her cell phone to see nearly 50 missed calls and a text in all caps gracing her screen. It read:

"DARIEN…HERE NOW…WHAT DO WE DO!?"

Serena laughed nervously, and stood up as Darien nearly tackled her with a hug.

"Oh Serena I missed you so much! I love you." Serena froze as Darien hugged her quickly tossing a nervous look to Goku.

Vegeta started amusingly walking back toward the group gathered at the picnic table quickly followed by Rei.

"Rei!" Chad shouted as he stood up from behind the bench, "Where are you going with that guy?" Rei ignored Chad as she was much more distracted by the scene before her in the distance. She noticed that Vegeta was still laughing as she walked up beside him.

"What's so funny? This is awful; Darien has been such a jerk to Serena lately." Rei asked exasperated. Vegeta looked toward Rei with a smirk.

"I'm amused because I want to see Kakarot's reaction toward this puny human; Saiya-jinns are very possessive over their property." Vegeta stated simply. Rei's face lit up red.

"Excuse me! But Serena is not property, she's a person! And why do you call him that anyway, his name is Goku!" She corrected with balled fists. Vegeta rolled his eyes.

"Fine, Saiya-jinns are protective over the ones and the things that they care for, such as their family, planet, and in other cases prospective mates," Vegeta said the last category with a smirk, "and Kakarot is his proper Saiya-jinn name…no more questions!" Vegeta barked.

"Prospective WHAT?!" Rei bellowed, "Whatever, you're crazy." Vegeta ignored her as they approached the group.

"Hey you two!" Ami exclaimed nervously waving as Vegeta and Rei approached.

As Serena looked toward Goku she had somewhat expected to find a disappointed look on his face only to find in shock an angry one. Goku's face appeared stone-like as he looked toward Darien, when he had leaned in to hug Serena he promptly snapped the pencil in his hand in half; a very uncharacteristic display of aggression from him. As Serena's eyes opened in wonder at this display, she could hear snickering in the background.

Vegeta could hardly contain his delight at Goku's current inability to control his anger as he openly laughed. Just before he could toss a 'told you so' comment toward Rei his son, Lita, and Goten had landed before them.

"Who's that?" Goten asked motioning toward Darien as Trunks set Lita down.

"That's Darien," Lita said darkly as she was pushing up her sleeves, "and I've got a bone to pick with him!" Rei stood in front of Lita shaking her head vehemently as Serena and Darien finally parted from their hug. Darien looked upon Serena incredulously.

"What's wrong Serena? Have you not missed me?" Darien asked as emotion flew through his eyes. Serena paused as a guilty feeling washed over her. Serena looked directly into his eyes searching for the words when suddenly she felt a hot flush rising through her face as she took a step back and thrust her tiny fists down to her side.

"Darien!" She nearly shouted causing everyone observing to be taken aback in shock. "I haven't even spoken to you for 2 months. How can you just show up like this and ask me if I've missed you?" Serena emphasized accusingly as Darien took a step back.

"Huh?" Darien asked seemingly confused as Serena red faced leaned in toward him. Darien put his hand behind his head nervously as he looked sheepishly at Serena. "Gee, I had no idea you were so mad at me, maybe we should go somewhere and talk about this…" Darien trailed off with his eyes scanning the audience around him.

"Hey Darien," Darien turned toward the voice that had spoken his name only to see Rei with her arms crossed suspiciously. "You don't seem to be too observant, haven't you noticed we've made some new friends?" Darien raised an eyebrow as he scanned the men standing near Rei and glanced back toward the table where Serena had been sitting by another angry looking man.

"Oh," Darien commented as he leaned toward Goku with an outstretched hand, "I guess I was so excited to see Serena I wasn't paying much attention. I'm Darien." He stated toward Goku only to be greeted with no response as he locked eyes with the significantly larger man. Goten looked to Trunks nervously as both of them stepped up to Darien.

"Hey, I'm Goten!" Goten said as he came between Goku and Darien to shake his hand.

"I'm Trunks, its nice to meet you," Trunks added as he too shook Darien's hand. An awkward silence fell over the group as tension had inevitably befallen everyone, while Darien tucked his hands in his pockets looking confused. He finally opened his mouth to speak to Serena when a gasp escaped instead.

Piccolo's feet slowly touched the ground as he landed beside Darien and in front of Goku. Goku's eyes shifted from Serena and Darien toward Piccolo as they went wide in wonder.

"Piccolo!" Goku laughed as he stood up from his seat and walked in front of the table. He leaned in excitedly toward the tall green alien with his eyes wide. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in dead? How was hell? I bet you were having lots of fun beating the crap out of Freeza!" Goku babbled as Piccolo smirked at the man.

"Its good to see you too, Goku." Piccolo said gruffly as his eyes shifted to see some very shocked faces. His eyes finally fell upon Serena as they widened in shock. A sound left his throat as the short girl's shocked eyes met with his.

'This must be her! But she looks so normal,' Piccolo thought to himself as he continued to stare, 'she hides her identity well.' Piccolo finally looked back to Goku

"Goku, we need to talk, there's something you need to know." Piccolo said as Goku's face became serious. Piccolo's shocked expression toward Serena hadn't gone unnoticed to him.

"Yeah, looks like we have some things to fill you in on as well." Goku said as Piccolo stepped toward him in urgency.

"No Goku, you don't understand. You have no idea what your association with Serenity is attracting!" Piccolo exclaimed as he motioned toward Serena. Serena took a step back as the use of the name 'Serenity' didn't go unnoticed by incognito Sailor Soldiers. Rei stepped in front of Serena followed by Lita.

"Wait just a second, who are you?" Rei asked as she extended her arm protectively in front of Serena.

"Yeah, what's your business here?" Lita asked also. Piccolo looked shocked at the girls as Vegeta too stepped up beside Goku and Piccolo.

"Namek, what in the hell are you talking about?" Vegeta demanded. Argument broke out amongst the strange group until finally silenced by a suggestive voice.

"Hey guys, maybe we should go somewhere else…" Mina said popping up in the middle of everyone, "I don't think the students of Tokyo University are taking too well to this big green guy!" Mina laughed nervously as she pointed to a crowd gawking in wonder. Goku laughed nervously as he put his hand behind his head. Piccolo narrowed his eyes toward Mina because of how she had referred to him.

"Yeah, we should probably head back to the mansion and work all this out." He suggested. Lita shook her head and put her hand up.

"I think we need some time to cool off, let's meet at your guys' place for dinner, I'll cook! And we can figure out what the hell is going on." She suggested as the Saiya-jinns of the group seemed pleased with this. They all agreed as Darien reached down to take a hold of Serena's hand.

"Come on Serena, this is way too weird, let's head back for now." Serena nodded as she started walking away with Darien. She turned back and saw an extremely disappointed Goku watching them leave.

Rei watched Darien and Serena leave as she put her hand to her temple as she felt a slight pain.

"Hey guys, there's something not right with Darien." Rei commented. The group looked to Rei.

"What do you mean, he seems fine to me, a jerk, but fine." Lita commented as she too looked at them walk away.

"I don't know. I just have a weird feeling." Rei finished. Mina put her finger in the air.

"Well, that's my cue!" and with that remark she went running towards Serena and Darien grabbing Darien's arm at his other side and walking along with them. Sweat drops formed on the girls' heads as they observed this.

"Mina; the professional third wheel." Lita commented shaking her head. She turned to see that the one Goku referred to as Piccolo, Goku, Trunks, Goten, and Vegeta had all disappeared leaving the three other girls standing there bewildered. "Geez, what's with the disappearing act?" Rei waved her hand dismissively.

"Whatever, let's just head back."

Goku walked into the door of his Tokyo mansion with the others close behind him. Confusion etched across his face as he thought back to his actions earlier. He had almost lost it when Darien had hugged Serena and he didn't understand why. Goku many times had lost control of his emotions during and with the prospect of battle which was one source of his great power, but never in a situation like this. He sat down at the kitchen table placing his head into his hands followed by a sigh. The other three Saiya-jinns and Piccolo filed into the kitchen after Goku. Goten looked toward Goku with a puzzled expression.

"Dad," Goten stated prompting Goku to look at him. "What's wrong with you? I thought you were going to pummel Serena's boyfriend and now you're all depressed?" he asked dumbly. Trunks smacked his forehead.

"Are you serious Goten?" Trunks asked incredulously, "Are you really that blind?" Goten scratched the back of his head thoughtfully as a grunt came from the other side of the room.

"Kakarot," Vegeta began as he stood against the walls with his eyes closed, "I'll gladly take care of that puny human mate of hers for you, and then we can all get on with our lives." He finished with a smirk as Goku fell out of the chair in shock.

"Vegeta! What are you talking about? That's really not appropriate, why would Dad want to kill Darien?" Goten asked with his eyes practically bugging out of his head.

"What in the hell is going on?" Piccolo barked from the kitchen entryway causing all the eyes of the Saiya-jinns' to fall upon him. Vegeta grunted.

"Kakarot wishes to mate with the Moon Woman." He said flatly as Trunks nodded. Goku again fell out of his chair as Goten too fell over.

"What? Mate? What in the heck is going on Dad?" Goten asked as Goku only sighed.

'Moon Woman…' Piccolo thought as he recalled his conversation with Ares, 'Serenity's mother was once queen of a kingdom on the moon; he must be talking about Serenity!'

"Goku!" Piccolo said his eyes opened wide, "you must not associate with Serenity anymore, its too dangerous!"

"Actually, her name is Serena." Trunks corrected as Piccolo looked at him strangely.

"Whatever you call her, she's the daughter of the immortal God Zeus, and some of his adversaries are after her and you all are right in the crosshairs!" Piccolo explained as the Saiya-jinns' eyes opened wide in disbelief. Trunks scoffed.

"Hold on," Trunks said placing his hands on his hips, "I'm already finding it hard to believe that Serena is the future queen of the world, now you're telling me she's the daughter of the mythical 'Lord of the Skies'?" Piccolo gritted his fanged teeth and fists.

"Its no myth! I know for certain." Piccolo explained as Trunks appeared surprised, "the immortals are not a group to mess with, and even the greatest fighters in the universe cannot outlive their wrath!" Piccolo warned as Goku stood up.

"But Piccolo, I saw her memories, there was nothing in them about being the daughter of an immortal." Goku stated looking for an explanation.

"What?!" Piccolo asked. He looked down at the floor and pondered for a few moments before looking back up, "Its possible she does not know," he finally stated calmly, "but I know absolutely that she is his daughter." He then went on to explain his experience with Ares while he helped him maintain the underworld in place of the banished Hades.

"The Saiya-jinn race once worshipped Ares," Vegeta commented incredulously toward Piccolo, "I too believed it to be just a myth." Piccolo shook his head as silence had befallen the room.

"Well either way," Goku finally said breaking the silence, "I promised Serena that I would protect her, so I'm not going anywhere." Piccolo fell over as the Saiya-jinns seemed stunned as well.

"Hmm," Vegeta sounded, "taking on the immortal Gods now are we? I'm interested." He finished, like Goku, never turning down the prospect of a challenge.

"Look, the girls will be here any minute," Goten interrupted, "let's finish this conversation when they arrive." Piccolo turned to leave.

"Hey, where are you going?" Trunks asked.

"To find Gohan." He muttered gruffly as Goten interrupted yet again.

"I called him a bit earlier, he's going to stop by later; he's said he had a big meeting at the university where he teaches right now." Goten explained as Piccolo huffed and sat down in a corner of the living room.

"Fine." He breathed as Trunks and Goten filed out of the kitchen in suit. Vegeta turned to follow when stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"What is it Kakarot?" he asked annoyed as Goku sighed.

"Vegeta, what's wrong with me? Why am I acting like this?" Goku asked. Vegeta crossed his arms and smirked toward him.

"Its just like anything else it is for you, isn't it?" Vegeta asked as Goku appeared confused. "The challenge of winning her over is just as appealing to you as any challenging competitor in battle. You no longer have a mate and now you desire one. Do not be fooled into thinking that this is different than fighting; many wars of the universe have been waged over women." Vegeta finished as he too, finally exited the kitchen.

Goku stood bewildered as he thought about what Vegeta had said.

'Is it true?' he thought, 'Are these feelings I have for Serena all for the thrill of the challenge?'

AN: So this chapter was going to go on longer but I wanted to post...so 12 will be coming shortly!

I appreciate comments, reviews, and critques! :)

Also...I've been spending some time on fan art for my stories (this, and Alone on Earth) so check them out on my deviant art page!

(Its my homepage) Name: Kochou-hime

I'd love to know what you think!

~Always,

Kochou-hime