By the time Goku and Tien made it back to Goku's mountain home, night had fallen. Tien releases some harmless energy to cast a little light on the property, just enough to see how much work needs to be to be done in the days to come. Goku really wasn't kidding when she told him that there is a lot of work to be done. Upon seeing all the furniture out on the grounds, "I brought a spare capsule house with me, I can set it up in a space after clearing a few limbs out of the way, then we'll have shelter for however long we need it."
"Sure, that sounds better than trying to find a clean enough corner in the cottage. Thank you, Tien, for coming to help me." She is relieved that her companion is smart enough to think so far ahead, to be prepared for situations that she's never considered problematic before. Seems like Tien is the perfect yin to her yang, brought together by martial arts. They started off as rivals over 4 years ago, now they are friends. He keeps her down to earth, while she shows him that it's not a bad thing to smile and be silly. In fact, Goku tends to forget about everyone around her when Tien is nearby. In all honesty, she always feels a bit silly once she realizes that she's been ignoring everyone else around her.
Tien gives the young woman beside him a small smile. "Not a problem, Goku. Let's get an area clear and I'll pop the capsule." Man and woman work side by side to clear the hilltop. The large man presses the button of the bullet-sized tablet and throws it into the middle of the newly made clearing. After hearing the loud 'BOM' of the release mechanism, a small house appears in front of the couple. "If I know you, you're hungry. Even though, we just finished eating at Ox King's castle. Seems like you are one who's always wanting to eat." The two walks into the house as the woman's stomach gives an answer before she could verbalize it.
"Yeah, I can eat. Does my appetite bother you? I know it's a bit alarming to most people." Goku replies as he begins cooking and she sits down at the table to keep the conversation going. She watches as the man she admires most pull this pot and that pot out from the cupboards. She blinks rapidly, discovering that being with one of her newest friends, relaxes her. He makes her feel content, like no matter what comes her way, she can meet it head on, with the handsome man by her side.
Tien kindly chuckles. "It doesn't annoy me. I'd rather room with a woman who isn't afraid of to eat to her heart's content. I prefer a girl like you, then like Bulma who eats half the proper portions for her meals..."
"Portions? What are those?" Goku interjects.
"A portion is parts of the meal. Like, my portion is what I eat on my plate, and your portion is everything else." Tien explains and snickers at the blush that forms on the young woman's face. "You said your grandpa is around here. I thought he had passed away." The young man takes control of the conversation.
"Grandpa did pass away when I was young. I was 10 when I met Bulma, and I had been on my own for a few years by then. I buried him under his favorite tree down the back footpath. I'll introduce you to him in the morning. That is, if you don't mind meeting a dead person." Goku rubs the back of her head, suddenly feeling awkward at the situation she's putting her companion in. She locks eyes with the man at the stove. "I'm sorry I don't know much about cooking. Outside of cooking meat over a fire, Grandpa never taught me. Always said I was much too young, and I never really showed an interest in learning."
Tien simply smiles. "I'd be honored to meet one of the greatest martial artists known to the world, dead or alive. Ya know, most people I've come across usually are put off by my third eye, but you never reacted to it."
"It makes you unique, like my tail made me unique." Goku says simply, shrugging it off. She was silent for a while. "Even though Kami explained all the reasons why removing my tail would benefit everyone else, I miss my tail. It was a part of me that I was able to use as an extra arm or something. Grooming it relaxed me, getting it to shine so pretty. I really miss my tail." The woman lowers her head at her admission.
"I think I'm the only one in our group of friends that can relatively understand that sentiment." He chuckles at Goku's confused look. "I get what you're feeling. I'm the only other person in our group that has a unique physical body part, like you. You had your tail that none of the humans of our group have, and I'm the only one with a third eye. My eye allows me to see clearer in a lot of aspects. Fighting, a person's aura... I can't imagine what I'd be like if I lost my eye. You lost a part of you. I bet you feel incomplete without it, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do feel like I'm missing an important piece to myself." The younger of the two sighs out. Before anything else on the depressing topic could be uttered, Goku's stomach made its demands for food heard. Both young adults laugh, thankful that the topic could easily be changed. "Is the food almost done?" Goku giggles out.
Tien chuckles and turns from the stove. "Yes, Goku. Just a few more minutes and our meal will be ready to eat." The tallest of her friends approaches her and squats down, locking his eyes with hers. "I miss your tail, too. I thought it suited you. As much as my former master degraded you behind your back about your tail, I always liked it. You are playful, hard-working, caring, and determined. Maybe we can convince Kami to give back your tail." The large man turns back to the stove to begin plating their late supper.
As Tien sets the plates down, Goku smiles brightly at her comrade. "Thank you so much for cooking, Tien! This all smells so good!" The bulky man smiles and nods. "So... Do you remember the night we met?"
Tien laughs around his mouthful. "Of course, I remember. I couldn't believe some pipsqueak of a girl had found us and had the audacity to ask us for food."
"Is that why you attacked me? Because I was asking for food?" Goku questions, completely taken back that he would attack her for that reason.
"No, I attacked you because I thought you had heard our plans for the scam we were running. We thought you'd call the police or warn the villages we hadn't gotten to yet. After you had ultimately caught on to what Chiaotzu and I were doing, I was furious that you survived that first fight we had at our camp and with the next village you got the animal that we were given to trust and protect you. We had never seen InoShikaCho behave toward anyone like he did you. That's when I suspected that there was more to you than we thought."
"And then we saw each other again at the tournament. The Crane Hermit discovered that I was a student of Master Roshi's and wanted you to hurt us all."
"Yes, but then he found out that you had supposedly killed his brother, he became even more determined to humiliate you and your master. During our match in the finals, he wanted me to kill you. To make you feel the pain of death as you had given Tao. But throughout that tournament, you and Jackie Chun taught me the true path of a martial artist. I never did take the chance to thank you for that."
"You weren't exactly given the chance to. With King Piccolo showing up and bringing his mess, and then I went to train with Mr. Popo and Kami. You're welcome, though. I knew you could be great... and I'm glad I was right." Goku took a deep breath and decided to tell Tien how she felt, or at least test the waters. "Say, Tien... I'm really glad that you survived fighting King Piccolo. I'm not sure what I would have done if you hadn't."
"I'm glad I lived, too. So, is that why you wouldn't attack Piccolo while he was holding my head like a softball? You didn't want me to die?"
"Yeah, and then talking with Bulma that night before the preliminaries got me to realize something... about you."
"Oh, yeah? What did you realize about me?" Tien was beginning to see why Goku was being so unlike herself.
"That I like everything about you. You're brave, you're the first person right behind me in a fight, you are so strong. I couldn't chance killing you along with King Piccolo." She set down her chopsticks and looks at the man in her presence. He does the same as he senses that she was getting battle serious. "Bulma helped me to realize that I want you to stay in my life. That I want to see if there is a future for us together. I'm glad you asked me for a date, because I want to take those vows with you. I really like you, Tien. I'm not sure if it's love, but I want to find out if it could be."
Tien rises from his chair and walks to the object of his affection. "Goku... Are you asking me to stay with you after your home is fixed up?"
"Yes, I want to redo the hut into a meditation room for you and build a real house out here. I know you enjoy meditating and you can have your own space. Chichi wants to teach me how to cook better and..." Tien places a hand gentle to Goku's mouth to quiet her.
"I'm honored that you feel so strongly about me. Thank you for offering me a home now that I can never return to the Crane School. If I can make a request before I say yes or no?" He lowers his hand to allow Goku to speak her answer, but she simply smiles and nods. "Could we add a room for Chiaotzu, please? He would be homeless if I come to live with you and leave him. Plus, I made him the same promise to never leave him alone as I made to you. Having him live with us would just make it easier for me to keep both promises."
"Chiaotzu can come live with us, too. I don't want anyone to feel lonely. Or make him hate me for making you choose me over him." Goku giggles as she is overjoyed with the thought of not having to be alone for a very long time. Tien makes his way back to his meal while Goku resumes eating.
When their meal is finished and the two work side by side to wash dishes. Tien places the last plate onto the stack in the cupboard. "Do you want to take a shower first? Or do you want to take one in the morning?"
"I think I'll take one now, if you don't mind. I'm pretty sure I have cobwebs in my hair and a layer of dust on my skin, even after riding on Nimbus." Goku reaches to rub the back of her neck, but halts her movement in fear of subjecting Tien to the dust or cobwebs. She giggles as she lowers her hand and sheepishly smiles at the big man. He chuckles and nods at her, silently turning to walk up the hallway before extending his arm toward the bathroom.
"Here, Goku. Take your time. I think I'm going to go for a walk and find a spot to meditate for a bit. Give you as much privacy as you want." Tien hands the petite woman a fluffy towel with a small smile and walks to the door leading to the night sky. The former champion flips the front porch light on as he hears the showerhead begin to spray water from the bathroom. He smiles as he shuts the door and takes a deep breath of forest air. His smile grows as he thinks, or rather knows, he could get use to living around here. Calming himself, the large martial artist closes his two main eyes, leaving his third, mind's eye, open. His objective is to find a peaceful place where he could meditate, feel the land, connect with his new home. To imagine at some point what it was like here for Goku.
With his eyes closed, the warrior's feet move on their own accord, the third eye sensing his surroundings and leading the way. Unknowingly to Tien, his eye is leading him down the back path to the shidare ume tree, where Goku's grandfather is buried. His eye feels a pull to the spot and takes his preferred position for meditation. After taking deeper, mind-clearing breaths, he levitates as he begins humming, "Aum."
Going deeper and deeper into his state, an image before his eye becomes clearer and clearer. It's a short, older man, seemingly just a bit younger than Master Roshi. He has a bushy, white mustache and gentle eyes. "You must be the young man my Goku mentioned earlier today. Judging by your gi, you are not a student of Master Roshi's, so you are not Krillin. I can only assume you are this Tien that she wants to introduce me to." The elder spirit chuckles at the surprised look from the young, living man. "You came to my own favorite place to meditate, though, you are hovering above my head." Tien shifts where he is hovering to the side a couple feet. As the younger stays quiet, the elder chuckles. "Young man, do you mean to tell me you have mastered the third eye chakra and have never had a conversation with a spirit? Come, come, give it a try."
Tien swallows against his dry throat, finally putting pieces together. "You're Goku's grandfather. I am Tien and until recently, no spirits wished to converse with a martial artist who was on the path behind the footsteps of an egocentric conman, whose only objective in life was to strike fear in others. Would even kill with out the slightest hesitation. After facing Goku in the 22nd tournament, along with conversing with Master Roshi… They helped me to realize that I didn't want to follow in his footsteps. I never enjoyed inflicting pain like they wanted me to, or like I pretended to."
"So, you are telling me that your life until meeting my granddaughter, was a lie to appease your master. Who was your master, Tien?"
"The Crane Hermit, Shen, was my master until the 22nd tournament and at the most recent tournament, I publically humiliated my master and his brother, while throwing away all loyalty to the school."
"The Crane Hermit, huh? I remember meeting him and his brother, Tao, many years ago. Tao had just begun going out into the world. They were always had an arrogant aura to them, condescending to everyone around them. Learning martial arts from them surely couldn't have been a cake walk for you, but you seem strong minded. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if their training methods bordered on abuse for you."
"Their training was intense, and I was their star pupil. Before meeting Goku and Master Roshi, I was proud to be so heartless and cunning in their name. After though," The living man sighs. "Your granddaughter helped me to understand the true mentality of a fighter, not the path in life I was on. I'm still grateful to my former master and his brother for all the skills they have taught to me, but I'm more grateful to Goku and Master Roshi for showing the true way of being this strong. Defending those who cannot defend themselves, helping instead of hurting. I've never met anyone who trained for the simple joy of it like Goku. She lives for the challenge to simply get stronger. She is certainly the most unique person I've ever come across, and that's saying a lot considering my best friend is an unusual being and I have a third eye. Heh." Tien rubs the back of his head. "Sir, may I ask you a question while you are here?"
"Of course, my boy. Ask my anything." Grandpa Gohan walks forward, realizing the young man wasn't as nervous as before and stood before the young man. He smiles gently as he already suspected what the living man wished to ask him. "Even though Goku only mentioned you a few hours ago to briefly tell me of her adventures from the last eight years, the way she spoke of you, she is already quite fond of you."
The tall martial artist blushes with a small smirk. So, the beauty in the capsule house was fond of him, from the older spirit's smile, she is as fond of him as Tien is fond of her. Tien concentrates just a bit more, projecting his astral form out of his body. He turns to see his body still levitating in meditation. "So, that's what I look like while I'm meditating," he says to himself before facing the true parental figure in Goku's life. He kneels and bows all the way down. "Son Gohan, I humbly ask you for your consent to date your granddaughter, to love her the way she deserves to be. She confided in me, just today, that she didn't want to be alone anymore. In all technicality, she has been alone for the last six years. I care for her; more than I ever thought I could care for another. Please allow me to grant her wish of never being alone again."
"Tell me, Tien Shinhan of the Crane School, what was the turning point with my Goku that made you want to pursue her as a suitor."
"On the night before the most recent tournament, she had run to a nearby park and I followed her after noticing her energy spiked with anxiety. I needed to make sure she was ok. She confided in me one of her fears that another mutual friend made her realize. I am her newest friend, sir, and I learned that night that she trusts me. That night, she looked at me with fear-stricken tears. She's always been the strongest and I hadn't realized until that moment, she's still human and can feel sadness. Her tears shook me to my core. I want to be the one to protect her from tears of sadness. I want to be the one she can always count on to be by her side. She has been on my mind for the last three years, but after facing Tao in the world tournament, she comforted me, then trusted me while facing her deadliest opponent…" The tall man sighs. "I fell in love with her. She's so beautiful, spirited, kind, strong, and gentle. There is no one like her."
The grandfather was silently watching the muscled man. "Rise, Tien Shinhan. I wish to look into your eyes." The younger immediately stands and locks eyes with the grandfather. Tien's arms move to cross out of habit, but he stops himself. Gohan stares into Tien's eyes, searching for the truth, seeing the strength of his character. He locked his sights onto that third eye, knowing that that eye couldn't hide any speck of the truth. What the old man sees, astounds him. This young man truly loves his granddaughter for who she is, on the inside. He sees the shame of his past, the longing to atone, but above all of that, he spies the admiration for his Goku, the determination to be the man that his sweet Goku deserves. Gohan finally smiles at the young suitor before nodding. "Tien Shinhan, you have my blessing. Please, be good to my Goku. I do not wish to see either of you in Otherworld for a very long time. Though, I do have one request of you."
Tien smiles in relief. "Name it." As long as he had Gohan's blessing, nothing would deter him from his goal of loving the beauty that was just up the hill.
"If and when you become man and wife, have your ceremony here. I want to witness my greatest treasure on the most important day of her life."
"I think we can make that happen. Thank you, sir, for allowing me to care for your granddaughter. I promise I will do my best to provide her with anything and everything she would want or need in life. I promise to do my best to prevent any sad tears from forming in her eyes and comfort her when they do come."
"My boy, I would not have given you my blessing if I couldn't see that you are a changed man from under Shen. You are a good fit for my Goku. You can keep her grounded. She can teach you joy. The differences in your personalities are why you would be good together. You have patience, where she does not. She is carefree, when you are not. You are both disciplined in your training, you both are brave and skilled. You can still learn from each other. Remember, Tien, both of you will be protecting each other at all times. Do not let your pride rear its ugly head or become jealous if she has to save you. I taught my girl to love and protect all around her, so she does."
"Yes, sir. That actually makes a lot of sense."
"What makes sense, my boy?"
Tien blushes. No point in hiding his past from the spirit now. "When I met Goku, I was on a scam assignment from my former master. She had stumbled into my camp looking for food. I thought she had overheard my best friend and I discussing our plan for the mission. So, I kind of attacked her and caused a tree to fall on her. I assumed I had killed her, but I didn't make sure, and I'm now glad I failed." The younger man smirks. "Goku really is something else."
Both men turn as they hear Goku trotting down the path, calling to Tien that it was his turn to shower. Seeing her male companion in his meditative pose beside her grandfather's head, she smiles gently. "Seems you found Grandpa without me."
The elder man chuckles at his granddaughter. "She has grown into a beauty, I'm so proud of her. She hasn't lost her sweet and innocent self after seeing the negative in the world. Tell her for me, Tien. Return to your physical body and care for my girl."
Tien nods. "I will. She is special to all of us in our group. Thank you, Gohan, for your blessing. I will not cause for you to regret it." The tall man releases a breath, going back to his physical body and to Goku. Tien sets his feet on the dirt and eyes the girl, no woman, of his dreams. The tall former conman strides until he is right in front of Goku. "I felt pulled to meditate under this tree, and someone was waiting to speak with me." He smirks. "I think I'm glad you didn't tell me where your grandfather was buried. I just had a long conversation with him, Goku. He's so proud of you, for all of your accomplishments and being the same sweet girl, you always have been." He takes a small step forward and cups her face in his large hand and brushes her cheek with his thumb. "And while I was talking with him, he gave me his permission to do this." The tall martial artist whispers before capturing Goku's soft, plump lips with his own. He sighs as the girl wraps her arms around his neck. Tien takes that as a sign that she's been longing to do this with him as well, and envelops Goku in his arms, smiling into the kiss.
Goku pulls away for air all too soon for her liking. "So, that was a kiss." Her eyes half-lidded as she blinks her big, doe eyes up at the man holding her. She hums as she lays her head against Tien's broad, solid chest. She had never really felt someone's arms around her like this, but the longer he held her, the more she loved being there.
Tien didn't remember the last time he smiled so big that his face hurt and tears well up in his eyes. He's never felt this happy. He chuckles and kisses the top of her head. "Was that your first kiss, Goku?"
"Yeah, it was. Did I do it right?" The woman blushes as she tilts her head to look at Tien. She sees his gentle smile, blush, and almost doesn't need his nod. "Do you think we can do that again?"
The man holding her lets out a hardy laugh before nuzzling her hair. "We can do that as much as you want. Though, I think I enjoy holding you almost as much."
Goku slaps his bare chest, "Go shower. I'm going to sit with Grandpa for a bit. You smell funny." She giggles as she pulls away and sits beside her grandfather's grave. Tien nods a begins the tread up the path to the Capsule house, leaving Goku alone under the tree. Once her friend was out of earshot, Goku brings her knees up under her chin, feeling giddy as her lips still tingled from locking lips with Tien. "Ya know, Grandpa…" The girl giggles. "I really like being kissed. I've never been kissed before this. I liked how he held me. Yamcha held me a long time ago… After I had a nightmare. That wasn't the same as this. I liked Tien holding me."
As Goku talks to her Grandfather, unknown to her, he joins her in spirit. He stands behind her and pets her hair while she talks to him. Each time his Goku would visit, he'd drop everything in Otherworld, just to come listen to his girl. He smiles even though he can't answer or talk back to her. He misses his granddaughter as much as she misses him. "Tien said you and him were having a conversation. I didn't know he could do that. Do you like him, Grandpa? I wish I could hear your voice, again. I really do like him and want to see where our life together will go."
The old man smiles gently at the young woman. So, to give her the reassurance that her voice desperately wants to hear, Grandpa Gohan looks to the flowering tree and takes a blossom and puts it in her hair. Unfortunately, he had to make it look like the wind blew it there, but his granddaughter smiles with tears in her eyes. She knew without a doubt that her beloved grandfather was with her. When she was a little girl and doubted her own skills while learning martial arts came to her mind. Every evening after they ate, both would come to Grandpa's Spot and discuss where she felt she was in her training. Every night, once she expressed her frustrations, Grandpa Gohan would place a blossom in her hair and kiss her forehead. She could remember, word for word, what her grandfather would tell her. "As long as your heart is in it, and you are willing to work hard, you can do anything." Until now, she only applied his words to her training, her desire to be the strongest fighter on the planet. She had never considered applying it to any other situation.
Goku looks up to where her grandfather's head would be with a teary smile. "Thank you, Grandpa. I'm so relieved that you like Tien. I promise to work hard to be the best life companion for him. I hope you don't mind that we are planning on turning the hut into a meditation room and then building a decent sized house to be our home, along with our friend, Chiaotzu. Who knows, maybe we'll have children someday. Do you think I'll be a good mommy, Grandpa? I hope I am a good mommy." A tear falls down her cheek as she could almost feel his hand combing through her hair. "You're always right, Grandpa. I won't be alone and as long as my heart is in it, I can be the best mom I can be, if I want to. Thank you. I miss you."
As Tien walks back down the path to Goku, both artists feel a gust of wind. Tien bows until the wind passes, before rushing down to Goku's side. The tall man wipes Goku's tears away. "Are you alright, Goku?"
"Yeah." She sniffs out. "Just feels like my grandpa just left again, but I had a clear conversation. Like we would when I started training. I think he likes you already."
"Think so? I hope so. Come on, let's go to bed." Tien picks the shivering girl up into his arms.
"Could we sleep together?" Goku asks, snuggling into the tall man's chest. Her words stop him in his tracks, until she continues. "Share the bed instead of being in different rooms."
"I'd like that, Goku. Come on, we've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Tien says as he reenters their temporary home.
Just a reminder, I intend to keep this story tame and a bit fluffy. I have plans for little Gohan, but I want to do a little more research on a thought I've had.
PLEASE, be Kind and Respectful to each other. No matter the views of the other person, remember they have a heart and feelings, just like you do.
I LOVE YOU, ALL! Thank you! Please leave me a review on this one! MUUUUUAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!