Clashing Convergence

by ROGUEFURY

Three years have passed. All the training in the world cannot help the twin stars navigate the chaos, strife and fallout of the bioengineered threats created by Dr. Gero. The battles lead to clashes that threaten to splinter their bond, but will the twin stars converge against the trials and tribulations? Or will their love erode under the pressure. Sequel to A Twin Star.

1. Trained Convictions

Disclaimer: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and all of the characters within (minus Sofia) are all owned and created by Akira Toriyama, Toei Animation, FujiTV and Funimation. Please support the official releases, and enjoy this story inspired by the amazing universe and cast of characters.

Author's note: This has been a long time coming, so I hope everyone who read A Twin Star rejoice and read how our tumultuous twin stars, Piccolo and Sofia, navigate the conflicts to come! P.S. - Someone brought to my attention that my overall font choice was cumbersome to read, so some of you will notice I'm changing the font narration types a bit. PS - Someone actually said they'd like a playlist of the music Sofia listens to, so I made one. If you listen as you read the chapters, you'll have certain music references I use as markers, so you'll have an idea of when she's listening to certain songs: playlist/3ErHOTo5D7vkaV3bLnQaDG?si=iEYxETn_Ro-n7iHTb34XZw

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Chapter 1: Trained Convictions

"Speech" 'Telepathy' Thought *Reminiscing*

Transcendence. She never really understood what it meant when people spoke of transcending into something – into a state of being that eclipsed everything they knew before. It was a concept she had never grasped until she had stood above the edge of the world, with her twin star by her side, and left behind all the angst, loneliness and pain of her past to gaze ahead at the future.

A future that most recently comprised the three years before the Androids were supposed to show up and plunge the people of Earth into desolation and chaos. The future Trunks had deemed too terrible to allow to become reality within the present timeline. Three not-so-long years filled with the imposing weight of her knowledge beyond the scope of everyone around her, but also filled with a belonging she cherished and decided she'd do whatever in her power to protect. The power she'd grown to hone within herself eclipsed all fear.

Sofia stood on the precipice of the unknown in the moments when doubt would worm its way past her resolve, which usually occurred in the quiet moments when it was just her and her thoughts.

A moment quite like this one.

Gazing across the brilliant horizon as dusk slowly tugged across the sky, her eyes adjusted to the dying glare while the wayward breeze of the arid desert landscape tussled her hair about. She had lost herself to the idle replaying of moments she'd experienced over the three years training with Earth's greatest defenders. Endearingly, she recalled all the progress towards growth and camaraderie between the unlikely foursome of friends within the sanctum of Mt. Paozu and beyond. The wonderful and exhilarating sparring sessions paled in comparison to the contentment she felt at being part of something bigger than herself, and sharing that domain with people she admired and respected.

From getting one-on-one pointers on energy attack techniques from Goku, to helping Gohan both in battle prowess and homeschool lessons, to spending time with Chi-Chi around the farm and helping her with chores, Sofia relished being an almost-adopted member of the Son family. There was no guile or expectations tied to her assimilation into the intimate family unit. Nothing had ever changed more drastically in her life than the inclusivity she felt, an inclusivity she now evoked as she smiled at the thoughts that wandered to the love that radiated in her mind's eye at reliving all her moments with Piccolo.

Her twin star and she had managed to somehow keep their true relationship – in all its torrid and affectionate facets – under wraps from the Son family. A feat she always was amazed by, considering how much she and he spent time together and how the moment they were both alone, they spent in complete consummate union. How have we NOT slipped up is beyond me, she thought ruefully, shaking her head and snickering.

This isn't to say they spent their intimate moments in total carnal desire only.

On many occasions when the Son family spent quality time together, Piccolo would take her on excursions across the vast landscapes and terrains of the Earth, showing her a world so unlike her old one, yet somehow still eerily similar. They flew across countries and experienced shared moments of discovery; from the time she helped him enjoy the wonders of a piece of chocolate, to the dazzling spectacle of the Aurora Borealis over a sunset sky, to the silly shenanigans he'd begrudgingly put up with when she used her telekinetic powers as parlor tricks during street performances in exotic locales in order to barter keepsakes she'd use to decorate their cave – nothing came close to how they grew closer and in sync with each other over the course of the three years. Sofia doubted anything could ever come between the bond they'd formed, and she felt warm and fulfilled in that very moment.

While her love for him was absolute, that did not mean she didn't relish in keeping pace with his strength and battle proficiency. She'd eagerly and resolutely taken it upon herself to extend her unique powers in ways she thought would not only be valuable in times of desperation, but that would also flummox her twin star in being totally impressed with her ingenuity. I can't wait to blow his mind with the techniques and skills I've developed in my solo training—even he won't be able to hide how impressed he is…and maybe he'll finally sweep me off my feet and show everyone how much he's stupid-in-love with me! She snickered to herself, thinking of the abilities she'd been honing during the periods of solitary training each of the foursome would partake in, venturing off for a few hours of their days to develop new energy attacks and battle tactics for the fighting to come. Piccolo was the most notorious of the group when it came to going off on his own, while the others would sometimes train together or help each other work on their techniques.

Smiling, she couldn't help the surge of pride warm her chest as she thought of all the ways she could use her power to help. The anxiety of the upcoming battle was still present, but her excitement kept her clearheaded.

Crimson stare faraway in thought, she didn't register his arrival until he came over to sit next to her on the rocky bluff and his cape fluttered down behind him.

"Why am I not surprised to find you here?"

Glancing sideways and smiling ruefully, Sofia tucked her long fluttering bang behind her ear before leaning her shoulder affectionately into his side. "You're not the only one with a loner streak that calls you away from the homies, babe," she snickered, earning a grunt from the stoic fighter before he adjusted in his casual sitting pose in order for her to rest sidelong again him. "Now that I'm telepathically synced with Goku and Gohan, it's hard to think without hearing their stray thoughts. I'm far enough that I can't hear 'em out here," she explained offhandedly before tilting her head so she could brush a kiss along his jaw. "And where have you been?"

"Training; there's only so many techniques we can each hone on our own when we're not all sparring. I can't help feel like there's so much more I could've done to prepare…I could've gotten faster, and stronger. What if it isn't enough…" the brooding Namek mused, his gaze unfocused at the horizon ahead before Sofia's giggle stirred his onyx stare back to her. "What?"

"Did you know you look so sexy when you're surly and brooding about things you can't control?" she teased, sweetly bopping the tip of his nose as she drawled, "Your nostrils flare so cutely—"

Rolling his eyes, Piccolo persisted. "Sure, we've spent the last few months training more and more on our own to hone our individual techniques, and that's helped each of us reach plateaus in power unlike anything we've been able to accomplish together…I just don't know—"

"Sure you do! You just gotta get full circle in the training. And you know what that means, right?" Sofia chirped flirtatiously, earning a sweatdrop and wary glance from the usually terse fighter.

"…And what's that?" Piccolo ventured, his baritone flat, but betraying intrigue.

"You and me doing the horizontal mambo!" Sofia declared glibly, causing Piccolo to fall backwards in mortification. "Oh c'mon! It's the natural conclusion, sugar lips—"

"Oh, quit the flirting!" he barked huffily after recovering, adding in a hard tone, "I'm being serious. We've trained for three years straight, and I just don't know if it's going to cut it." Sofia's enthusiasm sobered as she sighed and went back to staring at the horizon. Piccolo exhaled and encircled her waist, waning in his gruff brooding. "Sorry…"

Caressing the hand around her waist, she leaned lovingly against him and murmured, "Don't be. I think about it a lot. How you guys must feel at not knowing what's coming your way but knowing I do know…I want so badly to tell you what's coming…to just draw a diagram play-by-play for you so there's no surprises—"

"You can't. No matter how much we might want you to," Piccolo interjected, watching as she pulled his cape around herself before cuddling protectively against him. "Sofia," when she avoided his gaze, Piccolo squeezed her to him reassuringly. "Look at me," he murmured, earning her to glance openly up into his chiseled emerald features. "I trust you. All you have to do is help when things require intervention. The less we all know, the better to reduce the chances of events branching off differently or detrimentally to the natural progression of things. It's just…I can't help shake off worrying that I didn't push myself enough—"

Leaning up and kissing his rambling train of thought away, Sofia wrapped her arms around his weighted shoulder pads and let him pull her onto his lap when he deepened the kiss.

'That's a dirty trick,' Piccolo growled telepathically at her as he tightened his grip around her waist, deepening the French kiss expertly.

'You love it,' she purred right back, hands coming up to cup his face as she pulled away and gazed into his attempt at a scowl, eyes glowing scintillatingly at him.

"Feh," he huffed and tried very hard to not fixate on the feeling of her thinly weighted clothes barely concealing her radiating body heat as she pressed firmly against him and enticingly smiled at him. "You better get back for dinner. I'll wait up for you at the usual spot," he murmured smoothly, earning a sweatdrop from her.

Ugh, how is he NOT jumping my bones already?! It's been sooooo long… She inwardly frowned as she peeled herself away from him in order for him to stand and pull her effortlessly up.

"Aka, 'go back and let me train more by myself for awhile,' huh," she griped comically and teetered on the balls of her feet. "You could be training with me in bed instead," she suddenly sing-sung as she posed in a statuesque way, adjusting her asymmetrical top to show a tease of shoulder and clavicle before absently trailing her hand down the curve of her hourglass figure. "Whaddayah say, Piccolo~? Just you, and me, and a few hours to relieve all your pent up frustrations?" she propositioned with a smoky lilt to her tone before blowing him a kiss.

Blinking at the display, Piccolo shook his head and fought a blush as he stalked towards her, turned her around, and nudged her in the direction of Mt. Paozu as he snapped, "Would you stop being a crazy woman and go before they come out looking for you and find you and me doing something Gohan is too young to see and Goku is too daft to witness?!"

"Tch!" Sofia scowled and dug her heels in. "Alright, fine! I just hope you know I'm accommodating your prudish ways for only so long before my patience wears thin and I just pounce on you, is that clear?" she turned and halted his nudging with a firm palm pressed to the center of his chest. "Is it?"

Rolling his eyes, Piccolo surprised her when he suddenly whisked her into his arms, dipped her, and kissed her so passionately that it curled her Capsule Corp boot-styled toes and made her melt.

'It's crystal clear, you insatiable temptress…'

---

It was days like these that I wished for the three years before the Androids arrived to go in slow-mo!

Sure, that would be totally selfish and implausible, but after the fulfilling day I'd had, I couldn't help start to get anxious about the impending battle that felt more palpably imminent with each passing day. Truth be told, I'd gotten really content and comfortable in the routine and lifestyle we'd all fallen into in preparation for the coming saga with the Androids. Even though a good part of that lifestyle involved Piccolo and I sneaking around and keeping our relationship under wraps from the Son family, it was actually something I'd become cool with. After all, it was like what we had together was so special and precious – okay, I know, super lovey dovey – that it would cease being so if we shared it with anyone else. But I digress—my life these few years had been filled with love, peace, and companionship, and the closer we were getting to having to face the Android threat, the more it felt like all of that would change. Just because I know what's supposed to happen event-wise in this timeline, doesn't mean I knew how I would fit into it and what things would become for me getting involved in the series of events. Would there be a chance for things to return to the bliss and solace of life here among my friends and with Piccolo? Could we make it through the nexus of uncertainty without tripping up things and causing divergence in occurrences to come?

How would Piccolo and I change?

Wait – I'm doing it again! Let me not get ahead of myself. What I should do is probably tell you how the last almost three years have been with the Mt. Paozu crew! Surprise: it's been AWESOME! But seriously – if you'd told me at the start of this whole journey when I'd toppled through the mirror into this realm that I'd found the place I always belonged, let ALONE that it was a realm where I would find my literal soulmate in scrumptiously debonair Piccolo, I'd have fallen on my ass laughing. Or maybe I would've flipped you off for trying to sell me a story, but hey – here I am, looking back and still pinching myself.

Speaking of pinching myself, after Piccolo literally kissed me silly, I had a hard time flying back to the Son cottage without a huge stupid grin on my face and my heart fluttering at the instant replay I kept looping in my mind of all the sexy and wonderful things Piccolo had made me feel. He had the ability to send excited shivers down my spine by just looking at me in a certain way. Hell – he'd basically been monk-level concentrated lately, almost on the same level as he was before he'd gone from asexual to sexual, so that hungry and ardent kiss he laid on me had me zigzagging through the sky with heart eyes on full blast.

Gauh! Good God, get a grip, girl! You can't waltz into the house and let Gohan see you in the love-crush drunk state, I snapped at myself as I shook my head clear of all the fawning and raunchy thoughts my twin star had ignited. I'll get back at the sexy Namek for getting me all hot and bothered later…

With that silly thought, I landed in the middle of the front yard and was immediately met by Chi-Chi as she almost fell backwards after turning the corner with her basket full of veg from the back garden from my sudden arrival. I phased over and caught her and the basket though. "Yikes! Sorry about that, Chi!" I offered and grinned, carrying the full basket easily in one hand for her.

"I swear, I'm just never going to get used to people dropping in from the sky, even after all these years," she remarked in a silly huff as she righted her apron while ruefully shaken her head. "You're a bit early – I haven't started dinner yet—"

"Awwww! Dinner isn't ready? But I'm staaaarving!" Goku whined as he and Gohan appeared from the placid sky before he hovered down and landed with a frown as he clutched his grumbling stomach.

Gohan was in toe and landed by his father's side, scraped and dirty from a full day of sparring. "But we ate a post-lunch snack just a little while ago, Dad," he commented wide-eyed at his father, who lamely pouted.

"But that was a while ago—"

"C'mon, Kakarot – you can have a pre-dinner snack while Chi-Chi and I cook!" I cut in and led the way into the house, floating the basket to the counter so I could go over to the sink to wash my hands. "It ain't gonna kill you to wait a few, right?"

"That's right! Now you two go wash up, or no dessert!" Chi-Chi ordered in her admonishing tone as she came over and took the spot at the sink as I dried my hands and began prepping the counter for our two-woman gourmet tag teaming of the bountiful meal required to keep a Saiyan and demi-Saiyan fed.

Seriously, watching those two chow down on TV doesn't do the spectacle justice. It was pretty fantastic to watch Goku go in on a meal like he hadn't eaten in days. Gohan wasn't as gluttonous as his father, but he ate with just as much gusto.

Within a short while, with a quick snack of dumplings we whipped up to hold him over already in Goku's belly, the first course of veggie stew was ready and the boys were digging in while Chi-Chi started the noodles for the next course.

"So, how was your training, Sofia? Yah know I'm dying to see what you've been working on," Goku asked between a mouthful of stew and rice, cheeks puffed out comically as he munched away.

"Hey – you don't want to be on the receiving end of the stuff I've been coming up with, bub," I joked, wiggling my long pointy-nailed fingers at him spookily as I stirred with one hand and used my telekinesis to clear the table of the dirty bowls to make room for the next round of tableware.

"Augh, really?! You gotta try 'em out next time we spar! No holding out on me, alright?" Goku joked right back before gulping down some water and sighing with contentment.

"Well, there is one thing I've wanted to try out again on yah. I think I finally got it tweaked just right to be the perfect charge up for—" I began to ponder out loud before Chi-Chi huffed and gave me the side-eye. "Oops – sorry. You're right. No talking battle and training at the dinner table," I grinned sheepishly at her and continued zipping around the kitchen to help her complete the main course.

"That's right. And that goes for you too, Goku!" she chided her husband, who was about to whine until she placed a heaping bowl of noodles in front of him before repeating the action with Gohan.

Diving with gusto into the meal, Goku nodded vigorously in agreement with his wife while Gohan slurped away on the broth in his bowl.

If only it were that easy to get Piccolo wrapped around my finger, I goofily thought to myself, mindful to keep my telepathic shield up from the exceptional father and son duo before me, lest they hear my stray thoughts.

Oh yeah, that was still pretty new – the being able to telepathically connect to Goku and Gohan. It had been a real trip when I first heard Goku ponder about something and I slowly realized he wasn't speaking out loud. Luckily, unlike my rapport with Piccolo, it was still pretty delicate and only really occurred when I was in close proximity to either Goku or Gohan, and it seemed a little more difficult for them to pick up on hearing me telepathically. Still – I always wanted to be careful around them, so I shielded my thoughts unless I really wanted to reach out to them for something.

'Psst, Gohan,' I prodded telepathically, and when I felt the soft tug of our rapport engage and his eyes glanced up at me from his bowl, I continued, 'Did you still want me to read from that book? I know it's in Spanish, but I can translate it—'

'Oh yeah! Can you read it without translating it? I wanna see how much I can understand of it now just from hearing it,' Gohan chirped. His enthusiasm for wanting to learn more expert levels of Spanish warmed my heart. He was so bright and eager to learn, but when he'd asked me to teach him Spanish – astutely telling Chi-Chi that knowing another language would help him on his college entrance application one day – I was touched. It was such a fulfilling feeling to have someone I cared for and respected wanting to learn something from me. It made me feel valued, which even after all this time, was still a novel thing for me…but I cherished it deeply.

Smiling, I nodded at him, unable to hide my happy-go-lucky, albeit silly joy at sitting with the family—my friends to partake in more conversation.

The congenial warmth was definitely contagious, leaving me in a content glow throughout the rest of the night when I read to Gohan, then helped Chi-Chi clean up while we chatted with Goku until it was time for bed. As I lay on my bedroll in the living room and keenly listened for everyone to doze off in their rooms, I let my mind wander over the upcoming battles that for some reason didn't scare me. Sure, you could blame it on me knowing what was gonna happen, but still…I was really more afraid of not knowing how I fit into the mix. What if things went off script – even minutely – and anything I did made it worse than better? Could I guide things back on track without getting too involved in events I wasn't meant to be part of?

What if there's more to it, and it's beyond my comprehension to figure out— The thought sprung in my mind and was cut off as I remembered something Piccolo had told me in a moment of post-coital riffing the last time we'd made love.

*No matter what, I'll be there to help you figure it out. We'll figure it out together, Sofia.*

I closed my eyes and took a cleansing breath, feeling the warmth and relief of knowing Piccolo had my back in this wash over me.

Once the home was in complete slumber, I made my move – slipping out of the house stealthily like I'd done thousands of times over the 3-year span for direct route to my twin star. I blame the stubborn focus and zeal of training on Piccolo and I not getting hot and heavy for Kami knows how long now, but I was pretty sure that would finally change tonight. Truth be told – as I floated upwards before jetting off into the cool night, I thought to myself, If we don't get to it tonight, I'm liable to jumping his bones in front of errbody! Yep…that yummy, sexy thang is gonna pick up the carnal training tonight, for sure…

---

Replaying the way he pulled his lips away from hers and smirked at her when her eyes glinted like glazed rubies under the setting sun, Piccolo laid under the starlit sky that gleamed brightly through the canopy of leaves and vines of the trees overhead, wishing so badly that he had the ability to sense her energy. He figured she'd gone back to the cottage in her enticed state and was thinking of him and the things he wanted to do to her, having to hide her more-than-likely salacious thoughts from Goku and Gohan, which would only add to her frustrations; a mounting frustration that had grown after weeks of the twin stars not being together intimately.

Truth be told, Piccolo found his conviction slipping every time she smiled at him or made a sultry petition. He also found his willpower lacking when it came to keeping his thoughts sex-free. Whether it was reminiscing on past carnal delights with his twin star, or fantasizing about new sensual exploits he wanted to share with her, the disciplined Namekian warrior and current Demon King would have to internally admonish himself for his lack of resolve at keeping celibate for the duration of not only their remaining training time in preparation of the Android threat, but the undefined future until the threat was eliminated. He'd avoided discussing the matter with Sofia and the inevitable haranguing she'd give him for wanting to abstain as an exercise in increasing his focus on the battle ahead.

Thankfully, Goku and Gohan had kicked up their training regiments to the full week – eliminating the Family Day that had been their weekly reward and the haven for the twin stars to go off on their own – and encouraging an environment of martial arts focus on the battle to come.

Clearly though, Sofia was not keen on remaining chaste and focused on the battle ahead. He wondered if that was because she knew what was coming and wasn't worried about the outcome, which meant it was a positive one where they'd destroy the Androids and ensure the peace of their timeline, or if she just didn't give a damn and the outcome was so bad that she wanted to get in as much lovemaking with him as possible. That thought earned an acerbic grunt from him as he stretched out on the sleeping bag he was prone on, his discarded turban and weighted cape canopy tossed over by the small lantern that illuminated the lush clearing.

"Why do you gotta look so damn sexy all the time?"

Stirring him from his thoughts, Sofia smirked over at him as she landed soundlessly in the shady clearing. It took all of Piccolo's control to rove her body and train his gaze to caress up her curves – from her long bare legs, up across her red shorts, and past her studded nipples in the flimsy white tank top that contoured to her torso exquisitely, to stare at her glowing red eyes as she sauntered over to him.

'So much for staying disciplined, eh?' Nail chuckled telepathically over at his counterpart, who'd just internally gulped.

'…Just shut up, Nail,' Piccolo grumbled distractedly as he continued to watch her pad barefoot through the soft grass towards him.

"Is this spot taken?" Sofia mused softly as she dipped down and began to crawl into the empty spot of the sleeping bag he was on, her long hair swaying with her movements as she sidled next to him and trailed her hand in a caressing path across his chest.

Blinking at her, Piccolo let his onyx gaze stare at her inviting lips before snapping back to her preternaturally glowing crimson eyes. "Aren't you cold in that?" he absently asked as he instinctually encircled her waist and pulled her close, pressing her against his side before pulling the sleeping bag flap around them as a blanket.

"Freezing," she mused in a sigh, batting her lashes slowly before adding in a purr as she affectionately caressed the stalk of his wavering antennae, "Warm me up?"

Dammit. Piccolo caressed her curves as she began to kiss a trail along his chiseled jaw. "Is this good?" he husked against her temple when he rolled onto his side so he could envelope her from the chill with his body as he tucked the sleeping bag more snuggly around them.

Eyes narrowing comically, Sofia huffed a sigh and flopped onto her back under him. "Piccolo. I swear – if you don't take the truck full of hints I've been dropping on you and take me right now, I'm going to pounce on you and screw your brains out until Nail will have to get into the driver seat for you!" When she earned a thin-lined scowl and sweatdrop from him, she pressed on. "What is the deal?! You haven't wanted to do it for weeks. WEEKS! Like…weeks, for real, and it's freaking me out!" she snapped while her hands idly caressed up and down his sides in a comforting caress that was only succeeding in driving his arousal to peak frustration. "What is it, huh? Some sort of weirdo dude martial arts sex fast?!"

It still disarmed him how much she truly knew him, inside and out. She could read him without even realizing she assessed him and his motives perfectly almost every time. Rolling off and onto his back to lie next to her, Piccolo grunted in a monotone, "Exactly."

Blinking and balking over at him, Sofia slowly stared up at the starry night sky above them and pondered his answer. When an explanation to his answer eluded her, she rolled to sidle against him as she whined, "But why?"

"Don't take it personally," he grumbled, his cheeks burning slightly from the sexual frustration and embarrassment of having to articulate his reasoning out loud to her. "I just want to train myself to be focused on battle, in all ways. How am I supposed to be in the zone at all times –ready for any threat coming our way, if I'm spending part of that time getting amorously entangled with you?"

Deflating comically at that, Sofia retorted wryly, "Easy – by satisfying your needs and having hot sex with me whenever and however possible!"

Face palming, Piccolo's antennae bobbed minutely as he muttered, "Kami, this is a ludicrous conversation—!"

"Yeah, I know. We could be into our second orgasms by now instead!" she interjected not so comically and frowned. "You're seriously going to starve yourself of sexy time—all to prove what, that you can?"

"No! It's about control of all things – about centering my mind and body to the focused discipline of steeling oneself for battle. Before my battle with Goku, and before the Saiyans, I abstained from anything that was a distraction from becoming stronger. Sleep, meditation – I just pushed it all away and spent every waking moment training and honing myself for battle; to be focused and able to see tactically without anything clouding my thoughts," he explained in a gruff retort, watching as she listened and guarded her expression from his analytical gaze. "Being with you and…you know, is an extension of that. It doesn't mean anything else other than it's part of my training running up to battle time." Caressing her cheek with the backs of his knuckles, he added in a soft, husky whisper, "It doesn't mean I don't want to…it's actually been the biggest test to my willpower and focus. You don't even know how much I think about, well, you know—"

Taking his hand in hers, Sofia pulled his caress away and trailed his palm down her collarbones and clavicle to rest his palm firmly on a supple breast. "No, I don't know. Why don't you tell me?" she sultrily murmured, eyes staring seductively up at him as she purred, "Or can't you say 'sex' anymore without slipping into a danger zone of getting turned on, hmm?"

'She's got you there,' Nail tisked comically, earning an internal growl for silence from Piccolo.

"Sofia—" he began, but cut his admonishing retort when she rolled to now be sitting on top of him, hands pressed flat against his broad, muscular chest so she could lean down sinuously and stare sultrily into his wide eyes.

Tilting her head in a way to toss her long dark hair over one shoulder, she leaned closer until she was inches away from his parted lips. Staring into his wide onyx eyes, she ruminated about how he was still the brooding warrior who had a hard time sharing his thoughts and voicing his wants. It was something she wouldn't be able to change any more than he could change aspects of her personality. Still, she was pleased that he finally admitted what he'd been up to, and she didn't take any umbrage that he was so hardwired to being battle forged and tactically superior to his adversaries that going celibate on her didn't cross his mind as being a selfish move. Still, part of her wanted to acerbically remind him how the battles with Goku and the Saiyans hadn't gone at all well for him, but the thought of grinding those failed outcomes into his face just to make her point seemed ridiculous. She didn't want to wound his pride, even if it was partially to blame for her sexually frustrated state at the moment. Instead, she sighed softly and lowered her eyes in solace as she murmured, "While this is part of a training regiment I would never think to do myself…I respect that you wish to do so in order to push yourself," she added in a quick quip, "might push you into a serious case of blue balls," before continuing in an earnest tone, "BUT nevertheless, I will not tease you anymore."

With that, she planted a chaste kiss on his cheek, then rolled off of him to settle down beside him. Blinking at the reasonableness with which she handled his admittance, Piccolo glanced at her skeptically when she flopped onto her side and curled up to sleep. "So…that's it?" he ventured, his baritone cautious.

Shooting him a raised brow over her shoulder, she asked mildly, "Is there something else you expected?"

Sitting up and rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously, Piccolo muttered, "Well – yeah. You're not mad?"

Shooting him narrowed conspiratorial daggers, she drawled, "Don't push it, Green Bean. I've worked on my patience; it isn't bulletproof… but no, I'm not mad. After all, we're only days away from the big showdown so…no point in distracting you from your training now," she added in a sigh. "As a matter of fact," she continued and sat up, preparing to leave as she mused, "I'll just go back and sleep at the house so I don't bother you—"

She paused when she looked back at his hand as it squeezed affectionately around hers and stopped her from vacating the spot next to him. Turning to face him with her head cocked inquisitively to the side, she finally noticed the way he was looking at her, and it caused her heart to summersault in her chest.

He pulled her back towards him, caressing her to him as he tossed the sleeping bag closed over them and settled them back down to lie on their sides, facing each other.

"You're not bothering me. You're turning me on, and that's testing my resolve like nothing else…but you're not bothering me," he murmured in a gravelly tone against her cheek before kissing her chastely on the lips. "It's only temporary—"

"It better be!" she cut in with a no nonsense pout.

Grunting with humor, he drawled, "It definitely will be. The minute this is all over, I'm taking you somewhere and showing you how much you've turned me on…thoroughly and properly. That is, if you'll oblige me."

Pulse racing as she melted from his confident declaration, Sofia purred, "Oblige me until I can't see straight, and you won't be able to stop smiling after I'm done with you, sexy stud muffin."

Piccolo's gravelly chuckle echoed in the clearing as she sealed her declaration with a kiss to his throat before snuggling against him and mewling affectionately from being squeezed possessively to him.

---

The heat he felt radiate around him was lulling him into a hyperaware state of arousal and enticement as he arched at the sensation coursing down his body. The air around him seemed to vibrate and twinkle with the rapture he felt, his surroundings glowing and flaring as if her very presence caused refractions to preternaturally caress the atmosphere around them.

He couldn't keep his eyes off of her. She was in all her nude glory before him, straddling him as she caressed his muscular torso and kissed his skin, igniting a burning desire that was already searing beneath his flesh to rise to the surface. His pulse was throbbing in his ears, arousal intoxicating him to arch towards her for more. Her crimson eyes twinkled like blazing rubies as she smiled down at him and kissed an arduous trail down his stomach towards his hardened manhood. He dully realized he was digging his strong tapered fingers into the ground beneath him as he arched and groaned in pleasure at the feeling of her warm mouth pursing around his straining erection. The sensation of her tongue and her skilled oral ministrations laving and sucking him expertly was enough to drive him wild, but he sunk his fangs into his bottom lip in order to stifle his desire. Feeling his body throb in synchronization with his heartbeat and the loving rapture of her lips around his hardened cock, Piccolo watched past heavy lids as she hummed around him before stroking his throbbing erection and gazing up his body with a stunning smile that left him on the precipice of desperate need.

Just when he thought he couldn't take much more, she whispered in a smoky purr that reverberated around him.

"I want you inside me."

Arching as she straddled her hips over his and slowly pressed down onto his throbbing shaft, Piccolo's hands crept up to grip her waist, growling when she whimpered softly before gasping as he pulled her onto his lap until he filled her to the hilt. She began to ride him with passionate abandon, tossing her head back and crying out with pleasure when he began to buck his hips in undulating thrusts to match her pace.

"Tell me what you want," Piccolo growled sensually up at her as she began rolling her hips over him and gasping with tentative pleasure in her mewling cries.

She pressed her palms flat on his chest and arched, panting as she gazed hungrily down at him and smiled sultrily. When her lips moved, instead of her beautiful voice, the chirping of a songbird came from her mouth. Blinking drowsily at the sight, Piccolo paused in his thrusts and murmured, "Sofia?"

His personal temptress gazed down at him and responded, and once again, only the chirping of a songbird was what he heard come from her lips before she leaned down and caressed his face.

Chirp-Chirp-Chirp~!

Suddenly bolting wide awake, Piccolo flinched and stared about, panting softly as the hyper-realistic surroundings of his dream bled away to the cool and sunny surroundings of the clearing in the early morning. Blinking and falling back flat onto the sleeping bag, he stared up at the canopy above and spotted a blue and orange-bellied bird sitting on the perch of a branch, chirping merrily at the sunny morning before batting its wings and hopping up the branch further before looking down and chirping at him.

…What the—?

He glanced to his side and realized he was all alone in the clearing; well, just him, his sexually-charged mind and throbbing erection nestled firmly within the confines of his magically-fashioned boxer brief undergarment Sofia had made for him long ago to better conceal and comfortably obscure his manhood. If not for the undergarment, his gi trousers would be tenting comically with obvious proof of his sexual frustration.

Sweatdropping, he realized he'd had one hell of a sex dream – unlike anything he'd experienced since first becoming a sexual being. Hell…I hope that's not going to be a recurring thing…

'It probably wouldn't be, if you weren't stubbornly pursuing celibacy, Piccolo,' Nail's tenor musing rasped telepathically over to him, to his chagrin. 'There's a reason monks live in monasteries away from the opposite sex, you know,' his affable counterpart chuckled, earning a huff from the antisocial Namek.

'Ugh, don't tell me I gotta hear from you too!' Piccolo grumbled as he sat up and stretched his tense form, still feeling riled from the erotic dream. 'I need to be sharp and focused – not worrying about sex—'

'To be fair, hasn't not having sex caused you to think about it even more than if you were just having it routinely?' Nail shot back, his tenor rasp barely concealing his amusement.

'Actually, no,' Piccolo declared, before adding as an aside, 'I think about it more when I get it regularly…'

Now it was Nail's turn to be surprised. 'Oh.'

'Yeah.' Piccolo huffed and stared about again. She must've snuck back early…

'But you don't suffer those erotic dreams at all when you and Sofia are spending carnal time regularly, so isn't that something to consider?' Nail continued, earnestly intrigued by the notion.

'What are you, my sex therapist? It's none of your business, Nail. It's not gonna happen again,' Piccolo groused as he pulled his weighted gear on and hid the sleeping bag and lantern in their usual place before making his way towards the outcropping that would lead to the edge of the cliff overlooking the valley. 'Now that we're days away from the battle with the Androids, I'll stop sleeping and solely focus on training. No sleep; no sex dreams.'

'So I shouldn't point out that the depravation tactics of your training regiment haven't led to success in your previous major confrontations…?' Nail dryly mused.

'…I totally expected her to say the same thing last night, and she didn't, so at least she isn't as big of a know-it-all as you are,' Piccolo snapped back at Nail, scowling as he found himself annoyed that there definitely was some truth to the lapse in effectiveness in his regiment. Still, it wasn't like any of the other Z Warriors changed their training habits just because of a little dying here and there. Tien still trained with Chiaotzu, Vegeta still beat himself within an inch of his life in order to snap back and get stronger, Yamcha still…well he didn't really know what the scar-faced fighter did, but it clearly wasn't very effective. But old habits were hard to break, so for the time being, he would remain intent on keeping to his unique training regiment until he found another way to still reach the results he desired in his battle preparation. 'Anyway, what do you care? I'm the one dealing with the frustration, not you,' Piccolo muttered suddenly as he closed his eyes and tried to ping onto the energy signatures of the Son family.

'That's true, but Sofia's my friend too. I just think it's a shame that she has to put up with your selfish sexual starvation when someone could easily satisfy her needs,' Nail tisked, adding in a sing-song, 'Such a shame, indeed~!'

Growling in irritation, Piccolo was about to bark back that he should stop fishing to instigate him when he realized Goku and Gohan were cloaking their ki signatures; he couldn't sense them at all. That's odd…

'Sofia? Are you at Son's place?' he tugged on his telepathic rapport with Sofia, and found his message echoed without feeling that connection reverberate back to him – the indicator that their rapport was strong and he could reach her mind. A sense of dread began to creep up his spine. Unlike his rapport with Gohan, he and Sofia were telepathically connected in such a way that they could reach each other over miles. It was the only way he could really hone in on her. Now that he couldn't sense her rapport, Piccolo began to feel on edge. 'She's not answering…' he grumbled over to Nail, who sobered quickly.

'What about the others—?'

'I can't sense them either.'

'Piccolo…what if—'

'No…it's too early. It can't be the Androids. There's no way,' Piccolo declared resolutely, but the anxiety still seized his mind. His heart began to race. 'It has to be something else,' he mused stoically as he began to levitate before taking flight, making a straight course for the Son farm. 'There's gotta be another explanation.'

He jetted through the sky at a break-neck speed, the tension growing in the pit of his stomach every minute that ticked by. 'Sofia—c'mon, answer me,' he attempted again, and received the equivalent of a proverbial door slammed shut in his face; nothing was coming back, and his rapport ceased. Setting his jaw tightly, he blasted a powerful flow of ki into his contrail and shot off faster for direct course to Son's front door.

The cottage came into view, nestled on the far corner of the expansive valley. Nothing seemed amiss, other than the lack of power levels from two of the most powerful warriors around, and his twin star's silence.

Quickly flipping in mid air and coming to a crouched landing in the front yard, Piccolo assessed his surroundings, and found them desolate; just the breeze trailed lazily by, causing the front door to swing a bit more agape than it currently was. The tension became a tight knot in his gut.

"Hello?" he ventured firmly, stalking over and seeing no one in the home.

'Piccolo – we should split form so I can provide backup. Who knows what's going on—'

'Save the hysterics…' was all Piccolo could brusquely muster as a retort as he rounded the circumference of the cottage and went towards the small childhood edifice that was Goku's original home. Nothing seemed out of place there, so he began to wander towards the side of the property where they had their barn. 'Where the hell is everybody!'

He heard a rustling of hay underfoot coming from around the side of the barn. Turning, he honed in his focus and approached the building, ready to lay waste to any intruders who could be responsible for the sudden disappearance of his friends. The bastards are gonna pay if they've hurt her—! Just as his irate thought flashed in his mind, Piccolo burst around the corner of the barn with a vehement shout and fell into his battle stance, just as three figures leapt out of their hiding places under a large homemade banner that hung crookedly from the open barn side doors and the clothing line adjacent to the building. What the he—!?

"SURPRISE!"Sofia, Gohan and Goku shouted enthusiastically and squeezed their confetti poppers to disperse colored ribbons and pieces of confetti everywhere as they added cheerily, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PICCOLO!"

Blinking his wide-eyed shock away, Piccolo fell slowly out of stance and stared about. The banner overhead read, "It's Piccolo Day!" with drawings that were clearly made by Gohan etched along it depicting chibi versions of Piccolo, Gohan, Sofia, Goku and Chi-Chi. Below the banner was a rickety picnic table laden with food and birthday treats, most importantly being the homemade birthday cake topped with lit candles.

"Oh wow – we really surprised you, huh Piccolo?" Goku jovially chuckled and dusted his wild hair free of confetti pieces while Sofia and Gohan rushed the nonplussed Namekian warrior. "Good thing you came quick, cuz I'm staaaaarving, and your birthday cake wasn't gonna last another minute—"

"Is it over? Can I come out now?" Chi-Chi suddenly shouted as she emerged from inside the animal pen of the barn, where she'd been wrangling all the animals from making noises that would spoil the surprise – not to mention keeping herself out of the fray in case Piccolo didn't take kindly to the birthday surprise this year.

"What the hell?! YOU CLOAKED YOUR KI, ALL TO SURPRISE ME?" Piccolo suddenly bellowed, stomping over and shoving past Sofia and Gohan to irately shout at Goku. "DO YOU KNOW HOW STUPID THAT IS WHEN WE'RE ONLY DAYS AWAY FROM FACING AN IMMINENT THREA—?!"

His shouted harangue was cut off once Sofia and Gohan tackled him playfully to the ground and hugged him into submission, just as they'd planned, in case he flew off the handle. Meanwhile, Goku blinked before scratching the back of his head and bursting into his irreverent chuckle that became infectious as Sofia and Gohan did the same while Piccolo fumed and turned violet from consternation.

"I told you he wasn't going to like the surprise!" Chi-Chi admonished as she stalked over to Goku's side, ruefully shaking her head; her hands rested at her hips.

"Awww, c'mon, Piccolo! We just wanted to surprise you for your birthday," Gohan grinned as he hopped back and flashed his mentor the peace sign. "Don't be mad!"

"Yeah! We put a lot of planning into this, so don't bring your own party down, Green Bean!" Sofia snickered as she stood and pulled on Piccolo's arms until he was hauled up to his feet.

"Grrr, this is ridiculous and you all know it! It's a sentimental ritual that doesn't apply to me at all—!" Piccolo's haughty complaint was cut short by Sofia grabbing a fistful of his cape collar and pulling him down to accommodate their height discrepancy.

"Yeah yeah, keep protesting, but it doesn't change things," she glibly mused, adding, "Happy Birthday!" before she merrily planted a platonic kiss on his cheek.

Face faulting to the ground, Piccolo turned violet yet again while everyone else laughed, enjoying his flustered reaction at Sofia's usual birthday salutation – the kiss on the cheek she gave to each of them on their special days.

'That's right – today is May 9th. Happy Birthday, Piccolo,' Nail chortled affably, chuckling as his gruff counterpart stewed with mortification as he regained his composure and stood to glower down on everyone present.

Just when they all sobered and waited for his expected blistering tell-off, Piccolo relented and huffed, dropping his arms to his sides.

"…Thanks, I guess."

Giving each other conspiratorial grins, Gohan and Sofia smiled as they rushed him and gave him a real hug. "You're welcome!"

"Hahah – yay! Now we can eat cake. Come over and blow out the candles, Piccolo," Goku giddily rushed over to the table and began to fidget with excitement. "It's one of my favorites~!"

"It's Piccolo's birthday, Goku, so he'll be getting the first piece. You just have to wait your turn," Chi-Chi wagged her finger at her child-like husband.

"Aaaaawwww, c'mon!"

Piccolo huffed through his nose, sighing in relief as he loped over to the table to join the family and Sofia as they waited happily for him to blow out the candles.

"Don't forget to make a wish, Piccolo!" Gohan amiably mused as he smiled up at his friend.

Smirking despite himself, Piccolo grunted, "Thanks for the reminder, kid." Closing his eyes, he thought over he and Sofia's rapport, 'I wish for a chance to give you a nice spanking for stressing me the hell out!'

Smiling knowingly, Sofia giggled over the rapport right back, 'Your wish is mine to grant – any time, anywhere~!'

---

Sitting on the opposite side of the small stream that skirted the Son property, Piccolo watched his friend and former archrival's spar session with stoic regard, silently reminiscing about not only the events of the day, but of the past few years they'd all spent together, training for the Androids. He still couldn't believe Sofia had managed to pull off a surprise party the way she had, especially when he'd been victim to her sentimental doting every May 9th since they all decided to partner together within the remote sanctum of Mt. Paozu.

He remembered the first time she'd celebrated one of their birthdays like it was a national holiday. Chi-Chi had been touched by Sofia's rambunctious attention, declaring her November birthday a special day for her to relax and be celebrated. Piccolo had thought it an odd custom, but never did he think when May rolled around, he'd get the accolades of being the special person ever born. But before then, it'd been Goku's turn. The Saiyan hadn't seen it coming, considering he himself didn't know his date of birth, since he'd been born on Planet Vegeta and sent to Earth as a small child. So when Sofia surprised him on April 16th with a massive feast comprising all of his favorite foods, Goku had happy tears in his wide eyes as he pulled the woman into a massive bear hug before diving into the bounty of dishes. Snickering, he remembered how that'd been the only time he'd heard Goku say he couldn't eat another bite. It was astounding…

Unfortunately for him, she'd practically given him a heart attack when she'd jumped in front of him from the tree he was meditating under, screaming "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" at the top of her lungs; birthday cake presented to him like a magical offering covered with flaming candles while Gohan sang the birthday song she'd taught him while giddily bouncing around him as she leaned in and planted the chaste kiss on his cheek, as she had for Goku while he gorged himself and for Chi-Chi after she hugged her sweetly. Then, over a week later, it was Gohan's turn to be barraged with cake and happy shouts of celebration, accompanied by a massive feast Sofia whipped up and platonic kiss to the cheek. And so it went every year, for each of their birthdays.

He recollected their talk the night of his birthday, when he'd tried admonishing her for such a doting display in front of the others, especially to celebrate a day he quite frankly, didn't think needed to be acknowledged. Sofia had earnestly frowned at that, and mused matter-of-factly, "Don't even go down the self-disparaging road over your freaking birthday, Piccolo. I know what you're getting at, and I simply will not accept it." When he'd scowled and muttered about May 9th having been more about his sire's believed dominion over the world before his defeat at the hands of Goku than anything involving him, Sofia's eyes had blazed with defiance. She pointedly sat in his lap, framed his face in her warm hands, and declared, "Daimao's only real contribution and legacy to this world was bringing you into it. You were borne from his sense of revenge and desire to continue what he wasn't able to finish, but you are so much better than him that his petty and insecure self-hatred couldn't influence you for long," her eyes had softened as she watched his guard lower and his eyes focus intently on her. "You're greater than the sum of why you were brought into existence, Piccolo. May 9th is your day, not his, so no matter how cool and tough you are, I will always celebrate it, because it's special and holds meaning." She pulled him into a hug that he didn't know he yearned for until he was hugging her back with possessive gusto. "Plus, I totally love you and can't get enough of you blushing and being all flustered like a moody brat," she chuckled into his ear before grinning impishly at his gruff scowl.

Sitting in the lotus position, he leaned back on his splayed hands to focus on the sparring session ahead of him, pushing the pleasant memories away just when he felt Sofia plop down next to him.

'Happy birthday, Mr. Piccolo~!' she chortled in a comical voice telepathically before musing goofily, 'You should've seen the look on your face.'

'Feh – you're lucky I didn't go on the attack as soon as I rounded the corner! I thought something bad had happened—'

'Oh yeah…the whole cloaking of power levels was my idea. Sorry about that, but I couldn't let you sense the guys and spoil the surprise!' she interjected meekly and gave him a sidelong glance.

'You shutting your end of the rapport is what did it,' he muttered fumingly. 'I…got worried…' he scowled and glanced away, watching as Goku blocked a roundhouse from Gohan.

'I'm sorry. I didn't even think about how freaky that would be. Honestly, I wasn't even sure I did it right until boom – I couldn't hear you,' Sofia explained, earning a sharp glance from him. 'What?'

'You blocked me out? It seemed like the rapport severed—'

'Nope. Just blocked. Kind of like how when I put on my headphones and listen to my Walkman; tuned you and everyone out. I wasn't sure it worked until I couldn't hear Goku or Gohan either. It was sort of like, putting up a force field that bounced other's telepathy out,' she rationalized, and while the others weren't looking, she playfully nudged his arm with her shoulder. 'Don't worry though – I'll never do it again.'

'Humph,' he grunted, shaking his head as he crossed his muscular arms. 'You better not. You already owe me one spanking. No telling what kind of punishment that'll earn you next time you do something like that,' he husked gravelly, which only earned a spike of excitement to skitter down her body.

'Oh, do tell—'

"Hey guys! It's dinnertime. You better beat us to the table," Gohan shouted over before running to the front door of the cottage, followed by Goku, who was already salivating and rubbing his stomach in anticipation.

"Such a shame," Sofia mused as she stood and dusted off the seat of her jean-legging hybrid pants.

"What is?" Piccolo ventured as he stood and followed her phasing moves to end up in the front yard of the cozy home.

'Well…it's your birthday, and before I knew about your strict sex-free training tactic, I had the perfect gift for you, but now it's going to have to wait…' Sofia telepathically trailed off, shooting him a flirty glance over her shoulder when he grunted and his gaze intensified, questioning. Loping to the front door, she turned sidelong, and added in a smoky purr over their rapport, 'I was going to give you the best B-day BJ of your life,' she paused to take a faux-forlorn sigh before adding, 'Oh well~!'

Piccolo stiffened and flinched—completely mortified, and fell sideways as he was assaulted by a massive sweatdrop, face burning with more than just flustered embarrassment.

---

The day we'd been training for had finally arrived.

After three wonderful and fulfilling years of training and living amongst friends in the sanctum of Mt. Paozu – and gallivanting around in secret with my sexy stud of a twin star, I was now staring at the sunrise of the day the Androids strike out at the people of Earth.

Standing on the plateau, I watched the sun's rays bleed across the horizon and slowly flare like scintillating bands that shimmered and illuminated the twilight into the delicate dawn. I could sense the stirring of animals in the valley and canyons around me while the morning breeze began to warm. This new day was the one I'd been working towards and wanting to avoid for the longest time, and now watching it spring before me made that sharp flutter of anxiety palpitate out, unbidden. I closed my eyes and tossed my fluttering strands of hair out of my face before I raked my long nails through my hair, combing it up and into a tight ponytail.

"There you are."

Turning to look over my shoulder, I watched Piccolo land on the plateau, his usually stoic expression was softened by his quirked brow as he gave me a quick glance before crossing his muscular arms and continuing gruffly, "What's got you up here again looking skittish?"

Giving him a half smile, I pushed the stray long bang that had escaped the fastening of my ponytail behind my ear and turned to face him fully. "Just because you're such a battle experienced badass, doesn't mean I am. Is it so unreasonable for me to be freaking out?" I quipped wryly.

I half expected to get his patented "Feh" followed by a command to stop thinking so much, so when he instead closed the distance and pulled me close to him by encircling my waist, I was a bit disarmed. I caressed my hands up to rest on his weighted shoulder mantle. Staring up into his onyx-gleaming eyes as the sunrise caught the contours of his chiseled features, I watched his expression cool before he murmured reassuringly, "You're not an idiot, so of course it's reasonable to feel that way. But like I've said before: You and I will figure it out together."

He squeezed me affectionately to him, so I smiled before standing on my tippy toes to pull him down for a kiss. Pulling me against him more firmly, I was able to wrap my arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss, succeeding in making me melt and curling my toes in passionate glee. The thought that this would be the last time we'd be able to be with each other like this for quite a while flashed across my mind, causing me to sigh into the kiss before he pulled back and rolled his eyes sardonically at me.

'You think too damn much,' he drawled confidently over our rapport at me as he let me slip down his hard, muscled body.

Burying my face against his chest, I wrapped my arms around his torso and just leaned on him, breathing in his scent and relishing the warmth of his body through the layers of clothes that separated us.

'I know,' was all I could lamely retort as I glanced back up at him and smiled sadly.

He caressed my cheek with the backs of his knuckles as a gusty breeze circled around us, tossing his cape about. "Seriously. There's nothing your worrying can do but tangle you up from acting on instinct. Trust yourself, Sofia. We're going to defeat the Androids, and then the next thing that happens is whatever we want it to be," his remark was gruff, but warm, holding that velvety baritone quality that made my heart flutter.

"All I want is for it to be that easy, Piccolo. It isn't…" I sighed as I cupped the back of his hand and leaned my cheek into his warm palm. "I can't help feel like this. It's all I can do but stand here and worry and feel pressed—"

His other hand cupped the small of my back as he tipped my face up to focus on him. "Do you remember what I said to you on the Lookout?"

Blinking at him, I paused and pursed my lips at him. "Yes…" I batted my lashes at him coyly, hoping he'd repeat it and make me melt all over again.

"If you remember, I don't need to tell you again," he smartly retorted, cocking a brow ridge at me.

Pouting goofily, I huffed, "It was something to the affect of "It ain't the unknown as long as we stick together," amirite, oh-so-wise one?"

"And what else?" he ruggedly muttered, his smirk just too sexy for words.

Rolling my eyes exaggeratedly, I flailed my arms dramatically as I continued his quote in a faux baritone, "So let's get on with it then!"

"Right," he smugly purred before dipping me expertly and kissing me with gusto.

After I recovered from melting against him, I squeezed his sides flirtatiously as I grumbled in a singsong, "Fine, sugar lips. But before we get on with it, I gotta tell you something, and I don't want any eye rolling or tough guy fronting, alright?"

Sobering, he nodded curtly, waiting for me to continue.

Grabbing a fistful of the front of his cape mantle, I pulled him down until our noses were only inches away from touching – earning a startled blink and grunt from him – and purred matter-of-factly, "I love the hell out of you."

His eyes went from wide to normal before he smirked and responded gravelly and sexily, "I know."

---

The morning of May 12th seemed placid enough – nothing denoted the impending grueling battle ahead. At least that's what she idly thought as they flew through the sky, for direct course to the small island 9 miles off of South City. Ahead of her was Gohan, whose anxiety was palpable, while Goku and Piccolo flew just adjacent at her right. The two seasoned warriors were focused, albeit tense as well to get the battle won, as they discussed what to expect.

'What if I'm not as strong as I need to be?' the anxious thought echoed over to her from the pre-teen who was stressing out like an earnest adult.

"Hey, Gohan! Slow it down. No point in using up all your energy before we get there, right?" Goku called over to his son, who acknowledged his instruction before going back to his brooding.

Grunting, Sofia zoomed over to fall into flying formation next to Gohan before doing a playful carousel roll around him. "C'mon, Gohan! If you keep your face like that, you're going to end up looking like Vegeta – all scowl and gloom. I know you're stressin', but you shouldn't," she coolly offered to the distracted demi-Saiyan, snapping him out of his anxious musings.

"Hahah, oh man, that wouldn't be good, huh," he laughed distractedly until Sofia's sharp glanced garnered his full attention. "It's just…what if I'm not strong enough to help—"

"Ugh, you and Piccolo are such worriers!" she cut in sarcastically before shooting the Namekian warrior a glib glance over her shoulder when she heard him huff over their rapport. "Gohan – seriously. I know you're worried that you're not strong enough. Honestly, it would be foolish to think you could easily win any fight. You don't know your opponents, and you should always be cautious. But don't let that worry become fear. The moment you do…it's harder to defeat fear than to beat your opponents. Plus," she paused as she platonically nudged her shoulder to his, watching as his young face relaxed attentively to what she was saying. "You're not alone. We are all fighting together, side by side. Okay?"

Smiling broadly, Gohan nodded and became a little more confident. "Right. That's true," he replied as he held up his balled up fist and offered it to Sofia, who fist-bumped him coolly. "Thanks for the pep-talk," he cheekily chortled. The more Gohan thought about it, the person who could truly give him honest encouragement would be Sofia. After all, she knew everything that was supposed to happen. The minute she looked stressed or alarmed was when they all should really be worried. At least that's what gave him solace as they flew over the myriad of islands that sprinkled the ocean below them.

While his twin star and best friend continued to chat, Piccolo picked up where he left off in his discussion with Goku. "Part of me thinks putting these Androids out of commission should be child's play for us…but I can't help shake the feeling that we might be in over our heads," he muttered stoically, arms crossed and gaze fixed ahead.

"Over our heads?" Goku inquired seriously over at the imposing Namek, wide eyes narrowed in mature concentration. "Look, Piccolo. If these Androids do give us any trouble, don't put yourself at risk trying to be a hero. After all, if you go, the dragon balls go too…and we can't gamble with losing them if things do end up being really bad…" the usually irreverent Saiyan mused earnestly, earning a monotone grunt from Piccolo.

Sofia caught the stray conversation even from the distance she and Gohan were flying. Lost in thought, she began to worry herself. What if things go off track? Will I be able to fix it, or could I accidentally make it worse…?

Gohan glanced out of the corner of his eye at her, knowing that she was meticulously overthinking things. It was one of her quirks that Piccolo had told him once was both her greatest strength and errant detriment – since she would usually be able to map out the best course of action way before anyone else knew what was happening, or she would tangle up in her own machinations and worries. He was about to nudge her and give her the same encouragement she had gifted him, but when he glanced ahead, he noticed a familiar figure zipping through the sky making direct course for the same destination they were all heading towards. "Hey, it's Krillin!"

The young demi-Saiyan blasted off to gain on the former monk. Piccolo watched as Sofia followed suit while Goku cheered up and went ahead to greet his long time friend.

"Hey, Krillin!" Gohan shouted as he zipped over to fly next to Krillin.

"Whoa – hey, Gohan! Long time no see," the shorter man greeted jovially before blinking bashfully when Sofia expertly zoomed by and began to fly upside down just over to his left.

"Hey, Krillin~!" Sofia greeted with a cool, smoky edge to her tone as she gave him a silly flirty wave and winked at him.

Grinning through his meekness, the former monk sweated goofily as he stammered, "Oh, hey Sofia! Fancy meeting you here, hahahah—I mean it's cool to see that you lasted all that time training with these guys, heheheh!"

Phasing seamlessly to fly next to him, Sofia platonically punched Krillin's shoulder as she answered, "I just barely kept up! But hey, do me a favor and quit acting all bashful around me," her tone took a hard edge as she added, "Just think of me as one of the guys, and totally good at kicking ass, alright?"

Sobering as he watched her irises flash with a preternatural red glow while she held up her fist decisively, Krillin nodded vigorously as he declared, "Sure thing!" before cutting over with a conspiratorially comic drawl to Gohan, "She could seriously kick my ass easily, huh?"

Snickering, Gohan responded simply, "Oh yeah, so don't make her mad!"

Krillin nervously laughed at that as he rubbed the back his head while he gave an appraising glance at Sofia's appearance and outfit. Not what I'd call a battle outfit. I guess they couldn't convince her to wear a martial arts gi…

"Yo! How's it going, Krillin," Goku congenially greeted his friend when he flew up to his right side.

"Uh, yo…" Krillin sullenly pouted as he continued to fly.

"What? That's all I get? C'mon, aren't you happy to see us?" Goku chuckled.

"Yeah, well, I guess I'm not exactly upbeat about squaring up against yet another enemy, bro. After all, I don't have Super Saiyan powers to fall back on…" Krillin sulked as he matter-of-factly scowled at his prospects going into battle with a powerful menace unlike anything any of them had ever seen.

Sofia relished witnessing the entire exchange as a participant instead of a spectator. "Hey, dude," Sofia got Krillin's attention as she did another phase and ended up flying sideways next to Piccolo when the Namek finally sped up and fell into formation with the rest of the group. "Not all of us are Super Saiyans, so we're right there with you," she offered sassily before gesturing with her chin towards the island that was coming into view. "But we're all just gonna do our best. You're one of the best fighters I've ever seen, so don't sweat it. We'll all have each other's backs, right?"

"Right!" Goku and Gohan shouted in unison, cheery grins that could only be credited to the Son family tree earning a grunt from Piccolo and a chuckle from Krillin.

As they arrived at the densely populated small island, the five fighters hovered overhead and surveyed the area.

"Pretty big island," Goku soberly mused.

"Yeah…pretty bustling too," Krillin muttered tensely.

"We'll have to figure out a way to lure these Androids away from the population so innocent people don't get caught in the middle," Gohan remarked, showing his astute maturity.

Sofia glanced over at Piccolo when she felt his gaze on her. 'What?'

'I sense you're worried—'

'I am. I know we talked about this, but I'd be a jackass to not be worried, babe—'

'There's no time for you to get tangled up in that. Like you said – we're all in this together. If something happens out of the established flow of events, it's not just on you to set it back on the right track. I'll help you,' Piccolo rumbled over their rapport.

Before Sofia could respond, Krillin exclaimed, "Hey – I'm sensing some power levels over at that plateau on the side of the mountain!"

"It's probably Yamcha and the others. Let's go!" Goku mused and led the way, Krillin and Gohan following close behind while Sofia and Piccolo took the time to glance sidelong at each other before following the others.

As they landed on the plateau, Yamcha pleasantly greeted them, while Tien stood off to the side and Bulma merrily waved while cradling an adorable blue-eyed baby. Landing seamlessly, Sofia watched as Gohan and Krillin marveled at Bulma's unannounced presence and newfound motherhood while baby Trunks shyly hid his face against her bosom.

Yamcha was already sulking before his friends inquired how fatherhood suited him. "Bulma and I broke it off a long time ago. The kid ain't mine…but just wait until she tells you who the dad is…you won't believe it," he sullenly groused as he walked off to sit and brood.

"Huh?" Krillin and Gohan were perplexed.

"Awww, Vegeta's your daddy, right, Trunks? Yes he is!" Goku absently cooed when he came up and smiled down at his former archrival's son, flummoxing almost everyone.

"Goku…how in the world would you possibly know? I was going to surprise you—" Bulma blinked while cradling Trunks, who just scowled at Goku as the Saiyan flinched and began to sweat, sputtering an excuse as to how he could've known. "But you even knew his name," Bulma quirked a brow dubiously at her longtime friend.

Before Goku could put his foot in his mouth again, Sofia speedily came up beside him and offered smoothly, "Hey Bulma—I probably let it slip on the way here! After all, I've been so looking forward to meeting this cutie," then leaned close to smile like a Cheshire cat as she purred goofily, "Kakarot is just hopeless at keeping secrets, isn't that right, Trunks?"

The baby boy blinked at her before stretching his chubby little arms out and giggling, cooing wildly when she grinned and tickled him affectionately.

"Heeheeheehee—yep, that's gotta be it!" Goku retorted with his irreverently silly chuckle, hand scratching the back of his head while Sofia continued to make goofy faces at Trunks, entertaining the baby while Bulma pleasantly smiled.

"Whoa…I can't believe it. Vegeta's someone's dad," Krillin balked, earning yet another sullen huff from Yamcha.

"Right. Since we're on the subject, where is Vegeta?" Piccolo gruffly inquired, arms crossed and taking his no-nonsense stance. "Out buying formula?" he sarcastically muttered as Bulma shrugged.

"I don't keep tabs on him – it's not like we're a couple or anything. He comes and goes as he pleases, but he has been training to fight these Androids too. He'll most likely come here before long," the Capsule Corp heiress responded.

"Trust me. Vegeta will definitely be here," Goku declared confidently.

"I had to leave Chiaotzu back at Kame House. I don't think the little guy would be up to a fight of this caliber," Tien mused, glancing over at the others.

"Yeah, it's probably for the best. Which reminds me. You should probably leave soon, Bulma. This is no place for you and the baby to be," Goku retorted, causing Trunks to watch him suspiciously in such a way that Sofia couldn't help but see his resemblance to his mercurial father.

"Chill, Goku. I'll stay long enough to see what these things are, then leave. Plus, they're not supposed to be here for another half hour," Bulma nonchalantly mused.

Seeing how the blue-eyed baby scrunched up his face, Sofia snickered and elbowed the Saiyan playfully, musing, "I don't think he likes you, Kakarot."

"Awww, really? But I'm GREAT with kids," Goku goofily lamented as he leaned forward and cooed, "Is Trunksy-wonksy grumpy?"

The baby actually scowled, little brows furrowed and eyes showing his consternation at the man. Sofia laughed while Goku pouted and deflated at the reaction.

They spent the next 40 minutes waiting for the Androids, some surveying the island from the edge of the plateau while others got distracted in idle chatter and playing with the half-Saiyan baby. Gohan was currently making silly noises and faces at Trunks, who sweetly giggled and squealed with delight while his mother had him held in her lap. Sofia sat adjacent to Bulma and offered her hands to the baby, smiling when his chubby palms extended out as he leaned towards her.

"Wow! He's not normally this comfortable with strangers," she remarked as she let the baby crawl into Sofia's lap before the red-eyed woman held him to balance on her knees before playfully bouncing him and giving him a fangy grin.

"Ah, babies have always liked me. I must have a funny face or something," she offered as she balanced the lavender-haired tyke to stand on her thigh while she tickled just under his armpit. "Babysitting was my main gig growing up, so if you ever need a sitter, I'm your girl!" Trunks squealed and laughed with belly-giggles as she playfully went back to bouncing him on her lap before catching Piccolo's glance and sobering in her doting display.

He'd been watching her for longer than that glance, and couldn't help ponder on why the display was oddly endearing to him.

"I still don't get why he doesn't like me, though," Goku pouted before trying once again to get a laugh from the baby. "C'mon, Trunksy – can't you give your uncle Goku a smile?" the Saiyan cooed in a goofy falsetto as he giggled merrily and tried tickling Trunks while Sofia held him.

When the baby sulked and turned his face away, Sofia couldn't help herself. Holding him so he stood in her lap in order to hide her face behind him, Sofia mimicked in a faux baby-Vegeta-esque-voice, "How dare you presume such familiarity with me, a baby Saiyan elite, you clown!"

Sweatdropping, Goku froze as everyone began to laugh before blinking at the baby and then giggling at the silliness himself. "Okay, fine, he's just not a fan no matter what I do. Why don't you give it a try, Krillin?" the jovial hero offered as he stood and gestured for the bald-headed former monk to step up and try his luck with the surly baby.

"Alright," stated the short monk as he came up. "Hm, what kind of face would you like?" he mused, and immediately earned a hearty giggle from the baby as he pointed at his face. Frowning, Krillin grumbled, "Hey, how 'bout you hold the laughter until I make a face, kid."

Everyone chuckled at that for a few seconds until Piccolo declared that someone was approaching their position. Sobering, Sofia handed Trunks back over to Bulma and stood. Crap. I really need to focus. Almost forgot Yajirobe is coming with Senzu beans. Right after he leaves, all hell breaks loose…

Before she could spiral deeper into her worrisome thoughts, said overweight former fighter's hovercraft came into view as it descended from the pleasant morning sky towards the very plateau they were all on.

"Hey! You came and to help us fight the Androids," Goku exclaimed as greeting when Yajirobe hopped out of the craft.

"Yeah right! I just brought some Senzu beans from Korin. He figured you'd need 'em," the gruff fighter mused as he handed the bag of magical beans to the Saiyan. Glancing over and seeing the strange looking woman with the red eyes for the first time, he scrunched his face over at Goku and muttered not so covertly, "Who's the chick, Goku? Don't tell me you finally got rid of the ol' ball an' chain."

"Huh?" Goku followed his glance and saw Sofia sweatdrop. "Oh—that's Sofia. She's here to help us. Are you sure you don't wanna stay and lend a hand?"

"Her? She's a fighter?" The beady-eyed wild-haired man grumbled skeptically before shrugging. "Whatever floats your boats, I guess, but nah – you can count me out. You guys give 'em hell," the not-so-chivalrous man offered as he sauntered back to his hovercraft and hopped in, offering a lazy farewell before ascending and taking off from the plateau.

Pouting as she crossed her arms and tapped her foot, Sofia groused, "Jeez, do you guys always side eye having a female fighting companion, or is that just his way of complimenting me…"

Yamcha blew as raspberry as he chauvinistically mused, "Hey, Yajirobe might not be the most keen with the ladies, but he has a point. You're not really the fighter type. 'Specially not dressed like that," he gestured at her outfit. "You look like you should be going shopping with Bulma."

All the guys seemed to take Yamcha's comment as the opportunity to leer at Sofia astutely, to which she huffed and flailed, "Gauh! No, I'm not wearing fighting pajamas like all youz, but that doesn't mean my threads aren't adept for fighting. I never heard any of you giving fashion tips to Vegeta for wearing form-fitting battle wear!" The blue motto jeggings she wore fit her like a glove while her leather-like underbust corseted vest cinched her tightly. Her olive-green long-sleeved undershirt with cutout shoulders tapered off from her forearms to thumb-holed cuffs with a thicker weave of fabric, almost like arm gauntlets, with her Capsule-Corp styled red and black-tipped boots resembling a futuristic take on the popular footwear – rounded and thicker-soled versions of the pointy-toed slim-soled apparel everyone was used to. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, earlobes adorned with small platinum hoops that swayed now with her dismissive grunt.

"That's because Vegeta's came with armor…and wasn't as fetching, come to think of it," Krillin mused sheepishly, earning a growl from Sofia. "I mean, hey, if it's what you're comfortable fighting in, who are we to comment, hahahahah!" the monk nervously added in a rush, hands up in defeat when she stomped her foot in reminder of him not treating her any differently from the rest of the guys.

"I'll have you know these are all magically fashioned to be lighter, more flexible and durable than anything you've got on," she said with a snarky edge, sticking her tongue out. "Plus this corseted vest alone is weighted for strength training and is dense enough to slow any of you down, but like Piccolo's shoulder pads or Goku's undershirt, I use it to train my body to be quicker," she added glibly and stood triumphantly next to Bulma while she marveled at the details and Trunks reached unsuccessfully for Sofia's shoulder.

"Is your bra weighted too?" Yamcha drawled sarcastically, earning a sweatdrop from Tien.

"Is that even something you should ask?!" Tien snapped, his cheeks tinting with a slight blush.

"Would you all shut up about her outfit!" Piccolo barked over at the group, ceasing the chatter. "It's past 10am, and there's still no sign of them…"

"Yeah, that's right. So much for being punctual," Tien mused, crossing his arms.

Sofia's demeanor sobered, her expression becoming stoic as she felt anticipation begin to rise inside of her chest. 'This is it…' she unintentionally breathed telepathically.

'What is?' Piccolo answered her, ignoring the chatter of the others as they waxed idly about whether the Androids were running late or the teen from the future was wrong about his warning.

Before she could answer, an explosion rang out from the sky overhead followed by the crash landing of Yajirobe's hovercraft into the ocean.

The next few minutes felt like they were in both slow motion and sped up to her. As the fighters realized what was happening and saw the 2 assailants zoom into the city, they went into tactical mode. Sofia watched as they decided to split up in order to track the Androids, who had no power levels for them to sense. As Gohan rushed to help Yajirobe, the others went into the city below. Goku handed the senzu beans to Bulma for safe keeping before blasting off to the sky to confront the unknown. Hesitating, Sofia went to follow suit, when Piccolo turned and said, "Is this all normal?"

Pausing, she nodded. "Yes, but—"

"Unless something is out of the ordinary, you should stay out of the fight. For now, just wait until Gohan comes back," he cut in before rushing off to follow the others.

Rooted in her spot, Sofia blinked and glanced over at Bulma before staring back down at the sprawling island below. Is that the right plan…? He doesn't know—ugh, we didn't even discuss this and he's already leaving me on the sidelines. Miffed, Sofia closed her eyes and reached out to hone in on each of their unique power levels. Hmm, at least they're all where they're supposed to be. There's Goku…and Tien—

A raucous explosion suddenly caused a tremor to shoot up the plateau as a small mushroom cloud formed on the southwestern corner of the island. Rushing to the edge, Sofia watched in horror as a few small buildings toppled over and could faintly hear the cries from so high up. Her stomach dropped.

The Androids had just attacked outside of the normal course of events.

Before she registered the impulse, she was blasting off directly towards the explosion, ignoring Bulma's shocked shout from behind her as she rushed towards the chaos, not knowing what was to happen or what awaited her while she possibly faced Androids 19 and 20 by herself.

How is this already going off the rails…and why?!

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