Adventures of the Chestnut Clan
Chapter 10: Always One with the Family
Eighteen felt a beeping in her head that resembled an alarm clock and groaned, her eyes shutting tighter. Another beeping soon followed; however, then another until her head started aching, forcing her to pry open those heavy eyelids.
The room she had woken into was pitch dark without any traces of light. Based on her cybernetic calculation, it wasn't even daybreak and the blonde cyborg wondered what could be the reason behind her setting such an internal alarm, one she couldn't turn off without waking up, one that prompted her system to come online no matter what.
Her question was quickly answered when a familiar date written in large capital and green font occupied her vision and her pale blue eyes snapped wide opened.
"Kril." She whispered to the sleeping figure next to her, the man who came into her life as a direct result of that day's actions. All she accomplished though was him pulling her closer into a warm embrace. Under normal circumstances, the mere warmth of this cute and noseless husband encasing her body with those sturdy limbs was enough to lull her back into deep slumber but she knew better than to give in this time.
"Kril please." She called out a bit louder but yielded no desired effect. Instead, the cyborg wife earned herself an accidentally kiss to the cheek as her spouse snuggled even closer, his mouth muttering something along the lines of "Sweetie please...please don't leave me."
It was near impossible to fight against such innocent advance and Eighteen felt her iron will bending in his touches. It was still dark outside and she started convincing herself with plenty of wishful thinking perhaps there were time to spare.
Fine you sleepy head, I guess I'll indulge you this time...
Wrapping those deceptively powerful arms around Krillin's head, Eighteen claimed those delicious lips all for herself. At first, her lover let out a sharp gasp as well as a drowsy "B-babe...I know you want to make up to me...but is this really necessary?" then reciprocated her intensity by latching his mouth firmly against hers.
The connection was breathtaking to say the least, definitely not something Eighteen would expect from someone supposedly sleeping. In no time, the artificially enhanced woman, despite of all her inhuman abilities, was wishing for fresh air. She could tell from how engaged Krillin looked he could probably go on indefinitely and began panicking.
How could I have forgotten about Kril's ability to breath from every single pore? No wonder he could kiss forever...
Her chest had begun to feel heavy and her mind dizzy yet her husband simply kept on smooching. Right when she was about to drift back to sleep, knocked out by the heated oral action she initiated, the pair of chocolate rich eyes fluttered opened.
"S-sweetie? What's the occasion?" Krillin asked all puzzled as he pulled away in an audible pop.
Wow, no wonder it felt so hot, my angel's kissing me...
The cyborg woman meanwhile was gasping for air; her face pale from the scare yet those cheeks flushed a rosy color.
Note to self, never kiss Kril when he's asleep, there's just no telling how long he'll instinctively keep it up...
"You okay there sweetie?" Krillin's voice was that of pure concern, his hand gently patting her back hoping it would sooth her distress.
"Y-yeah I'm good. Thanks Kril." Eighteen replied as she buried her head against his chest, almost too embarrassed to look at him and not knowing this odd behavior was making him confused if not slightly guilty.
They ended up laying there for minutes, neither spoken a word and merely holding onto one another until Krillin picked up the courage and asked, "So eh, mind telling me what's the occasion babe? It's not our anniversary now is it?"
The question snapped Eighteen's eyes wide opened as the date and memory of her elaborative preparation yesterday came flooding back, "Oh no, I've almost forgotten."
"Forgot about what?" Krillin was even more troubled.
"No time to explain Krillin. I need you to go wake up Marron. I'll get the flowers and car ready." Eighteen nearly yelled as she leapt off the bed, leaving a bewildered Krillin ponder his wife's bizarre behavior.
What is wrong with her today, what flower? Oh wait!
His already spherical orbs got all the rounder as he peered out the window to a brightening day then, with even more urgency than his spouse, he sprang up from their shared comfy spot.
The former warrior monk found his little angel, the labors of their love was sound asleep on her bed, those small and developing hands clutching a turtle plush close. Despite pressing for time, Krillin gently brushed the blonde curls from her forehead and gave her what he dubbed the Chestnut's morning greeting in the form of a kiss.
Like father like daughter, Marron muttered something cute in her sleep then slowly, those blue spherical eyes opened as she gazed back at her father's identical yet brown ones, "Papa?"
"Wakey wakey little angel, do you know what date it is?" Krillin asked while kicking himself internally again for not remembering it without hint.
Common Marron, let's see if you are smarter than papa...
The blonde girl lowered her head in deep thoughts, her eyebrows furrowed before returning to normal, "Is it time to see my uncle papa?"
"That's right princess, now let's quickly get dressed up okay? I believe Mama's almost done with her preparation." He gave her a gentle pat.
True to Krillin's prediction, his wife's impatient but loving voice rang throughout their suburban home that exact same time, telling them that, "The car's all ready to go slowpokes!"
Father and daughter gave each other a knowing look and chuckled goodheartedly.
"Mama's always so fast isn't she?" Marron wondered innocently.
"That she is little angle, your mother sure is something else and I can see you've inherited some of her traits." Krillin assured.
Well, that's what you get for marrying a cyborg...a terrifyingly efficient but caring one at that...
Meanwhile several hundreds of miles away on an island of seemingly prehistoric setting, the voice of a distressed woman was audible to all close by.
"Fille darling, have you finished dressing yet?" A redheaded woman asked while giving her hair some final adjustments.
"Yes mommy, what do you think? Do you think uncle will like it?" A girl sporting the same fiery red locks replied as she spun around to give her mother a good look.
"Hmm...let me see," The parent knelt down and began adjusting her daughter's attire, straightening up her white shirt collar, black vest, and skirt. "There, all done hon," She remarked proudly then with slight hesitation inquired, "now tell me where's father."
The question got the little girl scratching her head, her eyes drifting down onto the floor sheepishly. It was all that the mother needed as she nearly palmed her face but nevertheless put on a friendly face, "Thanks hon, just stay here and mommy will be right back with daddy kay?"
"Kay!"
Her march to the bedroom was much less pleasant since it was impossible not to get worked up in light of her husband's, as the wife and mother puts it mentally, laidback nature. Deciding to show him the urgency they were in, she boldly pushed their door opened, only to find an empty room and neatly made bed.
"Looking for me Carly darling?" A voice rang from behind her before a pair of sturdy arms encircled her waist.
She wanted to blush, to sink into his warmth but rather, Carly put on a straight face and rebuked, "Of course I, no we are Seventeen, you have any idea how long you've kept us waiting?"
The raven-haired spouse merely shrugged nonchalantly, "Hey what can I say? All it took was mere seconds to dress up right? Now let's go. We don't want to keep him waiting do we?" He finished that last part with evident sadness, his formerly crystal blue eyes decreased in vibrancy.
"Right Sev darling you speedy cyborg. Now let's get a move on!"
With that, the small family exited their dormitory on the island bearing the sign "Monster Island", taking off full speed in their hover car as if racing against time.
The atmosphere inside Chestnut family's hover car was quite unlike the intimate private moment shared by husband and wife nor the hectic preparation that followed. Instead, the temperature seemed to have dropped with no one muttering a word, not even Marron whose usual chirpiness was nowhere present. Eighteen especially had frozen to resemble an ice sculpture, her head resting against the window and her pale blue eyes distant. Krillin, all too accustomed to his spouse's body language, was trying his best to keep the car steady despite facing turbulences for her sake, going as far as encasing their vehicle in a thin veil of ki.
It's unbelievable that after all these years, sweetie is still this upset. But I don't blame her, we all lost a good friend that day...
"Mama? Are you feeling okay? Do you need someone to talk to?" Marron finally asked from the backseat, her inquisitive crystal blue eyes studying her mother's solemn expression through the rear mirror.
Hearing her daughter's concerned voice brought the cyborg woman back to life, her face softening as if by command. "Yes little angel, mama's okay thank you," She said with a smile then followed it up with a question laced with maternal concern, "are you okay back there?"
The younger blonde nodded back assuredly, her voice bright as she proudly declared, "Yes mama! Marron just want to be here for you!"
"And so do I Eighteen sweetie, you don't have to sulk all by yourself in the corner you know?" Krillin chimed in as he laid a hand on her shoulder then drifted down until he grasped her fingers in a warm squeeze, "I'm sure he'll be happy knowing where you've headed in life and the little girl we have so cheer up a bit alright?"
"Right." She said simply, her fingers wrapping around his for support.
They landed at a mountainous area where a gigantic crater large enough to be seem from outer space laid. The sight of this devastation and meaning behind it sent chills down Eighteen's spine no matter how many times she had laid her eyes on it, and it wasn't merely from the ungodly amount of power required to cause such destruction neither.
"Sweetie?" Krillin asked again in a considerate tone.
"Let's go Kril." Was all she said.
Their feet touched down on the grassland right beside the giant scar on Earth's surface. Standing beside the hole with their tiny bodies as comparisons only served to magnify what had transpired that day.
For Krillin, it felt like reliving that fateful battle all over again, his old wounds, which had long since healed began aching. Marron, whose height was barely enough to see the entire crater, looked on with awe, her young mind filled with abstract tales from her parents.
As for Eighteen, despite of having no first-hand recollection of events that day, still felt like she knew it all by heart. Like it or not, she and her brother could be labelled as passive participants of sorts, even if against their wills.
After all, this was where Cell had coughed her up and where her faithful husband then enemy had protected her against all harm.
But most importantly, this was where you gave your life for all of us...Sixteen...
I-if...if only I was there for you...if only I was there to see it but all I knew were from Kril's descriptions...
A trickle of tear dripped down her face, her watery eyes glistening a reddish tint.
"Mama?" Marron was carrying flower on one hand and, with her free one, quickly took hold of her mother's. Krillin followed suit and grabbed his wife's remaining hand, his affectionate single word of "Eighteen?" reaching her ears.
"Thanks guys, I'm alright. Now should we wait...," The now composed woman didn't even get to finish before another hovercraft landed beside theirs and out stepped off three figures all dressed in blacks much like the Chestnut family.
"Hey sister dearest, her Kril, and of course my dear little niece." Seventeen announced with open arms as he made his way to his sibling followed by Carly and Fille.
"Hey little bro, what took you so long? Sidetracked by your scenic route?" Eighteen teased, causing him to roll his eyes in an indignant manner.
"Very funny sis, but we all know that's the last thing I'll do today." The younger sibling sounded uncharacteristically offended by those words.
"Sorry bro, I believe you." Even the elder sister had to admit it was a rather inconsiderate thing to say.
The two families shared one big reunion embrace then, with a collective "Let's go see Sixteen," began their descent down the crater. It was a long, uneventful walk and while they could've easily flew to save time, none complained. Even the two young girls whose small feet could barely catch up to the adults followed in silence.
For all who knew the deceased android in person, every step they took seemed to conjure up more memories of the gentle giant, let them be the joy ride the artificial humans all shared on a certain pink van to recollections of Sixteen's bird watching moments and, for the retired warrior monk, the android's final courageous moment.
Gradually, they neared the bottom of the crater and there, standing in the middle was a tombstone of sorts bearing the engraving of Artificial Human Number Sixteen and a date marking 767 May 26th below.
May 26th, the date of the Cell games where that monster met its end...along with Sixteen...a day several full years ago...
To the twins and Krillin's pleasant surprise, the spot wasn't without attendance, seeing there were several birds perched on the stone, happily chirping. It was like a welcoming melody for his visitors as they wondered just how often were the birds present.
"Sup Sixteen, how's your day been? Spending it bird watching in the afterlife? Well, we've got fresh flowers for you buddy." Seventeen was the first to break silence as he gathered the floral presents from everyone and gingerly placed them in front the tombstone, trying his best not to alert the flock of feathered animals gathered there.
"Sixteen, it's me Eighteen. I'm back with my family once more and looks like you've got yourself some friends here." Eighteen spoke as if communicating to a real, living person, her eyes watery in spite her best efforts and her mind kept on imagining what her companion must've been like that day.
The aforementioned family of the cyborg woman were the next to approach as the two Chestnuts closed their eyes, their palms pressed together in a show of respect.
"Hello Sixteen, Krillin here. Miss you old friend and look," Krillin paused as he picked up Marron in his arms, "Me and Eighteen's daughter is growing up fast. Can you believe it? In fact, I can barely lift my little angel up with how heavy she's getting!" The father said and made the effort to raise and lower his offspring in those sturdy arms.
"Marron's here to see you Uncle Sixteen! Here, I made you some drawings." Marron placed down a few colorful drawings of what her uncle must look like, together with a wide variety of birds she had witnessed in her young life.
Carly and Fille were the last one to greet this family member whom they've never met but could still picture vividly in their brains of how his orange Mohawk must resemble their flaming red hair.
"You look good Sixteen, I'm impressed by the rare species of birds you are attracting. Wish I have the same kind of charm as you do." The resident ornithologist on Monster Island commented with a smile while internally thanking the giant for trying to save her husband all those years back.
"Uncle Sixteen, thank you for all you've done for my father and Auntie Eighteen. I think of you whenever I see birds of green body and orange head." Fille wasn't lying neither, as she presented a picture of Sixteen as an exotic bird.
They stood there in silence for the next couple of minutes, each communicating with the deceased full mechanical robot in their minds.
For the retired human warrior continuing his service as police officer, he was focusing all his senses on the residual of kis left behind and could nearly taste the personalities left by their owners. From his best friend Goku's resolve, to Gohan's outburst of emotions, as well as deep regret poured out from Vegeta, he could literally taste it all on his lips. To his surprise, he could feel a unique gentleness, a caring attitude for all living beings amongst the energies.
Is this Sixteen's lingering life source? I mean I didn't see him in the afterlife later but maybe he's somewhere watching over us?
Unable to help it any more, Krillin raised his head toward the heavens and, in what even he considered as goalless search, tried to find traces of his friend.
"He can definitely hear us Kril, I can sense him." It was Eighteen coming to his comfort this time, her arms wrapping around his shoulder in a hug.
"I believe you are right sister dearest." Seventeen made his way over, leaning against his twin.
During their private ceremony, the sun continued to climb its way toward the middle of the cloudless sky and along came more noises as people from across the world had come to pay memory to that fateful day. Amongst them was someone, probably a guide, declaring through a megaphone, letting all know that, "This folks is where the Cell Game took place. On that day, our world's savior, the man Hercules Satan himself took on the dreaded monster and saved us all! This crater we are told, is that vile creature's last parting gift to us all as it disintegrated against our champion's might blows!"
The raven-haired twin chuckled while shaking his head while his blonde counterpart merely rolled her eyes, both recalling how furious they were when first heard of such statement but having since ceased to get worked up.
No, that's not what Sixteen would want...he's just happy knowing the world is safe and besides...Satan did toss him over to Gohan so that fraud contributed somehow...
Right Sixteen?
"Oh dear, what a bunch of...oh never mind, what do you say we get going guys?" Carly suggested, speaking their minds after giving one last respectable bow along with Fille.
"Sounds good doc! Where do you have in mind?" Seventeen teased lightheartedly, knowing the silent but good natured giant wouldn't want him to be sad. This earned him a bump on his shoulder from Carly for using her nickname, their interaction visible to all present, let them be physical or in spirit.
"Since we are here already, why don't we head over to Kami's lookout?" Eighteen said thoughtfully, already turning towards the literal skyscraping tower.
Her suggestion clearly got the entire group interested, in particular the children who gazed up at her as if she had just said the magic word.
"Mama, is this Kami's lookout where Uncle Dende lives?" Marron asked, her large curious eyes trained on her mother.
"Yes princess, but that's not it. Up there's also where the world was restored after Uncle Sixteen's hard work and well...," Krillin couldn't help but to trail off, his cheeks already blushing bright tomato red as a younger version of his wife, with all her attitude and developing crush for him came flooding back.
Eighteen's only response was to put on a cold look, trying to imitate how she must've appeared later that day, only to reignite that healthy glow further by kissing Krillin on the cheeks once he began paling. Giving Sixteen's tombstone with all the birds gathered one last look of gratitude, led the now multiplied cyborg family to their next adventure.
Thanks for making all this happen Sixteen.
A/N: Thanks for reading this admittedly rather heavy chapter here. When I saw the Family prompt this last week, I knew I had to include Sixteen somehow and decided to write how the Chestnut clan probably revisit their friend later in the future. As always, happy reading and writing.