THE SON SAGA-THE PURPLE INNOCENTWATCH OUT, SONS!
By Rizu-chan
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I don't think that it's a raging miscalculation on my part to assume that one may consider this story to be one big, long, driven-into-the-dirt parody. If you're not into poking fun at pop culture, then this fic will probably grate on your nerves. Hey, I tried to be subtle with it. [shrugs] Anyway...let's just say it's a tribute to one of my mentors and favorite film directors of all time...see if you know who it is. It REALLY shouldn't be hard
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Goku was out training in the woods. This was always such a peaceful time of day for him... Lately, Chichi was letting him come out here every day to play in the forest, and it had been nice. It reminded him of when he was younger and did that sort of thing all the time. He grinned to himself. Chichi was being really nice over the past couple of weeks. He wasn't quite sure why, but she just seemed very happy...kind of serene or something. Goku paused in his training and thought. What do you do for someone who's being really sweet? He liked food and he seemed like a happy person, he thought. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers and grinned. Food! Food must be the thing you give people when they're happy! He itched his brow and walked down to the lake. He was going to catch a big fish for her. She liked fish.
Goku trotted to the babbling stream and crouched on the rocky bank. His eyes passed over the tranquil water with concentration. Small fish...bigger fish...another small one... Well, damn. He knew there had to be a big one in there. Suddenly, a large fat fish with a gaping jaw and jagged teeth emerged from beneath the rocky shore. It moved slowly and lethargically and glanced at him as it swam by. Goku grinned. That one was perfect! He leaned forward on his heels slightly and watched it with his eyes focused. It swam past him, unaware of what he was doing, and he took the opportunity to dart in after it. His weight caused quite a splash and it made a loud sound that rang throughout the forest. He kicked his legs gently as he swam to it, and prepared to punch it in the gills. Suddenly, the fish took a strange twist and sped away from his reach. He was left holding his breath beneath the water, failing in his attempt to get his wife's present. He grunted mentally and burst his head up through the surface and looked about angrily, knowing that something had spooked it. "What happened?" he growled in an annoyed tone. "What did you do?"
No one said anything.
He muttered under his breath and crawled out of the water, upset that he had gotten his clothes wet for no reason. He crouched on the bank again and, in a very irritated manner, watched for another fish. There was a small splash and rippling of the water in the corner of his eye, and his acute peripheral vision picked up on it. He paid it no mind and continued looking for fish. It had probably just been a small whirlpool or something. Just then, the water rippled again and a small purple lizard-like thing with wings popped up with a fish in its mouth.
Goku jumped up and instinctively got into a defensive posture. The little pudgy thing purred at him and wagged its tail. Goku watched it for a moment, trying to decide what to do. Then the...thing jumped up out of the water and dropped the rather large fish at his feet. Goku, suddenly realizing that he wasn't being attacked, stood upright and smiled.
"Oh, hi!" he chirped. "Are you going fishing for your wife too?" The baby animal looked cluelessly back at him with a big, dumb smile plastered across its face. Goku returned its cheerfulness with his own big, dumb smile. He knelt and picked up the present his little friend had retrieved. Goku took the fish in his hand and looked at it closely. Hardly any teeth marks...it was a pretty clean kill, especially since an animal had caught it. He weighed it in his hand. Probably about three pounds...not bad.
"Is this for me?" he asked, pointing at the catch.
The small lizard-like thing squeaked and put a cloven paw on Goku's knee. Goku grinned and looked at the fish again.
"Well, it's big enough for Chichi, that's for sure. I guess since she doesn't eat as much as me, this will be okay," he replied thoughtfully. The creature just continued grinning with its tongue lolling out of its mouth as it whipped its tail about playfully.
Goku stood up again and, not wanting to seem ungrateful, accepted the fish. "Well, thank you! I'm sure she'll really like it," he said over his shoulder as he began to walk away. The scaly animal just "smiled" in return and continued watching him. Goku strode away from the stream and headed back home, feeling light-hearted since he had made a new friend. He wondered if the little dragon would be there tomorrow? Suddenly, some snapping twigs and branches behind him made him pause. He turned and looked down at the ground. The rolly little dragon pup was following him, that perpetual playful grin upon its lips. Goku blinked and smiled at it.
"You certainly are a friendly little guy, aren't you?" he asked, putting his hands on his hips.
The little dragon wagged its tail and tilted its head slightly. Goku knelt down and lifted the cute creature into his arms.
"Would you like to come home and have dinner with Chichi and me?" he asked, poking a finger into the dragon's belly and tickling it. The dragon seemed delighted with that idea. It looked at the fish it had caught and batted at it with its paw. Goku smiled and walked back home with his new little lavender pal.
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Chichi was stooped over the stove, stirring a pot of dumplings when she heard the front door open. Goku was home. She smiled and walked out into the living room, wiping her hands on her apron. "Hi, Goku-saa! Did you have a nice time in the woods today?" she asked, then brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face.
"Yeah!" he replied happily as he quickly hid something behind his back.
She noticed that he had something and she grew curious. "What's that behind your back?" she asked, trying to walk around him to see. He turned about so that she couldn't catch a glimpse of his gifts and only grinned in reply.
He pulled one hand out from behind his back and produced the fish. "We got you a fish for dinner!" he said in a sparkling voice.
Chichi smiled and took it in her hands. It was heavy...
"How sweet!" she thought. "He brought me a present! ...But who's 'we'?"
"It's nice, Goku-saa, thank you! I'll cook it in a minu--" She was cut off when Goku poked his other "gift" in her face...the dragon pup.
The dragon licked her nose and she stepped back, trying to make sense of what had just happened. She angrily wiped her sleeve against her face. "GOKU, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT??" she asked, pointing at the little monster.
"It's a dragon!" he replied cheerily. His eyes became round and hopeful. "Can we keep 'im?" he asked in a child-like voice.
Although it was hard for her to say no to that face, she was still so stirred from the thought of having a little purple hydra in the house that it didn't take much for her to yell at him. "I thought I told you we can't have any pets!" she growled, clenching her fist. "And especially not that......thing!" she gestured to the creature in disgust.
Goku looked hurt. Strangely enough, so did the dragon pup. "I'm sorry, Chichi, it followed me home. Honest!" Goku half-lied. "Please, can we keep him? I'll take real good care of him. You don't have to do anything. You won't even notice he's around! He can sleep in the living room!"
"It is NOT going to sleep in our living room!" Chichi said angrily. "I told you, I don't want to have to deal with pets!"
"But you won't have to!" Goku countered, pointing out his earlier argument. "I'll take care of it."
Chichi sighed and fought the urge to threaten to make her husband sleep on the couch that night. She looked down at the fish in her hand and tried to think of what to tell him. He really was that "pet type", but she had had a bad experience with a hamster when she was six and never fully recovered from it. It had run away when she accidentally left the cage open in the backyard and she had felt like she had lost her only friend in the world besides her father. She didn't want to go back to the whole "pet" thing just yet.
Goku noticed that she was looking at the fish and thought of another argument. He pointed at the catch. "And the dragon also caught the fish you're holding," he mentioned casually.
Chichi was shaken from her thoughts and she dropped the fish in surprise. "THAT THING CAUGHT THAT FISH?!!" she cried, indicating the dragon pup. "YOU WERE GONNA LET ME EAT THAT??!" she shouted angrily as she stabbed her finger downward and pointed at the fish lying on the ground like a wet rag. "That does it, Goku! Go into the woods and leave the dragon there!" She turned and stormed back to the kitchen with her arms folded. He could be SO difficult at times!
Goku's shoulders slumped. "But Chichi! He likes you!" he protested as he began to follow her, tripping over the fish along the way. He accompanied her in the kitchen where she was already busying herself with other chores. He poked the dragon pup into her face again. "See?" he pushed.
Chichi stepped back and drew in a short breath. "Gah...GOKU, take it OUT OF THE HOUSE! This is the last time I'm going to say it!" she fumed.
Goku set the little scaly creature down on the kitchen floor and walked to his wife. "Please, Chichi, don't be so mad," he said in a soothing voice as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him from behind. She sighed. He really knew how to get what he wanted sometimes.
"Goku, I don't want to have to deal with pets," she said again, not able to think of anything else to argue back with. She was slowly caving and she knew it. It was so hard not to appreciate this sort of affection from Goku.
He placed his chin on her shoulder and nuzzled his head against her neck. "You won't have to..." he repeated in a kind-hearted, gentle voice. "Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..."
"Goku, stop."
"...eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..."
"Goku..."
"...eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..."
"GOKU..."
"...eeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssssse--?"
A very irritated Chichi shook loose of her husband's gentle embrace and sighed heavily as she went back to her cooking. He watched her in silence, feeling as if he had no choice but to take the dragon back into the woods. There was just no convincing her.
Chichi looked down at the dragon who was now curiously poking his little curled snout into a cabinet. She frowned. He was such a dirty animal and now he was probably getting germs all over her food. "Goku, get him out of there," she demanded meekly. Goku looked down at the dragon. He didn't see what she found so repulsive about it. It was cute.
Suddenly, the baby dragon sneezed and stumbled back onto its rear end, its face covered with flour. It pawed furiously at its eyes and whimpered gruffly. Goku's eyes shined as he slowly began to smile. He bent over, giggling, and scooped the animal up into his arms.
Chichi watched as her husband slowly wiped the tiny animal's eyes with his big finger and cooed to it. "Aww, whoops," he teased the little violet creature. "Looks like it's a good idea for you to not stick your nose in other people's business," he scolded.
..........................................KAAAAAAAWWWAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!
Chichi sighed as she placed a hand on her hip and looked at the two. "So what are you going to call him?" she asked quietly.
Goku looked at her with wide eyes. "Y'mean it??" asked excitedly. Chichi leaned on the counter and groaned slightly with a nod. Goku flung his free arm around her and squeezed her tight as he lifted her off the ground and spun her around. "OH, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!" he cried giddily.
Chichi couldn't help but break into a big grin as she wrapped her arms around him in return and hugged him back. "Name, Goku-saa, name..." she reminded him.
"Oh, right!" he smiled as he put her back down. He looked at his pet and scratched his head. "Uhhh...I 'unno, how about 'Koko' [Japanese Translation: "Individual"]?"
Chichi placed her hands on her hips and squinted at the little animal. "'Koko'?" she murmured. "That's a strange name. Why do you want to call him that?"
Goku shrugged and played with the dragon's paw. "I don't know...I've just never seen a dragon like this one before. I thought Shenron was the only one there was," he said.
Little did they know what they were in for.
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Goku's arm was hanging limply over the side of the bed as he slept. He was snoring loudly and bugging the hell out of his wife who was trying to get some sleep next to him. She lifted the pillow that she had been using to cover her face with and sighed. It was absolutely impossible to escape that hideous sound!
She angrily flung her legs out of the bed and walked out of their bedroom. She walked downstairs, grumbling to herself. "Damned infernal snoring..." she muttered. If only there were some way to get him to stop it...just for one night. It was another one of his annoying habits, besides the eating-enough-food-to-feed-Sri Lanka-for-two-months thing...
She walked into the kitchen to get a glass of juice. She reached for the refrigerator door and opened it slightly, looking through its contents. Suddenly, there was a slight whine off to her left. She looked in the direction of the noise. "Goku--?" she asked.
Nobody answered her.
She narrowed her eyes curiously and turned back to the refrigerator, reaching for the bottle of grape juice. Another whine to her left. It was closer this time. She looked down only to find the dragon looking at her and wagging its tail cheerfully. At first, she was so startled that she dropped the juice.
"YEEECK--!" she screeched.
The dragon scrambled for cover and hid beneath the kitchen table as the juice bottle shattered into small pieces on the hard ground. Chichi sighed. She had forgotten all about her husband's new pet. "It's just the dragon", she consoled herself quietly. Koko poked his head out and looked at her cautiously.
Chichi closed the refrigerator door and stared back at Koko. He slowly retreated out from under the table and walked gingerly to her. He cooed slightly and looked at the spilled grape juice. He glanced at the jumpy woman in uncertainty and then proceeded in lapping it up. Chichi's eyes softened at the little purple beast.
"You're hungry, aren't you, Koko?" she asked it. It paused in its drinking and looked up at her with a goofy little grin. She searched the kitchen for a moment and then snapped her fingers. "Ah," she said as she pulled a box of cookies from a cabinet. She shook the box slightly. "Will these do?" she asked. The dragon pup barked and waggled its tail.
Chichi twisted her mouth and looked down at the carton. "Seems mighty unhealthy for you, since you're an animal. They're not even good for people..."
The dragon pup was still just grinning at her stupidly and wagging its tail. She sighed and poured several of the cookies out onto the ground. "There," she said. "But that's all you're getting. You're going to have to wait until morning if you want anything else."
The dragon hopped over to the mound of treats and began crunching them up gratefully. Chichi studied it carefully. Now that she thought of it...it was actually kind of cute. She crouched next to it and couldn't help but chuckle a bit. Maybe having a disgusting animal around the house wouldn't be so bad. She reached her hand out apprehensively, and drew it back shyly. Then, with a sudden burst of confidence, she began to stroke the little creature's head.
Goku came down the stairs in his boxers and blue T-shirt, rubbing his head. He groaned tiredly. "Chichi, I heard you scream, whass'a matter?" he mumbled. She looked up at her mate and beamed radiantly.
"Oh, nothing, dear, I was just startled by Koko here," she replied.
Goku smiled and walked over to them. She was petting the baby dragon! Goku's heart thumped happily in his chest as he realized that maybe--just MAYBE--Chichi was actually warming up to the critter. Goku suddenly didn't mind being awakened so abruptly, if THIS was what he was going to get from it. He was so happy that she had finally learned to enjoy something that he also liked.
"What's he doing?" he asked cheerily, noting that Koko was busy with something on the ground. Before Chichi could answer him, he peeked over the fat little dragon to see for himself. His eyes popped wide open in astonishment. Oh NO...HE WAS EATING!!!!!
"CHICHI!!" Goku shrieked. "KOKO'S EATING!!!"
Chichi looked up into her husband's face and blinked. Goku was suddenly completely panicked whereas he had just been happy old Goku a moment ago. Chichi knew immediately that she had done something wrong, but actually feeling remorse about it until she got an explanation was another thing. "Yes, Goku-saa, he is eating," she agreed calmly. She suddenly frowned and crossed her arms. "Honestly, you'd think you could give up some of your food to feed your own pet. He was hungry!"
Goku shook his head violently and picked Koko up. "No, Chichi, it's not that!" he cried. "Don't you know the rules about dragons??"
Chichi shook her head slowly and got to her feet. "R-rules? That's ridiculous, Goku, it's just a baby dr--"
"RULE #1: Don't let them get into bright light, it will kill them. Why do you think the sky always has to turn black before Shenron appears? Rule #2: Don't leave them in the water for more than five minutes or they'll multiply. And Rule #3: DO NOT FEED THEM AFTER MIDNIGHT!!!!" he divulged in a hurry.
Chichi cocked an eyebrow in clear puzzlement. That was too much for her to handle. "Goku, I was just...I...I..." she stuttered. Goku pointed at a clock on the wall. It was 1:17 in the morning.
"Chichi, you weren't supposed to do that!" he wailed. He looked down at little Koko and sighed. "Now all we can do is wait..."
Wait? Wait for WHAT? This was getting strange...why was Goku acting this way? Chichi creased her brow inquiringly and looked down at Koko. The little lavender serpent was fanning the air gently with his tail and looking up at Goku with bright, idolatrous eyes. Suddenly, his stomach grumbled. He started jerking about, in pain. Goku whimpered and looked down helplessly at the quivering beast in his arms.
Koko rolled out of Goku's hold and fell to the ground in convulsions. The young couple could only watch in horror as the small beast began regurgitating several eggs. One egg...two eggs...three eggs...four...five...six...
Koko groaned from the physical pain he was feeling and he fell back onto his rear in exhaustion as the last egg squeezed from his mouth and plunked down onto the cold kitchen tiles. The oblong embryo hit the floor with a loud thump and rolled slowly towards Goku's foot, leaving a small trail of slime behind it. It stopped when it lightly bumped into the boy's big toe. Chichi and Goku weren't aware that they were holding their breaths as they eyed it nervously and wondered what to do with it.
"What now...?" Chichi whispered in a frightened voice.
Suddenly, it hatched and out popped a snarling dragon baby with sharp, slender teeth. The first of Koko's spawn broke free from its shell and blinked several times in the dim light of the kitchen. It snapped its head in Chichi's direction and grinned with its sharp pointed fangs. It hissed menacingly at her. Chichi gasped and reached behind her for a butcher knife. She grabbed the handle desperately while keeping her eyes on the fierce creature the whole time and raised it above her head in anticipation of killing the little monster.
"WAIT!!" Goku cried, catching her arm as she was bringing it down upon the new pup.
Chichi looked at him, BEYOND confused. "WHAT??!" she screamed in his face.
"ARE YOU CRAZY!? YOU CAN'T KILL IT!!" he yelled back.
"AND WHY THE HELL NOT??!!!" she spat, glaring defiantly into his eyes.
Goku cowered slightly and silently wished he hadn't yelled at her. She was now becoming scary...
"Be--because," Goku cleared his throat. "If you kill them, then Koko will die too..."
Chichi drew in an exasperated gasp. WEREN'T PICCOLO DAIMAOU AND KAMI-SAMA THE ONLY PEOPLE WITH THAT BIZARRE BODY SPLIT THING?!! "You have GOT to be kidding me!! Aren't Piccolo Daimaou and Kami-sama the only people with that bizarre body split thing?!!" (heh heh) she inquired with wide, disbelieving eyes.
Goku swallowed and shook his head. "No..." he muttered under his breath. "Dragons are the creations of Kami-sama, so they're similar to him in the way they have kids and they also die if their other half does...just like Piccolo Daimaou and Kami-sama do..." he breathed. He straightened his back as he gently plucked the knife from her hands and placed it in the knife holder behind him.
Chichi was both horrified and stunned at the same time. Goku had information that she didn't know and that, in itself, was a little shocking. Yet at the same time, it was bad news to hear. She turned and looked at the eggs. They had all hatched by that time, and the pups crawled around on top of each other, nipping at one another's necks and ankles. They were aggressive little things...so different from the placid Koko. Chichi backed into Goku, small, fearful noises escaping her lips. He was entranced by the dragon hatchlings and couldn't take his eyes off of the scene. They were cute, and in fact, they looked just like Koko. But there was something different about them--a hellishness in their beady little eyes.
Koko lowered his head in shame and embarrassment and watched his young in defeat. A forlorn growl arose from his throat. He felt devastated. The only thing he had really wanted was to be a good pet to this lovely couple. He couldn't even do that right. His first day in their house, and he had screwed up... He felt ashamed and angry with himself.
Suddenly, the babies glanced at their parent in wonder. Koko pulled himself from his self-pity and got to his feet and backed away from them, innately knowing that their main objective from the moment of their birth was to destroy him: the good dragon. The others advanced on him. Goku and Chichi stood there helplessly, trying to figure out what to do.
Just then, one of the cubs lunged at Koko, its teeth bared in anticipation. Koko's eyes widened as he leapt out of the others' reach and struggled to lift himself with his tiny wings. Once he had finally managed, he flew through the kitchen window, fleeing in terror. The others grunted and flew after him, speeding off into the darkness. All of them became mere dots in the blackened night sky only a few short moments later.
Goku and Chichi stood in the kitchen for a moment, trying to let sink in what had just occurred. Then, Goku sped away from her and ran through the living room, throwing the front door open and running outside.
Chichi watched him in shock and dashed after him. "GOKU-SAA, where are you going??" she cried, running to the front door, calling out to her eager husband who was now sprinting across the grassy field.
He turned around and looked at her, his eyes wide with excitement. She knew that look...EVERYONE knew that look...that was the look he got before he knew he was about to face a challenge. "I've got to go Chichi but don't worry about me I'll be back soon I just have to go to Ginger Town because that's where the dragons are headed I saw them take off in that direction but I gotta get there before they hurt anyone else or Koko so please don't worry I've just got to figure out how to get rid of those bad dragons without hurting Koko also you're the best Chichi Aishiteru GOTTA GO!!" he called back to her in a hurry. He then turned around again and sped away into the night.
Chichi was left on the doorstep, clutching the flaps of her nightgown in her hands. A cold wind rustled over her, blowing her loose hair about gently. Goku was going to Ginger Town...alone? And he was going to try and "figure something out"??
..............................um, no.
Chichi frowned and ran back into the house, grabbing the car capsule that Bulma had given them and ran back outside. "NO WAY ARE YOU DOING THIS ALONE, SON GOKU--! I am coming WITH YOU!!" she yelled. She clicked the button on the tiny cap and threw it to the ground. It burst in a puff of smoke, revealing a compact air car once the smoke had cleared. She climbed in and drove off (but not before buckling her safety belt, of course ^_^) after her energized husband.
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Koko landed in a dumpster behind a little, inconspicuous restaurant in Ginger Town. He curled up into a dark corner of the large, smelly box and whimpered, tucking his nose under his tail. All he had wanted was to be a good pet to the young man and his mate... Actually, he had never really been concerned with what "Goku-saa" had thought of him. He knew that Goku-saa had liked him. But "Chichi" was another issue... He wanted so badly to be accepted by her! But now he would never gain her respect. And what was worse, he had betrayed the trust of his happy, spiky-haired friend also...
Koko gazed up into the starry sky from the mound of decaying vegetables and old newspapers and breathed out slowly through his nose.
Such an irresponsible thing he did--! Eating after midnight...he knew he wasn't supposed to, but he had done it anyway. He had no self-control. Koko was frankly disgusted with himself and everything he had done to this poor couple that he had wanted so badly to impress.
He raised his head suddenly and stared off into space, his eyes lidded in quiet reflection of his thoughts. No...he would not be ashamed of himself anymore. He didn't want to be. He was tired of blaming himself for everything. He wanted to prove to himself that he could do something right. He could be noble if he wanted to. And he did want to...he wanted to be noble for Goku-saa and Chichi.
Koko looked down at his paws. How would he be noble...? How would he right his wrongs?
Suddenly, he knew.
If his offspring found him...he would not run. He swore to himself that if they found him...he wouldn't fight back. He decided then and there that he would die for his honor. He would die for the family that he might have had. It was the right thing to do...
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The other dragons touched down outside of the wall built around the city and sniffed at the base. One dragon snorted and looked back at its companions. They had detected Koko's scent.
The demon-like beings smirked at one another and proceeded into the city to search for their parent.
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Goku ran into the center of the city. Things appeared to be winding down for the night. He panted lightly and searched the area with his eyes. Everything was still...maybe the dragons hadn't come here after all.
Goku scratched his head and sighed. He had to find them--! He would search wherever he had to in order to find those little things. There was no way in hell he'd let those demons touch Koko. He had to protect him.
Suddenly, there arose a shrill scream in a corner of the city. Slowly but surely, more screams rang out into the night. Goku's ears pricked up as he began tracking all of the horrified yells and running to help the people in peril.
He guessed that the dragons had found their way into the city after all.
Chichi pulled up in the little air car right behind her husband. She stopped the vehicle and stepped out. "Goku-saa, what do you think you're doing?" she called after him. Her shoulders slumped as she saw him speed away without even turning around. He was too focused on doing what he wanted to pay any attention to anything else.
Just then, a man began screaming and went flying through a window of his house. His family ran out behind him, covering their mouths in shock. "Daddy!" a small girl cried, standing next to her horrified mother.
Chichi looked down at the man. He was being attacked by a dragon. Its long claws whipped fiercely at his face and neck, trying to dig into his soft skin. Luckily, the man was strong enough to hold the dragon away from him so that he didn't get cut.
Chichi's eyes grew wide. It was horrible! She thought frantically for a second or two, just watching the man helplessly. Suddenly, she remembered that there was a flashlight in the car. She whirled about and reached into the car and grabbed the long flashlight from the backseat. She pulled it out and aimed it at the dragon. "GET AWAY FROM HIM!!" she cried angrily as she turned it on, blaring the concentrated beam of light into the dragon's face. The dragon cringed and screeched as it retreated and flew away in a hurry.
The man looked over at the young Chichi, panting heavily, right before passing out. His family members ran to him, terrified and crying. Chichi didn't have time to help with him, so she armed herself with the flashlight and ran off. "GOOD LUCK!" she called to the frightened family behind her.
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A dragon knocked a barrel over in the bakery, spilling about ten gallons or so of sesame seeds. It looked down at them and grunted. It began lapping the seeds up into its mouth, helping itself to whatever the store had to offer. Another dragon stepped up beside it and attempted to take a mouthful, but the other just snapped at him and growled deeply.
The baker had been closing shop for the night when the beasts had crashed through his display window and began attacking him. The stout man sat shuddering in a corner of his small store, scratched, bloody, and bruised, watching in trepidation as the dragons continued playing with the contents of his bread shop.
"Wh-what do you want--??" he cried in a shaky voice, not knowing that it was probably best to simply let playing dragons play if he didn't want to get attacked again. But of course, the poor man didn't know that.
The dragons paused in their amusements with the sesame seeds and stepped toward the whimpering man with their teeth bared and glinting in the light.
***************************************************************
Chichi peered around a corner, panting gently as she clutched her weapon to her chest. So far, she had scared off about three dragons that had been attacking people, and told them to keep bright lights around them at all times if they didn't want to get hurt. Now, however, a sound that pierced through the young woman's soul like a jagged knife caused her to go blind with rage--
The terrified cries of a small child being attacked.
One of the dragons was flapping its wings and hovering over the little boy as it clawed furiously down at him. The child had tears spewing from his eyes as he fearfully cried out for his mother.
The girl stepped out from hiding and rushed at the dragon wielding her heavy implement of war. The dragon looked up in her direction, right before getting a flashlight smacked just between his eyes. It fell to the ground, beaten and battered, and not really able to think straight at the moment.
"KUSOTARE!!! GET AWAY FROM HIM!!!" Chichi cried, turning the flashlight on and shining it directly into the eyes of the demon.
The dragon sped away, screeching and crying. Chichi turned back to the quivering boy and looked down calmly at him. He returned her gaze with wide, round eyes. "L-lady..." he panted gently, "A...are we okay now?"
Chichi picked the boy up and held him gingerly in her arms, brushing away some blood and sweat on his forehead. It was painful to look at; such an innocent little person being beaten up on like that... Chichi tried to mask her anguish for him and smiled gently. "Yes, son, we're okay now..." she soothed.
Just then, two more dragons interrupted the moment and stepped out from behind some trashcans, their heads lowered menacingly. Chichi looked at them and refrained from cursing aloud in front of the little boy. She jumped up, holding onto the child tightly. "Oh no...!" the boy yelled, pointing at the dragons. "There are more now!"
"I know, we'll be all right!" she panted furiously as she dashed towards a darkened building, hearing the claws of the dragons pounding into the ground behind her. She burst through the doors of the large structure and looked about frantically for a place to hide. Just then, she saw a large room labeled "kitchen" over it......yes............that'd do...
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Goku stepped around a wall and crept past the six dragons that were gnashing at a large side of meat in the butcher shop. He heard them regurgitating, and he flinched. That wasn't good...they were multiplying more and more. Nonetheless, he had to save the trapped people in the closet...
Goku cracked open the door and pulled the man and woman who had been clutching to one another. He smiled at them. "Hey, don't worry, okay? Everything's okay now, they're distracted...I'll take you somewhere safe..."
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Chichi panted and cradled the small child in her arms as she ducked into a corner of the cold room. The dragons had been hot on her heels and she had ducked into the kitchen, figuring that the smells from all of the food would taint the powerful human smell emanating from her and the young boy. He looked up at the strange woman with tears glazing his eyes. "Lady..." he sniffled, "are we safe NOW?"
Chichi turned her gaze down to the child, breathing lightly. His gray eyes were earnestly scared and he trembled in her arms as he clutched at the front of her dress, in need of her protection. Her maternal instinct kicked in as she pulled him closer and held him tightly against her, feeling obligated with her life to protect him from any harm. "Don't worry," she soothed, "they're belligerent creatures, but there's no way they can get to us in here...not unless they learn how to open doors, heh..." Chichi curled the side of her mouth up into a half-smile, attempting to make a joke.
Just then, the two dragons stopped outside the kitchen door, making loud, obvious snorting noises. Chichi squirmed and crouched down more into the corner of the kitchen that was shrouded in the dark shadows. She stifled her terrified whimpers so as not to upset the boy. The child glanced up at the mysterious woman who had taken it upon herself to become his temporary bodyguard. He gulped and was gripped with a subtle fear when he detected that she was just as scared as he was.
One of the dragons leapt up onto a counter next to the door and leaned over. It was easy to reach the doorknob from there, so it reached out its gnarled paw and began to fiddle with the handle. The knob was one of the oblong types, so it made it particularly easy to open. The dragon that had stayed on the floor nudged the door open with its strong snout and it walked into the damp kitchen, sniffing at the air.
Chichi's heart was pounding behind the counter as she held fast to the small child. He clung fiercely to her and shivered in her arms.
The dragons trotted around the kitchen, sniffing various pots and pans strewn about over the countertops...one of the dragons found a bottle of clam purée sitting in an open cabinet. It licked at the thick goo and snorted. How disgusting--!
Chichi's heart began racing faster as the other dragon, the more curious and possibly smarter of the two, sniffed a metal counter close to them. Able to hear the blood rushing through her veins and her breathing becoming more labored and terrified as this dark purple beast proceeded in sniffing them out, she looked around desperately for an escape of some sort. Just then, she spotted it--! The path to their salvation! There, standing behind about four of the large, sterile, steel counter tops, sat a door; a large, blazing "EXIT" sign burning triumphantly above it like an Olympic flame.
Chichi smiled slightly until she was stunned out of her glee by the screeching of the two dragons. They were violently nipping at each other's necks now and getting into quite a little battle. She gathered the boy up in her arms and prepared herself to dash towards the door. She could easily jump those counter tops... After all, she was a disciple of the Kame Sennin fighting style and incredible leaping ability had been stressed greatly in the arts' repertoire.
She kept her eyes glued to the door in anticipation of sprinting to their escape. Tilting her head downwards, she whispered to the boy. "I'm going to make a run for it..." she said. "Just stay calm and don't make a sound...okay?" The boy gripped to her dress and closed his eyes, trying to shut out the world around him so that he wouldn't be tempted to scream. "Okay..." he whispered back.
Chichi whipped her head in the direction of the dragons and made sure that they were occupied...okay, still ripping each other to shreds...good sign. She turned her attention back to the door. "Here we go--!" she grunted as she took off at top speed, leaping high into the air and skillfully hurdling the countertops. The dragons stopped in their play to watch her. She landed gracefully before the exit and ran to it. Grinning smugly, the dark-haired woman looked back at the reptilian creatures as she gripped the handle and pushed on the door.
It didn't budge.
Chichi looked at it, turning the knob once again. No success. Poor Chichi began to panic... She had made herself and the boy a spectacle and now the dragons' attentions were focused on them! She panted heavily as she threw her shoulder into the door, grunting and wailing. "No......no...! NO, NO, NO, NO--!"
The boy began screeching and jabbing his finger aggressively in the direction of the dragons. "THEY'RE COMING!!" he cried.
The dragons licked their lips and grinned evilly as they lunged in the direction of the helpless pair. Tears began streaming from both Chichi's and the boys' eyes as they came to grips with their imminent doom.
The dragons hurdled a countertop, then another...then another...getting closer and closer...
The boy looked at the door again, noticing the placement of the hinges on the outside. He pointed at them. "OPEN IT THE OTHER WAY--!! THE OTHER WAY, MISS!!!" he shrieked.
Chichi, in hysterics, did exactly what he told her without thinking. Magically, she turned the handle and pulled IN on the door and it opened with ease. Their hearts skipped a beat! Chichi rushed outside of it and slammed it shut as quickly as possible, holding her hand against it firmly as the frustrated scratching and uproarious screeching of the dragons filtered through from the other side. She backed away from it quickly, still clutching to the shaken child. He sat in her arms, trembling.
She looked about her surroundings. The muffled screams of the poor villagers could be heard wafting in from the outside, mixed with deep snores that seemed to be coming from all of the rooms in the hallway. Chichi slowly breathed out as her heart continued pounding away in her chest, causing small beads of sweat to pop up all over her body. "Well--" she exhaled lightly. "I think we're okay NOW, but...I can hear all of those poor people out there, but...this is the only building that isn't overrun by the dragons..." she murmured curiously.
The boy suddenly brightened, as children often have a way of doing, even after a traumatizing event, and pointed to a door down the hall. "My Ojiisan lives in that room!" he grinned.
Chichi looked in the direction that he pointed in and then stared at him obliviously. "Your Ojiisan...?" she asked quietly. He slid out of her arms and ran, giggling, to the door. Chichi raised her eyebrows and took off after him. "WAIT!" she called.
Just then, the door that they had come out of began to warp wildly. The dragon's claws were dinging the door, leaving huge dents in it. The dragons snarled ferociously and broke through to the other side, splintering the material the door was made out of, and stepped into the hallway that Chichi and the young boy occupied. Chichi whirled around and gasped, forgetting her pursuit after the child. The dragons smacked their lips and began walking slowly to their victims.
The child was still smiling and running towards the door, intent on showing the nice lady his Ojiisan. He ran to his grandfather's room and grabbed onto the doorknob and pushed the door open happily. "Ojiisan!" he beamed. The room in which his Ojiisan lay sleeping was darkened, and the outline of the man could barely be made out, lighted only a small amount by the glow of an electronic alarm clock next to the man's bed. The old man just snored loudly as a response to his grandson's spontaneous visit. The sound of the horrible snort echoed throughout the hallway, bouncing off of the walls and into the ears of the dragons.
They both withered in pain and shot out of the hallway in an instant, taking off through the kitchen once again, squealing in defeat.
Chichi stood in place with her arms hanging limply by her sides, her mouth dangling open in surprise. She turned to the boy. "WHAT ON EARTH DID YOU DO--???" she screamed.
The boy turned to look at her. "Huh?"
She walked to him and put her hands on his shoulders, shaking him lightly. "THEY'RE GONE!! Something scared them off!" she cried happily.
Just then, the boy's grandfather snorted again and mumbled, rolling over onto his side in the dark room. Chichi and the boy turned their attention to the grey old fellow asleep in the musty-smelling bedroom. The boy just smiled and pointed at him. "That's my Ojiisan," he said proudly.
Chichi watched the old man for a moment, still turning the amazing defeat of the dragons over in her mind. Then it suddenly hit her................LOUD NOISES!! The dragons were sensitive to loud noises! It made perfect sense, seeing as Kami-sama and Piccolo were also sensitive to raucous sounds.
Chichi turned back to the boy and grinned, her eyes sparkling. "Yes, that is your Ojiisan...and he's gonna be a hero...!" she smiled.
The boy just tilted his head to the side and eyed the woman. "Huh...?"
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Goku panted and dropped off the load of wounded people that he had been carrying in a safe spot he had found. Most of the residents of the small town lay scratched and bruised in a bunch, groaning miserably. They had gathered into small circles and were now comforting each other. He leaned over and rested his palms on his knees. "Whew..." he breathed. "I sure hope you all will be safe here..."
Most of the people in the group didn't respond as they were too depressed and beaten up to do so, but some turned and gave him a respectful nod. He smiled slightly.
"GOKU-SAAAAAAAAAAAA!!" a familiar female voice called through the city.
Goku's eyes widened. Could it be? Had Chichi followed him to Ginger Town? The young man turned around and looked through the darkness for his wife. She sounded terrified.
"Chichi--?!" he called back nervously. What if she had gotten attacked by a dragon!?
Much to Goku's relief, she came running up, perfectly unharmed. She was carrying a small boy in her arms. Goku smiled and ran out of the small cavern he had been using to keep the people safe in and greeted her.
"Chichi, how did--" he began.
Chichi smiled and laughed, as she placed the boy down. "Goku-saa, I know what to do! I know how to get rid of the dragons!" she interrupted as she happily grabbed his wrists in her hands.
Goku blinked and looked at her with an unbelieving expression. "Really?" he asked, his wonderful smile sparkling across his features.
Chichi crouched and shooed the boy away towards the cave. "Go on, find your mommy, okay?" she urged calmly. The child quickly skipped over to the mouth of the cave, calling for his mother.
Goku put his fists on his hips and looked at Chichi. "The dragons--you know how to get rid of them," he repeated.
Chichi smiled at him and nodded. "Hai, but I'm going to need your help," she said quickly as she grabbed his hand.
"Whoa, wait, where are we going?" he asked.
"Trust me!" Chichi called behind her as she and her husband ran in the direction of the retirement home.
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"You're real smart, Chichi! This is a good idea!" Goku laughed in a hushed voice as he gently lifted a sleeping elderly woman from her bed in the retirement home and laid her down into a wheelbarrow that he had found outside. Chichi smiled and carted in two more wheelbarrows full of old men and women, snoring away peacefully.
"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" she joked. "Now hurry it up, I don't want anyone else getting hurt while we're gone...you said that we can definitely get them into that quarry at the edge of town and seal them off there?" she whispered.
Goku looked at her and nodded. "I'm sure."
Chichi smiled at him and carted the wheelbarrows towards the door. "C'mon. We'd better get back out there."
Goku gently placed another elderly person in the other wheelbarrow and followed her. "Okay," he whispered.
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"EEEEEK!!!" a young woman shouted as she was pinned into a corner by a bloodthirsty dragon. The dragon gnashed its teeth at her and grinned. She huddled up into the corner, whimpering. Just then, the annoying, grating sound of loud snoring could be heard from nearby. Goku emerged from around the corner, grinning maliciously.
"Ha ha!" he laughed. "What are you going to do now? Looks like you'll have to stop tormenting innocent people!"
The dragon looked at the sleeping old man and woman and cringed, withering with pain. It began to trip about, the noise like nails against a chalkboard to its sensitive ears. Goku moved the wheelbarrows forward and advanced on the scaly beast. The dragon growled angrily and continued scooting away from the crazy-haired man and the barrows he was pushing.
Goku then began to run at him, bringing the horrendous noise of snoring along with him, chasing the creature. The dragon leapt for cover but was suddenly pushed into another wheelbarrow behind him, carrying more snoring old folks! The dragon whirled around in shock and stared up into the face of a very vengeful Chichi. Chichi looked down at the dragon, grinning evilly. Looks like she and Goku had turned the tables. This seemed to be a successful method of luring the dragons away from innocent people, as they had already managed to subdue at least eighteen-or-so dragons.
The dragon looked around frantically for a means of escape, and he did a double take when he eventually saw it. There was a small mine at the edge of town. It looked empty, and he knew that it was desperate--but how else would he be able to escape that hideous noise? The dragon sped away and headed towards the quarry without so much as looking back at the young couple. Goku watched it and smiled to himself. Their plan was working! He turned and looked back at his wife who was now checking to see if the old folks were okay.
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The dragon flew into the quarry, grinding its teeth in annoyance. He saw that many of his brothers were also taking refuge in the small, isolated spot. The dragon spat several times and looked about the room. The others just looked back at him quietly, as they were all equally annoyed with their embarrassing defeat.
The dragon was feeling aggressive and irritated enough to start a fight with one of them for simply looking at him, but he stopped when he sniffed the air. Some smell was seductively coating the ether--some delicious smell that he couldn't ignore. It was............blood. Then it hit him; there must have been victims lying nearby. Though he didn't want to go back out there, where his ears were threatened by the grating sound of horrible snoring, his venomous instincts took place of his fear and he turned around again, preparing to make a run for the pile of innocent humans. The smell had also reached the other dragons, but they hadn't dared to venture out of the cave again. But since this dragon had the guts to do it...well...why not jump on the bandwagon and have some fun? They rose to their feet and followed him outside of the cave, cringing, when the sound came to them. But they weren't going to stop this time, no matter how aggravating that awful noise was. They were too pissed off to really care at this point.
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The team of dragons had convoked about the cave full of bleeding, innocent victims. The people huddled together and watched with wide, horrified eyes as the dragons smirked with their rows and rows of glistening, pointed, white teeth. Several of the people who weren't traumatized enough to just sit there and stare leapt up and started searching for an exit of some sort. But the cave that Goku had found had was completely sealed-off. It was impossible to escape. The dragons advanced on the people and snarled ferociously through curled, scaly lips.
Goku and Chichi were still busy carting the elderly folks about in wheelbarrows when Chichi turned and looked back at the cave. "GOKU-SAA!" she gasped.
Goku turned around and looked, only to find that the enemies were attacking. He quickly placed the wheelbarrow down and leapt into the air, yelling loudly.
The dragons turned around in distraction as the large man came down upon one or two of them, knocking them unconscious with his nyoi-bo. He stood in a threatening pose, glaring the other dragons down and daring them to attack. His bo was placed delicately between his fingers, pointing straight at them.
Several snarled and vaulted for him, but he just as quickly disposed of them with two swift kicks and a jab with the bo. Chichi looked on with fear in her eyes as the dragons lunged and attacked her beloved husband.
Goku's gi was ripped to shreds by now, several strands of his formerly intact shirt falling gently to the ground. The dragons didn't stop in their pursuit, however, as they continued slashing at Goku's chest. Goku jumped back and heaved heavily, staring into the eyes of his many opponents. "Shimatta," he thought angrily. "There's too many of them!"
"HHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!"
Chichi came barreling in and smacked two of the dragons down behind the heads by doing a spin kick. She landed in a defensive posture and looked around. The dragons were focused on her now, rather than Goku. Perfect...this is just what she wanted.
The people were clustered in a large mass at the back of the cave, watching in complete wonder of the husband and wife team as they dispelled of the scaly beasts. It was tempting to jump in and fight, but how? There were so many dragons that a civilian could hardly get a punch or a kick in before being ripped to tiny pieces. It was probably a better idea to just let the professionals deal with this...
Just then, a very saddened Koko stepped out from some shadows beside a house. Goku and Chichi were too busy to notice, of course, but he stood there calmly, as if in a pensive stupor. The wife and husband fought with their hearts pumping like water mains beneath the ground, flooding every vein in their bodies with the heat and energy of their red blood--feeling the excitement of the fight! He admired it. He wished he could be so brave. But then he remembered his promise.
The small, innocent, lavender beast knew what he had to do. Watching the couple fight because of his own immaturity was too much for him to handle. Purring slightly, Koko moaned a solitary growl that echoed through the thin air and to Goku's receptive ears. It was the little guy's goodbye to the world.
Goku looked up from his grapple with one of the evil dragons and saw his familiar lizard-like friend standing at the mouth of the cave. The other dragons spotted the tiny animal also, but didn't lunge at him as their biological duties would have otherwise directed them to do. Instead, they watched in curiosity, wondering what their parent was doing. Koko finished his sad song and looked ruefully at Goku. But he didn't look sad--he looked at peace; calm.
Suddenly, his little claws lashed up the dirt beneath him as he tore away from the mouth of the cavern and headed at top speed towards a ravine at the edge of the town.
Goku's eyes snapped open as he released his grip from around another dragon's throat. He charged out of the cave as fast as he could, stumbling along the way. "KOKO, NO!!!" he screamed.
Chichi followed him, and a small assembly of dragons followed close behind the two.
Koko's heart thumped happily and excitedly in his small chest. He was sacrificing himself for the good of the people, and it felt good to not run from his fears anymore.
Goku whimpered, every step that he crashed down to the ground with causing his voice to break painfully. "K...KOKOOOO!! YOU CAN'T!!!" he cried.
Just then, the small, pudgy beast leapt through the air, and plummeted down the ravine. His small form fell like a stone just as Goku reached the cliff, falling to his knees helplessly and watching his pet fall to his death. He slumped backward, plopping down onto his calves, gazing down into the gray mist of the night with eyes as big as teacups. Just like that, his friend was gone...he had sacrificed himself for the sake of everyone else.
Chichi caught up to her hapless husband and panted lightly as she grabbed his shoulder. "What happened--?!" she cried.
Goku stared down wistfully into the chasm and sniffed. His little purple pet had only lived with them for one day...one...day. It was painful--even in the last 24 hours, the tall Son child had grown very fond of his animal friend, but it was obviously a waste now. Goku had always longed for a companion just like Koko, but the dragon had committed suicide and wrenched the dream away from the poor man. Still...the creature's selflessness was commendable. Not that it didn't hurt...
Chichi looked down into the depth of the cliff as well, gasping lightly for air. "G...Goku-saa?" she repeated, catching her breath.
"Koko's gone..." he murmured.
Just then, back in the city, the dragons that had been advancing on the bloodied villagers fell down to the ground in an instant, their bodies settling coldly on the dark earth.
The villagers cheered triumphantly, and their sounds of glee floated up into the night. From where the young couple stood at the top of the mountain, they could hear every jovial whoop clearly, but neither of them felt like celebrating.
Chichi soothingly placed her hands on Goku's shoulders and knelt down behind him, slowly wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm sorry, Goku," she whispered. It was true, she had never really liked the dragon or wanted it to begin with, but seeing her husband so disheveled because he had lost a friend was anguish for her. She slowly looked up at him.
His soft black hair waved gently in a small draft as his usually happy, cheerful eyes were now dull and lacking their usual luster. His shoulders slumped in her arms and he let out a small breath from his parted lips. "I know y'are, Chichi," he said quietly. He looked at her with deep, downhearted eyes; a look that he rarely gave. "Can we go home now?" he asked in a voice tinged with a childish sadness.
"Yes." Chichi helped him to his feet.
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Goku let out a long, tired sigh as he walked into their bedroom. Chichi followed him in silence. She quietly walked to the dresser and untied the sash on her silky nightgown. It had, indeed, been a big night for the both of them. She reached for her brush and began to run the bristles through her dark locks.
The villagers had been very grateful once the young couple had returned to the mouth of the cave to bid the people farewell. They had wanted to reward Goku and Chichi in some way, but Chichi had politely declined, saying that a reward wasn't needed. The villagers had, however, been a little confused as to why the old people in wheelbarrows had been necessary in defeating the dragons...
Goku wasn't really paying attention to anything at the moment; he fell down onto the bed with a long breath and closed his eyes. He just wanted to sleep. If there was anything he wanted to do, it was to sleep. It was a pity that he had to lose a friend tonight...but he just hoped that sleep would give him some sort of temporary escape from everything. He yawned and rubbed his eye as he snuggled his head into the pillows. "Chichi, are you coming to bed?" he asked in an exhausted voice.
Chichi paused in brushing through her black hair and looked at him. "Yes...just a second..." she murmured as she placed the comb down on the marble dresser and walked to the bed. She sat down lightly on her side and then scooted over to her husband, wrapping her arms around his sides. He had been through a lot tonight, but he seemed to be taking it well enough... She smiled a bit to herself as she moved her head forward and lightly kissed the back of his neck. "I love you..." she whispered.
Her poor, tired Goku only had enough energy to mumble back to her "Mvv..."
Chichi ran her eyes smoothly along his frame as she reached her hand up to his hair and began stroking one of his long spikes. "You're being very mature about all this you know...and I just wanted to tell you...how proud I am of you...because I know that Koko wouldn't have wanted you to mourn. I understand how you feel..." she whispered. She paused for a moment and wetted her lips with her tongue before she continued. "You know, when I was six...I had this hampster..."
She was cut off by his loud snoring. He had fallen asleep. Chichi leaned over his neck and looked into his face with a frown. "Goku-saa..." she whispered angrily. He had gone to sleep while she was trying to talk to him, and that had made her a little angry...still...when she saw that face...she couldn't be mad. She had already told herself that he had been through a rough night, so she really didn't know why she was so angry with him now. His eyes were closed gently as he snored away innocently, and it made her heart melt. No, she couldn't be angry with him, she decided...
The young woman sighed and fell back onto her pillow, holding his back against her chest, feeling it vibrate with every breath he took in. It was strange...but his snoring didn't seem to have the same effect on her that it had before. She smiled a bit to herself. Well, at least if any dragons ever came back, he'd be able to keep them away with that loud snore of his. She chuckled a bit at her private joke and yawned as she too began to drift off. It had been a busy night. She figured she would make a big breakfast for him in the morning to cheer him up.
He took in a deep snort that pulled her from drifting away into unconsciousness. She frowned a little before she became accustomed to the rhythmic breathing again and swore to herself: No. A dragon would NOT ever come back, as far as she was concerned. To avoid this whole ordeal again, there would never be another dragon in her house as long as she lived.
Content with this idea, she closed her eyes and fell asleep beside her husband.
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Yeah, I know it's not as good as some of my other stuff...please be nice when reviewing. *flinch*