Lunch's jaw dropped when she saw her companion from the After World being beaten up by a young blond freak with a golden sort of aura. She clenched her fists and would have jumped from Krilin's back if the latter hadn't yelled at the youth to stop. Then something very odd happened: the blond and spiky hair became purple and the young man's eyes turned from emerald to blue. The aura disappeared as he floated away from his victim, who was hardly able to maintain a stable position.
- What the Hell is going on here?! shouted the blond woman. How did you put yourself in such a bloody mess?!
C-17 rolled his eyes away. He really didn't need her screaming... His pale iris covered his old house absently.
- He keeps Marron prisonner and knocked Goten out! shouted the purple haired boy (although he did seem to be around the twenties...).
Lunch stared at him with pure scorn.
- And who are they?!
- Marron is my daughter, said Krilin through his teeth, glaring at C-17.
She suddenly noticed how his short yet muscular arms were holding her tighter, even if unconsciously.
- Ok, ok, why don't we talk this out? suddenly proposed Goku with a patient smile. I'm sure...
- There is nothing to talk out!! screamed C-17, suddenly letting himself fall.
At the very last second, he interrupted his fall and landed nicely on the grass, then entered the house before anyone could stop him. Oob and Krilin immediately flew after him, the older one leaving his human charge in the air. Lunch let a death scream rise as she began falling... Until she found herself caught by the safe arms of Son Goku.
- Huh. Thanks. - It's nothing!
He grinned in that childish and careless way that was typical of him, then frowned slightly and stared at her attentively, bringing a giant drop of sweat on her forehead.
- You seem familiar... he finally whispered, bemused.
- Oh man...
Marron had a little jump when her uncle entered the room, the face ravaged and bloody, his eyes staring at her too directly as he made a few long steps toward her. Fortunately for the maiden, Oob rushed in, caught C-17's arm and threw him backwards furiously, while Krilin literally flew up to her, wrapping his comforting arms around her for a long hug.
The cyborg made a sudden and swift arm move: all that Marron saw was that his limb seemed to disappear and that immediately after, Oob was flying through the wall. She shouted his name, but it's Trunks who appeared, his arm already wrapped around C-17's neck, forbidding him from doing any movement.
- Enough playing now, growled the hybrid through his clenched teeth.
- Trunks, will you calm down a little!? Don't you see the robot can't do anything against us?!
Vegeta snorted as glancing at the new hole in the wall.
- At least, against most of us.
- But father, he knocked Goten out and...
- ENOUGH!
Trunks reluctantly removed his arm from C-17, who stepped away quickly, although not daring to throw himself onto Marron as he was ready to do a so little moment ago. He didn't look at her, his look lowered to the dusty floor, as he wiped some blood off of his face.
- Now we just explode him and return training, gloomily announced Vegeta.
His son's jaw almost hit the floor.
- Then WHY didn't you let me kill him already?!
- Don't discuss me brat!
- BUT YOU...
- You can't kill him, moron, he's already dead!
Vegeta's eyes widened and his fists clenched into tight fists as he swung round on his heels to face the impertinent who had dared calling him moron. It didn't make it any better when he saw it was an old blond woman being carried by Goku, who stared at him with angry sparkling green eyes.
- So what?! he finally spat. We can still blast him and then he'll just disappear and no more troubles for us!
- You can't kill him! objected Krilin. He's not that dangerous!
- Daddy?
Krilin looked up at his daughter, a bit paler.
- Well I mean... We could... We can't just kill him!
- Why not? asked Vegeta coldly.
- Because I won't let you.
Lunch was out of her old friend's arms now and had stepped between C-17 and the royal Saiyans. She looked terribly serious and although Vegeta felt her ki couldn't get any greater than it was now - and it was nothing much to him -, he seemed to calm down rapidly. His voice was somehow playful when he spoke again:
- I suppose you will stop me with the power of love?
Vegeta was a powerful man, an extremely powerful one. He was greatly skilled in fighting and was rarely caught off guard. But even him could not dodge Lunch's furious fist.
- How could anyone love such a moron?!
C-17 rolled his eyes, glancing quickly at his niece in the process. She was being comforted by the paternal arms, her tender body bent over the small man, her long hair falling before her face. His eyebrow twitched slightly.
- Listen, old man, said Lunch, her hands on her hips as throwing her heavy hair behind her shoulder by a sharp jerk of the head. We're just here for a day, since half of the Dragon Balls are swimming with the fishes anyway. So just leave us alone, we're going to leave in no time.
- The Dragon Balls are what?! shouted C-17, suddenly snapping out of his cold mood.
- It's not my fault! She can't drive a boat!
- Of course it's your fault! You run away during a storm with my Dragon Balls and...
- YOURS?!
The argument went on, the voices growing in anger and volume rather quickly. Vegeta crossed his arms, upset, while Trunks and Goku nodded to him.
- They sure act like a couple.
- Reminds me of you and Bulma.
- Or you and Chichi.
- Yeah!
- WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP ALREADY!!
They did shut up, but only to begin giggling uncontrollably. Vegeta sighed deeply. He was to speak again, when Oob came back in. He was flying, horizontal to the ground. His dark eyes were glowing with anger as he wrapped his arms around C-17, taking him for a flight. They left by the ceiling, simply passing through it.
Everyone blinked, staring at the floor where the cyborg had been standing only four seconds ago. Then Lunch turned her face toward Goku.
- What are you waiting for?! Get him back!
- Oh! Huh... Yes!
He left immediately, followed by Trunks.
- Idiots... muttered Vegeta, slowly following them.
- Kof. And you two?
Lunch looked at Marron, though more at her lack of clothes than at the person herself, her opinion about it obvious on her face. Krilin narrowed his eyes and quickly wrapped Marron with one of the dirty sheets that laid useless on the floor.
- Dad... This is so gross....
- I'm taking her back home.
They went outside, where the ancient warrior took his daughter in his arms and began flying slowly.
- Eh Lunch! It's been good seeing you again! Nice to see you didn't change!
Then he sped up and disappeared in no time.
Lunch looked at the sky for a moment, thoughtful. Then she looked around herself, noticing the wrecked little house, the huge forest that encircled it... And that's when she slapped her forehead.
- How am I suppose to leave this place now?!
