A/N:: I'm glad everyone liked the last chapter! I had soooo much fun with it, you can't even begin to imagine… ^^
T-chan:: *grins* oh yes we can!
Vegeta:: *rolls eyes* just get on with the story, onnas.
T-chan:: *sticks tongue out at him* no way Veggie-head! Not if it torments you to continue stalling!
Vegeta:: *snorts derisively* it doesn't annoy me, I'm just bored beyond belief.
Lexi:: *rolls eyes at the both of them* whatever kiddies, lets go.
Vegeta:: *growls at being called a kiddie*
Disclaimer:: Surprise, surprise – I own Chibi, but that's about it. I don't own any of the characters in this story, nor do I own the songs that I used last chapter (which, btw, you can email me and I'll send you the lyrics for). Have fun with my stolen property! ^^
Oh! And I use a term in here, you'll know it when you see it, that I borrowed from Maria Cline's "super hero name" for Piccolo in Normal Friends From Strange Places *check it out* – the Namekian Manhunter. I changed it and all, but credit still goes to the esteemed author who had to come up with it so that I'd be able to parody it... ^___~
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There was a moment of deathly quiet as the sound of the pink dye dripping onto the wooden stage filled the entire room. No one dared to move, too shocked and surprised to actually do something to help the poor Namek.
Ah yes – the poor Namek. Poor old Mr. Piccolo was standing in the middle of the stage with dye dripping from his skin. And it wasn't just any dye, either – it was Bulma's patented "super-strong-cause-I-can't-afford-to-miss-a-spot-and-look-terrible" dye. In other words, the dye didn't just splash onto Piccolo's clothes and stop there, no - it soaked on through, dyeing every inch of his skin a sickening neon pink. If that wasn't bad enough, there was also Goten's "added component" bubble gum thrown into the works - adding colorful lavender spots to the ensemble. All in all, the once threatening Piccolo now more closely resembled a Barney on steroids than a Demon King.
And that was certainly one hell of a reputation killer.
Goten, Trunks, and Marron laughed exuberantly as they sat around their wholesome meal of dino-tail steaks. This was by far their best trick ever, even better than making a digital video of Vegeta in a frilly pink dress! That one had been completely handmade with no basis in truth, while this one had everyone who mattered as witnesses. All in all it was the perfect gift for their sensei, though speaking of which…
"Hey Trunks-kun, did you grab Chibi-sensei's present?"
"No, didn't you?"
"Nope."
"Goten?"
"Nah: I thought one of you had it!"
Trunks hit himself on the forehead and groaned. So much for getting out and staying out… "Well, we'd better go back then."
Goten regarded him as if he were completely out of his mind, then shrugged offhandedly. "Well, I suppose we have nothing better to do than be killed by a giant pink Piccolo…"
Marron snickered at the mental image – it really was too priceless… "Great idea guys! You go, and I'll take the pictures."
Goten and Trunks stared at her, sweatdropping profusely.
"Now wait just a minute!"
"Who said you could skip out!"
"Pictures are hardly necessary."
"Ladies first!"
Marron giggled at the protests, then winked at the two of them. "But you guys are stronger than me! And faster…" While this wasn't strictly true, unless they were ascended, it was certainly a good persuasion piece for warriors raised on honor… "Besides – our mommies will kill you if they learned you were being mean to me!"
And there was the clincher – scary Frying Pan wielding mothers could persuade the most stubborn of hearts. With long suffering sighs, Goten and Trunks jettisoned back for the chemical closet while Marron just smirked happily.
Chibi was close to hysterical. She'd never seen anything so funny in her life – and she'd lived a very long life indeed. "Kami Piccolo! Who'd have known that pink was your color?"
And that set the others off.
Silence broken, everyone was soon laughing themselves silly at the quite ridiculous sight. Gohan chuckled as well, but decided that he'd better do something to help the man he respected – after all, Piccolo had sacrificed himself repeatedly for the demi-Saiya-jin: the least Gohan could do in return was sacrifice a good laugh! Besides, he knew from experience that the demon spawn always had a camera somewhere in the vicinity – he could laugh at the video before destroying it.
Piccolo was mortified, furious, and pink. There were several large veins throbbing in his face, his eye was twitching dangerously, his entire body was tense with anger, and he was pink. He was currently plotting various ways to torture and kill three demon children – he'd heard Roshi say something about threesomes being fun, and he intended to find out first-hand.
Besides – he was pink.
The author simply cannot stress that tiny detail strongly enough.
Goku looked up from his position on the floor. He'd been laughing hysterically for quite some time, and every time he saw the colorful Namek, he would burst out laughing all over again.
However, this time when he looked up he saw something different. Sneaking past the window were two little kids, one of which looked alarmingly like himself…
Confused and curious, Goku jumped to his feet and tiptoed after the little kids – one that he knew must be Trunks, the other whom he recognized from Chibi's pictures but had yet to meet face-to-face.
Trunks and Goten slipped through the door to the chemical closet, nearly shaking with relief – they'd actually managed to get past the irate Namek! Puffing themselves up in pride, they gathered up the supplies for Chibi's present, boasting about what they were going to tell Marron when they got back – after all, it was a tale worth retelling when you single handedly defeat a dozen cloned, overgrown pink Piccolos!
Smiling cheerfully, Goku waltzed through the closet door, startling the chibis.
"AAAARGH!!! WHO'S THAT???"
"I DUNNO!!!"
"IT LOOKS LIKE YOU!!!"
"I KNOW IT LOOKS LIKE ME!!!"
"This is the last time we're doing anything in mom's chemical closet. Come on, let's get moving."
"Okay Trunks."
With that the frighteningly short attention spans of the two children were broken. They continued to collect their supplies, cheerfully chatting about pink Demon Kings, completely oblivious to the startled Goku who was now standing in the middle of the room.
"Pass me that crayon, Goten."
"Here you go. Do you have the string?"
"Uuuh – no. The big hallucination is standing on it."
"Oh, okay. 'Scuse me Mr. Figment-of-my-imagination, do you mind getting off my string?"
"Uh… no problem, but I'm not a halluci-whatsit."
"Whatever. Goten, grab the scissors and let's go."
"Got 'em! Bye bye Mr. Halluci-whatsit!"
Goku stared incredulously as the two small boys capsulized their load and took off for places unknown, their ki lowered as far as possible.
"Well" Goku muttered to himself, "That was certainly an interesting first meeting with my second son… He must take after his mother."
Gohan had to bite back laughter as he steered the poor Namek off the stage and towards the bathroom. He certainly was learning some interesting new words in several new languages…
"Hey, it's okay Piccolo-san – this dye is supposed to wash right off of skin."
Piccolo nodded jerkily, not really paying a whole lot of attention. He was more interested in thinking up ways to convince the other warriors to help him hunt down and punish the three brats in methods of torture, the likes of which had never been seen on earth. Vegeta would probably be willing…
Gohan sighed, having a feeling he knew where Piccolo's thoughts lay. Picking up a washcloth, he began trying to scrub out the stubborn pink dye.
Bulma was startled when she noticed that even Vegeta was laughing at the hilarious sight. She really hoped that he was caught on the camera the chibis were sure to have left somewhere in the room… Her mate guffawing at something other than torment and pain was a good thing! But then again, she supposed this was torment and pain for the green – er, pink – guy.
Shin watched with a single raised eyebrow. It was growing increasingly more apparent that life on Earth was anything but boring. He was beginning to see why Chibi didn't really mind spending her time here – as well as beginning to be thankful that she had a source other than him to set her mischievous side on.
Videl – well, let's just say Videl was amused. She didn't have the personal stock in knowing the Namek well, but he'd always made her a little uneasy. The entire night he'd been watching her, as if he was trying to decide whether or not she was good enough for his "kid". Gohan had told her that Piccolo had always been something of a second father to him, especially after Goku died, so she supposed she didn't really mind the glares – and it was certainly entertaining to see him turn pink.
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It was a couple hours before everyone calmed down enough to wrap up the party. Gohan had found that the dye didn't wash off of Namek skin as easily as it washed out of human skin, so he'd made Shin come in and help. With the Supreme Kai's help the dye practically leapt off the Namek, and Piccolo had marched out of the bathroom seeing nothing but red.
Beware little chibis: the Namekian Chibi-hunter was on the loose.
He eventually did calm down a bit, though he still had it in for the chibis if they were ever to come within reach of him… Still a bit upset, the once again green alien left the party shortly after the joke was played, allowing the chibis to make their triumphant return.
"Hey Trunks, is he gone yet?"
"Yeah, I think we wounded his pride…"
"Oh well! Come on, we have to give Sensei her present before everyone leaves to go home!"
"Or we get put to bed."
The chibis all nodded with Goten's statement, then cautiously made their way back into the house. The adults had started up on the karaoke machine again, much to Vegeta's disgust, and Juu had recently been persuaded to get up on the stage – though she had yet to be persuaded to actually do something. All these human songs were pathetic, and none of them were worth her time – especially if it placed her in the same position that Piccolo had been in…
Coughing slightly to capture everyone's attention, the newly arrived children prepared to be reprimanded from all sides – especially their mothers. To their shock and surprise, however, they were met with laughter. They were scolded cheerfully, told that they were going to be punished at some point, got one whack with the Frying Pan each, and that was all. In fact – Chibi had told them she was proud of them, and that she had a reward to give them later when no one else was around to observe.
Juu even caught her daughter's eye and winked slightly – both proud of the scene of destruction and pleased to be off the hook for the karaoke thing...
Before the kids had a chance to present their sensei with her engagement gift, Goku came meandering back from the chemical closet. What he was doing there that had made him stay for a couple hours was beyond anyone's comprehension, including the author's, but he was back now so it was all good.
Spotting the older clone of himself, Goten was the first to pipe up. "Hey, lookie! It's Mr. Figment-of-my-Imagination! Gee Trunks, your mom's chemicals must be reeeeally strong if he can come all the way down here!"
Everybody in the room gave a giant sweatdrop, and Bulma got a stormy look on her face.
"What precisely were you doing in my chemical closet, my darling children?"
The kids exchanged a glance, then pulled their best ever puppy-dog eyes, allowing Goten to bear the brunt of that task while Trunks came up with a good excuse. "We were just working on our… present for Piccolo, mom!"
Bulma relented, though she still glared at them menacingly as Goten was introduced to his father for the first time ever.
"Well, if you aren't just a halluci-whatsit, then what are you?" Goten asked, cocking his head to the side.
"I'm a Goku!"
"Oh, okay." There was a moment of silence as Goten processed this. "Is there a reason that's supposed to sound familiar?"
The entire room sweatdropped again, Goku included.
"Well, maybe – I am your daddy."
Goten narrowed his eyes and frowned at the man standing in front of him. This was his father? The man that his nii-chan so admired? The man that, according to Vegeta, had abandoned them in preference of training? He didn't look like all that much.
"I don't believe you."
This simple statement of belief set the room in motion. First was the moment of silence so deep you could hear a pin drop, then came a huge roar of chatter, then silence once more as they all awaited the next statement with interest.
Goku was especially alarmed – why didn't his mini-me believe him???
"Nii-chan always told me that you were an incredible guy – he said you towered over everyone else, especially him. He's taller than you by a little. He told me that you looked exactly like me. You're hair sticks in a different direction. Uncle Vegeta told me that you abandoned us so you could train. You look too nice to do something like that. Nope, you're not my daddy."
Everybody stared in disbelief at the kid. He'd reasoned this all out!
"Besides – daddies are supposed to be there for their sons, and I've never seen you before in my life."
And there, everyone had to admit, was the clincher.
Chibi stared at the little boy in something akin to shock. She knew, unlike some of the others, that Goten really was a very intelligent boy – but this line of reasoning sounded nothing like him.
~@ Hey Gohan, is something wrong with your brother? @~
~@ I… I don't know… @~
Gohan himself seemed to be in a bit of a shock. She was sure that whatever stories he'd told to Goten, they weren't supposed to be taken like this. In fact, Gohan was rather horrified at the conclusion that his brother had drawn – especially with that last line. It really cut him: there was more than enough truth in that to hurt. In fact, he'd always toyed with that idea in the back of his mind, though he'd never actually consciously thought about it – it went against everything everyone had ever told him. He knew that Goku was a great guy – but he also knew in his heart that Goku wasn't the best father.
Everyone was murmuring, exchanging covert glances with each other and watching Goten out of the corners of their eyes. They hadn't expected the kid to respond like that… But suddenly the bubble of tension that had been swelling popped with an audible squelch.
"No, you aren't my daddy – but because nii-chan loves you so much, I'll adopt you!" With a gigantic Son Grin spread across his face, the child leapt into a shocked Goku's arms and gave him a hug.
Chichi felt like she was going to cry. First her youngest son told off his father for never being there – which had a very good point, she had to admit – then he went all kawai and told Goku he'd adopt him instead! It was both sad and sweet at the same time, and Chichi decided that she might as well bust into tears – everyone expected it of her anyways.
This decided, the weeping Chichi through herself into Bulma's arms.
Bulma herself was in a bit of shock. She'd never experienced Goku as anything but a friend, and he was easily the best of those. She'd never thought about it from the point of view of his family… But she still loved the guy as a friend, and no startling revelations from a 7 year old would change that for her.
Most of the Z Warriors, in fact, had the same reaction she did. They saw the kid's point, then dismissed it as unimportant in their own personal relationships with the great man who was Son Goku.
Chibi's mouth hung open. That was… odd, to say the very least. Definitely not the way she'd expected the reunion to turn out, but kawai none-the-less. In fact, she was almost inclined to say it was even sweeter, but the whole shock factor thing had kinda taken its toll…
Gohan, on the other hand, was a bit distressed. Sure it was really sweet that Goten had opted for adopting Goku anyways, but the child had unwittingly unlocked several doubts that Gohan had harbored for quite a while.
Putting up a smile, he hid all his memories, guilt, doubts, and pain behind a mask of happiness – just as he'd done so many times before. Chibi could tell that something was wrong, and could probably even put a name to the proverbial face, but she refrained from barging into his mind – he needed his space right now.
And soon the smile was genuine, the doubts locked into the back of his mind where they belonged.
Videl had caught wisps of thoughts from Gohan, and had been unwittingly feeling the distress of her chosen mate. She was more than a little confused, but the feeling eventually went away, and she chose to ignore it, not having enough experience with the bond to know what it meant anyways.
But she would know soon enough. These things had a way of breaking free of the tightest grip, and this particular evil had been struggling for freedom since the boy known as Son Gohan had turned 4 years old. Ah yes, it was only a matter of time…
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A/N:: Okay, this seems as good a stopping place as any! ^^ Alright, the point of that little scene with Goten was for three reasons:: 1) I wanted to set up Goten as an intelligent character – he plays a couple big parts later on. 2) I'm setting up a little bit of angst for Gohan – Gohan and Videl can't have a romance without some angst!!! 3) I dislike Goku – enough said. ^__~
Vegeta:: *smirks at the last one* hear, hear!
T-chan:: *laughs slightly* and ten bucks says that reason number three is actually the most important. ^__~
Lexi:: *whistles and looks the other way innocently* what, you can't honestly think that! ^__^
Vegeta:: *shakes head and rolls eyes* It's the best reason of all woman – don't be afraid to own up to it!
Lexi:: *raises eyebrow at Vegeta, who just shrugs*
Well, I hope you're happy that I'm updating this again instead of one of my other stories – for some reason this story tickled my fancy… Maybe it was the appeal of writing about a pink Piccolo, or maybe it was just the fact that this is the most original of my stories, so it's my favorite in a way… ^___^
Next chapter will be the last scene of the party and the little kids' present to Chibi, then everyone will go home. After that I can't tell you what happens… (partly because I haven't written it yet, partly because I don't want to divulge my secrets… ^___~)
