Disclaimer; I do not own Dragonball/Z/GT (I especially don't own GT!) – rich people own Dragonball/Z and the world biggest sucker owns GT – haha, wouldn't you hate to be that guy?
A/N; Ok, I finally got a new chapter up – hope you'll enjoy it. It's the climax point of the whole piece where the action peaks and people come to realizations – you know how it goes. Anyway, hope you all enjoy it and don't forget to leave a review!
Oh by the way Sailor J, I put this piece up to an R rating because it has tons of swearing in it, and there are people out there who only come to the site to find people who are disobeying the rules so they can get them banner, and I don't want to get banned, so I though it's better to be safe then sorry. Is there something wrong with the rating?
Mind Games
Chapter 8
Three days finally rolled by. For Krillen, they were three days of agony – he and 18 had become more distant than ever. He knew that 18 only wanted to help her brother, but he refused – absolutely refused to jeopardize his daughter's safety. There was no way he was going to give in this time.
18 however, was just as stubborn about the whole situation as he was, if not more so, and with both of them having completely opposite viewpoints, resolve on the situation was unlikely. Krillen hated every minute of it; every single second he had to fight with the woman who he would gladly die for tore him apart. He couldn't sleep at night, didn't want to eat, refused to smile.
Shaking his head and sighing to himself, Krillen fished a pair of pyjama out of Marrons chest of draws, and along with a handful of nappies, a bottle and some toys, shoved them into the baby bag. They were off to Yumcha's house for dinner; Krillen had been looking forward to it all week long. It would be a more than welcome distraction from all the crap that was going on in his life at the moment. Bending down, he scooped Marron up off the ground, where she was playing by his feet, and the pair left to find the other lady in their life.
18 sat out on the beach, it was about 3.30 in the afternoon and the sun was sitting high in the cloudless sky. Her mind was bustling with thoughts. Was she really doing the right thing? Was all this arguing with Krillen really worth it? Yes. Her mind quickly answered her own question. If it would save her brother then it would all be worth it. As much as she loved her family – which she did, more than she had ever thought possible, she just couldn't turn her back on 17, after everything they had been through together, it would just be so very very wrong of her to abandon him now, when he really needed her help.
"Hey" a voice called from behind her, she knew it was Krillen and she sighed. She didn't want to talk to him, because every time they had talked in the past three days they had just ended up screaming at each other and getting in the same argument over again. Krillen wanted 17 gone, 18 wanted him to stay, and neither were going to change their minds.
Pushing her hair back off her face, 18 twisted her torso around to watch her approaching husband and daughter. "Yeah?" she asked, turning back, and once again fixing her gaze upon the crystal blue ocean.
"I'm going to Yumcha's for dinner, and I'm taking Marron. Do you want to come, it'll be fun?"
"No, I'll stay here thanks"
"18, Yumcha has invited you as well" Krillen used a little more force in his voice this time.
"I said no!" 18 snapped, glaring up at Krillen, who flinched under her gaze.
"Ok," Krillen didn't argue with her, "Ok. Please, don't get mad at me again. I'll probably be home around 10"
"Bye" 18 didn't look up at him.
"Bye. I love you" Krillen replied as he threw his capsule car to the ground and walked towards it.
"I love you to" 18 muttered under her breath as she watched the car disappear into the horizon. Standing up, she brushed the sand off her legs, picked up her empty glass and headed back towards the house. Only she and 17 were home. Krillen had taken off with Marron, and Roshi had disappeared into the city as soon as the conflict between herself and Krillen had begun. God only knew how long it would be until he decided to show his face again. So with only herself and her brother home, 18 may as well make the most of her time and at least try to initiate some sort of reconciliation. She knew she had her work cut out for her, and it was going to take all the strength and determination she had inside her, and up until now the only real efforts she had made to get 17 to take down the emotional barrier he had in place, had resulted in either them yelling at each other, or her getting hurt. Well tonight that would change. Tonight things were going to change.
---------------
Yumcha stood over a bubbling pot, gently stirring its contents, as not to burn it. Anyone who didn't know Yumcha would brush him off as no more than a womanising ex professional baseball player. First impressions were often and usually deceptive though, and the people who knew Yumcha – really knew him, knew that the label womaniser couldn't be anymore unfit for someone like Yumcha. All he wanted was to settle down and be happy. He had thought he had found his true love in the extremely wealthy heiress to the Capsule Corporation, Bulma Briefs. He was wrong though, because as the next man walked onto the scene, Yumcha was yesterday's news, and he was left with a broken heart and no one to help him pick up the pieces.
That was until; Arisa had come into the picture. From the very first time he had laid his eyes on her, he could have sworn that he was looking straight into the eyes of a chocolate skinned angel. He was pulled away from his happy thoughts by the sound of the doorbell.
"Must be Krillen" he smiled as he left the kitchen and walked across the lavishly decorated apartment towards the front door. "Krillen, my man!" he greeted as opened the door. Krillen smiled, "Hey bro. How's things?" he asked as he stepped into the house. Looking around Krillen sighed; he had come here hundreds of times, and every single time he was awe struck by the sheer amount of money that must have been spent on this place, it easily could have run into the millions.
"Marron!" Yumcha stretched out his arms and smiled. The small girl had no problems with Yumcha holding her, he was her godfather after all, and Marron adored him. "So, where that lovely lady of yours?" Yumcha asked Krillen as they headed towards the kitchen.
"18? Oh," Krillen thought quickly "She's not feeling well"
"Not feeling well?" Yumcha asked, he didn't know androids even had the ability to feel unwell
"Yeah. She sorry she couldn't make it though"
"Hey, that's ok. Next time then"
"Yeah. Next time" Krillen replied, then changed the topic of conversation away from his awkward family problems, "So, where your new lady?"
"Oh Ris?" Yumcha asked, "She's went to buy milk and dessert. She should be back pretty soon though," he continued as he placed Marron on the ground, where she quickly scrambled over to her father, who had seated himself at the kitchen table.
"Ris?" Krillen asked.
"Yeah, Arisa. What? Don't you have a nickname for 18?" Yumcha looked at his friend with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, yeah" Krillen replied, as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Well then what's wrong with Ris?"
"Yeah?" a new voice asked from the doorway. Krillen spun around in his chair and smiled at the newest arrival, "What's wrong with Ris?"
"Nothing at all" Yumcha replied as he gently pecked Arisa on the cheek and helped her with the shopping bags she was holding.
"Ris, this is my best friend, Krillen. Krillen, this vision you see before you, is Ris" Yumcha introduced the pair. Krillen, being the gentleman he was stood up and offered the hand which wasn't supporting Marron, who was resting on his hip, which Arisa shook. "It's lovely to meet you" he greeted her with a smile.
"Likewise. Yumcha has told me so much about you. And this must be little Marron. Oh Yumcha, she's even cuter than you told me she was!"
Krillen smiled like the overly proud father he was as he watched Arisa fawn over baby Marron. "Is your wife here?" she asked after several minutes of admiring Marron.
"No" Krillen shook his head; "She's not feeling well" a cold shiver ran down his back as he lied to cover his wife again.
"That's too bad, Yumcha has told me all about how nice she is. I was really looking forward to meeting her" said Arisa with a smile.
"Uh…" Krillen didn't really know what to say, "Want to hold Marron?"
"I don't know" Arisa shook her head doubtfully, "I'd probably drop her"
"Nonsense, Marron loves to be held, and you won't drop her, don't worry about that"
"Well, ok then"
Smiling, Krillen passed Marron over to Arisa; she looked totally overwhelmed by the little girl in her arms, Marron smiled as she tried to pull on Arisa's curly black hair, and both Yumcha and Krillen laughed at the sight. Sighing, Krillen wondered for the 100 millionth time just what he had done so right in his life to be able to called Marron, the most perfect little miracle in the whole world, his?
"Well, guys, if you're both ready, lets eat" Yumcha announced as he pulled a bottle of wine out the refrigerator and set in down in the centre of the table.
The meal was exquisite, whether people knew it or not, Yumcha was a marvellous cook, and Krillen thoroughly enjoyed what he had eaten. "So," he asked Arisa as he sipped from his wine, "What do you do for a living?"
"Me? I'm a model"
"A model, wow. I've never met a model before. I bet that's a really glamorous job, hey?"
Arisa laughed, her eyes sparking with joy. Krillen sighed, 18's eyes used to have that sparkle in them, now it was gone. "Yeah, if your idea of glamorous is early mornings, late nights, bitchy women, no food and shitty pay, then yeah, it's really glamorous"
Krillen laughed and leaned back in his chair. He was glad he had come out tonight. It was a welcome relief from his current home life. It was also nice to not have to watch Marron every single second, as much as he loved her, it became a tiring job.
---------------
18 quietly wandered around the Kame Island, nursing a hot cup of coffee in her hands as she did. The sun was almost set, the sky was a dark blue and starts were beginning to poke out into the night sky. Sighing, 18 stopped and turned to look at up at the roof of the pink house. Sure enough, 17 was standing up there, his arms crossed over his chest and his hair blowing around in the cool night breeze.
"17!" 18 called out to him, he briefly glanced at her, but quickly averted his gaze back out to the sea.
Grumbling, 18 lifted herself up into the air, landing on the roof beside her brother. She sipped her drink before she spoke to him "When are you going to grow up?" she asked.
"I am grown up" he replied, his voice vague and distant.
"17. You need to snap out of this state of mind. You're not healthy, you need my help" 18 told him for the millionth time.
"I do not need you help. I've told you that already 18"
"Yes you do"
"No" 17 gritted his teeth, he hated this conversation, hated it when 18 told him what he did and did not want and need, "I don't want you fucking help ok. All I want is for you to feel everything I went though, for you to know what's it's like to be me" he sneered, never turning to look at his sister.
"I know you don't mean that 17." 18 was just as stubborn as her brother, she refused to admit or even believe that she could be wrong, and she wasn't going to give in until 17 admitted that yes, he was sick, and he needed her help. "You just don't know how to ask for my help"
Taking a slow deep breath, 17 closed his eyes. The wind on the island suddenly picked up, blowing the twins hair wildly in all directions. Suddenly, 17 whipped around and took 18's still half full mug from her.
"Hey!" she scolded him, she was only able to idly watch though, as he pulled his arm back, then thrust it forward again, sending the mug flying out to sea, where she would have no hope of ever seeing it again.
"That was my favourite mug" 18 hissed, he then burst into an agitated yell, "What the hell was that for?"
"Because I felt like it!" he shouted back, proving that his voice could be just as intimidating as hers
"And what gives you the right to come into my house and mess everything up 17? Tell me, because I'd really like to know! I love to know what give you the right to treat me like this when I have been nothing but good to you!"
"Good?" 17's eyes grew wide in shock. "Good? 18, you have treated me like garbage for as long as I can remember. You don't care about me at all! All you care about is making yourself feel better by claiming to help me! Well I've got a newsflash for you sister, the only way you are going to help me is to stop trying to help me! I don't need it!"
18 glared daggers at her brother, he had well and truly pissed her off, "17, you are going to let me help you, I refuse to just sit around and watch you tear up my family like this! We were all so happy before you had to go and pull your stupid wrist-slitting stunt! I swear, if I loose my family over you, I won't be trying to help you, but I swear, I will kill you!"
17 began to chuckle, but before long it grew into a boisterous laugh, 18 looked at him, with a raised eyebrow, and then suddenly, he stopped. "No 18, you're not going to have to worry about loosing your family, they're the ones who are going to have to worry about loosing you." With that, he jumped into the air, and in a move to quick for even 18 to intercept; he kicked her in the side of the head, sending her hurtling through the air.
When she finally managed to catch herself, she wasted no time in powering up a move of her own "Destructo Disk!" she cried, and then hurled the glowing yellow ball towards her slightly younger brother
It appeared he had had a similar idea though, because just as she threw her disk, a bright blue ball of Ki whammed her in the stomach, ripping her shirt and sending her plummeting into the freezing ocean below.
When she finally managed to haul herself up onto the shore, gasping for air, and swearing over the searing pain ripping through her torso, all she was greeted with was a pair of white and blue sneakers. She knew that the worse was yet to come. "18," 17 bent down and pulled his sister up by her damp corn silk hair, "What were you thinking?" he rammed his knee up into her badly burned stomach. "You know I've become the superior of the two of us, so you shouldn't even bother trying" with his free hand he punched his only known blood relative in the side of the head, her body went flying, but only as far as 17's grip on her hair would let her go. "Have you learnt your lesson yet, sister?"
"17," 18 chocked out through the blood and pain, "I will never surrender to you. I'll never give in"
"Oooh" 17 sighed, "that wasn't quite the answer I was looking for" he said as he dropped 18 to the ground in a pathetic heap. Oh god how she wished she had spent as much time training as 17 had, she didn't stand a chance against him now.
"I guess we're just going to have to try this again tomorrow aren't we?"
"Leave me alone 17" 18 whimpered; she just wanted him to go away.
"18," 17 chuckled, "I'm not going anywhere" he turned to walk back into the house, but only took a few steps before he came back again, "oh, and if anyone, and I mean anyone, finds out about this, you and your pathetic excuse of a family is going to pay sorely"
---------------
Yumcha relaxed back into the plush chair and sighed. It was only himself and Krillen; Arisa was bathing Marron, leaving the two men alone to conversations that would only be of any interest to them anyway.
"So," Yumcha began, "Why don't you really tell me why 18 isn't here tonight?" he asked, shocking Krillen – he hadn't seen that one coming.
"I told you man, she's sick" he didn't pick his eyes up off the floor as he replied.
"Krillen, I've known your practically forever. You can't lie to me. What's up?"
Taking a deep sigh, Krillen clasped his hands together and leaned forward on the sofa. "You won't tell anyone?" he asked.
"C'mon, I'm your best friend, Krillen"
'No' Krillen mentally corrected Yumcha 'Goku is my best friend' "You swear you'll keep it to yourself"
"Of course," Yumcha solemnly replied.
Sighing again, Krillen slowly blinked and shook his head "It's 17. We found him a little over three weeks ago, on the floor in his bathroom. He'd slit his wrists and was practically dead. 18 insist we bring him back to the island, you know, just until he was well again. Well he got well physically, but emotionally he is not a stable man – he is absolutely psychotic"
Yumcha sat, intently listening to Krillens every word. It was clear to him that Krillen was going through a hard time, and the very least Yumcha could do was listen to what he had to say.
"You know what happened the last time we saw 17, Marron could have drowned and it was all his fault. And now, now he is living with us, and the one thing he wants more than anything is revenge for being shut out of our lives. Anyone could see by merely taking one look into his eyes that he is deranged, but 18 refuses to acknowledge it. She has gotten a crazy idea in her head that 17's insanity is her fault that thus it's her job to help him get well again. She refuses to admit he is beyond help, even when he slapped her and crushed my hand; she refuses to admit that having him around is a bad idea. All I have are 18 and Marrons best interests at heart, I don't want 17 to be around either one of them, but she just wont listen – and as you can well imagine, things at home aren't all that fantastic at the moment"
"Krillen, I – I don't know what to say. I'm shocked" Yumcha spoke slowly, but still stumbled on his words
"And it scares me," Krillen kept on talking, his eyes misting up with tears as he did, "Because I know that sooner or later it's going to come time for 18 to make a decision, us, or him, and she is so stubborn, so determine to help 17 when he clearly can't be helped, that she's gonna choose him, I'm going to loose her"
"Hey," Yumcha got out of his chair, and sat on the sofa next to Krillen, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, "18 loves you, you know that. If it really came down to that, I know who she'd choose, and it wouldn't be 17"
"No, you don't know what it's like. 18 and I are hardly talking; she refuses to admit that Marron could be in danger being so close to that…that…that thing. Things are going downhill so fast, and I'm scared. I love her so much Yumcha" Krillens shoulder began to shake as he cried.
"I'm so sorry Krillen. But 18 loves you, you have to know that. She's probably just as scared as you are right now, and you have to look at it from her point of view. 17's the only one who knows what it's like to go through what she went through – they share a bond that no one, not even you could break. Seeing her brother like that is probably terrifying her, and she's just trying to help him the only way she knows how" Yumcha tried to deliver words of comfort, though he wasn't sure that they were very comforting at all.
"I know that Yumcha!" Krillen snapped, though he quickly calmed down again, "I know that, but she can't possibly put 17 before the life of her own daughter, it's like she doesn't even care what happens to Marron. I've never ever seen her act so cold towards the two of us. It's as if she really doesn't love us anymore, 17 is the only thing that matters to her anymore. I've tried talking to her again and again, but she just wont listen, she to stubborn"
"I'm sorry," Yumcha repeated himself "But hey, you two are strong, you're gonna pull through this, I just know you will"
---------------
18 stood in front of the bathroom mirror; tears streaked her face as she took in her pitiful expression. She was bruised and bloody. "Fuck" she mumbled as she turned on the taps and let the cool water run over her sore hands. How the hell was she going to explain this to Krillen?
Looking up again, she observed her shirt, it was torn and tattered, reaching up, she gently tugged on the shirt, it was so destroyed that it just fell off her, dropping it to the ground, she heard a loud sob escape her throat followed by a steady flow of tears.
Tilting her head back, she raked her hands though her messy hair, "What have I done?" he asked herself, "What the hell have I done?"
She had been a fool to let herself believe that she could help 17 – but she had been so sure that if only she could spend a little time with him, he would forgive her and they would be able to move on. But now – now she could she just how wrong she had been, and now it was to late.
17 needed help, but it could not come from her, she was only adding fuel to his fire, she was everything 17 hated and despised and everyday she was near him, he became madder and madder. She had been so determine to help him for weeks now that she had failed to see it. Even when Krillen had told her so, she refused to believe him, and not she was paying the price
She cupped some water in her hands and splashed it over her face; the cool tinging came as a welcome relief to the burning tears. She had been a fool, and now it was too late to do anything about it.
As soon as 18 even so much as opened her mouth to tell Krillen about the abuse and mistreatment, 17 would probably not only kill her, but Krillen and Marron as well.
"Oh god" 18 muttered as another thought dawned on her, "Marron" Marron was in very real danger, 18 could see it now. As soon as 18 told anyone anything, Marron would be the first one 17 went for – and who knew what that psychotic bastard would do to the poor helpless girl who had no way of defending herself.
He knew damn well that she was the most important thing in both 18 and Krillens life, and to have something happen to her would just push them both over the edge. Which left 18 in a horrible situation. She either suffered in silence until Krillen got so upset and hurt by her that he took Marron and left, or open up to her husband like she wanted to do so badly, and risk having them taken away from her in a much more brutal way.
Sinking down to the floor, 18 wrapped her arms around her knees and cried. She had never in her entire life been as scared as she was right now.
A/N; Well there you have it. Poor 18 – what ever shall she do? Tell Krillen and risk her family, or keep it to herself, and well – risk her family? Find out in the next exciting instalment of Mind Games – which will hopefully be out within a few weeks
-Deadly Beauty
A/N; Ok, I finally got a new chapter up – hope you'll enjoy it. It's the climax point of the whole piece where the action peaks and people come to realizations – you know how it goes. Anyway, hope you all enjoy it and don't forget to leave a review!
Oh by the way Sailor J, I put this piece up to an R rating because it has tons of swearing in it, and there are people out there who only come to the site to find people who are disobeying the rules so they can get them banner, and I don't want to get banned, so I though it's better to be safe then sorry. Is there something wrong with the rating?
Chapter 8
Three days finally rolled by. For Krillen, they were three days of agony – he and 18 had become more distant than ever. He knew that 18 only wanted to help her brother, but he refused – absolutely refused to jeopardize his daughter's safety. There was no way he was going to give in this time.
18 however, was just as stubborn about the whole situation as he was, if not more so, and with both of them having completely opposite viewpoints, resolve on the situation was unlikely. Krillen hated every minute of it; every single second he had to fight with the woman who he would gladly die for tore him apart. He couldn't sleep at night, didn't want to eat, refused to smile.
Shaking his head and sighing to himself, Krillen fished a pair of pyjama out of Marrons chest of draws, and along with a handful of nappies, a bottle and some toys, shoved them into the baby bag. They were off to Yumcha's house for dinner; Krillen had been looking forward to it all week long. It would be a more than welcome distraction from all the crap that was going on in his life at the moment. Bending down, he scooped Marron up off the ground, where she was playing by his feet, and the pair left to find the other lady in their life.
18 sat out on the beach, it was about 3.30 in the afternoon and the sun was sitting high in the cloudless sky. Her mind was bustling with thoughts. Was she really doing the right thing? Was all this arguing with Krillen really worth it? Yes. Her mind quickly answered her own question. If it would save her brother then it would all be worth it. As much as she loved her family – which she did, more than she had ever thought possible, she just couldn't turn her back on 17, after everything they had been through together, it would just be so very very wrong of her to abandon him now, when he really needed her help.
"Hey" a voice called from behind her, she knew it was Krillen and she sighed. She didn't want to talk to him, because every time they had talked in the past three days they had just ended up screaming at each other and getting in the same argument over again. Krillen wanted 17 gone, 18 wanted him to stay, and neither were going to change their minds.
Pushing her hair back off her face, 18 twisted her torso around to watch her approaching husband and daughter. "Yeah?" she asked, turning back, and once again fixing her gaze upon the crystal blue ocean.
"I'm going to Yumcha's for dinner, and I'm taking Marron. Do you want to come, it'll be fun?"
"No, I'll stay here thanks"
"18, Yumcha has invited you as well" Krillen used a little more force in his voice this time.
"I said no!" 18 snapped, glaring up at Krillen, who flinched under her gaze.
"Ok," Krillen didn't argue with her, "Ok. Please, don't get mad at me again. I'll probably be home around 10"
"Bye" 18 didn't look up at him.
"Bye. I love you" Krillen replied as he threw his capsule car to the ground and walked towards it.
"I love you to" 18 muttered under her breath as she watched the car disappear into the horizon. Standing up, she brushed the sand off her legs, picked up her empty glass and headed back towards the house. Only she and 17 were home. Krillen had taken off with Marron, and Roshi had disappeared into the city as soon as the conflict between herself and Krillen had begun. God only knew how long it would be until he decided to show his face again. So with only herself and her brother home, 18 may as well make the most of her time and at least try to initiate some sort of reconciliation. She knew she had her work cut out for her, and it was going to take all the strength and determination she had inside her, and up until now the only real efforts she had made to get 17 to take down the emotional barrier he had in place, had resulted in either them yelling at each other, or her getting hurt. Well tonight that would change. Tonight things were going to change.
---------------
Yumcha stood over a bubbling pot, gently stirring its contents, as not to burn it. Anyone who didn't know Yumcha would brush him off as no more than a womanising ex professional baseball player. First impressions were often and usually deceptive though, and the people who knew Yumcha – really knew him, knew that the label womaniser couldn't be anymore unfit for someone like Yumcha. All he wanted was to settle down and be happy. He had thought he had found his true love in the extremely wealthy heiress to the Capsule Corporation, Bulma Briefs. He was wrong though, because as the next man walked onto the scene, Yumcha was yesterday's news, and he was left with a broken heart and no one to help him pick up the pieces.
That was until; Arisa had come into the picture. From the very first time he had laid his eyes on her, he could have sworn that he was looking straight into the eyes of a chocolate skinned angel. He was pulled away from his happy thoughts by the sound of the doorbell.
"Must be Krillen" he smiled as he left the kitchen and walked across the lavishly decorated apartment towards the front door. "Krillen, my man!" he greeted as opened the door. Krillen smiled, "Hey bro. How's things?" he asked as he stepped into the house. Looking around Krillen sighed; he had come here hundreds of times, and every single time he was awe struck by the sheer amount of money that must have been spent on this place, it easily could have run into the millions.
"Marron!" Yumcha stretched out his arms and smiled. The small girl had no problems with Yumcha holding her, he was her godfather after all, and Marron adored him. "So, where that lovely lady of yours?" Yumcha asked Krillen as they headed towards the kitchen.
"18? Oh," Krillen thought quickly "She's not feeling well"
"Not feeling well?" Yumcha asked, he didn't know androids even had the ability to feel unwell
"Yeah. She sorry she couldn't make it though"
"Hey, that's ok. Next time then"
"Yeah. Next time" Krillen replied, then changed the topic of conversation away from his awkward family problems, "So, where your new lady?"
"Oh Ris?" Yumcha asked, "She's went to buy milk and dessert. She should be back pretty soon though," he continued as he placed Marron on the ground, where she quickly scrambled over to her father, who had seated himself at the kitchen table.
"Ris?" Krillen asked.
"Yeah, Arisa. What? Don't you have a nickname for 18?" Yumcha looked at his friend with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, yeah" Krillen replied, as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Well then what's wrong with Ris?"
"Yeah?" a new voice asked from the doorway. Krillen spun around in his chair and smiled at the newest arrival, "What's wrong with Ris?"
"Nothing at all" Yumcha replied as he gently pecked Arisa on the cheek and helped her with the shopping bags she was holding.
"Ris, this is my best friend, Krillen. Krillen, this vision you see before you, is Ris" Yumcha introduced the pair. Krillen, being the gentleman he was stood up and offered the hand which wasn't supporting Marron, who was resting on his hip, which Arisa shook. "It's lovely to meet you" he greeted her with a smile.
"Likewise. Yumcha has told me so much about you. And this must be little Marron. Oh Yumcha, she's even cuter than you told me she was!"
Krillen smiled like the overly proud father he was as he watched Arisa fawn over baby Marron. "Is your wife here?" she asked after several minutes of admiring Marron.
"No" Krillen shook his head; "She's not feeling well" a cold shiver ran down his back as he lied to cover his wife again.
"That's too bad, Yumcha has told me all about how nice she is. I was really looking forward to meeting her" said Arisa with a smile.
"Uh…" Krillen didn't really know what to say, "Want to hold Marron?"
"I don't know" Arisa shook her head doubtfully, "I'd probably drop her"
"Nonsense, Marron loves to be held, and you won't drop her, don't worry about that"
"Well, ok then"
Smiling, Krillen passed Marron over to Arisa; she looked totally overwhelmed by the little girl in her arms, Marron smiled as she tried to pull on Arisa's curly black hair, and both Yumcha and Krillen laughed at the sight. Sighing, Krillen wondered for the 100 millionth time just what he had done so right in his life to be able to called Marron, the most perfect little miracle in the whole world, his?
"Well, guys, if you're both ready, lets eat" Yumcha announced as he pulled a bottle of wine out the refrigerator and set in down in the centre of the table.
The meal was exquisite, whether people knew it or not, Yumcha was a marvellous cook, and Krillen thoroughly enjoyed what he had eaten. "So," he asked Arisa as he sipped from his wine, "What do you do for a living?"
"Me? I'm a model"
"A model, wow. I've never met a model before. I bet that's a really glamorous job, hey?"
Arisa laughed, her eyes sparking with joy. Krillen sighed, 18's eyes used to have that sparkle in them, now it was gone. "Yeah, if your idea of glamorous is early mornings, late nights, bitchy women, no food and shitty pay, then yeah, it's really glamorous"
Krillen laughed and leaned back in his chair. He was glad he had come out tonight. It was a welcome relief from his current home life. It was also nice to not have to watch Marron every single second, as much as he loved her, it became a tiring job.
---------------
18 quietly wandered around the Kame Island, nursing a hot cup of coffee in her hands as she did. The sun was almost set, the sky was a dark blue and starts were beginning to poke out into the night sky. Sighing, 18 stopped and turned to look at up at the roof of the pink house. Sure enough, 17 was standing up there, his arms crossed over his chest and his hair blowing around in the cool night breeze.
"17!" 18 called out to him, he briefly glanced at her, but quickly averted his gaze back out to the sea.
Grumbling, 18 lifted herself up into the air, landing on the roof beside her brother. She sipped her drink before she spoke to him "When are you going to grow up?" she asked.
"I am grown up" he replied, his voice vague and distant.
"17. You need to snap out of this state of mind. You're not healthy, you need my help" 18 told him for the millionth time.
"I do not need you help. I've told you that already 18"
"Yes you do"
"No" 17 gritted his teeth, he hated this conversation, hated it when 18 told him what he did and did not want and need, "I don't want you fucking help ok. All I want is for you to feel everything I went though, for you to know what's it's like to be me" he sneered, never turning to look at his sister.
"I know you don't mean that 17." 18 was just as stubborn as her brother, she refused to admit or even believe that she could be wrong, and she wasn't going to give in until 17 admitted that yes, he was sick, and he needed her help. "You just don't know how to ask for my help"
Taking a slow deep breath, 17 closed his eyes. The wind on the island suddenly picked up, blowing the twins hair wildly in all directions. Suddenly, 17 whipped around and took 18's still half full mug from her.
"Hey!" she scolded him, she was only able to idly watch though, as he pulled his arm back, then thrust it forward again, sending the mug flying out to sea, where she would have no hope of ever seeing it again.
"That was my favourite mug" 18 hissed, he then burst into an agitated yell, "What the hell was that for?"
"Because I felt like it!" he shouted back, proving that his voice could be just as intimidating as hers
"And what gives you the right to come into my house and mess everything up 17? Tell me, because I'd really like to know! I love to know what give you the right to treat me like this when I have been nothing but good to you!"
"Good?" 17's eyes grew wide in shock. "Good? 18, you have treated me like garbage for as long as I can remember. You don't care about me at all! All you care about is making yourself feel better by claiming to help me! Well I've got a newsflash for you sister, the only way you are going to help me is to stop trying to help me! I don't need it!"
18 glared daggers at her brother, he had well and truly pissed her off, "17, you are going to let me help you, I refuse to just sit around and watch you tear up my family like this! We were all so happy before you had to go and pull your stupid wrist-slitting stunt! I swear, if I loose my family over you, I won't be trying to help you, but I swear, I will kill you!"
17 began to chuckle, but before long it grew into a boisterous laugh, 18 looked at him, with a raised eyebrow, and then suddenly, he stopped. "No 18, you're not going to have to worry about loosing your family, they're the ones who are going to have to worry about loosing you." With that, he jumped into the air, and in a move to quick for even 18 to intercept; he kicked her in the side of the head, sending her hurtling through the air.
When she finally managed to catch herself, she wasted no time in powering up a move of her own "Destructo Disk!" she cried, and then hurled the glowing yellow ball towards her slightly younger brother
It appeared he had had a similar idea though, because just as she threw her disk, a bright blue ball of Ki whammed her in the stomach, ripping her shirt and sending her plummeting into the freezing ocean below.
When she finally managed to haul herself up onto the shore, gasping for air, and swearing over the searing pain ripping through her torso, all she was greeted with was a pair of white and blue sneakers. She knew that the worse was yet to come. "18," 17 bent down and pulled his sister up by her damp corn silk hair, "What were you thinking?" he rammed his knee up into her badly burned stomach. "You know I've become the superior of the two of us, so you shouldn't even bother trying" with his free hand he punched his only known blood relative in the side of the head, her body went flying, but only as far as 17's grip on her hair would let her go. "Have you learnt your lesson yet, sister?"
"17," 18 chocked out through the blood and pain, "I will never surrender to you. I'll never give in"
"Oooh" 17 sighed, "that wasn't quite the answer I was looking for" he said as he dropped 18 to the ground in a pathetic heap. Oh god how she wished she had spent as much time training as 17 had, she didn't stand a chance against him now.
"I guess we're just going to have to try this again tomorrow aren't we?"
"Leave me alone 17" 18 whimpered; she just wanted him to go away.
"18," 17 chuckled, "I'm not going anywhere" he turned to walk back into the house, but only took a few steps before he came back again, "oh, and if anyone, and I mean anyone, finds out about this, you and your pathetic excuse of a family is going to pay sorely"
---------------
Yumcha relaxed back into the plush chair and sighed. It was only himself and Krillen; Arisa was bathing Marron, leaving the two men alone to conversations that would only be of any interest to them anyway.
"So," Yumcha began, "Why don't you really tell me why 18 isn't here tonight?" he asked, shocking Krillen – he hadn't seen that one coming.
"I told you man, she's sick" he didn't pick his eyes up off the floor as he replied.
"Krillen, I've known your practically forever. You can't lie to me. What's up?"
Taking a deep sigh, Krillen clasped his hands together and leaned forward on the sofa. "You won't tell anyone?" he asked.
"C'mon, I'm your best friend, Krillen"
'No' Krillen mentally corrected Yumcha 'Goku is my best friend' "You swear you'll keep it to yourself"
"Of course," Yumcha solemnly replied.
Sighing again, Krillen slowly blinked and shook his head "It's 17. We found him a little over three weeks ago, on the floor in his bathroom. He'd slit his wrists and was practically dead. 18 insist we bring him back to the island, you know, just until he was well again. Well he got well physically, but emotionally he is not a stable man – he is absolutely psychotic"
Yumcha sat, intently listening to Krillens every word. It was clear to him that Krillen was going through a hard time, and the very least Yumcha could do was listen to what he had to say.
"You know what happened the last time we saw 17, Marron could have drowned and it was all his fault. And now, now he is living with us, and the one thing he wants more than anything is revenge for being shut out of our lives. Anyone could see by merely taking one look into his eyes that he is deranged, but 18 refuses to acknowledge it. She has gotten a crazy idea in her head that 17's insanity is her fault that thus it's her job to help him get well again. She refuses to admit he is beyond help, even when he slapped her and crushed my hand; she refuses to admit that having him around is a bad idea. All I have are 18 and Marrons best interests at heart, I don't want 17 to be around either one of them, but she just wont listen – and as you can well imagine, things at home aren't all that fantastic at the moment"
"Krillen, I – I don't know what to say. I'm shocked" Yumcha spoke slowly, but still stumbled on his words
"And it scares me," Krillen kept on talking, his eyes misting up with tears as he did, "Because I know that sooner or later it's going to come time for 18 to make a decision, us, or him, and she is so stubborn, so determine to help 17 when he clearly can't be helped, that she's gonna choose him, I'm going to loose her"
"Hey," Yumcha got out of his chair, and sat on the sofa next to Krillen, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, "18 loves you, you know that. If it really came down to that, I know who she'd choose, and it wouldn't be 17"
"No, you don't know what it's like. 18 and I are hardly talking; she refuses to admit that Marron could be in danger being so close to that…that…that thing. Things are going downhill so fast, and I'm scared. I love her so much Yumcha" Krillens shoulder began to shake as he cried.
"I'm so sorry Krillen. But 18 loves you, you have to know that. She's probably just as scared as you are right now, and you have to look at it from her point of view. 17's the only one who knows what it's like to go through what she went through – they share a bond that no one, not even you could break. Seeing her brother like that is probably terrifying her, and she's just trying to help him the only way she knows how" Yumcha tried to deliver words of comfort, though he wasn't sure that they were very comforting at all.
"I know that Yumcha!" Krillen snapped, though he quickly calmed down again, "I know that, but she can't possibly put 17 before the life of her own daughter, it's like she doesn't even care what happens to Marron. I've never ever seen her act so cold towards the two of us. It's as if she really doesn't love us anymore, 17 is the only thing that matters to her anymore. I've tried talking to her again and again, but she just wont listen, she to stubborn"
"I'm sorry," Yumcha repeated himself "But hey, you two are strong, you're gonna pull through this, I just know you will"
---------------
18 stood in front of the bathroom mirror; tears streaked her face as she took in her pitiful expression. She was bruised and bloody. "Fuck" she mumbled as she turned on the taps and let the cool water run over her sore hands. How the hell was she going to explain this to Krillen?
Looking up again, she observed her shirt, it was torn and tattered, reaching up, she gently tugged on the shirt, it was so destroyed that it just fell off her, dropping it to the ground, she heard a loud sob escape her throat followed by a steady flow of tears.
Tilting her head back, she raked her hands though her messy hair, "What have I done?" he asked herself, "What the hell have I done?"
She had been a fool to let herself believe that she could help 17 – but she had been so sure that if only she could spend a little time with him, he would forgive her and they would be able to move on. But now – now she could she just how wrong she had been, and now it was to late.
17 needed help, but it could not come from her, she was only adding fuel to his fire, she was everything 17 hated and despised and everyday she was near him, he became madder and madder. She had been so determine to help him for weeks now that she had failed to see it. Even when Krillen had told her so, she refused to believe him, and not she was paying the price
She cupped some water in her hands and splashed it over her face; the cool tinging came as a welcome relief to the burning tears. She had been a fool, and now it was too late to do anything about it.
As soon as 18 even so much as opened her mouth to tell Krillen about the abuse and mistreatment, 17 would probably not only kill her, but Krillen and Marron as well.
"Oh god" 18 muttered as another thought dawned on her, "Marron" Marron was in very real danger, 18 could see it now. As soon as 18 told anyone anything, Marron would be the first one 17 went for – and who knew what that psychotic bastard would do to the poor helpless girl who had no way of defending herself.
He knew damn well that she was the most important thing in both 18 and Krillens life, and to have something happen to her would just push them both over the edge. Which left 18 in a horrible situation. She either suffered in silence until Krillen got so upset and hurt by her that he took Marron and left, or open up to her husband like she wanted to do so badly, and risk having them taken away from her in a much more brutal way.
Sinking down to the floor, 18 wrapped her arms around her knees and cried. She had never in her entire life been as scared as she was right now.
A/N; Well there you have it. Poor 18 – what ever shall she do? Tell Krillen and risk her family, or keep it to herself, and well – risk her family? Find out in the next exciting instalment of Mind Games – which will hopefully be out within a few weeks
-Deadly Beauty