AS22: Aww, love… how sweet…

Chibi Katie: ewwww!

AS22: oh, grow up! R&R!

Chapter 4: Together

As part of the plan, Kanji went home with Andorra. They had to start living together, and this was another way to reduce class friction.

They went inside the 6 room house. Out back was a nice yard, but Kanji had never been out of the castle.

"Is this it?" he asked.

"Not everyone can live like an elite." Andorra said, checking the rooms.

"So, you live with your brother."

"Yeah."

They were still too awkward together. Kanji didn't know what to say, and Andorra didn't know what to do.

Andorra thanked the gods when Bardock came in. His paired mate was with him. Her hair was short, as all female Saiyans, and her eyes seemed to be lighter than black.

"Hey sis, that him?" he asked.

"Yeah, this is Kanji. Kanji, this is my brother, Bardock."

"Oh, yeah, Seripa, this is my sister, Andorra."

"Hi." Kanji and Seripa said.

"Listen, we're supposed to be a team now, so uh, Seripa and I were going to train to… get better aquatinted. By fighting."

"Yeah, okay. We'll see you later." Andorra said as they left. It was only her and Kanji again.

"I bet they're going to get really aquatinted." Kanji said, laughing.

"So you saw it too?" Andorra asked, laughing as well.

"It seems as though we finally broke the ice." Kanji said.

"For now. I don't know how this is going to work out. The only thing Frieza isn't doing is sitting here and watching us Bond."

"Would you?" Kanji asked.

"Would I what?"

"Bond, with me. You know, not now, but would you if you weren't being forced to?"

"I don't know, you elites seem pretty uptight."

"Uptight! Like how, may I ask?"

"Well, I noticed you blush the other night just looking at me. You were embarrassed to think you might like me because I wasn't elite."

"That's not why I was blushing! Wait, I don't blush!"

"Yes, you do. I saw you. So why were you blushing?"

"It was because… because…"

"Why!" Andorra shouted.

"Because I did like you, okay!"

They both stood there, quiet again.

"You liked me? But I'm not an elite."

"Technically, neither am I." Kanji said, sitting down.

"How's that?"

"Because technically I wasn't born. The healers had to take me from my mother early because she was… she died. My power level wasn't very strong, either."

"I'm sorry… you never knew your mother at all. At least I knew mine."

"Sometimes at night I- never mind, you'll think it's stupid."

"No, go on." Andorra pleaded. The look in her eyes made Kanji trust her. He went on.

"Sometimes at night I sit out in the grass and look to the stars, trying to find out if I can see her."

"…I did the same for my parents."

Kanji looked at Andorra, and she looked at him. They had found common ground, and on that night, they shared even more.

XxX

I won't let him take you… I can't, you're all I have left now…

King Vegeta paced his son's room, looking at him at every pass. He was trying to figure out how to keep his son safe from Frieza. He could only think of one thing.

There was a knock at the door, causing King Vegeta to jump. He opened the door to see Nappa, the knight he had called.

"My lord?"

"Nappa, come in." King Vegeta went back over to his son's bed, watching him sleep. Vegeta could already tell his son was going to be a mean and ruthless fighter. He already had a scowl, even when he slept.

"What are my orders, my lord?"

"Nothing in this room is going to leave this room, understand?" Nappa nodded, "Nappa, you are to be my son's paladin. You will watch over him when I am away, and train him."

"Yes, my lord."

"You have to be tough on him. Don't show him any mercy. It is the only way he'll become a Super Saiyan."

"What about you, my lord? You could become a Super Saiyan."

"Nappa, I realized long ago that I would never achieve that goal. You will be more of a father for him than I will. I'm going to go through rigorous training. If there is some chance I can achieve my goal, I will. I have to be prepared to stop Frieza when the time comes."

"I know one of you will become a Super Saiyan and destroy Frieza."

"Thank you, my friend. Now go, and don't breathe a word of this to anyone."