The Dentist: Chapter 2
Piccolo scoffed and glanced at the girl in the chair. He pulled on some gloves while shaking his head in sheer disbelief. Surely she couldn't be serious!
"I don't think it is at all appropriate to talk of my personal life with a complete stranger… And one not even old enough to drive, at that."
"I can drive, thank YOU very much." She replied haughtily, a red tint grazing her cheeks.
"Ok, then. How do you know, however, that pictures of my deceased wife wouldn't just make me sad?" Piccolo countered, smirking slightly.
"I can tell, ok? Look, it happens all the time. My uncle went through one weird-ass divorce. He remarried a woman who believes in crystal healing… He owns a vineyard. I guess all that wine finally got to him." She must have realized she was rambling, and stopped, grinning. "But, that's not the issue at hand, now is it?"
"No, your x-rays are. Now, open up and we'll check those pearly whites out." He said, using his latex-ed fingers to probe her teeth gently. He frowned when coming on to a back one that looked questionable.
"Does this hurt?" He carefully nudged the tooth, making the girl's eyes shut tight in a wince.
"Yes, dammit, it hurts real bad. I thought freakin' dentists were supposed to help that." She said in irritation, her blue eyes glinting with malice. "You meant to do that!"
"Why on earth would I mean to do that?" Piccolo asked, actually stimulated by an interesting conversation with a patient. Usually it was mindless questioning concerning whether or not the procedure would hurt.
"Because… I dunno, you got pissed at me! Dentists are people too! They get pissed, right?"
"Yeah, but they don't take it out on their patients." Piccolo mildly concluded, vexing the teenager.
"Even priests get pissed. Like when I got Father Bill all bent out of shape by telling him how I was plotting revenge against a young man and his car… He seemed more disappointed than pissed, though. He said I was one of the few that could go on to great things! Crap, I'm rambling again. Why didn't you stop me?" She shot at Piccolo, who raised a brow.
"Now wait just a minute, here-"
"Uh-uh. It's called courtesy. I asked you a question, which you blatantly lied about."
"It's CALLED mind your business, I haven't even known you for fifteen minutes yet!" Piccolo said in a slightly heated tone.
"Look, friend, I am just trying to help. I've been reading about this kind of thing, and-"
"And that makes you an expert?" Piccolo finished, making the girl growl in frustration.
"Don't you EVEN start that shit, Damioh. I get patronized enough at home. Nobody sees the full extent of my genius! Not even me!"
"You must really be something, then, kid. Because all I see is an nosy, egotistical, bossy-"
"Uh, doctor? Everything ok in here?" Goku popped his head in, looking anxious. Piccolo and Sarah both glared at him and shouted 'FINE' in a tone suggesting otherwise. Goku learned not to question things that didn't involve him, and slinked out.
"Well, I see an introverted, antisocial, teeth-fixing son of a bitch!" Sarah growled, standing on her toes to reach Piccolo's shoulders. She held her gaze with his for several seconds before bursting out in laughter. "Sorry, I had to see your reaction. I really do apologize, it wasn't nice of me. You just seemed like your nerves would go twang if I didn't allow you to vent a little. You got to lighten up, Piccolo."
"Uh-"
"Now seriously, this tooth is a bitch. Can we x-ray it or whatever? It hurts like all get-out."
Thirty minutes later, Piccolo was examining the results of the x-ray. He smiled grimly at Sarah, who was sitting on the chair, humming to herself.
"Well, do you want the good news or the bad news first?"
"Uh, the bad news?"
"You have a cavity that needs to be filled next week."
"Shit. What's the good news?"
"Uh… There is no good news." Piccolo winced, making Sarah laugh.
"Ah well. I don't get much of it anyway."
Piccolo smiled in spite of himself. The girl was entertaining, no matter how schizophrenic she appeared. Most of the people he met these days were rather boring, and seemed to only be concerned with getting their job done and getting the hell out. He winced, pondering how he might be interpreted as seeming so himself. He realized Sarah had asked him a question, and brought his mind back to the world of the living.
"Uh, what?"
"Damn, quit spacing out. I asked you what happened to your alive and probably not-so-well wife."
"Again, none of your business. I appreciate the concern, but-"
"Oh, it's no problem, really." The girl said, waving a hand. "You just tell your friend Sarah all about it."
"We are NOT friends, kid! I met you a few minutes ago! Yoo…are…my…patient!" Piccolo said, emphasizing each word. "And you're about fourteen years my junior!"
"So? My best friend for my early years was in his sixties. He and I got along just fine."
"Look, this is just weird. I'm sorry, I really am. But I have work to do-"
"People to ignore, blah blah blah. Look, I'm leaving, all right? I'll just make an appointment on my way out, geez." The teen grumbled, shoving her hands in her pockets. "Try easing up between now and then, would ya?" She shut the door loudly behind her, making Piccolo sigh in partial relief. He knew she would be back soon, though, which is why the aforementioned sigh was only partial.
>
Piccolo made it home without any further incidents, luckily. He hastily pulled in his driveway, noticing the car on the street as he did so. He told himself it was a mere coincidence. Surely she wouldn't be here.
Nevertheless, Piccolo had a growing sense of dread as he walked up to his front door, prepared for the worst. He stuck the key in the door, only to find it already unlocked.
Shit.
He opened the door and tossed his coat on the rack, and his keys on the table. He quickly strode into the living room, setting eyes on his ex-wife.
She was just as beautiful as he remembered her; long, ebony hair, porcelain skin, sky-blue eyes… Her legs were still very lengthy, and her chest, well… Let's just say spending time in the islands seemed to improve her even more. He hated her just as much as ever, too.
"Lila."
"Piccolo."
A tense moment seized the room. Lila smiled, while Piccolo seethed. He knew she thrived off of this shit.
"Well, are you just going to stand there, or will you offer your guest a drink?" She said coyly, smiling venomously at him.
"I usually ask my guests to visit." Piccolo said quietly, not moving from his spot. Lila clicked her tongue and sidled up next to him. She moved with a feline grace that had always intrigued Piccolo, but now made him want to slit his own wrists.
"Baby, don't be uncivil." She said, loosening his tie. Piccolo remembered how she always did play games. She loved watching him writhe.
"Honey, don't make me sick." Piccolo said sarcastically, removing her hand firmly.
"Fine, don't be hospitable. I was just trying to be nice."
Piccolo sniggered loudly, shaking his head in disbelief. "You never stop, do you?"
Lila pretended to be hurt, making her soft lips pout out slightly. "You tease me, Pic."
"Don't…start." The dentist warned, his tone even more gravelly than usual. "I am not in the mood to banter tonight."
"It's really not like you have anything better to do, sugar." Lila said saucily, hands on her slim hips. "I just wanted a favor."
"How many of my closest friends will it cost?" Piccolo asked dryly, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Oh, quit being so dramatic." Lila ordered, her black brows furrowing slightly. Piccolo noticed, with extreme annoyance, that she looked even more lovely when she was upset.
"Whatever it is, no." He replied simply, shrugging his shoulders. "So why don't you and…what's his name? Bill, Dill…?
"Phil, dumbass. And why don't we go and what, exactly?" She said, the spite in her tone evident. All the sweetness gone now, she reminded Piccolo of a wine that has been left out too long.
"You'll think something up, I'm sure." He mumbled, walking out of the room. Lila followed him, apparently very pissed.
"Don't think that just because I moved forward with my life, you can look at me for the source of our problem." She said heatedly.
"Lila, Lila, Lila… You are the problem." Piccolo said, smiling cruelly. "Now, you know where the door is. Don't let it hit your skinny ass on the way out."
Lila gave him a look that could melt steel and turned away. She stamped out in a huff, making Piccolo smile. He loved pissing her off. When he heard the door slam, he quickly went over and locked it, setting the alarm system while he was at it.
Could be worse, I suppose. He couldn't dream of how she could make him any more miserable right away, but he'd keep thinking… And hoping.