Her Return

Chapter Two

Aya's face lit up happily watching as the woman that she had identified as Areiko continued to approach. "Areiko!" she screamed out running down the sidewalk. Britnay and Scott turned their heads looking at Aya weirdly watching her run down the street. Aya threw her arms opened technically glomping the woman, but they both stayed on their feet.

"Areiko! You're back!" Aya bellowed in Areiko's ear.

Areiko lifted her arms, going to give Aya a hug, but she lowered them allowing Aya to just hug her. After about a few minutes, Areiko spoke to her. "Aya, can you let go now?"

Aya opened her eyes blinking a few times catching the sternness and coldness in Areiko's voice as she spoke. "Like… now, would be a good time."

Aya let Areiko go backing up looking at her best friend in the face. There was no smile. Aya looked in Areiko's eyes. There was no happiness or joy, or even love in them. They were just, well cold. The words that Goku had spoken to her while she was visiting him rang through her head almost instantly.

She just… wouldn't be the same Areiko that we knew. She would be different… kind of like… grown up… I suppose.

Aya stared at Areiko as she just stared back. Areiko glanced to the side for a minute or two then turning to look at Aya again noticing that Britnay and Scott were running over to them. Areiko crossed her arms over her breasts watching as her old human friends stopped side by side of Aya.

"A-Areiko…?" Britnay lowered her eyebrows getting a good look at her, "oh my God! It is you!" Britnay went to hug her when Areiko stepped back.

"I rather not be touched…" Areiko said to her holding her hand out stopping her. Britnay had already stopped when Areiko stepped back. Aya looked at her best friend knowing that this change in Areiko wasn't such a good thing like she had discussed in the car with Scott and Britnay.

"Where have you been all this time?" Scott asked looking at Areiko hoping that she would fulfill his curiosity.

"None of your business." Areiko answered pushing herself passed them continuing to walk down the street. Aya stood there facing in the same direction.

"Where are you going?" Aya called out.

"To Goku's house." Areiko answered. Aya blinked as she stepped out from in between Britnay and Scott approaching Areiko.

"I can drive you there if you want Reiko." Aya suggested, "you know that its about a two day walk from here to Mount Paoz."

"Point?" Areiko stopped looking over her shoulder. "That's nothing."

"Reiko let us take you." Britnay added. "Don't you even want to stop by and see Vegeta first or something?"

Areiko shook her head. "No, I'll see him after." She replied. Aya looked at Britnay and Scott. She placed her hands onto their chests pushing them back away from Areiko a little bit.

"I'll just take her to Goku's house on my own." Aya whispered to them, "you guys stay here and have fun."

"Aya—"

"Trust me Britnay," Aya interrupted her. "It would be better that way… Goku was right about her, if she ever returned she wouldn't be the same."

"But…" Scott was going to protest till Britnay placed her hand over his mouth. Britnay nodded her head smiling a little bit at Aya.

"Alright, we trust ya Aya-chan." Britnay stated lowering her hand from Scott's mouth. Aya smiled hugging her best friends as she turned back around then walked over to Areiko who was still standing where she had stopped.

"Come on," Aya gestured her hand across the street. "I'm parked over here." Aya said looking both ways before deciding to cross the street. Areiko followed her till they got to the baby blue car.

Aya opened the driver's side door seating herself down into the seat. She turned her head to look at Areiko who was standing by the passenger side door looking down. Aya blinked as she honked the horn waking Areiko up from any daydream that she was having. Areiko then opened the door and seated herself onto the comfortable seat shutting the door.

"You alright?" Aya asked. Areiko nodded answering silently. Aya pulled out of her parking spot then drove off in the direction which she came from.

Areiko's long hair was flying everywhere in the wind to the point where Areiko decided to tuck it into the back of her shirt. She was looking forward with Aya glancing at her a couple of times.

"Go ahead and ask." Areiko said suddenly gaining Aya's attention once she stopped at the red light.

"Ask what?"

"I know you wanna ask," Areiko said again turning her head looking at Aya, "I've learned to read people like a book."

Aya looked forward. "Why… why did you leave three years ago?"

Areiko looked forward and then turned her head out where her window is located. "I left for complicated reasons Aya." she answered. "I had to find myself again."

Aya glanced at Areiko. The sound of the horn beeping behind her caused her to look forward to see that the light was green. She pressed her foot onto the gas pedal as Areiko looked forward.

"You had to find yourself again?" Aya repeated. "Why couldn't you just find yourself with us?"

"Aya," Areiko started sounding a little cold. "I told you that I left for complicated reasons!"

"And you said that you had to find yourself."

"It's none of your concern as to why I left," Areiko snapped. "Just keep your nose out of my business!"

Aya was silent. She decided to keep her next words to herself. She began to think about what Goku said to her once more. She finally came to the conclusion that Goku was right.

"Goku was right," Aya said aloud as she thought it. "You have changed."

"No shit." Areiko said turning her head to look at Aya. "I grew up and realized how cold the world can be."

Aya glanced at Areiko taking her eyes off of the road. She then looked forward turning onto the exit that led to Mount Paoz. Aya slowly drove down the dirt path towards the Son House. She turned her head spotting Goten stepping out of the house shutting the door behind him.

Goten looked up and smiled seeing Aya pulling up into the driveway then getting out of the car. "Hey Aya! I got a question." Goten said approaching glancing at the woman in the car.

Areiko got out then came face to face with Goten. Goten's eyes lit up with happiness realizing that this woman that Aya brought with her was Son Areiko, the sister that had left without a single goodbye three years ago.

"Oh my…"

Areiko crossed her arms over her chest looking at Goten. Aya stepped towards the young teenager looking at him. "Where's Goku?" Aya asked him.

Goten turned his head looking at Aya. "He's in the back working." Goten turned around entering the house once more, "I'll bring you out there."

Aya turned her head looking at Areiko who stepped up towards her. Then the two of them followed Goten through the house and towards the backdoor. Coming through the door, was Chichi who was bringing in an empty water bottle. She looked up from the floor spotting Goten, Aya, and of course, the girl that stuck out like a sore thumb, Areiko.

Chichi gasped in shock dropping the bottle onto the floor placing her hand over her mouth. She stared at Areiko as she pushed herself through Aya and Goten to come face to face with her. Chichi lowered her arms as tears started to form in her eyes.

"A-A…" Chichi couldn't get her name out of her mouth. Of course she knew who Areiko was. But it was the shock that prevented her from saying anything. All Chichi could do was stare at the daughter that she lost and say nothing but allow the tears to flow from her face.

Areiko mentally sighed opening her arms to Chichi. Instantly, Areiko found herself hugging the mother that she left behind her, soon she knew that she was going to come face to face with the father that she also left. Chichi wrapped her arms tightly around Areiko hugging her as if she never wanted to let go. Chichi just cried and cried in her arms as she felt an emotion that she hasn't felt in a long time – happiness.

Areiko rubbed Chichi's back hoping to give her some type of comfort. After about five minutes or so, Chichi let her go. But her hands were still on her arms as she held Areiko out in front of her to get a good look at her. She's changed a lot. She's gotten taller, even though she was wearing heeled boots. Her hair was much longer then it used to be, and Chichi thought that it was long before. Now her hair was five times as long, nearly touching the floor even though her hair was up in a ponytail. Her clothes were still her same style from before, but they looked as if they belonged to someone else, which nine out of ten it was true.

"I… I missed you." Chichi managed to say to her hugging her once more.

Areiko stayed silent letting Chichi continue. "I don't know how Goku's going to react." Chichi said pulling herself away from Areiko. "He was really crushed when you left."

Areiko nodded her head.

"Where did you go?"

"Nowhere," Areiko answered as Chichi allowed her to pass. "I was just… around. That's all you need to know."

Chichi looked at Aya and Goten, but mainly Aya. Aya shook her head letting Chichi know that Areiko didn't tell her where she had gone too. Chichi walked passed Aya taking Goten's hand and leading him off so that Areiko and Aya could go see Goku themselves.

Areiko opened the backdoor. Instantly she was remembered by the training sessions that she, Goku, and Goten had back here. Sometimes Chichi would freak out on Areiko and Goku because they would sometimes be late for dinner. Or they would smell like wet dog, sometimes they just… smelled.

Goku was found standing in the yard working on something. Goku was on his hands and knees placing cement onto a brick then gently putting it in place. Areiko turned her head looking at Aya knowing that she knew what Goku was doing exactly.

"What is he doing?" Areiko asked.

Aya stepped out of the house standing next to Areiko. "He's working on the patio that Chichi's always wanted in the backyard."

"But doesn't he train back here?"

"He used too," Aya turned her head looking at her, "now he either trains with Vegeta or he's at the lookout OR he's at some other location in the Mount Paoz area. A lot has changed in the past three years Areiko… a lot."

Areiko stared at Aya. "Fill me in."

"Well, Bulma had her baby obviously. She had a little girl and they named her Bulla. Videl and Gohan finally got married and they had a little girl, Pan. Goten and Trunks will be freshmen next year. Marron is… I think is going to be in fifth grade or fourth."

She nodded her head turning to look at Goku who had already spotted Aya and Areiko. Goku couldn't tell who Areiko was exactly, so he just assumed that it was another one of Aya's friends. He stood up onto his feet placing his hands onto his hips looking at the girls.

"Aya," Goku started, "I thought you were going to the mall?"

"I did." Aya replied approaching Goku with Areiko following. "But I found someone."

"Wh—?"

Goku stopped dead in his tracks as he looked at Areiko. She lowered her arms to her sides looking at the man who looked as if he was going to faint from the sight of her. Goku just stared into the face of the girl that he found five years ago underneath the tree in a horrible storm. Goku blinked rubbing his eyes then looking at Areiko once more.

"A-Areiko? Is that…"

Areiko nodded, "yes Goku, it's me."

Goku instantly grabbed onto Areiko's wrist pulling her to him. Areiko was taken by surprise of this as the saiyan hugged Areiko tightly kind of burying his face in his shoulder trying to hold his tears back. Areiko peered over Goku's shoulder into the woods behind him as he held onto her tightly. Aya stood there watching them. Goku lifted his head up resting his chin on Areiko's shoulder.

"Where did you go? Where have you been?"

Areiko didn't answer directly. "That doesn't matter, now does it Goku?" Areiko asked pulling herself gently away from him. "All that matters is that I'm standing here right in front of you."

Goku stared at Areiko, instantly knowing how she's changed. He was right, she basically grew up. But Goku kept that comment to himself. "Are you staying?"

Areiko shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know, I guess."

Goku just smiled a little bit, "good. It'll be great to have you back again."

Areiko nodded, and then Aya spoke up. "There's another saiyan that I think would love to see you Areiko-chan."

Areiko turned her head looking at her. "Who?"

"Vegeta of course." Goku replied getting Areiko's attention. "You did basically spend most of your time there when you were here."

Areiko nodded.

"Then let's go." Aya said placing a small smile onto her face. "I'll drive us there." 'Even though I don't think that Vegeta would be very happy to see Areiko once again…' Aya thought to herself.

The three of them walked around the back of the house. Areiko glanced over at the house next door. "Who lives there?"

"Oh!" Goku grinned, "Gohan does." He answered. "Do you wanna see him?"

"Later." Areiko answered getting into the back of the car. Goku and Aya glanced at each other. Aya looked away getting into the driver side of the car as Goku got into the passenger side. Aya started up her car then pulled out of the driveway heading back to West City.

Surprising as it may sound, there was no conversation among the three. There wasn't even one between Areiko and Goku. Everything was just, well, silent. There was some tension with them but not much. Aya and Goku knew that they weren't dealing with the same Areiko that they knew three years ago. Oh they knew that very well. Just by the look of her, there was something wrong.

Goku on the other hand, he wants to work as hard as he can to bring back the fun loving fourteen year old that he knew before Orx attacked and destroyed her life. The saiyan knew that was going to be a difficult thing for him to do, it was going to be difficult for Areiko do to especially since she was the one that had lost that playful life. But Goku also had another problem. He didn't know what it was yet exactly, but he knew that deep down inside of him; Areiko was keeping a secret. A dark and evil secret. He wasn't going to push Areiko to tell him just in case that he was wrong about her. But he did know one thing, if she really was carrying a dark secret; he was going to do everything that he can to help out his daughter.

Aya finally pulled into the driveway of Capsule Corp after a long drive back to the place. They got out and instantly Aya told Areiko and Goku that Vegeta was in the gravity room training, something that didn't really change since Areiko was gone.

"Come on guys," Aya started as she headed for the back of her home, "I'm sure that he's still in there."

Goku glanced at Areiko watching as she just followed Aya. Goku sighed following the two girls as well. Aya stepped up to the door of the gravity room. She knocked, and then entered.

"Veggie-kins?" Aya called glancing around. She then realized that the machine was off. She blinked a few times glancing around, "huh… odd."

"What?" Goku asked.

Aya shut the door of the gravity room standing in front of Goku and Areiko, "he's not in there." Aya then checked the watch around her wrist. She smiled then lifted her head looking at her friends once more. "Well, it's about that time where he goes in and gets something to drink anyway."

"Then I'm assuming that we go inside?" Areiko suggested. Aya nodded as she walked passed Goku and Areiko heading up the stairs of her back porch.

"Yup!" Aya stated turning her head, "plus, don't you want to see Bulma anyway?"

Areiko shrugged. Goku looked at her and grinned. "Come on Areiko, you haven't see the woman in a long time, just visit her."

Areiko turned her eyes to the left letting a slight growl escape her throat. She then sighed, "fine." Areiko approached the porch with Goku following. Aya opened the backdoor to instantly see Vegeta leaning against the counter with a glass of ice cold water in his hand.

Vegeta turned his head looking at Aya, "back from the mall already?"

Aya nodded, "yeah, actually I didn't even go."

"Why not?" Vegeta asked raising an eyebrow then taking a sip of his water. Aya stepped to the side allowing Areiko into the house.

"I kind of met up with someone heading to the entrance of the place," Aya replied. Vegeta nearly spit his water out of his mouth at the sight of Areiko and seeing how much she's changed. He stared at her turning a little placing his cup onto the counter then turning again to look at her face to face.

Areiko nodded, "hey Vegeta."

"Hey," Vegeta was very shocked, very. He didn't think that she would ever return, but now that she has he was probably going to have problems with her.

Aya caught the tension between the two. She then remembered that Vegeta had never forgiven Areiko about what had taken place on this day three years ago. The event was hurtful, for everyone since it was a death of a close friend. Vegeta turned his eyes locking them with Aya.

"Um… excuse us for a minute." Aya said following Vegeta down the hall as he grabbed his cup of water.

Goku nodded as he seated himself down at the kitchen table with Areiko following his action. Vegeta and Aya entered in a room with Vegeta shutting the door tightly after Aya had entered.

"You know that I haven't been able to forgive her yet?" Vegeta turned his head looking at Aya.

"Yeah… I know that." Aya replied. "But Vegeta, it has been three years. And I'm no longer dead."

"I know that Aya."

"Then why can't you just forgive her?" Aya asked pressing her back against the wall.

"You know how hard it is for me." Vegeta said looking at her. Aya sighed; she didn't want to fight with the saiyan. So she decided to give up on the argument and come to an agreement with him.

"Alright, you don't have to forgive her if you don't want too Veggie," Aya looked up at him. "But can you at least try to get along with her?"

Vegeta thought about it. He then nodded his head. "Yeah."

Aya smiled walking towards the prince. She then hugged him tightly. "Thanks."

"No problem Punk." Vegeta said afterwards returning the hug to her.

Areiko was seated sideways on the chair. One arm hanging over the side of the chair with the other on her lap as she had her legs crossed. Goku was seated across from her looking at her. He had a lot of questions to ask her. Like, where she's been, what she's been doing, how she was doing, where she was living, things like that. But he didn't want to ask her anything that was going to frustrate her since he didn't know who she was anymore.

"You got questions?" Areiko asked turning her head to look at Goku.

"Huh?"

"Do you have questions?" Areiko asked again turning her head away. Goku shook his head looking at the table. "Don't lie." Goku looked up. "The one thing that I'll let you know, I hate liars and I hate secrets."

"Well, I just wanted to ask you the ordinary questions… like…" Goku stopped.

"Like what?" Areiko turned her head looking at him.

"Like where you've been and why you left."

Areiko sighed standing up fixing the back of her skirt. "I'll give you the same damn answer that I gave to Aya. I left for complicated reasons; I had to find myself again."

"Um… well… Reiko, couldn't you have found yourself here with us. We could've helped you." Goku stated.

"You couldn't have helped me anymore then other people could've," Areiko snapped. "I left this place because this was the very place that I lost myself at." Areiko turned to the door. "When Aya and Vegeta come back, tell them that I'll be outside waiting for them." She walked out.

Goku sighed looking down knowing that the task that he wanted to take, which was bringing his Areiko back, was going to be very difficult.