A/N: So, messed up the last chapter, and didn't have a single Trunks POV. For some reason, thought it was included in that part. So, here, you get two. Lots of drinking and moving in this chapter.
Thanks for reading, for the reviews and for favoriting.
So if you're lonely
You know I'm here waiting for you
I'm just a cross-hair
I'm just a shot away from you
And if you leave here
You leave me broken
shattered, I lie
I'm just a cross-hair
I'm just a shot,then we can die
I know I won't be leaving here
With you
I say don't you know
You say you don't know
I say... take me out
Take me Out, Franz Ferdinand
176. Single
His Master smelled cherry blossom scented incense and knew nothing good would come of this. He braced himself, and then opened the door, covered thickly with paint and poster and pictures and an old childish sign warning people to stay out on threat of slow death.
"Master." He nodded his head gravely. The sad stubble growing unevenly on his face and bizarrely well on his head looked darker than ever. His arms were skinnier than they had been since he was a teenager just beginning to get what little height he could and ate pounds of food that made no appearance on his slowly growing body. Whose back kept breaking out in harsh painful red blemishes that he could do nothing about, with no problem shaving his head along with developing a taste for depressing books and had a harder time than ever making eye contact with girls.
Back then, when Goku had been his pupil and still alive and things seemed simpler.
"Krillin."
They looked at each other.
"Are you alright, boy?"
"I'm fine." The closest thing Roshi would ever have to a son sounded distant. "Better than I have been in some time."
"Ah. That's good." He nearly tapped his staff against the floorboards out of discomfort.
Krillin didn't look any better. Wearing old torn clothes. Purple bruises under his eyes. He looked like the type of guy you saw on the side of the freeway, holding a sign with a dufflebag that no one ever stopped to pick up, even if it was raining. Particularly in days with bad weather, it seemed. Sitting on his unmade bed with legs crossed in mediation. His socks were in desperate need of mending and washing.
"I have come to a conclusion."
"Uuh. That's good?"
"Yes." A slow nod with that delicate looking skull. "I'm taking a vow of celibacy."
"Oh boy." Beneath sunglasses or not, he didn't dare roll his eyes.
"I may or may not go back to the temple. I'll at least take a stop there."
"You're leaving?" He had a feeling this wasn't a good, self-esteem boosting training mission.
"Soon. Very soon." Krillin didn't sound soothing or at peace. Just deeply disinterested. Apathetic. Poor boy.
It wouldn't be right to let him wander off in this condition. Too easy for him to really end up in a temple, combing a sand garden, and more lost and unhappy than ever. That far eastern place had never been his home like this place had been. "You don't have to leave. When I said I was planning on making you pay rent, that was a joke."
"I know. I do. You've been very kind to me." His chin nearly touched his chest, and every breathe and word looked to be a strain. Had he been younger, the turtle hermit would have given him a shove to knock him over, and then pulled the blankets over him and told him wordlessly that he was being foolish now, and that he needed a nap.
"Krillin, it's not your fault that Goku died."
He twitched, as though just waking up from a dream. "Oh, it sorta is. But then, it's kinda Vegeta's fault. For..."
The young man had never fully explained what had happened with Cell. And the androids. One of whom looked like a pretty young woman and who had laughed in Krillin's direction when they'd showed up looking for Goku. That no doubt depressed him, but even so, he looked so down lately. And really, why should he care about her, that thing, just because she looked like a girl?
"And Goku too, if he hadn't given the senzu bean to Cell, maybe Gohan would have been able to defeat him faster." Krillin definitely did not blame half-orphaned Gohan for anything, that was for sure. Another sign of what a decent man he'd grown to be.
"There's nothing to be ashamed of."
Krillin looked like the scared boy who'd shown up at Kame house. Big eyes and loose mouth. "But there is."
"You did your best."
"I let Cell take her."
"What?"
"Take the android. That's how he got to his perfect form. Me and Vegeta."
Yamcha had mentioned something like that, but never accusingly. "You're not Vegeta. You didn't risk the world for a challenge."
"No." He looked contemptuous. At least it was a spark of life. "I did it for a girl."
Tricky here. "You're a nice man who wasn't willing to kill someone that looked like a young woman. Nothing wrong with that."
An awful/good expression came over his face. "What do you mean, 'looked like a woman.'" There was some fight left in him after all.
"Krillin. She's an android."
"So?"
"A machine. Now, I don't blame you. I too have a weakness for the fairer sex." He tried for a smile and was met with that mulish look. "But a robot is not a woman."
Krillin was leaning forward, arms shaking. "She is! You don't even know her."
"Neither do you."
"Better than you. She acts human and looks human. I don't-" Something thick and despairing came over his face. "I don't know what to do Master."
He sat down at the corner of Krillin's bed, feeling the dying springs under him. Girl problems were easier than dead best friend problems. A sudden thought occurred to him, what would Goku do and say to this? "Now, you always have some plan."
"She doesn't," He bit his lip before spitting out, "She doesn't even like me. Or care that I exist.
"I don't know. She said, she said-"
"What?"
"That she'd see me again. Later. I don't know what that meant though. I haven't seen her."
"I don't want to give you some empty thing about other fish in the sea, Krillin. I don't. Obviously, you're wracked about this girl." If that was in fact what she was. "But for someone you obviously don't know well, who is dangerous, you're thinking about giving up on all girls."
Eye nearly rolling back in his head in pain and self-pity. "You don't get it. You've never met her."
"Even with Maron, you moved on. Now, didn't that feel like the end of the world? But you got up the next day, and the one after that, and after that too. And it hurt less and less."
"I don't want to let her go, though. This is different. I can't explain it. Totally different from Maron." He was speaking to himself mostly. "She's the exact opposite. In every way."
"And now you're going to make a vow of celibacy for her."
The round, stubble darkened face flushed.
"There's no one else out there? No one else. She's the last girl in the world." Now he was laying it on a little thick.
"Not like her." Krillin was looking at his hands, playing something in his head that Roshi couldn't see. "She's amazing. There is no one else like her. I mean it. No one else looks and acts and has been through what she's been through.
"I can't tell if maybe she might despise me, or if she likes me a little.
"Yamcha said-"
"Stop right there."
"I know. But she did say she'd see me again. And well, she, uh, gave me a kiss when we first met."
"Oh, a kiss. Well, no other woman would do that."
"Hey. Don't get sarcastic. No other woman who looks and acts like her would do it. It's, just, it's like she has this hold on me. Really. Like she performed surgery and wrapped a tether around my heart. And now off somewhere and dragging me along."
"You'll meet someone else."
177. Olympian
"At least he's stopped screaming," Krillin piped up, trying to sound optimistic, helpful.
Chi-Chi only gave him a sharp look, as though she hadn't dug her fingernails into her skin in fright at her husband's scream. The marks were still on her face. Goku, however, seemed quite peaceful.
The lilac-haired fighter too in the content face. Was he dreaming? Or just in a deep sleep? Perhaps remembering his earlier adventures and miraculous fights? Did he ever think about his battle with Frieza, or Vegeta, or Piccolo, the Demon King?
Trunks did. Even if he hadn't seen this man before except in photographs, he had learned Goku's tales from his mother. He had listened to her telling him fondly about the wild-haired man that could never be defeated since her son could only reach her knees. Bulma Briefs had often sent him to sleep with images of an orange-and-blue clad man coming to his rescue, saving everyone from the monsters he hadn't yet seen. And he wasn't even Gohan.
Goku, he would save Gohan, with his young, tired face and worn smile that more easily fell from his scarred face than it appeared. He couldn't save everyone. Trunks could remember holding his mentors much larger hand and informing him before understood fully what death was even as it had taken the only heroes left, including both their own father, that Goku would come and save everyone.
Maybe now that expressionless face hid his plan for fighting the androids?
Just the thought made his stomach clench, in hope and fear. Goku, Goku was everything. He could do anything, defeat anyone, and had rarely lost a fight since he had first begun to help and protect other's.
…if the antidote worked.
If not…Trunks saw blue eyes, paler and infinitely crueler than his and his mother's. Their laughter tore his ears, cut his throat, blinding him with rage and grief and fear. He could never defeat them, even now, even now in this clean safe aircar they were in his own universe, perhaps laying waste to another city. They circled around him in this safe place, mocking, out of reach. No matter how many cities they turned to ash and broken concrete, there was always another. A curse to Trunks, as well as a blessing.
Always another chance to help, to succeed, as well as fail.
The man before him was everything a hero should be.
His friends were at his side, not unlike how he'd died in Trunk's timeline. Only this time, there was still hope. Trunks looked at them, one by one, the other heroes in his bedtime stories. It was only Bulma who told him about them; Gohan rarely mentioned their names, and only in passing.
In this steady humming aircar, he could hear Gohan patient, tired voice, "Maybe you should ask your mother about them…"
His eye caught on Krillin's.
Mother smiled, the strain disappearing from her face and making her look young despite the wrinkles. In her grease stained jumpsuit, she could have been her teenage self. "Krillin? Oh, he always had some funny remark to say. Or at least, he thought they were funny. He and Goku were inseparable as kids, and then on Namek he and Gohan became friends and looked out for each other."
Now though, there was no smile on his wide, honest face. He looked strained and uncomfortable. "Trunks?"
Krillin had been the only one to escape the androids unscathed, which was strange. But not unlucky since the short fighter had the senzu beans to save the rest of them. He and the machines had apparently exchanged words, which made Trunks feel sorry for his mentor's friend. The androids were as cutting in their remarks as they were in their fights. If they hadn't beaten Krillin up, they probably only shook his confidence further.
He could almost hear Juunanagou's cold chuckle in his own ears. One day, he vowed, one day I'll destroy you and your sister. Or maybe Goku will.
Even machines can be vulnerable.
Juuhachigou laughed and laughed.
"Trunks, about the androids."
"What about them?" A sudden tiredness rushed through his veins, and he could feel his body remembering their blows as they swiped him down like a bug, as though his old scars were reopening. His once shattered knee and arm ached and his back felt like someone had once again thrown him through several burned out building. When the half-Saiyan glanced at his hands, he saw the old scars and calluses that came more from helping his mother in her lab or looking for survivors in the wreckages than from his fights with enemies.
"I just…do you think there's a chance that the androids could turn good?"
"I don't understand."
"Do you think…is there any chance they might turn to our side? Can they just be evil? I mean," he fumbled for the right words, although Trunks couldn't imagine they existed. Was he defending them, this man who he'd never known solely because of what the androids did to him? "After what Gero did to them, and since Vegeta challenged them, and they might change their minds about hurting Goku. Since Cell is here, we have a common enemy. Can we find a way to work with them? They can't be completely evil."
"What, do you think that because they didn't kill us this time, they're okay?
"Because next time, they'll kill all of us. One at a time. They'll leave just enough for the other's to have to bury, and they'll pick us off one by one. That ways they can have more fun. Then they'll move onto people who can't even fight back. Children, families, innocents."
Gohan looked at him with unfamiliar gentle black eyes over his workbook. Chi-Chi touched his shoulder, lightly. A mother's touch. In his universe, Gohan no longer could quiet his own rages, even when his mom pulled him into her smaller arms, whispering that things would be better. He shoved her away, careful never to hurt her but unrelenting in his escape. At his death, as Trunks and Bulma brought his hurt body to her for burial, she had done that again, weeping as though she could bring him comfort now.
He saw it over and over again, everything he had seen before, and would see again. His throat caused the words to burn. "They'll kill all of us. Every single one."
Krillin looked at him, open mouthed. "I'm sorry, Trunks. I shouldn't have-" He shook his bald head, Trunks heard Bulma, "Whenever he was sad, he would just laugh it off. No one took him seriously."
"They will." His scarred hands shook, but it no longer mattered. Before him, laid the strongest, the best man in the universe. He had defeated just about everyone who came before him, and would have no mercy when it came to the androids.
He wanted to tell them all, to hold their hands and tell them as confidently as his mother had spoken of what might have been, 'Goku will save us all'.
178. What Happen In West City Should Stay There
"I dare yooouuu!"
"No, no, you!"
"You!"
"Okay. But who am I gonna marry?'
She reeled forward, unable to stand straight, and ended up wrapping an arm around his shoulder. What he'd said had shaken the thought in her head to a flurry that she couldn't settle down or focus on. He was warm and comforting besides/beneath her. "Well, that is a problem, isn't it?"
####
She woke up twelve hours later, eyes staring at a white ceiling, with no thought in her head besides: oooowww.
The world was swallowed up. It loomed, this pain, and was pushed aside only for nausea to come swooping in and leaving her swallowing and afraid to even roll over. Every time she blinked, she swore she could hear the scratch of her eyelids against her eyes. When she reached up to rub her face, there was something cold and restricting around one of her fingers.
She had to hold her hand up, blinking numerous times, to make out even which finger it was. Oh goddamnit, had her stupid little brother put another one of those stupid finger traps on her, again? That idiot. She was going to saw one of his hands off, for this. Juuhachigou rubbed at her eyes. And obviously he'd gotten her drunk again, probably made her do something idiotic and then saved the pictures and movies on his internal hard drive so she couldn't erase them unless she chased and held him down to rub a magnet on his head. He would always laugh when she was annoying him, replaying those embarrassing moment just for himself.
Drove her insane. And from the mind-wrung feeling she was trying to deal with, it had been one hell of a last night. Never let her live it down.
When she went to tug the trap off, the cyborg realized that it was human skin rather than tightly wound paper. She had to open her eyes and try to get her head on straight in order to understand what she was seeing. Shoved her obnoxiously bright locks out of her face, to try and comprehend the sight and realize that the gold streak was not a strand of hair.
It gleamed, cold and dangerous.
Juuhachigou couldn't turn her gaze away from it. There was a distant echo of a thought without an exact clear starting point that bounced around her empty head. 'Now what had this thing come from?'
And then some sort of higher power laughed and waved a staff down with a cruel grin: someone besides her groaned and rolled over.
There was no air in the room. Slowly, she moved her stare to the other half of the bed that she hadn't even realized had been there. Smallish body, that was unfortunately not dead. Movement, rolling over, groaning. Then falling off the bed like gravity had slapped him.
He pulled himself up, after an uncomfortably long amount of time. Arms outstretched as he navigated the unfamiliar room. Wandered into the bathroom, the sound of his feet smacking against tile. A thud. Porcelain clanging against porcelain. Then vomiting.
Of course he had been naked as well.
Only sheer force of will allowed her to pull the sheet around her, and therefore (in theory) not guarantee Krillin's death. Seeing her naked while they were both, presumably, drunk was an awful thing that had to be punished. But sober and seeing her without clothes was worse and would be his death warrant. Because her rage was boiling up and even the softest reminder of the shrimp's friends wouldn't be enough to stay her hand at a certain point.
He was clutching the toilet like he might a woman. Like he may have held her, god help them both. Barely turned his head to look at her. A shiny gold ring on his left hand that perfectly matched her own plain band.
"There better be an explanation for this!"
Disgustingly (even through her layer of anger she could be repulsed by him), he burped something up before spitting into the toilet. The smell of vomit was really, really improving this situation, he should just do it all over her feet as well to make her day even better. Juuhachigou eyes kept flashing down to his ring.
"Did I marry you?" She howled at his huddled form that finally looked at her with nothing less than horror. "Did we get married!"
There was no sign of recognition or intelligence in his dark eyes. "Whu?"
One white hand clutched the sheet with the same force of her clenching teeth. She stepped forward to shove her other hand in his face, just barely keeping herself from slapping him. Already so consciously furious of things that couldn't be fully named, of his weakness, of the desperation that clung to you, his intrusion into her life, that bomb, the bomb, the bomb she sometimes wished so dearly still existed. "Do you see this, you worthless—"
Had to literally bite her tongue. Remember Gohan. Remember Cell. Remember what Gohan did to Cell.
"Huh?" That stupid blank hanging face that nearly looked ready to touch his knees.
"Do you have any memory of last night?"
Krillin shook his head, wiping something unpleasant off his chin. In the morning light streaming through a pleasant window that wouldn't open in case someone tried to kill themselves, his features were unpleasantly clear. Round bland innocence and stubble darkening his cheeks and head. She wanted to join him crouched by the toilet to heave her guts out.
When the anger seeped away and left little other emotion behind, Juuhachigou tightened the sheet to her and left the bathroom.
"Juu? Juuhachigou?" Krillin practically had to drag himself to the room. Their room. Shudders upon shudders.
The blonde woman practically got dressed in front of him, the white billowing bedding wrapped around her back only hiding her. All she was at the moment was hands and arms to tug cold pieces of fabric over a body. But already she'd made the vow to never see him again, and to do her best to block this entire night away in a dark place that was never to be opened. She took two steps to towards the window that showed a nice view of some city that she couldn't name off the top of her head. When the thing trapped around her finger caught on the sun's glow as she reached to yank the window from the wall if she must, her face turned into a snarl. Krillin was still on the ground, almost begging for absolution of some sort.
He flinched when she tossed the ring at his head, and again as she broke the window. Never had air been so sweet. It was the easiest thing to slid through the frame and escape, and also equally and pleasingly undemanding to not look behind her.
###
A bird had flown in to rest on the window sill, and stare at him. Its black eyes reminded him eerily of Goku, like the guy had been reincarnated and come by to check how his friend had been doing. That's what eventually got him off his chair to shoo the cawing bird away.
Now the room was utterly empty.
Krillin slowly moved back towards the table, sitting down with an athlete's grace that was so at odds with his appearance. He had to pick up the papers, sort through the pictures, pick at the wound, scratch at the scab.
They never changed, no matter what he did. Yes, that was definitely still him and Juuhachigou making stupid faces at the camera, going to touristy places and having strangers take pictures of them acting like fools, her laughing and kissing his cheek while he blushed like a fool. The way the evening got worse, casino where they'd apparently won quite a bit of money, the serious kissing and pinning while no doubt fumbling with the camera one-handed, the jewelry store trip, the cheesy drive-thru wedding building that they'd stumbled from and had another helpful stranger take pictures of them outside. Waving around a certain piece of authoritative paper that had the upset acids in Krillin's stomach bubbling again.
At the least, he had to find her to give her half of their crumpled earnings from the casino. Minus cost of room and repairs.
So, he'd gotten married after all.
He had to laugh and laugh until someone knocked at the door and scared him very badly. Now he could understand how silence could be deafening.
"Room service."
179. And then it was gone
"You only care because you're attracted to me, and you think being nice will make me like you more."
He sat on the lawn chair, looking up and her, and feeling the melting ice cream dripping onto his knuckles. "Well, wouldn't being nice make you like me more?"
"Obviously not."
Krillin shrugged. "I'll still be nice to you. I'm a nice guy; that's what I do. To everyone."
"And you can continue to shave your head. I am unimpressed by the fact that you can grow hair."
With a lack of embarrassment that made Juuhachigou flustered, Krillin unabashedly licked the drying ice cream from his fingers. Being out here under the hot sun with a cold treat, he felt young and innocent. Especially with stubble darkening his scalp. When was the last time he'd had hair, three, four? Even on Namek, he'd shaved his head religiously. "I think I look better, thank you very much."
The slim blonde woman sat down, and only Juuhachigou and perhaps the Saiyan prince, could make such a move so angry and so aggressive. She was, he saw to his amusement, pouting. "You can't look worse, I guess."
There was a pause, and he ate more of his melting ice cream while she built up her rage. "Why did you shave your head? You looked ridiculous enough."
"I was a monk, and thought it was safer if I kept it shaved."
"You stopped being a monk years ago. And you died twice. And for someone who wanted a wife so desperately, you didn't exactly make that any easier on yourself."
He shrugged. "Maybe I thought it wouldn't matter. Shaved or not, girls wouldn't like me."
"Still," her voice was quiet and thoughtful. "Ridiculous."
"Maybe," Krillin agreed. "Want some ice cream? I mean, not mine. But I could get you your own."
Juuhachigou stared at him. She seemed to be trying to make up her mind on something. Him perhaps, whether or not to come back here, why she was here at all to talk to this half-wit.
"Say, Juuhachigou?"
Her face was polished ivory. "What?"
"How did you get inside the building earlier?"
She looked confused. What did it matter? "From upstairs. There's an open window in the attic."
This time, when she left, she managed to disappear so swiftly that he didn't notice he was missing his ice cream until he looked down.
180. I'm homeless
She stared down at him. "When I said you were a doormat, I didn't mean for you to literally become one."
"Um. Hiiii."
"Yes. Hello."
"Good morning."
"Fine."
"Are those pancakes I smell?" He beamed up at her, dark smudges beneath his eyes, clothes rumbled.
"Yes. But my brother's cooking. So don't expect anything to be unburnt—wait. Don't expect anything. I'm not letting you into my house."
"Please? Just for breakfast."
"Stop looking at me like that. Get up. Get up. Wipe yourself off." She had to pat the dust from the back of his jacket. He squirmed, moving away just a tiny bit.
"Why are you hanging around my house?"
"I've been everywhere. Capsule Corp. Bulma's crazy. Vegeta's crazier But Trunks. Trunks is the loudest."
"Is that a suitcase?"
"…yeah. Say, have I complimented you on your nice cabin here. So homey. But quite large."
Juuhachigou did her usual almost-glare at him. "Large enough for three, huh?"
"And with such nice grounds keeping." He flapped a hand toward the overgrown, patchy yard where have a car lay on its side and animals frolicked amongst the beer cans and burnt out firework remains. Ferrets, wolves, and bears in particular seemed to find their way into the yard to dig holes or rub against the broken engine block.
"To say nothing of the pleasant owners of such an establishment."
"We're not running a bed and breakfast. I don't think." Now she was glaring in the direction of her brother. Who had an unfortunate tendency to smoke cigars while cooking bacon and act like some surly short order cook.
"Such lovely hospitality can't be found everywhere-"
"Tried Gohan's house?"
"-Anywhere else."
"Kicked you out too, huh. I'm afraid you'll have to peddle your wears elsewhere, little man. Maybe Piccolo will take you in."
"And such gorgeous visages found here. Incredible sights."
"What, of the burnt tree lying across the porch? The rusted out car frame?"
"I was not referring to those sights before me." He tried not a smirk or leer or do anything that would have her mentally and emotionally and physically fleeing like when she'd jumped off Kami's Lookout. Krillin just smiled up at her, eyes wide and innocent.
"The broken carburetor? The Christmas lights still strung up? The Christmas tree, still lying over there? Or how about the deer head hanging in my brother's room—oh. Hm."
"How can any traveler just continue by stopping to appreciate such incredible, eye-gouging, mind-numbing beauty?"
"Shut up right now. Why do I even bother to deal with you?"
"The ego burst it brings? Plus, I can cook."
"Fine. Fine. You can stay here. Deal with my brother. He's taken to wearing shorts with his cowboy boots, so you can enjoy that. Get him to wash his clothes. Maybe stop him from shooting off the shotgun in the house."
"I'll pay rent even. Um. Maybe. I'll get a job or something. Do errands for you two."
"This is how it starts with stray animals, isn't it?"
"What?"
"Feed them once, and they refuse to leave. Sniffing around for scraps."
"I just need a place to stay for a little while. I can help fix up the house. Take down the Christmas lights."
"Why are you here, begging for a roof to sleep under? Because that's really all we can offer you. That and Juunanagou's cooking."
"Master Roshi thought it would be good for me to get out a bit. Explore the world."
"This?" Juuhachigou looked around, lovely in a white t-shirt and thin flannel jacket. "This is the world? The one you want to explore?"
Krillin couldn't resist an outright smirk and guilty tilt of the head. Well, yeah. Hey, what could you do?
"Shut up. Don't look at me that way. You can stay, but you're cooking all the meals and sleeping out in the car. With the squirrels."
181. Boys' Night Out
Bulma hit the blinking red button on the answering machine, tapping a clear nail against the plastic button reading 'Delete.' On her own personal answering machine, it was usually messages from her parents, wanting to know if she was down there, and alive; or from her friends who wanted her to know that they were out there, and alive. In the next room over, she could hear Yamcha and Krillin arguing over what channel to watch, and the sound of them chomping on popcorn echoed in the underground tunnel.
Such a peaceful moment of time, you could nearly forget that in just two more years the entire world might be destroyed from a bunch of psychotic androids.
It took her several moments to realize what she was hearing. Whom she was hearing.
Vegeta?
What the hell? Since when did he even know how to use a phone? Had he really memorized her phone number? Or had he finally stopped ripping off the tag she'd sewn onto the back of his clothes reading, 'if found, call this number.' A purely emergency maneuver that she had hoped would never be necessary, like, say, his body was found in a ditch and needed to be identified by the local police.
His voice was cracking and popping. "Woman! You need to come here and bring me back to your home.
"I am stuck at a...place with food. A place to replenish the weak human ships that you humans ride around in. No. I am outside this place. It's very bright. And square. Rectangular.
"WHO ARE YOU—GET AWAY FROM ME; NO, NO I DON'T HAVE ANY 'SPARE CHANGE'!"
"What the shit?"
"Disgusting humans!" The Saiyan was now back to yelling into the telephone. "Outside the bright space. In a small room. Made of...glass. See-through material?"
"Where are you, Vegeta?" She yelled back at the machine, forgetting that he couldn't hear her.
"GET AWAY FROM ME! I'll destroy you, bearded weak human!"
A robotic voice spoke up, telling them both that Vegeta was out of time, and owed three dollars worth of change.
"What? Machine. Goddamn it."
There was a click.
"Message One Complete," a totally different machine told her.
The last time she'd seen Vegeta's sneering face, he'd just finished telling her that he had no need of her, or any other humans. Stomping out with his head held high and determined not to appear like the child he was.
And look at what happened. He was lost in the city, in who even knew what city, and helpless. Flying around was better than driving, unless you were completely lost and had no idea where to do. Then it didn't really matter how good a view you got of rooftops. The Saiyan should have just listened to her and never left the property.
She hit the 'next' button on the machine.
"WOMAN! You need to come pick me up. In one of those ships you drive in.
"This room. This see-through room smells of human urine! I think it's on my boots. Were they always like that...?
"You will retrieve me from this Hell!"
Then he hung up the phone with a thud.
"Message Two Complete."
Vegeta's voice sounded distant as he continued his drunken monologue. "There's a woman dressed as you are, woman. She keeps asking me who my 'dealer' is?
"I told her it was the Capsule Corp."
"Message Three Complete."
"I, I think this man has hair. No. Bald. He is bald. Is that a ten piece of human currency? He has floppy ears.
"He is a dog.
"What does the dog signify?"
Bulma laughed so hard she fell against a wall, hands blindly outstretched with tears in her eyes. She knocked over a lamp, and didn't care.
"Oh my god! Guys, GUYS! You have to come listen to this!"
"Is the dog enough? Will the machine take the dog?-NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY 'SPARE CHANGE'! I TOLD YOU THIS BEFORE!
"GET OUT BEARDED HUMAN! AND NEVER RETURN!"
Then the operator had enough, and cut him off.
"Message Four Complete."
The two men caught the tail end of that, and stared at the machine. Then at the hysterical Bulma.
"Do we need to slap you?"
"Slap Vegeta! He's drunk and lost. You guys gotta go find him. Or don't. Really. I have no strong feelings either way."
"Well, where is he?"
"In some phone booth. By a gas station."
"Which gas station?"
"Dunno."
"Well, that really helps."
"Yell at Vegeta! I didn't make him wander off drunk."
"Jeeeeez. A drunken homicidal Saiyan on the loose in the city."
"Like a movie. A horror movie."
"Thank Kami he got that tail cut off."
"Go find him then. If you want. I'm going to make myself another cup of tea."
So they left her, hands going to their pockets and shrugging at each other to communicate how lost they themselves were. The two fighters, one pale and the other dark, missed Bulma's smile over her mug as she pressed the rewind button on the machine, then play. Over and over again until her nails began to chip and her voice became a croak that echoed through the empty lab. Eventually, she went to make more popcorn.
####
"So, okay, I'm a lost, drunk, maniac who enjoys killing people."
"I knew it."
"Shut up. So, I'm drunk and lost and pissed. Where do I go?"
"The library."
"I'm not Gohan. Seriously. Where are we going to find the guy?"
Yamcha stretched his arms behind his head, almost yawning. "He said he was at a gas station. Probably cowering in the booth." He chuckled, missing Krillin's horrified expression.
"We have to find the poor guy."
"Krillin, this is the guy that tried to kill us all. Several times. Hell, you nearly stabbed him in the back."
"Now the guy's part of our gang. Living at Bulma, complaining about her yelling, eating her mother's food and using her father's training equipment. He's like you."
The ex-bandit shuddered, grey in the nearly street lights. "Don't say that."
"We should give him a second chance. Look, I'm not a fan of his. But he doesn't deserve to wander the streets, drunk and confused.
"Besides, think of how many people he might hurt."
"Yeah. Yeah, I know. Hey. I'm out here, aren't I?"
They glanced around their surrounding, eyes peeled for a Christmas tree-shaped haircut, skintight blue jumpsuit, furious eyes, a high power level. The presence of evil. Crying children and howling dogs. An explosion. Something. Anything.
"It's not going to be easy bringing him back to Capsule Corp, is it?" Krillin asked quietly.
"There will be a shootout with the cops, I bet. We'll probably have to go get Goku."
"Chi-Chi will love that."
"You know, we were just asking for this, though. Going to Bulma's house. It's never easy with her. You can't just sit and watch a movie with that woman."
"Really? That's all we do when it's just us."
Yamcha raised an eyebrow and laughed uneasily. "Weelll. Okay. Sure."
"What?"
"Forget it."
"What?"
"Hm. Maybe it's because you two aren't. Eh. You two are friends. She's nicer to you. I mean. Okay, maybe not nicer. But."
"She still orders me around. Last time I was here she ordered me to get a gallon of chocolate fudge ice cream. It was three in the morning. She wouldn't let me back inside until I handed it over."
"Still. At least you can leave easier. She expects less of you."
"Thanks."
"Seriously. If you'd dated her at some point, she wants you to bring back two gallons of ice cream at midnight."
"Yeah. Thank god she isn't interested in me."
"Aw, man. You'll meet someone. Hey. You dated that Maron chick, right?"
"But we broke up."
"They'll be someone else, I bet."
"When though? The androids are supposed to be here in a few years. What if-"
"It'll be fine. We're training for them, aren't we? And we've got Goku on our side."
"Sure. Sure. I just, okay, after Maron I'm more hesitant to jump into a relationship. But I'd still like to meet someone. Someone nice. And understanding. That won't freak out over the alien- best-friend thing."
"I swear on my good name, I will get you a date. Swear it. And after Maron, I think I know your type."
"Thanks, man."
"No problem.
"…Krillin, is this how you expected to spend your time training for the androids?"
"Nope. But, maybe having to wrestle Vegeta to Bulma's will be good training for those monsters?"
"Yeah. If at some point we have to grapple with them. Sweatily. Painfully."
"And in the dark," Krillin muttered. "And possibly in public."
"Bet you breakfast he bites one of us."
"Suckers bet."
"Let's go find that crazy troll."
With renewed vigor, they continued the search. No one could say they were not thorough. Every alley was searched, dumpster doors thrown open, cats chased down and rats chased off, stores looked through, cashiers questioned. They asked people passing by if they'd seen a short fellow ("like my friend here, but with more hair") with a big spiky hairdo running around, cursing the human race. But whenever they'd finally tracked down the person they were directed towards, they just turned out to be a random weirdo.
Krillin finished another can of soda, knowing he'd need the sugar and caffeine in this trying time. Besides him, his friend was having a hard time keeping his eyes focused. "This sucks."
"Maybe we should wait until he stumbled back home?"
"Maybe. I don't see any fires, so how bad a mess could he have made?"
"Or any high power levels. Or any dead bodies."
"Yeah."
"Maybe he's just passed out in some gutter?"
Krillin nearly stumbled headfirst into a giant metal pig that displaying in retina melting bright letters the latest price of milk and carrots. "Jeeez." He stumbled away, half-blinded, and crashed into a nearly telephone calling box. Yamcha blinked owlishly at the sight, stumbling forward too late to help his old friend.
The smaller man turned his head and jumped immediately back up and into Yamcha. "Vegeta?"
He stared at the face partially squashed into the glass, the exhausted expression, the way he sat up and with his legs out like a corpse. His voice was slightly muffled, nasal. "Baldy?"
"Vegeta?"
"Weakling?"
"Vegeta! We found you."
"Thought you were dead, man."
"We were worried about you. Can you get up?"
"…Baldy?" He seemed unable to comprehend the sight of the two other men. Krillin wished he had a blanket to wrap around the Saiyan's prince's shoulders.
"C'mon Vegeta." He smiled at the slightly taller man, and was amazed it was not slapped off his face. "Let's go get breakfast."
Alarm awoke something in his dark eyes.
"And not at Bulma's either," he assured the prince.
"Yeah." Yamcha yawned. "I need coffee before I face her."
The pancake restaurant was warm and inviting, and smelled of French Roast. Yamcha nearly embraced part of the building to express his love and joy, and Vegeta did end up literally hugging the wall for support while Krillin led them inside and waved off the waitress' concern.
"I think she digs you man," Yamcha informed his friend over the menus.
"Not into blondes," Krillin immediately dismissed out of hand. Sure, he might be desperate for a girlfriend, but he had a particular type that he was interested in. And when he met the right one, it wasn't going to be through settling. That's what Maron had been, just settling and ignoring all the problems until it imploded. And she'd even been closer to his type, all softly curved and exotic with that sweet smile and easy going nature. "Now, do you want waffles, or-?"
They watched people pass by. They ordered.
Yamcha kept rubbing his eyes, even when the food and refills for the coffee came. Vegeta stabbed at the pancake like he had no idea how to use utensils. Krillin watched him, sipping heavily sweetened coffee, and trying to make sure no one was hit with anything sharp.
"We should do this more often."
"Yeah. Hey. We could go out this weekend." Yamcha raised his eyebrows meaningfully. "Meet some cute girls."
"Really? That sounds awesome. How about it?" Krillin grabbed Vegeta's shoulders, and shook the other man.
"Baldy. If you touch me one more time, there will not be enough to bury."
"Hey," the short man smiled and reached for the blueberry syrup. "Vegeta's back."
"Then let's go dump him off at Bulma's."
"Right. This is probably her fault, anyway."
182. Blondes or Brunettes?
The security guard had to separate the two who were causing such a ruckus, one a desperate, frightened male, the other an increasingly desperate, frightened, angry female. Around them all circled a crowd of shoppers that found the sight of the fight more entertaining than anything the stores were offering.
The male's friends stood back with wide, frightened faces and offered no comfort to the man. Who in turn could offer no explanation. The woman herself seemed unable to do anything besides snarl, and clearly attempt to restrain herself from ripping the man's head off.
"All I did was ask if she was into blondes or brunettes. Harmless. Just wanted to talk to her."
"Ma'am? Miss? Lady? You're going to need to come with me to the security office to fill out some forms."
"I don't even know her."
"I think she's going to press charges. You're also going to need to come with me. All of you."
"Why the hell did I say bald-headed?" The crazy woman hissed, to no one in particular.
"Dude," someone said into their cell phone. "This girl at the mall is totally freaking out. I think it might even end up on the news. Look, that news anchor is coming over. With cameras."
"Why did I say that?
"Why?"
"Miss, please don't make me have to call for backup."
183. With his last and final breath he mustered up enough strength to say...
"C-c'mere."
Juuhachigou leaned in near to his motionless form. Her face all sculpted porcelain and perfect blonde hair. Above them, snow fell to the ground like ashes.
"Juu-Juuachi..."
"What?"
"Juu..."
"What?"
"Juu..."
"Just tell me."
"Avenge me!"
"Oh, get up." She slapped him a foot in the air. Already, they could hear people coming closer, determined to bury them under a mountain of snow and destroy their fort. "It was just one snowball. And it barely hurt you."
"You don't know that. I could have brain damage. There's three of you! There's three of you! There's three-"
"Oh, shut up. This is why our team is losing."
184. I need protection
He ran through the streets, looking frantically for a gas station, a pharmacy, a general store. Passing strangers stared at him, being passed by a hurried man with crazy hair and insane eyes that he didn't recognize as his reflection in the windows. Juuhachigou was waiting in the car, for him. Waiting for him. And he could see her again, even as the world blurred around him, the nervous expression on her face as she tried to tell him that tonight, well, tonight he might need—Krillin nearly ran into a telephone pole.
When he came back to her, the street lights were on. The car was freezing inside.
"I found one!" Krillin waved it into her face like a child would a good report card. He didn't inform her that he'd smashed a dispenser in a men's room for the prize inside.
She stared at his hand, then at his face, trepidation written all over her. Rethinking her decision to do this with a man who ran around clutching such an object like it was an Olympic torch. And had clearly had her second doubts while waiting in the car for however long it had taken him to retrieve something he'd never, ever needed before.
The mood trembled and faltered. Crumbled like the wrapper of this thing that from the look on her face, was no longer needed.
185. I'm drunk on
She agreed only to the strip poker game that Krillin had jokingly, blushingly suggested after she was sure the door was locked, windows shuttered, and a new bottle of beer was firmly in her grasp. Then she was shuffling the deck, gritting her teeth, and trying to keep her blood pressure low.
Across from her, a foot of tense space separating them. The short man seemed too stunned to do anything, just blinking and sweating. An occasional rictus smile crossing his face.
"Oh boy. Are you serious? Are you really going to do this?
"Wow. Can't believe you want to play. I was just kidding around."
The blonde cyborg shrugged.
Her own brother and his lumberjack cronies had spent enough time in the kitchen spitting around their cigars, swamping cards and yelling at each other in French for her to have picked up the basic rules for different card games. How to cheat from her brother in particular. The odds of her winning weren't against her, she figured. Could probably escape this with no more than a lost sock or two.
Besides, on an island surrounded by the sea, there wasn't a whole lot else to do. Any chance to pass the time free from the terrified shape-shifting pig, and the perverted old man was one not to be despised.
Having the chance to eye Krillin in just his underwear was a pure coincidental chance that she refused to contemplate for too long. So what if he would be wearing much, much less than he normally did around the house? And if she could order him to move around under the guise of a bet, if she could maybe get him to take her to the mall as well, well, what of it? In fact, she'd hardly thought about that at all.
His sweating became more pronounced over the complicated shuffling trick she managed to pull off.
"Uuuh. What does a three and a four mean, again?"
They both realized that his plan had backfired completely. He was as lost as a damp kitten here.
...And was therefore entirely at her mercy.
"So, a king and queen are better than a jack and a three?"
"Of course." Juuhachigou forced a sneer to rival a certain Saiyan's. Knowing that this was probably what he would have done in her situation made her pause and feel a moment of shame. "Don't you know anything about this game?"
"Okay. You win this round." He pulled off his shirt and threw it in front of them both.
The shame immediately evaporated.
"And this king and queen, are they good?"
"They're poison together."
"Oh, and I guess your five and eight are better?"
"In this situation, yes."
"Jeez. There go my pants. Great."
"Say, check those curtains for me? And what's that, did that socket just set off sparks? Check it, will you? The last thing we need is for the house to catch on fire. Right. That socket by the ground. Just bend down and…must have been my imagination, then."
"Look. You win, alright."
"We can keep playing. How about you just owe me some favor in the future? Now how about making sure that door's locked though."
186. It Takes a Village
She was literally surrounded by children. From all sides, swarming around, screaming, yelling, crying, crawling, drooling around her. Tiny faces, turned upward in happiness or despair. And Krillin was running around, holding the hands of two of the little human-like creatures. Who grinned up at him. And then other children began walking/crawling/stumbling over to the obviously gentle kindhearted man who was too short to be intimidating as other adults. Like her, with a frozen face that made kids take one look and step back.
There was a smell of apple juice and baby powder in the air. Why had she agreed to help Krillin babysit?
…Because she hadn't known he was planning on taking them here. If he'd clued her in on the fact that there would be hundred of kids here, in this indoor playground with the ocean of balls and miles of huge plastic tubing, and no alcohol in sight, she would have run screaming out the back door to the small house.
Taking care of her brother was less straining than this, and he knew how to use matches. But at least he didn't try to climb up Krillin's back. And the short fighter was all relaxed about it, having small talk with the kids and asking them how they were enjoying their day. Nodding solemnly at their answers.
Ignoring her, probably purposely. She had a bad, bad feeling over what this was really about. It wasn't going to be a nice afternoon, just waiting until Bulma and Chi-Chi came to pick up their kids after they were done shopping. Oh no, Krillin was doing his own shopping, by bringing her here, testing her out. Seeing how well she reacted around kids and the related stress they brought about. Well, so far she hadn't blown anything up, so there was that.
Kids. He was trying to get her used to the company of kids. That's why he was dragging her along while he babysat Trunks and Goten. Looking all innocent while leaving her alone with them and coming back five minutes to check and see if she'd killed them both.
She was the woman whom he wanted to marry and procreate with. Obviously, she wasn't going to strangle children or anything as insane as that. But it didn't mean that she didn't want to choke those kids out, when they were obnoxious, grabbing at her clothes with sticky fingers that she'd just helped them clean less than two minutes ago and begging for another cup of soda they would spill all over the carpet. Krillin had the patience to deal with that, while she would literally have to close her eyes and countdown to ten as the brats ran around and knocked over the couch. And she was the person Krillin had literally handpicked to be the mother of his children.
187. Disaster with sweet tongue
The note was a rambling, confusing read that she had to go over several times to understand:
We weren't sure if you liked flowers, so we got you this instead. Since who doesn't enjoy baked goods, right? Unless of course you can't eat, in which case, we probably should have sprung for the flowers.
But anyway.
Thank you for beating up Vegeta. That sounds weird, we know. But he needed it after becoming a Super Saiyan. He would go around the house bragging about it, refusing to hold his son since it would be 'beneath a Super Saiyan.' The man, and I use that word loosely, actually went to Chi-Chi and Goku's house to supposed secretly, subtly rub his new strength in their faces.
Of course, no one understood/cared and Goku tried to get him to go fishing with him rather than being all threatened.
He really needed the drop in ego that you provided.
So, we hope you'll enjoy this basket and have a taste for pastries. If not, call us and we'll send you some flowers. Or a gift card. But really, call us because we'd like to hear the details and thank you in person. You're a real value to society and a source of pride to all womanhood. Anytime he starts going off on how awesome he is, I can just bring the beating you gave him up. I'm sure in time he'll forget, and you
(here the word 'probably' was noticeable crossed out)
won't have to be afraid of him seeking revenge. Chi-Chi even agreed to have Gohan stop by Kame House more often to make sure Vegeta doesn't try anything.
Speaking of which, good luck in the house. As someone who lived there, briefly, I have to warn you to never leave your laundry unattended. Keep your underwear drawer under lock and key. Feel free to burn any creepy porn you find, since no one in the house will admit to owning the really weird stuff and won't get openly angry with you.
And when Krillin does that thing with the pouting and big eyes and follows you around, he's just trying to be nice. Give him a little kick (not too hard *a happy face was drawn in here*) and he'll go away. He's harmless and
(again, the word 'probably' was scratched out)
won't steal your underwear.
Thank you so much!, and really, feel free to give us a call for advice, information, and whatnot. We really don't blame you for beating up the others since everyone always starts off that way in the group. And it's nice to have a girl fighter, too.
Plus,
(more words crossed out but when you held the note up, you could make out without too much squinting 'and for being nice to Krillin since he really needed a girlfriend after that horrible' before trailing off)
I might have some blueprint stuff you might like. And we can go to the mall and have a Girl's Night Out! You'll probably want some normal interaction with people after living on Kame House. And I'll totally pay for everything.
Again, thanks so much!,
Bulma Briefs
Trunks Briefs
Chi-Chi Son
Gohan Son
Goten Son
Juuhachigou reread the note for the fifth time, looking away from it only to stare at the expensive, lavish muffin basket that the warrior's wives had sent. Smelling wonderful, almost overflowing with pastries, and she'd had to help the delivery man bring it inside since it was nearly bigger than Krillin.
I suppose at least I got something from that mess.
...Besides Krillin's infatuation.
She shrugged and took a muffin.
188. It was a family secret
"So," Marron stared at her the across the table, all blonde hair and scrapped knees. "How did you and Daddy meet again?"
Juuhachigou paused, frozen over her book as a small woodland creation might be before a slavering wolf.
The well-loved forehead wrinkled as she thought it over. All her father's furrowing and his forehead. Pondering over it as much as any six-year-old could. "I don't remember you guys ever telling me about that. How come?"
"It's complicated. Say, how about you go outside—"
But she could be as determined and nosy as her uncle. And she had his sixth sense for smelling weakness. Just like so much of parenting, especially as Marron grew older, sent Juuhachigou a curve ball that she didn't know how to avoid. "No! Tell me exactly what happened? Was it scary, like how Bulma and Vegeta got married?"
"You mean met?"
A small blonde head shook. "Married."
"…I thought Vegeta had destroyed all the tapes of that incident."
"But anyway, tell me about how you and Daddy met."
"Um. We met up north, in the mountains…"
After three cups of juices, her daughter leaned forward, eyes huge with surprise and sugar. But not even the drinks and the cookies (bribes) had put her off the trail. "What do you mean he tried to kill you? How could Daddy do that!"
"He didn't! He crushed the remote, because he realized he loved me."
"That's when he realized it? You mean, he didn't ask you on a date, or anything? Just fell in love, while trying to kill you, Mommy?"
"You keep harping on the attempted murder. It wasn't even that. He was never going to use that remote."
"But he almost did! And that monster ended up eating you."
"It was romantic. That he was willing to do such a stupid thing for me. And it was fair, I nearly killed his friends."
"Why, Mommy, why? Why would you want to hurt Uncle Yamcha and Vegeta and Goku?"
"…they started it!"
189. Ironically enough, I'd bought my own undoing...
She had never seen her twin brother cry before. Disturbed, she had to do a double-take to truly comprehend the sight of tear glistening on his cheeks. Never, even as he fought and lost to Cell, had he been so distraught. Thankfully, the other two women had stepped out to stop Vegeta from eating all the food, and to make sure Roshi didn't get too drunk. Else the sight of Juunanagou in tears would have caused screams.
"Don't do this, Juuhachigou. Please."
"What, don't you like my hair like this?"
"This. This." Juunanagou's face turned a deeper shade of red as he hissed out, "Him."
"Calm down. Why don't you go have some champagne? Hand me those earrings, will you? Stop whimpering. And be careful with them, they're borrowed."
"No amount of alcohol will help this. I've tried. God knows I've tried."
"There's shrimp. Go have shrimp. Make small talk."
"You...shrimp. You can't be serious. Juuhachigou, look at me. Look at me." Her sibling looked deep into her calm eyes, his own bloodshot and crazed. Combined with his nice, if overly dark, formal suit, made him look like a truly high-strung mourner at a funeral of a well-loved friend. "Tell me this is all a joke. A way of really screwing with baldy's shiny head."
"Krillin has hair now."
They looked at each other. Once, not long ago, they could read each other's minds and had known what the other was going to say and do before they did it. No longer did they have such a bond. Because…of a shrimp.
"Besides." She smoothed down her dress. "You're the one that said I should 'stop living in sin' and marry him."
"I was joking. Joking!"
"Anyway. You're the reason I'm marrying him. In a way. You're sort of the one that." Juuhachigou laughed. "That started our relationship."
"Don't say that. Please. I'm sorry for kicking you out. I only meant for you to spend the night in the woods. That's all. Why did you run to him? Like you were just looking for an excuse!"
She turned back to the mirror, intent on getting her hair perfect. Then she would walk out of here, and be joined legally to Krillin in front of his annoying, well-fed and drunk friends. Her reflection hiked an eyebrow at her, amused. Her, getting married? At least someone was happy. Besides Krillin, who Juunanagou had last seen pacing around, giggling nervously at the stuff his stupid friends were saying about the 'wedding night,' that had probably filled her brother with rage and horror. "I meant that I wouldn't have kissed Krillin if I hadn't seen you messing with the guy in the first place."
190. We'll pass out together
Bulma and Chi-Chi both disappointed and scared her, with their latest scheme to set her up with Krillin. Whom she had absolutely no interest in, a fact made clear to everyone except for Krillin's ridiculous and moronic friends and her own twin brother. They all gave her flat stares when she would go on a rant about how misunderstood this entire situation was, and that Krillin's insane crush on her had no bearing on how she felt in return towards the stupid midget. It was not her fault he'd decided to cling to her!
Right, Juuhachigou, right.
Which only infuriated her more and caused her to slam doors hard, but not loud enough to not overhear, 'Wow, she has it bad for him.'
This time, when she somehow found herself going along with the asinine gang of fighters, she ended up having to share a room with him. She stared, open-mouthed, at her key card, then back up at the other women who were having problems hiding their smirks. Krillin came up, curious, always so eager to help (her).
"What's going on?" Smiling stupidly with his dumb face and…hair.
"Nothing. See you two in the morning."
"Okay." He waved goodbye at the two, raising his eyebrows a little at their laughter as they turned their backs on Juuhachigou and Krillin.
"Those bastard."
"Huh?"
"Utter bastards."
"Who?"
"Do you have your own separate room?"
"Well, Bulma said she was going to pay for everything so—"
Juuhachigou held up the gold lined card in a white hand.
"…that's your room, huh?"
"And yours apparently."
His face was doing that trying-so-hard-to-be-mature thing, where he'd fight not to blush and continue making eye contact. Like he didn't love this. Imagining sharing a room, a bed, rolling around on the cool sheets, entangled in each other, her hands in his hair and his hands down her shirt. Ripping off her bra with his teeth, and staring at her with those dark eyes that could leave her wincing and turning away from the earnestness. Just turning into animals as soon as they were aware from prying eyes-
"Well. I'm not going in that room." Krillin crossed his arms and shook his head. "Nope. I'll stay out here."
"Right on the couch."
"Not that tacky hideous bed. Right."
"Well. I don't know if it's tacky and hideous. But probably."
"Bet this couch is cleaner too. You've seen those special reports on the news. All that disgusting stuff everywhere."
"What disgusting stuff? Where?"
"You know." If he'd been in possession of a nose, it would be severely wrinkled in disgust. "That stuff."
"Can't even say the words, huh? But this stuff is, what, on the walls?"
"Walls, ceilings, furniture, TV, remotes, lamps." He was shuddered. "Carpets. Drapes. And the bathrooms."
"…How do you suppose it gets up there?"
"I don't want to know."
"I guess it's really better to just wait here then."
"On the couch, yeah."
When she woke up, it was to the sound of giggles and cheers. She lifted her head up, just enough to take in the sight of Krillin passed out on her stomach, and of his idiot friends laughing over them.
"Couldn't wait until you got into the room, huh?"
191. Ghost
When he hobbled to the kitchen, feeling the long afternoon before the couch watching television more than all the years of martial arts, his remaining pupil's wife was standing in the kitchen. She rarely was alone with him, and even rarer, she wore no scowl or frown. Her face was open, young as a girl, innocent in its sorrow.
The beauty that was undercut, in his fine opinion, by her coldness was back.
Her teeth, perfectly shaped, white, were bared. "I keep expecting him to be there. I see him from the corner of my eye."
Something flippant came to his mind, he'll be back any time now, oho, does the widow need comfort.
But then the old martial artist thought of the girl, young woman upstairs, of Juuhachigou's unlined face, and how he too keep expecting to hear the familiar laughter, the nasally voice and jokes, and bright clothed short form. How, after all this time and dodging fighting, he ended up being killed by his hypnotized brother-in-law while on a shopping trip. Juuhachigou must have blamed herself, and not without some truth to it.
"I miss Krillin too."
192. Shots
Juuhachigou looked at the damage, then back at her shocked daughter. Books were scattered underfoot, and the heavy wooden bookcase was cracked and marked from a firm hand. The familiar blue eyes were huge and reminded her of Krillin's own shocked expressions.
Superimposed over Marron's stuttering face, "Mom, I swear, I just meant to nudge it," she saw and heard an old man with a needles, holding her arm with a cold, indifferent hand. The non-pain of the needle pricking her numbed, restrained body. "These nanomachines should give you added strength in case the mechanics don't hold."
Followed by a mumbled, "Hopefully your body won't reject them like Android Juuichigou. I'm still cleaning up the mess."
When Marron had arrived, perfect from the fluff of flaxen hair on the top of her head all the way to her pink toes (excluding the nose situation), everyone had breathed a sigh of relief. Even Bulma had seemed relieved, despite how she bragged about knowing all along that she would be fine, calm down. All while Krillin and Juuhachigou held Marron, weeping and clutching one another.
But maybe, maybe it just took a while to make an appearance. Like her nose.
"Mom? Mom?"
Startled back, Juuhachigou waved off her daughter's alarm. She rubbed at her arm. "It's okay. We'll clean this up."
They were halfway through the mess when Juuhachigou said, "Maybe you should take up your father's offer of training you. Or your Uncle's."
193. "Hanging by a thread, clinging to three words you said."
To put it mildly, this was not how he'd expected that moment to occur. He'd expect more rose petals, shiny eyes, angels descending from the heavens with harps and Goku who would give him a high-five. Not an exhausted mutter that fell from her lips with all the affection a bus driver might tell an annoying passenger to sit down, sir, this was their last warning, but it was the final trip they had to do before getting off their shift so why even exert that much energy?
Juuhachigou was passed out, ignoring him, maybe even not aware of what she'd said. And he couldn't sleep since brooding felt much more satisfying.
He's thought there'd be more hugging as well, rather than Juuhachigou rolling over and kicking him. She would finally say The Words during a long moment of looking deep into each other's eyes, rather than a vigorous, athletic roll around the bed that had ended more tiring than truly uh, loving. There hadn't even been any cuddling.
Yet this was the moment she'd finally spilled her guts about the full extent of her feelings for him. Somehow, what they'd done had shaken The Words loose. It was a little disturbing to realize his attempts at sweetness and romantic moments to draw forth her sentiments had been so futile, but something nearly violent and sweaty (not unlike fighting) was the thing to unlock her heart.
But because he returned her feelings, he accepted what she'd said.
194. the color blue made her happy
The last time she'd been by the cluster of tiny islands, she'd hardly noticed the sea.
What she'd mostly taken in was the sound of her brother complaining because he would have to leave the van behind, and being relieved that now they could finally fly. Juurokugou's face had been its usual carved blankness, but Juuhachigou had thought he was just as happy to be out of his cramped hold in the back.
Now she took in the vastness, the huge stretches of cold waves barely lapping at the beach. It's bright color a shade darker than the odd inhuman shade that the cyborgs and androids of Gero's creation all had. Over half the planet was like this, made of this dampness that rolled nearly to her feet.
She sat at the abandoned beach and watched the tide come in.
195. House Hunting
Things had been tense lately. It wasn't just that Juuhachigou had come back and put his roommates on guard, especially when he admitted that they were more than friends. The straw that broke the camel's back was when Master Roshi admitted that Maron had come back while he and the others fought the androids.
"Who's Maron?"
"Krillin's," a particularly angry glance at their bored guest. "Ex-girlfriend. A nice girl. Very stacked."
Juuhachigou gave him an ultimatum in the single sharp glare she gave to Krillin. It wasn't that he had an ex, since Kami knew her own past wasn't without blemish. But that obviously his roommates didn't like her, and if their relationship would continue, something would have to be done. Besides, any pleasure from sneaking around was diminished by accidentally trotting on old dirty magazines in the dark. Or on Oolong, passed out on the hallway.
'Either you move out,' her glare said, 'Or I leave.'
So now he hugged Master Roshi and Oolong and the Turtle, tearfully, while upstairs Juuhachigou packed his suitcase and filled bags with his belongings.
"I'm going to miss you guys so much."
His Master's face was grey. "Krillin, you don't need to go."
"Krillin," Juuhachigou's voice sounded from above. Like an angel. "Let's get going."
Bulma claimed to have found the perfect place. "It's in the middle of the city, but with not too much traffic. Great neighborhood. Wonderful neighbors."
"…it's by you, isn't it?"
"Well, yes. But is that a bad thing?" She continued on before he could give an answer. "It'll be nice to see you guys more often. We never get together enough. Besides, you two can probably handle Trunks better than the sitters can.
"There's land right next door. You can buy it—Hell, I'll buy it—and you can design your own house!"
Bulma had pamphlets and catalogues. Krillin guessed that Trunks wasn't getting along with any of the sitters or nannies that she'd hired. The scientist must have read that on the short fighter's face, because she immediately added, "I can pay for that too."
Juuhachigou looked through the catalogue. "Can we get the fence electrified?"
"Whatever you want!" Her smile was too large.
The next day, they came to check out the land. It was all but decided, silently, that this would have to be the place. Last night, rather than come back to Kame Island, they stayed with her brother. He'd found (stolen) someone's camper van, so all three crammed into a place that only could realistically fit one person with little expectations and no sense of smell or taste that only ate out since there was no real kitchen besides a microwave and toaster.
Bulma hadn't lied about the location. There were plenty of buildings surrounding them, all quality and safe. Except she had neglected to mention that it was not far from Vegeta's training capsule, and either from his energy blasts or just from his personality and rage, the land was dried and dead. A tumbleweed literally passed by, which was something Krillin had never actually witnessed before outside of TV.
"It's not like you wanted to grow a garden, right?"
Behind them, there was a large explosion that engulfed the surrounding area with smoke, followed by a desperate sobbing.
"…Is that Vegeta crying?"
"He only does it sometimes now."
"...I think we'll pass."
Another night passed. This time, Juunanagou had found a board game.
Half asleep on the ground, looking up at Juuhachigou sleeping on top of the table, Krillin came up with something new. "What about by Chi-Chi and Gohan?"
Her face went still in the little light that crept through the dirty windows.
"That would be great. Then we can watch Goten grow up, and help Chi-Chi with the boys. Gohan, he needs someone to talk to sometimes."
"I don't think that's such a great idea. I hardly know that woman, but I doubt she would enjoy having me as a guest-"
But Krillin grabbed her arm and dragged her eastward.
196. Bicycle
As a sort of compromise for her brother to spice up what he felt was her boring life, she agreed to get a bike. The technicality allowed her to find a beat-up bike that probably wouldn't even be missed, and throw it into the garage. Her brother hated it, saying it wasn't a real bike. "It doesn't have a motor!"
"That's the point!"
Finally, bored and having gone through the attic and basement several times for a distraction, they found themselves in the cluttered garage. There was no car to park inside, so neither of them paid much attention to what was inside. They found the bike, poked and kicked at it.
"I there's a tire pump somewhere."
"I can't believe you're going to use it."
"Maybe not use it. But, you know, fix it up. Something. Why not?"
"It doesn't have a damn motor."
"That's the point!"
Juunanagou stared at it, suddenly shocked. "Those colors. They remind me of something. Especially the bald tires."
"I don't get it."
"I know!" Excited, her brother slammed his fist into the palm of the other. "It's like one of the fighters. The shrimp. The bald short shrimp that's not as pale as the other one."
Juuhachigou stared at it. The peeling orange and blue paint. The worn bald tires. "Oh, Kami."
"Yeah! Let's name it then!"
"No."
"No, let's! Krillin!" He patted the bike fondly, ignoring how the not entirely dried grease stained his admittedly already dirty hands and shirt.
"What?"
"I christen thee Krillin!" Juunanagou poked at it officially with a broken antenna. Then he started whacking things with it.
Juuhachigou looked at the bike. She lived with so much her brother did on a regular basis, most of it weird. Surely she could live with this. "You named it after one of the 'heroes'?"
"Sure, let me use this pump on Krillin." The darker twin refilled the tires. The gesture looked obscene. Now, she was uncomfortable on several different layers. This was wrong, and disturbing on several different layers.
"You want to take Krillin around the block? Give him a good spin?"
"No…I…don't."
"You sure? Krillin's all pumped and ready to go." He squeezed one of the tires. "Yeah, any more and he'll pop."
"I'm sure," she managed. In regards to what exactly, Juuhachigou wasn't sure. There was a lot she wasn't sure about. Was the bike grinning at her with those white scrapes in front, or leering?
"You don't want to give him a ride? A nice long one? He could probably use it."
"…no. I…don't."
"Well," her brother looked disappointed. "If you're not going to ride, Krillin, I will."
She threw him off the bike, tossing him across the garage with a frantic cry of disgust and rage. He slid across the broken furniture and toys and lawn equipment, dirtying his pants further.
"Hey, I found a motor!" He poked at it with his fallen antenna. And then her brother poked at some more things, and gazed around, "Hey, do you hear a radio on?"
Juuhachigou could only hear his earlier statements ringing in her ears, and stare at the bike…at Krillin. Which it would be known as, for now and forever. "Maybe I will get a motorcycle."
197. How often does that happen?
Juuhachigou straightened with a forced dignity, but easy grace that you had to respect, even after catching him rolling around with their short friend. Fierce, her expression was. She left Krillin, torn and dazed, on the floor without a second look at him. Or at the guests. Or at the glaring Master Roshi, who had such problems with her that he'd called the others over demanding that they pulled this she-demon's claws out of 'his son.' Out of curiosity and in hopes of helping an old friend, how could any of them stay away? Because he was at his wits end here.
So that was Juuhachigou.
Bulma and Chi-Chi sipped their coffee. "I understand why you want him to move out now."
198. I should have asked for...
Krillin was standing over her bed, eyes huge and hair in disarray. From the dark smudges under his eyes, she could tell he hadn't slept a wink last night.
She personally had slept like a baby, the sleep of the just and satisfied. Wrapped in a comforter and a cat's smile on her face as she dreamed of his disappointment over her setting the record straight.
"Juuhachigou. I told you last night, I, I'll do whatever you want. Right now. Whatever."
"Make me breakfast," was the first intelligent thing to come out of her mouth.
"Done." Krillin ran out of the room.
"Damn," she told the empty room. "I should have made him throw the pervert out of the house."
199. The One With The Love Potion
"So, either intentionally, or not—"
"This was not intentional!"
"-Bulma screwed up the remote controller." Trunks finished explaining to Krillin.
"I—okay, look, you didn't see those blueprints! They were horrible complicated." She looked at the fighter, who'd just been able to summon enough braver to approach the android, with her blue eyes overflowing with compassion. "I'm so sorry."
Krillin was currently unable to speak, what with Juuhachigou half-smothering, half-cuddling him. She seemed totally content to ignore the others' conversation. He tried to say something, something that sounded optimistic from his muffled tone, but the others picked up on nothing and shrugged. Then looked away, because the sight was much to take in after a few seconds; it could blind you if you stared too long. Juurokugou was smiling gently at the cat perched on his knee, expression not changing as another cat jump up, purring, onto his shoulder.
Trunks rubbed at his eyes, gloves still pristine even after the beating he'd given Cell. Bulma's technology was very hit or miss. "I just don't understand why they have to be here."
"Where else should they go?"
He nearly responded with something along the lines of 'Kame House,' until he noticed the way she was drawing circles on the back of his neck and whispering something in his ear that made him go red. Poor, poor Krillin. Imagine having an android hanging off you, refusing to leave you alone for two minutes. The android was staring at him, utterly fascinated in his gibbering and way he cringed and blushed. The other android had an increasing pile of cats climbing atop him.
"I had no idea that button could go so wrong. Maybe blow her up or something. Not…drive her insane."
"You have to fix her Mo-Bulma. Right now. Before she hurts Krillin."
Bulma muttered something into her coffee about being how she might definitely hurt him in a terrible way, kill Krillin exactly how he'd always wanted in his most feverish dreams. Trunks nearly was sick from his pseudo-mother's words, until he saw how Juuhachigou was now stroking his cheeks. Which scared the vomit right back down. This was definitely not how he'd expected the fight with the androids to go. One was dead, sure, but the other had been turned into some…well, Trunks didn't even want to put a title to it. It was a screwed up, weird and screwed up. Poor, poor Krillin.
And he'd tried so hard to do the right thing, and push the button to shut her down.
But she hadn't collapsed, or blown up, and had instead flocked to a horrified Krillin. Teasing him, batting eyelashes, to everyone's confusion. Such a shock had even stunned Cell, allowing Trunks to get the upper hand and destroy that android. Krillin had refused to let Juuhachigou be harmed, since she was supposed 'harmless' and Juurokugou hadn't even done anything. Going on about how she was the victim, while she nearly jumped on his back and asked him how exactly he'd been doing and if he missed her any.
Considering his father was howling for blood behind them, Trunks had been willing to let it slide and travel with the other three to Capsule Corp. "We can be alone there, right?" Juuhachigou had asked Krillin while they helped a pale wounded Juurokugou up.
Bulma was trying for sanity against the rising onslaught of screaming nightmarish, Kafkaesque craziness. "At least you guys beat Cell, right? This is a victory, in a way? Two androids saved, arguably turned to the good side?"
"Is that really the 'good side,' Mom?" Trunks asked. They both stared at Juuhachigou straightening the shoulder of his gi, touching his arm a little. Bulma's mouth moved, as she struggled to find the right words. And any second, they would come forth and fix this entire huge mistake.
200. Soft Drink
So it turned out Krillin was secretly an addict. Not of any hard stuff, as amusing as that would have been. But of soda, as in the carbonated drink. She'd thought it had been harmless, a new absurdity to the short man to mock. Something to laugh over and wave the last can over his head and make him jump for it.
Until he shoved her onto the table, grappling with her, desperate for his grape soda. Yanking and scratching at her hand around the cold can even as she shoved him back like a wild animal gone rabid. His face, normally so gentle, pressed into a snarl. A rabbit turned into a lion. One that had no problem pressing his hips against her's and getting right in her face and trying to hold down her wrists. She hadn't even wanted the damn thing; it was disgusting sweet and with a nauseating aftertaste. Beneath them, the table was wobbling alarmingly. She could already imagine the old lecher seeing them in this position.
Juuhachigou threw the soda across the room, and tried not to feel offended over how quickly he jumped off her to chase his precious can.