Recap: Raditz was due to arrive any day!
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What should I do? Raditz could arrive any moment! she thought and bit her lip anxiously. She tried to keep her face relaxed but it mustn't have worked as Goku looked up at her with curiosity. He swallowed the food in his mouth while cocking his head in true Son-style. "Are you okay? You look kinda worried." he asked curiously. Athea couldn't stop her body from flinching and quickly put up a fake smile.
"N-no! Nothing's wrong! I-I'm just…" she trailed off, not knowing how to continue the lie.
She could already tell from herself that she was lying, if her stuttering was anything to go by. Goku must've noticed also because his face turned serious. "If something's wrong you can tell me, Athea." he told her seriously. She shifted in her place while Gohan, who had stopped eating, was now watching her, also curious. "Well, that brother I told you about?… Eh, he isn't so nice as you think." she said reluctantly which made Goku blink before he frowned. "He's not?" he asked with a hint of suspicion. "You mean he's a bully?" asked Gohan cutely which made Athea feel bad. She didn't want to tell it with the boy around.
She opened her mouth to say something just when Chichi came walking back into the room.
All three of them turned to her and flinched at her glare. "I don't know what you guys are talking about but I want those plates empty, now!" she turned to Athea who tensed under her gaze. "You! Stop distracting my son from his food!" she ordered and Athea tensed. "Yes ma'am!" she replied automatically.
Chichi turned to Gohan "As for you, I want all those vegetables gone from your plate! You're still growing and vegetables are good for the mind. Also, after dinner I want you to immediately go upstairs and do your homework!" she ordered and Gohan nodded "Yes mom." he said almost robotically.
Athea felt bad. On television the woman seemed like a slave-driver even if she did it for a good cause.
She winced when she saw Gohan look down at his plate and started eating again.
"That goes for you too, young lady! I want that plate clean of food, got it?!" she bossed and Athea gulped "Yes ma'am." she said again.
Nodding, Chichi turned to Goku "As for you, I want you to go in bath after you're done. You smell awful." she pointed out and turned around and left for the kitchen again.
Athea sweatdropped. That woman gives the term slave-driver a whole new meaning she thought before she started eating again. The boys did the same.
Seems nobody wanted, or rather, dared to protest against her.
When they were finished did Goku and Gohan do what they were told and left Athea alone.
"This is awkward." she mumbled while rubbing her arm before gathering her plate and went to the kitchen.
Chichi was already cleaning. "Eh, do you… maybe… need help?" she asked softly to the busy woman.
Chichi turned around and glared at her before her eyes softened a bit. "Sure. Put the plates over there," she pointed to a stack of plates "And over there is a towel. You can help dry the dishes as I wash them." she told her.
Athea's eye twitched. Chichi sure knows how to use someone's help.
Shaking her head, the teen put her plate on the stack and grabbed the towel.
Together, the two women started cleaning the dishes in silence.
Awkward she thought a bit troubled, while she felt the tension building.
Chichi isn't even trying and already I'm feeling tension. She thought a bit annoyed while she put away a few cups.
It took them about half an hour to wash, dry and put everything away. Once they were done did Athea fled to the living room. She wanted to get away from Chichi and the tension as fast as possible.
In that whole half an hour had she regretted the fact that she offered her help.
Normally she liked to help, but the tension made it unbearable.
She had just sat down when Goku came walking into the room. His hair was wet and dripping a bit while a towel was around his neck.
He wore a white shirt that hid nothing of his muscles. He had combined it with a pair of sweatpants but no shoes.
She blushed bright red at seeing his muscles and turned her face away.
Damn those saiyans for being so hot! She thought half-joking, half-serious.
Goku saw her sitting and walked over to the couch. "Hey there! Wanna take a walk?" he asked friendly while pointing his thumb to the door.
Despite his words being friendly, the look he gave her wasn't. He had a serious look in his eyes.
Nodding, she stood up and the two walked out of the house. "Chichi! Me and Athea are gonna take a walk, okay? Bye!" he called and took off before the woman could retort while throwing his towel away.
She had no doubt that Chichi would have probably protested.
From the tension that came in the kitchen between them, it hadn't been too hard for her to figure out that Chichi didn't trust her. Even a fool could see that.
Once they were a bit away turned Goku his attention to her. "So, about my brother." he started with a serious face.
Athea flinched. Not again! Although she had already known that he would ask again.
"Y-yeah, your brother." she stuttered slightly and looked away.
"He is gonna be trouble, isn't he?" asked Goku rhetorically.
She bit her lip and looked to the side. "Yeah. At first he's gonna be all, sort of happy to see you but then…" she trailed off while a frown appeared on her face.
How was she going to explain to him that his brother wanted him to kill innocent people? That he would kidnap his son?
"Athea…" she looked up at him when she heard his tone of voice. He looked at her very seriously. "Please tell me what's going to happen. Is it really that bad?" he asked worriedly.
She frowned and nodded with a wince. "…Yeah. He's gonna demand why you haven't destroyed every living thing on this planet yet. He's also afterwards gonna take Gohan away from you to hold him hostage, in return that you kill a hundred humans." she explained while leaving some of the details out.
She didn't want to tell him about his alien heritage yet.
Even if it will be a harsh way that he was gonna find out about it, it's better that he finds out from his brother then from hers.
Goku stopped dead in his tracks. "What?! No way?! That's horrible! Why would he want me to do something so terrible? And what do you mean 'kill every living thing on this planet'?" he questioned while he stared at her.
Athea stopped a few steps further and turned to him.
Damn, Goku was way more perceptive then he looked.
"Let's just say it has something to do with your heritage." she said softly while wringing her hands nervously.
She didn't know how much she could actually tell them.
Who knew what would happen. Hell, everything could've already changed with her arrival.
What if Raditz would instead come with Nappa and Vegeta at his side? What if they would kill Goku instead of questioning him?
So many questions rang through her head, it made her slightly dizzy.
"Hey," a hand fell on her shoulder, making her jump "You okay? You look a bit pale." asked Goku concerned.
She looked up at his face and clenched her fists while turning her gaze to the side.
"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything else." she looked him back in the eye "Please, just… trust me when I…" she trailed off. Should she say more? Or should she let Goku figure it all out on his own?
I'll give him one more hint but that's all. If I tell more it might jeopardize everything. I can't let that happen.
"When what?" he urged her gently.
"When Piccolo comes, team up with him. It'll make things easier." she told him a bit cryptically.
Goku was a bit confused by her words but tensed when she said his name. "Piccolo? You mean he's alive?!" he asked surprised and worried to which Athea nodded. "Yeah, don't ask me how. I'm not sure either." she told him, which was the truth. She hadn't watched the first episodes of Goku growing up in ages. The only thing she knew was that Piccolo was alive.
A silence fell over them quickly. "Wow. So what? He's gonna be a one of the good guys then?" he asked curiously which made her jump. She hadn't really expected him to talk. "Yeah, slowly but surely." she trailed off, not sure what to say next.
Her memories went back to Raditz and she gasped. "Oh! I forgot! When are you and Gohan going to master Roshi's house?" she asked which made him blink in surprise. "Wow! Talk about random but to answer your question; I was thinking of going tomorrow. So that he could finally meet the gang." he told her.
She gaped at him. "Tomorrow?!" she asked surprised. She had been right when she guessed that Raditz would arrive any time soon. Just not that soon. "Yeah! What about it?" he asked and she gave him a nervous smile. "Nothing! I was just wondering if I could come with you?" she asked him, hoping to distract him. It worked. Goku blinked before he smiled widely "Sure. I don't mind. And I'm pretty sure the rest of the gang would be happy to meet you.". She smiled at this and nodded.
The two turned and slowly walked back to the house. Another silence fell over them. Athea fidgeted with the edge of her shirt. It was then she noticed the state of her clothes.
They were still torn!
"Oh! Goku…" she trailed off, she didn't want to ask him but she didn't have a choice. She swallowed.
"Eh… could you guys, maybe… I don't know eh…. Lend me some clothes? Mine are a torn." she told him while motioning to her clothes. Goku noticed and hummed. "Wow! You look like me when I came back from the battle with King Piccolo." he pointed out which made her blush.
If she knew one thing about all his fights, it was that he always came out with clothes ripped up so badly that they looked like they barely held together.
"Yeah. When I woke up here my clothes where like this and I don't exactly have money to buy new ones." she told him
"Not that I know where the nearest town is, for that matter." she mumbled the last part but Goku caught it.
He chuckled at her words. She was amusing, he had to admit that.
The duo walked back into the house only to be met with a waiting Chichi. Goku waved. "Oh hey Chi! What's wrong?" he asked innocently.
Chichi glared at him. "Why did you two walk outside like that?" she demanded to know and Goku shrugged. "We were just talking." he told her in a simple tone. Chichi tried to glare but gave up after a moment. She just couldn't stay mad at him.
"Oh! Before I forget; I was wondering if you could lend her some of our clothes? Hers are kinda ripped up." he asked while rubbing the back of his head while laughing goofily. Athea found it oddly amusing.
Chichi turned her gaze to the other woman and looked at her clothes. "Oh dear! Look at those! What have you done to your clothes, honey? They're all ripped up!" she fussed in a bossy tone. Athea winced. "Eh, I kinda woke up in them like that." she told her honestly but shyly. This woman made her nervous.
"Well that won't do! Come with me! I'll give you some clothes to wear tonight. You can sleep on the couch and tomorrow I'll lend you some of my old clothes." she ordered while grabbing the young woman's wrist and practically dragged her up the stairs.
Athea tried to tell her she didn't need to do that.
She didn't want to impose more then she already was. But Chichi didn't want to hear it. She pushed some old clothes of Goku in the woman's hands and pushed her into the bathroom.
Athea redressed herself and couldn't help but take in Goku's scent. He smells like the forest and something else. Don't know what the smell is but it's delicious. She thought and blushed. She forced herself to a stop and came out of the bathroom. She didn't need them catching her sniffing his clothing. It would certainly give a strange sight.
"Ah! There you are!" came Chichi's voice. Athea tensed before her wrist was once again grabbed and she was dragged down the stairs. "The blankest are already on the couch along with a pillow.
Me and Goku and Gohan are always going to bed early and you are too. You had a rough day and you need your rest." ordered the woman while pushing her down on the couch with the help of her amazing strength.
Athea opened her mouth to thank her but Chichi seemed to have sensed that. "No need to thank me, just go to bed, young lady." she told her before turning off the lights and went upstairs with Goku.
She sweatdropped. That woman is scary. She thought before she crawled under the blankets and slowly fell asleep.
The next morning she woke up to the smell of eggs and bacon. She groggily sat up and winced when her face came straight up in a bright ray of the sun. Grumbling, she resisted the urge to get back to sleep. Her mind was working on where she was. How could she smell eggs and bacon when she slept on the first floor?
Then, all the memories of the previous day came rushing back to her and her eyes snapped open.
Which she regretted to do when the sunlight hit her eyes. Hissing, she turned away only to gasp and jump in surprise when she saw Gohan sitting next to her, looking at her with a cute smile. "Hi there! Good morning! How was your night?" he asked excited. It made her forget her morning mood.
She gave him a groggy smile "Good." she said softly, her voice cracking slightly. "Oh hey! Finally awake huh?" asked Goku when he saw her walk to the table. "Yeah." she mumbled and sat down. Despite knowing she was in a different world now, her mind wasn't fully awake yet and hadn't clicked yet on the fact she sat at a different table. Just when a plate with eggs and bacon was set down in front of her, it all clicked.
She gasped.
"Oh! I'm sorry! How rude of me." she mumbled and went to stand up but a hand on her shoulder easily pushed her back down. "You're not going anywhere, young lady! First you're going to eat breakfast and then I'm going to give you some clothes to get dressed. And no excuses!" came the bossy voice of Chichi next to her ear.
She nodded tensely "Yes ma'am." she mumbled before she relaxed when she felt the hand on her shoulder leave her.
Goku and Gohan were already eating their breakfast, gobbling everything down with much speed and little manners.
I wonder if I could stick my finger inbetween the food and their mouths? She thought absently before mentally shaking her head. That wouldn't be a good idea to do so.
After breakfast had Chichi given her some old clothes of herself for Athea to wear.
For the next couple of hours did Athea help Chichi with the dishes and other chores while Goku went into the forest with Gohan to get a tree for some firewood.
The tension between the two women had lessened and for that, Athea was glad. Chichi and herself made small talk with eachother about random things. Mostly about her own world and the differences.
When the Goku and Gohan returned it was high noon and time to leave for Master Roshi.
Goku and Gohan already sat on the little cloud; Flying Nimbus.
Athea remembered in the back of her mind that the cloud only let people on it that had never lied. She winced. She had for sure lied at least once. Goku noticed her hesitation. "Eh, Athea? What's wrong?" he asked "Yeah? Don't you wanna meet the others?" questioned Gohan.
Athea bit her lip and nodded "Yeah, but… I eh… haven't always told the truth in my life. And from what I remember you had to be completely honest to be able to ride on Nimbus." she told them a bit hesitantly. Gohan blinked along with Goku before the latter nodded in understanding.
"I understand." he said and jumped off the cloud. He turned around so his back was to her and crouched down. "You can get on my back. You'll just have to fly with me then." he told her which made her blink before she shyly climbed on his back. "You good?" he questioned to which she nodded. "Alright. Here we go!" he said before he and Nimbus took off to master Roshi's house.
It took almost an hour of flying before they were finally there. When they landed did Goku let her down and she wobbly climbed off of his back.
She was happy she had opted for putting her hair in a ponytail or else it would've looked like a rat's nest by now.
"Hey! Is anyone home?" called Goku out. Athea wringed her hands nervously and glanced over her shoulder at the sea. Any moment Raditz could arrive! What am I gonna do? I can't let him take Gohan, but… I don't wanna see him die either. She thought to herself worriedly. She had a soft spot for the long-haired saiyan. He may be an ass but he was cute. While her mind was thinking about the saiyan, the rest of Goku's friends had already came outside. Introductions were made until Bulma pointed her out. "And who's this young lady?" asked Bulma curiously while Goku put a hand on Athea's shoulder.
"This here is Athea, she's a friend of mine." he told her. Athea blinked while her gaze fell on the rest of the group that was staring at her. Her face grew bright red. "Sorry! Nice meeting you!" she squeaked while bowing her head and taking a step back.
She was never good with so much attention. It unnerved her how people always stared at her. Bulma smiled.
"No need to be shy. I'm Bulma!" she said with a smile while sticking her hand out. Athea looked at the hand and shyly shook it. "Nice to meet you." she said softly. Bulma giggled while Goku grinned along with the others. Roshi then came walking up to her with a leer on his face.
His gaze trained on her breasts instead of her face. "Yeah, I would love to meet these two beauties here, hehehe-… ow!" he said with a perverted smile before Bulma hit him over the head with her fist. Her eye twitched in annoyance while she glared at the old man. "Perverted old man." she grumbled making Athea giggle softly but she had to agree with her.
The man was a pervert. A big one.
"So, how did you and Goku meet?" she asked in a friendly tone. Athea tensed. "Eh, well, he found me in the woods, really." she said quickly with a bit of hesitance. She didn't want to tell them the truth. It might end badly for them.
The group turned their attention quickly back to Gohan again and started questioning Goku about him.
Athea tuned them out as her thoughts drifted back to Goku's brother.
What should I do? I can't let him kidnap Gohan like that. She thought absently before she got an idea. That's it! I'll just keep Gohan away from Raditz' sight and he won't notice the tail! It's perfect! She thought and smiled happily.
She then heard Roshi laughing loudly and blinked before staring at him. She saw him looking at something a bit further behind her and followed his gaze.
Gohan's face was covered by foam from the little crab on the turtle's back.
"Watch out! He might pinch ya, Gohan!" called Roshi out.
"That crab is a mighty sore loser!" said the man with a chuckle. Gohan giggled and ran back to Goku again.
Bulma saw the dragonball on Gohan's hat and asked about it.
Athea tuned them out once again, the conversation was starting to get a bit boring.
It's fun to meet the Z-fighters in person but she felt a bit put aside.
Although she could understand that. She was, after all, a stranger to them.
She then saw Krillin pick up a pebble and throw it to the sea. It skipped over the water quite a few times and went far. Athea turned around and watched Goku pick up his pebble.
"Come to think of it; I don't really want anything." commented Goku casually before he threw the pebble. Everyone watched in surprise as the pebble flew at high speed far away and out of sight.
Goku twisted his wrist a few times while Krillin smiled up at him. "You're still one bad dude, Goku." commented Krillin friendly.
Suddenly, Goku's face turned serious and his whole body tensed.
Athea immediately knew what was coming. Oh no! Already? This is bad. She thought a bit panicked while she watched the rest also become serious. "Goku?" questioned the others while Goku looked around. "There's something bad, heading straight for us." he said while looking straight at sea.
"What? Are you sure Goku?" questioned Bulma worriedly. "I'm positive." said the man serious. Athea wanted to grab Gohan and hide in the house. But she knew that wouldn't work.
"I've never felt a power like this before." said Goku "Yeah, I feel it too." agreed Krillin while he too looked around. Bulma folded her arms over her chest. "There's nothing there, you guys." she said a bit annoyed. Goku turned to Athea. "It's him, isn't it? My brother?" he asked her to which she nodded solemnly. The other turned their gazes to her with confusion. "Brother? What's he talking about?" asked Bulma curiously. Athea winced before Goku caught their attention again with his next words: "Up there!" he called. "Oh yes. Who is it?" asked Roshi curiously.
Athea's mind was in a battle. One part of her wanted to grab Gohan and hide him from view, but the other part of her didn't want to miss Raditz' arrival.
"It's not Piccolo, is it?" asked Krillin while they all watched a dot flying quickly closer and closer.
Finally, Raditz arrived and landed smoothly on the sand with a smirk on his face.
Athea felt her heart flutter. He's even hotter in real life then on television. She thought and blushed.
She looked him over. He wore the standard saiyan armor. Two wings of his armor that stuck out over his shoulder and three wings that covered the sides of his legs and front of his crotch.
Brown and blue just like in the show. His hair was extremely long and came to his ankles while his muscled arms were crossed over his chest, a cocky smirk on his face. A dark green scouter was over his left eye and was beeping the whole time.
Is this a dream? Please let it be a dream. She mentally pleaded to herself though she knew she wouldn't get an answer.
This was all very real. And there was no escape.