Chapter 18: Goodbye Goku!

Marron was used to waking up early, thanks to Master Roshi's training; 4:30 in the morning to be precise. Because she was used to it, she had no issues with waking up as early as she did.

Videl, not having gotten so much as a wink of sleep last night, was still dozing when Krillin finally woke her up for breakfast at 9 AM.

"So what are-" Videl paused as she let out an enormous yawn. "Are we going to do today sensei?"

Krillin let out a good-natured chuckle as Videl rubbed one of her eyes with her knuckles. "Well for starters, you can just call me Krillin, and as for what we're going to do today… Well, outside of seeing Goku off, nothing really."

Videl opened her mouth to protest, but Krillin continued before she could get so much as a sound out.

"You did all the flying yesterday and you need your rest Videl. Just take it easy for today."

Videl had half a mind to protest, but knew that Krillin was right in this case. She WAS deadbeat tired and training in her condition would be stupid and possibly dangerous to her health.

"Guess I could go sun tanning-"

Roshi's ears pricked up at this.

"It's a shame I didn't think to bring a swim suit though."

The Turtle Hermit just barely prevented himself from crashing down to the floor and saved face.

"Why that's no problem child, just use one of 18's', goodness knows she's got so many of them. I'll even help you…" At this Roshi's face began to flush as he leered forward in Videl's direction, chuckling creepily as he did so. "Change if need be."

THONK! That was the sound of Krillin's fist clonking the back of Roshi's bare, bald, head. "Don't you remember what I told you last night Master?" Krillin asked the aged martial artist, his eyebrows narrowed in a cross expression.

"I WAS JOKING!" Roshi snapped as he rubbed the back of his head tenderly. "CAN'T ANYONE TAKE A JOKE ANY MORE?"

Videl looked over at Marron, who was eating her second breakfast of the day. "Is he always like this?"

The small blond fighter nodded. "As annoying as it can get at times, yes. You get used to it after a while though. At least I have."

Videl could only shrug to that and the next few hours trickled by slowly, until finally it was time, and the guests began to show up. First, it was Yamcha and Puar, then Oolong, then Tein and Chouzu, the Briefs, and finally, the Son family who came in via Instant Transmission.

The Fortune Teller Baba glared at the group of friends and family that had gathered to send their friend, father, husband, and rival off to the Other World. It couldn't be a simple 'Let's go", oh no. They just HAD to drag it out with emotional teary-eyed goodbyes and the like. And sure enough, much of that was indeed had until Goku's time had been as stretched as far as it could, and both witch and warrior finally left the world of the living.

In spite of this, and most of the food having been devoured beforehand, the party went on for a while longer. Stories were told, in-jokes were made, and perverted antics and the threat of restraining orders were given. Yes, all things told, the party was a good one as everyone reminisced over their many adventures with the man who had, in his own way, brought them all together that day.

Eventually, though, the good time ceased rolling as Baba made a loud ahem noise with her throat. Everyone ceased talking and one by one turned their attention to the short witch.

"Now that I FINALLY have everyone's attention, I would like to say that it's time Goku and I returned to Other World where people like him belong."

Everyone immediately began to object but Baba remained firm.

"No means no, we're already an hour behind as it is and I won't allow for either of us to be tardy any longer."

"Can't I have at least one last goodbye with everyone before I go?" Goku asked.

Baba began mumbling under her breath but sighed soon after. "Very well, but only to your family and ONE friend."

Goku nodded and turned to Chichi, Gohan, and Chi. "Well guys, looks like this is it."

Though tears were running down both sides of her face, Chichi did her best to remain strong. "Oh Goku!"

Goku let out a small grunt as his wife suddenly wrapped her arms around his waist and chest. Giving her a very light hug of affection, Goku turned his attention to Gohan.

"Good luck with your training son, I know you'll do me proud."

Gohan nodded, his ears turning red as he did so. "Thanks dad, I'll be sure to keep up with my training from now on. In between the school work of course."

Goku smiled and nodded. "Right."

Then he turned his attention to Chichi Jr. "I'm sorry you and I couldn't have spent more time together Chi, but…."

"I know," Chi replied softly, the conversation with her father still fresh in her mind.

Goku nodded for a third time and turned his attention to one of his oldest friends and rivals. "You've got quite the fighter for a daughter Krillin, keep up the good work and stay safe. That goes for the rest of you too!"

Everyone present, Tien, Yamcha, Krillin, Piccolo, Bulma, Gohan, Videl, the kids, and the rest all nodded in unison.

"Right!"

Finally, Goku turned back to Fortune Teller Baba and said somberly, "I'm ready."

He then reached out, placed a hand on her small, black-cloaked shoulder, and vanished from everyone's view as well as the realm of the living.

Nothing was said in Kame House for the next few minutes and the only noise was that of the ocean lapping against the small island's shore.

Then, Chichi began to break down into powerful, tear filled sobs.

Later, when the late sun of dusk was about to be swallowed whole by the ocean's horizon, Chichi Jr. sat alone on top of the roof of Kame House, her mind so deep in thought that she neither heard nor sensed a certain lavender haired girl sneak up behind her.

"Hey." Bra couldn't help but smile slightly when she saw Chi jolt up slightly in surprise. Turning around, Chi blushed when she saw it was her friend.

"Hey."

"So what are you doing out here by your lonesome?"

"Just thinkin I guess," Chi said with a humble shrug.

"Bout your dad?"

Chi nodded and could feel her blush intensifying as she did so. "Yea."

"Have your thoughts changed any from yesterday?"

Chi nodded. "They have, actually. I got to spend some time with him and he's lots of fun. Gohan was right about him, he always does make you feel happy, like everything will be okay even when it seems hopeless. I feel... I feel kinda proud to be his daughter now that I've finally met him."

"There's a but somewhere in there I can tell."

"But,... but I still can't really think of him as my dad you know? I mean, I've known him for all of one day and I like and understand him fine, but he just doesn't feel like a daddy to me, just a really friendly stranger that I feel guilty for not knowing better than I do."

"Well you shouldn't. Feel guilty I mean. After all it's not YOUR fault that your dad decided to pointlessly sacrifice himself against that big bad bug Cell, though in fairness it's not like anyone KNEW that Cell would just come back like that... You know what I'm getting at right Chi?"

Once again Chi nodded. "I think so, but I still can't help but feel it anyways."

Bra shrugged. "Well, don't worry about it too much. Maybe you'll see him again some day."

"Maybe," Chi commented. "But you know what? I feel a little better having finally gotten to know my dad, like my life feels a little more open I guess." The spiky haired girl shrugged and then remarked something under her breath.

"No you don't."

Chi looked up at her, black eyes wide in fear at having been overheard. "D-Don't what?"

"Want my smarts, they're more an annoyance than anything else, I've found. I can't relate to kids our age because I know too much, I'm too smart for elementary, middle, and high schools and even some colleges and even if I did go to, say, elementary, I'd just be bored out of my mind both socially and academically. And adults aren't any easier to relate to because it's impossible for a seven-year-old girl to be taken seriously by them.

"Doesn't matter if they're scientists, teachers, or business people; everyone just sees the kid saying a bunch of big fancy words and thinking she's cute. Completely ignoring the fact that said kid is using those words correctly mind you, oh no that doesn't matter worth an Alicorn's rump."

Bra paused as she formed a fist with her right hand. "Sometimes… sometimes I wish I could just be a brainless beauty who spends all her time shopping instead of doing science. Not often mind you, I quite like being a child prodigy for the most part, it's just the being taken seriously aspect I don't like in the end. Not that it matters much with that stupid robot's warning dad will be making Trunks and me train for."

"Better to train and be prepared then slack off and be attacked, at least that's what I think."

Both Chi and Bra turned in the direction of the third voice and saw Marron standing above both of them, hands confidently on her hips.

"H-How much of that did you overhear, Marron?" A red-faced Bra asked.

"Enough. Enough to know that you two sad sacks need a good sparring session." Marron's usually cool and collected face had an abnormally confident smile across it just then.

Chi happily hopped to her feet. "Sounds like fun!" she cheered as she raised both of her balled hands to the sky.

Bra couldn't help but roll her eyes as she stood up.

"Didn't we just do all this yesterday, the fighting I mean?"

"We did," Marron said with a nod of agreement. "But only one on one, I want to fight the two of you as Super Saiyans at once. After all, there are only so many times I can spar against daddy's use of the Multiform technique before it gets dull."

Chi let out a squeal of glee as her hair instantly shot up in a golden aura. Both the natural and unnatural blondes looked to their purple haired friend.

Bra sighed in what both Marron and Chi could tell was a fake tone of annoyance. "Fine, you want to fight so badly Mar, you're on!"

Marron shifted her feet, legs, knees, arms, and elbows into a defensive stance, smiling slightly in the process. "Good."

And so, as the sun set on that afternoon, the sound of punches, kicks, grunts, and blocks all reverberated above the roof of Kame House. And as the three girls sparred, everything at that moment, seemed well.

AN: And thus we have the second to last chapter, not including the upcoming epilogue. In retrospect, this chapter perhaps could have been longer, focusing more on everyone's reactions to Goku's return back to the afterlife and such but I think the minimalist approach works well for this chapter. And besides, I liked ending this chapter in part how it began, with the 'Dragon 'Trio' facing off against one another. What can I say, I'm a sucker for Book endisms.

And as for reviews, there's only one this week, once more by the lovely amariko: Ah, thanks for clarifying. I must have blended your views on 18's future role with gesto's. In truth having 18 have a bigger part in the sequel story will make it so I have yet another character to worry about, to say nothing of the challenge of balancing out her future desire to become stronger vs Krillin's own personal demons and issues. It'll be a challenge to balance all of that and everyone else's plot lines, but hopefully I'll be able to pull it off well enough.

Also, just a general heads up to everyone, the epilogue may be more then the typical-ish weekly update away. I have some last minute tinkering to do, some rewriting here, some checking to make sure the foreshadowing doesn't give everything away TOO much, ect. So if you guys don't see an update next friday, well, there's your reason.