"Frikiza, this is the last time I am going to say this! Put – me – down!" King Piccolo's voice thundered across the landscape as he screamed with all his might at Frikiza.
"You're so loud…" Frikiza sighed. She was standing next to Piccolo Junior only a few meters away from the Son house, with her tail tightly wrapped around King Piccolo, holding him in the air and rendering him unable to move his arms and legs. He thrust against her wildly in an attempt to break free, just as he had been doing for the entire journey, but his efforts were useless, and only served to make him even more angry.
"You want me to get louder?" King Piccolo snarled.
"I don't think that's possible." Frikiza said, looking up at him.
"Oh, why did you say that…?" Piccolo Junior groaned. He looked at Frikiza. "You know, this whole thing is a bad idea –"
"Put me dowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwn!" King Piccolo roared so loudly his voice created a miniature earthquake that started at Piccolo Junior and Frikiza's feet and travelled up to the Son house, causing it to shake wildly.
"Hey!" Piccolo Junior appeared alongside his father and clasped his hand over the demon king's mouth. "Cut that out, or guess what?" He pulled a water bottle out of his clothing and held it in front of King Piccolo's face. "This will be your new home. Do you understand?"
King Piccolo yanked his head away from his son and glared at him.
"You wouldn't dare." He hissed.
"You want to find out?" Junior challenged.
"You would do that? To your own father?" King Piccolo growled.
"If I can do it to Kami then I can do it to you. Believe me." Piccolo Junior replied, and tucked the water bottle away. "So you'd better start behaving."
"What are you guys talking about?" Frikiza questioned, listening to their conversation.
"I'm talking about the evil containment wave – the attack that sealed this nuisance up for three hundred years." Piccolo Junior answered.
"Nuisance!" King Piccolo barked. "You haven't even seen what a nuisance I can be, you little brat! And so what if you did seal me away? You'd screw it up, just like you did when you trapped Kami!"
"What!" Piccolo Junior protested. "I did trap Kami!"
"Yeah, for how long?" King Piccolo sneered. "You screwed up then and you'll screw up now – you're a failure!"
"Well I'm your greatest creation, so if I'm a failure that must really hurt you!" Junior growled.
"Oh my dear child, you can't begin to imagine…" King Piccolo seethed, shooting Junior a nasty glare.
"Hey!"
Frikiza and the two nameks all looked at the sound of a woman's voice, and saw an enraged Chichi marching towards them.
"Who's that?" King Piccolo demanded.
"That is someone you are going to be polite to." Piccolo Junior said flatly.
"Oh – it's Goku's wife!" King Piccolo grinned. "Haha! Perfect! Frikiza, let me go."
"No way!" Frikiza frowned. "Not until you calm down."
"I won't touch her, I promise." King Piccolo insisted. He meant it. He wasn't going to touch her. He was going to blow her to pieces without going anywhere near her.
"I don't believe you." Frikiza replied, and tightened her grip on King Piccolo, causing him to cry out in pain.
"You!" Chichi barked, glaring at Piccolo Junior. "I should have known – were you the cause of that earthquake just now, Piccolo? You nearly took down my entire house!"
"Me!" Piccolo Junior protested. "I didn't do anything – it was him!" He pointed up at King Piccolo, who glared at him angrily,
"You little snitch!" King Piccolo snarled.
Chichi looked up and gasped loudly, her eyes widening.
"Oh my God…" She whimpered. "That's him! It's King Piccolo!"
"Aw, so you remember me? How touching." King Piccolo smirked.
"Shut up, you monster!" Chichi barked. "I spent my childhood having nightmares about you, and now I'm going to get even!" She rolled up her sleeves and took a fighting stance. "Come on!"
"What!" Piccolo Junior gasped. "Chichi –"
"Haha!" King Piccolo grinned, his eyes glowing in delight as he looked down at Chichi. "Well then Dear, come at me! Frikiza, let me go!"
"No!" Frikiza huffed. She looked at Chichi. "Please – it's not a good idea to make him angry, he'll just be harder to deal with –"
"I don't care how hard he is to deal with!" Chichi snapped. "– Oh." She stopped suddenly, remembering something, and looked at Frikiza. "By the way, do you have my money? I'm assuming you're Frikiza?"
"Yes, I am. Nice to meet you." Frikiza smiled.
"Yeah, you too." Chichi replied hastily. "Okay then, hand it over! None of you are setting foot in my house until I get paid." She demanded.
"Okay – I have your money right here." Frikiza said, holding up her hands in an attempt to calm Chichi down. "She's certainly blunt." Frikiza thought to herself, and pulled out a capsule. She tossed it to Chichi and smiled. "You can check it if you want."
"Hmph. I will." Chichi frowned. She took a moment to study Frikiza. Odd… Chichi had expected her to look more human. This girl… what was she? Was she an alien? She certainly didn't look like she was from Earth…
"So, are we okay to go then?" Frikiza smiled.
"Hmph. Fine." Chichi huffed, folding her arms. "This way." She turned and started walking towards her house.
"Hey!" King Piccolo barked. "Goku's wife! Are you going to let me kill you or not?" He smirked. "To be honest, I'd prefer it if you put up a fight – especially if you did it in front of your husband. I'd just love to see the look on his face while he watched me rip you apart."
"Grrrr…" Chichi snarled, and glared up at him. "You –"
"What!" King Piccolo grinned, struggling to break out of Frikiza's tail. "Come on – Frikiza! Let go!" He roared.
"No! Not until you learn to be polite!" Frikiza pouted.
King Piccolo gritted his teeth. Unbelievable… This was embarrassing! He was trapped inside a lizard's tail! He had to get her to release him… How…? … Ah. King Piccolo smirked to himself. That would do…
King Piccolo took a big breath, then he opened his mouth wide and started to form a ki ball between his jaws. "Oh no you don't!" Frikiza scolded, and shoved the tip of her tail into the demon king's mouth, blocking his attack. King Piccolo's eyes twinkled in delight. Perfect… He smirked again, and sank his teeth deep into her flesh.
"Aiiiiiiiiii!"
XXXXX
"Ow!" Frieza shrieked, grabbing his tail as he watched the scene on his spy-screen. "Oh – you bastard, Piccolo! That hurts!"
"Hey look, she's letting him go!" Cell gasped. "Is it really that painful?"
"Yes!" Frieza snapped. "How about I bite your tail and we'll see how much it hurts!"
"Haha! Hey Frieza, didn't you fall for that when you were fighting my kid?" Bardock grinned, coming up behind Frieza and Cell.
"Shut up, Monkey!" Frieza snapped. "What are you even doing here – this is our spy-screen, go away and get your own!"
"Well if it's so private why don't you just watch it in your cave?" Bardock argued, pointing out the fact that Frieza and Cell were watching Earth from outside their home.
"No thanks. The Juniors missed out on their nap and now they're running wild – Dodoria's calming them down." Cell answered. Bardock looked at him and frowned.
"What? That's ridiculous. You need to smack some discipline into those kids." He scolded.
"Forget it Bardock, I've already tried telling him that." Frieza sighed.
"Oh shut up, it's not that easy!" Cell argued.
"Yes Cell, it is." Frieza and Bardock both uttered in perfect unison.
XXXXX
"Hahaha!" King Piccolo laughed in triumph as Frikiza instinctively yanked her tail away from him, screaming in pain. It served her right, the little bitch! King Piccolo took off into the air and looked down at Chichi menacingly. With sinister eyes and wide, evil grin on his face he started to form a ki ball in his hand. "Bye- bye, Mrs. Brat –"
"Oh no you don't!" Piccolo Junior suddenly appeared behind his father and grabbed King Piccolo, trapping him in mid-air.
"Hey!" King Piccolo barked. "Let go!"
"Come on Dad, are we really going to do this again?" Piccolo Junior said.
"I'm sorry, Junior…" Frikiza uttered apologetically, clutching her tail.
"You see why I said this was a bad idea?" Piccolo Junior growled.
"That monster is wild…" Chichi frowned, and yelled up at Piccolo Junior. "Piccolo! You'd better keep that thing under control when Gohan and Videl get here, I don't want it scaring her!"
"What!" Piccolo Junior cried. "You invited Gohan and Videl! Why did you do that?"
"For your information they were already coming for dinner before Frikiza called me, and there is no way your father is going to stop me seeing my son!" Chichi yelled.
"Couldn't you rearrange it?" Junior protested, and held King Piccolo up in front of her. "Chichi, look at him. He's already going crazy because he's seen you, do you really think he needs to see Goku's son as well?"
"I don't care!" Chichi barked. "What don't you understand, Piccolo? I am not cancelling a visit from my son just because your psychopath father is coming to dinner! Now come on! I've left the stove on and dinner's going to burn – just put a muzzle on that thing and get inside!" She stormed off towards the house.
Piccolo Junior stared after Chichi in horror, then looked down at Frikiza.
"This is a bad idea." He stated. "We have to call it off."
"Why?" Frikiza smiled. "Chichi's the only one in any real danger, and it looks like she can handle herself pretty well. You don't have anything to worry about." She flew up to the nameks and hovered in front of King Piccolo. "And I hope you've realised by now – if you misbehave, you're the one that'll suffer. You don't want to spend the rest of the day in that bottle, do you?"
"Bite me." King Piccolo growled.
"Maybe I will, then we'll be even." Frikiza pouted, and flew off towards the house. Junior sighed and reluctantly followed, still holding the enraged King Piccolo in his arms.
XXXXX
"You bastard! You little brat! Come here you little punk! I'll kill you! I'll rip you to shreds! I'm going to blow up this whole house you vile little insect!"
"Hi Goku… I guess you remember my father?"
Piccolo Junior sat at the dinner table, his face violet as he tried to stop the memories of entering the Son house playing over and over again in his mind. King Piccolo had taken one look at Goku, and before the saiyan could so much as open his mouth to speak King Piccolo had charged at him like a wild dog. Not that it had done him any favours. One move from Goku had knocked the demon king out cold, and now King Piccolo was sitting in between Piccolo Junior and Frikiza at the dinner table, unconscious, and gagged and tied to the chair with ki restraints.
"This food is delicious, Chichi." Frikiza smiled as she enjoyed her dinner.
"Thanks…" Chichi uttered, looking cautiously at the unconscious King Piccolo. "Are you sure he isn't dead?"
"Positive. He's still breathing." Piccolo Junior answered bluntly.
"Sorry Piccolo… I didn't mean to knock him out with one hit." Goku sweat dropped. "He's a lot weaker than I remember."
"Technically, you're a lot stronger." Piccolo Junior replied. "But it's fine. I didn't think it was a good idea to bring him here anyway." He shot a stern glance at Frikiza, and she just shrugged.
"Well… I figured if he'd be able to at least sit through dinner with you Goku, it would help him deal with his anger issues." Frikiza reasoned.
"Well… technically, he will sit through dinner… he just might not know about it." Goku laughed.
"Hmph! Well I hope he doesn't wake up." Chichi stated. "He's just like I remember him – too aggressive, too obnoxious and too loud. I can't believe I ever let him in my house."
"Aw come on Mom, give him a chance." Gohan replied. "You used to say that about Piccolo, and he turned out okay."
"Yeah, well… no offence Piccolo, but if you stopping coming over I wouldn't miss you that much." Chichi said.
"None taken, Chichi…" Piccolo Junior mumbled bitterly.
"Well… I think it's nice that he's trying to rehabilitate himself." Videl smiled, and looked over at Frikiza. "How did you two meet anyway?"
"Oh… through the program." Frikiza answered. "I'm a counsellor in hell – my job is to turn bad people good, and hopefully they can get moved to heaven – or revived, in some cases."
"So do you turn bad people good, like the ones my dad and brother have fought?" Goten questioned. "Like Cell and Frieza?"
"Well… I'd like to, but those two seem quite happy living together in hell." Frikiza answered. "A part of me doesn't want to ruin it for them – I actually think they're good for each other. If I tried to change them, it might ruin things between them… I don't want that."
"Uh… what?" Gohan uttered, looking at her in confusion. "So… are they a team now, or something?"
"Oh! Right – I guess you guys wouldn't know." Frikiza answered. "They're a couple."
"What!"
XXXXX
"Oh, great!" Frieza barked from in hell. "Thanks a lot, Frikiza! You totally just outed me!"
"No Frieza, she really didn't." Raditz said from beside his father.
"Yeah, everybody knew you were gay." Nappa nodded. Frieza looked at them.
"Really?" He uttered. "I thought I hid it pretty well."
"You don't hide anything well Frieza, we all knew you destroyed Planet Vegeta as well." Raditz growled.
"Well why didn't you guys say anything?" Frieza questioned.
"Because Vegeta said something and look what happened to him – you killed him!" Nappa protested.
"Yes, that's true…" Frieza admitted. "Well… Good for you boys for being smart."
"Thanks." Raditz and Nappa grinned.
"Hey." Cell looked at Frieza. "Maybe we should go check on the kids." He narrowed his eyes at Frieza, and spoke to him telepathically. "Before Frikiza reveals anything else about you in front of the saiyans?"
"Oh… Good thinking." Frieza replied. "Alright fine, let's go." He picked up the spy-screen and batted the three saiyans away, then he and Cell flew off towards Frieza's cave.
XXXXX
"Frieza… and Cell?" Goku choked. "Like… me and Chichi?"
"Yeah." Frikiza nodded. "Frieza's bisexual – you didn't know that?"
"What's bisexual?" Goten questioned.
"It's nothing, Sweetheart!" Chichi gasped, clasping her hands over Goten's ears. She glared at Frikiza. "Do you mind not talking about that when we're eating dinner!"
"Sorry…" Frikiza mumbled. "Wow, these people are kind of old-fashioned…" She looked at Goku and Chichi. "Well – if it helps, I don't think Frieza and Cell are that serious anyway. Zarbon's still involved."
"Zarbon!" Gohan choked. "You mean – the guy with the long hair?"
"Does that mean Frieza has two boyfriends?" Goten asked.
"Enough!" Chichi screamed across the table. "My son doesn't need to hear about that freak's personal life! Do I make myself clear!"
"Crystal clear…" Frikiza sighed.
"Yeah, Mom… Sorry." Gohan mumbled. He looked at Frikiza and grinned, changing the subject. "So – now that I think about it, you kind of look like Frieza's first form. Are you his sister or something?"
"Well… sort of." Frikiza answered. "I'm from an alternate universe where genders are inverted – actually, I'm Frieza."
"What!" Everyone cried out, staring at her with wide eyes.
"Let me get this straight – now I have King Piccolo and Frieza sitting at my table?" Chichi wailed.
"Wait – I'm not like him!" Frikiza insisted. "I mean – I used to be, a long time ago. I was in the Planet Trade Organisation too…" She lowered her eyes, her cheeks darkening slightly. "But, well… I realised it was wrong, and I wasn't happy with the life I was living… causing all that suffering and terror… it was horrible!" She looked up. "So now I'm different. I quit the Organisation, and released my slaves, and now I'm happy with my life." She smiled slightly. "That's why I started working as a counsellor in hell. I figured if I could change, then maybe I could help other people change too, and they could learn to become happy with their lives like I am."
"Aww… That's nice." Videl smiled.
"Yeah… Good for you, Girl-Frieza." Gohan beamed.
"This is insane." Piccolo Junior thought to himself.
At that moment King Piccolo started to stir.
"Uh-oh… He's waking up." Gohan uttered.
"Hold on Guys, leave this to me and Frikiza." Piccolo Junior ordered, keeping his eyes fixed on his father.
King Piccolo frowned slightly as his vision came into focus. Where was he…? He saw Goku and Chichi staring at him. They were sitting down, with food in front of them… What…? King Piccolo looked down and noticed that he was once again tied to a chair. Dammit… Those bastards!
"Hffffffff!" King Piccolo snarled through his gag, desperately trying to break out of his restraints. "Lff mf gg!"
"Piccolo, listen." Frikiza began. "I'm going to release you, but you have to behave. If you don't, you're going in the bottle. Understand?" She waited for a response, but King Piccolo simply glared at her as coldly and as angrily as he could. "Good." Frikiza smiled, and took away his ki restraints.
King Piccolo hissed at her, then turned to look at Goku. Goku… That little punk…
"You bastard!" King Piccolo roared.
"Hey!" Piccolo Junior barked. "What did she just say!"
"I don't care!" King Piccolo snarled, still glaring at Goku. "You killed me!"
"Well you deserved it!" Goku argued. "You sent one of your minions to kill my best friend!"
"What, that bald kid?" King Piccolo protested. "How can you hold that against me! Everyone's killed that guy!"
"That doesn't make it okay!" Goku barked.
"You wanna talk about okay? I was king of the world! You took that from me and then you murdered me, and that is not okay!" King Piccolo screamed.
"Yeah, right…" Goku mumbled. He let out a sigh, and closed his eyes for a moment. "… Listen." Goku opened his eyes and looked at King Piccolo sincerely. "That throne wasn't yours to begin with, so I'm not even going into that. … But I do owe you an apology. I'm sorry, King Piccolo."
King Piccolo flinched in shock, as did everyone else at the table. They all stared at Goku with wide eyes, unable to believe what they had just heard.
"Goku –" Piccolo Junior began.
"Piccolo." Goku looked at him sternly, and moved his eyes back to the demon king. "Listen – I'm not saying you didn't deserve to die. Honestly I think you got what was coming to you, after what you did – to Krillin, and countless others… but… back when you and I fought I was young, and I let my emotions get the better of me. I killed you because I was angry, and I didn't think you could change… but I never gave you the chance to try – and I didn't realise that until today, when I met Frikiza. Now she's here, it's made me realise – she's doing what I should have. She's putting faith in you, Piccolo. I should have given you the chance to become a better person, just like your son did, and I should have helped you like Frikiza's helping you now, but… I didn't. So… for that I'm sorry."
Everyone stared at Goku in awe, dumbstruck. After a long pause, Chichi finally managed to speak up.
"G-Goku…" She choked weakly. King Piccolo stared at Goku in shock. What was he supposed to say to that? That little punk Goku, his murderer – his children's murderer – had just apologised for killing him? What the hell!
"Tch." King Piccolo grunted. Whatever. He wasn't accepting that. Did Goku think they could just shake hands and become friends, like he had with Junior? Tch. No way! King Piccolo would never become friends with Goku. "You were a bratty kid." King Piccolo snarled. "And your children are brats too."
"Piccolo!" Frikiza scolded.
"Hey!" Piccolo Junior glared at him. "Goku just apologised to you, and you didn't at all deserve it! The least you can do is say something nice."
"I'm the Demon King Piccolo, I don't say nice things!" King Piccolo snapped.
"Then just shut up and eat!" Piccolo Junior ordered.
"Fine." King Piccolo pouted, and proceeded to shovel food into his mouth like a wild animal.
Goku and his family watched King Piccolo eat in amazement, wondering how he wasn't choking.
"Oh my God… He eats worse than you, Goku!" Chichi exclaimed, staring at King Piccolo in disgust.
"I thought nameks didn't eat…?" Videl mumbled.
"Yeah well apparently this one does." Piccolo Junior replied, his face darkening in embarrassment. "Father!" He glared at King Piccolo. "Do you have to eat like that? You're embarrassing me."
"Ohf!" King Piccolo spat, his cheeks bulging with food. He swallowed the contents of his mouth and glared at Piccolo Junior. "You're embarrassed? Now you know how I've felt since the day you were born! Do you have any idea how humiliating it is to create a son to avenge you, and not only does he not do it, but he befriends the person that killed you!"
"Oh, we're on this again…" Piccolo Junior sighed.
"Yeah! We are!" King Piccolo shoved another heap of food into his mouth and sneered at Piccolo Junior. "Sf tfrrr!"
"Chew your food!" Piccolo Junior barked. King Piccolo smirked, and swallowed.
"But son, if I chew my food, it might be on my tongue long enough to taste it." He said.
"Hey!" Chichi snapped. She stood up and slammed her hands down on the table. "What's that supposed to mean! Have you got something to say about my cooking?"
"No." King Piccolo replied. "There's nothing than can be said about this crap."
"How dare you!" Chichi roared.
"Oh no…" Piccolo Junior groaned, burying his face in his hands in embarrassment. "Goku, I'm sorry about my father…"
"It's okay… I'm sorry about my wife." Goku replied, watching as Chichi grabbed the demon king's antennae and dug her nails into them, causing King Piccolo to howl in pain.
King Piccolo smacked Chichi's hands off him and pulled his head away, glaring at her.
"You are dead –"
"No she's not. Sit down." Frikiza placed a firm hand on King Piccolo's shoulder, stopping him leaping up at Chichi.
"Why are you taking her side! You're supposed to be my supervisor!" King Piccolo argued.
"You started it." Frikiza shrugged. "If you get hurt, it's your own fault."
"Grrr…" King Piccolo growled, and forcefully shrugged Frikiza's hand off his shoulder. He shot her a fierce glare, then submitted into his food, eating in a calmer and more polite manner, albeit begrudgingly.
Gohan started to laugh.
"Wow, Piccolo! Your stepmom's got a stronger hold on your dad than mine has!" He grinned. King Piccolo and Frikiza froze on the spot, and Frikiza started to blush slightly while King Piccolo turned his head towards Gohan with a cold, hard stare.
"Stepmother…?" He repeated icily.
"Well – okay, you're not married." Gohan said. "But… she's still the closest thing Piccolo's had to a mom, isn't she?"
"Yeah, actually… when I met Frikiza I was kind of surprised." Goku nodded. "I never thought King Piccolo would have a girlfriend."
"Goku…" Piccolo Junior choked. "She's not…"
"If you ask me, Frikiza can do better." Chichi sniped. "Even if she is Frieza…"
"Um…" Frikiza uttered. "We're –"
"She's not by girlfriend!" King Piccolo boomed, and glared at Frikiza. "You didn't tell them that?"
"Well I never said we were a couple! I just said I was your counsellor!" Frikiza protested.
"Wait – you guys aren't a couple?" Videl blinked.
"No!" King Piccolo roared.
"Is that because Frikiza only likes girls?" Goten questioned. Chichi uttered a low growl, and glared at Frikiza.
"See what you've started!" She hissed.
"Sorry." Frikiza mumbled. She looked at Goten and smiled. "Well actually, I'm bisexual too –"
"Hey!" Chichi snapped, placing her hands over Goten's ears. "He doesn't need to know about your private life!"
Frikiza forced herself not to argue, and looked away.
"Well anyway – my relationship with Piccolo is strictly professional. I would never date him." She said.
"Well I don't blame you." Chichi said, taking her hands off Goten's ears. "I wouldn't want him either."
"Oh – no, it's nothing like that!" Frikiza gasped. "It's not that I don't think Piccolo is datable – actually he's just my type. I like bad guys. Boys are just so interesting when they have an edge to them." She blushed slightly and continued on, unaware of how tense King Piccolo was becoming and how violet his face was turning. "Honestly, when you get to know Piccolo he does have a sweet side to him, and I actually think he's kind of handsome… not to mention the fact that I think being tall and muscular is a good quality in a man. He has a lot going for him…"
Piccolo Junior sat in his seat, not daring to move a muscle, with absolutely no idea of where he should look. He didn't dare look at his father. He could feel the heat off the demon king's cheeks touching him as if he were on fire. It was… awkward. King Piccolo just sat there in silence, his body frozen and his face purple. He couldn't believe Frikiza was talking about him like that. Did she… did she like him?
XXXXX
"Yes!" As if in answer to his question King Piccolo's mutant sons leapt up into the air in a group hug and started cheering wildly as they watched the scene on their spy-screen.
"She likes him! She likes him!" Tambourine squealed.
"This is so great! We're gonna have a mom!" Cymbal cheered.
"Oh Boys, just imagine it! Imagine how wonderful our life will be if she marries him…" Piano beamed. "He'll be so relaxed – she'll help him with his anger, she'll make him talk to us nicer – she might even cook!"
"And she'll give us chocolate!" Drum grinned. "And we'll all live happily ever after, like Cinderella!"
"More like Beauty and the Beast!" Cymbal teased.
"Cymbal!" Piano scolded. "How can you say that about King Piccolo!"
"Yeah, but it's true." Tambourine giggled. Piano hesitated, then smirked a little.
"Alright, maybe it is…" He admitted, and then a wide grin swept across his face. "And we'll all be restored to our former happiness when he inevitably falls in love with her as well!"
"Yeah!" His mutant siblings cheered, and they all continued celebrating.
XXXXX
Meanwhile on Earth, Frikiza's face turned purple and her eyes widened when she realised what she had just said.
"Oh – but I can't date Piccolo! I'm his counsellor, I'd get fired if we dated!" She protested. "And plus – I'm just saying, he has a lot of good qualities – for somebody else! I – I'm not attracted to him, not in that way… I'm just saying, somebody else might be – and they'd be lucky – but… that's not me." She looked at King Piccolo nervously. "I… I don't want to date you."
"Is she sure about that?" Videl whispered to Gohan.
"It doesn't look like it." He whispered back. "And I don't think it's only one-way…"
"I know, right? They have kind of an aura." Videl agreed.
King Piccolo's namekian hearing picked up every word, and he began shaking with rage.
"Listen!" He screamed at Gohan and Videl. "That 'aura' is anger – because I hate Frikiza and I hate this stupid rehabilitation program and I hate being told what to do by a girl version of Frieza! Do you understand? I am the Demon King Piccolo, and I do not answer to anybody, and especially not to a cute little lizard girl!"
"What kind of lizard girl?" Goku smirked.
"I meant that as an insult!" King Piccolo roared.
"Sure you did." Chichi smirked, folding her arms. "Well, isn't this something? This is the last thing I expected to see today."
"Shut up, or I will tear this house apart!" King Piccolo snarled.
"Okay! Violent threats, let's get back to those." Piccolo Junior nodded, grateful for the opportunity to take the subject away from his father and Frikiza. The whole idea of King Piccolo having a girlfriend made Junior so uncomfortable…
"We'll do no such thing!" King Piccolo barked. "I'm not listening to you either, Junior!"
"What!" Piccolo Junior gasped. "But – you started it –"
"Hey." King Piccolo turned his gaze to Frikiza. "You booked another hotel for tonight, right?" He demanded.
"Yeah, right!" Frikiza frowned. "There is no way I am even going to attempt to take you into another hotel, it's a miracle the owner of that one didn't kick you out already! I'm never going to find another person as patient as her – I rebooked that place for tonight."
"What!" King Piccolo cried. "But – you got a twin room, right?"
"They still didn't have any left." Frikiza answered. "But it's okay – you can take the bed, I'll have the chair."
"What room are you in now?" Goku questioned.
"Oh… well… there was a mix-up at the hotel…" Frikiza replied, blushing. "So, they had to put us in –"
"In none of your business, that's where!" King Piccolo snarled at Goku. "Frikiza! I did the stupid dinner, now let me leave before I take the roof off this place and kill the kid!"
"You're not strong enough to do that, Mister." Goten replied honestly. King Piccolo's eyes burned with rage as he stared at Goten.
"You little –"
"I think it is time we went." Frikiza nodded, grabbing hold of King Piccolo's cape. She looked at Chichi. "Thank for your dinner Chichi, it was lovely."
"You're welcome…" Chichi uttered, and stared at King Piccolo in amazement. What the hell did Frikiza see in that monster?
XXXXX
After dinner was over, Frikiza and King Piccolo had a long and awkward flight back to their hotel. They'd said goodbye to Piccolo Junior at the Son house, and he'd gone in the opposite direction to them, towards the wilderness while they headed for the city… in silence. They daren't speak to one another, still thinking over the topic of conversation. Frikiza glanced at King Piccolo every so often, trying to initiate a conversation, but she decided against it every time. She had something to say to him, but it was best to wait until they were in the hotel. In case he flipped again.
King Piccolo's cheeks were still slightly violet. He kept thinking about what she'd said at dinner. He didn't get it… Did she like him? No… Why would she? He'd been nothing but horrible to her. Then again, she'd just admitted she was into that. Was that why she'd been blushing so much around him? Because she thought he was… attractive…? No! No way. King Piccolo scolded himself. Of course she didn't like him – she already said she didn't! And even if she did, so what? He didn't like her. Frikiza could like him as much as she wanted, nothing was ever going to happen between them. She would die sad and alone, and liking someone that didn't like her back. Ha! Take that, Frikiza!
They finally reached their destination. King Piccolo followed Frikiza into their hotel room, and met her eyes when she finally turned to speak to him.
"Do you want the bed?" Frikiza asked.
"Hm? Oh… No, it's fine." King Piccolo smirked. "You take it. Your body is weaker than mine."
"Thanks, how thoughtful." Frikiza hissed sarcastically, causing King Piccolo's smirk to widen. How he loved upsetting her. "But we both know that isn't true, don't we?" Frikiza said, and immediately wiped the smirk off King Piccolo's face.
"Shut up." He growled. Frikiza smiled a little and sat down on the bed, looking at him.
"Hey." She said. "… You did good today. You managed to have dinner and behave."
"No I didn't!" King Piccolo argued. "I threatened them!"
"Well… not as much as I expected." Frikiza replied. "But… you could have accepted Goku's apology."
"Tch! He didn't mean it." King Piccolo snorted. "He only said that to make himself look better than you – that guy has a hero complex."
"You think so too, huh?" Frikiza smirked. King Piccolo paused, taken aback. Did she… agree with him?
"… And he didn't apologise enough." King Piccolo growled. "He didn't just kill me. He killed my children – and he let his friend eat Cymbal's body! He should apologise for that as well!"
Frikiza looked at him, and her face seemed to soften slightly. What the hell…? Why was she looking at him like that?
"I knew I was right about you." Frikiza smiled. "You do have a sweet side."
"What? No I don't!" King Piccolo barked defensively. "What the hell are you talking about!" Stupid girl. She didn't have a clue. She was delusional!
"Well… you can prove me wrong," Frikiza began, pulling a capsule out of her armour. "But if you do, then you can't have this."
"And what's that?" King Piccolo demanded. Frikiza tossed the capsule, causing it to spit out a bracelet. She picked it up and approached King Piccolo, then snapped it on around his wrist.
"Your tag." Frikiza answered. "I was going to give it you, depending on how today went… I'm not going to seal the door tonight. You're free to come and go as you please, whenever you want." Frikiza explained.
"What…?" King Piccolo choked. Was she serious…? One lousy dinner and suddenly she was letting him loose? Wow… This was brilliant! Oh how he loved her stupidity. She was so blissfully trusting and naïve, how wonderful!
"Don't celebrate too much. It paralyses you after so many feet." Frikiza said. "You won't be able to leave the hotel." … fuck. Why was there always a catch!
"So what's the point of it?" King Piccolo growled. "I might as well stay in here!"
"Well… If you want you can go to the bar, or the gym." Frikiza shrugged. "This is a nice hotel, you know. There's lots you can do."
"Nothing that I want to do." King Piccolo spat.
"Well, the offer's there. I'm not going to force you to use it." Frikiza pouted. "I'm going to get changed."
"You mean you aren't going to spend all night in the bath?" King Piccolo sniped.
"Shut up." Frikiza hissed, and went into the bathroom.
King Piccolo slumped down onto his chair and tapped his claws against the armrest in annoyance. Stupid bitch. He glared down at the bracelet. What was the point in this piece of crap? Why would he want to wander around the hotel? He wasn't a lost child! And that Junior… How could he be friends with those people? And how could Goku's wife have such a loud mouth on her? And how could Goku act all high and mighty when he'd killed King Piccolo and his entire family? They were bastards. All of them. King Piccolo clenched his fists, his claws scratching deep grooves into the wooden armrests. If only he was stronger… Once he gathered the dragonballs he would kill them all! "Ready. Bathroom's all yours." Frikiza's annoying voice one again broke King Piccolo from his thoughts. "I'm going to bed – do you mind if we turn the light off?"
King Piccolo looked up, and his face darkened slightly when he noticed Frikiza was once again in her nightwear. Why did she wear that…? Really, why?
"… Sure." King Piccolo uttered. "Turn it off." Gladly. He would gladly turn out the lights. Anything to not look at… that. King Piccolo swallowed and licked his lips, noticing that his mouth was suddenly dry. Dammit… Dammit! "Stop it!" He scolded himself.
"Thanks." Frikiza smiled. "Goodnight."
"Night." King Piccolo grunted, and Frikiza flicked the light switch, turning the room into darkness.
Author's Note:-
Okay, so I must apologise for two things:
1. for the update gap, because I wanted to write this chapter so much more quickly, but I've been so sick lately… I think that is such a lame excuse, but I couldn't get my head into writing at all :( Please forgive me!
2. for the long chapter… I was going to add another scene at the end as well, but I decided to leave it until next time because I think this chapter's already quite long. Sorry! But it just seemed to go this way. I hope it was worth it though, please R&R and I'll put the next chapter up ASAP! And I'm looking forward to writing the next scene haha :p