Author's Note:-
First of all Merry Christmas everybody! I hope you all had a good time!
I'm so sorry this chapter was late, I was so busy over Christmas I didn't have time to get this ready for Monday, but I hope it was worth the wait :) This chapter is a little on the long side as there's a lot going on, but there were a few scenes I've thought of as I've been writing this fic and I didn't want to miss them out, so forgive me for the length!
As always please review, and I wish you all a Happy New Year!
"Humm mmm mmm mmm…" Piano cheerfully hummed to himself as he dusted away the cobwebs in King Piccolo's cave. That was the problem with Hell, it was such a filthy place to live. No amount of cleaning seemed to make the nameks' cave any more pleasant… But, as luck would have it, a certain someone had been making the cave a very pleasant place to live recently.
"I'm back!" Drum called as he entered the cave, grabbing Piano's attention. Piano glanced over at Drum, and frowned a little when he saw two spy-screens in Drum's arms. That wasn't right… Drum had been to buy more screens from Frieza, but Piano knew they had enough chocolate to buy more than that!
"Only two?" Piano questioned.
"Yeah – and for ten bars! Frieza wants five bars each now!" Drum growled. "And I swear it all goes to those little brats – they don't deserve chocolate!"
"But still… we had fifteen bars." Piano stated. "So why have you only bought two screens?"
"King Piccolo said he only wanted two." Drum shrugged.
"So what are we supposed to do with the other five bars?" Piano asked.
"Oh – King Piccolo said we can keep them." Drum answered, a wide grin spreading across his face.
"What!" Piano gasped. "All – all five?"
"Yep!" Drum beamed. "So we can have a whole bar each – and they're different flavours! King Piccolo said to give the plain stuff to Frieza."
"My…" Piano uttered.
This was wonderful! King Piccolo was so generous these days. He had 'not' been in a relationship with Frikiza for just over a month now, and little by little he had become more tolerable. At first he'd started out by letting his four mutant sons share a bar of chocolate between them. It was always an unpopular flavour, one that Frieza would be reluctant to accept anyway… Then King Piccolo had allowed the mutants to upgrade to the odd half of milk chocolate between them every one in a while, then a whole bar… and now this. They could have a bar each! Oh, this was wonderful! Piano couldn't believe how much the demon king had transformed! It wasn't just his new generosity – he was so much calmer these days. He was far less angry and much more at peace with himself… and he didn't seem to be quite so obsessed with watching Junior every second of the day. Well… Then again, he didn't have time to. Frikiza kept King Piccolo busy, to say the least… It was almost sickening; they were so loud!
"I know, right?" Drum grinned excitedly. "But listen – the butterscotch one is mine! Make sure nobody takes it!"
"Of course." Piano smiled. "Well – now that you're back you can give me a hand. Grab a mop, would you?"
"Tch." Drum snorted. "What's the point? The floor's never clean anyway."
"Yes, but… You remember what they said in class. 'Cleaning one's environment is the first step to cleaning one's mind'." Piano recited from his rehabilitation classes. "Frikiza will be impressed if you do it."
"Oh – you think so?" Drum uttered, perking up. "Okay! I'll grab a mop!" And he raced out of the room.
"Get Cymbal as well! Tell him to come and help me scrub the walls!" Piano called after him, and then chuckled a little. At least he wasn't the only one who was grateful for Frikiza's presence. Drum seemed to do whatever it took to please Frikiza, just to make her stay.
Piano continued with his dusting, until he was interrupted yet again.
"Hey." Tambourine's voice came from somewhere nearby, and Piano noticed Tambourine entering the room out of the corner of his eye. He was carrying a pile of laundry – bed sheets, to be precise. Frikiza had been so impressed with the mutants' efforts at their rehabilitation classes that she'd given them all a futon to sleep on, instead of the cold hard surface of the cave floor. It had done wonders for the mutants' sleep quality, and Piano was particularly grateful that his usual morning backache had started to become a thing of the past. Oh, what a blessing Frikiza was… He wished she never had to leave! Her contract in this universe was up in three weeks, but Frikiza had agreed with King Yemma that if she stayed in her own universe for a month, she could return here for another three-month period. Piano dreaded what life would be like without her. One month was a long time in King Piccolo's cave… Piano sincerely hoped King Piccolo didn't return to his old ways in Frikiza's absence. Still… once Frikiza came back, she would no doubt soften him again. She had such a calming way about her… "I'm going to wash these in the Blood Pond." Tambourine said.
"Oh, don't wash King Piccolo's. Frikiza doesn't like the smell of blood." Piano instructed.
"Yeah I know – I don't understand, it's a beautiful smell." Tambourine frowned.
"Mm. Well… She had to have one fault, I suppose." Piano agreed, and continued with his dusting while Tambourine left the cave. "Humm mmm mmm…"
XXXXX
"It means no worries, for the rest of your days!" Drum sang loudly and out of tune as he mopped the floor.
"It's our problem free…" Piano and Cymbal joined in, both out of tune and singing at different notes as they scrubbed the walls. "Philosophy…"
"Hakuna matata!" All three mutants finished off.
"Haha! I think you guys need singing lessons." Cymbal sniggered. "You were awful."
"Hmph! I never heard a single right note coming from you, Cymbal." Piano frowned. "Anyway… it's a silly thing to do."
"I bet Frikiza can sing good." Drum said. "Do you think she'd teach us?"
"I… I wouldn't like to ask." Piano replied, his cheeks darkening slightly in embarrassment.
"Hey, guys." Cymbal began, a mischievous smirk forming on his lips. "Who does this song remind you of?" He cleared his throat and grabbed his tail, before singing in a high-pitched feminine voice, "There's something sweet, and almost kind…"
"Oh, Cymbal!" Piano gasped. Was he trying to imitate Frikiza? How disgusting! It was an insult – to both Frikiza and King Piccolo! Piano was appalled. … Still. He couldn't hide a smirk.
"But he was mean and he was coarse and unrefined…" Cymbal continued and batted his eyelashes, causing Piano and Drum to laugh. "But now he's dear, and so unsure... I wonder why I didn't see it there before."
"Alright." Piano said sternly, forcing himself to stop laughing. "That's enough –"
"She glanced this way, I thought I saw!" Drum sang loudly in a deep, masculine voice, with his fingers pointed up on his head to represent antennae. Cymbal laughed and grabbed hold of Drum to dance with him as he sang, "And when we touched she didn't shudder at my claws…"
"Oh, stop it." Piano giggled, and started laughing again as he watched his siblings dancing together. His laughter was short-lived however when a familiar figure caught his gaze at the cave's entrance. Piano's eyes widened in horror and he choked, "Guys… stop…"
"No it can't be, I'll just ignore!" Drum continued to sing, oblivious to the new arrival. "But then she's never looked at me that way be – … be…" And he and Cymbal stopped dead in their tracks, their eyes widening when they saw King Piccolo standing before them, accompanied by Frikiza.
The mutants swallowed nervously, and smiled at their master.
"Uh… Hi, King Piccolo. Frikiza." Drum uttered. "We… we were just…"
"We were just… practising singing." Cymbal said.
"Yeah." Drum nodded. "Uh…" He stared up at King Piccolo, who was glaring down at him with cold, fierce eyes. Even if he had mellowed out recently, King Piccolo still knew how to look scary! "What… What did you think?"
King Piccolo continued to glare down at his mutant children, then his lips formed into a cruel, evil smirk.
"Oh, no…" Piano whispered, and he closed his eyes in fear of what was about to come.
XXXXX
Meanwhile, at Hell's Bloody Pond, Tambourine gathered the cleaned laundry into his arms and was just about to head back to King Piccolo's cave when an unfamiliar voice called to him,
"Excuse me!" Tambourine looked up, and his jaw almost dropped.
"Wow…" He gasped to himself.
He must be dreaming. Approaching him were three people, none of whom he recognised. One was an icejin male, and the other two were alien women, one shorter with pink skin and a bigger frame, and one… one goddess! She was beautiful… Tambourine felt his own breath catch in his throat. He wanted to speak but he couldn't! She was… enchanting. Who was she…?
The three strangers stopped before Tambourine, and the mysterious woman smiled at him.
"Hi." She said in what was almost a purr, and looked at him in a familiar sort of way, like she knew him. She didn't know him, though. Tambourine would remember if he'd ever met her before!
"H…" He choked, trying to speak as he stared at the woman. She was taller than the pink girl and much slimmer. She had pale green skin and long, loose, dark green hair that glistened all the way down her back. Her lips shimmered with some kind of lipstick, and her eyes… Tambourine almost fainted. She had the most beautiful golden eyes… Who was she?
"What, are you a mute?" The woman uttered, frowning at him.
"Uh – n-no!" Tambourine stammered, suddenly finding his voice. "Uh – no, ma'am! How can I help you?" Hm… That was weird. Now that he noticed, the energy of these people seemed different. Were they alive…? Yeah – they were alive! What the hell were three living people doing down here?
"We're looking for a girl named Frikiza." The woman replied. "Do you know her? She's part of his race." And she pointed at the icejin man.
"Oh – yeah, I know Frikiza." Tambourine nodded. "She's my father's girlf- - uh…" He suddenly stopped to change his words. King Piccolo would erase Tambourine's existence if he heard Tambourine calling Frikiza his girlfriend! "She's uh… she's his friend." Tambourine said.
"Oh, really?" The woman replied with a smirk. "Well… I'd hate to be a bother, but would you mind taking us to her?"
"Oh – no bother." Tambourine grinned. "They had a class, but they'll probably go to King Piccolo's cave afterwards. Right this way." He turned and flew off, looking over his shoulder to make sure the three living beings were following him. Who were these people? What did they want with Frikiza? And who was this woman…? Tambourine looked ahead and held the laundry against him, trying his best not to look back at her. He suddenly found it hard to keep himself in the sky…
XXXXX
"Honestly King Piccolo, we weren't mocking you!" Piano wailed, holding his hands up defensively as the demon king raised his arm above him. "We – we just like that song!"
"Oh, really?" King Piccolo snarled. "So why have I never heard you sing it before?"
"Well, uh…" Piano whimpered, struggling to think of something to say.
"King Piccolo," Cymbal uttered, rubbing his head where the demon king had just punched him. "We never felt like singing before."
"Yeah – we never felt this happy before." Drum said.
"Really?" Frikiza smiled. "Are the classes really helping that much?"
"Yeah, a little…" Drum nodded, and blushed slightly. "But… it's mostly you, Frikiza. You've really made a difference to King Pic - - uh…" His face darkened and his body stiffened as he felt the glares of Piano and Cymbal burning into him. "Uh…" He glanced at King Piccolo, and then looked at Frikiza. "I mean… to us. Just us four. I don't think you've managed to change King Piccolo at all – has she, Sire?"
King Piccolo stared down at Drum with an angry glare, then snorted.
"No." He hissed sternly. "That's right."
"Well… that's a shame. He was my target." Frikiza giggled, and went to sit down.
"Tch. Then you have terrible aim." King Piccolo retorted, and took a seat in his throne. "Anyway, where's Tambourine?"
"Oh – he went to wash the bed sheets in Bloody Pond, Sire." Piano answered.
"Bloody Pond?" Frikiza gagged. "Again?"
"Yes – but don't worry, he hasn't taken King Piccolo's." Piano replied.
"Good." Frikiza frowned. "I'm going to buy you guys a washer – that blood smell is disgusting! I don't know how you guys can sleep with it."
"I like it." King Piccolo stated. He glanced at her and smirked, then spoke to her telepathically, "You don't mind when it's our blood."
"That's different…" Frikiza replied, blushing.
Cymbal frowned slightly, watching as King Piccolo and Frikiza exchanged glances. He was smirking, and she was blushing… Cymbal sighed inwardly. Were they flirting again? Why didn't they just become a real couple already? This 'just sex' thing was so complicated…
"King Piccolo!"
King Piccolo, Frikiza and the mutants all looked up to see Tambourine standing in the entrance to King Piccolo's cave. "Uh – there are two women here to see Frikiza. Should I let them in?"
"Two women?" Frikiza blinked. "What do they look like?"
"Well… one's fat." Tambourine answered. "And the other one, uh…" His cheeks darkened, and he lowered his eyes. "She's… she's…"
"Beautiful." A female voice came from behind him, and the two women pushed past Tambourine.
"Hey!" Tambourine cried, his eyes widening. "You can't come in here without permission! I told you to wait outside!"
"And I told you I'm not very patient." The taller, green woman answered, and smirked. "But you'll forgive me, right?"
"Uh…" Tambourine choked, his cheeks growing even darker as she gazed at him. "It's… it's not up to me…"
King Piccolo grunted, and studied the women. Who the hell were these people? How dare they barge into his cave like that! Of course they would know Frikiza – they were just like her, they had no manners! But… they had an energy about them. They were alive… What would two living beings be doing down here…? … Oh, fuck. King Piccolo sighed angrily. More counsellors. That was all he needed. Well he wasn't switching! Frikiza was his counsellor and he was sticking with her! Although… King Piccolo travelled his eyes down the green woman, and smirked. Well, maybe she could be his counsellor… as long as she was willing to provide the same service as Frikiza. How many forms did this enchanting creature have?
"Guys!" Frikiza cried out, and raced over to the women. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm sorry." The pink woman began. "I know you told us not to come, but –"
"So, this is the home of the legendary King Piccolo, is it?" The green woman purred, looking round. "It's not very homely. How do you stand it here?"
"What!" Cymbal cried. "We just cleaned this whole place!"
"Yes, you won't find it any more homely than this!" Piano frowned.
"Oh… you're making me feel sorry for you." The woman smirked. "So," She looked at Piano. "Who might you be?"
"Oh – right." Frikiza looked across King Piccolo and the mutants. "Guys – these are my friends Zarba and Doria. They're from my universe."
"Zarba and Doria?" Drum uttered.
"As in… Zarbon and Dodoria?" Piano choked, his eyes widening as he suddenly realised how much the women looked like Frieza's companions.
"Yes, that's right." Frikiza nodded.
What? King Piccolo slammed his hand over his mouth and gagged, trying his best not to throw up. Ugh… so that woman was Zarbon? Disgusting! How could this be? The universe was mocking him! "Piccolo… are you okay?" Frikiza questioned, looking at him with concern.
"Mm-hm!" King Piccolo grunted, and looked at Zarba again. How the hell was she so beautiful…? Really, she was a vision. … Gross!
"Whatever, I didn't like her anyway." He thought angrily to himself. Tch. She may be pretty, but she wouldn't be as much fun as Frikiza. Actually, it was lucky that she was Zarbon – because now he wouldn't be tempted by her, and so he wouldn't be disappointed when she turned out to be nothing more than good looks. … Incredibly good looks…
"Okay…" Frikiza mumbled. "Well – girls, this is King Piccolo, Piano, Cymbal, Drum and – I guess you know Tambourine?"
"Well, he never told us his name." Zarba replied, and smirked at Tambourine. "Nice to meet you. I guess you're the cute one?"
"Uh…" Tambourine stared at her with wide eyes and purple cheeks, trying to process who she was. Zarbon…? This was Zarbon…? … Whatever. It didn't matter – Frikiza was Frieza, and she was still much better than him! This girl – Zarba – she was… she was… wait. "C-Cute?" Tambourine repeated, his body suddenly freezing. She thought he was cute…?
"Hmm…"
Zarba seemed to lose interest in Tambourine and approached King Piccolo, studying him. "So, Frikiza." She uttered. "This is your incubus?"
"What!" The mutants all cried out, their eyes almost popping out of their heads.
"Incubus!" King Piccolo roared, glaring down at her. "How dare you –"
"Well, you are a demon, aren't you?" Zarba shrugged. "And you are fucking Frikiza?"
"Zarba!" Frikiza shrieked, her face turning violet with embarrassment. "Shut up!" She looked at King Piccolo, horrified. "Piccolo – ignore her! She's just kidding –"
"Hmm… well you're right, he is tall." Zarba continued, seemingly oblivious to everyone else as she examined King Piccolo. King Piccolo flinched slightly as Zarba started to run her nail up his arm. "And he's certainly muscular… but I wouldn't call him 'handsome', Friki. He's hardly an improvement on your last fling." She looked over at Frikiza and smirked playfully.
"Huh?" Cymbal uttered, and gasped as a thought entered his mind. He leaned over to Drum and whispered into his ear, "Hey… If Frieza and Zarbon are a couple, do you think Frikiza and Zarba were… you know?"
"Oh…" Drum gasped. "I… I don't know. I mean… does she…?"
King Piccolo overheard their whispers and shot a deadly glare at Cymbal and Drum, silencing them immediately. Why the hell were they even thinking of that? King Piccolo did not need to picture Frikiza with anyone, let alone this – … King Piccolo looked down at Zarba, and his jaw dropped slightly. This… woman. Frikiza and… this woman…? … Wow. What an image… Frikiza would certainly be the dominant one. Maybe Zarba wouldn't be much fun on her own, but with Frikiza… Ooo. A chill ran down King Piccolo's spine. Well… They'd obviously broken up, but it did seem like Frikiza and this woman were still friends. Maybe they'd be willing to –
"Zarba, don't be so rude!" Frikiza scolded. "He isn't ugly."
"Well, your standards must be lower than mine." Zarba replied, and King Piccolo glared at her.
"What is that supposed to mean, Zarbon?" He hissed.
"Calling me 'Zarbon' is hardly an insult – he's the most beautiful thing in this universe." Zarba smirked. "And… don't worry. From what I've heard, you could have the most handsome face in world, and it still wouldn't be your best feature, Incubus." She winked, causing King Piccolo and Frikiza to both turn bright purple.
"Zarba! Shut up!" Frikiza squealed in embarrassment. "What the hell are you guys doing here anyway! You're supposed to be at home with Glazio and Kuria!"
"Frikiza… That's what we came to talk to you about." Doria said.
Frikiza looked at her, a look of panic sweeping across her face.
"What happened?" She demanded.
"It's… it's your mother and sister." Doria replied. "They found the planet."
"What!" Frikiza screamed. "How!"
"We're still trying to find out." Zarba answered, and made her way back over to Frikiza. "But don't worry – we got Glazio out."
"Just Glazio!" Frikiza cried. "What about Kuria!"
"Well – that's the thing…" Doria mumbled. "They uh… they told Kuria that if she joined them, they'd let her live."
"… And…?" Frikiza uttered quietly, her eyes glistening.
"Frikiza…" Zarba spoke softly. "She joined them."
"… Oh." Frikiza choked. "… Okay."
King Piccolo's ki suddenly flared up. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth so hard it made his jaw hurt. He couldn't believe this… What a treacherous little bitch! King Piccolo knew about Kuria – Frikiza had told him about her not long after they'd started sleeping together. She was Frikiza's daughter – her only child. She was the daughter of that loser Glazio, and she lived in hiding on a secret planet with her father, guarded by… well. These two women, apparently – and apparently not very well. Frikiza said her family didn't know about this planet… how had it been found? And how had – was King Piccolo understanding this correctly? Had Frikiza's child willingly betrayed her own mother? The traitor!
"Frikiza!" King Piccolo roared. "What do you mean, 'okay'? Your daughter has betrayed you!"
"Piccolo…" Frikiza growled. "Leave it."
"No!" King Piccolo barked, standing up. "So what does this mean? She has agreed to kill you? How can you tolerate that!"
"What choice did she have!" Frikiza yelled. "They were going to kill her!"
"So let them!" King Piccolo snarled. "If she can betray you it's all she deserves!"
"What the hell are you talking about!" Frikiza hissed. "Are you saying you'd rather watch your child die than take her only chance for survival?"
"Yes!" King Piccolo cried. "That's exactly what I'm saying!"
"You're full of crap." Frikiza spat. "You don't believe that. If Junior had to kill you or he'd be killed himself, you would want him to save his own life!"
"No I wouldn't!" King Piccolo argued. "I'd kill him as soon as he tried to come near me."
"Whatever. I don't believe you." Frikiza pouted.
"Why wouldn't you believe me? Junior and I don't have a good relationship, Frikiza!" King Piccolo snarled.
"Maybe, but he's still your - -" Frikiza stopped, and suddenly gasped. "Glazio!" She looked at Zarba and Doria frantically. "Where is he? Is he okay?"
"He's fine – he's outside." Zarba answered. "We told him to wait…" She smirked a little, and glanced at King Piccolo. "Just in case your new boyfriend got jealous."
"I'm not her boyfriend!" King Piccolo yelled, and glared at Frikiza. "Frikiza, did you tell them that –"
"I told them we aren't a couple!" Frikiza snapped.
"It's true, she did." Doria nodded.
"Oh… my mistake." Zarba said. "I must have gotten confused, because you're so obviously worried about Frikiza."
"I am not worried about her." King Piccolo snarled, his ki rising even more as his anger grew. "Let her get killed by her daughter, I don't care!"
"Oh, good." Zarba smirked, and put her arm around Frikiza. "So you won't mind if my ex-girlfriend has a private, intimate word with her ex-husband, who still cares for her very deeply?"
"Be my guest." King Piccolo seethed, his vision turning black with anger. Oh, this woman really knew how to push his buttons. And he thought Frikiza was bad! No wonder they broke up.
"Glazio…" Frikiza gasped, staring out of the cave at the icejin man who was hovering in the distance. "… Excuse me," She uttered, turning to the others. "I won't be long." She flew out of the cave before any of them could reply.
XXXXX
Meanwhile, over at Frieza's cave Cell was standing at the cave's entrance, staring at an icejin man in the distance, who was now being approached by Frikiza. He raised his eyebrow in surprise when the two embraced, and started speaking. Cell tried to lip-read, but they were speaking in their native language, which Cell had never tried to learn despite Frieza offering to teach him. He was regretting it now.
"Frieza!" Cell called. "Who's this guy?"
"What guy?" Frieza's voice came from somewhere in the cave.
"Frikiza's boyfriend by the looks of it." Cell growled. "An icejin."
"You mean her husband?"
"She has a husband?" Cell blinked.
"Of course." Frieza's voice came closer as he joined Cell outside the cave, accompanied by Zarbon and Dodoria. Frieza followed Cell's eyes to see Frikiza and the icejin man in the distance. "… It must be her husband." Frieza stated. "He looks like Glacia."
"Glacia?" Cell repeated questionably.
"My wife – I told you about her." Frieza replied. "Kuriza's mother."
"Oh, right…" Cell mumbled, vaguely recalling a conversation he'd had with Frieza some time ago. He stared at the icejin man, eyeing up his frame. "Hm." Cell grunted. "He's pretty hot, Frieza."
"So is Glacia." Frieza replied.
"Huh…" Cell uttered, seemingly surprised. What the hell?
Frieza turned to Cell, and glared at him.
"Hey!" He barked. "Why do you seem so surprised, Cell? Is it such a bizarre concept that I would marry the most beautiful woman my species has to offer?"
"Sorry." Cell smirked, amused at Frieza's anger. "I just… never pictured you wife as being all that."
"Why not!" Frieza demanded. "I am the wealthiest, most powerful man on my planet, so don't you think I would deserve only the best woman?"
"Well… you're from the wealthiest family…" Cell grinned.
"Shut up!" Frieza screamed, and slapped his tail into Cell's face as hard as he possibly could. "Don't insult me!"
"Sorry." Cell giggled and calmly rubbed his cheek, which seemed to enrage Frieza more as the icejin realised he hadn't done much damage.
"Hmph!" Frieza pouted. He folded his arms and looked away stubbornly. "Well, her looks are her only redeeming feature – so if I were you I'd stop eyeing up Frikiza's husband, because if he's anything like Glacia I can guarantee he's a weakling, a nag and a bore."
"He certainly doesn't look all that powerful." Zarbon nodded, scanning his eyes over Glazio's frame. He let out a sigh. "What a pity. I like my icejins handsome and strong."
"So what are you doing with Frieza?" Cell sniped, causing Frieza to almost screech as he turned to glare at Cell.
"I'm warning you!" Frieza snarled. Cell simply chuckled, and continued watching Frikiza and Glazio.
"Well… she seems to like him more than you like your wife, Dear." Cell said. Frieza watched as Frikiza and Glazio hugged, and he snorted.
"Well, she's a nag and a bore herself isn't he?" He spat. "They're made for each other."
"Yeah, but King Piccolo doesn't look too happy about it." Dodoria smirked, staring over at King Piccolo's cave.
Frieza, Cell and Zarbon all followed his eyes to see King Piccolo standing in the entrance of his cave, watching Frikiza and Glazio. He looked furious!
"Oh my God, he's jealous." Zarbon smirked. "So much for 'just fucking'."
"Aww, do you think he likes her?" Dodoria smiled.
"Oh shut up Dodoria, of course he doesn't." Frieza scolded.
"If he does, I sacrificed my chances with Frikiza for nothing!" Cell growled.
"Poor you." Frieza retorted.
"Yeah, poor m – … Oh my God." Cell gasped. "Frieza, who is that?"
Frieza followed Cell's gaze and saw Zarba and Doria standing outside King Piccolo's cave, also watching Frikiza and Glazio.
"Oh, you mean the drop dead gorgeous one?" Zarbon smirked arrogantly. "That would be me, thank you – and Cell, it's rude to stare."
"That's… that's you?" Cell choked. "But she's – she's beautiful!"
"Yes, I know!" Zarbon snapped, glaring at Cell. "Why the hell are you surprised? Of course she's beautiful, she's me you moron!"
"Yeah… yeah but…" Cell uttered, too preoccupied with staring in admiration at Zarba to form a sentence. "She…" He moved his eyes to Doria, and suddenly burst out laughing. "Oh – so who's the fat ugly one? Is that you, Dodoria?"
"Hey!" Dodoria barked, his fists clenching in anger as Cell, Frieza and Zarbon all started laughing. "What the hell are you laughing at? She's not ugly!"
"Oh who are you kidding Dodoria? She's even more hideous than you." Zarbon exclaimed.
"No she isn't!" Dodoria yelled. "She's beautiful – and for your information being big is sexy on my planet, so me and Doria are hot!"
"Oh really?" Cell laughed. "Well remind me never to go looking for a girl on your planet!"
"Don't worry about it Cell, his planet doesn't exist anymore." Frieza smirked. "And now I'm starting to wish I'd had the opportunity to destroy it myself."
"Oh really?" Cell sniggered, looking at him. "So who did it?"
"Oh, I don't remember…" Frieza mumbled. "It was before I met him – Dodoria, who did you say it was that destroyed your planet?"
"I can't remember." Dodoria muttered angrily. "That was just some crap I made up for you."
"What?"
Frieza stared at Dodoria in disbelief, his eyes widening. "No, but… You said –"
"Lord Frieza – you met me on a planet I'd just conquered, right?" Dodoria growled. "Remember? The one you stole from me and then sold, and you kept all the profit for yourself? I didn't conquer that planet for me, I conquered it for my family!"
"That's a lie!" Frieza argued. "You told me your home planet was destroyed, and that your family were dead!"
"They weren't dead, they were waiting for me at home!" Dodoria yelled. "And my planet wasn't destroyed – I only told you that because I didn't want you to enslave my family the way you enslaved me!"
"Wh-What!" Frieza gasped.
"Oh my God…" Zarbon uttered, his eyes slowly widening. "Oh, Dodoria…"
Zarbon's entire body went stiff as he stared at Frieza, terrified of what he would do. He looked angry… He was at his highest level of anger! Frieza was standing perfectly still, his ki steadily rising, his tail slowly waving behind him, his teeth gritted… but he was calm. He was so terrifyingly calm… until Cell burst out laughing. Zarbon closed his eyes in despair, and listened as an almighty scream erupted from Frieza's core.
"Dodoria!" Frieza roared, his ki exploding around them. "You – you lied to me!"
"Uh…" Dodoria choked, backing away slightly. "Well… Come on, Lord Frieza. I had a mom and dad, and a kid sister – what was I supposed to do?"
"How about not making a fool out of me!" Frieza yelled. "Dodoria, I can't believe this… For five decades – five decades you worked for my empire! I gave you everything you could possibly desire – I made you my left-hand man, my personal aide and this is how you repay me? By lying to me?" He threw his tail around Dodoria's throat and held the pink man above him, glaring angrily into his eyes as he seethed, "Mark my words, Dodoria… If – no, when I get out of here, the first thing I am going to do is track down your entire family and slay them one by one while you watch – and then I am going to gut you alive and rip all of your bodies into so many pieces nobody will even be able to bury you."
"Frieza, don't you think you're over-reacting a little?" Cell sniggered, watching the scene in amusement. "It was just a little white lie, after all."
"A what!" Frieza screamed, suddenly throwing Dodoria to the ground. "How can you even say that, Cell! For as long as Dodoria has worked for me he has been lying to me!"
"Well what do you expect?" Cell shrugged. "You recruit people by killing their families and destroying their home planets – so why are you always surprised when they aren't loyal to you? If you ask me, you bring it on yourself."
"Oh, is that what you think!" Frieza barked. "That I deserve to be lied to?"
"That's not what I said…" Cell sighed.
"Well that's what it sounded like!" Frieza yelled. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to run an empire, Cell? Do you think people just willingly surrender their planets? Do you think they just agree to leave their homes and work for you indefinitely? Does that sound like something that would happen in the real world?"
"Oh my God…" Zarbon groaned, leaning against the wall of the cave in despair. "Dodoria, see what you've started now?"
"Whatever." Dodoria grunted, rubbing his neck. "It's not like they were never going to argue today – at least this time it's not over the kids. I'm getting a drink." He went back inside the cave, while Zarbon watched Frieza rant and rave at Cell like an angry housewife until it was too much to bear. "Pour me one too." He said, and followed Dodoria indoors.
"Yeah, yeah…" Cell sighed through Frieza's yelling. "Oh, come on, don't exaggerate. Running an empire isn't that hard."
"Not that hard!" Frieza screeched. "How the hell would you know! You can't even control seven children, there is no way you could manage an empire my size!"
"Oh – I wondered how long it would take for you to bring up the kids!" Cell snarled. "Listen to me Frieza, you have no idea what it's like being a single parent!"
"Yes – actually I do, because I'm the one that's a parent to those monsters!" Frieza yelled. Cell gasped, his eyes widening in horror as he processed Frieza's words.
"You… You did not just say that!" He cried.
"Yes Cell, I believe I did." Frieza growled.
"You ignorant little bastard!" Cell roared, his ki flaring, and they continued their argument while Zarbon and Dodoria tried to drown them out with drink inside the cave.
XXXXX
Meanwhile in King Piccolo's cave the mutant nameks were huddled together, watching as their master stared at Frikiza and Glazio.
"He looks kind of mad…" Cymbal whispered.
"Yes… I wonder what Frikiza and Glazio are talking about…" Piano mumbled.
"Whatever it is, King Piccolo doesn't like it." Drum said.
"Guys, you don't… You don't think he could be jealous, do you?" Cymbal questioned. The other mutants looked at him, then grinned mischievously.
"Well… it did cross my mind." Piano giggled. "But ssh! He might hear us!"
"Okay!" Cymbal clasped his hand over his mouth and looked over at King Piccolo, who was staring intently at Frikiza and Glazio with his arms folded and his fists clenched, looking jealous.
Tambourine smiled a little as he looked in his master's direction – but his gaze was fixed on Zarba. Is was so hard to imagine that she was Zarbon… She was so different. So pretty… Whoa. What was happening to him? Why was he suddenly so captivated by her?
"Guys." Tambourine whispered, and looked at his brothers. "Do you know what it means, when a girl makes you feel all nervous for no reason, and you want to stare at her all the time?"
"Well… I don't know…" Piano uttered. "Isn't that supposedly what being in love feels like?"
"What!" Tambourine cried. "I can't be in love, I only just met her!"
"Met who?" Piano demanded, narrowing his eyes at Tambourine.
"Uh… N-No-one…" Tambourine answered, blushing. "Forget it – I think I'm just feeling sick…"
"Hey." Drum grinned. "It's not that pretty pink friend of Frikiza's, is it? Because… I was thinking of asking her out myself."
"Huh?" Tambourine blinked, staring at Drum in disbelief. "You mean… Doria?"
"Yeah – her." Drum nodded. "What do you think, guys? Do you think King Piccolo would be mad if I got a girlfriend?"
"I…" Piano answered awkwardly. "I'm… not sure he would believe you…"
"Huh?" Drum frowned, looking at Piano. "Why not?"
"Uh…" Piano sweat dropped.
Over by the entrance of King Piccolo's cave, King Piccolo was glaring at Frikiza and Glazio.
"Tch. How can she stand to be in his company for so long?" He snorted. "I suppose it's just her bleeding heart that makes her able to tolerate the weak."
"That's exactly what I think." Zarba purred from beside him, and looked up at the demon king. "She does have terrible choices in men, doesn't she?" King Piccolo simply shot Zarba a nasty glare.
"He's weak." King Piccolo spat. "I'm embarrassed to have him so close to my cave." He looked back at Glazio and scoffed. "What a loser. I could kill him with one claw – and with my eyes closed."
"I'm sure you could." Zarba smirked. She glanced at Doria, and winked at her as she spoke, "You know, Incubus, if I didn't know better… I'd say you sound jealous."
"Jealous? Of that weakling?" King Piccolo snorted. "Don't make me laugh!"
"I couldn't if I tried." Zarba sniped. Doria giggled slightly, amused by the deadly look King Piccolo was giving Zarba. "Well… he is the father of your girlfriend's child –"
"She's not my girlfriend!" King Piccolo barked.
"Oh, good." Zarba replied. "Because I was starting to think it would bother you, knowing that Glazio got there first. You know… I heard she was a virgin when she married him. He was quite literally the first man to break her –"
"Shut up!" King Piccolo roared. "Listen!" He grabbed Zarba's shoulders and snarled into her face, digging his claws into her skin as he seethed, "I don't care who Frikiza was married to – nor do I care who got to her first! She is not my girlfriend and what she got up to in the past is no concern of mine and I do not want to hear about it! Do you understand?"
"Spoken like a true fuck buddy who isn't jealous." Zarba smirked, completely unfazed by King Piccolo's anger.
King Piccolo simply snarled and ripped his claws off her, causing deep cuts in Zarba's skin that started to bleed immediately. He turned to his mutant sons and glared at them angrily, enraged that they could ever think that he was even capable of being jealous. Yes… He'd heard them. He'd heard every word. The traitors! They were lucky to still be in one piece!
"I am going into my room." King Piccolo boomed. "I don't want to be disturbed by anyone – and if anybody so much as thinks that I am jealous, they will be disembowelled by yours truly. Is that clear?"
"Y-Yes, King Piccolo." The mutants whimpered, and watched nervously as King Piccolo stormed off into his room.
When he had gone Tambourine approached Zarba, and looked at her injuries.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Hm? Oh…" Zarba looked at the cuts King Piccolo had made on her arms, and sighed angrily. "Well – they'll heal, but they'll look ugly for a while. Your father has quite a temper, hasn't he?"
"Uh… yeah." Tambourine mumbled, slightly embarrassed by King Piccolo's behaviour. Why did he have to hurt her? She didn't mean to offend him. … She didn't, right?
"But, I guess that's what Frikiza likes about him." Zarba said. "Thanks for your concern, Tangerine."
"Uh… It's Tambourine." Tambourine said quietly.
"Oh." Zarba giggled. "Sorry. My mistake." She smiled at Tambourine sweetly, and Doria rolled her eyes.
"Such a bitch." She thought to herself.
XXXXX
"Frikiza, promise me – you will be safe here." Glazio spoke in his native language as he stared down at his estranged wife.
"Of course." Frikiza laughed. "I keep telling you… Piccolo is a nice guy. Really. He's just… difficult."
"If he hurts you –"
"Glazio, I'm stronger than him." Frikiza insisted. "Don't worry about me." She looked at him, and a wave of guilt swept across her face. "You should worry about yourself… I'm sorry, Glazio. I never meant for you and Kuria –"
"Frikiza." Glazio interrupted her. "Stop."
"But this is all my fault!" Frikiza sobbed. "If I hadn't left my mother –"
"I would hate you." Glazio said. "And our daughter would never know right from wrong. Frikiza…" He smiled at her. "When I married you, I knew there was good in your heart, and I went to bed every night praying it would come to the surface… Now it has. I can't ask for more than that."
"But what if they come for you…?" Frikiza uttered.
"They won't. They have Kuria – they don't need me." Glazio said. "And even if they do… I'm proud of what you have become." He placed his palm on her cheek and caressed her lightly as he spoke, "I fell in love with you because I believed you were a good person. Now I know I was right."
"Thank you…" Frikiza smiled, and placed her palm on his. "Glazio… I'm sorry. I can't –"
"It's okay. I never expected you to love me." Glazio smirked slightly. "I always knew I was too soft for you."
"Well… I wouldn't say that…" Frikiza blushed slightly.
"Does he take care of you?" Glazio asked.
"Well… we aren't really…" Frikiza's blush darkened, and she nodded. "Yes." She answered quietly.
"Good." Glazio smiled. "I want you to be happy." He placed his arms around Frikiza and closed his eyes, pulling her into a tight hug. "I love you."
"I love you too." Frikiza smiled, and hugged him back.
After a long embrace, she pulled away and looked at Glazio. "You should go. If you stay here too long, they won't let you back out. I'll tell Zarba to take you to Planet Sarra – it's not on my mother's radar, she won't find you there."
"Okay." Glazio nodded. "Come, let's get them."
They made their way back to King Piccolo's cave to join Zarba and Doria.
"Where's Piccolo?" Frikiza questioned, looking round.
"Uh… He… went for a lie down." Piano answered awkwardly.
"Zarba was winding him up." Doria said.
"Snitch!" Zarba hissed. Frikiza turned to Zarba and frowned.
"What did you say?" She demanded.
"Nothing!" Zarba protested. "Nothing that warrants this!" She held out her arms to show where King Piccolo had cut her.
"He did that to you?" Glazio gasped, his eyes widening. "Frikiza –"
"Oh Glazio don't worry, she's fine!" Frikiza growled.
"Hmph." Zarba pouted. "That incubus is a bad influence on you."
"Will you stop calling him that!" Frikiza snapped. "Listen – go to Sarra, my mother doesn't know about it."
"Friki, don't worry about us. She has Kuria, she won't bother with us now." Zarba said, and narrowed her eyes at Frikiza. "You should worry about yourself. You're running out of places to hide."
"I know…" Frikiza uttered. She glanced at the mutant nameks, noticing how concerned they looked, and turned back to Zarba and Doria. "Guys – I can't thank you enough, for everything you've done. I don't know how I can repay you."
"Just stay safe, Frikiza." Doria said. "Don't worry about us, we'll be fine."
"Okay…" Frikiza smiled slightly. "Thank you…"
"We'll be in touch, okay?" Zarba said. "In the meantime, try not to let that incubus exhaust you too much."
"Okay." Frikiza giggled.
The mutants watched as Frikiza hugged her companions; they couldn't help but notice how sad she looked. Something was wrong… The mutants remained quiet until Zarba, Doria and Glazio had left, and then they looked at Frikiza.
"Frikiza… Is something wrong?" Piano asked.
"Sort of…" Frikiza mumbled. She looked at them. "Did Piccolo ever tell you about my mother?"
"Nu-uh." The mutants answered, shaking their heads.
"Oh. Well… basically, my mother and sister want to kill me." Frikiza began. "It's a long story, but part of the reason why I'm here is because if I go home, I'm dead. I had my husband and daughter on a planet that my mother didn't know about – Zarba and Doria were guarding them, but… my mother found them, and she made my daughter join her." She lowered her eyes. "There's only one more planet that my mother doesn't know about, and if she found this one, she's bound to find that one – and there's a chance my daughter will tell her about it anyway. So… to put things simply, when my contract runs out here, I'll be sent back to my home universe, and… well… there's a good chance I'll die."
The mutants took a moment to process her words. They stood there in silence, shocked and speechless, unable to believe what they'd just heard. No… No, this couldn't be. This couldn't be!
"F-Frikiza!" Drum sobbed, his eyes glistening. "Don't be crazy! That – that can't be true!"
"Yeah, there's… there's gotta be a way…" Tambourine whimpered.
"Tell King Piccolo! He'll kick your mother's ass!" Cymbal exclaimed. Frikiza smiled a little.
"That's a good idea, but my mother is stronger than me, so… I don't think Piccolo stands much of a chance against her." She said.
"But – but –" Piano stammered. "But…"
"Are they gone?"
Frikiza and the mutant nameks all looked up to see King Piccolo standing in the doorway to the cave's lounge room with his arms folded, studying his minions. What was wrong with them? They looked like… they looked like they were crying! What the hell? "What is the meaning of this!" King Piccolo demanded. "What's the matter with you!"
"It's… It's…" Piano whimpered.
"Frikiza!" The mutants all wailed, and threw themselves at the icejin, almost knocking her to the ground.
"What!" King Piccolo roared.
"She – she has to go home in three weeks!" Drum cried. "And when she goes there they'll kill her!"
"What?" King Piccolo frowned.
"My mother." Frikiza said, looking at him over the four wailing mutants that were desperately hugging her. "I don't have anywhere safe to go – unless I find a way to stay here."
"Well – yes!" Piano beamed, wiping his eyes. "That's – that's perfect! Just ask King Yemma to extend your contract!"
"I tried already!" Frikiza protested. "But I'm not from this universe, I should even be here at all! He said I can't stay any longer because I'm not a citizen."
"Oh – horseshit!" Piano screamed, and continued his sobbing. "You're the best citizen we've ever known, Frikiza!"
"Thanks…" Frikiza uttered.
King Piccolo watched the scene in awe, unsure of what to think. Was this it…? If Frikiza had nowhere left to hide, would she be killed in her own universe before she could return to this one? No… No, that wasn't possible. She only had to avoid her mother for a month. That was perfectly manageable, wasn't it? What were these four imbeciles blubbering about? Frikiza would be perfectly fine! And even if she wasn't, what concern was it of theirs? She was nothing to do with them! The only person in this cave that Frikiza had any sort of relationship with whatsoever was King Piccolo, and he did not have a relationship with her! She wasn't his wife, she wasn't his girlfriend – she was just a piece of meat King Piccolo used to pass the time. He didn't care for her at all, and neither should these fools!
"Stop it." King Piccolo ordered, glaring angrily at the mutants. "What is wrong with you?"
"Frikiza's in danger!" Drum cried.
"So?" King Piccolo snorted. "That isn't our problem."
"What!" The mutants gasped, horrified that he could say such a thing.
"But – but King Piccolo!" Piano stammered. "Sire – she could die!"
"I'm well aware." King Piccolo replied. "Don't worry. I'm sure they'll find someone else to take her classes."
The mutants gasped again, this time looking even more appalled.
"How can you say that!" Cymbal cried. "King Piccolo –"
"Cymbal, it's okay." Frikiza interrupted him. She looked over at King Piccolo. He didn't mean it. He was just trying to look big in front of his children. She knew he didn't mean it. He did care about her… Didn't he? He wasn't her boyfriend, but still… surely he cared if she lived or died…? He did care, right?
"Good." King Piccolo grunted, smirking in satisfaction as Frikiza silenced their crying for him. Well, she was useful for that at least. That, and a couple of other things… But that didn't mean he cared about her! It didn't mean that she wasn't completely replaceable if her mother did find her and put an end to her weak, good- natured existence. In a way it was all Frikiza deserved.
Still… It was a shame to waste her while she was still here. After all, she did have her uses didn't she? "Frikiza." King Piccolo looked at her, and she stared back with bright eyes, hanging on his every word. Tch. Why was she looking at him like that? What was she expecting him to say? "We only have three weeks left. I think we should make the most of it, don't you?"
"Wh-What…?" Frikiza uttered. Did he…? No. He couldn't seriously mean…?
"Come on, my little icicle." King Piccolo said with a sinister smirk on his lips as he gazed at her lustfully. She looked quite timid in her delicate mood, so vulnerable… Perfect! King Piccolo raised his hand to beckon Frikiza towards him, and his smirk widened. "You aren't going to keep your master waiting, are you?"
"Fuck you!" Frikiza yelled, suddenly becoming enraged. How could he… How could he even think of that at a time like this! She'd just told him she was going to die!
"Yes, that's the spirit!" King Piccolo grinned menacingly, and winked at her. "I'll be in my room." Then he left without saying a word, brimming with arrogance.
The mutants all stared after him with wide eyes and dropped jaws, shocked and disgusted that he could say such things at a time like this. How could he…? Did he really think so little of her? How awful!
"Frikiza!" Piano gasped. "Please – ignore him!"
"Yeah – he doesn't know what he's saying!" Tambourine nodded.
"Ignore him?" Frikiza hissed, glaring after King Piccolo. "I'm going to kill him!"
"Oh." The mutants uttered. They paused for a moment and exchanged glances, then looked at Frikiza before saying, "Good luck."
"Thanks." Frikiza snarled and raced after King Piccolo, her ki exploding as she powered up into her final form.