That Green Light, I Want It
Once everyone had arrived at the Lookout, Dende went first to heal Gohan, then everyone else, all except Trunks who could not be healed and Android 18. Dende had not been around for all that had happened with the androids, so naturally he just assumed that 18 was part of the group and went over to heal her up last.
"No, not her!" Yamcha called out to stop Dende, "She's one of the androids that destroyed the future."
Dende stopped in his tracks, but Krillin spoke up to her defense, "She never harmed anyone in our time though... Shouldn't we give her a chance?"
"A chance to what? Kill us?" Yamcha countered.
Tien sighed, looking down at Trunks' lifeless body, thinking of what the teen's reaction might be if he found out they'd let Android 18 live. After all, she was the one responsible for destroying his family, his master, his world. He wasn't sure his conscience would let him agree with Krillin without Trunks' okay on the matter, "Yeah... I don't know Krillin..."
Gohan tried to stay out of it. He wasn't sure what to feel. He wanted to agree with Krillin, but even after being healed from Dende, he was still too distracted from the events that had just occurred to give his say. Though he doubted the android would pose any real threat now, he also knew that the second chances his father often gave out, while beneficial in the cases of Piccolo and Vegeta, could also come back to bite them.
Piccolo's eyes roamed over the lifeless android. He remembered Trunks had told them that they had not only killed everyone in the future, but had been particularly brutal in their killing of Gohan. Part of him remembered his own second chance he'd received from Goku, knowing that Goku, and probably Gohan if he was in a better state, would have probably said to heal her, but he just couldn't forgive what the androids had done to Gohan in the future timeline.
"You should let this idea go Krillin." Piccolo finally concluded.
Krillin's shoulders slumped in disappointment. He didn't know what he was expecting from this situation, but he wasn't expecting this. Something didn't feel right about it. 18 was different than her future self, she had to be. The image of that kiss she planted on his head popped up in his mind, but he quickly suppressed it again. They weren't going to allow her to come back, it was no use getting his hopes up.
"You should heal her, Dende." Rori chimed in nonchalantly before looking to Gohan, "Don't you think Dende should heal her, Gohan?"
Krillin's eyes widened, he hadn't been expecting Rori of all people to speak up on 18's behalf. No one had clued him in on her excursions with the androids. In fact, when he showed up on the scene, Rori was already knocked out and 17 had long been absorbed.
Piccolo just scoffed at this, of course she would think that 18 was alright. She'd been hanging around the androids, hadn't she? Piccolo thought about it to himself, but Yamcha was the one to blurt out his opinion,"Does this have to do with 17?"
"No, I just... I don't think she's actually evil... I mean... she was kind of a bitch to me... but I don't think she'd hurt anyone physically."
Yamcha looked shocked at her, "Rori you can't say that in front of Gohan!"
Rori blinked, "Yamcha, I think Gohan knows what evil is, he just killed Cell."
"He meant you shouldn't say bitch in front of Gohan." Piccolo chimed in with an audible sigh.
"Why not? I've heard Chichi call plenty of girls that when she thinks they're mean..." Rori looked from Piccolo to Yamcha.
"It's not a word you just use whenever... I'll explain it later..." Yamcha conceded, "but about 18... Are you sure it's worth the risk?"
Finally, Gohan had found his voice. Rori's little slip up had helped him come back down a bit, laughing to himself. He wouldn't let them know, but he had heard way worse words than bitch already, but he wouldn't ruin their image of him by letting them know now. He cleared his throat, "I think my dad would say we should give her a chance."
Piccolo stared down at Gohan and knew he was right, "If you're sure... I'm with you kid."
That was all Dende needed to know as he took his place back over 18, placing his hands over her, his brow furrowing in concentration as he began to heal her.
When 18 was fully healed her eyes shot open and she sat up abruptly as if she had been turned on by a switch, though she seemed to be out of it, confused as to her surrounds. It wasn't surprising after she had been devoured, then thrown up by Cell.
18's abrupt movements appeared to startle Yamcha and he called out, "Get back, Dende! She might try to kill you!"
"Calm down, she wouldn't do that for no reason," Rori rolled her eyes before reaching her hand out to 18 to help her up, "How are you feeling? It must have been awful in there..."
18 stood up on her own ignoring Rori's outstretched hand. She looked around with an air of confusion, but Krillin decided to fill her in, "This is Kami's Lookout... there's no need to worry, Gohan defeated Cell. He's gone. No one's going to try and absorb you again."
"... Gohan did what?" 18's eyes drifted over to the youngest of the warriors, her eyes widened. He was just a kid, how could he have done that when not even her or her brother could stand up to him.
Piccolo chimed in again, "You should thank Krillin you know. He saved you after Cell threw you up and he brought you back here."
"Well, it wasn't like I could leave her there..." Krillin stumbled over his words, his face turning a shade of red, but he tried to make light the situation.
"Oh!" Gohan exclaimed after coming to a conclusion, " Krillin must like 18!"
Everyone else seemed stunned, exclaiming it was weird and that she was an android. Rori rolled her eyes at them, knowing full well they were also humans deep down. She smiled thinking it was cute.
18 didn't give them a chance to dwell on it for very long, however, as she walked toward the edge, "What... were you expecting me to fall into your arms or something now? Get bent."
With that 18 hopped of the side of the Lookout, not wanting to stick around to hear them talking about her as if she wasn't even there. So she was an android. So what? That didn't give them the right to act like she was some inanimate object that didn't have a say in a conversation about ...well... her.
"... so bitch was pretty accurate..." Tien commented.
Rori shrugged her shoulders at Tien's comment, before she pat Krillin on the back, "Don't worry Krillin... It's just a lot for her to take in, I bet. We're all tired..."
After an awkward moment of silence, Mr. Popo brought the dragon balls out now that everyone had been healed up. Dende called out for the dragon to come forth. The sky turned black as the dragon arose from his slumber looming menacingly over the Lookout. The dragon's glowing red eyes scanned its surroundings, taking in its summoners faces, familiar faces, no need to waste time on lengthy explanations.
"What is your wish?" the dragon's voice rumbled over them from above.
Yamcha was the first one to speak, shouting up at the dragon, "please resurrect everyone killed by Cell!"
"It shall be done." The dragon answered and within seconds Trunks' eyes shot open and he sat up looking around in confusion.
"It worked!" Gohan shouted, happy to see that everything was going as planned.
"No... I don't sense Goku's energy..." Piccolo commented.
"I will give you one last wish before I depart." Shenlong stated once the first wish was fullfilled.
"Can't you bring Goku back?" Yamcha questioned hopefully.
"Goku has already been brought back. Ask for something else."
A silence resonated between the fighters.
"Maybe we could wish for the Namekian dragon balls..." Gohan offered.
Everyone, it's me Goku... Can you hear me? Goku's voice called out to them.
"Goku?" Krillin questioned.
Yeah, I'm with King Kai. Listen I was thinking... Bulma said once that I seem to attract evil... I mean, the androids were after me, Cell was after me, Freiza came to get revenge on me... and no offense Piccolo, but you did too. Piccolo raise a brow to this, but didn't respond. What I'm saying is...I think I should stay in other world... the Earth would be more peaceful. King Kai thinks so too... And hey, I mean, it's not so bad, I get to keep my body for sacrificing myself... So I'll get to meet lots of strong warriors here and train as much as I want with them. And King Kai's forgiven me since Shenlong just resurrected him. Gohan... I'm sorry if this upsets you, but I hope you'll understand and look after your mother and please don't try to resurrect me. We'll see each other again, no worries.
As Goku said his goodbyes everyone was left taken aback, eyes wide, mouths dropped open. How could he be so calm about this?
"For a dead guy, he seems really happy..." Krillin remarked.
Shenlong cleared his throat, quickly gaining everyone's attention, "I've been waiting. What is your last wish."
"What should we do?" Tien asked, "if we're not quick, he'll disappear."
Rori cleared her throat, "Can you resurect my brother, Radditz?"
Shenlong seemed to consider this for a moment and while he did, the others worried about what she just wished.
"Radditz?" Yamcha questioned.
"Yeah... he's gone through quite the change in hell.." She sighed, "I kind of feel bad leaving him down there now that I know what he's going through..."
Before Yamcha could question her further the dragon responded, "I could... however his body has long since decomposed. If I were to bring him back now, he might prefer death... I suggest you chose something else."
Rori furrowed her brow, "I shouldn't have given him hope before I was sure..."
Yamcha sighed in relief, remembering hearing from Gohan how scary Radditz was.
Krillin, now feeling he owed Rori after she stood up for him earlier, sighed, "just wait a year, you'll be able to wish his body back, then you can wish him alive again."
Rori's face lit up, "Thanks, Krillin! ...But what should we wish for now then?"
Yamcha shrugged his shoulders, "There's this girl I've been seeing and I saw her eyeing a certain necklace... We could wish for that... before we get nothing, ya'know?"
Piccolo studied Yamcha after his suggestion and found he was a bit annoyed at this. Sure, it was awkward for him that Yamcha was with Rori, but did Yamcha really think Piccolo didn't know what girl he was talking about? Before he knew what he was doing, Piccolo let his anger get the best of him, "Humans are so strange... compensating for relationship problems with gifts."
Yamcha laughed at this a bit embarrassed. Rori's eyes shot over to Piccolo, analyzing him. Rori knew that she was no longer with Yamcha, but she had forgotten that Piccolo was non-the-wiser. In her mind, Piccolo knew nothing about her and Yamcha. It was unlike Piccolo to take a shot at someone like that for no reason, but she guessed that they were all a bit tired and on the edge after Cell.
Krillin stepped in now, "Shenlong... Can you change 17 and 18 back to normal humans?"
Shenlong sighed as he was unable to do this wish as well, "They are too strong... I cannot change something so complex about them."
"Well... could you take the explosives out of their bodies?" Krillin tried.
Shenlong seemed to think for a moment before answering with a brief, "It has been done. Farewell."
With that the dragon returned to his slumber, retreating back into nothingness along with the darkness that had engulfed the world. The 7 balls then turned to stone and shot out in all directions, scattering across the planet.
Trunks looked over to Krillin, having been a bit out if when they were making all the wishes, but now that he had completely come to his senses, he had to ask, "Krillin... why did you wish something like that for the androids?"
"I thought it was sad... having a bomb in your body..."
Yamcha arched his brow, "but you liked her... why would you help out 17 too?"
Krillin sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get anywhere with 18, "Well I mean, I like 18... but don't you think her and 17 make a better couple."
Piccolo grumbled under his breath, crossing his arms, sick of them mentioning 17 and sick of being reminded about what he couldn't have. There were moments he could forget about what he'd had with Rori, and the Namekian in him could be content with his solitude, but he had been living among the humans and they had started to rub off on him, perhaps more than he'd like to admit it. Gohan had made him soft. He had learned to be okay with that, though he did all he could to not let it show. So now that he'd come to his decision, he would let himself go for Rori, knowing that Rori would have a future with Yamcha or Trunks, now that stupid android had to come back into the picture. He'd forgotten completely about that android, but 17 was alive now thanks to their wish. What was keeping Rori from going back to him? He let his weakness get the best of him again, letting words slip past his lips that he hadn't planned on because just the thought of 17 or relationships in general pissed him off, "I really don't get you humans... can't you leave that disgusting romance shit out of it."
Rori clicked her tongue in irritation, partly due to Krillin's assumption, but mostly due to Piccolo's bluntness. What was with that Namekian today? He seemed bent on making sure she knew that they were not going to be together. Well, the message was received, but she wasn't going get into something with Piccolo now, not in front of Gohan. So unfortunately her malice fell upon correcting Krillin "Ew, Krillin! They're brother and sister! That's just weird..."
From afar, 18 was watching. When she had seen the dragon and the sky darken she had come back to see what was going on. 18 couldn't help but fell a twinge in her chest after what Krillin had done for her. Yet, the cueball managed to ruin it all with one sentence, by thinking her and 17 were a couple. She was about to call him on it, when she heard Rori chime in.
"What?" Krillin blinked at her, "Are you sure?"
"Either that or Rori was way too close to 'my boyfriend' " 18 came out from her hiding spot to clarify, then she eyed Rori down giving her best cold stare, "but she would know better than that."
Krillin just stared at 18 confused.
"Idiot... 17 and I are twins!" she yelled at him before crossing her arms defensively, "And don't think just because you removed those explosives that I'm going to thank you, baldy! I didn't ask for your help."
18 walked back over to the edge before looking back to Krillin, "See you later."
"Hey!" Yamcha elbowed Krillin with a grin, "She said she'd see you later, not goodbye... that's a good sign."
After 18 jumped off the edge of the Lookout, Rori watched her, then looked back to Krillin and worried her lower lip. They couldn't sense the androids energy and who knew when she'd show up again. Whether it was due to the futility she'd felt after Piccolo's weird statements today or the baby hormones she wasn't sure, but she needed to do something. Maybe she and Piccolo wouldn't work out, but Rori thought 18 and Krillin had a shot and Rori knew what she could do for them, which was a relief as she was lost with what to do in her own relationship. "I'm going to go after her... She knows me the best, I think I should help her out... I'll see you guys soon... Trunks, tell Bulma to call me and let me know before you leave. I want to make it to Capsule Corp to send you off."
Rori ran to the edge of the Lookout and jumped off, following the direction 18 had left in, hoping to catch up with her before she could no longer spot the android.
Rori was back in her apartment in West City, she should have felt relieved and happy that she was still alive. Yet all she could think about was how time had appeared to slow to a halt, and there was nothing she could do to get out of this awkward situation she'd put herself in. Two steely blue eyes stared across the table at her, portraying no emotion whatsoever. Android 18 had her chin resting in her palm, elbow leaning on the table for stability, while her other hand remained around the beer Rori had offered her. Rori glaced down at the tea she'd made herself and then back up at 18, reflecting on how she'd gotten herself into this mess. Right... stupid hormones...
When Rori had finally caught up with 18, close enough that she could call out to her, pleading for the android to wait up, 18 simply ignored her and kept flying as if she'd heard nothing. Realizing that she was being ignored, Rori powered up and sped ahead of 18, stopping in front of her before turning back, facing the android head on, causing 18 to come to an abrupt halt.
"Look I don't know where 17 is, if that's what your after." 18 responded before Rori could even get a word in.
Rori furrowed her brow at the android's words and shook her head, "I wasn't... Look I just thought you might need somewhere to stay... I mean, Dr. Gero's lab has been burned up... not that I thought you'd want to stay there, but... 17 said you guys had been in that guy's lab for a while..."
18 stared at Rori silently for a long moment before she pushed some hair back from over her eyes and crossed her arms, "so what? You want to be friends and braid each others hair or something? Not interested."
18 made like she was going to leave again, but Rori held her hands up trying to stop her, "I don't want to braid your hair 18. Friends... maybe, but look. I know you're not really interested in me or any of my friends. I just thought you might want some help to get your life back. And before you get mad, I don't think you need my help, I know you can handle yourself, but I was in your position before too. 17 probably didn't tell you, but I didn't grow up on this planet, and Krillin and Yamcha and the others all helped me figure it out. I just wanted to... I dunno pay it forward. Try to make it easier for you. It'll be hard to get your life back, and you're strong enough to do it on your own, but wouldn't it be nicer to have some help. I could use a roommate for a bit anyway. It's weird living alone in such a big apartment."
18 studied her again. She looked almost as if she was going to accept, but couldn't quite let herself. Before 18 could refuse, Rori thought of something and grinned, "Hey! You know I did some modeling and I have lots of nice clothes you could borrow..."
18 almost laughed, but she turned it into a smirk, "All right, but if you have any of those stupid outfits we found on the road I'm out of there."
So there she was, with 18 as a roommate now, and no idea what to talk about. Rori had faced Freiza and Cell with little fear, but for some reason in this moment 18 seemed more scary to her than the real villains.18 arched her brow as she looked down at Rori's tea. When they were on the road, they had had to stop way more often than if it had just been the androids because Rori would get hungry or tired every now and then. It made sense, she wasn't an android, but if she hadn't been there they would have gotten to Mt. Paozu much faster. Looking at her own glass of beer, 18 remembered one night when they had stopped at a hotel, Rori said she was tired and 17 thought it would be 'fun' for them to try it. Rori and 18 had stayed in one room together and 17 and 16 stayed in another, though 17 and Rori were out for most of the evening.
The room was dark and after a long hot shower, 18 was finally in bed, ready to sleep. Though she had been opposed to staying in a hotel and wasting their time on the road even more, she was actually starting to think this was a good idea. Sure, she had infinite energy, but that didn't mean she didn't enjoy relaxing a bit, or some time away from her annoying brother, the Saiyan, and Android 16 who wouldn't stop obsessing about Goku or birds. Just as she started to drift off to sleep, she heard the door open followed by a loud crash, and then what sounded like Rori giggling to herself. 18 sighed, hoping she would just quickly go to sleep, but found that the Saiyan climbed into bed 18's bed instead of her own.
18 immediately sat up turning on the bed side light and arched her brow at the intruder, "What exactly are you doing?"
Rori looked up at 18 confused, before she burst into laughter, clamping her hand over her mouth. 18 didn't budge an inch, and when Rori finally calmed herself, the only answer 18 got was, "32 beers, 2 more than your brother."
Before 18 could say anything Rori dropped her head into 18's lap and started to snore, falling asleep instantly.
18 could hardly believe that Rori would dare getting that close to her, she hadn't been exactly friendly to Rori over the past few days. 18 pushed Rori aside on the bed and got up to go to the other double bed. 18 was about to just get in bed and go right back to sleep, when she looked up and saw Rori practically rolling off the bed in her sleep. She sighed, thinking to herself that taking care of a drunk adult must be similar to motherhood in some weird way. 18 crossed the room again, rolling Rori on her side to the middle of the bed and pulled the covers over her. She then walked into the bathroom taking one of the cups from the counter and filled it with water, bringing it out to place it on the bedside stand she had been almost sleeping next to just moments ago. As 18 turned out the light and crossed the room to the other bed again, she wondered to herself if she was being too nice to Rori, but just shrugged it off, knowing there was no way Rori would even remember to tell anyone about it.
"I thought you liked beer..." 18 commented, sitting up straight now crossing her legs and smirking to herself as she made a joke about a time that she knew her new roomie wouldn't remember to understand, "What's with the tea?"
Rori furrowed her brow, trying to think up some excuse as to why she wouldn't be drinking, "Not good for recovery... I'm not an android with unlimited stamina you know."
"You Saiyans recover quickly though, don't you?" 18 countered.
Just as Rori was trying to come up with another excuse the phone rang. Thank you Bulma, Rori thought to herself as she saw the Capsule Corp logo display across her phone screen. Rori motioned a quick sorry to 18 and then stood up answer her phone, "Hey Bulma."
Bulma let Rori know Trunks was planning on leaving after supper and that the rest of the gang was planning on going out after Trunks left to celebrate. She'd tried to get Trunks to stay for that, but he was eager to get back to his time now that he had the strength to defeat the androids. Rori had agreed to come and even asked if she could bring 18 once Trunks had left. Bulma seemed to be fine with it, but just before Rori was about to hang up, she heard Bulma call out for her to wait.
"Yeah?" Rori questioned.
"How are you doing...?" Bulma's voice echoed her concern, "Did you get a chance to tell Piccolo?"
"I'm fine... and not yet, there was too much going on. I'll tell him when things settle down." Rori lied. After what Piccolo had said today, she realized she didn't want to force him to be with her. He obviously had something against her companionship, but she knew that he would do the right thing if she told him she was pregnant, not for her, but for there child. He would force himself to be with her, he would act happy and so would she, but deep down, they would both be miserable. She thought the best way to skip that was just to get off of this planet. Unfortunately, one of the flaws she shared with Goku was her inability to be discrete and complete lack of recognition that she wasn't acting so until it was too late.
"Oh, hey, Bulma. Before you go, do you still have my space pod?" Rori questioned.
"Yeah, I've actually made a few bigger models from it." Bulma answered, but her interest was peaked, "Why would you need it now?"
Rori realized she'd made a mistake. Bulma was smart, it was only a matter of time before she connected the dots, but part of her just wanted some way to let go. This seemed like the perfect out, just pack her bags and go do... she wasn't even sure, but something away from here, "Oh, I just remembered you made the last one bigger with a training room and thought I could use one in a few months, if you know what a mean."
There was a long silence before Bulma answered, "Right... well, just come by when you want it."
"I'll be there tomorrow..." Rori reminded her, "You know... to send Trunks off."
"Yeah... hey I gotta go, but I'll see you then." Bulma answered and before Rori could say goodbye, Bulma had already hung up.
Rori stared at the phone for a while after she hung up, wondering if Bulma had figured her out.
"Is everything ok?" 18 asked when Rori didn't move.
Rori shook herself out of it and smiled, "yeah. And it looks like we found a reason for you to raid my closet. Celebration party tomorrow."
By the next day, 18 had already gone through most of Rori's closet. Rori was taller than 18, though their size wasn't too much different, so when Rori had told her to make herself at home, 18 promptly started trying on everything. Rori sat on her bed, cross legged, reading a magazine in her lap, while 18 tried on the next piece of clothing.
"I don't know, is this color ok on me?" 18 asked as she finished zipping up a white dress looking at herself in one of the mirrors on the closet door.
"It looks fine." Rori said without even looking up. She had been helpful at first, but after the 100th article of clothes, she started to get a bit bored.
"You're sure?" 18 asked after she pulled the magazine out from Rori's hand, causing the Saiyan to look up at her and cringe.
"Oh... yeah, maybe not that one." Rori confirmed realizing that it made 18 look like a ghost, "you should wear the black one tonight, you can try the rest on later, I mean you're not going anywhere are you?"
"I guess not..." 18 sighed, before looking at the clock on the wall, "I'm going to take shower. We've got a few hours and then I can figure out which black one."
18 made her way into the bathroom and Rori sighed with relief. Despite her modeling career, she hated trying on clothes, or maybe her career was why. She'd much rather be training. Rori decided to start getting ready too, she had already showered earlier so she reached in the closet and pulled out pair of white high rise shorts and black top. As she started to change into them, there was a knock at the living room window. Thinking it was just a bird, she ignored it, but the knock came again. Rori quickly threw on her top and hopped out of the room while zipping up and buttoning her shorts, "I'm coming!"
When Rori was sure she was fully clothed she pulled the curtain back and found Vegeta standing outside her window on the terasse. In all her time staying at that apartment she'd gotten many visitors, Bulma, Yamcha, Chichi, even Krillin once, but she had never expected Vegeta to pay her a visit. Though she supposed he would be the only one that would come to her window rather than her front door, other than maybe Piccolo. Rori had always been the one to seek Vegeta out since they were kids, so when he showed up at her doorstep, she wasn't exactly sure how to react. When he gave her a look of annoyance at her gawking, she quickly regained herself and opened the window.
"Vegeta..." she breathed and stepped back a bit, "Do you... want to come in?"
Vegeta seemed to be choosing his words carefully, but he didn't move to come in, "You're leaving?"
"What are you talking about?" Rori questioned.
Vegeta brushed past her in anger now, thinking she was playing games with him, "That's enough, Rori! Bulma told me you asked for your space pod..."
"Oh that..." Rori closed the window realizing that Vegeta was getting angry and didn't want to disturb her neighbors, "I dunno... I just thought I could use some time away from this planet for a bit..."
"Bulma told me you haven't told the Namekian you're pregnant either" he countinued.
"I know... I'm running away from my problems... I just.. Vegeta, Piccolo's a Namekian... He's fine without me... he can't do companionship and I can't raise a child beside him knowing that I'd be making him miserable. I thought that he loved me, but he doesn't... or he's not capable of it. Look... I'm sorry. I should have listened to you back then, when you came to bring me back. You were right. You and I don't love each other either, but we're both Saiyans... we at least wanted the same thing... and have the same needs... I'm sorry... I ruined our race's last chance... I-I-"
Rori couldn't make eye contact with Vegeta, but before she could look up to gauge his reaction, she felt his hand cover her mouth and jaw, as he pushed her into the wall holding her firmly against it by her face with one hand "Shut up!"
Rori's eyes widened and she struggled to break free from his grasp, but he wasn't letting up, "How dare you say that now! Now that I have a mate, now that I have a kid, now that you're about to have a kid. You made your bed, it's time to lie in it! What's happened to you?! Is it those damn hormones or have you just grown weak?! It's pathetic. Even if I didn't have a mate, I wouldn't lower myself to want you now, phoenix or not!"
He let her go, pushing her away as she started crying, "hmph... some phoenix you turned out to be... You give up so easily, you didn't even try to fight for your mate before you decided to run away. Radditz was always running from his battles too, so I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything different from you. Do you really think that stupid Namekian doesn't care about you? Just yesterday he cared so much about you that he came to me and practically begged me to kill him so that you would have a chance to find another mate!"
"He did what?" she asked between tears.
"Quit your sniffling..." Vegeta sighed, unable to keep his anger up for too long while she was blubbering, "I don't know why he left you, he's a Namekian as you said... I know nothing about them. What I do know about is Saiyans... and no self respecting Saiyan would give up their mate as easily as you have. When he asked me to kill him, I wasn't going to do it, but now that I see how easily you're giving up... I might as well kill him... Maybe he's right... you'd be better off."
Rori furrowed her brow, "You wouldn't... Whether I go to him or not he doesn't deserve that..."
"Wasn't it you who recently asked me to perform a similar task? You thought I was capable of killing you or Trunks, well then, killing a namekian who stole my intended mate should be an easy revenge. He is willing after all. I should put him out of his misery. You seemed to think I'd be perfect for that sort of thing, putting people out of their misery." Vegeta walked over to the table by her door writing down a location, "This is where I'll do it in one hour. If you think for a second that I'm capable of this... then you'd better come stop me. Otherwise, you'll be able to take that ship wherever you want with your fatherless kid. If you decide to come, take your plane or Piccolo will sense you coming and I'll just have to kill him at the Lookout."
With that Vegeta stormed back over to the window and left flying toward the Lookout.
Rori stared down at the note, when she read it she realized the location was pretty far. With how long it would take her to get there, Rori realized she had less than 5 minutes to make her decision. If this had been years ago, she wouldn't have questioned Vegeta's ability to kill her mate, but now she wasn't sure he would go through with it.
"What is wrong with me?!" Rori shook her head now angry at herself, was she actually thinking about not going, on just the hunch that Vegeta, someone who had no problem killing for most of his life, had grown soft enough that he wouldn't kill Piccolo, if it meant she could avoid Piccolo rejecting her or worse agreeing to be with her out of obligation. No, she was stronger than that. If Piccolo rejected her and her child, she could still leave and if he tried to be with her out of obligation, she wouldn't let him, she would make herself strong enough to raise their child with him and not be his mate. There was a small chance that Vegeta was serious, but she couldn't let herself risk Piccolo's life over her silly fears.
Rori ran back into her room rummaging desperately through her drawers looking for her plane capsule. I know I left it somewhere in here! As time ticked by, Rori grew desperate throwing her clothes on the floor, getting on her hands and knees searching under her bed.
"What are you doing?" 18 asked as she walked out of the bathroom, a turquoise wrapped tightly around her body and a lavander one covered her hair.
"Got it!" Rori exclaimed, pulling a box of capsules out from behind her pillow. She hopped to her feet and turned about to leave, but 18 blocked her way.
"Is everything... alright? I thought I heard Vegeta and-" 18 feigned concern, arching her brow, but grumbled to herself when Rori pushed past her.
"No time to explain, I'll be back soon!" Rori shouted as she left through the window in the living room like Vegeta had earlier. Rori flew herself outside of town, not wanting to waste anymore time like she had with trying to find her plane capsule. When she reached a good distance from the town, she clicked the capsule in her hand threw it. With a big poof, her plane appeared and she hurried inside. She entered the gps coordinates and started the plane towards the meeting place despite knowing she was terrible at working these contraptions. Once the plane was on its way she ventured a glance down at the clock, "Great... I'm already late..."
Piccolo had almost been shocked when Vegeta showed up to the Lookout, almost. Yes, he had asked Vegeta to come, but the look he'd received from the Saiyan just the day before, made him question whether or not he would actually die today. Well, now he had his answer.
"Well... Let's get this over with!" Vegeta stood before him, annoyed and arrogant as always, but there was something a bit different about him today. At the same time he appeared as impatient to commit his crime as he appeared to detest the thought of what he was about to do. It seemed like such a strange idea, that Vegeta would care either way, but he appeared to be waiting for a sign from Piccolo that he was still willing.
"Right..." Piccolo finally confirmed after his moment of suspicion.
With Piccolo's confirmation, Vegeta took off almost as quickly as he came. The Saiyan Prince's had been provoked all over again over how Rori had thought him capable of killing those close to him, how the Namekian had taken him up on his offer, and how Kakarrot was gone and he had no chance to prove that he was stronger, and worst of all how he could feel himself growing soft, wanting to look after his mate, his son, his friends... As much as he was angry at Rori for becoming weak, his anger at her was only a reflection of the anger he held for himself for doing the same. She had been right, he should have been capable of doing this. If he was the same man he used to be, he would have relished this moment, but now he found himself with a sick feeling in his stomach. Well, at least if he hurried he'd have to kill something. Though the thought worried him that it came to his mind that he had to kill, not that he got to kill... Regardless, maybe then he'd regain some sense of normalcy, like his old self again, not whatever weak version of himself he'd become on this planet.
Piccolo had left trying to keep up his appearances before he left to show no sign of what was about to happen to him to those on the Lookout. He'd told Mr. Popo and Dende he'd had to help Vegeta with something and that he'd be back tomorrow. Dende would know what had happened before then for sure, but the young guardian would be too far from their location to stop Vegeta.
"Where are we going?" Piccolo asked as he caught up to Vegeta, "Any deserted area will do, you know. Don't go to any trouble for me."
"We're almost there," was the only response Vegeta gave him.
A few minutes later, the two touched down in an area that looked much like the deserted lands Piccolo had trained Gohan in. The two were alone. Vegeta stood before him, wondering if he should ask if the Namekian had any last words. No, it wasn't that sort of death, he wasn't killing an enemy. Still, it looked like Rori had not decided to come and it seemed almost wrong to just do it quickly without saying something first. So, Vegeta sighed, giving into that weaker part of himself, "Take a minute, I want you to be sure about this."
Piccolo had already made peace with his decision, but knew he couldn't rush Vegeta. This wasn't killing an enemy, though neither of them would admit to that. So the Namekian took in the sights one last time, the sky of the late afternoon, the smell of the summer air. The sun still high in the sky was burning red behind the a slender stream of clouds, which seemed fitting for what was about to happen. He wondered for a moment if he'd end up back at King Kai's this time or if he'd go straight to hell. It was probably the latter. He wondered how Gohan would handle this, he knew the kid would be upset, but he figured, perhaps he'd be able to track down Goku and change his mind. The kid needed his real father, no matter how much Piccolo wished that was him, it wasn't.
Piccolo was about to signal he was ready, when his eyes that had been following a flock of birds, found their way to a little yellow plane flying haphazardly above them.
"You told her." Piccolo commented as he saw the frazzled blonde behind the wheel trying to land the plane in a dignified way, but a few feet above the ground, it just dropped like a ton of bricks.
"You already knew I did." Vegeta shrugged his shoulders with a smirk, glad that he had been wrong about her. She still had some strength left in her.
Piccolo chuckled at this, not denying it. Part of him had hoped Vegeta couldn't do it, but his relief shrunk away to something that almost resembled fear when he saw Rori climb out of the plane with an unsure glance in his direction, "You've gone soft."
Vegeta just grumbled before turning away, "You're one to talk. Weren't you supposed to be some stupid demon or something..."
As Rori struggled with herself, slowly making her way over to the two, Vegeta took off again not wanting to be around for this. He'd gotten them both there after all, that was more than enough good deeds for the day. As Rori watched Piccolo, her eyes had a hard time meeting his. It was just a few days ago that she was in his arms, that he wouldn't have let Cell have her, but once the Cell Games were over it was if an unspoken regime has been imposed over them. It was over, they wouldn't talk about it. Even if she wanted to ask, he'd distanced himself enough that she knew, he wouldn't entertain any questions she had, any desperate pleas she would have made to him. So as she finally crossed the distance between them, she found herself still stopping at arm distance.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked amazed at the timid tone she heard in her own voice. She wasn't sure which this she was even talking about, their broken relationship, his attitude, asking Vegeta to kill him.
Rori's eyes studied his body, his stance was harsh, arms crossed, eyes as cold as the day she'd left. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized he wasn't going to make this easy on her. He wouldn't answer her. He wouldn't tell her what she wanted to know. She would never know the real reason he left her, he was guarding this secret literally with his life. Piccolo was growing impatient with her and he started turned his back to her, making as if he was about to leave.
Rori took a deep breath, realizing if she didn't do something thing she would lose her nerve and so she just blurted it out, "I'm pregnant!"
Piccolo remained silent, pausing in his step, but he wouldn't face her. It wasn't his. Why was she telling him this? He knew it couldn't be, Bulma had confirmed it, "Yamcha must-"
"No, Piccolo..." Rori shook her head at the mention of Yamcha's name, "We're going to be parents... you and I... are going to be parents... I know you don't want us to be together... and I won't force you but-"
Before Rori could finish her thought, Piccolo turned back closing the gap between them without even realizing his body could move that quickly. His arms found their way to her, wrapping around her tightly, cutting off her sentence, along with her ability to breathe or think. Rori had gone over tons of different of reactions she'd thought he might have, but this wasn't even in the top hundred.
"Piccolo" Rori called from where her head rested on his shoulder, her arms were pinned to her sides he was holding her so tight "you're crushing me..."
Piccolo backed up, looking a bit ashamed of himself, but a smile tugged at his lips despite himself, "You're... sure it's mine?"
"100%" she confirmed, "You're... okay with this?"
"Rori... You wanted to know how I could love you and turn you away..." Piccolo started and sighed knowing this would anger her, but he couldn't hide it now, "When you said you wanted to have a kid and it started to take longer than we expected I went to see Bulma. She confirmed that you and I shouldn't be able to have children... I knew you wanted one... and at first I didn't believe I couldn't, but it started to make sense to me, my people are only male... The longer it took the more I thought she was right. I couldn't take motherhood away from you... When the only option was Vegeta... I didn't worry too much, but then I realized you could have a half human child like Goku had... maybe with Trunks you could have even-"
Rori stared at him dumbfounded as he explained, but when he mentioned Trunks she punched him in the shoulder, "What the hell? You just made that decision without me? Piccolo, I get that your a Namekian, but you're also my mate, I told you, Saiyans mate for life... is why you asked Vegeta to..."
"You're stubborn, how else was I supposed to get you to- Ow!" Piccolo cringed as she punched him in the arm again in the same spot.
"Don't ever put me through that again! You're not alone Piccolo, we're a team. We have been from the moment I arrived on this planet" Rori sighed before sliding her arms around his neck to pull him back to her, laying her head on his shoulder she lightly planted a string of kisses up his neck, "Please, don't forget that."
Piccolo leaned his chin on top of her head, letting a hand slide down to her stomach, still barely able to believe the baby growing inside her was his. His arms instinctively wrapped around her waist again, feeling the need to protect her now more than ever "I promise..."
Android 18 watched as Rori left the apartment. Well, she'd tried, not really, but she'd asked at least right? Now alone in the apartment she dried her hair and went through the closest again, realizing she was alone to make her dress selection now. Well, Rori had said take the black one and there would be plenty of other opportunities to try the other ones on. 18 pulled the short black dress over her head, before making her way to the living room and plopping herself down on the couch. Okay, so she was all ready with nowhere to go until Rori got back. Or she could go out on her own, though it had been a while since she'd done that. She'd always had 17 to tag along with her. 18 sighed and laid back on the couch. She would wait half an hour and not a second longer. Anymore would just be admitting she needed someone else in her life and she didn't. She wasn't that kind of girl... Android... whatever...
Every minute 18 found herself changing positions in her boredom and after 15 minutes she currently found her new position upside down, head hanging off the bottom of the couch, legs slung over the head rest.
"So where's the chick you killed to get this place?" 18 heard 17's voice and fell more than rolled onto the floor, before sitting up right blowing some air past her lips to get the hair out of her eyes. Once the hair was gone she found 17 leaning on the door frame of the open balcony door. He chuckled as she took a normal seated position on the couch. When she didn't answer he took her silence as an invitation and entered the apartment looking around. 18 had almost forgotten, since 17 and 18 were meant to work together, but didn't have energy sensing capabilities like 16, the good doctor had given them trackers on their earrings to find each other.
"I was invited here if you must know." 18 sighed now wishing to be back to her bored self. Yes, she would admit it to herself now, she had been lonely, but a part of her wanted to live her own life, rather than as the brother and sister collectible set they had been until now.
"Who would invite you to their place?" he laughed as he started tossing a fragile glass statue he'd found up and down in his hand, "What did you play that innocent girl crap on some poor guy?"
"Oh, nothing like that. No one special invited me here..." 18 stated nonchalantly waiting for him to drop the piece of glass, and sure enough, he did. That was when she struck, "Just your girlfriend."
"Rori?" 17 asked, to which he received a nod along with a wicked smirk from his sister. His face turned white and he looked down at the broken glass, "Shit... you think she cared about that?"
"I wouldn't worry about it, I don't think she's into you anymore, anyway." 18 commented, finally finding some entertainment out of the situation. She was bored and 17 messed with her a lot, so now it was her turn.
"Quit trying to mess with me." 17 said walking over to the couch, dropping down next to her, his arms spread wide over the back of the couch, legs stretched out and crossed leisurely before him, "How could she not be into all of this?"
18 made a gagging noise as she grabbed a magazine on the end table and pulled her feet up on the couch, sitting Indian style, with the magazine draped over her legs. As she leafed through it, she couldn't help but antagonize him, "Well, she left pretty quickly after Vegeta came over earlier, and wouldn't tell me where they were going. She kept blushing like that time I caught you two making out in the car when I came back from shopping."
"Please!" He laughed taking the magazine from her, "Nice try, but she hates that guy."
18 stared him directly in the eye, "Okay... if you're sure."
"I am." he quickly lied. She'd gotten him. Gotten into his head. What was Rori doing with Vegeta?
18 stood up and started for Rori's room, "Do whatever you want, I'm gonna go find some shoes, before it's time to go."
17 threw the magazine down and followed her into Rori's room. As she rummaged through the closet for shoes, he nosily snooped through Rori's room. Not finding much before he picked up the one lone stuffed animal he'd found on her night stand, a monkey. 17 sat on ther bed tossing the monkey now, acting as if he wasn't at all worried, "where are you going anyway?"
"Rori and I are going to a club later with her friends... to celebrate... that thing spitting us back out and dying..." 18 said as she finally found a pair of heels she liked. 18 meandered over shoving him aside to make room as she sat next to him on the bed, leaning over to buckle the straps around her ankles.
"Whoa whoa whoa, so you two are hanging out now?" 17 arched his brow, before shoving her back a bit, "Is this really her place? You guys don't even like each other."
"She's letting me have her clothes and they're not a flamenco dress or a cowgirl outfit." 18 responded sharply.
"I thought you looked mighty nice in that there cowboy dress." 17 mocked in his best western accent. It still wasn't good.
18 rolled her eyes and took the closest pillow, using it to try and smother him before he punched her off of him causing her fly up in the air, but she quickly regained herself landing perfectly on her borrowed heels. She looked like she was about to retaliate, when 17 stood up and held his hand up calling for a truce, remembering that he'd already broken one of her things, "I think I'll tag along with you two."
"Your not invited." 18 countered, already fed up with his shenanigans. Surprisingly, when 17 wasn't around, she could tolerate Rori, so she didn't want him interfering and making the Saiyan insufferable again. Those two are idiots together...
"Come on, help a guy out." 17 begged.
18 arched her brow, knowing it wasn't like him to do that unless he really wanted something, "You really like her?"
17 didn't answer, but 18 knew that his silence was his answer.
"Fine..." She sighed.
Piccolo had his head seated comfortably on Rori's chest as she napped in the bedroom back at the Lookout. When they'd arrived she'd mentioned the pregnancy was already taking a lot out of her and he had insisted she sleep even for a few minutes. Though she'd argued, she lasted for all of two minutes before she fell asleep. And now he just watched the rises and falls, he watched as his fingers roamed her body, but often came back to her stomach. It was still hard to believe that the baby was his. Though Kami reminded Piccolo that he was not the average Namekian, he was the son of King Piccolo who had been known to create all kinds of creatures from his own being.
Not to mention he was one of those creatures himself, and the only one that looked like a carbon copy of his father, King Piccolo. Though his appearance was closer to King Piccolo's than the likes of Tambourine and the rest, he was not the carbon copy of his father, Kami had even confirmed this to him. King Piccolo would have never been able to take Rori as a mate, like he had. He would have been missing some key tools for that feat. There were many difference between the two, though they were not as visible as they had been with Piccolo's siblings. King Piccolo had been more like Piccolo Junior's creator than his father. And his creator had had bigger plans for Piccolo Junior than his other siblings: kill Goku, take over the world, and create and fill the world with a new evil race just to mention a few on the list. King Piccolo knew that to create that race by continuing to make copies of himself would only weaken him, which was why his father had made sure that Piccolo Junior had what was necessary to continue on without giving up some of his energy, weakening himself. What his father hadn't counted on was that this would give Piccolo Junior another, different kind of weakness. And, however rarely, Piccolo Junior would from time to time crave a little companionship. And from time to time he would give in to that weakness, like he had when he'd agreed to mate with a Saiyan.
Piccolo watched his mate stir from her slumber, her groggy gaze falling over him, as she leaned ever so slowly up to a seated position. Though she was careful not to move Piccolo from where he rested on her chest, he slid his head from its resting place of his own volition, moving beside her, only to pull her into his lap, where she nuzzled against him, her arms finding their home around his neck. Her lashes fluttered against his chest as she blinked her eyes open several times, remaining somewhere between the waking world and her dreams. She couldn't even remember what she had been dreaming about, but it seemed like a good dream for the first time in quite a while. It made her feel at ease, or perhaps it was the arms she was so tightly wrapped in that caused her to feel safe. That was another thing she hadn't felt in quite some time.
Though Rori could barely remember where she was, she didn't even need to open her eyes to know who she was with. One deep inhale and she knew that deep musky scent. It was different from the Saiyan scent, but that didn't mean it didn't draw her in any less. He was her mate after all. Suddenly, the recent events came rushing back to her when she realized where she was. Rori craned her head back resting her chin on Piccolo's chest to look up and find his dark eyes watching her. She knew that look, even if it had been a while. Yet something was different about it this time, he had never been so still before, cautious of even the slight movement he made when sliding his hand down the small of her back. It was as if even a kiss from him might destroy her.
"What are you waiting for?" she finally questioned. Rori knew what he wanted and he knew she wouldn't say no, yet he hesitated.
Piccolo furrowed his hairless brow line, unsure of how to even voice his concerns. After everything that happened, he knew she would still be willing, he'd known that since their escapade in the time chamber and even at the Lookout, but he wasn't sure they could now.
"Is it okay to... I mean for the..." As he spoke, Piccolo felt ridiculous as she appeared confused by every word that came out of his mouth. He had been right when he thought of Krillin and Yamcha earlier, love definitely made men stupid and he realized now that included him.
When she finally realized what he meant, Rori gave him a rough push back onto the bed before crawling on top of him, straddling him with a grin, "It was okay just last week, wasn't it? And honestly, we have a lot of time to make up. I'm not waiting any longer."
"Is that so?" he asked leaning up on his forearms, his face coming close to hers, but he stopped just before their lips and noses touched, "Do I need to give you another lesson in patience?"
Rori laughed before she draped herself over him, her hair flowing over them like a curtain as she trailed her lips down his chest, sliding his gi down along with as she did, "You can try, but I'm sure by now you know that I'm way too stubborn to learn my lesson."
Piccolo let out a contented sigh as he felt her soft lips caress their way down his body. He was almost happy she didn't want that now. They had been apart too long and it would have been just as much torture for him as it would have been for her to make her wait, as much as he liked watching her beg for it. No, they had plenty of time for that. Though he was not going to let her be the only one to have her fun, he thought to himself as she threw his gi to the floor somewhere behind her. His fingers ran through her long locks of hair until they found their way to the base of her neck, where he grabbed a fist full of her hair, gently pulling her head back before he flipped her over so she was trapped beneath him.
Rori watched Piccolo's face turn smug after he tricked her, knowing she liked it when he pulled her hair, he'd used it to gain the upper hand. And he was definitely going to use it, she realized as his hands ran down her side to rip off her shirt then shorts respectively. So much for patience, she mused, before she let out a surprised gasp as she felt his nails dig slightly into her hips to pull her legs up over his shoulders. Before she could comprehend what he was doing, she found herself in a slight back bend, her arms clutching the sheets of the bed for stability, trying to keep herself up. Her lips parted to ask him what he was doing, but before she could she felt his lips meet her core as his tongue found just the right spot to make her forget how to even speak. As he worked her over, Piccolo's left arm slid below the arch of her back, holding her in place while his other hand paved a path down the plain of her stomach finding its destination where he palmed at her breast before grazing his clawed finger tips over her nipple. Before long she could feel herself being pushed to the edge and was vaguely aware of hearing her own desperate voice cry out a slew of curse words and possibly his name.
When Piccolo heard her cry out his name he knew she was close. He took a brief moment and gazed down at her body glistening with sweat, her face contorted, her hands tearing at the sheets and decided he wouldn't need patience to make her beg. They'd already been waiting so long she was a tightly wound string ready to be plucked at any second. So he pulled back, laying her down on her back as he met her dazed stare with a knowing smirk. He felt her rock her hips against him, but he just pinned her legs down with his own, his voice becoming deeper and dangerous almost, "Tell me you want it... I want to hear it."
Piccolo expected what usually came after a request like that, that her face would turn red, that she would say it, but the longer she would wait the more eager she would be in the end. Yet this time she just watched him cautiously.
"No." Rori answered as she leaned up, elbows bracing her until she was high enough to reach one arm out wrapping it around his neck to pull herself to him despite his keeping her legs from their freedom. He seemed taken back by this, but she held his gaze none the less. She'd remembered her talk with Vegeta earlier and remembered she was a Saiyan and while she may submit to her mate on any other occasion, tonight she needed to gain back some of her pride, "Not tonight. For so long you've kept me at a distance and I thought you didn't even want me. You may want to hear me say it... but I need to you say it. I need to know you want us and not just because we're going to have a kid together."
Piccolo met her gaze finding her eyes pleading with and intensity for what he hadn't been able to realize she'd needed. He realized then how she'd become unsure what she meant to him, but he wasn't even sure how to begin to tell her how he felt about her. If he could rip his heart out of his chest and give it to her, that might have been simpler for him. He'd never had a way with words.
"I.. Rori... " he faltered under her intense hopeful stare, and it made it all the worse when he watched her face start to turn away in disappointment.
Just tell her you need her, Kami voice reverberated through his head, that's all she wants to know.
Tell her that she means something to you, Nail confirmed.
He felt her trying to move out from beneath him now and he knew if he didn't say something she wouldn't leave, but they wouldn't be the same. They would never get back to the way things were if he couldn't find a way to tell her that she meant something to him. Piccolo reached his hand out, turning her chin back to him, "You know I'm not good at this, but if you need to hear this... then... I need you... but what I didn't realize I needed more than that was to know you're safe and happy... I'm sorry if I let you think that meant that I didn't need or want you. I wanted to you to have what's I could take give you, what you deserved."
Rori watched him as he spoke, she knew it would be hard for him, but she didn't née de him to tell her this constantly. Before t ha don't just been a given, but just for one moment she felt insecure an de she needed him to reassure her that her insecurity was not her reality. It wasn't even the word she'd asked him for that had been able to reassure her, but his intense gaze and how just after he'd held her down in a lovingly way that she'd never even thought him capable of.
Piccolo pulled her chin in, crushing her with a kiss. He could tell she'd been hesitant despite his words, but he'd just have to prove it to her. She was right, he could make her beg any day, but today she needed to feel loved by him because she'd forgotten what it felt like or she'd maybe never even felt it. He let himself off of her pulling her now into his lap as his hand ran to the crook of her neck, pulling her in for a slow languid kiss. As they kissed, Rori sat up straddling him, her hands running up and down the span of his muscled chest. He pulled her body flush against his, never breaking their kiss, until he felt her slowly sink down onto him. Piccolo groaned and leaned his forehead against hers, watching her cheeks flush and eyes darken as she moved slowly along his length. He began to meet her as she sheathed herself to the hilt on him, her nails digging into the muscles of his shoulders. They started out with a slow place, making sure that they would feel completely the extent of every movement, but soon that became unbearable for both parties.
Rori managed to whimper Piccolo's name and that caused him to lose himself, and while losing himself was not something he indulged in often, he knew that was what she needed now. Piccolo laid her back and pinned her to the bed as his pace grew quicker. He was close but he still managed to slow his pace so he could press open mouthed kisses to her exposed skin. With his slow pace he could feel her muscles tightening around him, her heels digging into him back trying to pull him closer. Piccolo took this cue to quicken his pace again, making sure to put pressure on just the right spot. She had been so close sooner that she came quicker than expected. She tightened and even after she had come over the edge her core was so taut around him causing him to spasm and pulse inside her as he let himself go.
Piccolo leaned his forehead down against Rori's panting along with her. As the both came down from their high, Piccolo slid out of her and laid back on the bed next to her, staring up at the ceiling, pulling her limp body along with him he planted a quick kiss to her forehead. They stayed there for a few minutes, taking everything in, or so it seemed.
"What time is it?" she questioned with a yawn.
Piccolo looked around the room, finding hour glasses but no actual way of him knowing the time, so he guessed, "Maybe 6..."
"What?!" Rori's eyes shot open and she hopped up out of the bed, trying to brush some stray hairs down with her finger tips, "Dammit!"
"What's wrong?" Piccolo asked confused at her sudden outburst.
"Trunks will be leaving any minute." she stated before grabbing his arm, "Come on, get up!"
"Is it that big of a deal?" Piccolo questioned. He knew Trunks would be leaving and yes, they'd all said they would be there, but it was more important perhaps for Bulma, Vegeta, and Gohan. Why was she acting so rushed, if they missed him, they missed him.
Piccolo watched curiously, Rori began fumbling with her ripped clothes. He just smirked at this before he used his clothes beam to repair them. Once she was all dressed she searched the dresser finding where she 'd led to her phone earlier, picking I think up to make a call. After a several rings, Piccolo thought he heard Android 18's voice on the other end, "Yeah? What do you want?"
"18?" Rori asked confirming Piccolo's suspicions, but when she got no answer she just continued, "Sorry, I had to leave you like that. It was an emergency. I'll explain it to you later. Anyway, the place we're going to, you'll find it easy, it's right down the street from my place."
Rori waited for any sort of confirmation, but then heard 18's muffled voice, though she wasn't speaking to Rori, "I told you to stay away from there and be quiet!"
"18... 18..?" Rori questioned.
"Huh.. Yeah?" the android finally responded.
"Are the squirrels knocking stuff over again? Just put out a little food for them on the terrasse and they'll go away." Rori laughed a bit thinking about the squirrels who often came over looking for food were now giving 18 a hard time.
"What?" 18 had no idea what Rori was talking about, but then realized she must have heard 17 making noise, "Oh... yeah I'll do that. Listen, give me the name of the place and I'll meet you there."
Rori finished giving 18 all the information before hanging up to find Piccolo watching her with a smirk. He didn't know what she was doing, but he did know she was up to something. Rori had always thought she was good at hiding her motives, but now even after years apart he could see right through her, "This isn't about seeing Trunks off..."
Rori sighed, "Well.. I've been working on something... you know how Krillin likes 18, well yesterday I convinced her to stay at my place until she found something. And today after we see Trunks off everyone was supposed to go out to a bar... and I was thinking... Krillin will be there... I'd bring 18 and who knows..."
Piccolo stared at her, "When did you become so human? You've been around Bulma too long."
"Well who's fault is that?" Rori asked arching a brow.
Piccolo didn't answer and just grumbled something under his breath.
Sending Trunks off had been quite the event, mostly for Bulma, who held back her tears even after he was long gone. It was true that she still had her little baby with her, but that didn't make it any easier to say goodbye to the future version of her son. At least it had been nice knowing that Trunks would turn out to be a good guy and less... brazen than his father. She'd known she'd get emotional when the time would come, which was why she had proposed a little party afterwards. Everything would be fine. Her parents would watch Trunks, baby Trunks of course, and she would spend some time dancing off all the fear and sadness she felt with her friends.
It seemed frivolous to throw a party now, but Bulma reminded herself that she wasn't the only one who'd needed a little distraction. While everyone should have been relieved that the androids hadn't devastated their world and that Cell had finally been beaten, there was a certain emotional low that came over everyone as they back to their normal lives. Though it wasn't normal. Goku was gone. Trunks was gone. And their life for the past few years had revolved around this moment that had just come to an end. It was hard to remember what normal even meant. Bulma had seen this depression sink in slowly on all her friends starting from the moment the fight with Cell was over. First with Krillin when he'd showed up at master Roshi's, he wasn't his normal happy self. And after she questioned him, he'd explained to her that Goku wasn't coming back. Chichi was inconsolable for some time. Not to mention that Gohan, despite having saved the world, appeared to feel responsible for losing his father. Bulma thought that this state of depression would have ended at Kame house, but then she'd arrived home and found Vegeta declaring he would never fight again. And so she'd decided, that was it, they all needed a little distraction before going back to their normal lives. It had only cemented the idea in her head when she'd called Rori and found her asking for her space pod, in what she could only assume would be to run away from her problems.
It was cute really, Vegeta had initially insisted that he wasn't going to help them out nor, go to their little get together. Yet, the next day she couldn't find him anywhere and when he'd returned and she'd asked where he'd been, his response was simply "out." Bulma was smarter than that, she'd had an idea of where he'd gone. Later, she'd confirmed her suspicions when Piccolo and Rori showed up together just a few minutes before Trunks left. The two appeared to be back to their old selves as well. Bulma had risked casting a knowing smile over to Vegeta, and even though he quickly averted his gaze, feigning annoyance, she knew that it was just a front for the others. She knew things would work out for them here and now, even if they hadn't in Trunks' timeline. And despite having told her that he wouldn't come out with them here he was following them to the bar, in clothes other than his armor, arms defiantly crossed, but he was there.
After Trunks had left, everyone had made their way over to the bar, though there had been some obstacles to Bulma's party. Chichi had complained about bringing Gohan to a bar, him being too young. Everyone had insisted that it would be fine though, he wasn't going to be drinking anything, but soda. Once they convinced Chichi that it was all right, they then had to convince the bouncer to let Piccolo in because he wasn't appropriately dressed. Piccolo gave the bouncer a harsh look before taking off his turban and cloak, letting them drop before the man with a thud, "Will this do?"
The bouncer gulped and nodded vigorously, pulling back the chain to let every one in, hoping he wouldn't have any trouble. Rori snickered at Piccolo, as they entered the club last, "Why didn't you just take up Bulma on her offer to let you borrow some clothes."
Piccolo's face turned red, remembering the last time he'd borrowed clothes from Chichi, and how he'd vowed never again. The clothes he'd borrowed looked ridiculous and made him less menacing, enough so that his driving instructor felt the safe enough with him to give him her number. He would never do that again, "I got in, didn't I?"
"True..." Rori hummed while she led him to the bar where everyone else was waiting to get drinks.
"What..." Piccolo grimaced at her, "You want me to wear those human clothes?"
"You did look more normal in those clothes" Chichi answered for Rori, walking over with Gohan at her side. She sighed noticing the closeness between Rori and Piccolo again. Oh how she had hoped Rori and Yamcha would have lasted, but it was true Rori was Goku's sister and normal wasn't something that ran in the family, "if you're going to be my brother-in-law now for good, you should try to dress normally."
"I looked ridiculous..." Piccolo grumbled at even the thought of it.
"I thought you looked cool in the hat" Gohan chimed in.
"I missed Piccolo wearing normal clothes?" Krillin asked laughing, then immediately shut up when he caught Piccolo glaring at him.
Out of all things, Gohan's comment made Piccolo reconsider it more than the others, but luckily Master Roshi came over interrupting their conversation to bring some beers over to Rori and Chichi.
Rori looked at the beer and sighed, "Um actually... I have an announcement..."
She took the beer and handed it to Piccolo. While he didn't really eat or drink, she'd seen him do it on special occasions and this was definitely a special occasion. It was loud in the bar, but within a few minutes she felt all her friends eyes on her and she choked, her eyes casting to the side wondering how she should say it. Luckily, Yamcha interrupted yelling over the rest of the group, "Just tell them you and Piccolo are having a kid, already!"
Rori looked up and found Yamcha grinning, and felt herself flush but do the same, happy that he broke the ice for her.
"Really?!" Krillin who was standing next to her smiled. He laughed before he swallowed his fear and shook Piccolo's hand, to his surprise Piccolo reciprocated, "Hey, congratulations!"
Rori's face turned red as her friends were congratulating her and Piccolo, when she noticed Chichi was watching her carefully, an array of emotions going over her face, and before she knew it her sister-in-law jumped at her pulling Rori into a tight hug, "Oh, I'm so happy! I thought I was going to be all alone in this, but this is going to be great, we'll be able to take classes together and pick out clothes and supplies!"
Rori pulled back from Chichi with a confused look, "What do you mean?"
"I'm pregnant too!" Chichi seemed so excited that they were going to be able to go through this together that she led Rori away from the group to a table and began briefly explaining everything in detail that Rori might need to know. After a while, Rori finally got a chance to break free from Chichi when Master Roshi came over and headed over to where Yamcha and Piccolo had been talking.
"You two ok?" Rori arched an brow, having found it weird that while she'd been trapped by Chichi for so long, Yamcha and Piccolo had seemed to be getting along. ... Not that she had been curiously watching them and not listening to Chichi or anything.
"Actually... yes" Yamcha decided with a laugh.
The three had a chance to talk for maybe 10 minutes before the dj started loud music started to pour in throughout the room. It was no longer an early drinking hour and everyone in the bar had started drinking and dancing more. Chichi and Gohan had decided to leave and with Piccolo distracted saying good-bye to Gohan, Rori was left with Yamcha. They had tried to find some subject of conversation, but Rori realized that now that she was with Piccolo again things were a little awkward between the two, so she asked him to dance instead. He agreed, following to the dance floor, keeping a friendly distance as they made some rather cheesy dance moves together to the music joining along with Bulma and Krillin.
When a new song came on Rori left the dance floor saying she'd be back soon. She walked around the bar to see if Piccolo was back yet, and when she hadn't seen him she made her way back to the dance floor, pushing her way through the crowd of people. Each person she passed was like a blur, the sea of people parting as she went through, until one man in a black sport coat stood firmly in front of her. Rori looked up to the man ready to ask him if she could sneak by, when found herself face to face with familiar blue eyes.
"Hey..." 17 smirked, taking her hand in his, pulling her into him.
Before Rori could even react herself, stunned from the surprise, Yamcha had caught sight of this, quickly making his way over he hovered over the two, pushing them apart, which he realized immediately might have been a mistake after receiving an angered look from the android.
"It's fine Yamcha... I'll handle him." Rori remarked knowing that technically she'd never really broken things off with the android. When he'd been devoured they were together after all, and a lot had happened since then. She needed to explain this to 17 herself.
Before 17 led Rori deeper into the crowd, he gave Yamcha a smug look as if to tell him that the bandit wouldn't stand a chance anyway. Once 17 had gotten her a good distance away from Yamcha, Rori noticed that he looked different. He had a complete change of clothes, his hair slicked back and his signature bandanna was nowhere to be found. She realized this must be one of his games, though she wasn't going to be playing this time.
"Listen..." Rori tried her best to speak up as they danced, 17 kept pulling her closer, while she kept trying to keep a distance, "... Piccolo and I are back together..."
17 just continued dancing with her, acting as if nothing had changed, making her wonder if he could even hear her.
"17?" she questioned.
"I heard you" he smirked and turned her to the music before pulling her back, "I just don't believe it will last..."
Rori furrowed her brow and stopped dancing, "What do you mean?"
17 stopped as well and ran his fingers through her hair, "I mean... I know you.. that guy is so stoic Rori... would he even dance with you?"
Rori was about to answer but before she could, 17 did for her, "I doubt it. He's boring. It's not in his nature is it, but it is in yours."
"You have no idea-" Rori started to defend Piccolo when 17 silenced her, invading her space to brush a kiss on her lips, his tongue gliding over hers, as his hand slid around her waist, pulling her against him. When he pulled back, she was shocked into silence though she should have known better, it wasn't the first time he'd made her mad and then tried to calm her in his own way. He pulled back, his forehead pressed against hers as he searched her expression for a hint that she still had feelings for him, but he decided the fact that she hadn't pushed him away yet was good enough.
"I don't hold it against you. I haven't been around after all, but I think you've forgotten the fun we had together. What it was like to play by our own rules..." He smirked, his arm tightening around her to make sure she wouldn't fall as be began to hover them off the ground.
It wasn't until she was a couple of feet off the ground that Rori realized what he was doing, "17 you can't do that here."
"I can do whatever I want and so can you" He stated as one of his hands cupped her cheek, sliding it down to the back of her neck, fingers entangled in her hair, pulling her in for another kiss, but before he could make contact, 17 was yanked down by his ankle.
Piccolo now made his way between the two looking furious, which only appeared to amuse 17.
"Eager to finish our fight I see?" 17 taunted.
"It'd be my pleasure to kick that smug look off your stupid face." Piccolo responded.
Rori grumbled now annoyed with both of them, but mostly 17. She pulled Piccolo back by his arm so he was no longer between them, "That's enough. And 17... I told you we're over. Bulma was trying to put together something to cheer us up and you're ruining it. Just leave."
"Oh, we're not over-" 17 started, but Rori wouldn't let him finish. She'd already let this get way too out of hand.
"Yes, we are, 17. I'm pregnant. I don't have time for your games anymore." Rori yelled at him. She didn't want to have to use that as an excuse. She'd tried to break up with him normally, but since he wasn't taking no for an answer, she figured that should do the trick. 17 didn't actually love her, he just wanted to get into her pants. She knew that. She knew she was just a challenge and her refusing him only made him want her more, but there was no way he'd want to get involved with a kid on the way. That was serious. Yet when now he was just laughing to himself, hand over his face with an unreadable expression that almost scared her.
"What's so funny?" Piccolo growled.
"So that's what this is all about?" 17 laughed and shook his head, "Rori... you know that baby is mine."
"What are you talking about." Rori shook her head, "Stop trying to mess with us. 17 you and I never even... did anything together. There would be no way it's yours. Piccolo is the father."
"No, he's not" 17 stated with a dangerous tone in his voice, his face now serious, taking a step closer to them, "And yes we did. Don't you remember? That night we stayed at a hotel... we had some drinks... and then..."
"We had some drinks... and then I woke up in bed next to 18." Rori answered, but paused as she tried to recall what had happened between those two things. And when she did, her eyes widened and her face turned bright red, "Oh...shit ...We did do something..."
A/N: So, sorry that took so long. I tried to do an extra long chapter to make up for the time it's taken to get these out. Things have been a bit busy, and while I can say I could get them out sooner, I'd prefer taking time to do them properly rather than putting out something I rushed on. Thanks for your understanding and for all of you who have stayed with it thus far! I'm so appreciative of all your kind comments. I noticed one question on Piccolo being a Namekian so I tried to answer that in this chapter, though it had been planned for another one down the line, it needed to be addressed. I think it will make more sense when I finish the what if chapter later on King Piccolo Saga. Anyway, next will put an end to this and with the start of Krillin and 18's relationship. While this story will come to an end, I've been planning another starting with Dragon Ball Super along with some what-if chapters. :) So thanks again!