Sleep came easily after I figured out how to put on my nightclothes. The bed was incredibly soft, a stark contrast to the open fields I had grown accustomed to. Although I missed the sight of the stars overhead, I was willing to trade them for the comfort of being surrounded by people.
"Wake up, Coco," a soft groan escaped my lips as I slowly opened my eyes.
"Are you okay, love?" a deep voice asked, catching me off guard.
"Love?" I questioned, sitting up in surprise. To my astonishment, a remarkably handsome guy stood next to the bed. "Um, yeah."
"You were staring, love," the stranger said, settling himself on the edge of the bed.
"Sorry, you're... hot," I blurted out, quickly covering my mouth in embarrassment.
"Ohohoho," he chuckled, his laughter unique and inexplicably delightful. It brought a smile to my face. Who was this guy? There was something about him that felt familiar, something that made me feel safe.
"We have a long day ahead, love. Lord Beerus is waking up today, and our little vacation spree has come to an end until he falls back into a deep sleep."
"Okay," I replied, sensing him moving away from me.
"One more thing, love."
"What is it?"
"Wake up."
My eyes shot open in a panic. The sudden realization hit me—was it all a dream, or had it been real?
Clover burst through my bedroom door, her energy filling the room. She swiftly made her way to my bed, exclaiming, "Ahh, Wunderbar, you're awake!" She yanked the covers off me, clearly eager to start the day.
"We have a long day ahead, my dear. Ballroom dancing, etiquette lessons, academic studies, and finally, combat training with the grand priestess," she informed me, bustling around my room and gathering items. Handing me different parts of my outfit, she continued, "You'll be wearing this dress today, no arguments. We must get ready quickly."
As I dressed, I couldn't help but ask about the gloves. "Gloves?" I questioned, perplexed by their significance.
"Yes, my dear. The gloves are the most important part of your outfit. Rule number one: no skin contact with anyone except your partner," she explained, her tone serious. I slipped the gloves on, trying to understand the reasoning behind this rule.
"Partner?" I inquired, still uncertain about the specifics.
"That is a question for the grand priestess," Clover replied, gesturing for me to follow her. I trailed after her, feeling slightly foolish as I struggled to maintain my balance in heels. Clover couldn't help but giggle at my clumsy attempts.
"I often feel like I'm the only one who doesn't know anything," I admitted, voicing my insecurities.
"We have all felt that way at some point. Remember, you can always ask the grand priestess anything," Clover reassured me kindly. Her words brought me a sense of relief. I didn't have to navigate this world alone; there was guidance available.
Clover turned out to be quite a demanding teacher. She pushed me relentlessly, and I realized she wouldn't allow me to eat until I got everything right. My mind was so preoccupied with thoughts of taking small bites and chewing slowly that I didn't notice I had inadvertently collided with a solid object.
But then I recognized the familiar face—it was Mochi, the skilled dancer. I had somehow wandered into the ballroom. "Hello, Mochi," I greeted him, tilting my head back to meet his gaze.
"Good morning, tiny one. Are you ready for the ballroom?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with warmth. I nodded eagerly, trying to find my voice.
"Use your words, tiny one," Mochi gently reminded me.
"Yes," I replied, feeling a surge of excitement.
"Then we shall start with the foundation of a waltz. The box step," Mochi declared, beginning to guide me through the dance.
Priestess pov
"You've been hovering over that crystal ball all morning," my husband said, a playful glint in his eyes. I couldn't help but smirk, feeling mischievous as I prepared my response.
"Well, it's just like how you hover over it to check on our kids," I teased, raising an eyebrow suggestively. He chuckled and leaned in, planting a soft kiss on my cheek before settling down beside me.
Curiosity twinkled in his eyes as he asked, "So, what's been holding your attention since last night?" His genuine interest sparked my excitement. I set aside the crystal ball and finally sank into the comfort of the oversized round sofa. "Your mother had the responsibility of choosing a strong and suitable partner for you."
"So, you've been stressed about finding suitable partners? Would you like me to help?"
"No, that's my responsibility, and I've already taken care of it. This time, I've chosen stronger partners."
"This time?" He questions, pulling me onto his lap. I rest my head on his chest and snuggle close. "Finding the right partner is a task filled with trial and error. Even your mother admitted that I wasn't the first."
My husband was very sly. I didn't notice his hand slipping under my dress until I felt his thumb gently stroke my thigh in a teasing way.
"Be careful, if I remember correctly this is how our third child was conceived." He chuckled softly before kissing my neck, making me shiver and my body heat up.
"Mama! Papa!"
The abrupt slam of our bedroom door shattered the intimate atmosphere, acting as a sudden extinguisher to the passionate flame we had ignited. It was reminiscent of a frigid bucket of ice water being unceremoniously poured over us. Trying to salvage the moment, I whispered softly to my husband, "I seem to have forgotten my cardinal rule when we find ourselves alone: never mention the kids, or they somehow manage to magically materialize." This playful remark elicited a breathy laugh from him, the sound reverberating against my neck and momentarily rekindling the spark between us.
Coco pov
Dancing has quickly become my favorite activity. I picked up on it so quickly that Mochi was able to teach me some advanced moves. My heels no longer killed me, and I found it easier to move in them. Surprisingly, I had started to like wearing them. Lost in my thoughts, I roamed the halls when suddenly, my dreams came rushing back.
"Coco?"
"Is that your name?"
I flinched hard and turned around to see the priestess standing there, looking immaculate with not a hair out of place. "I had this dream last night."
"Hold that thought. You must be hungry after a long session. Let's have some tea."
We entered a cozy sitting room, and she insisted that I make the tea. I had no idea there were so many rules for making and drinking tea. Her instructions began to feel like a passionate monologue. On the bright side, the snacks she provided looked and tasted delicious.
"Tell me about your dreams," she finally prompted.
"Yes, ma'am. Honestly, it didn't feel like a dream. It felt like a glimpse into a future moment I haven't experienced yet. The man in my dream was so gentle and kind to me."
"Anything else?"
"He's attractive."
"Ohoho! I do appreciate your honesty," she chuckled. "So your name is Coco?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
I pondered it for a moment. Did I feel like a Coco? It seemed right when he called me Coco in my dreams. I slowly nodded, fully embracing the name. "Yes, my name is Coco."
Tea time was pleasant, and the priestess departed just as Lime burst into the room, followed closely by Sweet and Sour. Sweet, despite her name, had a bit of a mean streak, while Sour should have been named Sweet because of his genuinely kind nature. He had complimented me during breakfast for my attempt at setting up the plates. "It's time for your general lessons," Lime announced, breaking the tranquility.
Grand priestess pov
It had been an hour since our tea time, and I couldn't help but admit to myself that it was a delightful break. However, I had to be careful not to show any favoritism, as it could raise accusations. Despite that, Coco had been showing promising signs of talent, with occasional glimpses of the future. It was an excellent indicator of her potential.
As I made my way back to our bedroom, I found myself hoping that my husband had managed to survive the barrage of questions from our kids. I quietly approached the open door, peeking inside to take a quick headcount. To my dismay, I realized I could only account for ten of our children. Panic shot through me, and I quickly turned around to locate the missing two.
"Whis! Vados! Don't sneak up on me like that!" I scolded, my heart still racing. They both apologized, but their curiosity got the better of them, and they followed me into the bedroom. I settled down next to my husband, bracing myself for the onslaught of questions that were about to come. (I couldn't help but feel like this was reminiscent of the dreaded sex talk, with too many questions from my inquisitive brood.)
"Mama, you never answered my question!" Kusu, our oldest, pouted.
"Yes, I did," I replied, trying to recall the conversation. "No, you told me to ask Dad, and when I turned to you, you were gone," Kusu retorted.
"Alright, alright. What do you want to know?"
Little did I realize that was the worst thing I could have said. Before I knew it, a cacophony of voices erupted, with everyone asking their questions at the same time. The room quickly descended into chaos as they argued with each other.
Turning to my husband with a bewildered expression, I asked, "Remind me again how we ended up with so many?" His face broke into a mischievous grin, and in a blink of an eye, a stack of papers materialized in his hands.
"I have a list just for this. Let me know if any of these moments ring a bell. Remember when our firstborn came into the world? We had just returned home from a party off-planet, and you were a bit tipsy. I gently put you to bed after you shed tears over how small Lord Zeno appeared to be. At 2:45 am, you suddenly woke me up, mumbling something about tiny shoes before stripping down. Shall I continue?" The room fell silent, and my curiosity piqued.
"How was our sixth child conceived?"
"Well, it all started when you convinced the kids that you were the undisputed master of hide and seek, unbeatable by anyone. Excited by the challenge, they all scrambled to find the perfect hiding spot. At that moment, you turned to me with a mischievous grin and asked if I wanted to witness a magic trick. I couldn't resist, so I eagerly said yes, and you replied, 'Wonderful, I'm going to need your assistance to make this baby appear.'" Laughter erupted from me, causing our children to cringe and attempt to erase the memory from their minds. Half of them wanted to escape the room altogether. After wiping away the tears of laughter, the room settled into a calm state, and I was ready to answer their questions.
"Okay, okay. One at a time, please. Give me your questions."
Coco pov
My brain hurts, and I officially hate Sweet. I never knew someone could be so mean. She called me a dumbass twenty times while teaching me.
~Flashback~
"God, you're such a dumbass. This is basic knowledge about planets and the universe. I should stop teaching you because your simple, stupid brain wouldn't be able to comprehend anything else I'm teaching you," Sweet sneered.
"Sweets, that's enough!" Sour interjected, his voice filled with frustration.
"Shut up, Sour!" Sweet roared in his face before turning back to me.
"You're the weak link in this group, dumbass, and I can't wait for that to be realized so you can be dumped back into your stupid fields of flowers."
"You listen here, you sour bitch!" I shouted, getting in her face.
"My name is not dumbass, it's Coco!" She looked shocked. I guess she never thought I would fight back. "Sweet. Why don't we take a walk?" Sour suggested, dragging her out of the room.
~flash back end~
"There you are," Clover called out as she spotted me.
"Hi Clover, need something?" I replied, curious about her intentions. To my surprise, Clover linked her arm with mine and guided me in a different direction.
"I'm walking you to your last lesson for the day," she explained with a smile. We exited through the back door of the house and followed a path that stretched over a serene body of water. "This is the dojo. Plenty of room for fighting," she said, opening the sliding door and gesturing for me to enter. Inside, I saw the grand priestess waiting for us, and she nodded at Clover as I walked in. Clover closed the door behind me, creating an atmosphere of focused seclusion.
Little did I know that stepping into that dojo would bring me face-to-face with a new level of challenge. The grand priestess began showing me how to harness my ki, but it felt as if she was pushing me to my limits, beating the determination out of me.
Doubt started creeping in. Maybe I should just give up, I thought.
But before I could dwell on that notion, a brutal blow struck my stomach, causing everything I had eaten to rise up. It felt as though my stomach had coiled around her fist, and I doubled over in pain.
"Don't you ever think about giving up," she sternly reprimanded.
"Y-yes ma'am," I managed to stammer, determined not to disappoint her.
"Stand up and fight me again," she commanded. I stumbled backwards, struggling to rise while enduring the excruciating cramps. Gasping for breath, I summoned all my strength and got back into fighting position.
"Good girl," she acknowledged approvingly. "Now, defend yourself."
Grand priest Pov
She likes her, I thought to myself. This was the first time I had witnessed her displaying any form of favoritism. My words slipped out as a mumbled whisper under my breath, barely audible to anyone else in the room. As I gazed into the mystical depths of the crystal ball, the image became vivid and unmistakable.
I heard my son call out for me, "Father." I swiftly set aside the crystal ball and turned around, only to find Whis and Vados standing there.
"Ah, you two are still here," I remarked. "Are your destroyers taking a lengthy nap?"
"Father," Whis spoke up, his tone slightly urgent.
"If you've come seeking more information, I'm afraid you've reached a dead end," I continued. "You'd be better off asking your mother for assistance." The let out sighs of resignation.
Clover pov
"I felt bad for her. The Grand Priestess never fought us so fiercely before. The sounds coming from outside the door indicated a severe beating. I couldn't help but wonder why she was punished so harshly. After changing her into her nightgown, I watched as the Grand Priestess began to heal her."
"Her name is Coco," the Grand Priestess suddenly said, startling me out of my thoughts.
"Please inform your housemates that her name is Coco."
"Yes, ma'am." I glanced around the room, astounded by how quickly it transformed. It was incredible; my own ki didn't even work this fast when I tried to change my surroundings. Coco continued to surprise me; she absorbed everything we taught her so quickly. Although she might make mistakes initially, she swiftly corrected them. Was there a reason she was brought to the house last?
"Ma'am, may I ask you something?"
"Go ahead," she replied, still focused on tending to Coco's stomach.
"Is Coco more powerful than the rest of us?"
"Yes," she responded without hesitation. "Powerful and innocent—two very dangerous qualities combined." I nodded, understanding what she meant. Coco possessed incredible power but looked at the world with innocent eyes. The only way to make her snap was by pushing her too far.
"Why does she have half gloves like yours?" I inquired. "When I started my training, I had no real control over my ki. I could only unleash powerful attacks. I know how to rectify that, but it takes time."
"So, her ki blasts would cause more damage?"
"Yes. If she throws it the wrong way, she could obliterate this planet." Innocent as she was, Coco possessed more power than me. But it didn't matter to me. After pulling that prank, I had made it my mission to befriend her.
"Let's leave her to rest."
