Chapter 18

Goku had busied himself with searching for a suitable outfit to wear at the reunion party. As soon as he woke up this cold morning via his alarm clock, the party was the first thing that came to mind. Like the happy-go-lucky man he usually was, he arose from his slumber as if he were preparing for a new and challenging battle. The first thing he did was to make his bed the same way his girlfriend taught him which was becoming a new habit for him, then he headed straight to his bathroom to begin his daily routine of brushing his teeth and taking a relaxing shower before starting the day.

Now he found himself back in his bedroom looking through his drawers for a new outfit. Despite waking up early and finishing up his daily routine on time, the Saiyan man spent quite a while looking through his newly arranged drawers for an outfit to wear. This wasn't like all the times he could just show up wearing his training gi, this time he wanted to look his absolute best during the get-together. He didn't want to rush himself while picking his outfit. Not only would he be seeing his friends again, but he would be reuniting with his beloved sons as well. Speaking of his sons, Goku couldn't contain his excitement when he thought about his youngest. The thought of seeing him for the first time after the separation got his blood pumping. He just couldn't wait to hold his little boy in his arms and tell him how much he missed him, and how much he couldn't wait until they were back together as a family. Until they could just be themselves again.

His thoughts were interrupted when he held up a brand-new outfit in his arms. One that he hadn't worn before. He checked out the front and the back of the green buttoned-up collared shirt as well as a pair of brown pants he found. He also found a black necktie and a nice pair of black dress shoes. 'Hmmm, I think this should do the trick! Looks suitable for a party!'

Goku quickly changed into his new outfit, then he headed over to the mirror to check himself out. He adjusted his black necktie as best as he could. Or at least he thought he did. Then he brushed through his spiky hair just to be sure it looked nice and neat. With a huge smile he thought to himself, 'Now I'm ready!'

He swiftly turned around and walked to the door. Opening it, he stepped out into the bright hallways. Just before he could take another step forward, he heard another door opening. He turned his head around to find Suno emerging from her own room. Her back was facing him as she shut the door. The Saiyan couldn't help but smile as he caught sight of his significant other. For her choice of clothing, she was dressed in a long, flowing pink and flowery dress and sandals. A pearl necklace was around her neck and she wore colorful bungles on her wrists.

'Look at her…' He thought with a smile.

Suno finally noticed her boyfriend's presence in the hallways after securely closing the door. She looked him up and down before she smiled sweetly at him. "Aw, you really took your sweet time getting ready, didn't you?"

Goku scratched the back of his head, flushed. "Sort of… I wanted to look my best for this party. I haven't worn this before and I thought it was the best choice."

"Awesome choice." She pointed to his black necktie with a soft giggle. "And also, you didn't adjust your tie the right way."

"Yeah, I'm pretty terrible with that."

"Here, let me help." His girlfriend walked over to him and started to adjust the disarrayed tie around his neck, then she straightened his collar more properly. "There, now you look more handsome."

His cheeks turned a light shade of pink as he blushed slightly. "Thanks, hon." He extended a hand towards her and she accepted it. Then he spun her around several times, enjoying her delightful giggles until she tripped and fell right back into his arms. They stared into each other's eyes before they both started to laugh heartily, filling the silence hanging in the cool air. It eventually died down as both knew they had to leave soon.

He took her hand again and clasped it gently as he reminded her of what was awaiting them. "I think Eighter's waiting for us so let's not waste any more time. Come on babe."

"You're right, we should get going."

The couple were soon on their way to the living room while dressed in a presentable fashion. As they were coming in view of the entire living room, Goku kept on complimenting his partner on her choice of clothing and while flustered at first, she gave him the response of wanting to look good for the reunion party. He could understand that completely as this is the first time she was meeting his friends and family, so of course she wanted to leave a good impression on them.

They finally made it to the warm and cozy living room where the other family members were. Kaiyo, Hiroshi and Eighter sat on the same sofa watching a weather forecast channel on television. When they caught sight of the duo, Hiroshi took the remote and switched off the TV while Eighter rose up from the couch as he was ready to leave for the party along with them.

"Hey mom, hey dad." Suno shyly greeted both her parents. "What's up?"

Kaiyo was floored to see her daughter's new appearance as she stood up to examine her dress, feeling the fabric in her hands, her well-kempt hair and the jewelry she wore. "Oh honey, you look so beautiful. It's like you're a completely new person. You remind me of my younger days!"

Suno peered down at her sandals, then back at her elderly mother. "I appreciate that, mom. Thanks."

"Wow pumpkin, you look amazing." Hiroshi complimented his daughter. "I can hardly recognize you."

"You certainly took your time sorting everything out." Kaiyo commented with a gentle smile, recognizing the hard work. "I can tell you took a lot of time picking out your dress, doing your hair and applying your makeup."

"It's nothing, really." Suno rolled up a strand of hair with her finger. "We're just attending a reunion party with Goku's friends and sons."

The elderly mother let go of her daughter's dress. "Well, your father and I just want you to have a good time, okay?"

"Your mother is right. Go have fun with everyone else."

Suno nodded silently before she and her boyfriend exchanged glances at one another, understanding what the other was thinking. It was time for them to know the truth right here and right now as agreed upon earlier. She was starting to feel a little nervous about this but then she felt her boyfriend place a reassuring hand on her shoulder, letting her know that it was going to be okay.

"Mom… Dad… before we go, there's something we have to tell you."

Both parents looked at each other, communicating something with only their eyes then they looked back at the couple as they had an idea of what their daughter wanted to say. A knowing smile appeared on Kaiyo's face. "I think we already know what it's about, darling."

"You do? B-But how?" Suno froze in place as she had no idea how her parents could have figured things out this quickly.

"We saw the both of you sleeping together and the two of you were kissing right before you left for Papaya Island." Hiroshi explained.

Goku was at a loss of words as he removed his hand from Suno's shoulder. His face turned beet red from embarrassment and his entire body felt numb at first. "W-What?"

Hiroshi began to explain further. "You see, we were having breakfast but the both of you weren't there with us, and we started looking for you all over the house. We were so close of going out to look for the both of you… until we heard a strange noise. A snore. And it was coming from your bedroom, right honey?" He turned to his wife to confirm his words.

"Yes, that's right." Kaiyo said, continuing the story with a soft voice. "We went up to Goku's bedroom. We stood behind the door for a while, until we opened it up very gently… and we saw you two sleeping together so peacefully. Of course, we didn't want to jump to conclusions so we decided to keep a close eye on you both and that's when we saw you kissing after breakfast."

Suno felt embarrassed that her parents had to see all that. Not once did she ever consider the possibility that they could come to check up on her when she made the decision to sleep in her boyfriend's room, nor did she ever think that they were still in the house when she kissed Goku. There was no denying it because it was true. She stumbled on her words with a flustered face, "Y-You figured it out already? I… I… umm…"

Sensing the nervousness, Kaiyo walked up to her daughter and reached out for both her arms to calm her down. "But honey, you don't have to say anything. You know already from our previous conversation that I had my suspicions the day after Goku arrived, and don't forget when we were setting the table for breakfast, you stayed looking at each other for a whole minute."

A blush formed on Goku's face, and he did the usual act of scratching the back of his head and looked away from the piercing gazes of both parents. "Oh yeah… I remember that one…"

"The point is that we already know about you two dating. And you know what?" Kaiyo stole a glance at her husband then back at the couple with a smile, her hands now clasped together. "Both me and my husband are so happy for you! And Goku, if you're looking for my blessing to be with Suno, well you have it now. Because we're both totally confident that with you, she'll always be safe. Right honey?"

"Exactly." Hiroshi chimed in as he was in full support of their relationship. "You already protected our daughter when you arrived in Jingle Village for the first time, and you even saved us from the RRA. You're like a hero for Suno and the rest of the villagers. I'm really proud of you and of course, you have my blessing as well."

No amount of words could describe just how much Goku appreciated the fact that they trusted him. Of course, he knew that things wouldn't go down south, but to hear them actually give their blessing to continue dating the love of his life… right now, he felt like the happiest man alive and nothing could change that.

Goku finally found his voice and when he did, it was filled with pure joy. "Thank you so much for trusting me. I promise to take good care of Suno and protect her with my life. I love her with all my heart and I'd do anything to keep her safe and happy."

Kaiyo smiled. "We know you will, Goku. All those years ago, we didn't have a clue that our daughter was already in love. We encouraged her to find someone, but she refused. I don't think she could have picked anyone better than you."

Suno struggled to hold back her tears as she couldn't believe this was happening. Her heart was now filled with unlimited happiness and she almost couldn't handle it. Luck was definitely on her side. "Mom, Dad, thank you so much! You both don't know how much this means to me!"

"We know this is a special moment for you. It is for us as well." Hiroshi said to his daughter. "But now, you have to share it with Goku's friends and sons, right?"

"Yeah. Me, Goku and Eighter!"

"See hon? I told you things would be alright in the end."

Suno turned her attention away from her parents until she was facing only her Saiyan partner. She closed her eyes and reopened them with a relieved smile. "You were right, everything turned out okay. I shouldn't have doubted that for even a second."

The couple stared at each other for a full minute, both content that there was nothing more to worry about. Standing on her toes with her arms encircled around his neck, Suno brought her boyfriend closer and locked their lips together in a brief but loving kiss. Goku's arms slowly found its way to her waists as he responded to his girlfriend's actions, adding a little more strength. For the very first time, Suno found the courage to kiss her boyfriend in front of her parents and Eighter.

Kaiyo and Hiroshi watched with a proud and teary-eyed smile as their daughter kissed the man of her dreams. Hiroshi placed an arm around his wife's shoulder as she was starting to cry a little. Eighter also smiled at the beautiful sight, as he was happy for his two best friends.

They parted from the kiss with no regrets, and Goku drew his partner in for a tight hug. He softened his hold on her, his thumb tracing along her cheek. "I guess we should get going now, right?"

"Yeah, we should."

Kaiyo smiled at them before she became a little worried. "Don't you want to eat something before you go? There's no way you can leave on an empty stomach."

"That won't be necessary." Goku rejected the kind offer. "Knowing Bulma, she would have lots of food and drinks at the party. And besides…" That was when he reached into his pocket for his cellphone so he could check the time. "we're half an hour late for the party."

"That's okay." said Hiroshi.

"How about a group hug before you leave?"

"I can't say no to that one."

Goku, Suno, Eighter, Kaiyo and Hiroshi opened their arms wide and gathered round for a group hug, like they were one joyful family. Nothing on this planet could ever destroy the bond they have with one another. No matter what, they would always be there for one another. They broke free from the hug as it was time to leave for the party.

"Alright you two, grab onto me. I'm using Instant transmission." Goku informed his significant other and Eighter as he placed two fingers on his forehead.

"Instant Transmission?" The android questioned.

"That technique you learned on Planet Yardrat?" Suno asked.

"Uh-huh. Since we're already late, we might as well get to the party using that."

That logic couldn't be refuted, so both Suno and Eighter placed a hand on either side of Goku's shoulder. Before trying to sense the energies of anyone at the party, the Saiyan turned to face his partner's parents once more with a smile, "Thanks again for giving me your blessing to be with Suno."

"You had it from the very beginning." Kaiyo said as she returned the smile. "Now you guys go and have some fun."

Suno waved back at her elderly parents. "Bye mom and dad! See you soon!"

"Have fun, honey."

"Enjoy yourself, pumpkin."

When all that was said and done, Goku closed his eyes and focused on finding the energy levels of his friends. Once he had a good read on their ki, the trio were whisked away from sight instantaneously.

The Instant Transmission technique landed them right behind the front gate of Capsule Corporation. Goku removed his two fingers from his forehead once they were finally at their destination. He gave a huge smile as he saw the balloons attached to the gates, the garlands, the ornaments and all the other decorations hung everywhere in sight. The best part of all was the attracting smell of the delicious food coming from the big yards. Having not had any breakfast this morning, his food cravings were starting to kick in.

His partner and android friend had been silent for a little while, as they weren't quite used to the effects of Instantaneous movement. Both were looking around their new surroundings in awe and wonder. One moment they were back at their home in Jingle Village and now they were someplace else. Neither could explain this feeling of being able to travel from one place to another that fast.

"This is what Instant Transmission feels like? Incredible…" Suno mumbled as she looked at the unfamiliar building in front of her and behind at the passersby walking along the streets, trying to get a grip on what just happened.

Goku grinned. "You see? I told ya."

"So you just lock onto someone's ki and you're there within the blink of an eye? Awesome, if you ask me. It feels like I'm in a whole new world."

"Yeah, it pretty much feels like that."

She turned to her android friend, who still appeared to be in an endless trance. "Are you alright Eighter?"

"I'm okay. I just feel a little bit… strange after that." Eighter admitted.

"That's right. I know it feels weird at first, but then it becomes something normal." Goku reassured him.

Eighter was still dumbfounded. "I just didn't think something like this existed."

"I thought the same at first, but I mastered the technique and became used to its effects." He explained as he stared up at the newly transformed environment with his hands on his hips. "I think now is a good time to head to the party. Capsule Corp is right in front of us."

"I can hear music coming from the back, so the party must have started already." Suno commented, ears picked up on the sounds of booming music coming from loudspeakers. "And this has got to be one of the nicest places in West City. Don't you agree, Eighter?"

Eighter also seemed to be impressed by the sight. "Yes, I do. I have been to West City many times when running errands for your parents, but I have never seen anything like this before."

Goku stared up at the now decorated 'Capsule Corp' logo. "Bulma certainly did a great job with this." He then pointed towards the direction of the gardens. "Now come on, let's go join the party!"

The trio made their way towards the yards. Suno and Eighter kept making comments about how Capsule Corporation was one of the nicest places they had ever been to and commented on the decorations picked for the reunion party and the choice of music. They also admired the many flowers Mrs. Briefs planted in her expanding garden. Goku on the other hand, couldn't stop thinking about the types of food he would finally be able to eat once they got there. But more importantly, he couldn't wait to reconnect with both of his beloved boys.

They finally reached the yards where everyone else was partying and having a fun time. Some of his friends were sitting at their tables eating, chatting, having a drink, or just enjoying the music played by the DJ. Buu sat at the buffet table stuffing himself with candy and sweets while Mr. Satan sat beside him watching. Two unfamiliar teenagers sat at a table in the back practicing with an electric guitar and a piano. Bulma, Dr. Briefs, Panchy and Trunks all sat together but were doing their own thing. Marron sat close by her parents playing some sort of game. The Saiyan was delighted when he found Gohan holding an empty cup in his hand and having a nice chat with Videl. He saw him walk over to the drink section for a refill.

Everyone stopped what they were doing when they suddenly felt a very familiar ki at the entrance to the yards.