Chapter 19:
Also entitled; Why do fools fall in love?

You can't always get what you want, honey,
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, well, you might find
You get what you need - The Rolling Stones

I finished my degree again and have been able to spend way too long writing this ending. I have re-written it again and again and this one just felt right, to me at least anyway.

Thank you for sticking with me and my ridiculous story, you beautiful nerds.
_

Part One

"Could you please stop glaring at me like that?"
Majon paused pacing around her kitchen island table to survey the mess she had caused. Krillin, currently glowering at her from the tall barstool-style chair he was duct-taped to, answered with a frank and ill-tempered "Nope".
"He's in his rights to be glaring at you to be honest Maj," said her brother, who was sitting on an identical chair beside the short human man. Un-sellotaped. He pointed his coffee cup at Krillin, "You did literally kidnap him and tie him to a chair."
"He's not tied, he's just taped."
"That's worse! That's going to stick to his arm-hairs – and leave that glue stuff on his shirt. I bet that's ruined now"
Krillin tried to shrug, "I can probably get it out if I soak it first – hang-on, anyway – YOU KIDNAPPED ME MAJON. WHAT THE HELL?!"
"I'll admit," grimaced the demoness, chewing a clawed nail, "that wasn't my greatest moment. I think I panicked a bit."
Spike snorted, "Just a bit."
His sister picked up a tea-towel and threw it at his face, "Shut up why are you even here Spike!"
He launched it right back at her, "BECAUSE YOU KIDNAPPED ME TOO YOU ABSOLUTE FUCKING LABRADOODLE!"

To say Krillin was also upset was a bit of an understatement. He had tried his hardest to talk Majon down. Used as many tricks in the book that he, Krillin, theoretical owner of the first edition hardback copy of the book of guile, could think of. Gohan, and 17 and 18 and even poor out-of-his-depth Ché had tried, but still, still nothing had worked. He slumped in his seat a little, as much as his bonds would allow. He had been close, but the minute Majon had felt outnumbered or made to feel the villain – that was it. Fight or flight. And she had chosen, honestly, a ridiculous mixture of both.

The kitchen had fallen into a tense silence.
Did she even have a plan? Did she react with pure panic? Honestly, Majon wasn't sure. And she was running out of fingernails to anxiously gnaw on.
Krillin let out a beleaguered sigh, "So what now? Do I stay here in your kitchen until you go into labour or? Can I leave the house? Do I want to? What is the demon realm even like?"
"Mostly just hot and humid."
"Oh well, I'm glad I had time to pack some flip flops."
"The sarcasm isn't helpful you know."
"I find it quite therapeutic."
The tense silence returned.

Majon sat down at the table opposite Krillin and finally looked him in the eyes, "I kinda fucked up didn't I sweetie?"
Krillin deflated a little and again, tried to shrug, "Well, yeah. I mean neither of us are dead and earth is still intact so it's not the worst that could have happened."
The demoness dropped her head on the table in front of her with a thud and a groan, "But I pissed you off, and the cyborg."
"And me."
"And Spike and now everybody hates me."
Spike shuffled his chair round to be right beside his sister and gently patted her shoulders between her furled wings. He caught Krillin's eye and they shared the same look of exasperation.
"We don't hate you Majon. Do we dislike you currently? Sure. Are we annoyed with you? Definitely. But we don't hate you. We talked to you about the situation, and you just took a shitty route that nobody is happy with. You literally said that you were going to be the bad guy, and now you've made yourself the villain, and I love you but you've got to deal with consequences to the dumbass stuff you do."
"Who knew villainy had consequences."
"Everyone. Everyone knows that Majon."
She remained crumpled on the table, burying her face in her arms as if trying to hide away from her brother's words.
Spike threw up his arms in dismay, "Okay, look, we're going to give you some time. Just, chill out, stop acting on impulse and think about what's best for everyone."
He got up and made to leave the kitchen, before turning around, grabbing and dragging Krillin's chair out with him.
"Could you actually just um let me out of um ok nevermind."

Akkuman and Krillin spent the next hour in Majon's living room watching a demon cooking show and hoping she was going to appear in the doorway and announce she had changed her mind. Any minute now. But as the demonic TV chef was removing her treacle and tongue tart from the oven and was waxing lyrical about its 'dark and sombre majesty' as if it was the Necronomicon as opposed to a pastry, Krillin decided he had had enough. 18 had been right.
You're always thinking and worrying and waiting for the right moment!
Make your move!
"Akkuman, I'm willing to bet she's in there just getting more upset or convincing herself it was the right move. I'm going to have to talk to her." Krillin implored the demon on the couch.
"You're right. Maj was never one to sit and logically plan things, she's all action y'know? More of a red oni than a blue."
"Yeah I've got, I had a friend like that. Um, do you mind?" Said Krillin as he wiggled in his duct-tape chains.
"Ah yeah, no problem." Said Spike as he grabbed the chair again and dragged the small muttering human back towards the kitchen ("I meant could you um hhmm its fine").

18 stood under the purple sky of the demon realm, rucksack on her shoulder.
She pressed the radio button on her dragon radar "I'M ON THE OTHER SIDE. CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME?"
The static crackled into life as multiple voices responded.
Thank god that works or a key part of the plan was going to be difficult.

She took a deep breath. The air was warm and damp and had a strange smell to it. She couldn't say what the smell was, or whether it was good or bad, but it was just not right. She slowly turned in a circle, taking in her environment. Everything was similar to the human realm, but off ever so slightly. Trees the wrong shape. The grass crunched underfoot.
The cyborg wondered if this feeling of uncanniness was what normal humans felt when they were around her and her brother. They're the same as us, but different. Unheimlich. Wrong. 18 shook away the thought, no, this wasn't the time. She could worry about her place in the universe once she had sorted this mess out.

How far the portal had dropped her from where Krillin was being kept – she didn't know. Whatever obstacles in her way, demon, monster or mountain – she would conquer them. For her sanity. For her redemption. For that little nerd baby of a man.
Whatever trials and tribula-oh look that's the house right there. Nice job Baba.

Non-Euclidean architecture with a generous helping of spikes and turrets was not really her style, but hey, to each their own. She had to give it to her, Majon's house was quite cute. Large but not obnoxious. Plenty of big windows. Bright pink too. Kind of like Kame House, but with less sand and probably better wifi come to think of it.
18 frowned, maybe Krillin would actually dig it here.

There was no garden gate or wall to clamber over, only a stepping-stone path to a glossy black front door. The closer she got to it, the more the anxiety crept in. She tried one of the breathing techniques Ché had taught her during their session. In 2,3,4, hold 2,3, 2,3,4, In 2, 3 - god, she hoped this was going to work. This has to work. Excluding the shapeshifter switcheroo plan, they were out of ideas.
I guess this is it, she thought as her hand reached towards the door, time to storm the castle.

A hush came over the laboratory as 18 stepped through the mirror-that-was-not-currently-a-mirror. Piccolo remained kneeling, the look of steely concentration he often wore still set on his face as he kept the doorway open. It was up to 18 now.
Just as she had wanted, he supposed. She had so eagerly claimed this as her task – and he knew why, even if he didn't quite get it.

"So, what do we do now?" Yamcha wondered aloud as he watched the ripples on the surface of the mirror ebb away to nothing. They could see the house in Baba's crystal ball that hovered beside it, and the figure of 18 moved towards its door.
Uranai Baba kept her eyes on the scene as she replied, "We give them an hour and if they don't come back, consider them lost at sea and hold a small memorial service."

17 moved over to get a closer look at the mirror, and scoffed a little at the old woman's words. "She'll be fine. I've never managed to get rid of her yet."
Che stood next to him and nudged 17's shoulder with his own, "well don't jinx it."

Majon had spent about an hour in the same pile on the kitchen table flipping between self-loathing (I'm such an idiot I can't believe I made myself look like a complete and utter narcissistic dick), self-pity (I just wanted to be happy! Don't I deserve happiness? Why doesn't he care for me enough to want to do this willingly I'm so alone), malevolent entitlement (well why shouldn't I do this I'm a demon and I can do what I want), and violent optimism (Nah this is fine. It'll work out, he'll stop being upset soon). She was also kind of hungry.
But she couldn't bring herself to move from her spot, nose squashed against the grain of the wood table, her arms wrapped around her head like a barrier against those darn consequences Spike had mentioned. 18 was definitely going to try and win Krillin again. Majon had seen the way the blonde had looked at him. Urgh, to have someone look at her like that again.
God, she wanted to cry. She wanted a snack. Maybe she could do both.

Her train of thought was interrupted however, as she heard the scrape of Krillin's tall chair being pushed around the table cut through the muffle of her arms pressed against her pointed ears. She slowly looked up to see her bound and captive pet boyfriend slowly being pushed into view by her side.
His face was serious and set, but not without lines of care around his dark eyes.
"Look," he said, "You win. I'm here. Your pet boyfriend is here; in your kitchen, in your clutches, at your mercy. You're victorious."
"I guess so?" she sniffled. It didn't feel like a victory.
"Majon," he leant forward as much as he was able and ever so gently touched his forehead against her shoulder for a moment before drawing back with knitted brows, "Are you happy?"
"I'm…" the demoness took a deep breath, "No. I'm not."
"Then we have a problem here, haven't we?"
"I-"

The doorbell rang.
Heads looked up in unison.
"You … got someone coming round?" asked Spike, who was loitering by the fridge, now nervous.
"It could be ZeeZee?" said his sister, not really believing her own words, "She keeps showing up unannounced with old baby stuff from her youngest. I think she's just trying to get rid of it."
Another ring. Longer this time.
Majon slowly got up from her spot of woe and shot an anxious look at Krillin before leaving the kitchen and padding through her carpeted hallway to the front door.
She waited for the third ring of the bell, as is literary tradition, and opened the door. Slowly.

She was greeted by the sight of a young blonde woman with a denim jacket tied around her waist and a rucksack slung over her shoulder. 18. With her stupid unreadable face and unreadable ki.
Spike's voice carried through from the kitchen, "Is it ZeeZee?"
"No," said Majon with a sigh, "it's the consequences of my actions."

The blonde simply nodded curtly at the other woman, "Hey, I've come to collect my short guy."
Majon frowned at her new guest, "I'm not going to get rid of you am I?"
"Nope."
"Fine, come in. Do you want a coffee?"
18 faltered, "I, er, expected you to put up more of a fight to be honest. We were trying to murder each other a few hours ago."
"Yeah well, I was very upset at the time."
"You're not upset now?"
"I am, but less blinding rage and more…. Sad and hungry."
Majon stepped aside to let the cyborg cross the threshold. Both women knew that they would not be able to solve this the way they had tried to on the roof. They stood in awkwardly in the hallway, until 18 looked briefly about and begrudgingly offered up a compliment on Majon's house.
"Thanks, its getting a bit tired really, I want to redecorate before I have the baby. It's not nearly as colourful as that camper van you used to bring to work, but bead curtains, rust and peeling rainbow stickers aren't everyone's tastes. Kitchen is this way." Majon drawled, either not noticing or ignoring the clench of 18's jaw and motioned to be followed down the corridor.
The cyborg followed, scowling. She's pregnant it's not cool to hit her.

The kitchen was large and modern looking, surprisingly pastel in theme. In the centre stood a large kitchen-island table, where sat Spike (or Akkuman, or Devil-man or whatever the hell people called him) and her wonderful little quest objective. Who was… tied? No, duct-taped to a tall chair, his short legs barely touching the footrest.
"18! You're here!"
"Hey Krillin."
He flashed a smile at her, full of warmth and relief. He knew she'd come for him. Urgh, loser.
Spike lost his balance from leaning on the refrigerator when he saw the android, "Majon, what are you doing? You shouldn't have invited her in!"
His sister stalked over to the sink to fill the kettle, "What difference would that have made?! She's a robot not a vampire," she snarled.
In unison, Krillin and 18 corrected her, "Cyborg."

"How did you even find us?" Majon flicked the switch on the kettle a little too violently. Krillin nodded emphatically before stopping and looking 18 up and down, he looked almost confused, "I..err… expected you to turn up a bit differently."
"How so?" Of course. Of course he had expected her. Of course she came for him.
"I dunno. More… stressed and with a bit more… drama to be honest."
"Drama?"
"No he's right,"said the demoness, "I mean I'd hoped you wouldn't appear at all, but I did expect you to be covered in the blood of your enemies and holding a dismembered head."
Spike grabbed another mug from a cupboard, shaking his head, "Seconded. I mean what sort of rescue is this? Did you even fight your way through the demon realm to get here?"

18 raised her hands, palms out in defense, "Hey lay off, Baba gave me your address and a weird portal thing dropped me off right outside. No murdering needed…. Wait, hold up, Majon didn't you have goons?"

"Yeahhhhh but they only rough people up on company premises. Union rules."
"Oh well that's fair."

The room lapsed into a slightly awkward silence, until of course, the kettle reached it's boil with a rumble of water and a click. Majon continued making the beverages, silently wondering if she was quick enough to add something toxic, like a laundry pod or floor disinfectant to 18's cup without anyone seeing. Probably not. She might have xray eyes or something. Or just taste the chemicals and beat Majon to death with her favourite duck themed mug. Not worth risking it. She loved those duckies.
Actually, hang on.
Majon turned to her brother, "Actually Spike, can you do me a favour? Can you kill her for me please?"
"Nope."

"Awww come on. I won't ask you for anything else."
"Noooope," He mumbled around a mouthful of cookie he seemed to have stolen from somewhere in the kitchen, "This is your mess, you sort it out, I'm not fighting a member of the Borg collective for you."
"Booooo. Fine." She turned back to 18, "It was worth a shot."
"It was."
The demoness proceeded to shake a jar of coffee at her. "What'll it be? Tea? Coffee? Leave and never come back?"
"Coffee please, just black."
"What about you Sweetie - Tea? Coffee?"
"You did mention a third option."
"No I didn't."
"Tea please."

Krillin's steaming cup of green tea sat untouched on the table in front of him. Not that he didn't want it, but he was still tied up. 18 sipped her black coffee daintily, her left foot subconsciously tapping the rucksack that lay on the floor by her chair. Anyone looking at her would see her face as unreadable. But Krillin knew her better. He could see the clench in her jaw and the ice in her eyes. She was nervous.
"So," she began. Eyes locked with Majon, who had taken a seat next to Krillin on the opposite side of the table. "No one is killing anyone."
Blue lips curled over sharp white teeth; there was a sneer in her rival's reply, "doubtful but okay."
The android took another sip, face impassive, "I mean it. We're going to solve this, part on good terms and no one suffers under the Demon Promise. We're going to listen to what Dr Castaña, um, Ché said and just talk."
"I listen but remain unconvinced."
Spike nudged his sister gently, silently mouthing you can fix this when she turned to look. His pale blue face lined in concern. She knew it was for her. He wasn't too bad of a sibling, really. And maybe he was right. Maybe she had done him a disservice on the roof earlier when she thought he didn't have her back. She looked over at Krillin next to her to find his attention fixed entirely on the golden-haired beauty opposite. She had tried so hard to get him to like her, but she had been fighting a losing game from the start, hadn't she? And it hurt. It hurt her confidence, her self-worth, and her bloody pride. And yet she couldn't admit defeat, not yet.

18 stood up slowly, hands pressed firmly on the tabletop in front of her, all business.
"Look. I'm not trying to be shitty to you. Despite the fact you were kind of an obnoxious boss."
"Noted. I may or may not work on that."
"You're choosing a path that will make everyone, including yourself, and probably your kid eventually – miserable. This universe is too weird and too often on the precipice of being destroyed by vat grown robots and space realtors for us to waste time not being happy."
18 watched as a purple blush spread over Majon's cheeks.
She pressed on, "I think, maybe, you see Krillin as this safe and secure, I dunno, buoy in this really choppy and chaotic sea you've found yourself adrift in. But its, I mean, he's not going to save you by himself. He's anchored and floating in the chaos doing buoy stuff I don't know what they're for to be honest – but sooner or later you've got to let go and swim for shore yourself."
Majon blinked, "This is a weird metaphor."
"Humour me."
"… I'm not a very strong swimmer." She half-whispered, looking up at 18.
"Neither am I Majon but watch me fucking doggy-paddle 'til I hit land!" And with a gentle sternness in her voice that Krillin had only heard her use with him, 18 continued, jabbing the table with her finger for emphasis, "What I'm saying is, this ridiculous, wonderful little man is not going to fix your problems. He's not even going to fix mine. That's for us to do."

Majon's gazed shifted from her coffee cup to Krillin, who was looking up at 18 with such unutterable care on his face that her chest hurt. He looked away and back towards his captor, a self-depreciating smile, "hell, I can't even fix my own."
18 kept going, encouraged now, "Majon, he makes you feel comfortable, and powerful even – but I'm guessing that he doesn't make you happy. Not really."
"You mean you're hoping."
The demoness looked away from Krillin to her brother and back again. She nervously brushed unnaturally white hair behind a pointed ear and let out a breath that she didn't seem to realize she had been holding in. Because that was all it was about in the end, happiness. This was all so unfair.
"Look I've told you, I told you on that rooftop – this is MY happy ending. I get a win for once!" She growled through sharp, gritted teeth.
18 simply nodded, "Okay."
"I am taking control of my li—what?"
"Okay. You're getting a win. I'm here to offer you that happy ending."
Majon furrowed her brows, searching 18's face for any hint of dishonesty, "No, no you're not, don't be a dick."
"I am. It's not the happy ending quite how you envisioned it, but its pretty decent."
Krillin glanced between the two women, "Um, 18 what are you doing?"
"I'm.. um… being a Good Guy. I think. Trust me, ok?"

Majon stood with a beleaguered sigh, straightened up and smoothed down the front of her black tshirt. She seemed to grow taller, more composed, more intimidating. A consummate business-woman. "Okay, I'll play along. How then, sweetie, if you are actually aiming to 'rescue' Krillin, are you proposing to give me my happily ever after?"
18 pulled something out of her backpack and set it on the table with a THUNK. The warm golden glow of a dragonball spread across their faces.
"I can grant you a wish."

It took Krillin a second for all of his synapses to align as he processed the fact that he had consigned himself to doom whilst completely forgetting about the eternal dragon.
"Oh my god" he whispered, "we could have just-"
"Yeah you could have just," Android 18 rubbed her temples, "You and everyone you love are fucking imbeciles."
"Heyyyy, lay off okay. It's not our fault. We've all had a lot of concussions."

All 7 dragonballs sat on the table in front of them.

"Magical wish balls?" Majon seemed unconvinced, but her brother was thrilled.
"Dragonballs!"
"Gross, get them off my table."
"No, Maj, they're just called that. With all seven of them, you summon the dragon and it grants you a wish. Baba's talked about them before."
"That's what those are? Can't you only wish for like, immortality and supervillain shit?"
"One of our friends wished for underpants once," interjected Krillin,
"From an unfathomable and eldritch cosmic dragon?"
"Yup."
Spike laughed, "That has got to have been the pig."
Majon looked over to her captive, "Wait, didn't King Piccolo straight up murder a dragon or something like 20 years ago?"
"Different dragon."
She picked up one of the orbs for a closer look; she could feel the thrum of energy in her palm and through her fingertips, "Of course it is. Why wouldn't there be multiple dragons."
Spike picked up another dragonball, grinning at his sister excitedly. There was nothing in terms of Demon magic that could compare to this in terms of power! This was it! This was her way out!
"I still don't get it," said Majon, "You're granting me a wish? Why would you do that?"

18 nodded, "I'm offering you a trade – Krillin for a wish."
The demoness looked between the dragonballs and her pet boyfriend as 18 continued, "You want your happy ending? Wish for it. Wish for the most perfect boyfriend you could ever dream of. Count the Demon Promise as fulfilled, let him go free, and you get pretty much anything you want. It's a shame we didn't think to put them to use earlier; it would have saved us nearly 20 chapters."
The small man just smiled back at her, sheepishly. Man, it's a good thing he's cute.
With that she rolled another dragonball across the table.
Majon caught it, trying to read the android's face with furrowed brows, "and how do you know I won't just kill you, take the dragonballs and keep the Krillin?"

The eponymous Krillin saw a corner of 18's mouth curl up wryly ever, ever so slightly.
She brandished a dragon radar from the rucksack beneath the table with a small flourish "at the beginning of this year, I probably would have thought the same thing if I were in your shoes, but funnily enough," she held down a button, "these dragonballs are password protected – isn't that right boys?"

"TEAM ZORDON AND ALPHA WITH THE PASSWORD AT YOUR COMMAND JESSICA RABBIT."
The voices of Gohan and Dende crackled though the radar's speaker.
"Thank you boys, hold for now."
"SAY HI TO KRILLIN FOR US!"
18 released the button and put the radar back into the rucksack. "They are in fact useless to you without a password – which I will give to you once you hand over Krillin."
"Oh that is some bullshit."
That is most definitely bullshit, marveled Krillin. She still surprised him at every turn; canny and sharp and wonderful.
He inhaled slowly, trying to clear his mind. This couldn't be were they lost each other.
As if he really had her to begin with.
But if there was a chance.
As he sat by the sidelines once more, as he so often was forced to, Krillin couldn't help but feel a sense of peace this time.
All 18 had needed to do was wish the Demon Promise complete and him back from the Demon Realm. That was it, a simple act of snatching him back from the jaws of doom.
But the jaws of doom was just a person anxious about their future trying to grasp on to any semblance of control.
18 was giving her that control. Giving her the chance she needed, that she deserved – that every one of them had gotten once upon a time.

"Majon, this really could be your happy ending you know," he began, turning to his captor beside him, "it's right here in your grasp, and you can't waste it on me. Not when it would be out of frustration and spite. Spite doesn't help anyone, it just ruins things. This path you're taking us down is not making any of us happy - not me or your brother. Probably not Bean in the long run. And especially not you. You said so yourself earlier."
Majon's face impassive for once as she looked at him, "I did" she said quietly.
He smiled at her, "you did. And getting your wish could fix it, easy as pie. What else are wishes for, other than happiness?"

18's gaze shifted back to the blue demoness opposite her; beautiful and terrible, but uncertain. She opened her mouth, ready to urge Majon to take the offer – she had literal phenomenal cosmic power to grant her heart's desire right there on her kitchen table and all she had to do was set him free. 18 was offering the universe for Krillin.
But Majon had something to ask first.
"What would you wish for then sweetie?"
"Me?" He exhaled deeply and looked to the ceiling, as if for inspiration or divine intervention, "no idea."
"Nothing that would make you happy?"
"I mean, there used to be a time I would have liked to have been rich or owned a nice car or to be popular with women or something like that. Now?" His gaze briefly landed on golden hair and eyes so blue they could have been cut from the depths of glaciers before flitting away to the ceiling again, "I'm not sure, I mean everyone's been through so much recently – maybe something to help, um, what's the word I'm looking for?"
"Heal," said 18 softly.
"Yeah," agreed Krillin, "Heal."
Majon looked between the two, human and post-human, "That's your happy ending, huh?"
"I think so, yeah."

The demoness let out a soft laugh and smiled,"Urggggh, is he always like this? You're such a fucking nerd sweetie."
"God, isn't he?" Agreed the android.
"Heeyyyy I was being sincere."
"I know, it's very effective."
"He does this to me all the time. Bane of my life."

"OKAY ENOUGH," Spike let out a derisive snort. Silence. Majon blinked at her brother's sudden outburst. She was supposed to be the antagonist here.

Spike had had enough of this – he wanted his sister happy and his half-baked nibling to have some stability. The demon rolled his eyes at the android from across the kitchen island, if he could see through her any easier, she would be made of glass. And it was all taking too long, and time plus Majon did not good decisions make. Time to poke the cyborg bear.
"If he annoys you that much why have you traveled to a different dimension to save him from a demon by offering a literal magical wish in return? It's a lot of effort for one, and I quote, nerd. And don't just say 'friendship' coz the other human guys, or Ma Junior could have come to save him just as easily."

18 made a low "urrrrrrrrrr" noise reminiscent of a computer fan struggling.
Spike continued prodding, "And also its a pretty dick move to be calling him ridiculous when he's the whole purpose you've dragged your ass over here."
She found her voice, and it was indignant. "A dick move?! You've got him tied to a chair! A chair, might I add, that is too tall for him to even rest his legs on the bar bit!"
"It's not even magical tape! He can get out of it whenever he wants - he's just an idiot!"

"He is not an idiot! Despite all evidence to the contrary!"
"There it is again - don't think we cant see it in you. Little miss kuudere over here. I'm too cool and serious to fall in love" (he made a wet raspberry noise at her) "get over yourself."
"Wait-" She coughed, "wait a minute."
A wave of what would have been quelled by her inhibitor chip reared up and spilled out with frustration. Who was they to judge? Who was anyone to tell her how she felt or what she thought or wanted or strived for.
"I. Am. Trying!" she snarled, jabbing her finger at the demons across the table from her, "you think I want to be this robotic with emotions? Yeah, you know what– I'm really into this silly little goblin man and I'm honestly trying very hard to not rebuild the walls he's helping to break down. I am getting there, ok? I am in Therapy and it is Helping and I want him to be around if he's down for that - I want him to see me be better! And he can't do that here in the Demon Realm. Don't you look at me like that Krillin."

Krillin was indeed looking at her like that.

The quiet stretched out for what felt like centuries.
She sat down heavily, her face as close to a scowl as she had ever gotten before, pink tingeing her pale face. I want to be better when I'm around him.
"Theeeeeere it is," said Spike triumphantly as he turned to his sister and gestured rather smugly towards 18, "See? Another reason why this pet boyfriend thing is never going to work and another reason why taking The Wish is the right way to go."

Majon let out a long low sigh. The last of her tea now cold in the bottom of her mug. "Yeah, I know Spike. I know."
She rubbed her stomach, lost in though for a moment.
No-one could say she had lost, because she never really had him to begin with. No, he had belonged to 18 from the start. And she him. It sucked, but not as much as she thought it would. Which surprised her.
"18, you told me why you were doing this on that rooftop. You said he's special to you." She locked eyes with the other woman, "He makes you happy just by being around you, you said. Yeah, in all honesty I think I get it. He's a nice sweet little safety net. Like a security blanket only short and weird and talks a lot. He makes me feel better when he's around too, and I haven't even known him that long...but," her gaze shifted to her pet boyfriend, "not quite like how you feel, I think. Better, sure. But not happy. Not really."

He makes you happy.
Still flustered, 18 tried to look anywhere but at Krillin, eventually looking down into her own cup. He makes me happy.
Well. Fuck.

Majon got up from the table, running her had gently across Krillin's shoulder and over his fuzzy head as she walked by. She could feel his energy, warm and orange and thrumming with what felt like sunshine.
Healing and happiness, eh?
Goodness knows, I could go for a little bit of that in my life.
It was worth a shot.

"Well 18, you said yourself, I've got to let go and swim for shore," Majon was at the kitchen sink now, pouring the dregs of her tea into the basin; it felt fitting watching the liquid drain away, "In that swimming metaphor of yours, I'm guessing the dragonballs would be a metaphorical luxury yacht come to rescue me?"
Krillin tensed, "Majon?"
Majon looked once more at her pet boyfriend; her kind and anxious not-quite-paramour. Fighting against her every step of the way and always doing it in a way that would try and hurt her the least. He was in her home, at her mercy (morally more than physically anyway) and 100% in love with the blonde across the table from him.
This wasn't going to work out.
But a wish.
A wish could work.
She took a deep breath, "Sweetie, I think we have a deal."
18 sprung from her chair, not even trying to tone down her excitement.
"Demon Promise fulfilled? And Krillin returned to us? For a wish?"
Majon threw up her arms in mock surrender, "Pass me the oars!"
"Yachts don't have oars -"
"Look do you want him or not?"

18 held out her hand across the table, throwing it so hard towards the other woman that the table moved a couple of inches across the tiled floor.
Majon nodded decisively, "the Demon Pact will be considered complete when my wish is granted," with a wry smile she floated over and took 18's hand, "I guess everybody wins this time, eh?"

As she shook on it, 18 couldn't help but think of the crushed remote in Krillin's hands all those months ago. The empty space deep inside her somewhere that used to house a bomb. The flooding relief and happiness of seeing her brother again after the crushing darkness of Cell.

She smiled. Truly, and unabashedly. Broad and bright, "Everybody gets a chance."

End of Part One _

If the past decade has taught us anything, its that finales have to be split into two parts.

Please comment, constructively criticize and feel free to strike up a convo - any feedback is always gratefully received.
But know I will never stop breaking the fourth wall.
Never.