60Long Distance Communication
Epilogue 1/Chapter 22: Games
The air molecules all around her vibrated with great intensity as thunderous chants resonated through the stadium, prompting a certain cyborg girl to raise her hands closer to her ear but she suppressed the temptation with gritted teeth.
The reason for her restraint rested on a man wearing a baseball cap bearing the word "Taitan" sitting beside her, his rich-hazel eyes radiating with emotion, yelling slogans along with the crowd. For reasons unknown, while the man's volume was no lesser than that of those other irksome humans', his tone registered in her system not as hair scratching noise but a soothing agent, steadying her rapidly firing nerves. The calm inducing man's voice was accompanied by that of a talking blue cat perched on his broad shoulders currently screaming on the top of her lungs, the booming voice belied her small stature.
At that moment, the cat-eyed platinum blonde wondered if she'd do the same as the adorable feline should her man be the one onstage in a do or die situation, especially since such public proclamation of love would undoubtedly draw unwanted attention.
Yamcha's lucky to have you as a companion, Puar...
Her intrigued blue eyes drifted over to the star of the show. The scarred male had adopted a rather queer posture that was neither a fighting nor baseball-batting stance with his left hand facing the pitcher, its fingers curved inward resembling a wolf's claw while his right hand carefully hidden behind his back clutching the wooden bat in a reverse grip. To make the scene more bizarre, the air currents around him seemed to be dancing on its own, a phenomenon the cyborg was quick to identify as a fighter concentrating his life energy, readying for the big moment.
The oddity of this scene had apparently weirded out his opponent too, for the man was peering over his shoulder back at his team in a desperate manner but received no advice from the equally clueless coach. His indecisiveness didn't bode well with the impatient spectators; however, as they began booing and jeering, prompting the pitcher to let out a exasperated sigh before hurling the ball with such force his entire body hunched over comically.
Not bad, but 125 miles per hour wouldn't do you any good against Yamcha...
True to the cyborg girl's predictions, Yamcha's face lit up in excitement, his wolfish glance glued onto the incoming projectile until it was within striking distance then he sprang into action. The wolf claw that had intimidated the opposition lowered as his previously left sided body pivoted, revealing the concealed bat that swung with such intensity a shockwave broke out even before striking the ball.
CRACK!
A split of a second elapsed then half of the stadium erupted into loud cheers while the other half cursed in anguish. The loudest applauses had to come from right beside the shoulder-length blonde though as Yamcha's number one and two fan stood up and started waving their hands wildly expressing their affection for the batter. Infected by her companion's enthusiasm, the cyborg found herself uncharacteristically getting up and clapping alongside the other two sporting a faint smile. There was something heart thumping about experiencing this moment that had filled the shorter male with unadulterated joy that the beautiful cybernetic creature simply could not pass up.
Humans can be so weird at times, playing these silly games and cheering for winning such meaningless conflict...ah well at least this makes Krillin happy...
Meanwhile, back on the field, none of the catchers moved an inch and the young woman knew why as her sapphire eyes blinked an artificial red, tracking the ball soaring through the sky. The cyborg girl's targeting system was sending her messages asking if she'd like to shoot the high speed object down but she declined, opting instead to observe the entire Taitan team gathering around Yamcha, tossing him up and down.
These pure humans and their over the top celebrations...I don't think I'll ever get used to this...
"Eighteen, sweetie, are you enjoying yourself?"
Deafening cheers still permeated the air yet his clear words reached her ears. Turning toward the source of this soothing voice, her crystal blue orbs met his loving brownish ones and Eighteen's cheeks flushed a healthy pink not that she minded much and was rather worried about something else.
Why are you concerned for me Krillin? You should be cheering for your friend...
"Of course I am Kril! What made you think otherwise?" she flashed him a reassuring smile but he apparently didn't buy it, reached for her hands, and began rubbing her palms with his thumbs in circle.
Eighteen let out an approving sigh feeling pressure she wasn't even aware of released from her body by this simple yet effective gesture. Krillin must have picked up the audio cue too as his hand worked up her arm massaging those tense limbs.
"You can always tell me if this is too loud for you sweetie! Don't push yourself for my sake okay?"
"Yeah Eighteen, are you having fun? Is this too loud for you?" Puar joined in sounding a bit raspy.
"I'm fine really, just enjoying the atmosphere thanks." She responded trying to sound firm.
The haired former monk and floating cat gave each other a look of doubt and the cyborg girl felt her temper rising despite feeling cared for.
Krillin is still too considerate at times...he need to learn to love himself more and stop fussing over me...even if he's cute this way...
"Eig..."
"Will you two cut it off already? Look, Yamcha's waving at us!" the cyborg girl admonished sternly and pointed at the baseball star waving his hand feverously at the trio.
Hurriedly, Krillin and Puar responded with equally enthusiastic cheers while Eighteen gave the scarred man a nod of acknowledgement.
"Thanks Eighteen! You sure know how to watch over us!" there the human had done it again, his voice working its magic and causing unwanted coloration of her cheeks. Before the cyborg girl could utter a response, the jubilant man had already pressed his lips onto her rosy cheeks.
"Goon..." she muttered shyly unable to regulate her rising temperature. Thankfully, Yamcha had everyone's attention occupied and the cyborg girl's crimson face went largely unnoticed.
They left soon afterwards for a restaurant several blocks from the stadium, effectively escaping the large crowd rolling out much later on so Eighteen wouldn't be irritated by her targeting system coming online amidst squeezed in between sweaty bodies. There slumped lazily on couches basked in the relaxed atmosphere of the fancily decorated diner, they waited for Yamcha to arrive and when he did, Eighteen couldn't help but to chuckle at his lipstick prints covered face.
"Congrats Yamcha, that was quite a game you played there and I can see you are rather popular with the ladies!" Krillin exclaimed good-naturedly stating what was on Eighteen's mind.
The ex-bandit scratched his head in embarrassment. "Eh yeah well it's all piece of cake ya know as for these," he pointed at his marked face, "let's just say my fan girls love me quite a lot. Why, are you jealous of me Krillin? Cause I'm sure you will make a successful baseball player yourself." Yamcha teased giving the haired former monk playful nudges.
E-excuse me, just what are you suggesting? And don't you dare blush at that Krillin!
While Krillin nodded back at his pal, used him goofing around, Eighteen, who was previously enjoying her parfait, abruptly took her mouth off the icy substance and shot Krillin a frozen death glare. Grasping her boyfriend's shoulder protectively, she pulled him across the leather seat into her arms. "I don't think so! He's mine and I don't share!"
Krillin felt his body on fire hearing those words. Part of him wanted to crack up some jokes and treat himself to the sight of his girlfriend getting more worked up but he could tell from her dead serious tone and firm hold she was in no mood for games. In an attempt to reassure her, the human warrior wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing the two even closer together.
"You hear that Yamcha? I'm afraid Eighteen's already claimed me as hers."
The baseball star and his floating cat shared an amused glance before laughing merrily.
"Right, of course sorry you two. Don't mean to suggest anything really. By the way, thanks for accompanying us Eighteen."
"You are welcome Yamcha, just keep my Krillin out of your playboy lifestyle!"
"Of course, you have my word!"
Just as the quartet were ready to order some meal together, a figure walked into the café, his familiar outline made the four pause to squint at the newcomer whose facial features were obscured by the bright day light shining into the dimly lit space.
"What's the matter you four? Don't you recognize me?" the voice of a pre-teen boy drifted across the tables.
Eighteen was the first one to recognize the person having readjusted her cybernetic enhanced vision as she waved warmly at him. Krillin, alarmed that his albeit observant girlfriend had recognized his friend faster than he did, put his brain on overtime until with an elated gasp, he let out a heartfelt shout.
"Gohan! It's been months! What are you doing here and how did you manage to find us?"
The savior of the universe smiled as he made his way to the table.
"Ah you know, ki sensing and all that," he said in a reserved voice.
"Yeah but still, it's not like we are raising our energy or anything," Yamcha replied looking bewildered at the boy.
"It must be because Gohan's training hard Yamcha. He did beat..." Puar paused to check on Eighteen unsure how the cyborg woman would react to the name.
The cyborg girl was touched by the cat's considerate nature and gave her a gentle smile. "It's okay Puar, Cell no longer bothers me as much as he did...all thanks to these two gentlemen here!" she nodded toward Gohan and Krillin, giving the pure human's hand a loving squeeze behind the table which he reciprocated with a squeeze of his own.
"It's nothing really. I'm sure all of us can sense as well as I do..." Gohan stuttered at the compliments.
"You are being too modest Gohan! Just admit you are a level above us young man!" Krillin proclaimed, gesturing the demi-Saiyan to sit beside him.
The former warrior monk was having the day of his life surrounded by what he considered his favorite people. As he was eating his sandwich with one hand and holding onto his girlfriend's with the other, his eyes would constantly drift toward his best friend's spawn and noted how the pre-teen was steadily maturing, resembling the deceased Goku even more than their last meeting.
Are you seeing this from the other side Goku? Cause if not you are missing out on some good stuff here...
Gohan's eyes are just like yours, his hair is like a blend between yours and Chichi's..., and of course, we all know where his explosive temper came from...
Wait, speaking of which...
Krillin's hand dropped the half-eaten food with such abruptness he unexpectedly attracted all present, from Eighteen's calm blue eyes that harbored traces of concern, Yamcha's slightly amused look, Puar's intrigued glance, and Gohan's surprised blinking orbs.
"Krillin, are you alright?" the half-Saiyan inquired innocently.
"Yeah, was the food not good?" the floating cat chimed in.
The former desert bandit was obviously forming his own theory too as his playful eyes darted back and forth between the couple. "Oh common Gohan, isn't that obvious? Eighteen must have done something to her beloved boyfriend to make him act like that!" he finished with a hearty laugh, his hands clutching his stomach.
Eighteen's face felt as if it had caught on fire, her eyebrows furrowed, and her ice cream stained mouth arched downward, unsure how to feel when someone joked about their relationship even if the mentioning of "beloved boyfriend" made her heart flutter somewhat. Krillin on the other hand was getting carried away and laughing with his friend; however, and the cyborg girl couldn't bring herself to despise such carefree attitude no matter how hard she tried. Playing to the scarred man's words, her fingers disentwined from her boyfriend's and travelled toward his thigh.
Krillin experienced the magical effect of her delicate fingers caressing the outlines of his muscles immediately and his face must have displayed his appreciation for the gesture since Yamcha looked like he was about to dislocate his jaw. Eighteen too observed with satisfaction at the object of her affection's blissful expression before a mischievous thought overcame her and she pinched hard down onto the firm leg.
"Ouch!" her target yelped and half got off the chair staring bewilderedly at the cat-eyed cyborg trying to play dumb with her faux innocent look.
By kami where did this side of sweetie came from? Is this some suppressed personality slowly coming out of her?
"Ooo...is there something going on between our lovebirds?"
"I-it's nothing at all Yamcha, I was just wondering how's Chichi doing since last time we checked she was very pregnant."
Whether Krillin intended it or not, the focus had shifted from him to the young boy enjoying stake who reluctantly took his mouth away from the well-cooked meat. Seeing the familiar sight that resembled his best friend's eating behavior made the former monk feeling a bit hot and watery around his eyes.
Just like Goku, once he starts eating he can't let go of his food...
"Yeah Gohan, how was Chichi? Is she alright?" Eighteen asked recalling her first meeting with the strong willed woman, memories of the tight embrace this spouse of her intended target still fresh on her mind. What's more, the artificial human remembered Chichi was obviously carrying life in her large belly.
"Thanks Krillin and Eighteen, I'm glad you cared!" Gohan responded gratefully beaming at the two, "that is actually my reason for coming here. Mom would like to invite everyone to attend the party; she has something she'd like to show you all!"
All present eyed the little boy suspiciously.
"Oh common young man, just spill it okay? Chichi's got a new baby doesn't she?" Yamcha was the first one to break the silence.
Gohan merely put another slice of stake into his sauce stained mouth and shook his head. "Sorry Yamcha, mom specifically ordered me to keep it a secret."
Krillin wanted to press Gohan for more information feeling quite worried for the widower but Eighteen placed her hand on those broad shoulders, applying enough pressure to silence her partner. The two shared a knowing look and nodded.
They spent the rest of their time chatting about Yamcha's baseball career. The baseball star couldn't help but brag a bit of the many tournaments he had won, even mentioning an amusement park named Taitan's World that made Krillin mentioning their time spent there.
"Wait, are you telling me no one hardly goes there?" the baseball star sounded rather offended.
"Yeah well, I think everybody went to Satan's World." Krillin responded to which his friend huffed, crossing his arms.
"That showoff, ah well it's only a matter of time before I draw more visitors to Taitan's World with my winning streak. Then we'll see which amusement comes out on top!"
The sun was right up on top of them when they left the air-conditioned space. Yamcha quickly thanked his friends for joining him and gathered both Gohan and Krillin in a tight three-way embrace. He was about to reach for Eighteen but then halted in his track.
"Thanks for the game Yamcha." The blonde cyborg reached out her hand seeing the hesitation.
"And thank you Eighteen for coming here and taking care of Krillin." The former bandit gave her a firm shake. "Now if you guys will excuse me, I have an appointment to make. See you all at Chichi's place!"
Gohan watched Yamcha taking off in his luxurious hover car and was about to bid his friends goodbye too but Krillin grabbed ahold of his hand.
"Common Gohan, what do you say we go to Kame House together? Roshi and the others would love to see you too!"
The demi-Saiyan didn't even pause to consider, knowing there was no way he could refuse his life-long comrade's offer. Besides, the pre-teen was rather curious of how Krillin and Eighteen were doing at Kame House and wanted to see his friend's happy new life personally.
Gohan stayed behind the couple during the journey, partly to avoid interrupting the couple's time together while also wanting to observe them in quiet. Although he didn't understand the word chemistry yet, unless it was from the textbooks, the demi-Saiyan clearly sensed a strong bond between the two from the way they held hands in flight and how their fingers rubbed against each other. His mind drifted back to the lunch scene and wondered if the duo had been indulging in such behaviors the whole time, recalling one of their hand was strangely absent. So entranced was the boy in studying the two adults ahead of him that his silence unwittingly affected the mood.
Krillin gave Eighteen a knowing glance and the cyborg girl nodded. The duo began decelerating until Krillin was right beside Gohan before giving him a hearty pat on the back.
"Krillin!"
"You doing okay back here Gohan? Feeling a bit lonely buddy?"
"O-oh it's nothing like that Krillin, I'm just..." the half Saiyan trailed off, not knowing how to phrase it to make things less awkward.
Last time I blurted something out without thinking, Eighteen got angry and left Krillin on Kami's lookout...better not repeat that same mistake again!
Krillin arched an eyebrow looking at his friend's weird behavior.
What's the matter with Gohan? He's usually very forthcoming with his thoughts. Something must be troubling him.
Well, let's see...what could a boy of his age be thinking? Is it schoolwork? Future? Relationships?
Oh I know...he's gradually approaching that age!
He couldn't help but to form a smug grin after reaching a conclusion. "Oh I see what you are doing you sneaky devil! You are making sure me and Eighteen are doing well right?"
"Oh uhh...yeah..."
"Look buddy, we couldn't be any happier! Or couldn't you tell based on what sweetie did to me back at the restaurant?"
The former monk declared perhaps a bit too giddily that the cyborg girl's face burned with embarrassment. "Kril, since when did I allow you to tease others using our relationship?" she shot him an icy glare despite her otherwise tomato red face.
Her carried away boyfriend could only let out guilty chuckles of his own. "S-sorry sweetie, my goofy nature has reared its head again!"
"I see, well just don't overkill it kay Kril?" she huffed coldly but the grip on his hand was as tight as ever, their body heat coursing through one another warding off the freezing air of high altitude.
The trio decided to fly side-by-side where Krillin and Gohan chatted while Eighteen mostly kept to herself but nevertheless enjoyed basking in the jovial atmosphere, especially that of her beloved's carefree smiles.
Back then when I first escaped Gero's laboratory, I thought the only ones I could associate with are my baby bro and Sixteen...people who shared my unique experience, if you can even call that unique. Who would've thought Krillin and now his friends would come into my life...is this what it means to be human? To form close bonds and laugh freely?
She had just about sank into a trance when Gohan's abrupt question pulled her back to reality. "Eighteen, why don't you join us for the conversation?"
"Yeah sweetie, we don't want you to feel like the third wheel now do we?" Krillin added with his usual cheerful tone.
"And what do you want me to say?" Eighteen asked, her heart beating faster unsure what they'd want to hear but kept a straight face.
The boys pondered a bit before the demi-Saiyan's eyes lit up, flashing a curious glint that made the cyborg tense up.
"Eighteen, can you tell me why Krillin calls you sweetie and why you'd call him Kril? Is it the same as my mother calling me son?" Gohan asked innocently.
Wow Gohan, you really don't know anything about relationship do you? Well, it's only natural since you've been hitting books non-stop...
Krillin almost cracked up then and there but managed to withhold his laughter, producing mere giggles instead. "Oh it's just words of endearment Gohan. You'll learn these when you are of certain age," he quickly responded sensing his beloved's temperature risen to critical level, a sharp contrast to the frosty façade.
You can't fool me Eighteen, if there's anything I've learned about you, it's the colder you acted, the more you are trying to hide your emotions...
Eighteen was just about to whisper words of thanks to Krillin when a blush inducing statement drifted into her ears.
"Right babe? Sweetie and Kril are just cute little names we have for each other, just like angel, Sweeteen, and honey. They aren't anything official like boyfriend and girlfriend right?"
Without thinking, she sent a tiny jolt of artificial energy into his fingers that unfortunately, were locked tightly against her grip.
"Ouch! Eighteen!"
"One more cute thing out of your big mouth and I'm leaving you, you noseless midget!" she spat with no bite in her voice nor the will to carry out her threat, preferring instead to massage the bruised flesh she had just zapped.
Gradually, a tiny dot appeared on the horizon, only to enlarge as they drew closer until the beautiful white sandy beaches and the surrounding crystal clear water of Kame House began reflecting off Eighteen's ocean blue eyes. Despite having seem the cozy island from all angles, this new home never ceased to amaze her with the many natural treasures hiding on it. Inwardly, the cyborg girl was kicking herself for failing to realize its beauty when she first set foot on over a year ago.
If I had just fallen in-love with this place and gave up hunting for Goku, who knows how different things would've turned out for me? Sixteen might still be alive at this point...well it's a good thing Krillin's as accepting as he is...
They landed in front of the small pink house; their shoes sank into the fine sand grains and even through the soles of her footwear, Eighteen felt just how delicate the particles were. Gingerly, she made her feet bare to the natural element and experienced the premium-grade sand without any barrier. Everything on this reclusive island were the exact opposite of the rough life she used to lead and the cyborg girl closed her eyelids, immersed in the soothing natural elements from the salty sea breeze to the tropical sunlight.
Krillin stayed by her side keeping her company. More recently, he had grown accustomed to this beautiful creature lost in herself, enjoying the many aspects of beach life and the former monk couldn't be happier. She appeared almost tranquil at that moment and as much as the former warrior monk wanted to reach out to her, he knew better than to interrupt what he'd liked to call Eighteen's meditation.
Gohan meanwhile had ran up to Master Roshi, forcing the old man to hide his reading material in a hurry.
"H-hey Gohan, I didn't know you'd be visiting today. It's been a while hasn't it?" the centuries old man greeted after throwing the magazine through the window.
"Yeah kiddo, what brings you today? Did you run into Krillin and Eighteen dating? See anything good" Oolong inquired quietly after checking on the couple, making sure they were too busy with each other.
"Oh no Oolong, I was flying around asking our old gang to attend my mother's party. She has a surprise for everyone!"
"Oh?" the two paused to adopt a pondering look.
"Well guys? You weren't there last time so why not?" Gohan pressed with a hopeful expression.
By now, Krillin and Eighteen had also made it to the gathering and the pig looked at the cyborg girl somewhat fearfully but the blonde didn't seemed to notice.
"Speaking of the party Gohan, can my brother attend it? I figured he might show up even if you don't invite him."
Hearing the cyborg girl's brother might want to come, Roshi arched an eyebrow while Oolong's eyes shot wide opened, his facial complexion turning ghastly pale.
"Y-your b-brother? You mean that cold dude with the death stare? You are saying that just to get back at me aren't you?" Oolong couldn't help but to stutter.
"What are you talking about pig? Got issue with my relative you animal?" Eighteen's piercing glare froze her target in place without even trying. To make the matter worse for Oolong, the surround air became electrified as pink currents bounced around those cybernetic enhanced fingertips, her power driven out by negative emotions.
Krillin quickly intervened and positioned himself in between the two. "Common Oolong, Seventeen's a good man. He's just misunderstood like Eighteen that's all," he then turned toward Eighteen with pleading eyes, motioning her to calm down.
The cyborg girl's glance softened almost immediately peering into those emotional chocolate-rich orbs that pulled her into a gentle world and causing the power surge to die down.
Silly me, once again, I've gotten too carried away by pity comments...
"That's right Oolong, Seventeen's really chill at the party last time and you'll love him! He also knows all these cool tricks that are just fun to watch!" Gohan interjected.
"Well, if he's the same type as Eighteen here, then sure I'll join the party." Roshi stated after some careful deliberation.
The blonde cyborg was about to ask the old man what he meant by "same type" but decided to let it pass, figuring the old man meant it as a compliment judging by his tone and not to mention the gentle expression hidden behind those thick shades.
All eyes came to rest on the pig who eventually relented with a dramatic exhale.
"Aww fine I'll go! But only because Eighteen sometimes cook good food and Seventeen's probably the same way."
"Gee thanks for the compliment pig!" the cyborg girl tried to add humor behind her words and it worked, seeing Oolong gave her an uneasy smile.
Gohan observed with wide-eyed curiosity at Krillin's room, taking in the many changes that had occurred since the last time he visited. Not only was there an extra closet and a few photos of the human cyborg couple hanging on the wall, but there also appeared to be an extra pillow on the bed, not to mention a new blanket large enough for two. The biggest tweak to this otherwise familiar space had to be the desk; however, as the boy could tell the amount of letters on the desk had increased exponentially.
"Wow Krillin, you sure have built a nice room with Eighteen!" the half-Saiyan exclaimed moving closer to the workstation, examining the many tools that would put his own study desk to shame.
Krillin scratched his head but beamed with pride at the same time. "Thanks Gohan, but Eighteen actually has her own room next door that she uses when she wants to be alone. She just loves to come by my room and snuggle with me at night."
"Snuggle?" The young boy's words bore an undeniably curious tone, causing the older male's heart to drop in fear.
By kami! Chichi will kill me if I accidentally polluted Gohan's mind!
"Yeah, like you know, hugging. We don't do anything more than that Gohan." Krillin tried explaining calmly despite of his vibrant cheeks.
"Wow! Well I'm happy for you Krillin, I can always tell you two will end up together! I'm sure dad would be happy for you too!" the young boy said giving the older male a thumb up.
"Thanks and yeah...I know Goku, he must be looking over us from the heavens," the former monk said with a hint of sadness, his eyes reddening slightly then widened as if recalling an important event. "Speaking of your dad, I have something for you Gohan."
Krillin ran toward the closet and began rummaging through it, eventually producing an old cardboard box that he dusted clean with his hands.
"I know this doesn't look like much, but inside were many childhood toys me and your father used to play when we were still kids," the human warrior explained, his voice heavy again, "now that you have a younger brother, I think it's about time I give you these."
Gohan accepted the box that felt heavy with rich history. Gingerly, he peeled the lids opened and was met with many ancient looking objects, chief amongst them an old volleyball with what appeared to have disjointed handprints overlapping one another on its aged rubbery surface. Holding the ball up, the demi-Saiyan felt residuals of life energy imbued in it, a phenomenon he deduced as having absorbed all the ki from his father and friends. The sensation was akin to his father's hands wrapping around his and the brave spawn of Goku found himself unable to resist tears welling up.
"Wow!"
"Yeah, well since I have no use for it and this object technically belonged to both me and Goku, I thought you should have it." Krillin said, wiping off a few drops himself.
The pre-teen gave the beaten up ball a few dribbles and to his surprise, it bounced off the ground perfectly, causing loud bumps to cut through the thick depressing atmosphere.
Krillin listened to the rhythmic sound pensively then an idea hit him. "Wait Gohan, why don't we have a match using this ball?" he said with a bright smile, the sadness long washed away by newfound enthusiasm.
All Gohan could do was to nod in agreement.
They rushed downstairs with child-like glee, their energetic footsteps interrupting many ongoing activities such as women's exercise video watching for the two resident perverts and a certain blonde cyborg's meditative stroll along the beach who stared at the two tad irritated.
"Krillin, Gohan, what's the matter?" she asked with her hands rested on her waist and bare feet immersed in the soothing tropical seawater.
"What do you say we have a volleyball match Eighteen?" Krillin asked, spinning the ball atop his finger.
"Volleyball?" Eighteen pondered aloud searching through her memory bank but came up empty much to her dismay.
"Yeah, volleyball, it's something humans love to play and we thought you'd enjoy it!" the boyfriend tried cheering her up by flashing his trademark ear-to-ear smile, his eyebrows arching up and down playfully to maximize his appeal.
Say yes sweetie! You know you want to...
Volleyball? Is it like baseball? A competitive sport? If so then there's no way I'm passing this up!
"Fine I'll play you haired cue ball, but only if I get to play against you! We haven't had a good exercise for months and I want to see how you hold up!" she stated giving him a mischievous cat-like grin that made the former monk wet with cold sweats.
The team captains took turns picking their teammates, with Krillin quickly selecting Gohan and the two friends embraced, memories of their adventure on planet Namek came drifting back. This left Eighteen wondering who to choose, her eyes darting between the crimson-faced Roshi with blood dripping down his nostrils waving wildly at her, an unsure Oolong, and an enthusiastic Turtle whom the cyborg chose finding his attitude encouraging. The human fighter picked Roshi next, forming what he liked to call Team Turtle School, leaving the blonde cyborg with two animals as her teammates.
"This is just great, so we have me, a turtle, and a cyborg killer while they have an entire team of trained warriors! What are we? Team non-humans?" Oolong complained, earning him an unamused look from Eighteen.
"Don't discourage yourself Oolong, we got this! I'm older than Roshi and knows more than he does!" Turtle tried cheering up his friend as he folded his feet akin to human doing fist pump.
The cyborg girl smiled at the sea-dwelling creature's confidence before turning to the pig. "Just cover my back Oolong, like pass me the ball if you don't know what to do okay?" she tried to sound supportive all the while resisting the urge to smack some sense into the pig.
"O-okay if you say so!"
Meanwhile, Krillin surveyed his angel's situation amusedly, knowing Turtle wouldn't be of much help due to his speed while Oolong didn't possess the athleticism nor bravery to go against three seasoned fighters, essentially turning the cyborg into a one girl team.
Sorry babe, you sounded like you want a challenge so here's one for ya...please don't blame me for losing kay?
"Hey Krillin! We are good to go, you guys ready yet?" came Eighteen's confident voice without a sliver of doubt.
"W-what? Yeah sure Eighteen! Here I come!"
Alright then, let's see what you have in store for us you clever girl!
Krillin, now wearing only a pair of swimming trunks, lightly tossed the ball up with his left hand then brought his right hand down onto the ball at a downward angel, sending the projectile over the net and infusing part of his life energy into it.
Eighteen watched intently at how the former warrior composed himself, her piercing sapphire eyes blinking red as she recorded the movements into her system whilst trying to ignore his chiseled physique threatening to derail her focus. A grin plastered across her face once the ball left his hand and the cyborg, following its predicted flight path, leapt up into the air and slammed it back. To her surprise though, the volleyball felt much heavier than anticipated and her system registered a multitude of life energies in it, warming up her hands and slightly knocking her backwards on contact.
W-what is that ball made of? Still, I've shot it at their blind spot, this should mean an easy point for me!
She was quickly proven wrong when Gohan darted toward the ball and hit it upwards split seconds prior to impact, sending it squarely into Krillin's striking distance who jumped up with his hand extended and slammed the ball onto Eighteen's court before she could react.
"Score!" the Turtle School Team shouted in joy giving each other high-fives.
Eighteen was stunned by the teamwork but recalled from Krillin's story he and Gohan had allied together against countless oppositions and clapped softly instead.
They are just like me and Seventeen...always there for each other. Makes me wonder if the old man's as good as those two...
Grabbing the ball, the cyborg girl began mentally replaying footage of how her beloved sent the ball through the net, her body imitating the seasoned warrior's action down to the very last detail. To her observers, it was as if they were seeing a double image of Krillin in Eighteen, all of them mesmerized by the fluid motion until she sent the projectile toward Roshi's corner at an alarming speed.
"Oh crap!" Krillin exclaimed, knowing it was too late for him nor Gohan to react as the ball was mere inches from the turtle hermit.
Rather than missing the ball or getting knocked over as Eighteen intended though, the old master putted his arms together and skillfully used its angle to deflect it upwards so his pupil could redirect it at the demi-Saiyan who in turn sent it back where it came from. The smooth collaboration once again shocked the cyborg but she composed herself and executed an imitation of Master Roshi's technique, sending the incoming projectile flying upward with her arms.
The blonde was just about to spike the ball over the net when Turtle yelled "Let me handle this Eighteen, you can't touch the ball twice in a roll and besides, this is a team's game."
Eighteen hesitated a little but obliged and was treated to the sight of Turtle flipping himself off the ground with his limbs, causing his large shell to come in contact with the ball in an eye-opening manner, propelling it straight at Gohan.
"Good team work Eighteen and Turtle!" Krillin couldn't help but to cheer for his angel, temporarily disrupting her thoughts and unwittingly allowing the half-human to score another point.
"Hey, no fair! You cheated Krillin!" Eighteen protested.
"Sorry babe, but it's not my fault you got distracted! Besides winning isn't everything right?" Krillin responded, his cheeks rosier than usual feeling flattered he had that much effect on his aloof girlfriend.
The blonde could only fold her arms and send him a deadpanned stare. "Fine, but you are not allowed to talk to me again during this match understood?"
"Uhh...sure sweetie."
Okay, now this is just torturous...how am I supposed to not cheer for Eighteen when she's right in front of me?
Gohan was the next one to serve but rather than repeating Krillin's move; he tossed the ball high in the air, jumped up, and slammed down onto it hard.
Eighteen calculated from the air current generated by the ball that its velocity wasn't something to be taken lightly and braced herself. Still, the power behind it was far above her calculation, flinging her entire body backward and she cursed to herself for having forgotten the sandy beach didn't offer much traction. Her misjudgement caused the volleyball's flight path to go off course too as it arched across the air flying toward Oolong.
"Hurray!" Team Turtle School shouted in triumph collectively and the cyborg had to agree with their outlook seeing the pig panicking in the corner much to her anger
"Oh my kami oh dear kami what do I do?" Oolong ranted as he closed his eyes that defied all expectations, his head ended up bumping into the ball and unwittingly sent it over the net.
It took a few seconds for Krillin to realize what miracle had happened but once he did, the former monk spraint toward his target, spiking it back, only for Eighteen to intercept it and, with a playful wink, shot the ball onto her opposition's side of ground.
"Woohoo! Looks like we've just scored the first point and it's all thanks to Oolong!" Turtle exclaimed.
"W-wait, I did?" Oolong asked opening his eyes to find the ball laying on the opposite team's court, his face then twisted into a smug grin. "Ha! I guess I did!"
"Yeah you did Oolong, you don't mean it but nice one." Eighteen admitted coolly giving the pig a light grin of acknowledgement. "Now let's try working as a team and win this okay?"
"Sure!" her teammates readily agreed.
That afternoon under the bright tropical sun, the six individuals forgot about the outside world and competed in their friendly volleyball tournament. Although Eighteen's team was slowly improving their teamwork, Team Turtle School was proving to be the superior side as three generations of fighters worked hand in hand, trying to exploit their opposition's lack in skill. After many more rounds of back and forth, of countless sweats spilled onto the pristine white sandy beach, and of encouragements being passed around, Team Turtle School found itself ready to claim victory sitting at twenty-four points while the cyborg girl and company only managed fifteen.
"Great work team! We are almost there! Let's not loosen up until we claim victory okay?" Krillin clenched his fist in a small fist pump. He then looked over at his beloved's direction and knew instantly the trio were exhausted with Oolong laying on his back and Turtle barely able to crawl. The cyborg girl appeared tad ruffled too, her blue sleeveless denim jacket and white pants coated with sandy grains not to mention her normally well-groomed hair was a mess.
"Eighteen!" Krillin called out to her unable to resist the urge any longer, not when his angel's looking like that, with her back pressed against the wall, "let's call it a draw what do you say? We've had much fun anyways!"
His concerned words drew a rather unexpected outcome though, as Eighteen first looked at him puzzled then her eyes narrowed in defiance. Her two teammates appeared to share her sentiment too as Turtle quickly pulled himself together and Oolong leapt back onto his feet.
"Thanks for the offer Kril, but I'm playing my first volleyball match in memory and don't feel like letting anyone interrupting it!" she declared, her crystal blue eyes radiating with life.
"But..."
"No but Krillin! Besides, this is just a game right? Why worry about beating me?"
Seeing the determined expression made Krillin's heart skip a beat, feeling as if he had fallen in love all over again.
Whether you are facing Vegeta or Cell, you never seem to give up...
Gohan observed the couple's exchange all intrigued, his heart beating faster sensing the unique connection that bonded the two. "Common Krillin, I think Eighteen, Turtle, and Oolong all want to play this match until the end! So let's just have more fun alright?" he put a hand on Krillin's shoulder.
"That's right Krillin, your lady friend has expressed her wish, don't you think it's your job to oblige her?" Roshi chimed in, his shades flashing a unique sort of light.
"Yeah let's do this Krillin!" Turtle said.
"Exactly, I'm getting restless here!" Oolong added.
Hearing everyone's uniformed opinion, all the former monk could do was returning his angel's determined eyes with one of his own, the intense blue orbs meeting rich hazel ones in an electrifying stare down. "Alright sweetie, ready for your first loss in sports?" Krillin taunted good-naturedly.
"You wish Kril, who knows, my team might just come out on top!" Eighteen shouted back.
"As you wish babe!"
No sooner did those words left his mouth did Krillin threw the ball high up into the sky before leaping upwards and brought his ki-infused palm onto the volleyball. The entire sequence of movements had a majestic look about it and Eighteen had to work extra hard to not gawk at the well-executed move.
Good one Kril, but I can probably spike it back at you...
Wait, I'm playing a team game am I not? Let's give Turtle and Oolong something to do!
The blonde dug her toes deep into the sand for extra support while positioning her arms at such an angle the fearsome strike harmlessly bounced off her skin and flew back toward Oolong, who bumped the ball toward the now bipedal Turtle who in turn sent it over at the opposition team.
Eighteen watched with pride at her teammates execute the move flawlessly but knew it would take far more to score a point, so she jumped up and caught the volleyball in midair, spiking it hard.
Perhaps it was mere coincidence, or perhaps Krillin had read her mind, but the former monk had also leapt into the air and brought his palm against the ball at the same time. The ensuing clash sent the ball soaring through the sky while the two attackers were both knocked backwards.
Neither player managed to regain their composure before Roshi was onto the ball and bounced it toward Gohan who spiked the ball hard, mixing his ki with that of his father's and Krillin's in the process.
"I'm on it, I'm on it!" Oolong shouted gleefully and rushed at the rapidly approaching projectile.
What's that pig thinking? There's no way he can catch that, not unless I soften the blow before handing it to him...
Not wanting to see her Kril's friend injured, Eighteen panicked and released a small blast against the sandy beach, rocketing her right in front of the aged volleyball flaring with life energy. Her arms collided with the object and instantly, a familiar warmth washed across her as she felt part of the ki transmitting from the ball to her. She had expected this ill-prepared interception to cause her minor injury, seeing how it knocked her back previous times, but Krillin's ki and that of many others coursed through her harmlessly and if anything, sent soothing tingles through her form, hurling her backward without harm.
She landed on the beach with a grain-splattering splash just as the ball landed beside her.
Team Turtle School, rather than cheering in victory, rushed toward the sand covered Eighteen with Krillin in the lead, his face filled with concern.
"E-Eighteen, are you alright?" he asked unable to mask his emotion.
"Yeah I think so Kril, your ki; I don't think it can harm me even if it tried." Eighteen said.
"Oh of course I wouldn't harm you sweetie!" Krillin said feeling a bit bewildered and unsure how to answer.
"No silly, I meant you probably can't hurt me even unintentionally!"
"Oh?"
It was clear as the cloudless sky on Dende's lookout that Krillin still hadn't figured out what Eighteen meant and the cyborg girl frowned, thinking of a way to reassure him. To be honest, she knew of a way but with that many audiences around her, it wasn't the most optimal time for such an act.
Screw it; you are just too cute Kril!
Grasping Krillin's naked broad shoulder, Eighteen pulled him forward and planted a light kiss on his lips, drawing gasps and cheers.
"There, do you get it now Kril?"
"I-I think so!"
"Hey get yourselves a room will you lovers?" Oolong teased, earning him two crimson faces staring back at him.
"Be careful what you say pig!" Eighteen warned trying to put up a front but the pig didn't seem to care and continued to snicker at the couple.
"Oh common Eighteen, we've all seem that you cared enough about me to rescue me back there!" at that, the gang broke into a laugh; even Krillin who snaked his arm around the cyborg girl's shoulder, the close proximity of their bodies calming her down.
Gohan wanted to congratulate the couple but before he could utter a word, his stomach growled, diverting everyone's attention at him.
"You know what Gohan? You are really like your father when you get hungry!" Krillin remarked.
"Y-you think so?" the young boy asked.
All on the beach except Eighteen nodded as they recalled tales of the pure Saiyan emptying out an entire restaurant.
"Hey Gohan, why don't you join us for dinner? It's almost time to eat anyways!" Eighteen said, wanting to add something to the conversation feeling a bit left out that all but her had some memories of Goku except her.
The demi-Saiyan's face lit up in a bright smile, which quickly faded as he seemed to recall something. "Thanks Eighteen, but I'm afraid I have to go back home. Mom's probably waiting for me."
"I see," the blonde woman's calm voice camouflaged just how disheartened she was.
"It's alright Eighteen, we'll see Gohan soon enough at the party!" Krillin reassured having read her mind. "Well kiddo, I guess it's goodbye for the day then. Please send Chichi our regards and let her know we'll all be joining her at the party!"
"Will do Krillin!"
The inhabitants of Kame House surrounded Gohan and gave him a warm group hug, several generations of fighters all originated from the same master held onto one another, their familiar yet uniquely different ki mingled with each other. Afterwards, they stood on the beach until Gohan was no more than a tiny speck against the backdrop of fiery pink sunset.
"Well, this has been a fun day hasn't it Eighteen?" Krillin asked as he sat beside his girlfriend on their private beach long after the rest have left, his feet immersed in the seawater enjoying the sensation of waves gently stroking his skin.
"Yes it has Krillin, but I can tell you we aren't quite done for the day yet. There's someone else we need to visit today." Eighteen replied, her head resting on his shoulder while her finger slowly tracing the outlines of his muscle, which tensed ever so slightly at the mention of unfinished task.
Half a globe from the tropical island stood a much larger island home to a variety of ecosystems. On its southern region stood a row of houses and on the front porch of one particular wooden hut sat a raven-haired cyborg on a rocking chair with a guitar in hand, performing some country song he probably heard from his fellow rangers.
Nearby on the floor sat a basket and inside rested an eagle dozing off to the young man's tunes. The bird of prey was about to close its eyes for good until its companion misplayed a note and the accipitridae cried out in protest.
"Oh sorry little bird boy! Guess I'm not ready to play this song in front of Carly huh?" Seventeen asked to which his friend merely let out another shriek.
"Hey, I have to start off somewhere right?" he teased.
Just as he was about to head back inside, sounds of someone's footstep drifted into his ear and the cyborg tensed up, his eyebrows furrowed trying to determine who this mysterious visitor may be.
Is it Carly? I did give her my apartment number but I didn't know she'd be visiting so soon. Let's just hope she didn't hear my botched song...
The cyborg boy let out a sigh before quickly straighten up his western attire composed of a cowboy hat and leather jacket. He then put on the best prince charming smile he could muster and spun around.
"Hey, so what brings you here tonight?" he tried to sound confident despite his rapidly firing nerves, only to be met by two familiar looking faces that looked like they are about to burst into laughter.
"Sorry to disappoint you bro, but it's us!" Eighteen greeted in a mischievous tone before handing her brother a letter that he opened with puzzled look.
Hello Little Bro,
I'm writing this just in case I couldn't find you. Gohan visited us today and invited me to Chichi's party once again. Knowing you, you'll probably show up unannounced so I asked Gohan if you could come and he said yes.
So feel free to fly over to Chichi's place this Sunday if you are interested.
Eighteen
A/N: Thanks for the longer wait this time, I was feeling a bit burned out once again, not to mention having to rediscover the specific tone and writing style I used for this piece. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, which served as the first epilogue. More epilogues will slowly come out (when that will be I can't guarantee) as I'm planning on writing more than just two chapters at this point.