Well. This is embarrassing.
Couple of things before we get started:
First and foremost, I am so very very sorry I took this long. I write with bursts of inspiration, and for quite a few years... there was none. There was a wordfile with some notes and a very tired grownup sadly closing her laptop feeling incredibly guilty and uninspired. And then, after a while, it started getting easy and fun again. And here we are again! I promised myself this would not become a deadfic. Consider this the end of a horrifyingly long hiatus. I'm back baby.

Secondly. Thank you. Thank you so very very much. Part of what gave me my inspiration back was the reviews. Oh my god the beautiful and wonderful reviews. You have no idea how much your reviews and messages mean to me.
And the person who put this stupid little story on the TVTROPES DBZ FANFIC RECOMMENDATION PAGE - holy shit! You made a 30 year old British woman cry. When I first started writing this, I was obsessed with TVtropes and getting a fanfic onto a recommendation page was something I wanted so much. So thank you.

Thank you for sticking with me for so long. You have my undying appreciation.

On with the show.

Chapter 16: also entitled - We Are Falling Into The Heart Of A Sun

Dear I fear that we're facing a problem
You love me no longer, I know
and maybe there is nothing that I can do
to make you do.
Mama tells me that I shouldn't bother
That I ought to stick to another man
a man who surely deserves me
but I think you do! - The Cardigans

YOU HAVE 3 NEW MESSAGES

*BEEP*
FIRST MESSAGE -
CHÉ THIS IS YOURSELF. PHONING YOURSELF. BECAUSE THIS IS MY LIFE NOW. REMINDER THAT THE RESERVATION IS FOR 7.30PM AND WEAR THE PURPLE SHIRT. IT LOOKS GREAT – DON'T OVERTHINK IT. BYE!

*BEEP*
NEXT MESSAGE -
BONJOURNO CHÉ SWEETIE HOW ARE YOU? JUST TO LET YOU KNOW I TOOK YOUR ADVICE… KINDA. BUT TURNS OUT THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE SPEEDBUMP ON MY ROAD TO HAPPINESS SO NOW I NEED TO GO KICK SOMEONE'S HEAD IN - I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU WANT TO MEET UP FOR A COFFEE LATER?

*BEEP*
NEXT MESSAGE -
HANG ON I TOTALLY FORGOT TO ELABORATE – SO TURNS OUT THIS BLONDE PIECE OF FLUFF PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR ME; THE TRAITOR! THIS WEASEL HAS BEEN LIVING WITH THE PET BOYFRIEND FOR A FEW MONTHS AND I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THIS. SO SHE'S BEEN TRYING TO STEAL HIM FROM OUT UNDER MY GODDAMN NOSE! RIGHT WHEN I WAS MAKING PROGRESS! SO, FUCK HER AND HER DUMBASS BR- oh. Hey sweetie"

The psychiatrist had picked up.
He was confused. And a little scared. Majon's voice had dropped about an octave the angrier she got and he wondered if she potentially needed an exorcism.
"Hello Majon, I would ask how you've been but you seem to be experiencing a bit of um, domestic upheaval."
"I'm going to upheave some faces."
"Right, so I want you to stop, inhale, count to 3, exhale and explain to me what is happening. Last time we talked you had told him about the pregnancy and he had taken it okay. Did you tell him how you felt about him too?"
There was a moment of quiet on the other end of the line as Majon attempted to calm herself. Her voice started to revert to its original velvety tones.
"He did, Ché, mostly." She sighed down the phone, "And um, I didn't really get to that bit because of this bitch. This other woman who's been living with him, and my brother found out he's got feelings for her so-"
"Aw I'm sorry Majon, that's got to hurt – but if you still haven't told him how you feel; maybe you should? Maybe he'll change his mind about the other girl or maybe he won't. And if he doesn't, then its best to leave him to it - despite how you feel, unfortunately."
"No, he's mine."
Ché readjusted the receiver at his ear, "Well, I mean he might return your feelings if he knows but if not-"
"It doesn't matter if he doesn't love me right now - there's time for that," She spoke slowly, emphasising, "but right now, he's mine and she needs to go. So I'm off to go punch her in the throat - but if you want to meet up for a coffee afterwards?"
"Majon, maj- no that's not going to solve anything (also I have a date this evening) and what do you mean 'he's yours' that's not really a healthy approach to a relationship."
"No No it's fine, you see I own him. Krillin's my pet boyfriend."
There was a prolonged silence.
"…..I haven't exactly been told everything here have I?"
"…...no"

Ché put the phone back on the receiver. He removed his glasses, rubbed the bridge of his perfect, rather large nose and put his glasses back on with a small sigh.
After 37 seconds of staring blankly at the phone on his desk – the therapist jumped out of his seat and bolted out of the door.
He shouldn't have gotten involved. When they asked him to speak to her – he should have said no. Why had he kept in contact?! What the hell sort of advice could he offer about demons and pregnancies and lies and oh lord, what on earth had he gotten involved with?! Apply for the job at Capsule Corp, they said, it'll look great on your resume, they said.
whatdoIdowhatdoIdowhatdoIdo
He raced down the corridors of Capsule Corp, stopping only briefly to spin around wildly at a junction before choosing a direction.
It was a good call, as he was headed directly for Bulma's private lab.
Thus Gohan and Bulma enter this section of the narrative.

"The maths around robotics is definitely high level stuff, so in a few years I can go into more detai-"
"Isnt that just a D-H matrix?"
"It is exactly a D-H matrix! … … oh god," lamented Bulma gently stroking Gohan's dark hair, "just imagine all of the smart that's already been punched out of you."
Gohan shrugged with a smile, and turned back to the whiteboard full of equations. He had previously been bothering Dende; however the young Kami's duty called and Gohan decided to make himself scarce for a few hours until his friend had solved a small natural disaster near East Capital. Looked like they were going to get the miracle they'd prayed for.
Trunks was asleep in his room, Vegeta was…Vegeta-ing somewhere, and the universe wasn't in mortal peril so, all in all, Bulma was rather relaxed.
Enter Ché.

Gohan and Bulma looked up to see a beautiful blur of a man dash past the door. There was a dull thud and then a scuffle of shoes on laminate flooring. Ché's face popped around the doorframe, wide eyed and flushed.
"I fucked up."

"18 is the fluff!"
Bulma and Gohan's answer came simultaneously, "what?"
"18, its 18. She's in danger." Gasped Ché, but Bulma just smiled and shook her head, wiping an equation from a whiteboard.
"…No…she's not, honey. I guarantee it."
The therapist just looked more anxious, "No she is! – your friend Majon just rang – land she told me stuff and she knows 18 was living with Krillin and she piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissed."
"Ohhh," said Gohan, "that's probably not good."

Ché ran his fingers through his thick hair, staring off into space, talking more to the air around himself than to his boss. "I mean I thought she already knew 18 was living with him? How is this new information for her? I mean why wouldn't he tell her?"
His voice proceeded to get higher and faster, "Wow she's already kinda high strung. This will not go down well if the pregnancy hormones are kicking in."
Gohan stared up at the Psychiatrist then at Bulma, then back again. "Pregnancy? Who's pregnant? Majon?! Majon is pregnant?!"
"Yeah, sorry, it was need to know." Said Bulma, as she added another algebraic formula to the board. Ché pushed his glasses further up his nose.
"She's seriously pregnant?" Gohan scowled.
The Therapist sat down with a whumpf on one of the lab stools. "I mean she told me when you and Krillin asked me to talk to her. But that's patient confidentiality, so I probably shouldn't have..um…said anything".
Gohan scowled harder. He must have missed that when he was snooping in on them.

He decided to take charge of the conversation. Because whether he liked it or not – Gohan's greatest talent thus far in life was cleaning up other people's messes. Be those messes: 'accidentally saying too much when the scouter was still on so now I have to turn into a giant monkey and sit on Vegeta– thanks Mr. P' or 'Old guy hates your dad so much he made a biomechanical monster to kill him so now I have to murder it– thanks Dad'. So it was time to get this train-wreck under control.
"OK so, what did she say exactly?" asked the boy.
"Essentially… that she was going to kick 18's ass… butt…. Sorry I keep swearing. She thinks there's something going on between her and Krillin…which…I mean, maybe… but"
Bulma's bright blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What do you mean maybe."
"um…that would be breaking Dr/patient confidentiality." said Ché, rather politely, but completely unconvincingly. He smiled nervously as Bulma leaned closer to his face.
"…sorry?"
Bulma had him in a headlock for a good minute and a half until Ché gave in and broke his oath. The weakling.

"So you think she has feelings for him?" asked Gohan, sounding somewhat older than his years.
"Sort of," the man replied from the crook of Bulma's arm, "I think so. It's the way she talks about him, really…I'm sure its romantic but 18 doesn't seem to be able to pinpoint her feelings – it's her inhibitor still causing issues. Well, that or her own damn obliviousness. Please let go of me."
"This is exciting!"
"This is chaos, Ms. Briefs, complete and utter chaos. There are so many threads to this what was the writer even thinking?!"

"We have to stop her hurting 18." The Therapist begun to both metaphorically and literally roll up his sleeves, baring strong arms and flicking his hair back from his face dramatically. Bulma was hit with a wave of romantic-leading man beauty and had to mentally repeat 'I'm banging an actual space-prince' over and over until it had subsided.
"Actually, I'm honestly more worried about Majon." Said Gohan quietly by the man's side.
He looked down at the youth.
"But she's demon." Ché responded skeptically.
"but she's picking a fight with a Cyborg."
"Wow, that just sounds like an awful movie."

Gohan weighed the options. Crunched the numbers. Made the calculations. Potential fight between powerful and pregnant Demon and distressingly powerful cyborg = he was probably needed; if not to stop the fight, then to try and talk some sense into them. Majon thought he was cute and 18 made it obvious she thought he was one trauma away from incinerating the planet so they would probably both listen to him.
Hopefully.
If not him – their mutual Therapist.
The pre-teen zipped up his jacket.

Maybe Dende was still on call for miracles. They could certainly do with some divine intervention.
And just where the hell was Krillin anyway?

Krillin had just arrived at the location of Majon's fluctuating ki to see the girl he was in love with sitting on top of a pregnant woman, throttling her.

Right.

Ok.

18 squeezed down on Majon's throat for a moment, just enough to see the fear flash in the other woman's eyes. She leaned in closer, applying more pressure. "I'm going to let go. And we're going to get up and I am going to fix my hair. I believe this counts as a win for me. What do you think?"
The demoness made a choking noise and attempted to say something as she tapped 18's forearms furiously.
"Oh calm down." Said 18 with a roll of her eyes – but she loosened her grip.
Majon took an over dramatic gasp of air and held the blonde by her wrists. "Woman, I am pregnant – get your ass off me."
18 sat up, rigid, mouth agape.

She was promptly catapulted sideways through the air by a tiny Asian man.

Majon took a moment to catch her breath, rubbing her flushed throat; heaving herself up into a sitting position, she watched 18 and Krillin untangle themselves from each other – the blonde swearing profusely, rubbing her hip.
("Goddamit Krillin that's going to bruise."
"Sorry.")

Apart from a bloody nose and some serious grazing, she was still in one piece. She clambered to her feet, wobbling slightly as she straightened her wings. Majon was hurting. Angry and embarrassed. Physically she was for the most part unscathed, but she could not shake the heavy sinking feeling beginning to take form in her very core.
She got her ass handed to her. By this girl, this little creature. Where the hell did that come from? She didn't even have Ki.
She couldn't have won.
She hadn't though. Had she?
Majon smiled to herself - This wasn't over. He had interfered…. He had torn himself from that awful woman's grip at the last moment.
She let out a small quiet chuckle of relief. The Promise had only included 18 versus herself. No-one else. The challenge was invalidated the moment Krillin had touched either of them. He was still hers.

"What are you doing here?!" The blonde was ANGRY.
"Wait what?" Krillin recoiled, suddenly unsure. 18 grabbed Krillin by the neck of his shirt, pulling him in.
"Why are you here tiny man why."

The two just stared at each other in utter confusion. Neither could understand why the other was surprised to see them.
"I'm here to save you." He whispered, shooting a furtive look towards Majon who was preoccupied with brushing dust from her clothes.
18 loosened her grip on the fabric, "Did I look like I needed saving?"
"well…no ..but…"
18 looked up to the sky as if praying. Praying for the strength not to murder him before she finished her rescue." I nearly had her Krillin she nearly gave you to me."
"I'm sorry I just thought tha—gave you to me?" he flinched. He sounded and looked ungodly offended. Krillin was still fully focused on 18, face scrunched with stress, gesturing wildly around them. "What are you doing here?"

This took her by surprise, "Don't look at me like that! I was helping you!"
"by beating her up? How is that helping?"
She was stood up now, arms folded across her chest, scowling "How else do we do things?! Krillin, I was trying to rescue you, I mean hell, it's not like you had a plan!"
"Firstly, I had a plan okay and secondly - by winning me?!" He snorted back (somehow).
"Yes, no, not like that!"
"Not like that? 18 – the whole point of attempting to free myself from the Demon Promise was to not be owned BY ANYONE! "

Majon's voice carried over the air "Well good job she failed and you're still my pet boyfriend huh!….just thought I'd clarify that." She grinned at Krillin, thumbs up, seemingly believing she was being supportive.
18 swung her head around towards the Demoness, replying "Yes thank you Majon", through gritted teeth.

She threw her arms up in despair. Oh god, was this who she was becoming, dramatic? This was ridiculous, surely he could see what she was trying to do?
"Well Krillin, at least I did something!"
He spun his attention back to the blonde before him, an affronted look on his face, "I was in the process-"
"of what?" She snapped at him, her voice raising and quivering in a way she had never heard herself. Inwardly wincing at the red blooming on her face. She was angry? Why was she angry? She was worried, wasn't she? She kept going, the once strong (and honestly, unknown) dam holding all of her negative emotions starting to break.
"What were you gonna do Krillin? Huh? Stand by the side of the action, grinding your teeth and clenching your fists lamenting your uselessness?!"
Why did she say that? God, you could spot the moment she physically hurt his feelings. His brows furrowed, the affront turning to genuine injury. Oh god she was still going.
"You're always in the process—you're always thinking and worrying and waiting for the right moment – you never hold your nerve and just do it; commit to it. Make your move, god, its maddening!" She caught her breath.
He glared at her.
Oh he'd never done that.
"I'm cautious," he said quietly, "it doesn't really help the way I think its supposed to though."
"You would have died less if it was working out for you bud." She sank down to the roof floor. Leaning back on her hands, cocking her head to the side in that way that made her look like a Labrador. She let out a big breath, voice leveling out. This is a bad time for the emotional turmoil to rear its ugly head. The baking had not been doing its job.
He still looked pissed at her.
"I...I don't think cautious has been the right way to go with this honestly. This is the 11th hour Krillin, this is it – do you want to give in to this? To give up?" 18 said softly.
"No NO! I don't want to give up you know I don't! I want to stay here." (with you. With you he should have said. Despite her rather cutting words just now. Ouch, woman. )

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Majon yelled over again. She flinched. Oh god it was true – she could see it in how they looked at each other, the spark in the air between them. If, if she moved quick enough before it clicked for either of them? She might still have a chance for her happily ever after.

18 was suddenly right in front of him, having risen from the floor to one knee. She grabbed his shoulders, squeezing them slightly. Affectionately. "Then let me help you! Let me win you! It will work – she bet you on the outcome of our fight! If I get her to ceded then your mi- you're out of the demon promise. Look I did that because I couldn't… couldn't just let you go. You are important, Krillin! You're worth the damn effort."
He blinked at her. Quieted for once in his life.

The velvety tones of the demoness drifted over, a smug undertone to her words "Um, Sweetie, just so you know – you haven't won him yet by the way. No-one else can get involved – it kinda invalidates the challenge. So um… " She mimed grabbing Krillin and popping him in her back pocket.

The cyborg jumped up and spun round to the other woman. "What the shit Majon, could you not have told me this before!"
"I thought it was implied! You used the words – just you and me! It's binding!" the demoness yelled back, her wings flapping in agitation.
18 scowled at her. "I hate Demon Promises."
Majon huffed and kicked a little piece of debris away from her. "Yeah, me too."
"So Krillin knocking me off you…?"
"Ruined our challenge when he touched you. Think of it like a Wrestling match. I got disqualified because someone jumped in to help me, but I keep the belt; because it you had to win it by pinning me."
"That's stupid."
"Yeah? You want to hear our laws on Rock-Off challenges. We lose a lot of souls that way."

The android stomped over to her opponent, and leaned in, accusingly. "So you're telling me I can't win him from you?"
"Well not now! We have to start all over again!"
"….can I ...kill you and bring you back with the dragonballs? Would that work?" 18 suggested.
Majon was a tad disgusted, "Oh sure, us Demons are the fucked up ones."
"We'd be super quick?"
"No – pregnant remember." The demon responded, gesturing to her tummy area.
"ah yes. AH. YES. And you got into a super powered fight with a cyborg?"
She remained silent for a second. "I did."
"You fought back – you let me throttle you!"
"I..um… well, hang on - I didn't let you! It's not like we have a safe word! Also you're a cyborg? Like, for reals?" Majon inspected the woman in front of her, head to toe. Rubbing her chin, she nodded sagely. "I knew there was something wrong about you, what with the no chi and all. "

18 balled her fists at her sides, do not get emotional not now not now.
"Right then, lets start this again shall we?" said the demon, rather flippantly.
"What – no?!" Krillin had marched forward into the fray, desperately wanting this train-wreck to end.
"Yes ok fine." Replied 18 flatly.
Majon stretched her arms and shoulders and dropped into a fighting stance.
The monk jumped back and forth between the two, starting to panic, "Are you both serious? She's preg- you're pregnant why would you want to keep fighting?"
"It's fine I'll just punch her in the face."
"We'll keep it tits and up", said the demoness, obviously very confident about the fighting force of expectant demons. Yes, 18 was stronger than her. But now her opponent was nervous for fear of really causing damage. She probably should have played the pregnancy card to begin with. Duh, Majon.
Oh she was so close!
And she threw a vicious left hook.

It only found the distracted 18's arm as a dulcet but distressed male voice cut through the din. "Stop it!"
Ché was suddenly in between them, hand on hip and an accusing finger pointing at their faces (in a manner strikingly reminiscent of Chichi, thought Krillin). "What on earth are you doing?"
18 vigorously rubbed her arm; she scowled and tried to push past the Psychiatrist, growling at Majon as she did.
"Fighting over who gets to keep him" The demoness pointed at the shorter man who was nearly of the verge of heart failure by the looks of things.
Ché threw up his arms dramatically,"Are you actually kidding me? Enough!"This is ridiculous! You're all children!"
Krillin came forward, rubbing the back of his head "Hey come on Doc, there's not need to talk to them like that."
Ché rounded on the smaller man, "You are, as I've been told, the cause of the ridiculousness! Look – I know I'm a Therapist and this may sound a bit basic coming from me but oh my god - You need to talk! Like adults! Like a shojo manga!"
They all had the decency to look embarrassed, and there were some mumblings of "sorry sweetie", "sorry about that" and "that seems reasonable".

The Psychiatrist took a deep breath in and put his arms down, visibly calming as he did so.
"Right, everybody move AWAY from each other, and I don't want to see any fists or those weird-ass laser beams from anyone. I have a date tonight and I am not planning on showing up minus a torso because someone got pissy. Agreed?"
(Majon leaned in to 18, "God he's sexy when he's angry isn't he?")
They all nodded and took a step backwards like schoolchildren being disciplined, apart from Krillin, who's gaze quickly shot between Ché and 18, oh please don't let it be her oh please.
"You've got a date?"
Ché straightened his tie, "I have. I'm pretty exci- why do you look so distressed?"
Krillin baulked, not realising he had been wearing his feelings so brazenly. "I, uhh, indigestion?"
"Oh, I thought it might be the whole situation of you being owned by a demon or be cursed for all eternity."
"Yeah or that."

Gohan was sitting quietly on the walled roof edge, watching the adults yell at each other. He had almost gotten involved to begin with, but if it didn't involve fighting – he had a feeling he couldn't really be of much use until they started calming down. Adults had a bad habit of not listening when they we stressed.
Aw man, he should have brought a snack.

"Aw man, I should've brought a snack."
Gohan turned to his left, where a lanky dark haired youth had sat down beside him.
"Oh hey 17."
"What did I miss?"
"Just got here really. Mostly yelling. I never really worry until people are on their second of third transformation of the fight."
"Sometimes your words make me feel sad things." 17 rose, straightening his scarf. "Ah well. Time to be a brother. Come on you, time to tame the beasts."
Majon's brother Spike appeared to the other side of Gohan, a strained and fearful look on his blue face. He had a rough idea of how this was going to go down, and he was not looking forward to facing the wrath of his sister. Beloved or not.

The gaggle of individuals on the rooftop had mostly stood down from their fighting stances, fists unfurled and teeth un-gritted. Gohan watched as Ché stood as a barrier between the demoness, her foe and her pet boyfriend; he could tell the taller man was still full of anxiety, but he was trying to high heaven to not let the other adults see. He'd get used to it all eventually, bless his terrified heart.
The blue woman pointed accusingly at 18 around the side of the good Doctor. "I didn't come here to talk, Ché darling, I came here to kick her eyes out."
He blanched, "First of all, gross. Second of all, you would have to kick her really hard."
"It it even physically possible?" the android replied.
"Oh sure it is!"A young voice yelled over from the edge of the roof, way too cheerily, "I saw Mr Piccolo do it to someone once."
Ché looked over at the boy, and then at Krillin. "Is Mr. Piccolo a real person?"
"Mostly."
He seemed to stare at a spot into the distance behind the shorter man, then turned back to the child; yelling, "I'm booking you in on Wednesday, ok buddy?"

Krillin's head spun from Ché to Gohan and back again – aha! That's how the Shrink had got here! Brilliant kid, always 2 steps ahead. Gohan being here can only ever work in our favour.

Ché put his hands out to Majon in a calming gesture. His voice mellow, kind, welcoming. His best patient voice.
"No eyes are going to get kicked out. We are going to do what is best for the children in the vicinity" (he gestured at Gohan and her own belly) "and demonstrate responsible adult behaviour."
The demoness loudly huffed at him and balled her fists into her pockets. "Alright fine! Lets talk!"
"Excellent." The Therapist purred.

But then he felt a hand on his shoulder, pushing him out of the way, gently but firmly. Majon was glaring at Krillin.
"Lets talk about why the kid is here!"
The monk was confused, "Gohan?"
"Yes Gohan! All cute and sweet and sad!" She jabbed her finger at him, venom in her voice. She knew exactly what he was trying to do. What a low blow. He was going to suffer for that once she got him back to the Demon Realm.
"What's wrong with Gohan!?"
"Nothing! He's a peach!, " she screeched, " I cannot believe you would bring him here to guilt me! First you get the Demon King to intimidate me and now you pull this card?!" (she put on a child's voice and pulled a face that could only be described as 'a demons impression of a heartbroken human child') "Oh p-p-please miss Majon, dont take my surrogate dad away from me. That is just LOW!"

Krillin just stared at her, his fingers raking down his cheeks, incredulous.
How did Gohan being here not work in his favour?! What the hell universe!

Ché coughed and stuttered, trying to explain to the furious demon-woman that the boy was here because of him, but she didn't even seem to be listening. Her scowl deepened as she glared at the weak weaselly little human. Feeling less and less guilty about whisking him away.
And then 17 floated into her field of vision.
"Oh," exclaimed the Therapist, "hey Fernando."

Majon blinked. "When did your weird brother get here?"
18 snorted and nodded in the other woman's direction, "I was about to ask you the same thing."

Majon spun around to see her brother land softly behind her. Spike? Spike was here! Fantastic! Ohhhh Spike you beautiful idiot.
Her stupid, brilliant brother was not always a willing participant in her schemes and drama (in fact it seemed like he actively avoided her drama) – but he was always there when the chips were down. Majon was thrilled; she had backup! And powerful backup too. Spike, Akkuman, Devil-man – whatever the mortals liked to call her baby brother – had a few daemonic tricks up his sleeve. And all she needed to do was ask and POOF! The blonde piece of fluff's evil little heart explodes in a shower of blood and magic, courtesy of the Devilmite beam.
Delightful.

And anyway, as lovely and nice as Ché was, he was not being particularly supportive to how she wanted to do things. She was starting to worry whose bloody side he was on. No fighting, how disappointing, how pathetically human.
"Spike! Sweetie!"
"heyyyy Maj." Spike blanched. Oh boy he did not want to be doing this.
He slipped into his first language, the barrier providing the demonic siblings with at least a little privacy. "So I wasn't expecting to do this today."
Majon laughed, replying in their mother-tongue "They say variety is the spice of life. I am so happy you're here. You have no idea."
"I've got a little bit of an idea, I think."

Krillin and the androids (what a terrible band name) took a couple of steps back from Ché and the demons and huddled.
18 scowled at her brother, "You sure took your time!"
"Hey, we're all doing our best here."
He relayed what had happened at the Rakashsa, and how their plan to fight Majon may not quite go according to plan.
"Yeah," said 18, "No shit."
But they were not to fear, said her brother. He had brought the very person Majon might actually listen to! We can just let them talk to each other and we might not even need to fight!
"a) where was this when we were coming up with ideas? And b) why are you so happy about talking? You've been spending way too much time in therapy, its fixing you. I hate it."
17 shrugged, "I mean we may still have to play a competitive sport for Krillin if we go the non-violent route."
The other cyborg sighed heavily, still unsure of what to do, but knowing exactly why she needed to do them - they were in the last few minutes of the game and down by 3 points.
Hopefully bringing the brother onto the pitch would turn the tide of the match.
Krillin felt a small warm hand slide into his surreptitiously, squeeze his hand hard and linger for a moment before slipping away.
Yeah, he thought, I hope so too.

As he stood in between the demon siblings, a short, distressed Krillin, and the androids; Ché felt very very out of his depth. His Capsule Corporation orientation had mentioned a little bit of the weirdness that working for the company would entail. But this?
He looked over at Majon (hurt, weird, chaotic Majon), and then over at the twins (hurt, weird, chaotic twins) and cursed his own weakness.
I can't believe it got personally involved with all of this, he internally kicked himself, oh god my mother was right, I am a sucker for a pretty face. what on earth have I gotten myself into?
He was only trying to help. That was his job. To help.
But goddamn, these idiots just did not want to help themselves.

He felt a smaller presence beside him and looked down to see Gohan, who smiled. Ché wondered how much of this was just normal everyday life for the boy, who was, in the face of robots, aliens and demons, very zen about the whole situation.
Although he had flown them there so that was a thing.
"Well, I tried. I did my angry voice and my calm voice."
"I heard, it seemed to be working."
"I hope so. There's more talking going on at least."
"That's a good sign with us. Unless Vegeta is involved, then talking turns things very bad very quickly."
"Ugh, that's a type A personality for you."

At that precise moment, another type A personality was having a very difficult conversation with her brother.
Majon had hold of Spike's hands and was animatedly telling him what had happened so far in the language of the Demon-folk. How she had been more than fair, more than patient, and more than gracious with Krillin and his stupid robotic piece of fluff. How 18 had very nearly taken her wish for a perfect little pet boyfriend out of her hands, but she wasn't going to let that happen. No sir, she needed this, she deserved th-
"Majon, this is getting out of hand." Spike grumbled, serious. He held her hands still for a moment to punctuate that she should listen. To him, to reason, to sense? Who knew.
"Its mostly under control."
He sighed, "Its really not. There are two demons, two cyborgs, a preteen, a monk on a rooftop trying to sort this out. Also that handsome dude, who is he?"
"Oh Ché? He's a psychiatrist."
"That makes it all even worse, Maj."

The demoness let go of his hands and threw hers up dramatically, grinning at him.
"Come on! Spike! You knew I needed to sort this out! I'm only doing what the Demon Promise needs me to do."
He took a deep breath and tried to appeal to her sensible side (she did have one. He'd seen it once or twice in their youth), "It's this stupid Promise! It's hurting everyone involved – Come on Majon… how on earth are you even going to declare the promise fulfilled? After he raises your kid and dies of old age in the Demon Realm? Or are you going to let your kid get attached to him and then declare it fulfilled in a few years, and then deal with the fallout of their only father figure leaving them forever?"
Majon did not appreciate the logic, "I don't know! I figured Id get bored after a few years and eat him."
"Really?"
"No. Urgh. Humans taste weird, and I suppose he's really sweet and kind- "
"And completely in love with someone else. Come on sis, you deserve better than that. I mean look at them."

And she did. Krillin and blonde robot thingy were talking quietly, anxiety etched on his usually smiling face (she did that to him). Brows furrowed, jaw tight.
Then Majon saw it all fall away, as if it had never been there at all, as the other woman took his hand in hers and he looked up at her.
Fuck.

She faltered, "That… That doesn't matter. I'm a demon, it shouldn't matter! I won him, fair and square and I can't have some little blonde creature stealing him away from me, can I?"
Spike flinched, and gritted his teeth, "The thing is Maj, if he's already in love with another person (and we're assuming its girl Terminator over there) then she's not the one stealing him away is she?"
"What."
"I mean, what I mean is that, um."
"No," his sister folded her arms across her chest, voice now a few degrees chillier, "You go on."
"I mean if she loves him back, and you're the one keeping them apart, then you're the… um, you are, err.."
"The Bad Guy?"
"You are the Bad Guy."

Majon felt her brothers words hit her like a sledgehammer. How, how could he? He was supposed to be on her side! She was right, she was in the right and she deserved things to go her way, she needed things to go her way. First that bitch is way too powerful, and then they bring the kid, and Ché and now this!
Was he fucking kidding?

He tried again, "I mean think about the baby."
Her voice was now ice, the coldness reaching her eyes. Fury seeping through her pores, and forming blood-purple on her cheeks. "I. Am."
Spike moved to embrace her, to comfort her, lighten the mood, anything.
"C'mon Maj, We don't need some sad little human – I'm your brother, I love you. Also he will hate it in the demon realm. Everything has spikes. Everything. And King Dabura's immigration policies leave a lot to be desired." He said lamely, hoping for a smile.
She moved back from his arms, snarling. His face went a paler shade of blue as she leant in to him, her voice quiet, low and savage.
"All I wanted, Spike, was someone for me to vent all of my frustrations onto, to boss them about and break their heart. I wanted my turn as the selfish bitch! I just wanted my own nice, quiet affectionate guy to use and take for granted and maybe even love a little bit. And apparently, according to my own brother – that is too much to ask for! Well you know what sweetie? I'll show you your fucking Bad Guy."

"Looks like he's getting through to her, doesn't it?" Krillin looked over to see the Demons huddled together.
It was time, he thought. Everyone had tried to help him, and now it was time to help himself. As much as she'd said it in a way that hurt him – 18 was right. No more caution! No more waiting in the background! It was time to make his move and commit to it.
Hopefully Akkuman (or Spike, as she had called him) had gotten through to her – and now it was his turn. He needed to talk to her, person to person.
Dende knew, when they talked alone they seemed to get along so well. There seemed to him, at least, to be a genuine connection of two grossly unlucky individuals who, in the end, just wanted to be happy. Because he didn't love her, and she deserved better than this.
They both did.
And if all else failed, he would challenge her to Rock, Paper, Scissors.

"Now or never." He smiled softly at 18, and then moved away towards the demons. The Androids stood back, watching quietly.
He caught Majon's eye as she looked over and nodded at her, trying to look braver than he felt.
Come on man, if you don't do this, you're going to lose 18.
If you had told a young Krillin, angry and alone, at Orin temple, that one day he would have to dump a beautiful Demoness in in order to stay close to an even more beautiful Cyborg – well, he'd have believed you, because Krillin as a child was a thirsty dumbass, but you get the idea.

They met in the middle of the rooftop. Both looking at each other a little sadly. Both understanding what they had to do next. Krillin took Majon's hand and smiled earnestly up at her.
"I think we need to talk about the Demon Promise."
She bent down to look Krillin in the face, sad-eyed and resolute.
"Majon, " he begun, "I'm sorry. I really can't do this. I just… I don't love you Majon, and we should not have to be suffering because Master Roshi and Oolong are idiots. I'm sorry."
She smiled back at him, sweetly. Clasping his hands in hers, tightly.
Very tightly.
Hang on.
"It's okay, sweetie, you don't have to love me. You just have to wave."
"Wait, what?"
Deftly pulling a small shining coin from her cleavage, she dropped it on the floor at their feet, and within a moment it had started expanding and pooling around them like liquid silver.

Spike gasped and threw himself towards his sister with a yell of "Dammit Maj!" as the shape coalesced into a mirror-like disc beneath the Demoness and her pet. Krillin looked downwards, wide-eyed, but saw no reflection.
As her brother reached them, and grabbed her arm – Majon blew a kiss at the horrified 18.
"Later, fluff."
The mirror shattered into a cloud of glitter with an enormous CRACK.
And with that, they were gone.

"Ah," said 17, "shit."

To be continued...

Hope you enjoyed Chapter 16. Its not big on laughs, but fear not. I have a word document full of horrendous jokes I intend to shoehorn in the next chapters. Sorry if I'm a tad rusty! 17 is being storyboarded as we speak. Any reviews, constructive criticism, general chit chat - throw me a line! It's all greatly appreciated! And thank you again. xxxx