Who Seduced Who, Anyway?

It was four years later. Tsuki was a bright little girl, and was treated like the Princess she was. Her black hair was long and wavy, like her oldest brother Gohan’s had been while he was living with Piccolo. She had a widows peak like her fathers, and her tail was still attached as well. She was a handful for her mother, but her sister and brothers and \"Aunt\" Pan helped a lot.

Today was her birthday, and she was running wild, wanting to see her presents and have the cake early. It was all Pan and Bra could do to keep an eye on her while Chi–Chi and Bulma worked in the kitchen.

“Tsuki! Come back here!! Dende, but she’s really bad today!” Bra sighed. Pan caught her niece and tickled her.

“Caught you!” She laughed as Tsuki screeched with laughter. Suddenly the little girl froze.

“Daddy?” She said, and Pan set her down.

“No, its not Papa… Who is it Pan?”

“It can’t be…” Pan was pale, and held Tsuki’s hand tightly. The child looked up at her aunt intently.

“Not Daddy? Who is it, it feels like him.” She said slowly. Pan looked at the house.

“Its…”

“Kakarrot! You baka! Get out here!” Vegeta howled as he barreled in from the sky. Bra, Pan and Tsuki ran to the house, and made it to the door just as Vegeta did. It opened, and Goku smiled at them.

“Oi, Vegeta. How are you? Is this Tsuki?” He ignored the shocked faces that stared at him, and knelt to look at Tsuki. The tiny girl pulled her hand free from Pans and frowned.
’m t’m the Princess Tsuki, last heir to the Saiyan Empire. And you are?” Bra and Pan blushed, while Vegeta smirked proudly. Goku bowed his head slightly.

“I’m Son Goku, though my Saiyan name is Kakarrot. I’m visiting your mother. I hear it’s your birthday?” She nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. “You are a lot like your father, aren’t you?” Goku chuckled and stood. “Vegeta, I need to talk to you…” Pan grabbed Goku’s arm.

“Grandpa, please, are you here to stay?” She asked breathlessly. Bra smiled hopefully too, but he shook his head sadly.

“No. No, I can’t. I’ll be back and tell you why I’m here. Vegeta?” The men left, and Tsuki watched them for a moment.

“He’s different. And I think he’s not happy to be here, Pan.” Bra said softly.

“I don’t like him.” Tsuki said solemnly and went inside. Pan gaped at Bra, and they chased her into the kitchen.

“Chi–Chi? I am so surprised, Goku came back!” Bulma said. Chi–Chi saw her daughter and scooped her into her lap.

“Tsuki, did you see him?” She asked. Tsuki nodded and frowned.

“I don’t like him, I think he’s here to… Don’t let him take you away, Kaasan. I don’t want you to go!” The adults exchanged glances of surprise. Tsuki wasn’t given to displays of possessiveness like this. Chi–Chi kissed her and chuckled softly. She didn’t look any older, though she was a little slower than she’d been. She trained with Goten and Pan, who still stayed with her and Tsuki, so she was in good shape.

“Little silly, I’m not going anywhere! Come on, let’s see if Marron and Uubu brought you something yet.” Tsuki shook her head and clung to Chi–Chi harder. Chi–Chi looked up at Bulma worriedly.

The two women had actually been brought closer together by the birth and raising of the little Princess, and there was no trace of resentment for the long dead affair that had conceived her. Now they knew something was very wrong. Bulma turned to the young women and nodded to leave the kitchen.

“Wow, what’s up with Tsuki? She’s not herself.” Bra said. Pan looked thoughtfully at Bulma and shook her head.

“I think… I think she’s right. Grandpa is here for a reason, and it isn’t to announce he’s back. Maybe he is taking Grandma away…” Bulma and Bra looked startled at the idea, but didn’t believe it.

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“Mama, please. Don’t let him take you. I don’t want you to go!” Tsuki repeated urgently. Goku and Vegeta came into the room as Chi–Chi hugged her comfortingly.

“Ah, Goku, Tsuki is frightened that you are taking me away from her! Please tell her that you aren’t… Goku? Vegeta, what’s…” She stared at the two men as their faces fell into grim lines.

“Chi–Chi, I’m sorry but she’s right. It’s time to go. That’s why I’m here. If little Tsuki hadn’t been born, you’d have been ready to go, but now…” Goku said awkwardly. Vegeta humphed and received an elbow to the ribs from Goku. The Prince growled and then quieted at the look in his daughters eyes.

“I won’t let you take her, you bad man! I love my Kaasan, and you better just go away!” Tsuki said loudly. The adults smiled at this, but Tsuki wasn’t joking. Chi–Chi felt her get hot in her arms, and her body got heavier. Goku and Vegeta felt her Ki rise, and stared at the tiny girl in surprise.

“Tsuki! Stop that, you aren’t ready for this yet!” Vegeta snapped. The child shook her head and pulled free from Chi–Chi’s arms, standing in front of her mother protectively.

“Daddy, I’m saving Kaasan, I’m not gonna let him take her!” Tsuki said with all the dignity she could muster. Chi–Chi stood and looked into Goku’s eyes.

“I need a little more time, Goku. I need time to prepare Tsuki, is that all right? I’ll go, but I need more time.” Goku paused, as if listening to something only he could hear.

“I can only give you another day. We have to go then, Chi–Chi, or else it’s really the end for you.” He refused to elaborate on just what he meant, but Chi–Chi nodded her agreement. Tsuki pouted and stalked up to Goku, then punched him in the leg as hard as she could.

To Chi–Chi and Vegeta’s surprise, Goku yelped and grabbed his leg, hopping around and trying to avoid the child as she came after him. Vegeta grabbed her and held her as he laughed at the other Saiyans pain. Goku fell and sat on the floor, eyes narrowed as he glared at the Prince with a most un–Goku like expression of anger.

“Very good Tsuki, you showed him! Now, Kakarrot, let’s get this silly party out of the way and then go and spar!” Goku nodded as he rubbed his bruised leg and looked up into Tsuki’s angry eyes. She glared at him as Vegeta took her from the room.

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The party went well, surprisingly. Everyone but the birthday girl was happy to see Goku, who was still in his blue and tan gi, and looked twenty again. Everyone focused on Tsuki so her birthday wouldn’t be ruined, and she slowly relaxed despite Goku’s continued and protested presence. She thanked everyone with the excellent manners Chi–Chi had grounded into her, and even gave Goku a piece of cake herself, though she glowered at him as she did it.

Gohan and the others were baffled by her reaction to Goku, not knowing what she’d somehow correctly surmised about his visit. They wondered if the child was somehow addled or something, since no one had ever hated Goku unless they were on the wrong end of his fists. Goku and Vegeta didn’t speak of the departure of Chi–Chi either, not wanting a further scene with Tsuki. Then the two Saiyans went off to spar, while the others sat and talked of Goku’s visit with still stunned exhilaration.

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Tsuki snuck out of the room, and went outside to feel the spar between her father and the strange man. She knew who Goku was, and knew he was supposed to be this great fighter, a kind and fair man. But she was still a child too, and her heart was breaking at the thought of loosing her beloved mother to this person, no matter how legendary. She clenched her jaw to keep it from wobbling, and saw them in her mind, flashing back and forth, sparring hard, yet with great satisfaction.

“Even Papa likes him, even though he pretends not to.” She said to herself. She hung her head, realizing that she couldn’t stop it, no matter what she did. Her mother was going to go away, and she’d probably go live with hepa apa and Aunt Bulma. Her life would completely change, and she had no control over it. She slowly walked over to the swings Trunks and Goten had made for her, and sat dejectedly, slowly moving back and forth.

“Little Princess?” She sat up straight and wiped her eyes slyly, trying to hide her tears from Goku.

“Yes, Kakarrot?” She said, her voice making the name an insult. Goku sighed and sat on the ground before her.

“I, ah, I prefer Goku, Tsuki.”

“So?\" She snapped, her eyes hard. She looked just like a chibi Vegeta, proud and hiding her pain. Goku sighed again.

\"Well, I want you to know, I’d love to let your Kaasan stay with you, and watch you grow up and stuff, but I can’t. Listen to me carefully.” She humphed at him, but did as he asked, scowling so hard that Goku wondered if she’d get wrinkles.

“Your Kaasan, she was supposed to die in three days even if you weren’t born. She will still die if I don’t take her with me now.” Tsuki’s eyes widened, her face becoming a child’s once more as she listened to him.

“You mean she’s in danger, if she stays with me and Goten and Pan?” She said. Goku nodded, since this was the easiest way to explain it to her. Tsuki turned her head and looked across the yard. “I don’t understand, Kakarrot. If Kaasan stays, she dies. If Kaasan goes… Aren’t you dead? If Kaasan goes with you, won’t she be dead too?”

“No. I never died, just… changed is the only way to say it. And I can help Chi–Chi to change too. But, you have to be brave, and let her go. If you fight this, Chi–Chi won’t agree to leave with me, and then she will die. I’m sorry about this, I really am.” Tsuki looked at him, her eyes wiser than any four-year olds should be.

“I understand. I’ll let her go. But… I still don’t like you. You aren’t what I expected, not at all.” Tsuki jumped off the swings and went inside, while Goku watched her sadly.

He didn’t know why, but her dislike really bothered him. It echoed the anger Chi–Chi had expressed towards him during the time when the affair was discovered. He hung his head and sighed; he was what he was, and a family man was not what he’d been born to be. Vegeta had been more of a true father to his children. It had been his destiny, but that didn’t mean he was happy with it.

Slowly he stood and followed the little girl into his old house.

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That night, Tsuki had asked for her father to take her to his house. She’d always known that her parents weren’t supposed to be together, and never would live under the same roof. She had never known anything else, so it was no big deal to her that her father was married to someone other than her mother. She often spent the night at Capsule Corp, but her request was a surprise, if only because of the event to happen the next day.

Bulma had asked her if she was sabouabout leaving her mother alone, but Tsuki was adamant. She wanted to see her mother off, but knew that Chi–Chi needed to prepare to go. If she saw her daughter looking sadly at her all evening, she might not agree to go with the hated Kakarrot. So Tsuki insisted on leaving. She knew she’d be moving there anyway, so why not get used to it?