Dragon Ball TC
Book Two - The Brief and Son Clash
Chapter Three
"Hello? Yes... This is Bulma... You found him? When? Really? Wow! So... He’s gone? And Dr. Bellum? All right, thank you officer." Said Bulma, hanging up the phone. She looked over at Trunks. "Slivah has been killed along with Dr. Bellum. We don’t have to worry about them any more." She said. Trunks looked at Rini, who was laying on their couch.
"Did you hear that? You might actually be safe now." He said.
"I heard... Can you get me the remote?"
"Sure... Here." He said, handing it to her. She flipped a few channels, and then turned off the tv.
"Why’d you turn off the tv?"
"Why do you ask so many questions?"
"Why don’t you answer my questions?"
"Why do you hate me because I’m beautiful?
"
"Why are you two arguing?" Asked Bulma, breaking up their fight.
"We’re not." Said Trunks. He helped Rini get off the couch.
"Were we?"
"Don’t start it." She said.
"’Kay." They said together. Rini reached for the box of turtle candies, and threw it on the floor.
"Evil, evil candies... They’re so addictive, and when you eat to much of them because you’re addicted, they make you sick to your stomach. Evil, evil candies..." She said. Trunks started laughing. "What’s so funny?"
"You... You’re so weird!"
"What’s wrong with being weird? You’re weird too!"
"I am not."
"Are too."
"Am not."
"Am not."
"Are t- Hey! You can’t do that!" He said. Rini started to giggle.
"Yes I can! Now let’s go find our tall little friend Goten." She said, walking towards the door. Trunks followed behind.
"Bye, Mom!" He said, walking out the door. She waved, sat down on the couch, and clicked on the TV.
********
"Rini! Cut it out! You have to take it easy!" Said Goten, looking at his cousin. Rini was climbing a tree, and she looked below.
"What, just because I’m pregnant? I don’t think so! And don’t look up my skirt!"
"Then go change into your Gi! How do you think I feel?"
"Privileged." She said, continuing to climb.
"Eww! You’re gross!"
"No I’m not. I’m only telling the truth."
"Eww! Cut it out! I’m about to puke!"
"No! Then all of your barf will end up on me!" Said Trunks.
"Gosh you guys! Don’t have a cow! If you didn’t want to have to look up my skirt, then you should have gone first! Now either live with it, or get out of the tree!" She barked.
"Well... It’s not like I haven’t seen Pan in her underwear..." Said Goten thoughtfully. Trunks and Rini stopped and looked at him.
"Uhh, Goten, that sounds kinda wrong." Said Rini.
"When she was little, you dummies!"
"Sorry, but it did sound wrong." Said Trunks, climbing higher on the other side of the tree.
"You guys sure do climb really slow." She said, sitting on a branch. Trunks and Goten just gave up climbing and flew up to two nearby limbs.
The wind was blowing gently, causing Trunks shoulder-length hair to fly back. A lot of leaves were getting knocked off the tree, and they were landing in Goten’s face.
He batted at them, annoyed.
"So what do you guys wanna do for the rest of the day?" Asked Goten.
"I don’t know, and I don’t care." Said Trunks. "But we have to go pick up Bra from school later."
"Yeah... And Pan." Said Rini. "I bet she’s going to grow up to become really smart."
"Hmm... Good point. Hey... Goten, shouldn’t you be in school too?" Said Trunks.
"No. My dad convinced my mom to let me not go. He says that I’m smart enough that I don’t have to go to school anymore."
"Really?" Asked Rini.
"Yup. Poor Gohan. He was always being nagged by mom to study. But not me! Yes!" He said, almost falling out of the tree. "My dad is so cool."
"We know, we know." Said Trunks. "Y’know, I think my mom is working on a new invention. Wanna check it out?"
"Maybe later." Said Goten, laying down on the branch. "I just feel like lazing around today."
"Hey! I have an idea! Why don’t we go to Pan and Bra’s classroom to help out?" Asked Rini. Trunks smiled.
"Yup. My girlfriend. Always coming up with good ideas. Come on lazy boy, let’s go." Said Trunks, walking across the branches over to his friend. He grabbed Goten’s arm to help him up.
"Are we even going to be able to get into the room? That place is like a prison! They’ll have to search us before we even step in the door!" Exclaimed Goten.
"Really?" Asked Rini.
"Mmm-hmm. So don’t bring any weapons. Leave your sword here." He said, jumping down from the tree. Trunks scooped up Rini in his arms, and floated down to the ground.
"Then we should at least try. They’re in there for about three more hours." Said Rini.
"Yeah. Come on Goten, let’s go."
"Fine. But I’m just warning you, kids in that school, especially the guys, are pretty horny. They might try to hit on Rini." He said.
"If they do, I’ll blast ‘em into oblivion before they come two feet near me." She said.
"How great. Now let’s go."
"Hang on, I’m going to change into my Gi before we leave." She said.
********
"Excuse me, we need some photo I.D." Said the man in the office. Trunks pulled out his driver’s license, Rini got out her credit card, and Goten handed him his library card. "Why are you here?"
"We’re here to help in my little sister’s classroom." Said Trunks, taking his license.
"And my niece."
"And my cousin."
"There’s three kids?"
"No, just two. Goten and I are related." Said Rini.
"And what are their names?" He asked, getting a pen and paper.
"My little sister’s name is Bra Brief, and his niece’s name is Son Pan." He said. The man wrote everything down.
"And your names?"
"Son Rini, Son Goten, and Trunks Brief." Said Trunks.
"All right. Grab a pass." He said, pointing. They all got a pass and clipped it to their clothes. Then, they walked out the door, and into the halls. It was break time, and they were surrounded by kids the same age as Bra and Pan.
"Ugh... I feel like I’m in the Wizard of OZ." Said Rini. "Munchkin land..."
"Yeah..." Said Goten.
"We’d better walk through them. People might get suspicious if we flew." He said, and started to walk. A couple of boys who were standing together stopped talking and looked at Trunks, Rini and Goten.
"Trunks, where’s their classroom?" She asked. "I forgot."
"I think it’s on the other side of the school." He said.
"Then let’s go. Those boys over there are creepin’ me out." She said, quickening her pace. Trunks put his arm around her, and they started jogging, followed by Goten. "I forgot how scary school can be!"
"I know what you mean." Said Goten. All of these boys and girls kept on staring at the three.
"I hope none of these boys try to hit on me. Like at the mall. That was truly disgusting." Said Rini. They finally reached right outside the doors, but were stopped by a teenage boy.
"It’s you two again. Nice to see ya." He said.
"Oh great. The creep from the mall. What do you want?" Said Goten. Trunks had pushed Rini behind himself.
"I already told him what I wanted. I want the girl."
"Too bad!" Said Trunks.
"Yeah! If you want the girl, you’re gonna have to fight for her!" Said Goten, stepping up. The boy, who was much taller and older than the three, punched Goten in the face.
"What did you do that for?!" Asked Rini.
"He’s a pest, and he’s in my way."
"That is absolutely no way to treat people!" Rini was getting mad now. She switched places with Trunks, standing in front of him and Goten.
"It’s a way; not particularly a good one, but it’s still a way."
"Do you even know how old I am?!"
"No. And I don’t care."
"I’m only fourteen, my boyfriend is fifteen, and my cousin, the boy that you just punched in the face, is also fourteen!"
"So I’m a little old. So what? I’m only seventeen."
"Yeah, and I don’t date guys who are more than a year older than me! Unless it’s Trunks!"
"Is that his name? He’s named after underwear? Ooh, I wonder what his mom was smokin’ when she named him!"
"Don’t talk about his mother! This is about me and you only. No one else." She said.
"Ooh, discussing our date plans, eh?"
"Shut the fuck up for two seconds. Either you let us through, or we’ll go right through you."
"Try me." He said, putting up his fists. Rini started screaming at the top of her lungs, as she went Super Saiyan level two. When the boy saw this, he backed down a little, but not much. Her muscle size increased, her hair grew way longer, and turned yellow. Her eyes went pupiless and green.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" She asked in a dangerous tone. "You don’t want to mess with girls like me." She said. Her tail was twitching, and the boy had just noticed this for the first time. "I might just have to kill you. And I will if I need to. I’m perfectly capable. Someone like you couldn’t handle a girl like me. Only them and the people in our families. The last remaining Saiyans in the whole universe. And one of those people is my boyfriend, Trunks Brief, son of Prince Vegeta of the planet Vegeta. And I don’t think his father would like you threatening the prince." She said.
"Vegeta was blown up by Frieza years ago." He said. "It wouldn’t matter anyways, if there’s no planet to rule over."
"My point is, he has royal blood, pulsating through his veins. His father is extremely powerful and you don’t want to mess with him. He shows no mercy!"
"Ooh, I’m scared."
"You should be. Now either let us through, or fight all three of us! Boys, hit it!"
In an instant, the boys went Super Saiyan, and stood on either side of Rini.
"I think we should show ‘im a few steps. Whadd’ya say, Trunks?"
"Totally. Let’s go for it." They quickly did the Fusion Dance, and ended up with a perfect Gotenks.
"See, my pal Gotenks here can kick your ass in an instant. I too, can also kick your ass in an instant. Choose which one you wanna rumble with, and we’ll do this."
"Which is more powerful?"
"I am."
"Really... Then I’ll fight you."
"Do I have your word on that?"
"Definitely."
"Smooth move. You just picked the weaker of the two. Stupid human." Said Gotenks. "She’s only capable of going to the second level. We can go to the third." It said.
"Then I’ll fight you." He said.
"Too bad. You already said you’d fight me." Said Rini, as she powered down, back to normal. Gotenks undid himself, and then there was three of them again. Rini pointed to a clearing somewhat away from the school. "You see that spot right over there? I’ll meet you there in one month to settle all of this. You can bring all the men you want to challenge me. I’ll take ‘em all on." She said, fully confident.
"Deal." He said, extending his hand. Rini just looked at him, smirked, and walked off with the boys following behind.
Trunks stopped her from walking. "Rini, next month you’re going to be like, really pregnant. Both of you might get hurt." He said, as he looked at her stomach. She took his face in her hands, and kissed him.
"We’ll be fine. I promise." She said.
A few hours later...
"You what?!"
"I challenged a boy to a battle in a month! What’s the big deal?"
"The big deal is that you’re going to be really pregnant in a month!" Squealed Candy.
"But, the thing is, is that he’s a mere human! I’ll stomp him into the ground, Mom." Said Rini, fully confident.
"I forbid you to go!"
"Mo-om!"
"No! And that is final!"
"But Mom! You’re my cool parent! Dad never lets me do anything, and you do! Why are you starting to act like him?"
"I’m not! I just want you to be safe!" Said Candy, starting to cry.
"Mom... I’ll be fine. If you let me go, then I’ll be the happiest girl alive. But you can’t tell Dad. He’ll go totally ballistic." She said. Candy looked into her eyes. The eyes are what told her that Rini would be okay. She smiled.
"Okay. But you can’t do any more fighting until after the baby is born. Understand?"
"Yes, Momma."
"Good. Now run along. I’ll bet Trunks and Goten are waiting for you." She said.
"All Right. Thanks Mom!" Said Rini, hugging her mother. She quickly ran out the door, where sure enough; Trunks and Goten were waiting. She smiled at Goten, and hugged and kissed Trunks. "Did ya miss me?" She asked.
"Hardly." He said.
"Gee, I feel loved..."
"You are, don’t have a cow." He said. Rini smiled at him again. Then, Goten looked at Rini curiously. She stared back at him.
"What?"
"Nothing, but... Now that I think about it... Trunks, doesn’t she look a lot like Videl?" He said. Trunks stood back a minute, and looked at Rini.
"Yeah! She does! Except... Videl has black hair, and Rini has brown."
"Yeah, but still..."
"What are you talking about? I look nothing like-" She looked in the tiny mirror Goten was holding up. "Oh... My... God..." She said. Yup. The same facial features; big, blue eyes, short hair... Almost like they could be twins. "I do look like Videl!" She said.
"Hey, maybe Gohan will mix you two up once I bring this up next time I see him!" Said Goten.
"Oh no! I hope he doesn’t like, do that in the dark! EWW!" She said, closing her eyes. "I’m never going in a dark room with him ever!!" She said. Goten started laughing, but it took Trunks a while to find the humor in all of this. "It’s not funny! I don’t want him to like, kiss me in the dark or anything!" She said. So, Goten stopped laughing, and they continued to walk to Trunks’ house.
********
By the time the three reached Trunks’ house, the wind and rain started to pick up pretty well. When they ran inside, almost everybody was there.
"Mom, why is everyone here?" Asked Trunks.
"We... I... They..." She started. "Everyone’s here to see your father. He’s got the flu, and they came to visit him." She said.
"Dad has the flu?"
"Yes."
"Well, if I would have known that, then I would have brought some soup!" Said Rini.
"We did bring him soup and other stuff, but he won’t accept it. He’s too proud." Said Gohan. Rini looked at him, and then looked away and blushed.
"Then just shove it down his throat!" Said Goten.
"No way! He’d blast me to bits if I even came near him with medicine and stuff!" Exclaimed Bulma.
"He’ll get hungry sometime." Said Trunks. "Give him nothing but soup, and hide medicine in his food." He said. Bulma smiled at him.
"My son is such a genius!" She said to everyone. They just mumbled. Then, it happened.
The power went out.
"No sweat guys! I’ll just grab a candle or two, and we’ll all be fine!" Said Goku, stumbling around. Bulma started to feel around with him.
"You guys are totally helpless!" Said Trunks, powering up. Rini, Goten, and Gohan also did the same.
So now, we have a few confused humans, and four Super Saiyans. But, the good thing was, was that the trademark Super Saiyan glow lit up the house long enough for Bulma and Goku to find some candles.When they were lit, the kids powered down, and everyone sat down.
Goten and Trunks looked at Rini. She looked very relieved.
"What time is it?" Asked Rini.
"It is..." Bulma looked at her watch. "It is approximately... Nine-thirty PM" She said. Rini yawned.
"I’m kinda tired." She said.
"Do you even want to take the trip home? You can spend the night here if you want." Said Bulma. Rini yawned again.
"Sure. Thanks, Bulma." She said.
"You can sleep in Trunks’ room."
"’Kay." Rini walked up the stairs, and into Trunks’ room. She quietly grabbed one of his t-shirts, and changed into it. She took the pins out of her hair, set them on his nightstand, and flopped onto the bed, pulling the covers over herself.
‘What a comfy bed...’ She thought, dozing off to sleep.
"Mom, where am I supposed to sleep?" Asked Trunks.
"You can sleep on the couch." She said, walking over to the closet. Bulma pulled out a blanket and tossed it to him. "Here."
"Thanks..." He said.
********
After everyone left, Bulma and Vegeta went to bed. So, Trunks went to... The couch. As Trunks was sitting there, looking into the flames of the fire, he thought, ‘Screw this! I’m going upstairs!’
So Trunks grabbed the blanket and walked upstairs. When he reached the door, he could hear that the tv was on, along with the power. He quietly walked in, to discover Rini watching TV.
"Jeez! Did they finally leave?" She asked.
"Yeah. It took ‘em a while."
"’Kay." She said, returning her gaze to the screen. Trunks smiled, shook his head, and took off his shirt. "Gee, I just love your pajamas." Rini said sarcastically. So he was only wearing his boxers. Big deal! That’s what he wore to bed almost every night.
"Man... My mom made me sleep on the couch!"
"Bummer. What do you think she’ll do if she finds you up here in the morning instead of down there?"
"I dunno." He said, lifting up the covers. He sat down, swung his legs around, and put the covers onto himself.
"Well, you better think of something. I don’t want you gettin’ in trouble." She said, curling up beside him, and putting her hand on his chest.
"I’ll just get up early and go downstairs." He said. Rini smiled and kissed his bare stomach before resting her head on it.
********
Rini shot awake. She looked at Trunks, and he was still in the bed. She looked at the alarm. Seven o’clock. Half an hour before Bulma would get up for work. She shook Trunks gently.
"Trunks... You have to go downstairs now." She whispered. He woke up, and looked at her.
"Already?"
"Yeah. You only have half an hour before Bulma gets up."
"Bummer. Wanna come downstairs with me for a little while?"
"Sure." She said, smiling. She got up, and followed Trunks out the door and down the stairs. While he walked, he was making a lot of noise. "Trunks! Be quieter! Your humongo feet are slapping against the floor!"
"Sorry." He stood on his tiptoes, which made less noise.
"Now I just feel short." She whispered.
"Good for you." He walked into the kitchen, and opened the cupboard. "What do you want for breakfast?"
"I don’t care."
"Well, then you’d better start caring, because there’s nothing in the cupboards. We might have to... Dun dun dunnnn... Go out for breakfast!" He said, shutting the cupboard.
"Do you wanna bring your parents with us?"
"Why?"
"Just wondering. They are people, and people do need to eat."
"My mom has to keep working."
"She can take an hour out of her day."
"Fine. I guess we could bring them along, just so they can pay."
"What a penny-pincher!" She whispered, gently pinching his arm.
"Ow!"
"SHH!"
"Sorry!" He said. He kept on looking through the cupboards, trying to find something. There was nothing. "Bummer."
"Yeah."
"I guess we have to wait another couple of hours or so..."
"Damn. That sucks." Said Rini. She walked into the living room, and sat on the couch with Trunks.
********
"Who... Who is calling to me?"
"It’s me Rini... Trunks."
"Trunks?"
"Yeah."
"Why did you leave me behind?"
"I didn’t."
"Then why am I so alone?"
"You’re not. You have a Trunks."
"But... It’s just not the same..."
"I know."
"Where are you?"
"I exist only in your mind."
"But..."
"A few years ago, no, I was real. But, now all I am is a memory. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"Then why do I always have this empty feeling in my heart? It’s a feeling of pain; of deprival."
"You’re not being deprived of anything."
"Yes I am. I’m being deprived of you."
"No you’re not."
"Yes I am. The Trunks I have now... It’s just not the same. There’s something missing about him..."
"I know it’s not the same, but you can’t live your life longing for me, when you know I can’t be there."
"But I love you."
"As do I. I watch over you from Heaven, and all I see is an unhappy person; definitely not the woman I married. The woman I married was enthusiastic and full of life. The woman I married never cried after thinking about her losses. The woman I married was always cheerful. The woman I married- Was you."
"I know... But..."
"But nothing. I hate having to see my loved ones in pain. I cannot fully communicate with you, and I still miss you terribly. I miss waking up next to you every morning; seeing your pretty face- and I miss seeing your wonderful smile. I miss everything about you."
"I miss you too, but... I can’t live without you!"
"I know it’s hard, but as I said, you have to stop living your life, longing for something that will never come."
"But Trunks..."
"But what?"
"I... I hate living without you. I hate having to try to substitute you with another man. To me, he is a stranger, and you’re the only man in my life."
"Look- Rini, we love each other. But you can’t live your life like this. Every day, I see you shed tears for me. I just want to see you happy."
"But the more I think about you, the harder it is not to cry. When I sat there, with your lifeless body in my arms... I felt your blood on my hands, which was my blood. The blood of a friend, the blood of the same species, and the blood of the man I love. Nothing will keep me from missing you- Except to see your beautiful face again. Ever since we were kids... You’ve always been nice to me. And I miss all of the time we’ve ever spent together..."
"Rini... I love you with all my heart. And you know I do."
"I know..."
"Just because the androids have destroyed my body, doesn’t mean they’ve destroyed my spirit. I’ll always be with you no matter what. Through spirit."
"But... I’ll never get to see your eyes, your lips... I’ll never see you again."
"Just try to remember me Rini. I know you can."
"But... It’s too hard. All memories I have of you have almost been blocked from my mind completely."
"Just try harder. If you love me as much as you say, then you can remember. You’ll remember every scar, every muscle... And every kiss."
"Every... Kiss?"
"Yes. I know you can do it. I believe in you."
"I... I can’t remember."
"Try to remember, Rini. Remember all of the fun times we had. Remember when we cross-dressed! Remember when you put makeup on me when I was ten! I know you remember, but you don’t want to. There’s a burning pain in your heart, and to make it go away, you think the only solution is to try to forget about me. But it’s not. The only way to make that feeling go away is to think of all the good times we had together. It’s that simple. Never forget."
"But it makes me feel better to forget."
"You’re only covering it up. If you want to get rid of that feeling, you’re going to have to do as I say. It’s the only way."
"I’ll try..."
"Good. I’ll come back to you in a few days. And I want you to remember me, Rini. I know you can."
"Please! Don’t leave me again!"
"I’ll be back. I promise."
"No! Don’t go! Please!"
"Goodbye, Rini."
Rini awoke from her dream silently. Her eyes were wet from pain-filled tears; her heart doused in longing for... Him. She looked up at Trunks, and then got up off the couch. He was sleeping, and she wrote him a note, telling him of her decision.
If she couldn’t be with Trunks physically, then she’d be with him spiritually.
"Goodbye Trunks. I’m sorry, but I have to do this." She silently walked out of the door, leaving her loved ones behind. The pain was too great to bear. Nothing stood in her way as she kept walking, very slowly, towards the cliff. As she sauntered along, the world was deadly silent. It sent chills up her spine, maybe even the last.
At last, the cliff came. She walked to the edge, and peered down. Then, she turned away from it.
"Goodbye, cruel world. I’ll be with the man I love soon enough."
With that, she jumped. Down, down, down, to the sharp, murderous rocks below. As she was about to hit, enormous arms grasped her, and then she went flying upwards. When she gazed upon the face of this person, she saw... Him.
And then everything went black.
Chapter Four