Disclaimer: All rights belong, and are reserved to AkiraToriyama, and/or their respective owners. I do not own anything Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z related. This story does not have a Beta Reader.
44 Calibre Love Story
Chapter One – Prologue/ Re-introducing Launch
We never said goodbye, at least you don't get to see me cry.
Jakwob – Fade.
Lightening flashed above, as the clouds began to part and disperse, replaced by a sky as black as coal, which glared unyieldingly down, upon the company.
Launch observed from safe below, the sky growing ever more darker, closing in and tightening, oppressing, much like a hangman's noose. To the rest of the world it seemed just a very sudden, very violent storm, but there was no sign of rain - as this was no ordinary storm. Another bolt came crashing down, mere metres away from where she was stood; she jumped, and sunk deeper into the safety of the wall she had been leaning on. Launch was not fond of lightning, despite the fact she was quite at home with a gun in her hand, most days.
The thunder rolled with suppressed rage, and the entire sky filled with light this time, the Namekian dragon appearing swiftly, towering over Capsule Corporation like a big, glowing, green beacon.
"Speak your first wish."
The demand was complied with immediately, spoken in Language that far out stripped Launches' understanding of the race of small green men, all eagerly gathered at the foot of the dragon-mountain.
"Hmmm." There was a pause. "It is done."
An eerie silence filled the area, Launch found herself holding her breath, palms sweating in anticipation, then there was an explosion like a sonic boom. "This is it." She muttered to herself determinedly, feeling the adrenaline rush, blood pumping in her veins. The accumulation of twelve long, lonely months… She was looking, waiting, and then… the dust settled.
Launch felt her heart stop dead.
There, stood the unmistakable figure, of Tien Shinhan.
Launch held the gun in one hand, and rubbed at a stubborn oil stain on her nose, with the other. Taking care to scrub at it in such a way, that it wouldn't cause her to sneeze. The last thing she needed was for 'blue curls' to come out, and mess up her planned work schedule; especially when said schedule, involved guns. She sighed; put down the latest 'project' she had been working on, then glanced at the clock. 5pm. She stood, stretching in a cat-like manner, and yawning automatically. It was time to leave Capsule Corp, for the long ride home on her trusty S-Cargo "No chance to test out this baby then, guess it'll have to wait until tomorrow…too bad." She picked up a spare capsule and pocketed it, exiting the lab.
Life had changed drastically for Launch in recent months, a true upheaval of everything she knew, and the way she had lived her life. Four months ago Bulma and Yamcha had found Launch in a bar in west city (the only one left she hadn't managed to get herself kicked out of, and barred from ) planning to spend another night drinking herself into oblivion, and being at the epicentre of yet another fight. They had been out, celebrating Yamcha's return to earth.
The loss of Tien had been a hard one for Launch. She was a complete mess, due to spending her days robbing banks, and her nights drinking heavily, that was before you added her grief to the mix. No one understood it though, how could they? It was her only way of dealing with it, the only way she could have dealt with it. It would have been so easy to take a feather, a hand full of pepper, even a stray hair; waft it under her nose - let the 'other' Launch take the reins for a while, she could escape from it all that way; from her grief, from the pain of losing…him. But some deep rooted seed of courage (or perhaps madness) inside, drove her to forgo that option. It was the coward's way out, Launch was not a coward.
It took a full day and nights rest, several tried and tested 'hair of the dog' cures, an extensive bath, and a rather severe dressing down from Bulma to bring her back down to her senses. Launch had even cried- in front of the blue haired scientist no less (which had astonished the both of them). It was with that, that Bulma had taken her in, despite severe reluctance on a certain 'pigs' part, and she had settled down to begin a new life.
Launch was busy in thought, sticking herself on auto pilot in regard to where she was walking, knowing the place so well, not needing to pay attention. So preoccupied was she, that she nearly tripped over a rather animated Dende. Launch spotted him at the last moment, limping sideways to avoid stepping on the small boy. She succeeded in whacking her elbow as she landed on the wall, awkwardly.
"Grrr, hey! Watch it, green bean!" She snapped, straitening up, and rubbing at her elbow. Her fingers instantly sprang to her waist, grabbing at nothing, itching for a gun that wasn't there… "Tch."
"S-sorry Miss Launch!" He bowed his head in submission nervously, praying there would be no repercussions.
"Yea well, watch where you're going next time." She replied moodily, glaring down at him.
"I will, I'm just so…" The child's eyes grew wide with wonder, now he knew he wasn't in trouble… "So excited! I must tell Miss Bulma at once!" He grinned, and skipped off in the direction of the blue haired beauty's lab.
"H-hey, Kid! Wait!? What do you mean? Tell Bulma what?!"
Too late. The young Namkian boy had rounded the corner, quick as a flash, with unnatural speed. Eager to share his 'news'.
Excited? Excited about what? Launch thought to herself irritably. Well at least someone has 'something' to be happy about.
"Hmph."
She kicked over a passing potted plant in frustration as she exited the building, knowing full well she would be instantly disarmed, the moment she tried venting any annoyances through use of a gun. It was one of the few rules her friend/boss Bulma, had insisted was rigidly enforced, on Launches part.
"No guns outside of the lab, Launch. I mean it! I don't care if you want to put bullets in your own place. The house I gave you – but you can't do it here, and that's final!"
"Tch, fine. Keep your hair on bluey."
Launch stepped down on the gas pedal hard. Kick starting the S-Cargo into life, and mounting it.
So that was that, a (near) gun-less Launch, had come to work for Capsule Corp as a weapons tester and developer for a side business called Akawain industries, that Capsule Corp endorsed. Her first real, honest job.
Everyone had thought Bulma completely coo-coo of course, for allowing Launch of all people, anywhere near a readily available – not to mention dangerous - weapon, let alone a whole arsenal of them! But rather Bulma, in her preconceived wisdom, had granted the blond something she had never had before – responsibility. Launch could admit it, it really did make her smile, because to everyone's surprise, it had had an effect that no one could have predicted – trigger happy Launch was no longer a bullet obsessed, machine gun wielding maniac. Well…she was, that was never going to change, but she had an outlet now, a controlled environment where she could revel in what her blonde haired self was famous for.
Launch was approaching the outskirts of West City now, and faced another hour and a half ride to her humble little house in the East, which lay at the foot of the mountains.
It had taken her a week to decide that she couldn't live at Capsule Corp. One because she had tried to kill the fat little porker Oolong, on four different occasions in that time, but also because the noise and lights of such a busy city were really not for her. All it did was make her want to pull out a gun, or sneeze just to make it more tolerable – neither were desirable. Launch really was trying, trying to change for the better.
She arrived home in good time, kicking off her shoes and hanging the keys on the hook. She glanced at the fridge, but the aches in her shoulder, back, legs, were all signs that a nice hot bath, and an early night were a much more preferable option for the evening. She yawned "Besides, it's not like I'm not up again at 5.30am tomorrow... Ah well, another day, another dollar." She said sleepily, before heading to the bathroom.