Couplings: MT/M, T/P, G/B, U/P.
bLove Is In the Air/b
The pile up on 1-4 was normal for this time of the day on a Saturday, but with the sun high above and without a cloud or burst of wind to help cool the crowd that happened to be stuck in it, people were finding themselves getting more irritated then normal at having to wait for the road to clear. On this particular day Marron, Pan, and Bra had decided to go out - the one day of the week they all had off to get together and get things done before the party - which happened to be later this every evening. Though they had wanted to get together and do it sooner, they'd been pressed for time with Pan and Bra's exams before the holiday season playing havoc with their schedules, and Marron's last minute touch ups at work.
They were celebrating Marron and Paresu's first successful line of women and girls apparel (that would be hitting the hottest fashion boutiques this fall) tonight. The girls had gone into business together after meeting at one of ChiChi's get together two summers ago when Paresu and Goten had been dating. With Paresu's connections and sense of fashion, and Marron's art and designer skills, the two had taken the fashion world by storm, to the amazement of many of their parents. Krillin, of course, had always believed his little girl could do anything, while Bulma had been quick to protest, saying she would be more then willing to give Marron a job at Capsule Corps, and an employee apartment in the city. Stubborn, however, is what Marron and Paresu had ended up being, and they had fought tooth and nail to get where they were today - on top. Bra, who was hoping to get into the business, was Marron and Paresu's newest model. She was also the one who would be donning all the wonderful garments the two girls had created tonight in their first live runway presentation of their fall series.
"If we don't start moving soon, I'm going to blast the traffic out of the way," Pan muttered from the backseat, the heels of her shoes laying between Marron and Bra, who were busy chatting about their soon to be shopping spree, if they ever made it to the mall, and just what they were planning on buying. Pan wished they could just fly, but with Marron afraid of heights and Bra preferring to ride then fly, she was out numbered and therefore forced to endure the long, tedious rides back and forth from the mall. "How do normal people take this?" She grumbled, repositioning her sunglasses on her face as she looked around at the other cars.
"Well, they aren't used to flying, Pan, so they don't know of any other way to get around," Marron stuck her tongue out at her younger friend before smiling, "We're almost there, though, it's the next exit, and then we can shop until we drop." Marron grinned before turning her attention back to the road.
"Yeah, P-chan, and you promised you'd wear a dress tonight, remember? A small, black dress, which I can't believe you don't have," Bra, who had always seen herself as very fashionable, rolled her eyes at her best friend. Everyone needed a simple black dress. "Marron got us hair appointments at Kaz, too, soooo..." Bra turned all the way in her seat until she was facing her friend, a wicked grin over her features, "you're bound to look totally hot tonight for my brother."
Pan hadn't been really paying attention, not at first, and simply nodded, "Yeah, totally hot... I mean, what?" Sitting up, she frowned, "Why would I care what Trunks thought of me?" despite her even voice, she couldn't keep the flush out of her cheeks, "He's old, and... president of Capsule Corps. He can have like any girl he wants."
"Duh, silly," Bra rolled her eyes in Marron direction in a 'she is so slow' sort of manner, "and that is why we're going to make sure Trunks sees the Pan we all see - beautiful, talented, and a girl that can totally kick his ass, and stop trying to hide it. Marron and I have known you've been like, in love with my brother since you guys came back from collecting the Dragonballs together." Facing forward, Bra left her friend with her mouth slightly ajar, Pan thought she'd hid her feelings for Trunks fairly well un until now.
"Don't tease her, Bra, you of all people should know a little something about crushes," Marron said, and laughed at the look that came over her friends face.
"Shut up, Marron!" Bra gasped, blushing furiously, "I don't have a crush on anyone!" Marron, however, just laughed as they turned off the highway. Some things you just can't hide from best friends.
They'd been at the mall for nearly an hour before anyone had found anything interesting either girls might even consider wearing. It was a small, low cut bodice black dress. However, it wasn't showy or to short, and Pan actually thought it was 'pretty'. "I don't know, it's not like any dress I've ever worn, and if my Otousan was to see me in that,.." Pan trailed off, the last time she'd warn a dress it had had green ruffles and she'd been six.
"Don't be silly, Pan," Marron, taking charge, had plucked the dress from the rack and held it up to Pan, "The skirt is blowy, see, so it'll dance along your legs instead of clinging to you, and it hits just above your knee, which is actually a very good height for you because of your long legs." Grinning, Marron handed the dress to Pan, "Go try it on!"
Rumbling, Pan did as she was told, all the while complaining through the dressing room door, "I look silly, I don't want to come out, and there is no way I am wearing this."
"If you don't come out right now P-chan I will pull the door off for everyone to see!" Bra sad angrily from the other side, her arms crossing over her chest, "You have until the count of three, ...one, two..."
"Bra! Okay, I'm coming." Pan opened the door, and despite her frown, Marron and Bra exchanged brilliant smiles.
"Wow, look at you, Pan! How could you say you look silly, you're hot!" Bra laughed, grabbing her friend by the hand and pulling her in front of a full length mirror, "You're a babe, Pan, seriously."
Marron, on the other hand, was busying herself with the garment itself rather then Pan, she'd already decided the girl was wearing it whether she liked it or not, it was just to amazing to pass up, "Look, it's not a rounded neckline, either, Pan, it's a vee shape, which is a lot more elegant and really in right now, it gives you a modest looking chest, without being revealing or two conservative. The little laces coming down off the arm are really cute eye catchers, too. With the right necklace and bracelet, Trunks isn't going to know what hit him when you come into the room, I've even found you a model to walk around with! Oh, don't you give me that face, Pan!"
Bra laughed at that, because Pan's face was priceless at the moment, with her lip curled slightly in dislike. If there was one thing Pan disliked most, it was annoying male models who found themselves Kami's gift to women. "He's not like that, P-chan, I met him. He's really nice, and we even likes martial arts, and you aren't supposed to like him anyways, you're just supposed to walk in with him, dance with him maybe, and look totally amazing together. My brother is going to be so jealous, trust me."
"Trunks doesn't like me like that, really! I mean, he's never even let on, and he doesn't act like he could like me, either." Pan frowned, she really didn't want to get her hopes up. Ever since they'd gotten off Bulma's spaceship together, she'd had a huge crush on him, one in which she thought she'd kept hidden until lately when Bra and Marron had been giving her little hints that they knew.
"Trunks doesn't know what to think of you, Pan, and anyways, he's not dating anyone, and he never goes out. Mom says he's shy around women, and I think Dad might think he's gay because he only ever hangs out with Goten and Ubuu." Marron busted out laughing at that, and had to hold her side to stop herself from falling over.
"Trunks isn't gay, he is just shy, like your mother says. He gets way to much attention from the women he works with, he doesn't really know how to handle women. Goten should definitely give him lessons," Marron elbowed Bra softly, grinning. "Also, I think he does like you, Pan, honestly. You're the only girl he's really close to, and you're the first one he thinks of when he wants to spar someone. Not Goten or anyone else, you."
"He just knows I'm always around," Pan said unconvinced, but nodding anyways, "Ok, ok, I'll get the dress..."
They spend three hours at the mall, and left with six bags full of items, which was actually not a lot compared to what they usually got, and their hair dun up and hidden behind hair nets from everyone else until they were ready. They were heading over to Capsule Corps. where they'd get ready before heading over to Cahlings, one of the oldest, yet most elegant ballroom and restaurant in downtown Satan city for final checks before the show.
"Pan, hurry, I want to see that dress on you with your hair and everything done!" Bra called from the living room, where she and Marron sat, waiting. Surprisingly, they were done before even Pan was. Bra, with her normal style of deep reds had chosen to go with a more blowy light purple. The dress tied around her back, leaving it revealed for everyone to see, but was high in the front so that she was only showing a moderate amount of skin. She'd chosen the long skirt, with glass slippers, which looked amazing on the Saiyan Princess, and it was quit obvious she knew that.
"Oh, Bra! You look beautiful!" Bulma came down the stairs, dressed in her most elegant dress with Vegeta at her side, who looked very uncomfortable in a suit and tie.
"Okaasan! Bra stood up quickly and greeted her mother with a kiss, "Trunks isn't here, is he? I thought he was going to be late to the party because of work..." Bra panicked a little, if he saw Pan before they were ready it would ruin the way she wanted them to meet in her head.
"Just because Trunks is going to be late, doesn't mean your father and I are going to be." Bulma smiled, "you don't have something terrible planned for him, do you? Because if you are trying to set him up on a blind date again, I think he might not be to pleased with you. The last one went very bad from what I remember of your two's conversation the next morning," Bulma looped her arms with Vegeta's, "We're going to be meeting ChiChi, Gohan, and Videl for dinner before the show, so we'll see you guys tonight. Good luck, Marron!" Bulma called into the living room, where she knew Marron must be.
Bra, smiling, kissed her father on the cheek, "You look very handsome, Otousan."
Vegeta, with what appeared to be a light smile on his lips, grumbled, "Silly girl," and followed Bulma out the door.
Marron, who hadn't wanted to intrude on their family moment, entered the room once they had left, her long, flowing pink dress lifted off the ground and held in one hand. Bra had insisted she get a different color, just this once, but Marron and Paresu were known as always wearing pink and yellow wherever they went, and changing it up now when so many of their customers and buyers where used to it already seemed silly. Paresu, she knew, would be wearing the evening gown they'd both designed last month. They would match tonight, down to the earing and shoes. Everything except colors.
"Panchan, get your ass down here now or you're going as is!" She called up the stairs in a voice that was very un-lady like.
"I'm coming!" Pan shot back, and seconds later descended from the stairs. Bra clapped excitedly with Marron as Pan joined them.
"You look amazing, Pan! Wow! Almost as good as me," Bra laughed, as she joined her friend. "Seriously, Pan, my brother is going to be so... shocked!" she touched one of the curls in Pan's hair and sighed dreamily, "Then, one day you'll get married and you'll be my sister-in-law!"
Pan gave her a look of, 'you're crazy', and turned toward Marron. "Okay, fashion guru, do I pass the test?"She flashed Marron a pretty smile and blinked her flashes teasingly.
"No, not really, but you'll have to do," Marron joked teasingly, tucking a strand of hair behind her friends hair, "but if we don't start moving soon, we're going to be late and Paresu will kill me, so come on and lets go, the limo is waiting outside."
The girls arrived an hour early, as planned, so they could help Marron direct flowers and decorations to their rightful places, while Paresu organized the models and clothing in the back room. "Bra, we need you for a fitting, please... we're about to start opening the doors to early birds, and we really don't want our opening model on the floor." Paresu's head disappeared behind the runway wall as soon as it had appeared, and Bra rolled her eyes.
"Duty calls!" She flashed Pan a grin, "don't forget to put the white flowers near the stage, Pannychan!"
The evening started without a hitch. People chatted with one another, ate finger foods, and discussed some of the many outfits that were being paraded around the room by some of Paresu and Marron's more experienced models. Bulma and Co. showed up fashionably late, long with Marron's parents, however because of their importance - Bulma's company, Videl being the daughter of the worlds hero - no one seemed to notice and greeted them warmly.
"Okaasan, Otousan!" Marron hugged her parents as she finally made her way toward them, having been corned along with Paresu to be questioned about their fall line by several other designers. "You guys look great," Marron had sent her parents over matching outfits - her mother in a gorgeous red dress, and her father in a red and black tuxedo. "I wish I could stay and talk, but we're about to start the runway show and I've got to be in the front with Paresu. I got everyone seats right beside us," Marron said to the group, smiling, "Come on."
When the lights dimmed, and the stage lights brightened, everyone quieted down as the first model walked the runway. Several people were writing things down, the press was snapping pictures, while everyone beside Marron and Paresu noticed who exactly was wearing the first fall outfit - it was Bra! "Oh, Marron, you didn't tell me!" Bulma said at once and went fishing for her camera from her purse, who was quickly joined by ChiChi. Both were snapping pictures, and Marron could have sworn Vegeta was even smiling.
"Wow, Marron, she looks amazing," Goten whispered into her ear, "you sure know how to dress a gale up." Goten was looking at Bra as if he was seeing her for the first time as a young women instead of Trunks' little sister.
Marron laughed, "Dress Bra up, Goten? Bra is beautiful, plain and simple, no matter what she wears. Maybe you should pay a little more attention then trying to win Paresu's heart back over. I love you, Goten, but she's married to her work and you aren't going to win that war... you two weren't a good match, either.. I already have an idea as to who Paresu should date."
Marron grinned when she noticed Goten was still looking at Bra as she turned and made her way back down the runway for her next changing, obviously playing little attention to what she had been saying. She was definitely good at this Cupid thing.
Several more clients climbed on board Paresu and Marron's fall collection, which they had announced today that they would be calling their line, "Charmant", which translated into 'charming'. With the evening appearing to be a winning one the two fashion soon-to-be icons took the runway by storm, all of their girls crowding around them as they opened champaign bottles and toasted with the crowd.
Laughing, Paresu motioned for one of the stage hands to give her a microphone before she turned toward the large group of people, "Marron and I just want to thank all of you for coming out, and they we've reserved the ballroom and lobby for the rest of the evening in hopes that you will celebrate Charmant with us, as you've all been like part of our families this last year!" Pausing, because she wasn't one to try and talk over the applause she was receiving, she smiled and waved her hand to quiet them, "Thank you, again, and now lets go enjoy the party!"
Marron laughed and linked her arm with Paresu's, "So, we're a hit I hear!" she laughed as they made there way down the steps.
"A hit? We're a success, Marron! We've actually made all of our goals for this year come true, and all of our financing for our spring line has already been fronted. It's amazing, who would have thought! My parent's are just nuts about it all, how could their little farm girl end up a big city success, huh?" Hugging Marron, Paresu laughed again, "Well, I promised my Mom I'd introduce her to everyone, so I'll see you later tonight, okay?" And with that she disappeared behind a group of girls.
"Marron!" Bra was at her side suddenly, beaming. "Trunks just arrived, he's outside talking with Ubuu and Goten about the stupid Worlds Tournament next month," Bra rolled her eyes, "Anyway, I've got Pan stashed in the elevator with Deacon, so as soon as Trunks comes you go and talk with him, keep him near the door, and I'll give Pan the go ahead to enter." Bra was pouncing in her heels with excitement, and Marron couldn't help but laugh.
"Just remember, she has to come in the front entrance so people stop and notice her, I want them to wonder who she is. Once they realize she is Mr. Satan's granddaughter the press is going to be all over her because there are so few pictures of Pan actually looking picture perfect and a lot of magazines will pay high price for that shot - I want Trunks to see her like that - desired!" Marron smiled, "Trunks isn't going to know what hit him, now get out of here because I'd know that purple hair anywhere!"
Bra, with a squeak, slide out of view as quick as she had appeared, leaving Marron to walk toward the entrance before Goten, Trunks, and Ubuu had chance to wonder off into the crowd, "Marron!" Goten was the first to notice her coming there way, "Nice show, the food was really good!"
Marron flashed Goten a winning smile, "Nothing but the best for you, Goten, I couldn't have hungry Saiyan's eating bad food, now could I? Hey, Trunks." Marron grinned and turned herself so her back was facing the door, she wanted him to be looking at her, so when Pan appeared behind her, he'd be one of the first to notice, "Have you seen Bra yet?"
"Bra? No, I just got here, sorry I'm late. Had to sign some wavers for the company before they'd let me leave. I thought she'd be with you or Pan," He said, and Marron saw him scan the room, which made her do a little happy dance inside, he was looking for Pan!
"Oh, no, Pan's not here yet, she was running a little late, she and Deacon where on a date and she-" She knew by the slacking jaw on Trunks' face that Pan must have just walked into the room. Smiling, she turned around to see just that - Pan came in, arms linked with Deacon's, and the two were chatting animatedly as if they were old friends. There was a flash of a Camera here, and then there, and then suddenly the entire focus of camera's turned to get there shot of Pan.
"Pan!"
"Mr. Satan's Granddaughter, look over here!"
"Right here doll face, smile for the camera!"
"Amazing, Miss Son! You look fantastic!"
"Pan, who is the young man you're with?"
Marron laughed at the look on her younger friends face, the girl was definitely unsure as to how pretty she actually was. After several moments of picture snapping they allowed her to enter, arm and arm, with Deacon. The two came over to Marron and Trunks.
"Marron! I'm sorry I'm late," Pan said, as planned, and hugged her, "I lost my earing and then car service lost our hover car," She smiled apologetic.
"Hey, Pan," Trunks said, though he was looking at Deacon instead of Pan, a slight frown over his features, "who's your friend?"
"Deacon, he works with Marron. We met last week when Marron had Bra trying on dresses," Pan lied, her face shifting slightly from Trunks so that she could give Deacon a small smile, "He was nice enough to drive me home that day, and he asked me out to dinner for tonight. It was really nice."
"Oh." Trunks' words were more of a grumble.
"Shall we dance, Pan?" Deacon asked. Pan nodded as Deacon took her hand, "Miss Kuri, Mr. Briefs," He bowed his head politely before leading Pan onto the dance floor.
"Don't they make a wonderful couple, Trunks?" Marron asked, sighing dreamily.
"What? Oh, I think he's to pretty, to girly for Pan, definitely not her style."
"Not her style? Then what is? A down to earth man that likes to fight, enjoys her company, and thinks she's beautiful no matter what she's wearing?" Marron asked, a small smile tiptoeing across her lips.
"Yes, exactly," Trunks turned toward Marron now.
"Oh really? That sounds like you, Trunks." Marron kissed his check, "Thank you for coming Trunks, but I have to go see to a couple of my models," and with that Marron excused herself from his company. Think about that, Trunks! You just described yourself!