Unexpected Company

Part Two

A Dragonball Z fanfic

By Hana Noir

Chichi had forbidden Gohan to go off with his father and the others when they left to spar again. Instead she had sent him to his room to change into something suitable for a day spent in town. "And NO super-Saiyajin!!" she had bellowed down the hallway after him. "I do NOT want people thinkin' my son is some kinda delinquent!!"

Buruma had been instructing the droids to clean the kitchen and living room while they were gone. Mirai Trunks was outside with chibi Trunks, entertaining the baby so that she could finish. Chichi sighed as she examined the industrial sized clean up job they had in store.

"D'you think the stores will even be open?" she asked Buruma as she gathered her purse. "What with Cell and all…"

"I'm sure they will be," Buruma said, waving off such concerns. "Not much shuts the city down." She paused, looking around. "Where did Kauli-chan go?"

~~~~~~~

Kauli was outside as well. She had spent her entire life, bar the first two years, inside a pod or on empty refilling stations. She wanted to be outside, feeling the sunshine on her body, breathing in air that didn't have a flat, metallic, processed smell to it. She heard voices and peered around the corner of the house to see Trunks leaning against the aerial vehicle that Buruma had arrived in. In a strange sort of cage contraption next to him was his 'little brother'. She narrowed her eyes. They had the same scent, and as far as she knew siblings weren't that close to identical, but she was willing to bide her time and wait for an explanation. The baby was grasping the top rail of the cage, shaking it violently, jabbering incoherently at the top of his little lungs. The older Trunks merely watched indulgently.

She was curious about the infant, having never seen one before. She stepped out of the shade of the house, eyeing Mirai Trunks nervously. She wasn't sure what to expect from him. He had almost claimed her as his mate earlier. Only Vejiita-sama's intervention had prevented it from happening. She was honest enough to admit that he had defeated her fairly and with little effort. But at the moment, her curiosity was outweighing her caution.

Enough, she thought to herself. I am a Saiyajin warrior. I have nothing to be afraid of. He has defeated me and is within his rights to make any demand upon me he wishes, as mate or as prince. She held her head high as she walked over to where the two demi-Saiyajin were.

Trunks sensed her ki before he saw her. She was standing next to the corner of the house, watching them with innocent curiosity. She seemed to be conflicted as to what she wanted, but before he could call to her, she tossed her head, squared her shoulders and began to approach. He tensed slightly, wondering if she would attack him again but she stopped to examine the playpen holding chibi Trunks.

"What is this?" she asked, kneeling down for a better look. Chibi Trunks grinned in delight and put his face against the re-enforced mesh of the sides, distorting his face. She recoiled slightly, then leaned a bit closer. The baby laughed, reaching chubby hands out toward her.

"It's called a playpen," Trunks answered. "It's to provide a safe area for the baby to be in." She frowned slightly, trying to comprehend the idea.

"They do not send their children away here?" She placed a hand on the rail as she stood, flinching when the baby grabbed it with his own. However, she didn't pull her hand away.

"No, of course not," Trunks said. His infant counterpart bounced up and down, hoping someone would pick him up. With a sigh, the older finally gave in and reached in to pick him up. The baby gurgled with excitement, reaching for fistfuls of lavender hair. Kauli watched in fascination as he settled down on the grass, holding the baby in his lap.

She sat down as well, as he held the baby's hands, letting him take tottering, hesitant steps on the soft grass. Chibi Trunks let go his grip on Mirai Trunks and headed for the new person, little arms extended for balance. "Just hold out your hand," he instructed, seeing she was unsure of what to do. "So he can have something to grab for." She held out her hands and the baby grasped them firmly. Two more steps and he was in her lap, fingers patting the unyielding shell of her chestplate. He whimpered when he tried to place his head on her chest. It was hard and uncomfortable. He whimpered again, bumping it with his head.

Mirai Trunks chuckled. "He doesn't like your armor," he said. To his surprise, she sat the baby down on the grass and immediately tugged it off. Chibi Trunks went right back to her, babbling happily as he burrowed against her much softer chest. She brought her hand to his face, her fingers gently touching his face. A strange feeling was knotting up Mirai Trunks' stomach as he watched her play gently with the baby. An almost overwhelming urge to touch her had his hands clenching into tight fists at his sides. He had thought she was pretty before, but seeing her holding his infant self so gently, a soft smile warming her face, she was beautiful.

Chibi Trunks had caught her hand and was gnawing on her knuckles fiercely. He liked this new person. Something about her reminded him of his father, but at the same time, she was soft like his mother. One little hand found the brown furry tail at her waist and patted it. He liked that too. With one hand curled gently around her tail and the other one holding her hand to his mouth, the baby drifted off to sleep. Kauli never moved, intent on the sleeping infant.

Buruma and Chichi picked that moment to come out of the house, a morose, dark haired Gohan trailing after them. Buruma started to call out when she saw the two teens sitting next to the hoverjet. Poking Chichi, she pointed silently at the little scene, an amused gleam lighting her eyes. Chichi's mouth formed a quiet 'O' and she and Buruma shared a conspiratorial glance. Gohan's forehead wrinkled in confusion. Something was up, but he wasn't sure what it was.

Buruma walked up behind Kauli, smiling at her older son. "Are you two ready?" she asked cheerfully. Mirai Trunks shrugged and rose gracefully to his feet, offering to help his mother with the playpen. She waved him away and quickly stored it in its capsule. "Well, isn't that nice?" she exclaimed, seeing the sleeping baby. "He's been so fussy now that he's teething." She reached for her son, noticing the slight reluctance with which Kauli handed him over. She stood up as well, picking up her armor, and waited for further instructions.

"I need to stop by Capsule Corp before we go into town. We can take the car from there," Buruma said, opening the door and climbing into the cockpit of the hoverjet. "Trunks-kun, will you get everyone settled in the back?" She flipped several switches on the console, causing the engines to begin to hum. Trunks opened the cargo hatch, holding out a hand to help Chichi climb in. She immediately made her way to the front and settled into the co-pilot's seat. Gohan followed her, a stuffed backpack dangling from his hand. He settled down and began to unpack textbooks, notebooks and various other school supplies, arranging them neatly around him. The look on his face was one of resigned suffering. Kauli moved past Trunks and levitated until her feet were even with the floor, then she stepped neatly inside. He smiled slightly at her display and jumped in, palming the button to close the hatch. It had barely closed when Buruma engaged the drive system. They lifted into the air and once she had cleared the treetops, she opened the throttle, heading them for Capsule Corp. After the auto-pilot engaged, she and Chichi began a conversation about the latest fashions they had seen on television.

Kauli wondered what Gohan was doing, craning her neck to watch him. He gave her a pained smile and pointed his pencil at the open notebook he was writing in. "Homework," he said. She gave him a look that said she didn't understand. "School work," he tried again. She looked at the books with a new interest.

"These are educational manuals?" she asked, pointing to one particularly thick volume that said 'World History' on the cover. Gohan nodded. "May I examine them?"

"Sure," he said with a shrug, watching her as she picked up the history book. She scooted back against the wall, pulling up her knees to provide a stand for the book, then opened the cover and began to read. She didn't even look up when Chibi Trunks woke, fussing for a bottle. She was about halfway through the book when Chichi happened to glance back.

"Well, will you just look at that," she muttered, drawing Buruma's attention to the Saiyajin girl visually devouring the textbook. "That's a relief; it's just Goku-sa, not the entire Saiyajin race, that's illiterate." Mirai Trunks watched her as well, astonished by the speed at which she read. She made short work of the book, then started all over again, poring over it more slowly this time. A tiny frown marred the skin of her forehead as she read.

Kauli was puzzled by the information she found in the educational manual. It seemed this planet was not a colony, as she had first thought. Kakarott had not carried out his mission to purge the world of its life forms and nothing in their 'history' even suggested that they had any kind of contacts with any of the galactic governments. There had been brief mention in the back of a so called alien attack but it had been written off as a hoax. The fuzzy, hastily shot photograph accompanying the story was clearly that of a Saiyajin warrior however. How had such a pitifully weak people managed to survive where the Saiyajin race, clearly stronger, had fallen? She closed the book and wrapped her arms around her legs, almost wishing she were back in her pod. Trunks gave her an unnoticed look of sympathy. He too knew what it felt like to be taken from everything that was familiar and dropped into a place where nothing quite made sense.

When they finally reached Capsule Corp, Buruma insisted on bringing Kauli in to dress her in something more suitable. She and Chichi dug through boxes containing clothes from Buruma's teen years, approving and discarding willy-nilly. Finally, they came out with something that would do until they could buy more at the mall.

Kauli eyed the pile of clothing that she had been given uncertainly. "My battlesuit is not appropriate?" she asked.

"It's fine to wear for exercise," Buruma said, trying to be tactful. "But to go out in public we wear clothes that are… less revealing."

"What's this?" Kauli asked, holding up a garment that seemed to serve no purpose that she could fathom.

"That's called a brassiere, Kauli-chan," Chichi said. "It's for support."

"Where does it go?" she asked innocently. Buruma and Chichi exchanged a look of amazement.

Finally, Buruma took the initiative. "We'll help you dress, dear."

Trunks and Gohan were sitting in the den, sipping cold drinks that had been provided by Mrs. Briefs as she fluttered back and forth between the kitchen and the family room. The two were becoming quickly bored and were considering sneaking out back to spar when they heard voices approaching. Buruma and Chichi came around the corner, Kauli trailing behind them. Mirai Trunks' mouth fell open when he saw her. Gone was the high tech Saiyajin armor and the bodysuit. In its place, she wore a white silk peasant blouse, the pure white complementing her tanned skin. Soft faded blue jeans encased her legs, nipping in to emphasize her slim waist. A plum colored vest topped the ruffled blouse, the color playing up her eyes and hair. A pair of leather loafers completed the outfit. She looked ill at ease in the different clothes, but Mirai Trunks thought they suited her quite well.

"Sugoi, Kauli-chan!" Gohan exclaimed, grinning at her. "You look nice!" Chichi beamed at her son for being so charming.

"Uh, yeah, you look… nice," Mirai Trunks mumbled, a hint of red tingeing his cheeks. Buruma rolled her eyes. How was her son, wonderful young man though he was, ever going to get a girlfriend when he was that inept??

"Okaa-san!" Buruma called, looking for her mother, who quickly arrived, beaming at them all. Before Buruma could said anything, Mrs. Briefs had noticed Kauli.

"Don't you look so pretty!" she squealed, circling around the nervous girl, patting at imaginary wrinkles and dust motes. "Very pretty!"

"Mama!!" Buruma's exasperated voice managed to catch her mother's attention long enough to ask her something. "We need to go to town, do some shopping. Do you mind watching Trunks-chan? It'll be much easier to shop if you keep him here."

"Of course, Buruma-chan. Where is he?" the perky blonde asked, clapping her hands in delight at the idea of time with her baby grandson.

"He's asleep in his crib," Buruma answered, relieved that her mother was willing to watch the baby. "You have my cell phone number if you need me."

"Of course, of course," she said, beaming at them all. "You all just go have a good time. We'll be just fine here." She herded them all toward the door, eager to spend some uninterrupted time with her grandson.

Once outside, Buruma pulled out a capsule and clicked the button, tossing it away. With a loud POOF! a minivan sporting the CC logo appeared before them. Buruma and Chichi climbed into the front, leaving Gohan, Kauli and Trunks to ride in the back. Gohan appropriated the smaller middle seat, scooting over next to the window and buckling his seat belt. He'd had previous experience with Buruma's driving. Trunks waited to see which seat Kauli wanted to sit in, but she appeared a bit unsure of what to do. He pointed to the longer back seat and she nodded, moving to sit down. With a sigh, he sat down on the other side of the bench seat. Stretching his legs out before him, he closed his eyes, just knowing it was going to be a long ride.

Buruma peeled out of the compound, barely slowing before turning out into the street. She drove with breakneck abandon, weaving in and out of slower traffic with little regard for life and limb. She shouted at the other, more cautious drivers, her speech liberally peppered with profanities. Trunks scooted down a little lower in his seat. He loved his mother more than anyone else in the world, but her behavior could be a bit embarrassing at times.

She whipped into the huge parking lot surrounding the mall, cutting off several other drivers, giving them the finger when they blew their horns at her "Oi!" Gohan exclaimed, pointed toward the main entrance. "Look at all the people." There seemed to be a large crowd gathered around the mall entrance, waving signs and listening to the man perched atop a rickety crate. He was shouting into a bullhorn, his words only seeming to make the people listening that much more agitated.

Buruma shrugged her shoulders as she pulled up by the curb. "Looks like some sort of demonstration," she said, not really concerned. She killed the engine and grinned at them all. "Okay, everyone out!" Once everyone had disembarked, she encapsulated the van. Now that they were out they could hear the chanting of the crowd and the words of the speaker. He was going on about the 'end times' and the 'rise of the beast', urging the crowd to 'repent their sins'. Ignoring them, Buruma poked the capsule in her pocket and headed for the mall entrance.

Trouble broke out as they approached. The large, noisy crowd had Kauli on edge, making her very aware that they could pose a threat to their safety. They were almost at the doors when a wild eyed man reached for Buruma, yanking her toward the seething crowd. She yelped in surprise, struggling against him. Trunks and Kauli both reacted, but she was the closer. Darting in, she grabbed the man's arm in a powerful grip, tossing him away. He landed flat on his back several feet away.

"Inu," she growled, her hair beginning to spike up. "You will not touch the ojo-sama." Several of the nearby people helped the dazed man to his feet, glaring at the deceptively slim girl.

"Unbelievers!" bellowed the man with the bull horn, pointing at them. "All those who do not support our righteous cause are our enemies!!"

"Gohan-kun," Trunks barked. "Get your okaa-san inside." He didn't even bother to look back, but began pushing his way past the people blocking him from his mother and Kauli. The mood of the crowd was turning ugly, violence seeming to shimmer in the air. He could hear sirens in the distance and he moved faster, trying to get to them. A large, heavy set woman in a floral print dress swung a large placard at Kauli, who blocked it with her forearm. She started to power up, intending on blowing them all to kingdom come, when Buruma grabbed hold of her arm, forcing it down.

"O-ojo-sama??" she stammered in protest.

"Don't kill them" Buruma said sternly. "They can't defend themselves against you." She yelped again as another man swung what looked suspiciously like a baseball bat at them. Kauli snatched it from his grip, and snapped it in half. Her eyes blazed with fury as she tossed it to the ground. The little display made them back up a few steps and Trunks finally managed to break through and reach them.

"Kaa-san, Kauli-chan!" he gasped, relieved that they were unharmed. His mother smiled warmly, but the Saiyajin girl didn't even spare him a glance, keeping her unwavering attention on the crowd still surrounding them. A brick came flying out of the crowd toward them, and Trunks' hand shot out, catching it and crushing it to dust.

"Bakayarou," he growled, eyes narrowing dangerously. "They had trouble planned from the start, bringing stuff like that." He spotted a fire hydrant nearby and began to grin mischievously. "Kauli-chan, when I give you the word, take kaa-san and run for the building." She nodded, moving closer to Buruma.

"What are you going to do, Trunks-kun?" Buruma asked sternly.

"Just a little crowd control," he said, a very Vejiita-like smirk crossing his face. A laser thin ki beam shot out of his finger, shearing off the fire hydrant at its base. Water burst out everywhere and Kauli used a ki shield to keep it off of herself and Buruma. Trunks used his ki to force the water at the crowd, pushing them back. Screams and shrieks burst out as many of them tried to run from the water. "GO!" Trunks ordered, giving Kauli a bit of a nudge. She grabbed Buruma's arm, using her ki shield as a wedge to push through the rapidly dispersing crowd. They could see Gohan and Chichi waiting anxiously on the other side of the heavy glass doors as they entered.

Buruma sighed with relief when they joined their friends. "Those nutcases," she fumed, glaring at the thinning crowd outside. "They should throw the whole bunch of them in jail." Indeed, they could see the police, who had just arrived, beginning to round up the lot of them. Trunks came in moments later, grinning smugly.

"Daijoubu ka?" he asked, looking his mother over from top to bottom.

"Hai, hai," she said, waving him away. "Daijoubu ne, Trunks-kun."

He nodded, turning to Kauli. "Arigato gozaimasu, Kauli-chan. You kept kaa-san safe from harm."

She shrugged, unable to meet his eyes, a faint blush staining her cheeks. "I was only doing my duty, Oji-sama."

"You were very brave, Kauli-chan," Buruma declared, taking the girl's arm and beginning to walk away from the doors and the ruckus outside. "Thank you very much. Now, let's shop." It was then that Kauli noticed all the people inside, going from store to store, chatting, laughing or just sitting around resting. Her steps slowed as she tried to take it all in. The noise of the crowd, the music playing over the loudspeakers and the sounds from the various shops assaulted her ears, making her stop completely. Buruma turned when she did, wondering what was wrong. Kauli's eyes were wide, her face pale as she stared around at all the unfamiliar scenes.

"Ne, Kauli-chan?" Buruma said curiously, giving her rigid arm a little shake. "What's wrong?" Chichi and Gohan joined her.

"D'you think we should've brought her?" Chichi asked anxiously. "It never occurred to me that this might all be a bit overwhelmin' for her." Buruma tapped a fingernail against her chin, considering what to do.

Trunks shook his head and moved past his mother, leaning over to whisper into Kauli's ear. He knew what would get her motivated. "How pathetic," he said softly, so that only she could hear. "What kind of Saiyajin is afraid of a paltry crowd?" His words stung her sense of pride and she turned her head to glare at him.

Pride stiffened her spine and she crossed her arms over her chest. She took several deep breaths, concentrating on tuning out the noise. Finally, she raised her head and nodded. "Gomen nasai."

Buruma sighed, beginning to think this hadn't been one of her better ideas, but they were here and they might as well make the best of it. "Let's go in here first," she said, indicating the trendy looking boutique across from them. Gohan and Trunks both shared a horrified look. The display window held several mannequins wearing the latest in clothing. Baby doll tees and Capri pants seemed to be in style at the moment. Chichi and Buruma escorted Kauli inside and began to riffle through the racks, occasionally pulling out something for the other to look at. The salesgirl, a perfectly coifed blonde, scented a big sale and hurried over to assist them.

"Hello, ladies!" she said, a large smile showing off her perfect white teeth. She gave Mirai Trunks an appreciative once over, her gaze clearly flirtatious. Kauli caught the look and felt the stirring of something she didn't like. She gave the perky salesgirl a warning glare, making her turn a bit pale. Buruma and Chichi had accumulated a stack of garments and now they steered Kauli toward the dressing rooms.

"Now, Kauli-chan, take these and try them on," Buruma instructed, opening the door. "Let us know when you get the first outfit on so we can see how it looks. Go on." The girl took the first set of clothes and entered the little room. The powder blue baby doll tee went on easily enough but the cream colored Capri pants were another story. She held the garment up, examining it, but able to find no hole for her tail to go through. She thought about it for a moment, debating on making one herself, then decided to ask Buruma. She opened the door and stepped out. "Buruma-sama?"

Buruma turned around, her mouth opening to say something, then falling open at the sight of the girl. Trunks looked over as well, and almost fell over, his face turning fire engine red. Kauli was wearing nothing but the tee and a pair of mint green bikini panties. He couldn't help but to stare, feeling the blood rush to his head so quickly that he feared a nosebleed. Several other men, dragged into the store by female acquaintances, also stared appreciatively. When he noticed that, a growl began to build in his chest, making Gohan look at him in surprise.

"Ano, Buruma-sama," Kauli said, unaware of the disturbance she was causing. "There's no hole in the back. For my tail." The salesgirl turned bone white at the sight of the appendage waving lazily behind its' owner.

Buruma moved quickly, hustling the girl back into the dressing room, explaining that it wasn't polite to walk out in her undergarments. "Just try the pants on, dear," she said, sighing. "If they fit, Chichi can alter them when we go home." Kauli nodded, stepping into the pants, sliding her tail down one of the legs.

"Very nice!" Buruma exclaimed, looking her over from every angle. "Chichi, isn't it adorable?"

The other woman nodded. "I knew those colors would look good on her!" She pulled a flirty sundress out of the stack they had set on the counter and passed it to Buruma. "Try this one."

Kauli tried it on, pulling it down as far as it would go, which was several inches above the knee. The dress had spaghetti straps and was a pale lavender that complemented her darker skin tones. She turned experimentally, making the skirt swish around her waist.

She stepped out, hoping it was right. "It's drafty," she complained, tugging at the skirt again.

"It'll need a strapless bra," Buruma muttered, examining it closely.

"Sandals, too." Chichi added, beaming with pleasure. Gohan and Trunks sighed, they'd mostly likely be here for a while. After about half an hour, Buruma took pity on them and passed Trunks a wad of bills, motioning them toward the arcade. They escaped gratefully.

~~~~~~~

They had been in the arcade for almost three hours when Gohan caught the sound of his mother's voice. "Gohan-kun! Doko ni?" Obedience was too ingrained. He immediately left the video game and headed for the entrance.

"Hai, okaa-san!" he said, seeing his mother, Buruma and Kauli waiting outside. Trunks was headed their way as well.

"We thought you guys might be ready for some lunch," Buruma said with a grin. "There's a really nice buffet right around the corner. And besides, we're ready for a break too."

They joined other hungry mall patrons in the restaurant, finding a large round booth in a quiet corner. Kauli felt a bit uncomfortable, sandwiched in between Trunks and Gohan. Every time Trunks moved, his arm brushing hers or their thighs rubbing together, the knot in her stomach tightened. The waitress took their drink orders with a bright smile, leaving silverware and a stack of plates on their table. Gohan had been eyeing the buffet eagerly, his stomach audible growling.

"Oishii!" he exclaimed, grabbing a plate from the middle of the table. "Seafood!!" He headed for the buffet, grinning widely.

"Let's get something before Gohan eats it all!" Chichi said with a laugh, pulling Buruma along with her. Trunks smiled as well. He was very fond of seafood, but it was a rarity where he came from, something eaten only on the most special of occasions. He too got a plate from the table and rose to fill it when he noticed that Kauli was still sitting. He felt a bit of sympathy for the girl and decided to do something nice.

"Would you like me to bring you something to eat?" he asked, giving her a warm smile. She stared up at him, amazed by the offer.

"H-honto?" she asked, a bit breathless by his sudden gesture.

"Honto ni," he replied, picking up an extra plate. "I'll be right back." She sat there staring at him as he walked away, feeling a blush rise in her cheeks. Surely, surely, he hadn't meant what she thought he had…

Gohan had returned to the table shortly after Trunks had left, his plate heaped with fish and shrimp, fried golden and crispy. Steamed crab legs had been draped haphazardly over the pile and a tub of tartar sauce perched precariously on the edge. He pulled over a second plate to discard the shell in and dug in. Kauli watched him to see how he handled the utensils they had been given, but so far he hadn't used any.

Chichi and Buruma came back as well, their plates, while full, not as heaped as Gohan's had been. "I just love western style seafood!" Bulma exclaimed, dipping a piece of fried fish into some sauce. Chichi nodded as she nibbled on a steamed shrimp.

Kauli watched Trunks as he brought over two heaped plates, setting one down before Kauli. "Arigato gozaimasu," she whispered, head bent to hide the pink staining her cheeks.

He nodded as he slid in next to her. "You're welcome," he replied, picking a crab leg up off of his plate and cracking it expertly. He pulled out the meat and popped it into his mouth, sighing appreciatively. Kauli looked down at the spindly shelled things on her plate and wondered what in the world she was going to do with them. She poked the steamed appendage tentatively. She was pretty sure that she could crack it with her teeth, but that didn't seem to be the way it was done.

After his fourth crab leg, Trunks noticed that Kauli wasn't eating. He reached over, making her jump slightly and pulled a crab leg from her plate. He cracked it and extracted the meat. "Here," he said, offering her the tender white meat. She stared at him in amazement, then glanced at the morsel in his fingers. Why was he doing this?? she wondered. He had already beaten her in a fair combat challenge, proving that he was dominant. Perhaps… perhaps he was offering her a choice as an apology for insulting her honor. Her mind was racing as she tried to decided what to do. Take his offering and become his mate or reject him and incur his wrath?? He is attractive, whispered the back of her mind, and a prince of royal lineage. He's also the only male with Saiyajin blood of an age with you, the practical part of her mind chimed in. She looked up, so confused, only to find him watching her with a puzzled look.

She felt as though her heart were about to stop when he popped the meat into her mouth, his fingertips grazing her lips. His grin had a slightly startled edge to it as he pulled his hands away. They stared at each other for several seconds before Kauli picked up another crab leg, cracking it as she had watched him do. She had a bit more difficulty pulling the meat out, but she held it out to him shyly. He took the meat with a grin and ate it. Then, he turned his attention back to his plate, decimating the rest of his meal. But he couldn't quite forget the softness of her lips as he had given her the food.

~~~~~~~

It was almost dark by the time they returned to Capsule Corp. Many of the company's employees were leaving for the day, waving and smiling at Buruma and her friends as they drove up. Trunks was unloading some of the boxes from the back of the van when he sensed someone approaching. He turned to see a very pretty girl with pale green hair standing behind him.

"Ohayo, Aisha," he said, nodding to her. He knew her vaguely. She was a member of Capsule Corp's R and D department, who had assisted his mother on a few projects. He closed the tailgate on the van and reencapsulated it, tucking it in his pocket.

"I haven't seen you around much lately," she said coyly, batting her eyelashes and moving closer. He gave her an absent smile, wondering how he was going to get all those boxes inside.

"I've been really busy," he muttered, reaching for the first of the boxes. He paused when she put a small hand on his forearm. He had to fight the urge to pull away; he didn't like for people to touch him.

"Some friends of mine are throwing a really great party this evening," she said, stepping nearer. "It's gonna be awesome." Her other hand joined the first. "After all, who knows how many more chances we'll have to enjoy ourselves?" Trunks was trying to think of a way to politely turn her down when Kauli strode around the side of the house.

Kauli froze, staring at the scene before her. She had intended to offer her assistance to bring the parcels inside even thought Buruma had told her it wasn't necessary. Her tail began to lash from side to side when she saw the human woman who dared to lay her hands on HER mate-to-be. Energy began to crackle in the air as her anger grew. Trunks' eyes grew wide when Kauli began to power up, and Aisha looked surprised. "Who's that?" she asked, looking a bit miffed at being interrupted.

"Kono kuso ama!!" Kauli moved so fast that Trunks was unable to intercept her. She backhanded the startled girl, sending her flying. Trunks caught her, pinning her arms to her side, and she stiffened, but did not struggle against him. Aisha struggled to sit up, both lips busted and a huge red welt rising on the side of her face.

"You – you crazy bitch!!" she shrieked, her panicked voice drawing attention from inside. Buruma and Chichi raced out, followed by Vejiita and Goku. Vejiita looked highly amused by the whole situation, while Goku appeared concerned.

"What happened?" Buruma asked, totally at a loss.

Aisha managed to get to her feet, shaking with fury. "I was talking to him," she pointed at Trunks, "when that AMAZON came out of nowhere and attacked me!!" A low growl was rising from Kauli and Trunks tightened his grip. Chichi put an arm around the human girl's shoulders, helping her into the house.

"Vejiita," Buruma fixed her mate with a steely glare. "Find out what happened. She cannot go around attacking people!! I've got to take care of my employee." She spun on her heel and marched back into the house. Trunks eased up on his grip, releasing her slowly. She stared at the ground, glaring sullenly at the grass beneath her feet.

"What happened, girl?" Vejiita's voice lashed out like a leather whip, cracking the tense silence.

Kauli flinched slightly. "She had her hands on him, Oji-sama," she said, her voice still angry. "It is my right to challenge such an insult."

"Insult?" Trunks asked. "We were talking! How did that insult you?"

Vejiita regarded the girl sternly. "He won the right to claim you, but until he does so, you have no claim over him."

Her head came up and she turned her glare on the Saiyajin prince. "As you say, Oji-sama, but he offered me the choice, and I accepted. That gives me the right to claim insult."

Vejiita's eyes widened slightly and he fiercely gazed at his son. "Is what she says true, boy?"

Trunks looked between the two of them in total bewilderment. "What are you talking about??"

"She says that you asked her to be your mate and that she accepted," Vejiita said slowly, hoping the words were sinking through the thick skull the boy had inherited from his mother.

"WHAT??" Trunks ran a hand through his hair, pushing the fine strands out of his face. "I did no such thing!"

Kauli's eyes narrowed, quickly disguising the hurt that his words caused. "You did so before your mother and friends at the eating establishment. How dare you lie about it now," she hissed.

The words caught Vejiita's attention. "You shared food with her?" he asked his son, his voice urgent. "You offered her food from your hand and she accepted?" Trunks nodded, still not understanding what was going on. "And in return she offered you food, which you accepted?" Trunks nodded again. Vejiita doubled over, leaning against the outer wall of the building, chuckling. He couldn't contain himself and the chuckles turned into full blown laughter. Goku stared at Vejiita in amazement. He'd had no idea the other senshi could laugh!! "Congratulations, son," he gasped, trying to catch his breath. "You DID ask her to become your mate!!!" He started laughing again, pounding the wall with his fist in a fit of mirth.

"Nanda??" Trunks felt all the blood rush to the bottoms of his feet, making his head swim.

"It's Saiyajin custom," Vejiita said, attempting to explain. "The male offers a token of food to the female he wishes to mate, showing that he is willing to provide for her when she is injured or with child. If she accepts, she offers him a token of food, signifying that she will be there to aid him in times of need. It's a less violent way of taking a mate than a combat challenge." Trunks slapped a hand to his forehead as he realized the cultural misunderstanding he had stumbled into.

Goku's fist landed in his palm, startling them all. "Sou ka? Wakatta!" Vejiita couldn't help the disgusted glance he shot the other Saiyajin.

Kauli's head was bowed, as she tried to contain her anger and the hurt that accompanied it. "I see…" she said softly. "You didn't understand what you were doing." Her head came up, violet eyes locking with blue. "Very well. I release you from your promise." There was a brief flare of energy and she was gone, hundreds of feet into the rapidly darkening sky above.

"Ma-matte yo!" Trunks cried, his hand outstretched uselessly. It fell back to his side as her vapor trail vanished into the night. "Kuso…"

Vejiita smirked. "Shinpai janai, boy. She'll be back." He swaggered off into the house for the dinner that he could smell cooking, not sparing the matter any further thought.

Goku followed him, pausing long enough to clap Trunks heartily on the shoulder. "She's not hiding her ki," he said softly. "Don't guess she knows how. There's a lot out there she don't know about." He hid a smile, seeing the idea horrify the younger man.

"I – I think I'll follow her, make sure she's all right," Trunks said, his forehead creasing with worry. Goku watched as he lifted off into the night sky, smiling slightly as he too went in search of dinner.