Wishes From the Heart-Chapter 3

Finder's Keepers

She awoke with a jolt. What the hell! Another boom, followed by a pop. Her heart started racing as she sat up. She scanned the interior of the room, then realized the noise was coming from outside. She was almost too afraid to go to the window. You can do it, you're in your room. Nothing is going to happen to you. Yeah right, she thought frantically, like four walls and a door is going to stop anything from really getting in here. She was almost sick with fear as another boom shook her bed. She stood up, taking baby steps towards the window. She skirted the chair, coming around and slowly peeking out from the side of the curtain. She didn't see anything. She let out a shriek and steadied herself as another pop ricocheted through the air. What is that!? She fled towards the door, then suddenly realizing she was only in a nightshirt, quickly grabbed a t-shirt and jeans from the pile at the foot of the bed. She shoved the shirt over her head, hastily jerking her arms through. She hopped around, trying to put her leg in the jeans, as another boom and pop made her fall on her butt. Sitting, she quickly jerked her jeans up, fastening them as she raced out the door, into the kitchen. She came up short from crashing into Bulma. Expecting her to be a scared as she was, Trista linked her arm with hers. But Bulma just looked pissed.

"I'm going to kill them," she screeched, extracting her arm from Trista's.

"Why, wha..." Trista took a breath. "What is that? Are we being attacked or something?" She gulped, not knowing how to react towards Bulma's unafraid demeanor.

"Or Something," Bulma murmured through gritted teeth. Trista stood there, not knowing what to say or do. Bulma turned to her.

"Could you help me start breakfast, and make sure you triple the recipe. We're going to have very hungry UNINVITED guests." She gave a frustrated yell and stomped towards the sliding door.

"Those saiyans are going to pay!"

Trista watched, confused, as Bulma disappeared around the house. She couldn't make sense of this world. The actions, the noises, the people...if you really wanted to call some of them that. She had seen some strange things just coming to Bulma's. She went to the glass door, trying to see where the woman could have gone. All she could think of at the moment though, was:

What's a Saiyan?


She stared, open mouthed. The only sound in the room was the shovelling of food by the two men sitting opposite her at the table. They were oblivious to anything besides what was on their plate. One was gorging eggs, while the other one was pushing as much bread in his mouth as humanly possible. They acted like they hadn't ate in weeks. She glanced at Bulma to gauge her reaction. She was obviously still pissed. Her lips were pressed together in a thin line, arms crossed, legs crossed with one foot swinging in agitation.

"whoosh sshhe?"

Trista started. She looked back at the men. One of them, the taller one and, in her opinion, sexier one was looking at her. She felt her face start to heat.

"Goku," Bulma snapped, "don't talk with your mouth full. I KNOW you have better manners than that."

The one called Goku took a big gulp, swallowing all the food shoved in his mouth. Trista was surprised he didn't choke. He sent Bulma a sheepish grin.

"Sorry, I was just curious. I've never seen her around here before." He gave Trista another glance, then looked back at Bulma. "Is she a fellow scientist?"

"No Goku, she's just a friend. And besides," she added, almost slyly, "it's none of your business anyway."

A hurt look passed over Goku's face. "Ah, c'mon Bulma. I hardly ever see anybody but the gang. Does she know how to spar?" he asked eagerly.

Spar!? What the hell! He wants to...fight!? Why does he want to fight me, I didn't do anything to him! I don't even know him!

"Is that all you think about Goku? Fighting?"

"Well," he said slowly, "No, I think about food too!"

Trista heard a muffled snicker come from the man beside him. She fought the urge to rub her forehead. She had NO idea what they were talking about.

Bulma smirked. "Well, you're not engaging my friends in battle!" Trista thought this was a little far fetched, seeing as how she's only known Bulma for less than 48 hours. She didn't say anything however, just sat there wandering what the hell this Goku's problem was. He didn't even know her and he wanted to fight her! Asshole!

She finally piped up. "Why do you want to fight me? I haven't done anything to you."

She noticed a look pass between the two men, almost simultaneously agreeing on something. What, she didn't know. This just keeps getting weirder and weirder. She turned to Bulma.

"What's this guys' problem?" she asked, exasperated. She saw Bulma hesitate before answering.

"He's just being a jerk. Don't pay any attention to them, they never mind their own business," she glared at them as she said the last part.

Okay, now I'm even more confused. She was getting more lost by the minute. She rubbed her temple. Why the hell is everyone acting so strange around me. She gave her head a little shake.

"I forgot to ask you," she began, trying to change the subject, "what's a saiyan?"

Total silence.

Bulma looked at her, momentarily surprised. She started to fidget.

"Oh, well," she glanced towards Goku and the other man before darting her eyes back to Trista, "well, it's a powerful race that has phenomenal strength, is dominantly male, and that can turn into a monkey on full moons." Bulma paused, unsure of how much information to share. Her glaze slid back towards the two men.

"That's odd. I've never heard of such a thing. Are you yanking my chain!" Trista asked, a small grin starting on her face.

"You had best show some respect, woman. We are a superior race. An ancient line! I'll not sit idly by and let some idiot belittle us!" The smaller of the two men sneered at her.

"Shut up Vegeta! You are so arrogant, it makes me want to vomit!" Bulma turned towards Trista.

"Don't listen to anything he has to say. He never says anything nice, and when he does open his stupid mouth, it's nothing but insults." She shot Vegeta another dirty look, then stood up.

"Come on," she beckoned to Trista, "let's go to the city. I need to buy more food since SOMEONE ate the whole kitchen," she grinned, " and maybe I can convince you to buy a new outfit," she said over Goku's mumblings.

"It's not my fault I have no one at home to cook," he said, looking dejected.

Bulma just waved away his comment, rolled her eyes, and said, "Let's get a move on!"


"I am not wearing that!" Trista said, looking with disgust at the outfit Bulma held up, taking in the sleeveless lime green blouse with ruffles around the collar , and neon orange polka dots. The skirt was no better. Sitting high on the thigh with a slit down the side, the violet colored stripes hurt her eyes. She resisted the urge to gag.

Bulma turned the blouse and skirt towards her. "Why not, I think it's cute!"

"Then why don't you wear it!" Trista said, edging away from it to go sit at one of the chairs in the back. Bulma let out a frustrated breath.

"Well, then pick something! You choose, you obviously don't like anything I pick." She pivoted on her heel and strode towards the wall of shoes.

Trista began to mumble as she half-heartedly shifted through the racks. She hated shopping. Hated choosing new clothes, having to try them on, seeing how imperfect she thought her body looked, being disappointed when it didn't fit right. She could do without. Frustrated, she blindly picked something up off the rack.

"Wow, you have good taste!"

Trista blinked, bringing the outfit into focus. She glanced beside her. A teenager about 17 stood beside her, darting glances at what she held in her hand. She looked. Not to bad! She thought, inspecting it more closely. It was a simple black dress that fell to the knee, but with one unique quality. It had a slit from the breast area to the navel. It was a dress suited to entice. Trista looked at it with regret. She didn't need this dress. There was nowhere to wear it, and NO ONE to wear it for. She went to hand it to the girl.

"Here, you can have it," she said, holding it out. The teen raised her hands, "Finder's keepers. Besides, my mom would never let me wear something like that." She sighed in reignition. "It is beautiful though," she pouted.

Trista put it back on the rack. "Well, I have no use for it." She saw the girl give the dress one more desperate look, then walk off. She shrugged, moving to the shelf of clothes against the wall.

Bulma waited until Trista walked off, then snatched the dress.


"So do you think she knows?" They looked at each other, each one thinking very different thoughts. One thinking that all should be told and let the pieces fall where they may, and the other wanting to keep it a secret as long as possible.

"There's no way she could be, and it doesn't matter what kind of Ki we feel from her. It's not possible."

Vegeta and Goku stared out at the sky. Goku leaned on the railing, silently disagreeing with that logic. Vegeta let out a sound of disgust, trying to make himself more comfortable against the wall.

"Even if she was, don't you think that it's odd she shows up now, here in this very city. Kakkarott, there hasn't been one in over 50 years, that is why our race was dying out. It's foolish to go in blindly, believing something just because you want it to be true."

Goku was silent for a moment. "But, Vegeta, isn't it a possibility that this could be the real deal. That she's not just playing games, that she actually could be one of our kind. What if your wrong! What if your wrong and you do something you'll regret later that could jeopardize the chance to actually get to know where, when, and how!?"

Vegeta was silent as he mulled this over.

"What if you decide to do something that could make her leave for good. Before we get any answers." Goku said softly.