" Wow..." Trunks breathed in amazement as he stopped by the window. Outside, the sky shone a brilliant blue that took his breath away. He had never seen it so bright before. After a minute of staring, he remembered his 'tousan was waiting for him and hurried outside to the gravity room.
" Tousan?"
" Three hundred forty-seven, three hundred forty-eight..." Vegeta counted off his one-armed push-ups in a mutter.
" Tousan?"
" What, brat?" Vegeta scowled at his son, never ceasing in his workout. Trunks continued punching the bag Vegeta had put in for him. 'A target that wouldn't fight back and kill him before he learned something useful', he'd called it.
" Why is the sky blue?" Trunks hit the bag once more and then turned to his father, big eyes wide with anticipation. Very unusual for his age, Trunks thirsted for knowledge, wanting to know about everything. Unfortunately, this admirable quality had Trunks questioning Vegeta at every turn, and wearing on the Saiyajin's last nerve.
" How should I know?" Vegeta snarled. He tried to resume his count but forgot where he left off. " Uh.."
" But SOME-thing has to make it that blue!" Trunks persisted. " And the clouds so white....if the clouds are water like 'Kaasan says, why aren't they blue too? Huh? 'Tousan?"
" Trunks..." Vegeta growled as he started over at one.
" But 'tousan-"
" TRUNKS!" Vegeta slammed his fist down. " Go annoy your mother with your endless prattle!"
Trunks wilted and nodded weakly, slinking out of the room, resembling a beaten dog running away with its tail between its legs. Vegeta sighed roughly. He hated coming across as an idiot, especially to his son. He shook his head and started counting. Again.
" One. Two. Three..."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Trunks watched half-heartedly as his mother tweaked the systems of her latest invention. Normally he'd be right alongside her, asking her questions but he was still afraid to open his mouth. Bulma immediately noticed her son's unusual state of calmness.
" What's wrong Trunks?" she asked, tightening a gear with her trusty wrench.
Trunks shook his head. Bulma brushed a strand of hair from her eyes, put the wrench down and sat down at her workbench next to him.
" Come on sweetie. Talk to me?"
Trunks shrugged as he poked at the wrench on the table. " 'Tousan's mad at me."
What else is new, Bulma didn't say. " What happened?"
" I was asking 'Tousan questions. He wouldn't answer, and when he did, he said he didn't know and that I should annoy you instead of him."
Bulma chuckled. " Oh Trunks. Were you asking him the same kinds of questions that you ask me? How things work, or why they are the way they are?"
" Uh-huh. How come you know and 'tousan doesn't?"
Oh boy. " Well Trunks, your 'tousan is a very smart man. But you're asking him questions that I know. We're all smart in different ways, Trunks, and in different areas. Why don't you ask him questions that he would know?"
Trunks blinked at her. " Like what?"
Bulma picked up her wrench and went back to her machine. " Well, did you know that if you're father's home planet was still around, he'd be the King?"
Trunks' eyes widened. " Really? Like in those movies with a crown and everything?"
" Uh-huh."
" Would that make you a Queen?"
" Yup."
" What about Grandpa and Grandma? And me?"
" Well, " Bulma said, smiling. " I'm not too sure how the Saiyajin Royal line works. But do you know who would know EVERYTHING about Royalty?"
" 'Tousan?"
Bulma nodded. Trunks grinned. He slid off the bench and gave his mother a big hug before running out the door.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was nearly two hours later when Bulma decided to stop her work for the day. Greasy, tired and desperately in need of a hot shower, Bulma trudged through the house. She noticed the lights on in the gravity room still, and she went outside to take a peek through the partly opened door, hearing Vegeta speaking.
"...and the dignitaries had to stand at attention in two lines as per protocol."
" What happened if they didn't?" Trunks' awed voice asked.
" They were arrested for not showing the proper respect to their King and his son, the Royal Prince."
" That's you, 'Tousan!"
" Precisely, brat." Vegeta's words were normal, but his tone was softer then anything Bulma had ever heard coming from him before. She smiled and went back into the house.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
OWARI
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Epilogue (maybe a prelude? ^_^)
Bulma was laying in bed, flipping through an old magazine when Vegeta came in.
" I heard you talking to Trunks," she mentioned casually.
" Humph."
Bulma shrugged and went back to her article. She was surprised, when Vegeta spoke.
" The boy showed an avid interest in his past," he remarked. " Perhaps its time I began teaching him of his Royal heritage."
Bulma said nothing, merely watching him.
" Kakorrotto, his half-breed sons, myself and Trunks are the only Saiyajins left that we know of," he continued, now gazing somewhat thoughtfully out the window. " Our planet may be gone, but not our race. As long as I have Trunks to teach of our ways, then our race will live on." He broke off abruptly when he realized how out of character he was being. He shot a scowl at Bulma. " I suppose it's a ridiculous idea woman?"
" Actually Vegeta," Bulma said quietly. " You've just realized the reason children are so important, and why they're such gifts."
" Hmm." Vegeta lay back in bed next to his mate, who automatically cuddled up to him. " I'll begin his training tomorrow."
" Good."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Owari - for real this time!