And Then There Were None, Part 4
By: Hotaru
Disclaimers: I don't own Dragonball, or its characters and I don't own the book "And then there were none" either. I'm just writing and rubbing my hands together to keep warm. Nothing to do with Db at all, and takes place back in the 50's or so.
/thoughts/
"speech"
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Goten laid in his bed and sighed. The night was very still, except for the raging storm outside his bedroom window. But the house seemed so quiet and so…creepy. Everyone was spooked about the evenings occurrence. Even he, a man who isn't easily scared, had a hard time falling asleep. The footsteps outside his room were frightening, even if it was someone getting a glass of water. Eventually though, he fell asleep.
The next morning, breakfast was set on the table. It was still storming outside, so the daily deliver of food could not be made. Miss Videl still seemed shaken. Apparantly she and that Gohan fellow had bonded over the day they had met. No one spoke really until Bra noticed the Indian centerpiece. "That's funny…I could have sworn that there were ten Indians here.." she said, thinking aloud. "No, you must be mistaken. A glass figure couldn't just disappear.." Sharpener added.
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Marron shivered slightly. The talk about the missing Indian figure ended quickly with Mrs. Briefs bringing in a fruit salad. "Unfortunatly, we'll have to spare the food we have now. The boats won't travel with a storm like this raging the sea." She said. That caused a slight bit of panic. "What if we run out of food?" Marron asked. Mr. Breifs appeared from the kitchen. "We have a sufficient amount of food to last us until the storm dies down. There is no reason for alarm." He said.
"Yeah, and after all, there's only nine of us who have to eat now right?" Goten said with a slight laugh to lighten the mood. However, death certainly isn't anything to joke about. "Who's up for some chess?" Trunks asked suddenly. Sharpener took him up on his offer and they went to the living room. "I think I'm going to go powder my nose." Bra said, excusing herself from the table. Everyone dispersed quickly. Marron sat at the table and finished her meal alone.
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Trunks and Sharpener sat down at the chess table. Trunks claimed the white pieces and Sharpener claimed the black. "So…what do you think about what's happened?" Sharpener asked. Trunks tossed his hair back with a daint shake of his head. "Well…I find that it was unfortunate that he died…nothing unusual about it." he replied, moving a pawn forward. Sharpener nodded. "Yes. It's a shame that old butler couldn't save him." he replied, moving a pawn forward aswell.
/He seems to be mirroring my moves…/ Trunks moved another pawn, as did Sharpener. The game was pretty boring, and they stopped playing before a victor was chosen. "Care for a drink?" Sharpener asked. Trunks shook his head 'no'. "I'll take you up on that offer." Goten said. He seemed to be a drinker. Trunks sighed and proceeded to his room.
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Pan knocked on the door to Bra's room softly. "Come in." Pan opened the door and stepped inside. Bra was staring at her reflection in the mirror. "What is it? Is something wrong?" Bra asked worridly. Pan shook her head. "No, nothings wrong…I just came to see what you were doing." she replied quickly. Bra turned and looked out the window. "Awful storm there. I can't wait until it passes and we can get out of here." She said, chaning the subject.
"What do you mean? You're leaving?" Pan asked. Bra was taken back. "You're not? If I could I would have left the very instant that that poor man died!" she said. Pan shrugged. "It was just fate I guess. He only choked…it's not like anyone killed him." she said, laughing slightly. Bra looked back at the mirror. "Well…I just hope that's the case." She said.
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Sharpener titled his head back and downed a shot of scotch, as did his new drinking pal Goten. "D'you drink often?" Goten asked, getting a tad bit tipsy. Sharpener laughed heartily. "No, not as often as you do my good friend. It's an occasional drink that I enjoy." He always drawed his answers out so he sounded so sofisticated. Goten hiccuped and started to walk away. "Yep. Drinks are my friends..I gotta go…to my room now. See you later buddy." He mumbled.
Marron was standing by a window, looking out on the storm. "Hello Miss Marron. How do you do?" Sharpener asked, appearing from behind a curtain. "Oh! Oh my, you scared the daylight out of me!" Marron exclaimed, putting her hand to her heart. Sharpener chuckled softly. "Ah…very sorry miss. Care for some cheese and crackers?" he asked. Marron looked at him quizically. "No thank you. Breakfast was not even an hour ago…aren't you full?"
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Mr. Briefs peered out of the small window of the basement. The sand was all watery and fogging up the window. He tossed a few more logs into the fire before returning upstairs to his wife. "I'm going to ask them if they want some coffee—do you want some?" Mrs. Briefs asked, as she dried her hands on a dish towel. Mr. Briefs nodded. "Okay, start up the water then." His wife said, bustling into the center of the house. "Does anyone want some coffee?" she called out.
Trunks, who was reading a novel by the fire raised his finger. "I'll have a cup." He said. Sharpener nodded and asked for one as well. Miss Videl emerged from her room and ordered one too. "Okay! It'll be right out!" Mrs. Briefs said cheerfully. Mr. Briefs looked at the group of younguns around him. They seemed so jovial and full of life. It's a shame that that man had to die and ruin their vacation. "A real shame…"
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Videl settled into a large arm chair in the living room and took out her knitting supplies. It was a nice hobby. She was knitting a scarf for her boss' son and was almost finished. /I really don't know what possessed me to bring this along…I'm supposed to be on vacation and I'm knitting!/ Trunks closed the novel he was reading and ventured into the dining room for his coffee. Videl and Sharpener joined him. "So, Trunks…what do you do?" Sharpener asked, putting a few sugar cubes into his coffee.
"I work at a pharmacy." He said, pouring some cream into his black coffee. Miss Videl drank hers black and strong however. Sharpener raised his blond browns curiously. "A pharmacy eh? You don't seem to be a pharmaceutical type-guy." He said, sipping his coffee. "Well I am. It's pretty good money and you get discounts on medication and what not. It's a pretty sweet deal." He said.
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Bra joined the rest of the group at dinner time. Everyone eyed her mysteriously. She spent the whole afternoon in front of a mirror. "So Bra is it? What do you do?" Sharpener inquired. Bra took a bite of salad. "I am a fashion designer. Why?" she replied. "Well, I'm asking everyone else about their professions so I thought I'd as you too." Sharpener replied. Mr. And Mrs. Breifs remained in the pantry while the others ate. "I wonder what the old folk are doing in there." Goten stated, pouring himself a martini.
Trunks eyed him wearily. "I don't think you should be drinking so much Goten. It's no good for your health. I see people come in every day for medicine that protect their stomachs since the alchohol corroded the inner walls." He said. Goten spun sharply and some of his drink splashed onto the floor. "Hey…I don't tell you how to live okay buddy? Besides…martinis are good.." he said, his speech slightly slurred. Pan and Marron shook their heads in disgrace. "I'm heading up guys…goo'night." Goten slumped up the stairs and walked into the wall in the process.
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Trunks sighed as Goten's drunken form slithered upstairs. "What an example he's setting." He snorted, stabbing at his potatoes. "Let him live how he wants to live. If he wants to die at thirty let him." Videl said, speaking up for the first time that evening. "We're only looking out for him Miss Videl. It's just that—he's so young…" Marron said softly. There was a loud thump from upstairs. "What on Earth was that?!" Pan exclaimed.
Every ran upstairs, and Mr. And Mrs. Briefs followed suit. "Where did it come from?" Trunks asked. They looking into the rooms until they at last reached Gotens. "Oh my God….what happened?" Bra asked. Trunks and Sharpener went over to the fallen body. "Good God…he's dead." Sharpener said solemnly. Miss Videl let out a shrill scream before fainting. /This is insane…two deaths in two nights…what's going on?!/ Trunks wondered.