Author's Notes: I hope you like this new Part 29! Tell me what you think!!!


PART 29 Congratulations

"TRUNKS~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Goten and Pan continued to throw stones at Trunks' bedroom window.

"TRUNKS~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"You two are just wasting your time and energy," Bra said, shaking her head sadly.

"What do you mean by that, Bra?!" Goten and Pan asked.

"You've been doing this everyday for a week, since Trunks locked himself in his room! And have you been successful?"

"Well...no..." the uncle and niece replied.

"Exactly. I know how to get my foolish big brother out of his room!"

"How?!"

"Come with me and you'll see!"

~*~*~*~

Bra knocked on Trunks' door. "Brother??? Are you there??? Are you alive???"

They heard a shoe thrown at the door.

"He's alive," Bra mumbled. "Well, big brother! I have someone here who I'm sure you'd love to see! Come out!"

No response.

"Come out, Trunks, or we'll break your door down!" Goten threatened.

No response.

"Here it goes!" Bra warned.

Goten and Pan cupped their hands and put them to their mouths to make their voices louder. "KA---ME---HA---ME-------------------"

"What the heck do you want???!!!" Trunks exclaimed as he came out in his wrinkly, dark green suit.

"Geez, you stink," Bra said, pinching her nose close.

"M-Marron..." Trunks exhaled.

"Meet your special guest!!!" Goten, Pan and Bra announced.

"Hi, Trunks," Marron greeted with a sweet smile.

Trunks nodded and then fainted before he could say a word.

~*~*~*~

"Oh, Trunks! You're finally awake!" Bulma exclaimed.

Trunks sat up as he rubbed his forehead. "Mom...? What happened?"

"You fainted," she replied as she a tray full of food in front of him. "Here. Eat up."

"Thanks, mom," Trunks replied. "I was starving."

He immediately dug in and finished everything in a matter of seconds. More food was placed in front of him and fifteen trays of food were consumed until Trunks was finally full.

"I guess you must have passed out because you haven't eaten in such a long time," Bulma said. "Trunks! I want you to tell me why you haven't come out! I was very worried about you, you know!!!"

Trunks looked down. "Mom... Nusumi broke up with me..."

~*~*~*~

"Psst! Trunks!"

Trunks looked up and saw that Goten, Pan and Bra by his doorway.

"Come in, guys," he said. They came in and sat by his bed. "What's up?"

"You up for a game of cards?" Goten asked as he took out a deck of cards.

"Sure," Trunks replied. "Why not?"

Bra dealt the cards. "The name of the game is poker. Wanna make your bets now?"

"300 zeni," Pan said.

"500," Bra said.

"A thousand," Trunks said. Everyone stared at him.

"You're that sure of yourself?" Pan asked.

"Yep," Trunks replied. "I can cream all of you!"

"Wanna bet!" the three others exclaimed.

"Didn't I just do that?" Trunks asked. "Besides, I can't help it if I'm good at poker."

Goten, Pan and Bra stared at him and sighed exasperatedly.

"Well, I have a bet you'll surely lose," Goten said.

"Oh, really? Try me."

"I bet you and Marron will end up together. 20,000 zeni."

"WOW~!!!" Pan and Bra exclaimed.

"I wanna join in, too!" Pan said.

"Yeah, me too!" Bra added.

"You're always talking about how you and Marron aren't meant to be and stuff and so I say, HA!"

"HA!" Pan and Bra said.

"HA! You will surely lose this bet!" Goten declared.

"You...morons..." Trunks rolled his eyes. "You just have to bring this up everytime."

"Big Brother, we only worry about your health!" Bra protested. "You should see Marron-san when she's not with you! Sad, unhappy, alone and unprotected! She needs a man!"

"Big, strong, RICH man!" Goten and Pan added.

"Who knows? Maybe Juuhachigou-san will set her up with some guy! Will you let Marron settle with someone lesser than yourself? I think not!"

'How in the world did I get stuck with such idiots?' Trunks asked himself. 'Oh, Kami-sama!'

"So what do you say about that 20,000 zeni bet???" Goten, Pan and Bra asked.

'Kami-sama...'

~*~*~*~

"Bra-chan, could you pass me the knife?" Marron asked.

Bra took the sharp butcher's knife and slowly handed it to Marron, keeping it at a distance. She then watched as Marron cut the meat.

"Um...Marron?" Bra said. "What...what are your feelings towards Big Brother? My wonderful, incredibly handsome, wealthy older brother?"

"Trunks?" Marron brought the knife down hard onto the chopping board to take out a bone.

Bra gulped. "Y-Yeah..."

"Well..." Marron threw the meat into the wok and washed her hands. "He's nice."

"That's it? 'He's nice'?!"

"Yes. He is, isn't he?"

"Well, yeah, but you must have some...stronger feelings for him."

"Like what?"

"Like...um...love? Aren't you still in love with him?"

"Bra, why are you bringing this up?"

"It's just...well, Big Brother's been so miserable without you lately."

"R-Really?"

"Yeah! I'd be-- I mean, he'd be so happy if you would marry him! In fact, that's what he's planning to do! I saw the engagement ring!"

Marron's cheeks turned a bright red as she walked over to the table and she looked through the mail. Goten and Pan, who were sitting at the table, pretending to play poker, nodded at Bra to indicate that she was doing a good job.

"She's blushing," Pan whispered to her uncle.

"It's a good sign," Goten whispered back.

"I'm sure you were mistaken, Bra!" Marron said. "Surely, he...he wouldn't..."

"Would you like him to?"

"O-Of course not!" She picked out an envelope from the stack. "Ah! Looks like an invitation!"

"Open it!" Pan said.

"Lemmie see!" Goten said.

"You are invited," Marron read aloud. "To the wedding of..."

She stopped. "Oh no..."

~*~*~*~

'I can't believe this,' Trunks thought. 'After all we've been through...'

He looked up when he heard a knock at the door.

"Trunks! They're here! C'mon! We gotta go before we're late for the wedding!" Bra called out.

"I'll be there!" Trunks replied.

"Better hurry!"

"Yeah!"

~*~*~*~

"FINALLY! You're down!" Bra said as Trunks walked down the stairs. "What took you so long?!"

"It's only been a minute since you called, Bra," Trunks pointed out, feeling annoyed.

"Yeah. Whatever."

"Let's go now!" Bulma said. "Come on, Vegeta!"

"Stupid woman..." Vegeta grumbled as Bulma pulled him outside.

"Hey guys!" Kurillin greeted as the Briefs family came out.

"Hi everyone!" Goku added.

"So everybody get in their cars and we're off to the wedding!" said Kurillin.

"Of course!" Bulma replied. "I can't wait! I love weddings!" She took out a handkerchief and sobbed. "Especially when...it's...my baby boy's...big day!"

"Oh mom..." Trunks sighed. He looked up to the blue sky. 'Well, goodbye...good old days...'

~*~*~*~

{bong! bong! bong! bong! bong! bong! bong! bong! bong! bong!}

"Just in time!" Bulma said as they parked in the church's parking lot.

"Hey Trunks!" Goten called out as he waved and walked over to his best friend.

"Hey," Trunks replied.

"Big day, huh?"

"Yeah." Trunks sighed. "But I'll be able to go through it, hopefully."

"You had better! If you mess this one up then Nusumi will be so upset! You wouldn't want it to be like the last time!"

"I know."

"Well, let's go before we're late."

~*~*~*~

'I can't believe it,' he thought. 'I'm actually getting married. ME. A married man. I guess all those great bachelor days are over now. And...Marron... I hope she'll be happy.'

He grew stunned as she walked down the aisle in her beautiful white dress. Everything suddenly just disappeared and the only thing there was her, walking down the aisle to him. Those hundreds of guests, the church, the priest...all gone. The music was completely erased from his mind. There was only her, his beautiful blushing bride. Nothing more.

'But I guess it was all worth it,' he thought as he held out his arm for her. She took it and glimpsed at him with a look that tugged at his heart. He felt nervous as he walked up to the priest who would change his life as he knew it. But he knew it was all worth it.

~*~*~*~

"Congratulations!!!" everybody rang out as the bride and groom stepped out of the church.

"Thank you!" Nusumi replied, shielding herself from the confetti being thrown at her and her new husband. They got into their limousine and drove away.

Marron watched as the happy couple drove off. 'Congratulations...' she said in her mind. 'Please don't forget about me.'

She walked towards her family and got into the car.

~*~*~*~

"Mawon!!!"

Marron looked up as Goten took the seat next to her.

"Hi, Goten," Marron greeted, trying to sound happy.

"Was wong?" Goten asked through his stuffed mouth.

Marron sighed and took a sip of water. "Nothing's wrong Goten. Just...seeing everybody so happy... I wish I had someone. Mama has Papa, your mom has your dad, Gohan has Videl, Bulma-san has Vegeta, Pan has her boyfriend, Bra has her suitors, and you...you have your food."

"Twue, twue," Goten replied, nodding his head in agreement. "But what about Twunks?"

"Trunks?"

"Yeah. What about him?" He grabbed a handful of appetizers from a passing waitress and popped them into his mouth.

"Trunks... He doesn't want me."

"How can you say that!!!"

"It's just...we're not meant to be...you know... Trunks...has someone better for him out there."

Goten frowned. He swallowed his food, washed it down with some water and stood up. "How about a dance to make you feel better then?"

Marron smiled and took his hand.

"You should really see how Trunks is," Goten said as they danced. "A wreck. It's pathetic. Even more than usual!"

Marron giggled.

"I'm serious! Look, he isn't getting any younger, ya know. I think his mom's been trying to set him up with some girls lately."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And if you don't act soon, he might become unavailable. It's a once in a lifetime thing! You can't pass this opportunity!"

"Goten..."

"I know that he's a clumsy, nerdy, old, boring businessman who has really stinky breath after he hasn't brushed for a while and is kinda sloppy and has a monster appetite and isn't really good around girls and sometimes he--"

"AHEM!" Trunks tapped Goten on the shoulder. "May I cut in?"

"Uh... Sure, Trunks! Anything for the bestest, funnest, coolest best friend in the whole world!!! Ehehehe!!!" Goten replied nervously. He winked at Marron and left.

Trunks held Marron close. "I assure you, nothing he said is true!"

"I believe you," Marron giggled. "Don't feel so bad about yourself, though. Everybody has their bad points! Some people sing bad, some people talk too much, some people have troubles figuring out their real feelings..." She stopped.

"But, Marron..." Trunks smiled at her. "You sing great."

"Thanks," Marron replied.

"I heard you were gonna sing tonight."

Marron felt herself blush. "Y-Yes... Yes, I am."

"I can't wait."

Marron looked over at the newlywed couple. "They look so happy together, don't they?"

Trunks just shrugged. "I dunno."

"You don't know?! Don't you want to be as happy as him someday? Be able to spend the rest of your life with the one you love?"

"I dunno. Marriage was never really my thing. It'll probably end up in the gutter anyway."

Marron raised an eyebrow. "You really don't believe in that? Being meant to be and stuff like that?"

Trunks shrugged. "Not my thing."

Marron frowned.

"OW! What'd you do that for???!!!" Trunks exclaimed as he stopped dancing and rubbed the spot where Marron had pinched him.

Marron furrowed her eyebrows and looked away. 'Do you even realize how I feel?' she thought. 'Trunks, when will you open your eyes?'

~*~*~*~

"I take it all back!" Marron said as Aoi tried to pull her up on stage. "I-I don't want to sing! I'll just get you a blender for your wedding present!"

"Come on, Marron, you promised me!" Aoi said. "Please?"

"Marron, we'd love to hear you sing!" Bra said. "Pretty please with sugar on top? Tons of sugar and a lovely cherry on top!"

"Marron-san~!" Pan whined. "Come on!"

"Matthew really wanted to watch you sing!" Aoi said.

"MATTHEW???!!!" Bra stood still. "Do you mean THE Matthew? Matthew Bishou? The popstar???"

"Yeah," Aoi replied.

Bra's eyes widened. She then grabbed Marron's wrist and threw her onstage with a microphone. "Sing or I'll kill you!" Bra whispered.

Marron hiccuped. She was so nervous, she didn't know what to do. She wanted to run away but her legs wouldn't move. She looked around at the room full of people anxious to hear her. 'I...I can't do this... I can't sing in front of all these people! And...and I'm hiccuping!!!' Her lip was trembling as she glimpsed over at Aoi who was at the piano, waiting for his cue. 'I...I can't even do this for Aoi! I can't!' She then stopped when she made eye contact with Trunks. He was sitting there patiently, waiting for her song. 'Trunks...' She suddenly forgot about being nervous. Seeing Trunks, so patient... He was her friend. She knew that even if she did mess up, at least Trunks wouldn't laugh. She lifted the microphone to her mouth and began to sing.

~*~*~*~

After Marron had sung, everybody was clapping. Marron took a bow and rushed off stage.

"You were great, Marron!" Bra said as she embraced the older girl.

"Th-Thanks!" Marron replied, breathlessly. She then saw Trunks making his way across the room. She smiled warmly at him.

"Marron, you were--" Trunks was cut off by a tall, thin, pale man with curly white hair tied up in a ponytail.

"Marron!" the man said. He shook the surprised young lady's hand. "My name's Daniel Jive, I work for Six Star Records, but you can call me Danny."

"Uh, h-hi, Danny!" Marron greeted.

"I heard you sing, I love it!" Danny said. "How would you like to record with Six Star?"

"W-What???"

"I can make you big! Very big!"

"W-Well, I..."

Danny put something in Marron's hand. "My calling card. If you decide, just give me a call." He nodded and left.

Marron looked at the card in her hand. Bra took it and looked at it.

"Well...that was weird," Bra commented.

"Yeah," Marron replied.

"Marron." Trunks walked over to her. "What happened?"

"Marron was given an offer to record with Six Star Records!" Bra answered.

"Wow!" Trunks said. "That's great! Are you gonna accept it?"

"Um...I don't know," Marron replied.

"You should take it!" Bra urged.

"Yeah. You really should!" Trunks added.

Marron stared at Trunks. He looked like he really wanted her to take the offer.

"Take a chance, Marron," Trunks insisted. "We'll always be there to support you."

Marron sighed and smiled. "Okay. I'll give it a try."