Neko-chan's Comments: Ha-HA!!! Chapter Three!! I totally rule!! I hope everyone likes how the story is progressing so far. I do! But why is it turning out to be so long.....? When I started this, I thought that it would be a cute little Three Part story. Boy, was I ever wrong! *sigh* But never fear!! I will finish this story, even if it kills me!! Remember- send me any comments!! supersgtpan@earthlink.net
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Disclaimer: *raises an eyebrow* You're actually reading this? Well, go to Ch.1 for the disclaimer. I'm too lazy to write another one. This chapter is again dedicated to Mirai Chibi Amy-chan; and also, Neko-kun; now known as Mr. C-Tan. *waves to Amy-chan and Cody*
Gotta Catch A Bishonen! By: Neko-chan
Chapter Three
It was dawn, and as the sun's soft rays caressed Duet's brow, she awoke with a yawn. She stretched in her sleeping bag, reveling in the feeling of her muscles stretching to their limits. Covering a yawn with one hand, she wiggled out of her 'nest' and stood up; checking to see if the others were up yet. They weren't. Sighing, Duet then proceeded to wake up her friends. They all awoke easily. Except for Duet's sister.....
"Arashi... Wake up!", Duet said, poking her older sister in the side.
Her sister's only response was to burrow deeper into her sleeping bag. Before she fell back asleep, Arashi was able to mumble something that sounded like, "Lemme 'lone, baka."
Juunana, Duo, and Goku sat on a log, watching as Duet again began her hopeless battle. Duo's trainer continued to poke her sister, but to no avail. Arashi would either mumble something at Duet, or burrow deeper into her sleeping bag, refusing to wake up.
"Think Duet's ever going to win this battle?", Juunana asked the two other Bishonen that were sitting next to him.
Duo shook his head so hard that his braid whipped around, smacking Goku and Juunana in the back of their heads. "It's a battle she's never going to win.", he said as he watched Duet start banging on a pan, hoping that her banging would finally rouse Arashi.
It didn't.
Sighing, Juunana stood up and walked over to Arashi's sleeping bag. "Allow me.", he told Duet. And, with that, he grabbed Arashi, sleeping bag and all, and threw her over his shoulder. A muffled "Oomph!" came from the sleeping bag as Juunana carelessly slung his trainer onto his shoulder. That done, he headed for the stream. Goku, Duo, and Duet followed; for they were curious to see what Juunana would do.
Quickly reaching his destination, Juunana tossed Arashi into the stream---sleeping bag and all. When the cold water reached her inside of her cocoon, Arashi awoke with a shriek. She managed to work her way out of her nest of blankets and sleeping bag, and finally came to the surface. And was confronted by her two Bishonens, her sister, and her sister's Bishonen, laughing at her. She coughed, spitting out water, then took a deep breath of the wonderful thing that scientists call oxygen. She coughed again, this time spitting up more water.
Goku snickered as he watched Arashi come up for air. She looks like a drowned rat., he thought. His snickers became guffaws when her hair fell in front of her, covering her face; making her resemble Cousin It or its twin.
Arashi ignored them, and slowly waded to shore. They're going to regret that., she thought, scowling at her friends. Aloud, she said, "I'm going back to camp, to change into some dry clothes." When she was standing behind the still laughing group, she pushed Duet, and swept the feet out from under Goku, Duo, and Juunana--sending them into the freezing cold water.
"Hmph.", she thought as they came sputtering up for air. That'd show 'em.
And with that, Arashi headed back for the camp site, her gait having a touch of arrogance as she reflected on her 'revenge'.
"Now, why'd she go and do that?", Duet asked, rubbing the goosebumps on her arms as she waded ashore.
"Maybe because we did it to her.", Duo replied as he wrung the water out of his braid.
Goku and Juunana watched Duet and Duo as they tried to get dried. The two warriors shook their heads in sympathy, feeling sorry for the small Bishonen and his trainer. They couldn't instantly dry off, as Goku and Juunana could. Which reminded them....
Frowning in concentration, the two larger Bishonen rose their ki, until it exploded around them. Their hair flew up, and they dried instantly.
"Wish I could do that.", Duet commented as she enviously watched Goku and Juunana.
"Me, too.", Duo said wistfully as he tried to wring more water from his sopping wet braid. As he did so, a small waterfall appeared.
Duet giggled when she saw this.
Goku and Juunana just watched, little anime sweat drops appearing by their heads.
* * *
Stupid bakas., Arashi thought angrily as she stormed her way towards camp. I was tired, and wanted to sleep in. Couldn't they see that? I almost died yesterday.... Of course I was still in shock! So then why did they go and throw me into that ice-cold stream?!
So immersed in her dark thoughts, Arashi didn't pay attention to where she was headed. So by the time she realized that she was lost, it was too late.
She looked around, wide-eyed. Uh-oh.... Where am I? Please, please don't tell me that I'm lost.... Groaning when she didn't recognize any of her surroundings, she thought, I am lost.
What am going to do??
A cold breeze quickly whipped by her, and she then noticed how cold it was. Especially under the trees's canopy of leaves. Before I figure out how to contact the others, I better find some shelter... I might get sick if I stay out here any longer.
Wrapping her arms around herself, hoping that that would save some body heat, she chose a random direction and started walking. Arashi walked for several hours, never finding her way back to camp. Soon, the sky became dark with black and gray clouds. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the soft breeze that just recently been caressing Arashi's chilled skin strengthened, and flew past her with the force of a hurricane, further chilling the already cold girl. Her hair blew in front of her, and Arashi was shocked to see that little icicles had begun to form in her elbow length red-orange hair. Again, thunder rumbled; and was quickly followed by a flash of lightening. It collided with an ancient oak, so close that Arashi could feel the heat of the bolt. I must find shelter, and soon...., she thought, edging away from the blaze.
"At least it can't get any worse than this.", Arashi said, musing aloud. Right after she said that, it started to rain. She sighed, then headed in another direction; since the current one had brought no shelters or signs of civilization. Why did I have to say that? I can't believe that I was so stupid.... First I get lost; and now things just got worse. Everyone knows that you are not supposed to say that, because things can and do get worse....
She trudged on through the rain and hail for several more hours. Finally she found a clearing. With a cottage in the center....
Arashi let out a yelp of happiness and started to run towards the small cottage. It wasn't much, it seemed as if no one had used it in years; the wood was warped with age, and the paint had long ago worn off. Ivy vines clung to the cottage, proclaiming that the forest would again claim the small clearing in several more years. There was a garden, but it was overgrown; and the plants that did somehow manage to grow were choked by the weeds.
Arashi ran up to the door, preparing to knock. But something stopped her.... A premonition, a bad feeling, she didn't know. Or maybe she was remembering the fairy tale about Hansel and Gretel....
She was about to turn around and try her luck with a cave when the door slowly opened, showing its age with a loud and ear-splitting "Creak!". Arashi gulped, then prepared herself to meet the person who lived in this cottage.
* * *
"Did you find her?", Duet asked as Goku and Juunana returned from their scouting mission. Mutely, they shook their heads. Biting on a thumb nail, Duet started to pace. Where is she? Arashi never gets lost, unless she has something on her mind. And she probably did; after all, we did dump her into that cold stream....
Seeing Duet's worry, Goku said, "Don't worry. I'm sure that Arashi is fine. Juunana and I couldn't sense anything, because of this storm. But all the predators are in their dens, keeping out of the storm. So that means that Arashi isn't going to be eaten."
Juunana nodded, silently reaffirming Goku's opinion.
"Any ways, who would want to eat her? She'd give a predator indigestion!", Duo said as he ran into the small cave that the four friends had found. He carried a raincoat over his head, keeping the water off of him. Duo was vain, and he didn't want to mess up his perfect hair.
Duet scowled at him, and then walked stiffly into the section of the cave that she had claimed; for once showing the temper that she and Arashi shared.
Reaching the deepest part of the cave, she started to slow; tracing a finger on the drawings that she had found on the walls earlier that day. The three Bishonens and Duet had been forced to find shelter when the storm began; it was only by luck that they had found this cave. It extended for several miles, most of it underground, and the ceiling was so high overhead, that Duet couldn't see it. But the two most fascinating things about the cave (and Duet had found both) were the beautiful limestone creations, works of art that nature had been creating for several millenia, and the cave paintings. The only thing left from an ancient civilization that was dead and gone.
Duet continued to trace the pictures, lost in her thoughts. Her forefinger delicately redrew an picture that looked like Goku, and then one that looked surprisingly like Duo.... Finally noticing this, she was snapped back to the present. It was Goku and Duo. Looking more closely at the other pictures, she then saw that they were all pictures of Bishonen. And there was one that looked surprisingly like the one that Arashi had described the day before......
"Guys! Come here, quick! I've found something!", Duet yelled as she stared into cold, piercing blue eyes and traced soft lavender hair.
* * *
"You!", Arashi breathed, her eyes widening.
The inhabitant smiled softly at her, faintly amused by her shock. "Come in.", it told her. "You're soaking wet; you must be freezing."
Mutely, Arashi shook her head; the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel popping into her mind. 'Come here, my children.', the old hag told the two lost siblings kindly. She gestured them inside, asking, 'You like my gingerbread house, no? Once you're inside, I'll feed you something nice and warm. And maybe I'll have a bite to eat, myself.', she said, looking hungrily at Hansel.
Letting out a squeak, Arashi made a break for it. But the inhabitant of the small cottage was too quick. Before she knew it, she was slung over its shoulder. She scowled; remembering that morning. Then she scowl turned into a vicious smile. At least, this time, I can do something about this., she thought. With a yell, she started kicking and punching as hard as she could. She startled her captor, she knew, for he let out a muffled "Oomph!" the first time a kick had connected. I hope he's black and blue tomorrow., she thought perversely, giving him another hard kick before he managed to subdue her.
Her captor headed back towards the cottage, muttering obscenities under his breath. Inside, he closed the door behind him with a gentle kick with a booted foot.
Gently, he put Arashi down and she scooted away from him, crouching in a defensive position; then he went further into the cottage, leaving Arashi to glare at his back. A few minutes later he came back, holding two mugs filled to the brim with hot chocolate in his hands.
"Here.", he told her quietly, handing her the drink. Only after he sipped his, did Arashi begin to drink hers. He watched her over the rim of his mug, and once he finished, he said, "You have much spirit, and a hot temper, for one so small."
Hearing this, Arashi glared.
Chuckling, he offered her a small smile. "But, you know, you really shouldn't treat the person who saved you yesterday like how you were earlier. You almost kicked me hard enough to give me bruises. Almost, but not quite."
Then he took off the baseball cap that he had been wearing.
And Arashi stared into beautiful dark blue eyes; framed by lavender hair, pulled back into a ponytail at his neck.
Long-Haired Mirai Trunks.
* * *
"Hey, Duet, I think you're right.", Goku said as he moved closer to the cave paintings, studying them intently. "They are drawings of Bishonen."
"Who is this, though?", Duet asked as she pointed to the picture of Trunks. "I don't recognize him."
"That,", Juunana began, "is Long-Haired Mirai Trunks."
Continuing Juunana's comment, Duo said, "Most people don't recognize him, because he's the rarest Bishonen of all. In fact, only a few people have even heard of him. Your sister is one of the few."
Duet listened to this, a puzzled expression marring her brow.
"Trunks is very private.", Duo said. "He doesn't like visitors, and he likes to be alone. He's secluded from the world, basically a hermit. The only thing closest to a friend that he has is Goku, but Goku hasn't visited him in years."
Goku nodded at this. "Last I heard, he was training."
"There are lots of stories about why he's so private, but no one knows if they're true.", Duo continued. "Some people say that he was traumatized when he was little, others say that he lost someone that he cared very much for. No one knows."
Looking thoughtful, Duet asked, "If he's so secluded and wants privacy, then why did he save Arashi?"
Juunana shrugged. "Beats me."
"Does he live around here?", Duet asked.
"Yes.", Goku said. "In a run down cottage several hours walk from here."
"Hey... I wonder... Do you think that Arashi managed to find his cottage?", Duo asked.
Juunana smirked. "Not in a million years.", he told Duo smugly.
* * *
Arashi stared at her two time rescuer. First saving her from smashing into the ground, now protecting her from the storm.
"Why?", she asked suddenly.
Looking puzzled, Trunks put down his mug and looked at her, giving her his full attention. "Why what?", he asked.
"Why did you save me yesterday? Why help Goku defeat Super Android 17? Why are you letting me take shelter from the storm in your cottage?"
"Why not?", Trunks replied.
Sighing in exasperation, Arashi said, "In all of the stories that I've read about you, they state that you're a hermit. That you love your seclusion, and you don't want to be disturbed. That you're an observer, not wanting to get involved. So what was it about me that made you want to save me? To intervene?"
Trunks's eyes became distant and soft, remembering. "You remind me of someone.", he said.
Arashi looked at him, disgusted. "I thank you for saving me.", she said stiffly. "But I do not like to be compared to an old girlfriend, or an old lover."
And with that, she stood up and headed for the door. She was about to open it and take her chances with the storm when Trunks suddenly appeared in front of her.
He looked at her, his eyes flat and cold. "You do not remind me of an old girlfriend or an old lover.", he told her.
"Move out of my way.", Arashi demanded.
"You remind me of my mother, when she was your age.", Trunks told her, staring into her gray eyes intently.
Arashi backed up a step, in shock. "Wh-What?", she asked.
"Yes, you do.", he told her. "She was very intelligent, like you. She was also a Bishonen trainer. Until she caught and fell in love with my father, Vegeta."
Despite herself, Arashi was interested.
Continuing, Trunks said, "My father died in a Bishonen battle shortly after I was born. Against Mirai Android 17." At this, his eyes became chips of ice. "My mother raised me as best as she could. She died a while ago, while she was gathering berries for our dinner. Mirai Android 17 killed her."
Arashi looked at him. Then she did something that she had never done before, not even with Duet. She walked up to the apparently troubled youth and... hugged him. She could feel him tense, but then he relaxed. Soon, his arms were around her, hugging her back. Then a drop of moisture landed on Arashi's cheek, and she looked up. Trunks's eyes were tightly shut, and tears were trailing down his face. She pulled him down, so that they were sitting.
"It's okay. I'm here now.", Arashi told him, still hugging him. Trunks's response was to hug her tighter. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere.", she whispered.
"Please...", Trunks began. "Please don't leave me alone. I've been alone for so long, and I'm so lonely...."
"If you want, you can join me. You won't be alone, then.", Arashi told him.
He looked up and stared into her eyes, looking for any sign of deceit. "I can?"
"Sure.", she said.
"Thank you.", Trunks said softly, and hugged her tighter.
They fell asleep like that, each hugging the other. And for once, Trunks's dreams weren't haunted by his mother's dying screams.