Here we have Chapter 7. This title actually has meaning. Can you figure it out?
Okay, I was asked if the spirits were trying to get Rayne and Trunks together. They actually said this in another chapter, but it wasn't extremely clear, so the answer is yes. Their reasoning is that if they give Marron a taste of what she's always wanted, she will realize that Trunks really isn't the man she loves.
Also, this is the chapter of my story that I refer to as "the time passer." If you guys are lost, lemme know.
Chapter VII - Gone
Marron yawned as she stood ringing out the last few customers of the day. She didn't have any classes, and she was just so tired. 'Two months,' she thought to herself. Two months ago, she had finally quit Capsule Corp. Now, she had these two completely insane spirits following her around and forcing her to do all the things that she absolutely did not want to do...well, she didn't want to do most of them.
"How much for the studio?"
She looked up and saw her last customer, who just happened to be Trunks. "Well well, if it isn't Mr. Briefs. What brings you here?"
"Like I said, I came to buy the studio."
"And why, Mr. Briefs, are you inquiring?"
"Well, if I buy Marron out of business, then you can come and work for me."
"Don't you think that's a bit arrogant? I mean, to just assume that you not only have enough money to buy out the studio, but also that I would come and work for you--"
"No, that's good business."
She shook her head. "I seriously doubt that some dance studio is challenging Capsule Corp."
"That is quite true, but, I do need a new secretary, and I think you're just the woman for the job."
"For the thirty-seventh time, I do not want a job at Capsule. I'm happy here, doing what I love."
"Well, if you change your mind--"
"Yes yes, if I change my mind, I know where to reach you, and don't bother giving me your card, because the other thirty-six are still being recycled."
He laughed. "I guess I'm getting too predictable."
"I think down right annoying would be a better description."
"You know, Marron's been gone for nearly two months now."
'Gee, he actually noticed?' "Yeah."
"Well, isn't that quite a long vacation?"
"Marron had a lot of stress. I wonder where it could have all come from."
"Are you implying that I am somehow responsible for her stress?"
She took on a look of innocence. "Oh no. I would never imply something like that."
He grinned. "Have dinner with me tonight."
"For the one-hundredth and sixth time, this month, no. Thanks, but no."
"And why not?"
"Because I still haven't forgotten what happened last time."
"And that was?"
"Why you! YOU!!" She nearly reached out to choke him to death. "You got me drunk, then tried to take advantage of me, that's what happened!"
"I wouldn't have done anything that you didn't want."
WHAP! Her hand struck the side of his face hard.
His own hand moved up to cover the rapidly growing red spot. "Satisfied?"
"I wish I were."
"Okay, I'll ask one more time, and if you say 'no,' I promise to never ask again. Would you please have dinner with me tonight?"
She glanced over to Epica and Elese, who were looking through her CD's. They looked up and her, and nodded profusely. "Alright, Mr. Briefs, let's have dinner."
He tried to hide his surprise, with little success. "Good. I'll pick you up at your place at seven." He kissed her hand, and left quickly.
She sighed and slumped down onto the counter. "That man is going to be the death of me."
"Ahha! I found it!" Elese walked out of the closet, holding up the garment, which they had been searching for since Marron had left the studio.
"Good work, Sis."
"Thank you." She handed it to Marron, who eyed it. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go put it on."
"Alright." She walked into the bathroom, then returned minutes later, dressed in a red dress. It was short, ending above her knee, with a split up the side, and had spaghetti straps. She walked over to a mirror. "I look like an elf."
"Elf?"
"Red dress, green hair. Elf."
The spirits started cracking up.
"It's not funny."
"Yes it is."
"Damnit, Elese, change the color!"
"Fine, fine." *Snap.*
"What is it with you and the color orange?!"
"Sorry." *Snap.*
"Black, I suppose it'll do."
"No," Epica disagreed. "It needs to be brighter. Pale pink."
*Snap.* "There."
Marron heard her doorbell sound. "He's early. I expect the two of you will be accompanying us."
"Of course."
"Please be nice tonight."
"I'll keep her under control, Marron. Just try to have some fun."
"I don't want to have fun with him. I want to forget him."
The bell rang again.
"Don't keep him waiting."
Marron sighed again, and went to the door. "Impatient, are we?" She asked, when she opened it, and saw him leaning against the frame.
"Well hello there, Miss Rayne. I was beginning to think you had backed out."
"Are you saying I'm a coward?"
"Never. Ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
"Then what are we waiting for?" He grabbed her hand, and pulled her out of the apartment, giving her just enough time to grab the knob and close the door.
"Where are we going?"
"My house."
She halted. "Oh no we're not."
"Relax. I'm not going to try anything. I promise." He helped her into his car, and got in on the driver's side.
"I'm beginning to think this was a bad idea. Don't make me regret this, Mr. Briefs."
"Trust me."
"Last time I trusted someone, I got hurt pretty bad." She glanced down at the jagged scar on her hand, that had been left after Epica's little escapade.
"You can't let one bad apple ruin you for the rest of us."
She looked up at him. What was he talking about? 'Oh! He thinks--' "I suppose you're right," she said aloud.
Marron sat on the couch beside Bura and Goten. It had turned out that Trunks was going to cook for them all.
"Onichan said he wanted to make you feel more comfortable, since things didn't go so well last time."
'What? Trunks has considered someone else's feelings? Gee, he must want it bad. The spirits did say he needed a challenge.' "Pretty unbelievable," she commented quietly.
"He's really trying to impress you."
He came into the living room, sporting a tray of hors d'oeuvres. "Refills anyone?"
"No thanks."
He set the tray on the coffee table, then sat beside Marron.
"So what's on the menu for tonight?" Marron asked.
"I thought I'd go for an old-fashioned favorite. Salads, steaks, and baked potatoes."
"Ummmm," Goten's eyes began to roll back into his cranium, and Bura playfully slapped him back to reality.
'What makes the two of them so perfect for each other?' She had never been able to figure it out. Since they were all kids, Goten had always been Bura's protector. But Marron wasn't jealous of them. She was jealous of their happiness, and she couldn't help it. That was when it hit her. 'What if things had been different? If Trunks and I had always been there for each other, and finally found our destinies together? Would I still love and long for him the same way I do now? Is my infatuation just desire, loneliness, and jealousy all mixed together?'
The spirits, who were currently unseen to all, watched her curiously.
"It's starting, isn't it?" Elese asked.
"Yes." She noticed the small tears forming in her sister's eyes. "What is it?"
"It's just a little sad, that's all."
"This was her heart's desire. She will forget her love, and move on."
Marron picked a bit at her baked potato. She really wasn't too hungry, especially after she had had her recent revelation, if you could call it that. 'Could it be possible that I never really loved Trunks?'
"Are you alright, Rayne?" Bura asked, noting her far off gaze.
She snapped to attention. "Hai. I was just thinking."
"Oh."
"Are you guys ready for dessert?"
"Sure."
Trunks rose, and Goten helped him collect the dinner plates, and relocate them to the kitchen. "What do you think of her, Goten?" He pulled out a cheesecake and dessert plates.
"Nice."
"Yeah." He smiled and grabbed a bottle of chocolate syrup, and began to decorate the cake, and the plate. (You guys know what I'm talking about, one of those presentation-type things.)
Marron walked into the kitchen. "Goten, Bura said she wanted to speak with you alone. I'll help Trunks get everything."
Goten shrugged and left the room.
"So," Marron began, "what are you--STOP! STOP!!"
He froze, the bottle poised over the dessert. "What? What?"
"You're wasting chocolate!"
"Wasting? I'm making it look nice."
"Who cares how it looks? It's the taste that matters. You can't waste precious chocolate. That stuff doesn't grow on trees, you know."
"Umm, actually, it does."
"No, cocoa beans do. Then, they have to be processed, and that could take a long time, considering I want my dessert now."
He shook his head. Her philosophy was actually making sense, and that worried him. "You've got to be the most outrageous person I've ever met."
"What makes you say that?"
"You're a dancing, singing, chocolate loving, psychotic klutz, who isn't afraid to say what's on her mind. Absolutely mind-boggling."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"And feisty too," he smirked. "So, how would you put on the chocolate?"
"That's simple." She took the bottle from him, and eyed it for a second before unloading the contents onto his face. "Like that."
He nodded slowly, the thick, dark liquid dripping from his face. "Shoulda seen that one coming, ne?"
"From a mile away."
"And here I was giving you a compliment."
She couldn't hold her laugh in any longer, and it bursted from her.
"Does something amuse you, Miss Rayne?" She nodded, and continued to laugh. "What have you to say for yourself?"
"What can I say? I couldn't resist."
"Oh. Well, that's probably going to be my reply."
"Reply to what?"
"When Bura asks me why you're soaked with water." He grabbed the sprayer from its hook on the sink, turned on the water, and started blasting her.
"No, Trunks! No! It's cold!" She laughed as he chased her around the room with it. (It had a VERY long hose.) "Stop!" The inevitable occurred, and she slipped onto the floor.
Trunks continued his assault. "Looks like I have you at my mercy." He took a step closer and fell onto his back, colliding with her. She got to her knees, and he looked up at her. "You know, you're quite fetching when you're wet."
"Really?" She grabbed the sprayer from him. "Let's see if water has the same effect on you." She doused him gleefully, the force of it blowing the chocolate into his lavender hair. She would have continued, but the door started to open, and she quickly put the sprayer back into his hand, then looked innocently up at Bura, as she entered the kitchen.
"What is going on--Trunks! What have you done to Rayne?!"
He lifted his head to see his sister. "Me?!" He sighed, and dropped his head back down in defeat. "Women."
"Well, Mr. Briefs, I guess I'll have to get going. Maybe we can have that dessert some other time."
"Do you want a ride, Rayne?"
"No thanks, Bura." She left the mansion quickly, and pulled out her capsulized car. *Poof!* It appeared before her, and she headed home.
Marron was miserable, and in pain. She had done everything that she could to make it go away. Walking around the room hadn't helped. Sitting up hadn't helped. Lying down just seemed to make it worse, and then it wouldn't stop long enough for her to get to sleep. She had taken all of the allotted medication, plus some, and still, it never faltered.
"What's the matter, girl? Not happy to see your monthly visitor?"
Marron's reply was an angry mumble, followed by "baka," and a few other choice words.
"Leave her alone, Epica."
There was a light knock at her front door, and she slowly pulled herself from the couch, dropping the blanket, which she had been curled up with, onto the floor. "Who ever's behind that door, be prepared to meet your doom," she muttered, then opened it.
"My doom, huh?" Trunks asked as he took in her appearance. He raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay?"
"Fine," she said, leaning against the door. "You wanna come in or something?"
"Sounds fun." He walked inside, and she closed the door behind him, then followed him into her living room, where he took a seat on her couch.
She crossed her arms over her chest, just realizing that she was wearing her worn out sweats. "So can I help you with something?"
"Nah. Just thought I'd come by. See if you were missing me yet."
"It hasn't even been twenty-four hours yet."
"Ehh." He watched her nearly crumple as a crap shot through her body. "Are you sure you're alright?"
"Look, if you really want to know, I am experiencing menstrual pains." 'That should get him to leave.'
"Ohhh. Come over here." He patted the cushion beside him.
'Sitting does seem more comfortable than standing.' She sat on the other side of the couch. She heard him laugh a little bit as he moved around beside her. Then he suddenly grabbed her by the waist, lifted her slightly, then turned her so that her back was to him. "What are you..." her words were lost as he began to massage her back, and relieve her pain. She moaned. Oh Kami, was he good with his hands. She leaned backwards, onto his chest and slowly began to drift off to sleep. (Geez, this is making me sleepy.)
Trunks looked down at the sleeping woman in his arms. He didn't think it possible for her to become any more beautiful, but somehow, she had. She was so serene now. He gently moved from beneath her, and moved her so that she was fully on the couch. He picked up the blanket and draped it over her. "Sleep well, Miss Rayne," he said softly, then kissed her forehead. He left quietly.
The spirits watched the scene unfold before them, with interest.
"You don't think...?" Epica asked.
"It's not possible, but what if...?"
Oh no! What's got the spirits worried?? Find out in the next chapter!
TO THE REVIEWERS:
Burned Vamp - More snuggles for me?? YAY! And Hershey's for you! Hershey's for everybody! Did you catch the explanation up top?? I hope it helps.
Pink Rabbit - Laughs are good. Very good. Domo Aragato!
Tainted Fire - And I thought I was hyper! Welcome to the party & thanks!
That's all for now. Until next time, you guys...