Well, I'm sure you weren't expecting another update so soon. I told you guys I was ready to get it over with. Now, I just actually have the time to type it! I'll be leaving again, when the interstate clears up, so I might be able to get some others out. Might, that is. I'm doing what I can, and with everything else packed up, and the computer easy to hook up and move around, I don't have too much else to do.

And since I don't have many reviews to reply to *grins* because I haven't sent out notifications to the mailing list yet, I'm going to reply to them first.

alannapurple - Okay, to answer your question, no and yes. Also, thanks for reviewing Arachne, as it's one of the reasons I'm ready to go ahead and finish this one up. Thanks!

leelee - You were right. As for Cloney, *blows a big kiss* I've found that duct tape is fun. (Especially when I'm borrowing GT Trunks and Goten.)

Kitami Blu - A new comer, who I first thought was Blu b/c of the name, but it turned out to not be so...ANYWAY, thanks for taking the time to point out that mistake there, which I caught last night after I posted it, but I was in a hotel, and couldn't use up the line too much, so it's been taken care of now. Thanks again, though. You had me worried, when I read "half-flame," but that's okay. You should have seen all my earlier mistakes, that I've gone back and caught, like the infamous "pacem," which was supposed to be "pace,". I think I fixed that one, though. And did you read every word I've written?? Heehee. Anyway, thanks for the great review!

Enjoy the chapter, guys!

Chapter XXIX – Let It Ride

Three Months Later…

Marron picked up the plastic dolls, and all the papers scattered throughout the studio. She looked over at the new costumes and smiled. She and Rei had won the musical account, and now her own team was being allowed in as extras.

She quickly finished putting things away, and locked up the studio, heading home. She opened the front door of her apartment, and nearly fell over at the site before her. There Trunks sat on her couch, lounging back comfortably. "Trunks, what are you—?"

"Doing here? I came to see you."

"Well obviously, Trunks. Why?"

"I need a favor."

"A favor? What kind of favor?"

"Come to dinner with me."

"No. Now get out."

"You didn't let me finish. I want you to come to dinner with me and Lena."

"Lena? Why?"

"She likes you."

"She likes me? Is that supposed to make me want to come dine with you two? Because it doesn't."

"Now Marron, don't be so snappy. It's a free meal."

"Incase you haven't taken note, Trunks, I have to means to pay for plenty of my own meals."

He stood, dropping his hands into his pressed pants. "Look, I wouldn't ask, but she really does like you, and since she's new around here, she doesn't know very many people. So I thought that maybe her idea wasn't so bad."

She shook her head, closing the door, and tossing her things on a nearby table. "Why can't you ask Bura and Goten? Then you could have a double date. I'll even volunteer to baby-sit."

"Marron, you said you wanted to be friends. How can we be friends if you can't even stand to have a meal with me? Besides, it's not like a date. Lena will be there. And I hear Bura always saying that you need to get out more."

"Trunks, I just don't think that this is a very good idea."

"Marron, please."

She closed her eyes and sighed.

"Marron?"

She looked up at him again. "Alright, I'll go." She gave him a mock glare. "But I want a steak."

He gave her a quick hug. "Anything! Thanks!" He rushed out the door, calling over his shoulder, "I'll send a car for you at seven!"

Marron massaged the bridge of her nose. "I make bad decisions."

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Marron scooted closer to the table as her steak finally arrived. She grabbed her utensils, and dug into the huge t-bone.

"My sister tells me that you've agreed to coordinate her wedding," Lena commented.

Marron nodded, remembering when Canary had introduced Lena as her sister a month earlier, when the wedding plans were first getting underway. "Yeah. I hadn't really thought about doing anything for weddings before, but she suggested it a couple of months ago, and I thought it was a great idea."

"Well, it certainly sounds fun. What've you got planned?"

"Well for ballroom, the late nineteenth century European dances seem to go over well in front of an audience. For the sideshow," she dropped some butter and sour cream onto her baked potato and stirred it around, "oddly enough, she wants a Hawaiian theme. So, Rei and I have been studying up on some hula."

"This wedding is going to be so great!"

Marron was trying really hard to not like Lena, but it wasn't working at all. She was far too nice. 'And Trunks must really like her to continue seeing her for more than two months. Maybe we can move on…"

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Rei sat back in the unstable chair, almost asleep, when the door to the studio crashed against the wall, and a very angry blue haired demon stormed in.

"Where is she?"

Rei jumped up. "Bura? What's wrong?"

"Where's Marron?"

"In the back, trying to tune up the piano."

Bura's demeanor became more determined, as she stomped to one of the back rooms. She found Marron hunched over the open piano, pulling on a few of the chords. "Marron!"

Marron started, her head banging on the open piano lid. She blinked, stumbling back a bit, and rubbing the growing knot on her head. "What?"

""What? WHAT?! I could ask you the same!"

She reached out and put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Bura, calm down. What's wrong."

"Don't tell me to calm down! You know what's wrong."

Marron took a deep breath. "Bura, let's sit." She took her over to the rows of chairs, and sat back. Bura followed suit. "Now, tell me what's going on."

"You," she began, "are ruining everything."

Marron looked around. "You think I should get a professional tuning job?"

Bura growled. "No. I mean with Trunks."

"There's nothing to mess up between Trunks and I."

"What are you talking about, Marron?"

"We're just friends, Bura."

"No, you're meant to be together, and your encouraging him to date Lena is not going to make things any easier."

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"Unbelievable," Elese whispered.

"I don't see why it's so unbelievable anymore. It's been going on for more than a year now," Epica pointed out.

"Aren't either of them willing to fight for love at all?"

"Maybe Dende doesn't want us to succeed. How can we be sure that they're meant to be anyway?"

"Our mission is supposed to be impossible."

· · · · · · · · · · · · · § · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

"Marron, why can't you just tell Trunks that you still love him?"

"Because I don't, Bura."

"Or so you say."

Marron sighed. "Don't persist me about this. Please."

"Why do you insist on putting yourself through so much unnecessary pain?"

"I'm doing what's right, Bura. Trunks and I could never be together. Not now."

"Then when?"

Rei tapped lightly on the open door. "Everything alright here?"

"Yeah, Rei." Marron stood, then went back over to the piano. "Everything's fine."