Temper /  Discovery.

Cyrus looked at the black dust on his clothes and tried to brush it off even harder but it seemed so determined to stick to him.

He was shocked at his mother announcing that she was no longer going to be a fighter.  He thought that was just a phase she was going through.  Mom was always a fighter.  Of course, announcing it was a bit different.  He didn't need to say anything though.  Everyone else was talking and she just kept shaking her head and refusing to be a fighter.

He didn't think anyone else heard her words.  "I lost one son.  I will not loose another."

But he was more worried about the dust that seemed to be crawling on him.  Grandpa Goku was the only one that stayed near him, but everyone seemed to be talking at once.  The words all seemed to be a confusing mess.  How could the strongest female Saiyian ever, suddenly decided that she wasn't going to fight anymore?

He felt Goku trying to brush the dust off of him.  It did seem to be disappearing off his clothes but he could feel it on his skin and it was starting to itch.

"How long as your mom been acting his way?" Grandpa asked him as his hands still worked on the dust.  Yes, he defiantly could feel it on his skin.  The idea of having a bath now sounded really good.

"Since she hit Benot," he said.  That seemed so long ago but it was actually on the day before yesterday.    Grandpa stopped brushing the dust off of him and was now concentrating on the voices.  Trunks was saying something to mom and he looked quite angry at her.  Usually, Trunks tried not to interfere with her.  He understood there was still a little bit of discomfort between them, especially since her real father came for a visit before he was born.

The room fell into silence.  He wished he had been paying attention.  He was pretty sure it had to be something really good to quiet the heated voices that once filled his ears.

He thought his mom was back for a moment.  She looked angrily at Trunks and Trunks looked angrily back at her.  He could almost feel the electricity in the air.  "Are you going to turn your back on everyone now!  After all this time!"  Trunks snapped.

"I have no intention of hurting my family anymore.  I have done enough of that," she said to him.  Her voice was full of venom.  "I have done nothing but cause disturbances and I will not allow that anymore."  Dad had gone to mom and looked hesitant to put his hands on her shoulders.  She was shaking slightly.  She was holding herself back.

"So you are going to run and hide!"  Trunks said and took a step towards her.  Pan took a step back and went to Crystal and Gem who were looking a little frightened in the corner with Flint and Flare who looked confused.

He did not expect to see his mother slap Trunks.

It shocked everyone.

Trunks had a handprint on the side of his face and a look of utter amazement on his face.

"I am done talking of this!  There is school tomorrow.  The children should be in bed by now.  Flint.  Flare.  Legen. Cyrus." she said and then turned to Goten.  "You can do what you wish."  She didn't say it in a mean voice, but it was a little cool.  "I'll be at home waiting for you."

"Mom," Flint started but she just waved at him and told him to go out the door.  He felt himself following also.  He didn't like what this meant.  He took another hit off his inhaler, even though he didn't really need it.

……………………………

"Can you go get him?"  She was looking out the window as she spoke.  Goten looked to her as she slowly turned.  It was happening all over again.  She was torn inside and this time, she was going the other direction.  "I can't do that."  Her voice was so sad.  He knew that she was referring to Benot.  He knew that was all that she was thinking about since they arrived at home and he shuffled the kids off the bed.

"Maybe, he should just stay away for a couple of days," he said and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.  He didn't want to leave her.  She seemed so fragile right now.  He wasn't sure what would cause her to break now, but it didn't seem like it would take very much.  Benot had hurt her a lot with her words, but they were just spoken out of anger.  He didn't really mean them.  The boy had been through so much.  He did feel a little bit bad when he referred to that other guy as his father, but it was the truth.  They had just started getting along.

"I don't know," she said and put a hand to her forehead and looked like she was going to cry.  "Do you think so?"

He nodded.  "You should get some sleep and that will help clear your head."  He said and started to escort her to their bedroom.

"I can't seem to make the right choices," she whispered and ran her hands through her hair.  She looked so lost.  He had never seen her look that way.  He was really worried about her.

"Just get some sleep.  We will deal with the new day when it comes," he said.  He wanted just hold her and kiss her, but she was already walking away from him.  "I am going to talk to dad."  He said.

She just nodded and disappeared into their room.

……………………………

"Really?" Gohan said and smiled at his granddaughter.  "You knocked Flint on his butt?"

"Uh-huh!"  she said.  "Uncle Goten called me a natural!"

"I would say so," Gohan said and reveled in the new level of confidence that was in his grandchild.  It was nicer to talk about such things other than the partial visions that were seen before the silver ball turned to ash.

"He got me mad and I just flashed to gold and bam, he was gone."

Flashed to gold?  Is that what he thought it meant?  "Yes dad," Pan said with a smile.  "She has been hiding it from us.  She was scared that she would turn mean if she learned how to fight."

"Not mean, angry.  I don't want to angry like everyone else," she said.  "It still felt good to knock Flint on his butt.  I wasn't angry at him, but he deserved it and it felt really really good."

"You were just lucky," Gem said.  He could see the jealousy in her already.  Well, she was the first of them go gold, as she like to call it.  They thought that Flint would be the first.  Well, Benot was just about there, but now, he obviously removed himself from the situation.

Goten had returned looking a little drained.

They were still not sure of what they were going to do next.  Bra would start crying if they just mentioned that Vegeta was gone.  She refused to believe it and she was not in a very good condition now.

Trunks was just sitting there and seething.  He could not get over the fact that she had slapped him.  He hadn't said a word about it since she left but he kept stroking his cheek and his eyes kept getting harder and harder.

Goku went to Goten and patted him on the shoulder.  There wasn't much else that was to be said.  "Just give her a couple of days," Goten said.  "I am sure she will come around."

"Around to what?"  Trunks snapped at him.

"Huh?"  Goten said and was taken aback by Trunks outburst.  That handprint was rather bright on his face.  She must have hit him rather hard.  It looked like it almost glowed.

"She is impossible!  She just decides not to fight!  She trains day in and day out.  She gets everyone else all riled up about staying in prime condition and then she just turns on a dime!"  Trunks said and walked toward Goten.  "Go talk some sense into her!"

"What?"  Goten was still in a state of shock.  "It is just a phase."

"Oh.  A phase," Trunks said with a snarl.  "That makes everything so much better!  We need her now and this is what she does.  She is trying to kill my father!  Maybe she has already done that!  Maybe that is why in my vision I saw mom and dad together?"   he snarled.

Gohan had never seen Trunks look this way before.  He was starting to loose control and his hair was starting to sparkle with the transformation.   Actually that was wrong.  He had seen the OTHER Trunks act like this before when he was yelling at his own father for being – paraphrasing -- a self-centered prick.

"She hasn't…" Goten started and Gohan saw it coming but he was not quick enough to move to stop it.

Trunks threw a punch.

…………………………….

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It felt good to sleep without worrying about anything anymore.  It would have felt better if he could have been alone with Carmen, but that sure didn't happen.  He didn't mind Boxer, Bra and 'Geta crawling into bed with him though.  He had missed them so much.  In the last six months that he missed they seemed to have grown up so.  'Geta looked as if he had grown a foot.  The boy was getting so big!  Of course, he knew that he would grow to be a big man, but he thought that he would remain a little boy for little while longer yet.

Boxer had a hair cut since he last saw him and his former mess of dark blue hair, almost black, was now short and trim.  It was one of the first things that he complained about.  "Mom made me cut my hair."  He was trying to grow it longer like his.  He really did not want to see his son with long hair that he has to braid it.  He really had to cut his own hair.  The boy also seemed to have gotten a little taller, but not as much as his older brother.  He was trimmer than 'Geta.  Much trimmer, he was like his mother.  Bra looked like Bulma and she was also the only one that had the blue eyes.  Everyone else had the green.  None of his children looked like him.

He opened his eyes and was a little shocked that the bed was empty.  He didn't even feel anyone leaving the bed!  He then noticed the sounds downstairs.  Everyone was already up and from the sounds of it, they were trying to be quiet.  He knew it was impossible for them to be quiet. 

He struggled to get out of bed.  The pillows seemed to be calling him.  He was still so very tired.   His shoulder still ached but the bruise was already failing.  He grabbed the first set of clothes that were easy to grab and got dressed and it nearly exhausted him in doing that.  The pillows may have been calling him, but he wanted to be with his family more.  He had six months to catch up on.

He splashed some water over his face before he headed downstairs to see his family.  It looked like he had slept all day.

"About time," Soyna greeted him at the bottom of the stairs and escorted him to a chair.  "Thought you were going to sleep through your welcome home meal."  She said and returned to the kitchen where Carmen was.  He could smell dinner and it smelled so good.  He was hungry.  He didn't realize he was so hungry.

Carmen came over and gave him a kiss and that seductive smile that she always does.  "We thought you died on us."  She smoothed out his hair.  "Boxer was jumping on the bed trying to get you up earlier, but you were still not moving."

"I was more tired that I thought," he said and kissed her.

"Hey," Soyna said.  "Eew you guys.  Geez.  I am in the room, here!"

He smiled.  He was so glad to be home.  "Where is everyone else?" he asked.  He was pretty sure he heard them earlier down here.  Was he mistaken?

"You cheated!"

"Did not!"

"Cheater!"

Nope, wasn't mistaken.

"I did not cheat!"

He turned to see Boxer coming in looking rather despondent and holding a hand over one of his eyes.  'Geta followed behind him.  "Well.  It wasn't fair."  Boxer protested.  "Dad!  Dad!  'Geta cheated."

"I did not!  Dad.  We were just sparing!"

"Yeah, and he cheated!"

"I did that solar binding attack so that he would learn that you can win on speed alone," 'Geta said.

"YOU HIT ME!"  Boxer yelled.  "When I was in that bind!  That is just not fair."

"What do you think an enemy would do if you were in a snare?  Wait until you were free to attack?" Soyna interjected.

"No, but…" Boxer whined.   He was a rather sore loser at times, especially when it came to 'Geta.  For some reason, he thought that he should be a better fighter than his older brother was.  No one tried to bet Soyna when they spared.  They just hoped she was in a good mood.  Hell, so did he at times. She may not be as trained and disciplined as her counterpart was.  She couldn't transform past level 2, but it was a strong level 2.  He was pretty sure if she were pushed, she could go farther.  "I'm just a kid!"  Boxer bellowed.

"That does not matter to an enemy.  What do you think your training for?"  Soyna said and shook her head.  "Go wash up and go find you sister."  She commanded.  "Dad's welcome home dinner will be ready soon."

"You are not the boss of me!" Boxer said.  He was a bit jealous of his sister strength.  He already was striving to be stronger than her.  It caused a little bit of a comedic rivalry between the two, since Boxer was nowhere near as polished of a fighter yet.

"Now, now," Carmen said and standing between the two.  Soyna looked like she was ready to throw the spoon that was in her hand at him.  He wouldn't put it past her.  'Geta looked happy that his older sister was belittling Boxer.  After all, it was very obvious that 'Geta was her favorite sibling.  "Go and do what your sister said."

"Mom?" Boxer continued to whine.

"Go on now."  She said.  Boxer gave him a look but all he did was shrug.  He learned a long time ago that he did not try to disobey the women in his life.  It was just too dangerous.

Boxer gave a defeated look and parted from the room with 'Geta grinning widely as they walked out of the room to go find their sister.

"Where's mom?  Isn't she helping you cook?" he said.  He was actually surprised that she wasn't around worrying about him.

Soyna just shrugged and kept on going.  Carmen just shook her head.  "Hum… I have not seen her all day actually.  She went out to her lab last night but that was the last I saw of her."

Of course.  Where else would his mother be?

"She is with her boyfriend."

He jumped.  It was Bra standing in the doorway to the living room with a soda in her hands.  She must have been watching TV.  She could hide her chi very well at her young age.  She didn't even have to think about it.  It was just not there to read.  It was very annoying. 

"Boyfriend?"  Carmen said.  "Since when does your grandmother have a boyfriend?"

Bra gave a shrug.  "Since last night I guess," she said and came over to him and gave him a hug.  She was not interested in sparing yet, but he knew that she would be strong if she wanted too.  Her hug hurt his shoulder. 

Soyna shook her head.  "Don't be silly Bra.  I'll go get her," she said and took off the towel that was draped over her shoulder.

"No.  That's okay," he said.  "I need to move anyway.  I'll go get her."  He stood.  He didn't want to move, but he knew that if he didn't, he was going to be as stiff as a board.

"I don't think so dad," Soyna said in a stern voice.  "You are not well enough.  I do not want to have to carry you up the stairs again."

"Easy dear," Carmen said.  "Let him go.  The walk will do him some good."  Ah, his wife.  Always there to back him up.  "Plus, I need you to stop the fight that is going to start upstairs."

There was a loud crashing sound and some yelling.  'Geta and Boxer were going at it again.  Sometimes he wished that Bra was in the middle of those two in ages.  Maybe then, they wouldn't fight with each other so much.

 Soyna sighed at went upstairs as the noise continued.

"Not much has changed," he said.  "I am so glad to be home."  His legs felt weak but not as bad as before.  He was certain the walk would do him some good. 

"Can I go with you dad?" Bra said and tugged on his arm.  "Huh?  Huh?"

"I need you hear Bra," Carmen said.  "Do you want to ice the cake or not?"

Her eyes just lit up at the thought of icing.  Things certainly did not change that much.  He gave Carmen a kiss on the cheek and was to go out the door when Brennen entered.  "What is going on up there?"  he said.

There were some days when he thought the guy was good for Soyna and there were some days, when he was certain that he was going to betray her.  It was one of the reasons that he kept putting off going into space to take care of Krad and Ligh.  He put it off until he no longer could.  He had done nothing to give the indication that he did nothing but love her, but he still did not like the guy at times and this was one of them.

"Oh.  You're up.  How are you doing?" he said with a nervous smile.  He was glad that he still made him nervous.

"Fine." He said.  He knew his voice was a little cold.  He couldn't help it.  He doubted that he would ever trust the man.  Carmen poked him.  She thought Brennen was great for Soyna.  After all, they had been married now for five years and had proven himself to be a good man for her.  But then, she did not see the OTHER Soyna, telling how she was betrayed by him.  He knew a bit more that she told.  Junior told him.  But it still did not make him like the guy.

There was a loud crash and he heard his daughter's voice.  "YOU LITTLE BASTARD!  When I catch you, you are so toast!"

It was going to take them awhile.

"I am going to get mom," he said and was almost relieved to get out of that room.  He was still immersed in the words that his OTHER daughter told him.  He had thought of nothing else but killing Krad and hoping that in some way, he could help his daughter from becoming so jaded in this life.

He walked out the door, slowly.  Moving to quickly sent his head into a spin.  Thankfully, her lab was not far from the house.  When Soyna and Brennen moved in after their wedding, mom had built her lab outside the house so that she could have a quiet spot to her work.  Of course, she thought she was going to have great grandkids soon, but Soyna and Brennen haven't given any indication that they were thinking of that yet:  Even though, by his calculations, he should be a grandfather in less than a year, if he didn't change too much of the history.  He would finally have someone that resembled him around the house.   He had been careful not to say anything about that.  He did not want to jinx anything that was good coming out of their relationship.  He was actually hoping for grandkids.  He knew he would not get have all the ones that he met in the other time, but he would hopefully have at least Benot and Legen.

He opened the door lab.  Her work area was empty.

 That was odd.

He went into the next room, slowly walking.  His legs were not going to hold him up much longer.  He really needed to sit down and the only chairs were in the room that mom made for herself.

Her little area that she called her cabin.  It was where she went when the kids got to wild and they all respected her privacy in there.  He did too.  His mom did need to have some space that was her own, after all, she gave up the house to him and his kids.

"Mom?"

There was no answer and it didn't look like she had been tinkering with anything recently.  Usually there were tools and wires loose about everywhere if she was really on to something.  The place looked really clean for his mother's lab.

He wondered what Bra was talking about.  Mom having a boyfriend?  Mom had never had a boyfriend as far as he knew.  If she did have one, he didn't know about it.  Not that he discouraged her to find a boyfriend or even a friend that was a guy.  He remembered when he was young, before he really started to train, that he asked mom why she didn't date.

She just shook her head and sighed, "And go through all that aggravation again.  I don't think so son."

He was five.  Innocent of that part of life.  He didn't know what she really meant until he met his father.

"Mom?"  he called again and staggered towards her little 'cabin'.  "Are you in here mom?"

He opened the door.

Bra was not kidding about Mom having a boyfriend.

……

Nothing to note here… hoped you enjoyed this harrowing tale.

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