Crimson Tide
Chapter Four: Goten's Surprise
Earth, 790 AD
She slammed her diary shut as soon as she heard footsteps. Like all girls, Keeney had a lot of secrets to keep. And the greatest secret she had was her love for her brother's best friend, Goten. She told nobody, of course, except her diary. Trunks would always tease her, but she'd immediately deny it, most especially in front of her father. She was lucky Vegeta allowed her to hang out with Goten, but it was because he knew that Goten and Keeney would never be together. After all, according to the Saiyajin no Ouji, Goten had already found his mate.
Unknown to them, those words upset Keeney a lot. In fact, everytime Vegeta calls Goten a weakling, she'd defend him as much as she could. It seemed natural for her already, but nobody seemed to notice, because Goten, Trunks and Keeney comprised the trio of troublemakers whose pranks haunted their dreams until this very day.
Well, except Trunks.
Trunks knew that Keeney loved Goten with a love deeper than the one brought by friendship, and as long as Trunks is around, Keeney would never be spared from his teasing.
"Oneechan?" a young boy called out from outside her room. "May I come in?"
Keeney quickly stuffed her diary under her pillows, and when that was done, she said, "Alright, come on in!"
"Arigatou," he answered, and then he cautiously stepped in the room. Boxer Briefs-Vegeta, Keeney's little brother, was an adorable pre-teen, who looked like Trunks in many ways. He had smooth lavander hair and cute blue eyes that resembled Trunks' when he was younger. In fact, his hair was fixed up the same way as Trunks' was... because it was how Bulma wanted it.
However, Boxer was softer in nature. He didn't talk much; he didn't cause trouble like Trunks did when he was still a kid. He was the shy, silent type, not like his other siblings. Trunks was outgoing, and he still had that mischievous streak even at 24. Keeney was, witty and talkative, yet fun-loving at the same time. After all, she was part of the troublemaking alliance spearheaded by the renowned Goten and Trunks. Bra was bossy and plainly naughty for a girl her age, although who would blame her? She was only ten.
But Boxer was different. He was very smart, yet reserved. He would rather spend the whole day in his room and come up with some of his own inventions than go to those fancy parties Trunks would organize. For some reason, though, Goten had some odd liking towards the little boy. Maybe because they both were the sort of the neglected ones, maybe because both of them had the same desire to have an identity of their own.
Trunks and Bra were Bulma's favorites --- the eldest and the youngest, respectively. Vegeta, on the other hand, preferred Keeney who had always wanted to be strong and powerful. Although she could not turn super saiyajin at the age of 21, but she was dedicated in her training, and that was what Vegeta liked about her. And even though Trunks and Bra were Bulma's favorites, she also had a liking towards her eldest daughter, who was once a ramp model, and now a beauty queen.
And that left Boxer stranded in the middle of the attention.
In Goten's case, they were only two in the family, but his parents seemed to attend to Gohan more than him. Gohan seemed to be the most loved one in Goten's eyes. He was a scholar and a fighter at the same time, now he was a father and the Emperor of some faraway planet. On the other hand, Goten grew up without a father for seven years, and that greatly affected his entire being. True, Goten was now famous and all that, but he still longed to go back to his childhood and spend all those seven years with Goku. He had always wanted that.
"So what brings you here, Little Trunks?" Keeney teased, as Boxer had always been called by that. Her younger brother only scowled, a scowl that she had always seen planted on their father's face. "Okay, I'll stop it. So why'd you come? Need something from me?"
"Goten called," Boxer replied. "But you were still asleep. He told me to let you know that he wants to meet with you today. Celeste and Oniichan won't be with him."
Keeney felt as if she was in heaven. "Really?! Celeste won't be with him! Only me and him? Wow! This must be my lucky day!" she exclaimed as she hugged her brother. "I'm sooooo happy!"
"Oneechan..."
"Oh, sorry," Keeney said as she let go and smiled sheepishly. "Did he say when and where?"
"Half past 10, he'll pick you up," Boxer replied, then he smirked. "Admit it! You want to marry him, don't you?"
Suddenly Keeney's face was bright red, and she defensively replied, "I do not! He's just... my best friend!"
"Liar," Boxer said as he stuck his tongue out. "You like him! I can see it in your eyes. When you look at Goten your face looks the same as mom's when she gets into this talk with dad and she tells us to keep out. But... I thought he has a girlfriend already."
"Who told you these things?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
A sheepish smile crossed Boxer's face. "Oniichan did. He kept telling me what you do whenever Goten is around. You start acting strange and hyped up and you look as if you want to squeeze him to death."
That did it. Keeney bolted up and snapped, "TELL TRUNKS THAT HE HAS NO RIGHT TO SAY THESE---"
"But he said Goten likes you."
She blinked.
"And he also said that probably the reason why Goten wants to meet you 'cuz he dumped Celeste and he's gonna ask you out. Oh and Oniichan also said that Goten and Celeste had a fight recently."
Keeney's heart began to beat faster and faster as the news registered in her brain. It had been months since Goten and Celeste met and became a couple, however, it looked as if Goten was double-crossing his girlfriend since he still spends much time with Keeney. Luckily for Keeney, Sabreurs were naturally good-hearted and they don't fall for those emotions such as envy or jealousy. Except Videl, but she was an exception, after all, she's a hybrid, and thus susceptible to human emotions.
Vegeta's second brat could not contain her joy. For the first time after how many months, Goten was going to hang out with her, and it would be just the two of them. No Celeste, and no Trunks. Just Goten and her.
"Admit it, Oneechan, you like him!" Boxer continued to tease.
"Okay, okay, I admit," she said, giving in. "Just... keep it a secret, alright? Please, Boxer?"
The 12-year-old demi saiyajin rolled his eyes, but then, he smiled. "Alright, I promise. It's a secret."
"Great! Now, what should I wear?" Keeney blurted out as she started to pick what she would wear from the entire horde stuffed in her dresser.
"Your order, sir?"
Goten took a second to look at Keeney, and then, he turned to the waitress and smiled. "I'd like seven large cheeseburgers and orange juice... three large cups. Oh wait, make that eight large cheeseburgers and four large cups of orange juice."
The waitress started to scribble his order, then she stopped and blinked. "A-Are you sure about this amount, sir?"
"Oh, it's too few? Okay, just make it ten large cheeseburgers."
He's not kidding... the waitress told herself, then when she was once again composed, she turned to Keeney. "And your order, ma'am?"
"I'll just have five cheeseburgers and three sodas. I want the biggest ones. I'm on a diet right now."
"Oh yeah, I forgot! Make mine giant cheeseburgers too!" Goten pitched in.
What are these people?! the waitress asked herself as she stared at the two demi-saiyajins in disbelief.
"Umm... miss, something wrong?" Keeney asked worriedly.
She shook her head. "Sorry, we'll get to your orders right away!" she exclaimed, and ran off, as if she was scared beyond belief.
Keeney turned to Goten. "What was that all about?"
"I don't know," Goten replied. "But I'm hungry, they better hurry or I'm going to raid their 'fridge."
"So..." Keeney began, trying to open up a topic. "Why did you ask me out? And where's Celeste?"
Goten was looking around uncomfortably, and when he was sure nobody else was looking, he moved closer to Keeney and whispered, "I have something to show you."
She was immediately excited, and it was obvious in the look in her eyes. "Show it to me, Goten! Show me!"
"Here," Goten muttered as he pulled something out of his pocket, when a flash blinded them.
And another.
And another.
"We are here right now in a fastfood restaurant in Satan City, and look who's here with us! The Prince of the Silverscreen, Goten Son!"
Goten began to panic. "Oh no... not you guys again!"
"Hi Goten-sama!" the reporter chirped as she made herself comfortable on Goten's lap. "Can I ask you a few questions?"
"Get off him!" Keeney growled.
"Oh, are you Mr. Son's nursemaid?" another reporter asked Keeney as she came towards their table, and not controlling herself any longer, she flung her arms around Goten. "Oh Goten-samaaaaaaaaaaa! I've been dying to get the chance to have an interview with you!"
"I said, get off him! And I am NOT his nursemaid!" Keeney roared, scaring the other people around them, but not the two reporters, who were now at the verge of playing a game of tug-of-war.
"Get off him, Laura," the first reporter shot at the newcomer. "I got here first! It's my turn to interview Goten-sama, not yours! Learn to pay respect! I got here first!"
"Oh no, Rachel, you are NOT going to interview Goten-sama," the second snapped in reply as she hugged Goten tighter. "Your driver intentionally crashed your car to mine so you could come here and snag and interview with Goten-sama, and that is so disgusting of you! I'm going to interview him!"
"I won't let you!" Laura yelled as she yanked Goten towards him.
"Well too bad, because he's going to answer MY questions!" Rachel shot back as she pulled Goten towards him.
"HE WILL NOT!"
"WILL TOO!"
"WILL NOT!"
"WILL TOO!"
"WILL NOT!"
"WILL TOO!"
"WILL NOT!"
Goten was already dizzy from being pulled back and forth by two obsessed reporters, but he could not think of a way to stop them without anyone getting hurt. His brain wouldn't work because he was too dizzy to think, and if he would use his reflexes he would not only break windows and the reporters' bodies but he would also injure the bystanders.
That's when a voice exploded, hurting their eardrums to the maximum extent.
"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU?!? LET HIM GO!!!"
Luckily, Goten was used to Keeney's screams, for he would have fainted in pain along with the others. He merely smiled as he held out his hand for Keeney to take. "Let's go somewhere private, alright?"
They were in a dark, abandoned alley, with nobody around. Just the two of them. That place would scare normal people because of the darkness and the silence, but not Goten and Keeney. And most especially not any of the saiyajins. Goten stopped to feel the environment, making sure that there was no one nearby --- most especially those reporters who were obsessed with him --- and then, he turned to face Keeney. And he smiled.
She felt as if she would melt as she stared into his dark eyes full of love and compassion. Goten had always been so nice, so caring, so concerned. Even if he and Trunks would leave her out most of the time, but Goten had always been showing some sort of affection towards her, just indirectly so that he wouldn't get teased by Trunks.
And through the years, she has learned to love him. To love him more than a friend, to love him with something deeper.
"So, Goten... what was the thing you were gonna show me?"
He did not reply. Instead, he put his hands in his pocket and pulled out a tiny velvet box.
"Is that...?" Keeney asked, but her voice trailed off in disbelief.
Goten opened the box, revealing a very beautiful diamond ring.
She gasped.
He then took the ring out of the box, and as if on cue, Keeney held out her hand so he could slip it on her finger. But to her shock, Goten merely handed the ring to her, and said, "You like it? Well I sure hope Celeste does. I bought this yesterday, and I was planning to give it to her today... but I had to show it to you first. So is it a good one? Or should I get another?"
"Y-You're going to g-give this t-to her?!"
He had the Son Grin™ on his face when he nodded. "I'm... I'm gonna ask her to marry me. Today. But as I said, I had to check if I picked a good ring, and who would be the perfect person to consult? My best friend, of course! And since we guys know nothing of these stuff, so I had to ask you instead of Trunks. After all, you girls are suckers for sparkly things," he ended with a sly grin.
Keeney had to stop herself from bursting into tears right then and there. With a wry smile, she whispered, "Yes, it's a very beautiful ring, Goten. She's... definitely going to like it. I'm... glad... that you're getting married."
"Really, Keeney?"
She nodded, and then Goten jumped in joy. "Yes!" he exclaimed, and he swept Keeney off her feet, hugging her close. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much, Keeney! You're really an angel! I'm so glad you're my best friend!"
"Yes, I'm glad too," Keeney tried to say it as enthusiastically as she could as Goten put her down, and then she could not take it any longer. Tears fell from her eyes, and she was glad that the darkness was there to cover her shattered facade.
"Hey, don't cry! I know you're happy, but don't cry!"
And she was glad that Goten was too naive to recognize her shattered facade.