Author's Note: Thank you so much everyone! I'm so glad to hear that you actually like what I'm working on. =P I would also like to thank you for giving me the inspiration to work on this particular fic, for lack of inspiration is worse than the dreaded writer's block. Anyway, here's the new chapter... I hope you like this one, too!

Crimson Tide
Chapter Fifteen: The Effects of Boredom

"No... p-please... leave me alone..."

A snotty remark, rising to a cycle of maniacal laughter.

"No... p-please... I'm begging you... p-please, let me go..."

An inhuman cackle, fading into a snicker.

Then, a swishing noise.

The girl dropped dead.

The Sabrean starfighter Daisy started up with a loud shudder, and at the pilot's seat, Pan cursed under her breath. She didn't actually mind that her father left her behind, but she was left behind with an unreliable craft, and that was what she loathed. "So much for returning home safely," she said as the ship went into another cycle of groans and roars.

Sighing, she turned the engines off and decided to fix up whatever was wrong. She took the toolbox that was tucked under the co-pilot's chair, headed out cockpit and towards the hatch---

---and stopped upon reaching the landing ramp.

Her eyes rested on a lean figure a few meters away from the craft belonging to a young man with light purple hair and sapphire blue orbs. "Boxer," she identified nonchalantly, then she put one hand on her hip, not moving from her spot. "What are you doing here?"

The demi-saiyajin did not answer her question. His gaze flew towards the starfighter's hull, where its name was engraved Sabrean-style, and grinned. "Are you sure you're taking this pack of junk to space? Daisy..." He then chuckled. "Ran out of ideas when you named this thing?"

"Can you think of something better?" she challenged with narrowed raven eyes.

He only grinned his loopsided grin. "How about... Sunflower?"

Silence filled the gap between them, but it didn't take long for them to fall into a fit of laughter. Boxer had just demonstrated that he had a sense of humor after all, and to the princess of Sabrea, it was something to celebrate. The moment of happiness they shared did not last long, however, because a sad expression crossed the young man's features shortly after --- an expression that he did not manage to conceal, and an expression that she did not miss.

"Why the long face?" she asked, putting the toolbox she was carrying away and rushing down the ramp to be by his side. The uncaring facade she put up earlier disappeared as she stared into her friend's troubled eyes.

The demi-saiyajin felt his cheeks burn as the young woman moved closer to him. He had never been comfortable around women, unlike his brother Trunks who could easily fit himself in a cluster of scantily-clad courtesans. "Uh..." Boxer opened his mouth to speak, but the words seemed to have flown out of his head, leaving him blank.

A sigh escaped the other's lips. "Is it because I'm leaving?" she asked, not going around in circles like a normal girl would. After all, her mother taught her that going straight to a point in a conversation keeps it in good shape.

He nodded. "I don't want you to go."

"But I'll be back."

"Still," he protested. "Pan, there are so few days in our lives. And the time that I have with you know is so precious to me. Well... I just thought that I must not let anything pass by. You see, one waits so long for what is good, but it doesn't last as long as one wants it to be once it comes. Thus, one cannot risk to lose... and I..." He took a deep breath. "So I must speak and act quickly, even if it seems to be almost foolish to be so quick."

She was tired. Tired of all the talk. Tired of listening to him drone on and on about an idea that doesn't seem to be getting anywhere. She wanted him to get to the point, or stop. But as he continued to talk about what he felt at that moment, as he continued to beat around the bush, she wanted him to shut up.

And so, she made him. With her own lips.

"Are we complete yet?" Keeney asked as she arrived at the practice area, bringing her ballet shoes with her. She had volunteered to spearhead the recital of the Theatre Arts school Capsule Corporation sponsored, to keep herself from breaking down at the devastating turn of events.

"No, Keeney-san," one of the girls replied, looking up from what she was reading. "Marron isn't here yet."

She bit her lip upon hearing that. Marron, Krillin and Juuhachis' daughter, was Bra's best friend, and they marched into the said school together, determined to become superstars. "If we can't be princesses, then we'll just be superstars," Bra once exclaimed gleefully, and at that time Keeney could not stop laughing, for her little sister did not know what her heritage had in store for her.

Thinking of them made Keeney's heart ache terribly. The blonde young woman was most probably still crying her eyes out at Bra's death, as she was not as strong as the demi-saiyajin was. "It's all right," she told the dancers, before she bent down and put on her shoes. "Let's just start with the rehearsal. She knows the dance anyway, and I'm sure she'll be able to catch up if changes will be made. All right, girls, to your places."

Music began to play, and before they could even get to their positions, a pale, terror-stricken Bulma rushed in the practice area, looking for her daughter. The hair at the back of Keeney's neck began to stand at the sight, and immediately, she put off the music and ran to the older woman's side. "Mom?"

It took a long while for Bulma to reply, but she finally managed to choke out the news. "It's Marron. She... she's dead."

The soft music that was believed to be able to lull anyone to sleep with its too-soothing tune was failing its purpose with Juuhachi, who continued to toss and turn as the image of her dead daughter plagued her in her dreams. There was nothing she could do about the visions; they kept coming no matter how hard she shut her eyes, or how hard she forced them away. Knowing that, she got up and walked towards the kitchen of the now-quiet Kame House. She paused to look out the window, but the bright sunshine and the cheery landscape decorated with brightly-colored flowers which were just blooming provided her no joy.

Why?! Why of all people did she have to die?!

Juuhachi shook her head as she attempted to hold back her tears. Crying would do her no good. Crying would not bring Marron back. Crying would not soothe her. Crying would not wash away the pain. Crying was of no use. She had grown soft through the years, yes, as she was no longer the cold, heartless android everyone believed her to be at first, but she knew for a fact that crying will never do anything wondrous for her, no matter what the circumstances were.

After refreshing herself with a glass of water, she trudged back to her bedroom with a heavy heart, when she heard a loud knock on the door. Quickly, she proceeded to her room to put off the media player, but she did not notice that she accidentally keyed in the record command in the process. When the music was replaced by silence --- and the recording process took over --- she wiped away her tears, took a second to look at herself on the mirror, and rushed to the living room to welcome her guest.

"It's nice to see that someone's actually here." It was Trunks, and even though she did not welcome him warmly as she should have, considering the fact that his younger sister was her daughter's best friend, he gave her a reassuring smile before he took out the bouquet he was holding and handed it to her. "Here. I hope this will make you feel better."

"Thank you," she said wryly as she led her visitor inside, before she put the flowers on the large vase by the large wall mirror. Without looking up from her position, she asked, "So, what did you come here for?"

"I came here to apologize."

Juuhachi stopped at that. She turned around to meet the young man's gaze and inquired, "Apologize? For what?"

Silence dominated for the next few moments as the two looked into each other's eyes intently. However, Trunks broke the contact as his lips parted into a smirk that made the bell at the back of the android's mind ring in warning. With the same expression, the demi-saiyajin replied, "For murdering your daughter."

She raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, Trunks."

But Trunks' eyes continued to look into hers with the same expression on his pale features, and the truth dawned on her soon after. He was telling the truth. He murdered her daughter. Rage immediately filled Juuhachi, and she bolted up to let her anger out, but faster than she could blink, he grabbed her hand and smirked. "Now, now, Juuhachi-san. It's futile to fight me. You'll only get yourself hurt."

"You'll pay for this," the android spat, glaring daggers at him as she jerked away.

"I'd like to see you try."

With that, she sprinted towards him, sending every punch and kick she could muster towards his direction. However, Trunks dodged every one of them with ease, and with a slight flex of his arm, he sent Juuhachi crashing towards the dining room. Determined to succeed in her revenge, she got up despite of all the pain that shot through her body and attacked him once more. She was powerful, but just not powerful enough --- and she knew that her chances of defeating the demi-saiyajin, who was now backed up by the dark side, was slim.

However, her persistence finally got her a punch through Trunks' defenses and knocked him off his feet. "Impressive," he blurted out as he stood up to resume his battle, wiping off the blood that oozed from the corner of his mouth. "You're pretty strong for a woman. But your strength is not enough to defeat me... so as much kill me."

"Why?! Why did you kill Marron?! What has she done to you?!"

His expression transformed into that of mock sympathy. "I'm really sorry, Juuhachi-san... but I was bored." He paused for a while, then his voice turned icy. "Well. Enough of this talk, and let's continue. After all, I still have to send you to the Afterlife."

"Trust me, Trunks. I'm not going alone. You're coming with me," she replied coolly as she put herself back together, and that was when she pointed two fingers towards Trunks' direction. Soon, a tiny yet bright ball of light appeared on her fingertips and it began increasing in size and intensity.

The demi-saiyajin chuckled as he held out his palm towards her direction. "Two can play the same game, yes. But I'm assuring you that you will fall, not me. And I'm going to prove to my master that I am very much capable of doing things on my own."

With that, he charged up his own energy beam, when both his hands were forced behind his back. Trunks cursed as soon as that happened, and when he cocked his head to look at who did so, he saw a pair of eyes that were burning with anger and hatred. "I don't know what your problem is, but it's too late for you, Trunks. You can't get away. I won't let you get away. The tables have turned. Now, you will die."

It was Krillin.

"But so will you," Trunks countered as he glanced at Juuhachi who was too occupied in charging up her killer attack to notice that her husband was actually holding back their nemesis. He struggled to break free from Krillin's grasp, but his efforts were all in vain. There was something surging through the human that was making him stronger than ever before... perhaps it was the determination to put an end to the evil that was now in his hands?

"I'm not afraid to die. I've faced death more than enough that I don't fear it anymore," the older man shot back, and that was enough to confirm all of Trunks' speculations. Then, Krillin averted his gaze to Juuhachi and exclaimed, "Juu-chan! Do it, now!"

She opened her eyes, and her expression flushed with emotions that could not clearly be sorted out when she saw that Krillin was holding Trunks in place --- and that he was going to die if she would let go of the beam. "Krillin! Let go of him! If you won't, you're going to die!"

"I'm not afraid to die," Krillin repeated. "And I will do what must be done. Now do it!"

I love you, Juu-chan. For Marron's sake... do it, now.

Tears streaked down from Juuhachi's eyes as she looked into her husband's ones that were full of love and compassion, and then, she wailed, "I'm sorry, Krillin! But I have to do this! I... I love you! With all of my heart, I do!" Not wanting to see what was going to happen next, not wanting to see her beloved lose his life at her hands, she squeezed her eyes shut after making sure that her aim was right on target, and then, she yelled, "RYUUKIBAHA!"

The beam was right on target; it hit both Trunks and Krillin straight in the chest. As the two warriors stumbled to the floor at the lethal injury they acquired, hot tears cascaded from Juuhachi's eyes that still remained shut. She did it --- but lost Krillin in return.

Don't worry, Juuhachi-san. You will be joining him in the Afterlife shortly.

Juuhachi's eyes bolted wide open as she recognized the voice, but what greeted her was a bright flash of light that came from across her. It was too late when she realized what actually happened, because the moment she managed to do so, the deflected beam passed right through her heart.

Before she was pulled completely into the void, the broken pieces of glass from the wall mirror which deflected her energy beam reminded her that what goes around, comes around.