War of Worlds
Chapter13: One potato, two potato/ Accidents Do Happen- Part 3
Goten sat on the overturned pail slowly running the dull knife over the surface of the potato he held, his thoughts occupied with something besides the task at hand. He was angry and hurt, why had Marron done such a thing, to him no less. He sighed in a miserable fashion, slumping on his perch. He like Marron, liked her a 'lot', it'd always been hard for him to hold a grudge- he just wasn't the type-, but right now he felt he owned her some pay back.
He lifted his head, thoughts racing. Yah, he'd just get even and they could laugh and forget the whole thing.
His lips lifted back into his usual cheerful smile as he began slicing with renewed vigor.
* * * * * * * * * * *
After Goten had finished up his pile of potatoes, he hurried to find the rest of his team, wondering just how he was going to even the score with Marron. He didn't want to hurt her physical, the very thought made his heart squeeze painfully in his chest for some reason. It needed to be something they could laugh at afterward, something she wouldn't take too seriously, but what?
"Goten!"
The raven-haired demi-saiyan had just enough time to turn his head before he was toppled by a smiling, blue haired, she-devil. "Buuuuraaa!" He managed before having the air knocked out of him due to his body impacting with their combined weight.
"Oh, poor Goten!" coed Bra as he tried to draw in breath again. "Are you okay now, we've been worried about you. Your brain wasn't scrambled in there was it?"
With a grunt Goten sat up and pushed her off of him. "No, my brain is perfectly fine," he grumbled dusting himself off and climbing back to his feet. Really sometimes Bra made him feel stupid, he suppose it was just her way of poking fun at him, but really!
"Oh, that good," chirped Bra hugging him around the arm. "Because, we're doing the IQ testing now."
Goten almost toppled over again. "What!" he cried in true panic. "Already…?" He became silent, tapping his fingertips together in a worried manner. "But I- I'm…." Kami he hated tests! He hated studying, he hated sitting in the same place for over 30 minutes! He was best with his hands not his head, logic seem so illogical in a way to him, as he preferred to use his heart before his head.
He instinctually lifted his head and looked for Marron, she'd been his study partner back when he'd been in collage, and always gave him the best tips and advice for these things. His eyes landed on her and as fate would have it she turned her head to meet his gaze. There was an uncomfortable pause, which ended with Marron turning her head to the side with a shameful look on her pretty face.
Goten silently cursed. Marron was feeling too guilty about what happened to give him any last minute advice and he still needed to get even with her before they could go back to the comfortable relationship they'd had before. Damn! He really needed her right now! If only he was as smart as-
That thought cut off as a sly one entered his head. No! That's wrong, that's cheating, that's…. Like what she did…. Goten chewed his lower lip debating. What he was currently thinking of doing went against everything his mom has ever told him about hard work and effort, but…. He glanced at Marron shameful expression again and made up his mind. Anything to get that look off Marron's face.
"Just relax Goten," smiled Bra going behind him to rub his shoulders. "I'm sure the answers are in here somewhere," she said tapping him on the noggin. "You just get thoughts of pretty blue eyes and beach blond hair out of your head for two seconds and you'll do well."
"Huh?!" said Goten twisting to look at her.
Bra giggled in a too cuties, girlie fashion before giving him a smooch on the cheek. "Good luck," she said before spinning around and launching herself at a shocked Uub.
"Uub-kun!!!"
"Wha!"
Goten stood there watching her plaster kisses to the dark skinned boy's face, while telling them they'd bring him good luck for the test. Goten really doubted that would be true since Uub was getting more and more glassy eyed with each kiss. Really Uub was so naïve and clueless when it came to girls. Now, just what had Bra meant about blue eyes and blond hair?
He scratched his chin pondering that for a moment before Juuhachi stepped out of the large building they'd been waiting in front of.
Krillin greeted his wife with a warm smile and a warning. "Keep an eye on these kids, they'll give you nothing but trouble if you don't."
Juuhachi scanned an eye over their group and wordlessly nodded, her eyes had an odd blankness to them that had convinced Goten she'd win any staring contest. Hell even Piccolo couldn't hope to match such an emotionless expression. He shiver feeling even more intimated by the female android then he had her husband, she was strong, intelligent, and beautiful. Oddly enough for a moment Goten pictured her with warm eyes and her hair tied back in pigtails, he gave his head a shake and snuck another look at Marron.
Juuhachi looked over the charts and info Krillin handed over to her and nodded her head as he said his good byes and left. She didn't even look up at them as she began speaking.
"This test will be similar to many you may have taken in school. The questions are in a work booklet, the answer will be written on a bubble sheet- meaning these will be multiple choice questions. You may only use a number two pencil and if you don't know the answer, skip it and come back to it if you have time. These tests will be graded more on correct answers then number you've completed, but we do request you get a certain amount done. You'll have 45 minutes to complete the test, which will then be graded via computer. Please follow me and we can get started."
The Z teen filed in after the blond android, the girls chattering softly with one another, the boys exchanging weak smiles. Bra and Trunks looked confident, and well that they should, both being straight A students and considered geniuses in their fields. Base and Almuerzo seemed calm about the whole thing, no stress showed on their faces. Pan and Uub looked worried, he knew Pan was a good student, but she studied hard before a test and hadn't had any material to memories before hand for this one; he wasn't sure about Uub having not gone to the same school at the demi-majin. He knew he was nervous as hell, but Marron…. He couldn't tell, she still looked guilty about earlier.
Her sorrowful face only firmed him in the belief that if he paid her back she'd feel better, as would he. Yah, Marron was the type to go for the "eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth" theme.
They entered a medium size room, with desks lined up in row, reminding him hauntingly of a classroom. He gulped and sat down at a desk to finger his number two pencil nervously.
Once everyone was seated Juuhachigou glanced at her watch and told them they could begin.
Goten flipped his booklet open and got to work. He tried to answer as many problems correctly as possible, but there was a lot of stuff in there he wasn't familiar with and some he couldn't seem to remember for the life of him. The next 45 minutes were stressful ones that left sweat stains under his arms and him looking a little on the ragged side when Juuhachi final called quits.
Goten gulped and picked up his answer sheet. Now here was the really hard part. He'd picked a seat in front for just this purpose. Everyone slipped their answer sheets into separate folder with their names and info on them and began handing them up to the front. When the stack finally got to Goten he 'accidentally' dropped it. Folders went slipping across the floor, some of the answer sheets slipped halfway out. There was a general commotion as the Z teens got out of their seats and began gathering the folders up, Goten of course helped.
Forgive me mom Goten silently prayed.
He scooped up the folders closest to him, his own, Marron's, and Trunks', the answer sheet all fell out on the floor when he lifted them. Goten panicked, eyes going wide as he tried to figure out who's was who's. He's been planning to switch his with Marron and then when the blond was panicking over her score- which he was sure wouldn't be too high- he'd admit he'd switched them and they could have their laugh and forget the whole thing. He'd gotten such a pathetic score on the air plane simulator because of her, that he was sure Marron wouldn't be mad over a low score on the tests. An eye for an eye…
Now, he stared down at the three sheets before him wondering which one was his, which was Marron, and which was Trunks! He might very well end up slipping his own back into his folder for all he knew, which would ruin his plans.
His eyes ran over the pages trying to find some clue as to who's was who's. Finally he settled on one sheet pretty sure it had to be his, when Juuhachi's voice called his name.
"Mr. Son. Is there a problem?"
Goten 'eeped' and quickly shoved the sheets back into the folders. He stood up with them in hand, "no, nothing wrong ma'ma." Sweat wanted to drench him and make his already tight body suit stick more closely to his skin. Had she seen?
Juuhachi stared as him with those blank blue eyes of her and Goten felt himself sway in a daze of fear under her gaze. To his shear relief she finally nodded her head and held out a hand for the folders.
"Huh? Oh!" he handed them to her and sank back down into his chair with a sigh of relief.
The relief was short lived as guilt set in. Marron would understand, they were even now and that shameful look would disappear probably to be replaced with a flashing angry one. She'd be mad to start with of course, but once she realized why he'd done it she's relent and they'd go back to the best of buds. This whole mess was almost over, he smiled to himself and leaned back in his chair to relax and wait for the tests to be graded. He was in such a good mood that he decided he wouldn't even wait to confront Marron about what he'd done.
I'm getting it over with now, he thought with some cheerfulness. He stood and walked over to where Marron was waiting with the girl part of their group.
"Hey Marron, can I talk to you?"
Marron looked up at him with shameful eyes, then glanced down at her hands. "Um… sure if you want Goten." She stood up and excused herself from the group to join him. Pan, Bra, and Almuerzo exchanged looks before grinning like Chester cats at the pair of them, just what were they thinking anyway?!
He sat down in a desk in the corner and Marron took the one next to him.
"Look Goten about what happened."
"Ah, it's okay," he said patting her on the hand.
"No, it's not," said Marron. "I really need you to get it out of your system, I need to repay you some how."
"Don't worry," said Goten smiling even warmer at her, he'd been right Marron wanted 'an eye for an eye'. "I understand, you can forget about it, we're even now."
"We are?" asked Marron blinking confused eyes at him.
"Yup, we are," said Goten nodding his head. "Don't give it a second thought, okay."
Marron gave him a confused look. "Are you sure, how are we even?" she asked.
Goten waved a hand as her in a carefree manner. "It's all done with, you and me, we've got nothing between us any more. I'll forgive you, if you forgive me."
"Okay," said Marron slowly still looking confused. "Although, I still don't know what I'm forgiving you for."
Goten grinned widely and looped an arm around her shoulders. "You'll see," he said giving her a little squeeze. His heart fluttered in his chest when she gave him a returning smile and leaned ever so slightly into him.
A few minutes later the computer had finished scanning and correcting the tests and Juuhachi pinned the results on a corkboard then went to recorded them down on their sheets.
All the Z teens moved to go look at their results.
Goten got up and took Marron hand. "Don't be mad," he said with a grin pulling her over to the board.
"And, why would I be mad?" she asked with a smile before turning to look at the piece of paper.
Goten waited for it, and tensed slightly just in cause she flew off the handle.
"Oh my god, Goten!" cried Marron spinning and seizing him by the collar.
"I told you not to be mad," said Goten defensively. "We're even now, see," he grimaced expecting her to start shaking him.
She did give him a shake, but it wasn't too hard. "Even?! My god, I can't believe it! You, you of all people!"
"You said you'd forgive me," said Goten desperately.
"Forgive, well I guess I'll have too, but I still can't believe you got a higher score them me, then everyone!"
"Huh?" said Goten now the one with a confused look on his face. "Everyone?"
"Yes you silly, look," she said spinning him around to face the board.
Goten eyes scanned down the sheet and widened.
Goten 97%
Bra 95%
Marron 91%
Pan 90%
Uub 88%
Almuerzo 84%
Base 78%
Trunks 64%
"Oh… crap," squeaked Goten as his eyes landed on the last number.
"My god Goten, were you just lucky today or are you really a super genius and you didn't tell me?" She gave him a mock punch and then a hug. "Congratulations."
"Hey Goten," called a familiar voice from behind. A cold sweat broke out on Goten back as he stiffly turned to look at his smiling best friend.
"How did you do?" he asked turning his head to the sheet.
"Ahhhh!" screamed Goten flailing his arms. "Don't look!" he cried seizing Trunks by his long lavender hair and yanking him away from the board.
"Ooowee! Ooww ow owo ow," cried Trunks as he was dragged painfully away. "Goten, what are you doing?!"
"Don't look, Trunks, don't look!" cried Goten not releasing his grip from Trunks's hair.
"Gee, what's wrong with Goten?" asked Pan going over to look at her score. "Alright, I got 90%, pretty good for not knowing what it was going to be on. Damn, Marron you beat me by one point," he turned her head to glare at the blond who smiled and flashed her the victory sign.
"Yah, you think that's good, look at the top you'll never believe who's there," said Marron.
"I'm betting Bra or Trunks," said Pan turning back to the sheet.
"Ahhh!" screamed Goten yanking Trunks around in his panic. "Don't look, Pan, please don't look!"
"Oh my god!" cried Pan.
"I know that was my first reaction too," smiled Marron.
"Goten you dog, how'd you do it?"
"It's not what you think," groaned Goten.
"What?! What's going on?" asked Trunks prying at Goten's hands. "Let go already will you Goten?"
Bra strolled up to the board. "Seconds," she grumbled with a half-meant pout. "Well I guess I can live with it. Ohhhh! Uub-kun!" she cried wheeling to glump the shocked teen who'd been walking up behind her to try and check his score. He jumped in her grip, forgetting the sheet with her soft curves squashed against him. "You got an 88%, that's not bad, not bad at all. I knew there was a fine mine behind that shy exterior of yours." She smiled quit happily and leaned her cheek on his arm in a blissful manner, she truly appeared more pleased with his score then her own, which was odd considering she ranked higher.
Almuerzo grinned wolfishly at the couple and eyeballed Base who took a step away from her just to be safe, this only made the grin on her lips widen. She glanced at the sheet and shrugged. "Good enough for me, I never did like tests." He looked at the score below hers and frowned slightly. "Now I know this one's wrong," he said pointing at Base's score. "You're way smarter then that." She turned on him with an accusing looking, arms crossed, as if waiting for an answer. "Did your sheet get switched with someone else's or something?"
To the side Goten 'eeped' rather loudly and yanked a now loudly protesting Trunks around so he could look at her. She however didn't notice his startled expression since she had her eyes locked on the namek before her.
Bases snorted. "Too many human questions," he stated simply.
Almuerzo quirked an eyebrow at him in question and hummed softly to herself in thought. "What's my favorite color?" she asked with a smile.
"Green," said Base a puzzled look on his face.
"And my favorite ice-cream flavor?"
"Vanilla." The confused look got more confused.
"And what fragrance do I always wear?"
"Jasmine," stated Base crossing his arms and giving her his own questioning look.
Smiling Almuerzo walked over to him to take his arm, patting it softly. "You know what counts anyway," she said all smiles.
Base turned his questioning look on the others in the room, silently asking what the hell she was getting at.
The girls exchanged knowing grins and giggles, which didn't help Base one little bit.
"Women," he muttered helplessly.
"Hey Trunks what did you get?" asked Marron turning her head back to the sheet.
"I don't know, if Goten would 'LET GO' I'd be able to see," he growled trying to untangle Goten's fingers from his lavender locks.
"Well, let's see then," said Bra tilting her head from resting it on Uub's arm to peer at the sheet.
Her blue eyes got startlingly wide.
"What's wrong Bra?" asked Almuerzo looking to see what had shocked the demi-saiyan. Her eyes, all three, widened in a similar fashion.
"What?" asked Pan pushing Bra out of her way to see. "Oh my god…."
"Trunks…?" mumbled Marron numbly looking at the score.
"What?" What?! What?!" raved Trunks and with one finally yank managed to pry Goten's fingers away, though he lost some hair for his efforts.
"Wait, Trunks!" cried Goten. Catching his arm as the teen stomped over to the board, Goten was dragged along. Pushing everyone out of his way Trunks planted himself in front of the sheet and looked up, then slowly scanned his eyes… down.
"Trunks…" said Pan tensely when a good minute had passed with the lavender-haired teen not moving a muscle, in fact, he seemed to have stopped breathing.
Bra reached up and waved a hand in front of his face, then snapped her fingers inches from his nose. He didn't even blink.
"Trunks, say something, do 'something', you're freaking me out," said Pan tugging on his arm.
And he did.
"Trunks!"
He toppled over backward in a dead faint.
With a worried look on her face Pan plopped down next to him and began to wave her hand before his face, creating a small breeze. "Any buddy got some smelling salts?" she asked looking around. To her surprise 18 tossed some her way. She blinked her dark eyes in surprise at the android then with a shrug uncorked the bottle and waved it under his nose.
Trunks awoke with a loud in take of breath, then coughed waving the fumes away from his sensitive nose. "Uh, what happened?" he asked pulling himself up into a seated position.
"Um…" said Pan moving to help him up, her eyes flashed around at the others in desperation. Unfortunately for her they stood up right in front of the score sheet. Trunks froze again.
"Trunks," said Pan stroking his arm in a soothing gesture. He swayed again and she turned from stroking his arm to wrapping her arms around it to keep him from going down again.
"Bro, snap out of it," said Bra slapping him lightly on the face.
Trunks came out of it with a screech, ripping the sheet right off the wall. "How can this be?!! I've never gotten such a low score in-in-in anything!" he cried holding the sheet inches from his face. "Oh God…" he went stiff, the piece of paper slipped through his fingers to land on the floor. "I'm an idiot," he said with a look of horror.
"Um… well I wouldn't got that far," said Pan going back to patting his arm.
"I'm stupid," wailed Trunks. "I knew I shouldn't have stood in front of the microwave waiting for it to finish cooking the popcorn. Oh god, what if there's something wrong with me?! Maybe my cell phone gave me brain cancer?! Or it could be a tumor?!" He clasped his palms on either side of his head with a terrified look on his face.
"It's not a tumor!" cried Goten waving his hands before Trunks in a pathetic attempt to calm him.
"There, there Trunks. It'll be okay," said Pan soothingly. "There's nothing wrong with you Trunks."
Trunks didn't seem to hear her, only muttered to himself in a crazy way.
"Graduated top of my class…. IQ drop 50 point in less then a year…I'll have the IQ of a vegetable in no time at this rate…. My mom's going to kill me!… No my dad's going to kill me!"
"Ohhhhh…." Groaned Goten clutching his head. "Could this possibly get any worst?" he moaned.
"Mr. Briefs," said 18 in an emotionless voice. "Would you please calm yourself."
"Calm, calm?!" shrieked Trunks. "You don't understand, my brain if malfunctioning and unlike you I can't go to some repair shop and have it fixed!"
Suddenly Juuhachigou's dead pale blue orbs turned to blue ice. "I'm not about to take that from you, princling," her voice was ice too.
"Uh… oh…" whispered Goten.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Goten volunteered to scrap what was left of Trunks off the floor when 18 was done with him and help him stagger to the potato shed for the usual punishment. Compared to 18, Krillin was the sweetest little old man to live.
"You okay Trunks," asked Goten slinging his best friends arm over his shoulder.
Trunks raised a black eye to his friend. "No."
Goten sighed. "You really shouldn't have said that to her, she's got feelings too yah know," said Goten dragging his friend away.
"Yah, I know I wasn't think." Trunks' face twisted up into a pathetic look. "Because I'm stupid now."
Goten gave another sigh. They'd reached outside and Trunks was starting to recover, at least he was able to move more under his own strength.
"Trunks you're not stupid, you're probably the smartest of us all."
"Yah, right," said Trunks, sarcasm heavy in his voice.
"Look, that wasn't your real score," said Goten in frustration.
"It had my name by it," growled Trunks.
"I know that's because… because…." Goten glanced down at his feet and mumbled the rest.
"What was that, I didn't hear you," said Trunks lean his head closer to Goten.
"I said, it was my score, the sheets got mixed up."
Trunks paused and stared wide eyed at Goten.
"It wasn't suppose to be you, you see Marron she sabotaged me and I wanted to get even with her and it-it just happened!"
"You… cheated?" asked Trunks.
"Yes. I mean no! I mean-" he made a frustrated noise. "It wasn't suppose to happen like this Trunks."
Trunks pushed off from him, an angry frown on his lips. "Then just how was it suppose happen Goten, huh? You should at least have picked someone closer to your level, you went from bottom to top and me top to bottom!"
"Trunk I-" said Goten stretching out a hand to him.
"No! Don't- just don't talk to me," growled the lavender-haired teen, before turning on his heels and stomping away to go take his rage out on some potatoes.
"Trunks… I'm sorry," whimpered Goten.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"Grrrrrr!!!" snarled Trunks as he stabbed at the potato in his hand, not even bothering to try and peel it. That particular spud was more likely to be turn to mush before it got peeled.
Trunks' eyes flash aqua blue and his hair snapped up gold causing the potato in his grip to burst in a shower of chucks.
Panting raggedly Trunks straighten and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself with a basic mediation exercise. It worked… kind of, at least he was able to keep from storming out of the shed and beating the snot out of Goten like he wanted to. Using the sheer stubborn will power he'd inherited from his father he forced himself to power down back to normal, flicked a chuck of raw potato of his cheek, and picked up another spud. Slowly and deliberately he ran the blade over the potato and removed a long strip of skin.
Goten and him had been best buds since… well forever, they been thought a lot together and through all their plots and mischief he'd always been the brains of the operation. So it was only natural that Goten would come up with something that stupid and blunder it so badly without him. Switching their tests 'bah!' how juvenile, he could have thought of something much more devious.
He thought back to Goten's hurt expression when he'd tried to apologize and felt a part of him get dangerously close to forgiving….
"Bahh!" grunted Trunks out loud hacking at the potato in his grip.
Goten had wronged him so it was time to get revenge, but unlike Goten he would use his father's example and do it physically, still it had to have the same impact as Goten's little mishap.
"Oh kami… I hope mom and Dad (he gulped) don't find out about that test score." Tears streamed down his face at the thought. "I can just see it now, the spawn of Kakarot besting the noble blood of Veget-sei's royal family. And worst, mom will be on his side this time; no son of her's could possible get a score so low…"
Trunks hung his head in despair. "I'm doomed…"
He snapped his head up, eyes blazing with an inner fire. "This is all Goten's fault! Well, if he can monkey with my score, I can monkey with his!" He began to laugh, softly at first then with growing volume and hysteria in true evil guy fashion. "Venges will me MINE!!"
Like father… like son… (sweat drop)…..
* * * * * * * * * * *
After Trunks had finished and wasted up he left to find his teammates and intended victim. It took him awhile to find them since the last of their tests were all inside capsule corps' main building and even he didn't know where everything was here. Finally after an exhausting search he found them all waiting patiently outside a door.
"Yo," he greeted plopping down next to Pan. "Whaz up?"
"We're doing a psychic test," grinned Pan. "Think you've got ESP potential?"
"Of course," smirked Trunks leaning back in his chair. "I can read the future don't yah know?"
"Really?" grinned Pan in amusement, leaning foreword in her seat, her cheek on her hand. "Do tell, just what does the future hold, ne?"
"Ah," said Trunks lifting his fingertips to his temple and closing his eyes. He hummed softly in a cheez future teller way, voice taking on just as cheez an accent. "Za feuture, is a daark and scary pulace. I can zee that in the very close feuture vone of us vill know ze meaning of pain."
Pan giggled. "Still mad at Goten then."
Trunks dropped his hands and gave a weak smile. "Am I that easy to read?"
"In some things," smiled Pan. She leaned closer, her face inches from his. "Maybe I can too."
"Huh?" uttered Trunks, eyes dropping to her very kiss-able lips then up to her piercing dark eyes.
Those very kiss-able lips curved into an amused smirk and their owner inched an inch closer. "I can see your future Trunks," she said rolling the words off her tongue with a sexy deep purr.
Trunks gulp.
"I see… a woman."
"A woman," gulped Trunks.
"Yes, a woman. A woman who desires you, she will catch you and daze you with her presents till you desire her back with equal passion. Whose hand (she took hold of the sides of his face, lips moving slowly closer to his), whose hand you will-"
"Hey you two!"
Both raven and lavender haired teen froze in sudden shock, remembering they weren't alone, but in a hall with several close aquanauts of theirs. They pulled away from each other so fast you'd have thought they'd teleported to another direction, face's stained a dark red.
'Oh Kami, oh Kami! I think she was going to ask- I mean maybe she was going to ask- no, No! Who am I kidding, 'she' wouldn't ask 'me' that kind of question. He glanced at Pan's blushing features and felt longing deep in his soul.
I want to fulfill you're desires Pan… I want you to be that girl in my future, but… but. He tore his gaze away, hands fisting into his pants. Why am I such a coward! Why can't I say it?! …What am I so afraid of…? And, 'WHY' are we always interrupted when I try to say it!!! He frowned darkly.
Pan could feel the heat radiating from her face, she felt like going over to a wall and beating her head against it. Stupid! Stupid! STUPID! Wait to go Pan, the fastest way to get a guy to pack up and leave is to suggest or even hint at marriage! Stupid! I don't want to pressure or push him, I want him to asking me, I want him to want to marry me, I want… I want to be with him… forever. I want something stronger, I want everyone to know he's my guy. I have you Trunks, you're my bonded saiyan mate, but… but I don't have you yet. I'm not your human wife!
Her hand fisted in her pants as she bit her lower lip.
I want too much, I know… but, I just can't help it, she lowered her head shamefully. I should be thinking about earth, about protecting our home and here I am trying to get you to tie the knot with me. We're at war, we've got so much to prepare for, it's selfish of me to want- no demand something like that from you… it's selfish to ask you to….
She lifted her gaze again to look at the object of her desires, her prince charming as he tried to regain control of himself.
I can't help being selfish when it comes to you Trunks…. I would marry you today, right his second, no wedding plans, diamond ring, cake, or guests, if I could. Just you and me… that's all I want.
Almuerzo's eyes, all three, moved back and forth between the couple before her. She had the sudden impression she'd intruded on a private moment between them and feeling like a ditz she laughed in a forced manner to try and ease the sudden awkwardness of the situation.
"So are you two excited about this next test," she started lamely. "I mean, don't you think you'll blow them away?"
Trunks lifted his gaze from the floor to look at her. "What do you mean?"
"What, what do you mean, what do I mean?! You saiyans, aren't you like all mentally wired up here," she said pointing at her head.
Pan lifted her gaze and gave Almuerzo a confused look. "What?"
Almuerzo slapped her forehead in disgust. "Come on, I've heard the old men talk about the (she lifted her fingers and made quotes in the air) 'Good old days'.
Pan and Trunks exchanged confused looks, their moment of embarrassment and doubt forgotten with Almuerzo's puzzling words.
"I don't think we quit follow you there Almuerzo," said Trunks.
"Ohhhh!" growled the blond. "I've heard the stories, you know about how your grandpa, Goku-san, could communicate telepathically with people. So, don't you saiyans all like (she gestured at her head) have some kind of mental radar or something?"
Pan and Trunks exchanged another look.
"No," said Pan shaking her head.
"Not me," said Trunks.
"What, but Krillin-san told me this story about when your dad, Trunks, came to earth to destroy it. He said your grandpa, Pan, told him, through some kind of telepathy, not to kill him. And, I've heard other story where he's done stuff like that. Is it just your grandpa Pan? Or do all saiyans have those kinds of abilities?"
"Hmm," hummed Trunks cupping his chin and giving the question some thought. "Maybe, I'm not sure. I think saiyans have some weak telepathic abilities, that's why we can bond with our mates." He snuck a quick glance at Pan, once again wishing and longing… Snapping his gaze foreword he continued. "I think Goku-san well, I think he kind of bonded to 'everyone' he ever came in contact with. Maybe that's why he could do what you say he did?"
"Bonded to 'everyone'?" said Almuerzo blinking her triple set of eyes in disbelief. "Woo, I bet Chichi-san wasn't too happy with that."
It was Trunks' turn to slap a hand over his eyes. "Not like that. I mean, well there's different kinds of bonds. I think, no I know I've got some kind of mental bond with my dad, and my sister, maybe even my mom. I must have one with Goten, we're just too close for mer friendship." He paused mood dropping with thoughts of Goten, who'd currently stuck a stick in the gears of their friendship; you don't sabotage you're best friend Goten… Giving his head a little shake he continued, "but, Goten and my 'link' is different from the one I share with my family. I think Goku made the same kind of bond I have with Goten with like just about everyone he ever came in contact with."
"Huh?" said both girls tilting their head to the side like puppy dogs.
"Well you see," said Trunks continuing his theory. "Goten's brother Gohan, was 'very' close to his father, we all know that right?"
Both girls nodded their head.
"But Goten, his other son, isn't as close to his father as his older brother is because he wasn't around while Goten grew up. But, when Goku-san did show up again Goten said he felt connected to him right away, as if he'd reached out and I don't know 'touched' him in some deep spiritual way. He said the feeling only got stronger the more he was around his father, like it was strengthened every time they were together. Also, just how do you explain Tien, Yamacha, and my dad? They all wanted to defeat Goku-san, at one point or other. Hell, my dad wanted to kill him and yet he and the others have many times been willing to put their lives on the line for him; now they're all allies, even dad," said Trunk disbelief in his voice at that last. "Perhaps saiyans can construct some kind of mental- I don't know- 'web' with people around them, the closer they are to someone the more powerful the connection. Maybe that's how Goku-san did it, he made this web of mental links with all these people and kept enforcing them until he could literally get into their mind and talk with them. Think about it, Krillin-san and Goku-san were best friend, like Goten and I they're close, maybe close enough to communicate on some higher level. I don't think it's ESP, I think it's something… deeply personal," finished Trunks with a look that begged them to understand.
Pan and Almuerzo blinked large eyes at him.
"Sounds like ESP to me," said Almuerzo causing Trunks to sigh and slump in defeat.
"I'm just saying I don't think we can do anything to anyone or think outside of our mental circle."
A light seemed to come on in Almuerzo's eyes. "Ah, I see where you're going. You don't think you could say lift a paper weight with your mind, but you might be able to project emotions maybe thoughts to someone you're well acquainted with?"
"Right!" said Trunks sitting up straight and grinning with relief that she understood.
Almuerzo snorted. "Sounds like you saiyans are just untrained."
"Huh?" said Trunk glancing at Pan as if to ask her what Almuerzo meant.
Pan gave a helpless shrug, she's gotten lost early on in the conversation and didn't have a clue what was going on now.
"I can lift things with my mind, because I'm trained," said Almuerzo pointing a thumb at her chest. "The way you described your abilities it sounds like someone with high psychic potential, but no idea what they're capable of or any form of training."
"Woo, woo," said Pan waving her hands. "You can lift stuff with your mind?"
"Yah," said Almuerzo as if that should have been obvious. She pointed at her third eye. "What did you think this is for?"
"I'm lost," said Pan.
"So am I," said Trunks.
"Oh it's not that hard to understand. Haven't you ever heard the myths? Yah know tricyclops, jaganishs, sanjiyans, three eyed mythical creatures with incredible magical powers?"
"Are you saying you're not human, Almuerzo?" asked Pan eyes wide.
"Well, I'm not sure, guess you really couldn't call my kind human, we're too different in some ways, more like a subspecies or natural mutation of a human. There aren't many of us but according to my dad it is hereditary. My dad's mom was a sanjiyan, he inherited it from her, I've inherited it from him, and my kids will probably inherit it from me. It's nothing bad really, just incredible mental power, a higher ki level, some times we get a kind of spiritual connection to what would be termed 'magic beasts', and we for the most part don't age."
"You don't age?!" said Trunks.
"My dad's over 300 years old," said Almuerzo.
Trunks and Pan's eyes look like they were going to roll out of their heads.
"I had no idea," said Pan weakly.
"Really I never told you before?" Almuerzo said with a wondering look on her face.
Trunks and Pan slowly shook their heads.
Almuerzo stuck out her tongue and knocked herself on the side of the head. "Whoops, must have slipped my mind."
Trunks and Pan face vaulted.
"How could you forget to tell your friends something like that?" asked Pan dragging herself back up into her seat.
"Well I'd figured you'd have figured it out for yourselves by now, I mean dad does look the exact same as he did when he first meet Krillin-san and everyone over 50 years ago. I mean you people do have pictures don't you, haven't you ever wondered?"
Pan frowned remember that she had noticed, she'd noticed earlier today when she'd seen Tien, but she hadn't before today. The truth is she just didn't know Tien that well to be too curious about him.
"Sheesh," said Almuerzo turning to leave. "The next thing you'll tell me is that you didn't know Choasu's a Chinese vampire," she said shaking her head as she walked away.
"Va-vampire?!" squeaked Pan.
Trunks shut his mouth with a click of teeth. "Well that would explain a lot about those two. I won't worry too much, Chinese vampires are suppose to suck chi not blood."
"Yah, sure don't worry," snorted Pan. "Are there any true humans among us?"
"If you're talking about our parents and their group, I think Yamacha and Krillin are human."
"You think, are you 'sure'?" asked Pan.
Trunks gave her a helpless shrug. "You can never be totally sure."
Pan rolled her eyes. "Some help you are, now I'm going to wondering if I can read minds and lift things telepathically because you had to open your mouth."
"Hey, Almuerzo's the one that got into that weird stuff, not me."
"Yah but, you encouraged her. I have to sleep tonight you know; I'm blaming any weird dreams with three eyed creatures, vampires and what-not on you."
Trunks sighed. "I'll worry about tonight when it comes, right now I'm wondering about this psychic test we've got to take."
"Oh don't worry, Bra's already taken it. She said all they do is hold up cards and stuff behind a little wall and ask you what it is. If you're wrong they shock you with electricity."
"Well that seems a little extreme don't you think?"
Pan shrugged. "I guess they've seen one too many movies with shit like that in it. We're just all going to walk out of there with afros."
Trunks laughed softly at the thought as an interesting picture formed in his head. "I don't think I'd look good with an afro. Who's the poor soul in there right now anyway?"
"Huh? Oh, it's Goten," said Pan. Because she was looking away from him she missed the shocked then suddenly very pleased look that crossed Trunk's face.
"Excuse me for a moment Pan I need to go do something."
"Huh? Oh, okay," said Pan in confusion as the lavender haired demi-saiyan got up and left. "Wonder what he's up to?" she muttered to herself.
She turned her head back as a slightly electrically charged Goten walked out of the room.
"How'd you do?" asked Pan.
Goten blinked wide eyes at her. "Shocking," he said with a weak grin. "I must have gotten everyone wrong, because they shocked me like every time. Good thing the voltage wasn't too high or I'd be one crispy critter." He glanced down the hall on both sides. "Say, where's Trunks? Isn't he back yet?" He gulped looking both scared and guilty.
"Oh he was here a moment ago, but he left to go do something," said Marron waving him over to come sit by her.
"He's probably plotting his revenge as we speak," said Goten.
"Miss, Shinhan," called a voice from the room Goten had just left.
"Well looks like it's my turn," smiled Almuerzo cracking her knuckles.
"Good luck," said Pan.
Almuerzo grinned. "Don't need it, I've got this baby, remember," she said pointing at her third eyes. She waved cheerfully at them before closing the door behind her.
"What did she mean by that?" asked Goten.
Pan sweat dropped. "It's a long story."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Trunks navigate the rat maze that was his home and finally came around to the back of the room he and Pan had been sitting in front of a moment ago. Of course, there was a door on this side to allow the people conducting the tests to enter and exit the testing station without running into any electrically charged recruits who might not agree with their scores.
Trunks slipped silently into the room and knocked the tech there unconscious with a well-placed strike to the back of the head. Pulling the tech out his chair, Trunks settled himself down in front of the controls and had a look.
He couldn't see Goten through the dark glass that separated them, just a very vague outline. The speaker system they were using was hardly high tech, and the voices were filter- once again to protect the test conductors, kind of like a cheep walky-talky set.
Trunks stared down at the speaker system and then the deck of cards in front of him. Man… I thought this test was one of mom's, but she'd never use stuff this cheep if she'd had to fight my dad to get it in the test requirements. His face scrunched up in thought; does that mean my dad thought this was necessary? His mind drifted back to his earlier discussion with Pan and Almuerzo. What if we really do have ESP potential… he reeled at the thought imagining himself talking to animals and lifting things with telepathy.
"That would be crazy," he muttered.
"I'm ready whenever you are bub," Came a voice from the speaker set causing Trunks to bring his thoughts back to the task at hand.
"Ah, yes, just a moment," said Trunks looking back down at the control set up. His sky blue eyes landed on one dial and grinning like a mad man, he turned it up to full velocity. Let's see how you like this Goten he thought shuffling the desk of cards briefly. Putting the desk back down he pulled the top card.
"Okay what do you see?" he asked looking down at the card himself.
"Three wiggly lines," came the buzzed voice.
Trunks' smug smirk dropped, as did his chin, as he looked at the card in his hand. "Three… wiggly… lines…" he muttered numbly seeing just that on the card he held. No way! That's not possible, not from Goten… unless. Unless we saiyans can really…, but Goten?! His mind reeled with the thoughts. Could Goten really have ESP?!
Giving his head a shake, he glared at the vague shape though the glass. Oh, no you don't. You're not getting out of this that easily, Goten. His is my revenge!
"Nope, sorry wrong," he said into the speaker pressing the electric shock button.
"Wha-Aaaahhhh!" came a high pitched voice from behind the glass.
When Trunks lifted his finger from the button, he thought he saw smoke drift off the person behind the glass. Dang! How many watts did I just shock him with he wondered looking at the dial. His eyes got very round for a moment as he looked at the five-digit number.
"Alright," smirked Trunks looking back up at his victim. "Next card."
He drew the next card on top and held it up before his eyes.
"A…a square?" said the voice from the other side.
Trunks was once again shocked to see that Goten had gotten the answer correct. I don't believe it! Giving his head another shake he dropped the card to the desk and pressed the shock button.
"AaaaAAahhhhhhaaaaa!
"Sorry once again wrong," said Trunks leaning back in his seat. This is kind of fun he thought watching the shape behind the glass jerk a moment longer, muscles spasming with the high voltage. Ha, that'll teach you to mess with me Goten.
Smiling he drew another card
20 minutes later.
"It's a rat, cat, and dog chasing each other in a circle I swear!" cried the voice from the speaker.
Trunks blinked at the card he held, unable to believe Goten could possibly have guess that correctly. He held the last card from the desk in his hand, having gone through the whole thing. To his sheer amazement Goten had named every picture correctly, even the nude girl seven of clubs playing card, someone had accidentally shuffled into the deck.
Shaking his head he put down the last card and debated whether or not to shock Goten one last time. He felt a lot better now after listening to Goten scream for the last twenty minutes, but maybe he was going to far?
"Did… did I get it correct?" asked a shaky voice from the speaker.
The scale in Trunks head tipped with the question and with a shrug he pressed the shock button again.
"Nope."
"AaaaaaaaaaaAAaaaaaaaaaaaHhhhhhhHhhhhhhhh!"
Boy, Goten did anyone ever tell you, you scream just like a girl? Wondered Trunks lifting his finger off the button.
"We're done now, you may leave," said Trunks into the speaker, setting the dials back to their regular setting and whistling merrily to himself he left the room to go rejoin his friend. He was greatly shocked too see a blackened Almuerzo sitting down between Marron and Pan, her hair sticking straight up in the air.
"It's broken, broken I tell you. My eye is broken, it must be…" she muttered to herself, twitching every now know and then as if she had no control over his muscles any more.
"It's okay Almuerzo, it happens to the best of us, really," said Pan patting her hand.
Trunks felt a large sweat drop slide down the side of his face and turning around so he wasn't looking at the group he clasped his hands on the side of his face and allowed the horror he felt to show. He'd messed up, 'BIG' time!
" I swear they were right, they had to be right, I could felt they were right," said Almuerzo sounding more then a little crazy at the moment. "Maybe the nude playing card had been wrong, but the other's had to be right!" she wailed.
Goten walked down the hall just then and saw the horrified look on Trunk's face. "Trunks?" he said tilting his head to the side and looking oddly at the lavender haired demi-saiyan. "You okay?"
Trunks eyes moved to look at him and then his hands shot out to clasp his friend in a hug. "Goten I forgive you for 'every' horrible thing you've ever done to me!"
"Wow, really?" asked Goten in shock and disbelief. "Even that time I made you a sardine and Tabasco sauce sandwich and told you it was chopped chicken and baroque sauce?"
Trunks grimaced remember that time, but one look at Almuerzo had him nodding his head. "Yah, even that time. In fact I forgive everyone here of anything they ever may of done to me," said Trunks, squeezing Goten tighter.
"Wow, how great," wheezed Goten prying at Trunk's hands. "Then maybe… maybe I should to," he gasped breathlessly. Once Trunks had let up on crushing him Goten spoke louder and more confidently. "Yah, let's all forgive each other, we're about to get into some heavy military stuff here, we should all be on good terms, ne?" His eyes drifted over too look at Marron.
She smiled sweetly. "Yes, I forgive you, I forgive everyone here for anything they may have done to wrong me in the past." Smiling wider she tilted her head too look at Base. "Let's all be good friends."
Base jerked at the look and unexpected forgiving of wrongs. Feeling award, he nodded his head. "Yah… let's just forget all that stuff," he muttered casting an eye at Almuerzo then over at Bra. "Even if they were other people's doings."
Bra tried to look inocent, but she ended up sighing and going with the flow. "Yah, I'm sorry, lets let by-gones be by-gones, right Pan?" he said snapping her head around to look at the quarter saiyan.
"Eh?! Um- sure, yah no problem. Forgive and forget. Right Goten? Trunks?" she said giving those two the evil eye.
"Right," said both backing away from her.
Uub glanced around the circle of teens with a confused look on his face. "Did I miss something here?" he asked.
Bra grinned and got up only to flop back down on his lap. "Nothing love, you're just the only innocent one among us that's all," he said looping her arms around his neck and giving him a peck on the check.
Uub looked even more confused with Bra's explanation, but with a shrug of his shoulders decided it didn't matter. Shyly he lopped his arms around the Bra's waist, causing the she saiyan to all but purr in delight.
The tension that had been mounting between the individuals of their group eased up as they all started chatting again on friendly terms. They even swooped stories and explained little mishaps to each other, causing bouts of laughter to bounce of the walls as one by one they got their psyic tests done. Almuerzo was particular pleased to know her third eye hadn't failed her, she thought Trunks had been unnaturally cruel in his revenge, but agreed that on Goten 10,000 volts of power might not have been as affected on him as it had been on her. Plus, she'd already agreed to forgive and forget.
Finally Uub, the last of the testers, finished his test and left the little room he'd been in with a small smile. He didn't look at all roughed-up from the experience and admitted he'd probably gotten every other one wrong, but the voltage hadn't hurt him at all.
"Ah I'm so glad that's all done with," said Goten flopping back in his seat. He paused a puzzled look on his face. "So… now what?"
Everyone quieted down with the question.
"Good question," said Pan. "Just what are we suppose to do now? I mean when are we going to find out where we're going?" She frowned, "I hope they don't separate us."
Any uncomfortable paused filled the air as everyone thought on that. Goten cast worried looks at Marron, strangely uncomfortable with the thought of not being able to see her whenever he wanted. Marron just smiled and slid an arm around his shoulders in a half hug, giving and receiving unspoken support. Almuerzo turned big eyes to Base who sweat dropped and pointy looked away from the girl, which only caused her to lean into him and seizing his arm in a vice like grip. The sweat drop on Base's head got larger and a twitch developed at one eye. Bra sighed in a tired fashion, glancing over her shoulder she studied Uub's face, who's lap she still perched on. The demi majin gave her a small smile and slight squeeze around the waist. She returned the smile and leaned her head on his shoulder. The show of affection seemed some how more grand with the two since Bra tending to let everyone see and know her feelings for Uub with crazy and wild actions, but this moment seemed somehow more private and meaningful; an exchange of true emotion, not a show. Trunks and Pan just turned and looked at each other, eyes speaking volumes to one another. The corner of Trunks' mouth moved up as he reached out to take hold of Pan's hand.
Pan returned the small smile and squeezed his hand. Even when we're apart we're still together, she thought. I still know and feel you with me; I can be content with that… for now.
The touching moment was disrupted by an established couple walking up to their group. Hastily the couples broke apart and straightened their posture as Krillin and Juhachigou stopped in front of them.
Juhachigou ran a cool eye over them and gave a soft snort. "Tomorrow," she started. "You will all meet back here to find out your assigned training grounds. We could tell you what category you'll be going into with your test scores, but Vegeta and Bulma-san have decided to do some personal considering about where you are to be placed. Till then you may do as you please, but once you've been assigned we'll expect you to follow all rule and regulations as well as remaining at your assigned training facility till you are given free time."
Krillin nodded his head. "I suggest any of you that have pressing matters to attend to, do it tonight, because you'll be on a strict schedule after tomorrow. You guys did… well," said Krillin keeping his features smooth, thought the teens got the feeling he truly was pleased. "We'll see you tomorrow, you're dismissed."
They all watched Krillin and juhachi leave, another long pause filled the air as they digested everything.
"One last night of freedom, ne," said Trunks looking around with a sly smile.
Goten grin nearly spread the width of his whole face. "You know what that means right?"
"Time to Parrrty!" shouted the girls flashing wide grins.
"Wine and women, here we come," shouted Goten gleefully.
"We got the women," said Trunks scooping Pan up into his arms. She playfully slapped him on the shoulder, thought she was laughing the whole time. "We just need the wine."
"Let's go raid the wine cellar and liquor cabinet," said Bra pointing ahead like a general commanding her troops foreword.
"Yah!" shouted the teens heading off to do just that.