Only Words

2: Empty Spaces, Familiar Faces

Marron shivered as the cool pre-dawn breeze tickled her skin. She had not yet changed from the clothes she had worn at the party: indigo jeans and a cute pink tank-top, hair still in messy pigtails. Absent-mindedly, she fixed her hair while watching the sun begin to rise above the horizon.

She didn't know ho long it had been since her duplicate had left, or how long she had been in this strange place. All she knew was she had never felt more lonesome in her entire life.

She was completely and utterly bewildered by what she had been told. Part of her wanted to believe that is was all a lie, someone's sick idea of a joke, or a ludicrous nightmare dreamed up by her own twisted mind. But the part of Marron that was causing her gut to twist up in knots believed every word that had been spoken.

"When are those 'others' getting here?" she spoke aloud. Using her very limited abilities, Marron searched for kis, familiar or otherwise, and discovered that there were indeed several headed her way, getting closer by the minute. Whether they were friend or foe, she couldn't tell, but the thought of company lightened her heart at least a little.

She sat back down on her piece of driftwood to wait. Before she knew it, she heard the distinct sound of feet landing on the sand. One, two, three, four sets.

"I knew I sensed something! Don't move. We have you surrounded." Though slightly gruffer, the commanding voice was unmistakable.

"Trunks!" Marron cried, turning to face her boyfriend.

He looked different, but familiar at the same time. His face was physically the same, but his eyes seemed to hold much anger. He wore a green headband across his forehead, under his purple bangs. The band matched his khaki pants and faded olive tank-top.

The three others with Trunks Marron also recognised. Pan was on Trunks' left, in khaki shorts and a tight grey T-shirt. Her hair was tied high. Uub was next to her with an outfit similar to Trunks'.

And on Trunks' right…it was Goten. Of all four, his expression was the lightest and kindest.

Trunks' mouth twisted into a snarl. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

"I…I…" Marron stammered, unsure of how to explain herself.

"Speak, chikuso!"

"Calm down, Trunks!" Goten said. He gave Marron a small smile. "Can't you see that she's terrified? And besides, she's got a ki. That's how we found her, remember? So she's not a jinzouningen, she's just a normal human."

"So what's she doing out here?" Pan asked suspiciously. "It could be a trap or something."

"I'm not a trap!" Marron pleaded. "I'm Marron."

"And? That name means nothing to me," Trunks growled. Marron had never seen him so cold. So much like Vegeta.

Marron realised that she would simply have to tell them the truth. "Sorry, I forgot. Of course you don't know my name. I don't exist in this world."

"What do you mean 'in this world'?" Uub inquired. "Are you from another planet?"

"No, no. From another timeline, or something. I don't know. I'm Krillin's daughter."

"Krillin never had any children," Trunks bluntly stated.

"Not here, no. But where I used to be, he had me…"

"I hate to tell you this, but Krillin is dead."

"I know. Someone…someone told me what happened here. How okaa…Juuhachigou became evil again and started killing."

Trunks' narrowed. "What were you about to say before you said Juuhachigou?"

"N-nothing…"

"Liar! You were about to say 'okaasan', weren't you? You're the daughter of that murderous bitch!"

"Yes…" Marron whispered. It hurt to have Trunks tell at her. She tried to reason that this wasn't the same Trunks, but it didn't work all that well.

Goten and Uub were holding Trunks back so that he wouldn't tear Marron to pieces. To say that this Trunks had a vendetta against Juuhachigou would have been an understatement. Marron could see an unimaginable hatred in his eyes, and it terrified her.

"Trunks, cut it out, you baka!" Goten grunted, angrily. "Just because she's Juuhachi's daughter doesn't automatically make her evil. And you heard her – she said something about being from another timeline. You know, where Juuhachigou is still on our side."

"Such a place could never exist," Trunks spat.

"You stubborn jerk, you never change do you?" Marron finally snapped, sick of Trunks' behaviour. "You can sense my ki. You can tell that I'm no threat."

"You're a spy, then. Wouldn't be the first time…"

"Would you all shut up?" Pan barked. "Look, the sun's starting to rise – we can't stay here. We'd better decide now what we're going to do with this girl."

"Let's just take her with us," Goten suggested. "We'll make sure she doesn't leave, so she can't make contact with the jinzouningen."

"Fine!" Trunks growled. "But she's you're responsibility." Trunks drew his face close to Marron and snarled at her, "If you put one foot out of line, jinzouningen, I will take personal pleasure in disposing of you, understood?"

Marron fought back the tears, and tried to nod defiantly. She was quite certain that it didn't really work. Trunks did not seem fazed.

"I guess you can't fly?" Pan sneered, noting that Marron had not made a move. Marron shook her head, and Pan rolled her eyes. "Talk about useless. Goten-jisan, carry her, will ya?"

Goten smiled sheepishly at Marron, and scoped her into his arms. As they flew after the others, he apologised. "You'll have to excuse the manner of my companions. They've all had a bit of a hard life."

"Are…are you the only ones left?" Marron asked, timidly.

"Oh, no. We left Piccolo and Gohan back at our base with Bulma and Videl."

"What about Bra? Where's she?"

Goten's face became very cold, and the tone of his voice harsh. "Just to let you know – it would probably be in your best interests to not mention that name again. Especially around Trunks."

Goten did not talk to her for the rest of the flight. It was more than enough for Marron to get the point – Bra was not the best conversation topic. Of course, that just made her more curious as to what had happened.

Glancing around, Marron looked at the area where they had just arrived. In was in the middle of nowhere, jagged cliff faces jutting up everywhere, tangled messes of vines hanging of rocks. The perfect place for someone to hide. Trunks pushed a large section of vines aside to reveal the opening to a cave, and stepped inside. Pan, Uub, Goten and Marron, last and cautious, followed him inside.

It was not dank and musty as Marron expected it to be. Burning torches lined the walls, making visibility easier. Marron wondered how Trunks coped with living like this. She tried to imagine the Trunks she knew living without all the technology that ruled his life. It was near impossible.

"Trunks? Is that you?" a quiet voice asked. The group of five had entered a large cavern, which obviously served as a room. Sitting patiently at a table, was Bulma. She looked so much older. Probably from all the stress of what's been happening, Marron decided.

"Yes, okaasan," Trunks softly replied. The tone he used with his mother was very different from the tone he had used with Marron. "We found this girl…at the Turtle Master's island…"

Bulma looked at Marron. "She looks like…"

"Juuhachigou…yes. Apparently, the jinzouningen is her mother."

Marron expected Bulma to start screaming. But she did not. She smiled, and motioned for Marron to sit near her. "You may look like your mother, but you remind me of someone else…who is your father?"

"K-Krillin, ma'am," Marron answered.

"I thought as much. They were together for a while. It must have broken his heart when she turned. But, I must admit, I did not know they ever had any children. In fact, I didn't think it possible for a jinzouningen to mother a child."

"I…I'm not from this world. I don't exist here."

Bulma motioned for the others to leave the room. "What do you mean, child? You're sitting next to me, so I'd say you exist."

Marron let the tears she had been holding in spill forth now that Trunks had gone. "I wished that I had never been born, and now I'm here! All of this is my fault! It's because I wasn't born. That's why okaasan went evil. That's why she killed everyone."

"I see." Bulma placed a hand on Marron's shoulder. "You cannot blame yourself. You couldn't decide whether you were born or not in this world."

"But…"

"I think that you have come from an alternate timeline, like Mirai Trunks. When he came from the future, he created a new past, and a new future." Bulma smiled. "Well, that's just my theory anyway."

"T-thank you…" Marron whispered. "Thank you for believing me. Trunks didn't."

"That boy is too much like his father. A stubborn son of a bitch. I'll try to talk some sense into him. Meanwhile, we need to find you some clothes. I expect Trunks doesn't plan on letting you go anywhere, but if he changes his mind, we can't have you going around in such bright colours. The jinzouningen would come after you in ten seconds flat." Bulma looked Marron up and down. "My clothes would be too big, especially in the bust, and Pan's would be too small. Very tiny that girl. Looks like we'll have to go with Videl's. Follow me."

Bulma stood, and lead Marron to another passageway. They entered a new room, which was mostly taken up by the massive form of Piccolo.

"Is this her?" he asked.

"Yes," Bulma answered. "And before you go making some foolhardy decision, I've already spoken to her. She's Krillin's daughter too, you know? Or did my son forget to mention that?"

"He mentioned it. And I did not plan on sentencing her to death or anything like that. Trunks has suggested we keep her here, as a prisoner I suppose. It will be safer for all of us that way."

"We just better hope she doesn't have some tracking bug, or a bomb attached to her," Pan said, snidely, from the shadows.

Marron couldn't help but dislike this Pan. The Pan she knew had always been a sweet girl. A bit of a tomboy, but sweet nonetheless. She snapped back at Pan with her own snide remark. "Don't you think I would've exploded already if I was a bomb?"

"That's enough, girls!" Bulma ordered. "Now…what was your name dear?"

"Marron."

"Right. Let's see what we can do about getting you some clothes."

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Next chapter: More shall be revealed about Bra's mysterious absence.