Chapter Ten
Zarah winced when the clock announced the workday over. Terry had left early with his permission in order to get ready for their date.
Date . . . Zarah's face twisted with distaste, isn't that some kind of fruit?
Zarah put his jacket on and wondered briefly if he should change . . . No, he would go as is, Terry could accept him or not, it didn't really matter.
**
Terry fidgeted nervously on her barstool, sure she was early but one could never be too prepared especially when dealing with a man like her boss. He was worth any inconvenience and hurdle, now if only he would cooperate.
"Damn it," a woman growled to her left, "Give me a drink with a kick!"
Terry glanced at the irate voice and saw a petite but beautiful woman downing her drink.
"Ava, don't be that way," a male voice pleaded.
Terry watched the man lay his hands on the woman's shoulder only to have them knocked off.
"You didn't tell me this place was going to be full of people," she hissed at him.
"Don't focus on them, focus on us."
Recognition hit her as a quick grin lit the man's face.
"Wait your 17," Terry couldn't help but blurt.
Two sets of eyes locked on her.
"Your Zarah's secretary," 17 nodded at her, "This is my wife Ava."
Terry was completely shocked. This woman looked no older than her husband . . . but how could that be?
She offered her hand to the woman only to be stared at with cold black eyes.
17 nudged her gently.
Ava ignored him.
"What is your relationship with my son?"
Terry was startled at the quiet venom in her voice. Zarah had told her he came from a strict family but this was ridiculous!
"Actually he's meeting me here--"
Terry screamed as Ava launched herself at her. She peeked through her fingers to see 17 had grabbed his wife around the waist to restrain her.
"Ava don't wiggle like that your top will come off," 17 scolded lightly, "Terry, it might be in your best interest to leave."
Terry watched them walk away, if you could call the half drag half-carrying 17 was doing walking.
She felt a flicker of doubt as the woman flashed her a glare full of threat before disappearing into the crowd. Maybe this was the one thing she couldn't do, the one obstacle she wouldn't be able to overcome?
Terry sneered lightly to herself, a lowly mother would not defeat her. If obstacles couldn't be maneuvered around then they were destroyed, simple.
**
"Ava," 17 remarked dryly, "While you know how much I love it when you get physical with me, doesn't mean everyone else will appreciate it as well."
Ava growled at him, ordering him to put her down or else she wouldn't be responsible for the consequences.
"Only if you behave," 17 made sure his voice was stern, "with the other people at least, you can be naughty with me if you want."
"Hn," was her response.
"Good," 17 set her down, "Now dance with me."
"Dance?" Ava lifted her brows at him, determined to be stubborn after his display of authority.
"I know you can," 17 pulled her close, "Listen to the beat of the music . . . pretend it's my heart . . . let your body move. . ."
**
Zarah was lost.
He couldn't make out Terry's damned handwriting. He had tried several different places and no success, his temper was wearing extremely thin.
He just wanted to go home.
**
Pete glanced up from his drink to see a perfectly sexy woman dancing with a scrawny guy.
Pete was a self-proclaimed player with a high success rate so despite having a girlfriend in the bathroom, he considered it his civic duty to rescue the hottie in the orange top.
**
Zarah growled as he hit another dead end.
"One more and that's it."
**
"Ava, I thought you didn't want to start a riot," 17 chuckled as he tried to keep his wife's tail around her waist.
"I thought you wanted me to dance," she smirked at him, though she stilled her appendage.
"I do, but--"
17 was cut off as he was shoved away from his wife.
"Mind if I cut in?" A young man, no older than twenty grabbed the surprised saiyan.
"Yes, I do," Ava planted her feet.
"Oh, come on doll," the guy smiled at her cheekily, "My name's Pete--"
A hand on his shoulder interrupted the flow of Pete's words.
"That's my wife," 17 snarled, enraged at the upstart.
Ava smiled at the violence in his voice, it was so rare-
"Bitch!" SMACK!
Pete's girlfriend had returned from the bathroom only to find him with his arms around another woman. Without another thought she marched right up to the man stealing bitch, spun her around, and slapped her.
Ava slowly turned her face back to the suicidal human feeling the slight sting on her cheek.
17 sighed in resignation, which turned into a sneer when he spotted Pete's hand going for Ava's butt.
The girlfriend went flying over the dancers heads only to hit the unsuspecting Terry, knocking both unconscious. Pete was thrown into a wall and onto a table collapsing it. The bar deteriorated into a massive bar fight with Ava and 17 in the middle of it.
**
Zarah became alarmed when he felt his mother's unique power signal in the bar he was about to check.
Hearing sirens in the distance, he knew he had to get his parents out of there, for where his mother went his dad was sure to follow.
Bursting into the establishment, Zarah was met with an unexpected scene. His mother was sitting on top of a pile of bodies while his dad was searching for a drink behind the bar.
And his mother was giggling.
"Mom, Dad, you guys have to get out of here the police are coming," Zarah told them urgently.
"Police," his father huffed, "They always come running when I have fun."
"Are the police . . .powerful?" Ava smiled sweetly at her son.
"No," Zarah answered helplessly.
"Ah hah!" 17 pulled out a bottle of whiskey, "For you my love."
Ava reclined on the prone bodies to give him a flirtatious smile.
"It is not a drink I want."
To say that Zarah was stunned by his mother's behavior was an understatement.
"Her drinks caught up with her," 17 was amused as he explained to his son, "I tried to warn her but . . . she wouldn't listen."
"17," she fluttered her eyelashes as she had seen other humans do, "I need to tell you something."
Her voice was playful and full of hidden undertones.
"Dad," Zarah frowned, "The cops are pulling up right now!"
"Ok, ok," 17 picked up his wife bridal style only to have her purr into his chest, "We'll go."
Zarah slipped out the back door after his father had blown through the ceiling, revealing the android might have been drunker than he let on.
Using his speed, Zarah escaped detection from the police and decided to head for home. Terry should have given him accurate LEGIBLE directions thus he was under no obligation to uphold their deal.
**
Sasoli watched from a rooftop. She had been trailing her brother for days now and witnessed the scene with the secretary from the vent.
Her mother was right, Zarah was getting sloppy. He should have noticed her straight away but still it worked to her advantage.
Sasoli didn't like Terry.
The woman was not worthy of her brother and had no right to touch him as she had.
The timely interference from her parents had prevented her from confronting the damned secretary. Still, she could feel the time was coming closer for her to have a little talk with Terry.
Sasoli readjusted the ninja mask on her face that she had gotten from her mother and melted into the shadows.
**
Zarah groaned as he settled into his furs for the night.
Who knew finding a mate would be so difficult? Females just didn't make any sense. He had never met a girl besides his cousin who was sane.
The girls he had run into at the office would attach themselves to anything remotely male while the ones outside of work would only turn red at the slightest comment.
They would not suit his purposes at all.
Zarah needed a woman who wasn't afraid of standing up to him and would fight back. A woman who would literally die trying to protect their offspring and would love him despite his otherworldly heritage. In short, he needed a woman who didn't exist.
Terry was a joke. She trembled at the slightest harsh word or act and then beg to stay in his presence. His mother would kill her before allowing the union.
He sighed wearily, and if she didn't then Sasoli would.
Zarah glanced around his new cave dwelling with pride. He had cleaned it out and found an appropriately sized boulder for the door, which was big enough to ensure no unwanted visitors but not so big as to not let air in. Though he had relented and accepted the table with chairs from Bra, a moving in gift she said.
He had everything he needed, except for a mate. He would have to be tortured before he would admit it but he was lonely. Living with his family all his life had left him ill prepared to live alone.
**
Terry groaned as she sat up amidst a dozen other people.
"What happened?" She winced at her head throbbed painfully.
"You were in the biggest bar fight in the history of bar fights that ended with all the participants' unconscious," a grimy voice answered.
Terry slowly lifted her eyes to see herself surrounded by bars and a cop staring at her.
"Care to tell me who started what?"
"I don't remember," she shook her head, "I was waiting. . . for Zarah to meet me . . . and then everything went dark."
"An innocent bystander," the cop grunted, "Too bad you'll be guilty by association."
"What?" Terry gripped the bars pitifully.
"Well, unless you can make bail you'll have to stay in jail until the trial," the cop shrugged.
"Wait! I get one phone call!" She called desperately at the retreating cop.
**
Zarah smiled when he spotted Terry's unoccupied office. Hopefully she wouldn't come to work at all and he could have a problem free day.
He sat on his desk only to see his phone blinking at him.
He clicked the button to hear what message he could possibly have between the time he clocked out to this morning.
"Zarah--"
Zarah erased Terry's message without a second thought. He wanted a Terry-free day so he dismissed the desperate tone of her voice and went to work.
**
Bra eyed her bubbling concoction from the day before with delight.
"It works!" She cheered.
"What works?"
Bra spun around in surprise to find her cousin.
"Zarah! Remember how we discussed how the carbonation escapes too easily from beverages?" Bra asked excitedly.
"Yes," Zarah nodded, "I remember how you became angry when your soda went flat."
"Well," Bra ignored his amusement, "I came up with a way to keep it bubbling!"
"Show me," Zarah instructed.
"Here," she handed him the beaker, "Drink."
Zarah tilted the beaker this way and that, smelled it before finally taking a sip.
"How long have you let this sit?" Zarah looked at his cousin amazed.
"Almost twenty-four hours without any form of top to keep the carbonation from escaping. Taste good?" Bra bounced lightly on her toes, something she had picked up from her grandmother.
Zarah nodded, "It tastes like you just opened a can and poured it for me."
Bra squealed with delight and hugged her cousin with a bone-crushing grip.
"Bra," he awkwardly patted her back, "Please get off me."
"Hmm?" Bra let go of him, "Oh, sorry I forgot."
"So is Capsule Corp. going to start a line of soft drinks?" Zarah stuck his hands in his pockets.
"No," Bra rolled her eyes at him, "I am going to keep this for my own personal use."
"I knew you were a selfish brat," Zarah smirked and went for the door.
Bra just hummed happily to herself as she recorded the procedure and ingredients she used.
Zarah opened the door to leave her lab when he came face to face with a girl with an orange bandana in her hair.
**
Pan glanced up in shock at the very man who had harassed her the first time she had come to Capsule Corp.
"You," a frown settled on her features, "Bastard--"
"What the hell are you doing down here?" He demanded as he shut the door behind him, "This area is strictly forbidden to all employees and tourists."
Pan took a step back in caution when his expression darkened dangerously.
"Leave this section and never return," he intoned darkly, "or face the consequences."
"You can't tell me what to do," Pan eyed him carefully.
Something entered his eyes that looked like interest before being hidden.
"I am not someone you can just push around," Pan continued, "You caught me off guard last time, it won't happen again."
"You don't know who you are dealing with," Zarah smirked at her, "The first rule of warfare, know thy enemy."
Pan sneered at him.
"I don't need to know you to kick your ass."
He didn't answer her but motioned for her to come.
Pan sniffed at him before delivering a spinning kick to his head.
She gasped when he blocked it, effortlessly. But that was impossible, she had thrown the kick using her sped . . . he shouldn't have even been able to detect her movement until it was too late.
"Is that it?" He asked arrogantly, his power level increasing slightly.
Pan felt his ki expand slightly and she could tell he was no amateur, this power was probably just the tip of the iceberg. She increased to match.
He raised an eyebrow in estimation as her stance tightened to accommodate him. She wasn't backing down as he thought she would, she was preparing to attack him.
"Hn," he smirked again only to enrage her further.
**
Bra's head snapped up as she felt her cousin's ki swell along with another who felt suspiciously like Pan.
Bra threw open her door to find the two facing off, a bit desperately she threw herself on her cousin's back. Already knowing what had happened. To Zarah, Pan was an intruder and it was his duty to protect her from even the smallest threat.
"It's ok I invited her," she told him quickly, not noticing Pan's surprise.
Bra sighed with relief when she felt Zarah relaxed his muscles. It was hard to stop him when he got into a fighting mood and almost impossible to get him to back off.
"You know her?" He asked softly.
"She's my friend," Bra slipped off his back.
"The friend?" Zarah eyebrows lifted, 'the one you are setting me up with?'
The unspoken words echoed between them until Bra gave a short nod.
"Hn," Zarah eyed the confused female in front of him with different eyes.
"What are you staring at?" Pan snapped, disconcerted when he smiled.
"Stop it," Bra pushed her cousin down the hallway, "Go away."
"You injure me," he chuckled as she pushed him again.
"You're not helping Zarah," Bra growled and switched to saiyan, "She doesn't know I going to set you two up yet and you're going to mess it up!"
"You should have told me sooner, Bra, I might have agreed to this date thing sooner," Zarah replied in kind before disappearing up the stairs.
Bra blinked at his back, He likes her . . .
"Bra! What the hell is going on?! I thought he was going to be taken care of?"
Bra sighed and led her friend into her lab, "Things are difficult when it comes to him."
"Why?" Pan scoffed, "Is he your boyfriend or something?"
"No," Bra paused a moment wondering how to simplify everything in a few words, "He's my cousin."
**
Sasoli narrowed her eyes at this recent event.
Who was this new girl? She had power but was she worthy? Sasoli would determine that for herself.
Now who to follow, her brother or her cousin?
"Maybe it's time to drop in on my dear cousin," she smiled.
**
Pan was shell-shocked.
The jerk was related to Bra. . . But how? How was he so strong?
"Remember my Uncle 17," Bra waited for Pan to nod, "That's his son."
Android 17 had a kid? I shouldn't be surprised 18 had Maron . . .But how could a charming man have a rude son like him!
"Ok," Pan rubbed her temples, "Who is his mom?"
"Aunt Ava," Bra smiled weakly as she offered Pan her beaker, "Would you like something to drink?"
Pan waved the concoction away, "Princess Ava? Thee Princess Ava who my Grandpa Bardock talks about, the same one who trained you?"
"Yeah, she's also my dad's twin sister," Bra took a swig from her beaker.
"He's saiyan!" Pan gasped.
"More saiyan than you anyway." A third female voice announced.
The vent fell to the floor with a bang and a body landed delicately in front of the two girls.
"Sasoli," Bra's eyes narrowed, "What are you doing in my lab?"
"Someone needs to help Zarah," Sasoli bowed mockingly, "After all Princess Bra must not be strained."
"He's fine," Bra growled, surprising the hell out of Pan.
"Then you realize his secretary is a lunatic who is obsessed with him," Sasoli smirked when Bra gasped her surprise, "I want you to fire her."
"ME? Why me?" Bra set her hands on her hips.
"Higher rank," Sasoli sneer lightly, "Now, Pan is it?"
Pan locked eyes with the older saiyan while Bra clenched her jaw pissed.
"Yes, Son Pan," she nodded.
"Son?" Sasoli cocked her head to the side, "Who is your father?"
"Gohan," Pan answered awkwardly.
"Hn," Sasoli smiled and circled Pan like a vulture does a rotting corpse.
"Sasoli stay out of this," Bra snapped, "Pan is not a person you can bully into what you want to do."
Sasoli smirked, "Careful Bra, or I might take that as a challenge."
"What the hell are you guys talking about?" Pan eyed them both wearily.
"Cautious," Sasoli nodded.
"Damn it," Bra cursed softly, "Remember the blind date you promised me?"
"The matchmaker ploy?" Sasoli chuckled, "As if that would work with saiyans."
"Wait," Pan eyes widened, "You were going to set me up with him?"
Bra rubbed her face in agitation.
"Shut up Sasoli, this isn't funny."
Sasoli sat on Bra's lab table not caring that one careless shift could destroy weeks of work.
"This is what you get for trying things the human way," Sasoli turned to Pan, "I want to test her."
Pan didn't know what to say to that one.
Bra stepped between Pan and Sasoli.
"She isn't fully trained yet," Bra growled warningly at Sasoli.
"She isn't a warrior," Sasoli's expression darkened, "I would never have thought a saiyan would stoop so low."
Pan had enough, "You want to fight then let's fight."
"Pan--"
"I wouldn't waste my time," Sasoli interrupted Bra, "with a mere fighter."
"Sas-"
"Oh yeah," Pan charged forward only to be caught by Bra, "The minute I become a warrior your ass is mine."
"Pan-"
"How crude," Sasoli clucked her tongue at her, "You probably couldn't even handle my brother in a relationship. A weak thing like you."
"Sasoli," Bra hissed at her, "Stop--"
"I'll show you what I can handle!" Pan raged before suddenly changing her direction.
Bra lost her grip on her and Sasoli grabbed the Saiyan Princess before she could stop Pan from leaving.
"Pan!" Bra screamed her name to no avail, "Why Sasoli?"
"You should be happy," Sasoli released her, "I just sped up your plans by couple of weeks."
Bra smoothed her clothing in an effort to calm herself since there was no way she was going to start a fight in her precious lab where her precious inventions could be damaged. It wasn't worth it to see Sasoli's smug face smashed in . . . It's not worth it . . .
"You and your mind games," Bra smiled suddenly, "She's going to hate you, you know."
"That's why I leave it to you cousin to enlighten her to my true motives after she is mated to Zarah," Sasoli nodded before jumping into the air vent and wriggled away.
Bra rolled her eyes and fixed the vent, she would never understand Sasoli.
**
The door Zarah's office burst open and Pan framed the entrance.
Zarah dropped his stance at the sight of her and regarded her curiously.
Pan stomped up to him, grabbed his shirt collar, and yanked him down to her level.
"No one tells me what I can't do. You. Me. On a date. Tomorrow." She nearly spat at him.
Zarah lifted an eyebrow at her demand and straightened, unintentionally forcing her to either let go or to step closer to him.
She didn't let go.
"Saiyans don't date," he responded lightly, amusement danced in his light blue eyes.
Pan scoffed, "Bull. They're going to start right now. Bra will inform you of the time and place. If you're not there then . . ."
She trailed off uncertainty as she remembered exactly why she didn't like to go on dates. Guys didn't like it when she was aggressive-
"Then?" He challenged, she was perfect and would belong to him all too soon.
"Then I'll hunt you down like the dog you are," Pan lifted her chin.
"Promise," Zarah smirked at her confusion and laid a hand over hers on his collar.
Pan swallowed, she didn't know what to do now that her adrenaline rush was over. She flinched when he traced her cheekbone with a finger.
"How fragile you look," Zarah commented aloud, "Deceptive. I would love to see your true power."
Pan jerked away from him, her cheeks aflame.
"Maybe . . . on our date," Pan was in full panic mode, what the hell had she gotten herself into? She didn't notice him come up behind her.
"Promise," Zarah whispered into her ear.
Pan darted away and glanced at the half-ruined door, "I have to go."
And she was gone.
Zarah was extremely pleased as he sat down to finish his work.
"And I thought you didn't exist."
End of Chapter Ten