Conspiracies

Chapter One

Bra sat in her lab and for the first time since she could remember, she found herself unable to work. Her mind was clouded. She didn't know what to think anymore. Things were so different since Zarah had mated Pan, he was no longer willing to pull all-nighters with her, and if he did then Pan would show up to drag him home.

Also for the first time, she found herself alone and if that wasn't enough there was also the Goten issue. Things had been so clear cut and then he grew a spine, stood his ground, and . . . they kissed . . .

Annoyed at the blush she could feel coloring her cheeks she picked up a random gear. She wasn't going to think about him and that was final. She didn't care how good a kisser he was.

Oh god, Trunks almost walked in on them. That would have been a bad situation and they might have fought then Zarah would have found out. She would never hear the end of it if Zarah found out.

Bra had held her grudge against Goten for too long and too hard for a stupid reason.

Bra lifted a random piece of machinery and rolled it in her hands. Hindsight was always twenty-twenty, her lips twisted ruefully, and always difficult to overcome. Goten had always refused to fight her and she . . . had took it personally.

Her eyes narrowed and she carefully set down the part she had picked up. She had noticed he didn't let anything stop him from sparring with her cousin Sasoli. Maybe she was destined to fall behind her beloved cousins but she doubted it. Zarah was brilliant and his twin Sasoli was a great fighter, as one they were unstoppable but apart they had weaknesses.

She grinned at the way her thoughts had turned. They way she was thinking one might believe she wanted to wage war on her own family. The truth was she loved her Aunt Ava and Uncle 17 to death, and should the occasion call for it, she would die for them and her cousins.

She blew the hair out of her face and sat down determinedly to work. She might be lonely and without hope of ever getting a boyfriend, thanks to her dad, but that was no reason to slack off. With a determined streak she inherited from both her parents she threw herself into the only thing that could bring her satisfaction, inventing.

"Besides," she allowed a mean smile to cross her face, "It's not like they have soda that won't go flat."

Her own little invention that she was going to share with no one!

Well, maybe Zarah but only because he already new about it.

**

A petite blond glanced nervously at the building that was her destination. Capsule Corporation was huge and the security tight so though she held the appropriate papers to enter she doubted she would get in. But as sudden as her uneasiness came it left her. If she got in then she got in there was no use freighting about something you weren't even sure was going to happen.

Without another thought she approached the door with a confident step and almost made it past the guard.

"Let me see your papers," he demanded.

She handed them over briskly.

"I see, and what's your business with Zarah Briefs?"

"I come on family matters. I am his cousin Maron."

**

Zarah growled into the phone. He had been mated to Pan for a week now and he wasn't sure if he hated her or loved her beyond all reason.

"Listen to me you pompous ass!" She hissed through the phone, "If I don't want to take a typing class then I won't!"

Right now he was leaning toward hate.

"Pan," he tried to explain calmly, "Trunks is never going to let you be my secretary if you don't have the right qualifications."

"I don't want to be your fucking secretary!" She screamed at him, "Just because you come from a royal saiyan bloodline does not mean you can boss me around and rearrange my schedule!"

"Pan! Try to understand-"

"Understand THIS!"

The dial tone filled his ear and he barely restrained himself from smashing the phone in retaliation.

Pan had decided she wanted to continue her education and go to college and that was fine with him. He even took her to school and picked her up. He would even go all the way over there during his lunch break to eat with her regularly. He wasn't paying her way for crying out loud and all he asked for her was to take a couple of classes that would qualify her for secretary work. But apparently that was too much to ask of his mate and he had been forced to take more drastic measures, thus the heated telephone call.

In hindsight, it might not have been the best idea to completely change her schedule without her consent but did she really have to react so strongly?

With a deliberate hand, Zarah dialed the number to her cell phone, something else he had given her, and waited for her to pick up.

"What?" She snapped.

"I might have crossed the line a little-"

"A little?!"

"-but I don't believe I deserve this kind of treatment from my mate!" His tail flicked out, displaying his anger.

"I don't have time to argue right now," Pan announced, "I have a class to go to.

"Fine, I'll see you at lunch!"

"Fine!"

They hung up on each other at the same time.

Zarah snarled to himself at his mate's stubbornness and then smiled, he wouldn't have her any other way. She was a spitfire or a spit inferno was more accurate.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Zarah froze, his tail snapping around his waist as he turned to find . . .

"Maron! What are you doing here?"

The blond woman leaned against the doorway, "Nice to see you too cousin."

"You seen well," Zarah was confused, why was she here?

Maron's confidence crumbled slightly as he just stared at her. They hadn't really gotten along when they were small, she hadn't had an interest in fighting and as a demi-saiyan, Zarah couldn't understand that. The only thing they had in common was the light blue of their eyes. So they had went their separate ways but that was going to change, they were blood for goodness sake and it was time to act like it.

"I heard about your . . . union with Pan," Maron explained, "I have come to congratulate you."

"I see," Zarah felt some of the weariness fall away, and motioned for her to sit down.

Maron sat down carefully, knowing he was watching her every move.

"So are congratulations in order or condolences?" She smiled as he flushed.

"A meaningless scrabble," he remarked roughly and sat on his desk, "So . . . how is Aunt 18 and Krillin?"

"They are doing fine as always," she smiled, "And Uncle 17? Aunt Ava?"

A wry smile settled on his face, "Dad's still in one piece if that's what your asking."

Zarah studied his cousin with interest, he hadn't seen her for at least ten years. The years had been good to her, her figure had filled out as well as her hair and she had lost her baby fat. She looked a lot like her mom now.

"So you came all this way to . . . ask about Pan?" Zarah lifted an eyebrow.

"Well no," Maron's cool exterior melted a bit, "I . . . just thought . . . We could . . . I mean . . ."

A frown marred her forehead as she ruthlessly reconstructed her composure.

"We're cousins, Zarah, shouldn't we be acting like it?"

"Depends," Zarah tilted his head, "How do cousins act?"

An awkward silence followed and they both reminded of the reason why they never talked. They had nothing in common to talk about and, if Zarah remembered correctly, Maron hadn't exactly socialized with anyone else either. He had always hung out with Bra and his twin sister with Trunks and Goten. Maron had always been left out of the equation except for the rare occasions she trailed after Trunks or she had talked Sasoli into playing with her dolls.

"Thank you for your thoughts," Zarah smiled as he saw her relax minutely.

"Zarah!"

Maron jumped as the male voice thundered down the hall.

Zarah sighed, "I guess Trunks found my plans. Three, two, one-"

The door flew open and an enraged Trunks filled the doorway.

"What is your problem?" Trunks slammed the door shut behind him, "I already declined Pan's offer to become your secretary."

"I know," Zarah's tone was dry.

"That is no reason to-"

"Trunks, maybe we should discuss my secretary problems later. Maron is here," Zarah cut through Trunks' tirade.

"Maron?" Trunks blinked and found her staring at them with surprise, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were here."

"I noticed," a small smile crossed her lips, "Long time no see Trunks."

"Yeah, I've been busy," Trunks directed a small glare at his cousin which was ignored.

"So what's this problem with secretaries?" Maron was intrigued with the idea of her cousin having problems.

"No, problem. It's just that Trunks won't let Pan be my secretary," Zarah shrugged.

"She would distract away from work," Trunks' lip curled, "I have walked in on you two a couple of times already and she doesn't even work here."

"Maybe you should learn to knock," Zarah suggested.

"Or I could be your secretary," Maron jumped in the conversation.

Both males turned to her with surprise in their eyes.

"What?"

"I have some experience in the office but nothing as big as Capsule Corp. of course," Maron offered smoothly, "I could show you my references."

"What do you think Zarah?" Trunks' eyes were narrowed thoughtfully.

Zarah was quiet for a long time.

"If she qualifies then I will not complain," he announced softly, seeing the relief in face.

"Really?" Trunks was mildly surprised at Zarah's lack of resistance.

"She's family," Zarah shrugged, "I think that qualifies her as trustworthy."

"All right then," Trunks grinned at Maron, "If everything checks out then a welcome to Capsule Corps. will be in order."

Maron stood also pleased with the way things were turning out. She had been in a type of crossroads, freshly out of college with a business degree she didn't know what to do with and if she could get into Capsule Corp. . . through her relations of all things . . . Jeez, to get into Capsule Corp. even as a lowly secretary was murder, the competition was cut throat and would stop at nothing especially since positions rarely opened. Then there was the relative factor, she would finally be on better terms with Zarah and have something to talk about.

"I would trust her with my files," Zarah ushered both out his office door.

"Really?" Trunks was amazed.

"Really," Zarah shut the door.

Maron blinked at the sudden dismissal.

"Is he always like this?"

Trunks smiled sardonically, "Only on his good days. Come, you need to show me your qualifications."

"Ok," Maron followed her new boss to his office.

All in all, it was going to be a good day.

*

Goten sighed heavily, he felt absolutely awful and it was all Bra Briefs' fault. It had been a couple days now since Bra had caught him off guard with that kiss and now he was doing what he had accused her of doing: Abandoning his friends. Guilt raked up and down his frame at the thought of Trunks dying of boredom in his office but he just couldn't work up the courage to go to Capsule Corp. and risk running into Bra.

For one, he had no idea how she would react to his presence since she had hated him for her whole life and then kisses him out of the blue, and two . . . He wasn't sure how he would react to her, and three . . . What if Trunks found out? Or worse, her dad?

Goten cringed at the thought of wrathful Vegeta coming after him for defiling his daughter. Trunks had told him that she was forbidden to date unless she found someone who was either worthy or with some power to back them up, preferably both. One of the few attempts she had tried had ended in disaster when the guy in question was introduced to her dad. The Prince of all Saiyans was never accused of being a tolerant man but add to that a father's protective instincts and he was more unapproachable than Kid Buu on a bad day.

Jeez, if only she hadn't kissed him they might have gone on like nothing had happened but, as it was, he couldn't forget the way she had felt pressed against him.

"Goten?"

Goten jumped about a foot in the air.

"Grandpa Bardock?" Goten ducked his head embarrassed at being caught off guard, "I didn't sense you coming."

"I noticed," Bardock studied his grandson with interest, "Tell me what's wrong."

"Wrong?" Goten panicked at the order, "What makes you think something is wrong?"

Bardock just gazed at him steadily and waited.

"I really don't want to talk about it," Goten finally sighed in defeat.

He could never hide anything from his Grandpa Bardock, the old saiyan was still as sharp as a tack but twice as deadly.

"It has something to do with Princess Bra," Bardock murmured, more of a statement than a question.

Goten flinched, "What makes you say that?"

"Well, besides it being written all over your face," Bardock snorted, "I have heard she was also acting strangely. Coincidence? I think not."

"She's been acting weird?" Goten inclined his head, betraying his interest in the subject.

"Yes, Zarah mentioned she isolated herself in the lab and refuses to come out," Bardock narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, "Do you have any idea why she would do this?"

"Not any that would make sense," Goten frowned, surely Bra wasn't caught up about the kiss as well . . . Could she?

"One day soon Goten we are going to talk and you are going to tell me what happened between you two," Bardock tilted his head good-bye and was gone.

Goten sighed again, "That's just great."

End of chapter one

Disclaimer: I do not own dragonballz but I do own original characters and storyline.

AN: I don't promise regular updates for both stories but I should, hopefully, update something every weekend. Michelle