Chapter Two

Maron sat at her desk which adjoined her cousin's office nervously. Trunks had given her his office number, cell number, his other cell phone number, his secretary's number if he was unavailable . . . He even gave her the emergency phone number reserved only if the company was about to blow up so she could get a hold of him if she had trouble with Zarah or if he was doing anything particularly weird or destructive. She knocked on his door timidly.

"Come in."

With a deep breath she opened the door only to find her cousin standing on his desk looking at the ceiling.

"Zarah?"

Blue eyes flicked at her then returned to the ceiling, "What is it?"

"I just wanted to check in and tell you I am officially on duty," Maron also turned her eyes skyward in order to see what he was looking at but could see nothing wrong.

"Hn," Zarah nodded in satisfaction, "I see. Then your first job is to take that box and deliver it to the basement."

Maron frowned as she picked up a lightweight box and set it on her hip, "The basement?"

Zarah nodded still studying the top of his office.

"Yes and don't drop the box, it's contents are worth more then a year salary of any CEO in any other company."

Maron immediately took it off her hip and secured it in both hands.

"Ok, right away," she turned to leave.

"Oh and Maron," Zarah hopped off his desk, "Don't worry, this will be the easiest job you ever had. You have to take the stairs to the sublevel basement."

"Why can't I just take the elevator?"

"It doesn't go down that far," Zarah grinned, "Tell the hermit hi for me."

The door shut before she could question him any further.

"The hermit?" Maron glanced at the phone nervously, wondering if she should ask Trunks about this hermit.

She shook her head, how was she going to prove herself if she would just run to Trunks every time something weird happened? She set her brow and walked into the busy halls of Capsule Corps.

**

Goten stopped in front of the tall building where his friend worked and took a deep breath. He would not let Bra stop him from being friends with her brother jut because he was afraid of running into her.

"Maybe I should go visit after lunch," Goten gave himself an out before stepping into the building resolutely.

**

Maron cursed as she stumbled for the hundredth time. Of course, the way to the basement was long, dark, and full of obstacles. All I know is there had better be someone down here or I am going to have a word with Zarah . . .

She fumbled with the box for the tenth time and cursed under her breath. What could be worth so much money anyway?

A door appeared in the darkness, ominous and foreboding. This was the door of a haunted house, the one goblins jumped out of you from or a serial killer greeted you with a knife.

She opened the door to find only a painfully clean laboratory with random half-finished machines. The lights were on so that meant-

"Is someone there?"

"What are you doing down here?"

Maron turned to find a person staring at her with huge magnifiers on her blue eyes.

"Maron?"

"Bra!"

Bra lifted the contraption off her head and her eyes returned to their original dimensions.

"What are you doing here? Not that I am complaining but how?" Bra smiled her pleasure.

Maron grinned, "I work here."

"Since when?"

"Since Zarah needed a secretary."

"Took the job did you," Bra laughed and then turned learned serious, "Trunks gave you all his numbers in case you have a problem?"

"Yes," Maron looked at he calculatingly, "though why I should need them is beyond me."

"You probably won't," Bra scribbled down a couple numbers on a paper, "but in case you do, here are all the ways to get a hold of me."

Unease settled on her, "Is he dangerous?"

"Who?" Bra was clueless.

"Zarah," Maron adjusted the box in her grip.

"No, why would you think that?" Bra frowned, "Has Trunks been telling stories again?"

"No, it's just," Maron's mouth twisted wryly, "Every time I come into contact with him someone hands me a number 'just in case'."

"Don't take it the wrong way," Bra leaned against her work station, "It's just . . . Zarah can be a bit . . . Unorthodox and if his inventions aren't going the way he likes them then he can become irritable. He also hates to be interrupted while he is in his lab."

"So basically he's just another temperamental genius," Maron lifted a brow.

"Right," Bra was all smiles, "See, no problem. Now, what's in the box?"

"Oh," Maron tightened her grip cautiously on it, "He told me to bring down to the basement."

"Oh, then it's for me!" Bra squealed and snatched the box from her blond friend and opened it, "Oh wow! He finished it!"

She pulled out capsule and held it to her gleefully.

"What is it?"

Bra pushed the nuzzle in and threw the capsule. A average sized round container was revealed as the smoke dissipated.

"What is it?" Maron reached out to pick it up.

Bra was faster and opened it.

"It looks like a lunch box," Maron was very doubting.

"It's not just any lunch box!" Bra huffed, "It can heat things to over four hundread degrees and keep things cool under forty degrees depending on the food it's holding. It can turn into a soup bowl or hold enough food for twenty people!"

"So it's a glorified lunch box," an amused smile played with Maron's lips.

"Basically but it will cut down on food poisoning," Bra shrugged and set it down, "I'll have to show it to Trunks later."

"How is that worth more then a years salary?" Maron poked at it.

Bra laughed outloud and hooked arms with her, "Zarah meant in market value and he's right. Speaking of lunch want to go out to eat?"

"I'll have to check in with Zarah first," Maron glanced at her watch.

"Don't worry about him, he's probably already on his way to eat with Pan," Bra rolled her eyes, "He's not used to having a secretary and forgets they need to eat too."

"Hey Bra?"

"Hmm?"

"Is there really a hermit living in the basement?"

"Again he's referring to me," Bra frowned and seemed to glance around nervously before becoming determined, "He's right though, it's time to stop hiding in the lab."

"So where do you usually go to eat?" Maron inquired lightly.

"I know the perfect place," Bra smiled and they started up the long flight of stairs.

**

"Pan!"

Pan glanced up at the voice to find her friend Lily running up to her. They had just got out of english class and were heading out to lunch.

"Pan," she gasped for air, "Why do you always take off so fast? Why don't you eat lunch with us for once?"

"Yeah Pan," Susan appeared out of nowhere, "We don't have cuuties or anything like that besides I heard Ryan has a crush on you."

Pan winced, "I heard that too-"

"Then you got to come," Lily grabbed her arm almost dislodging Pan's books.

"I can't-"

"Sure you can," Susan got behind Pan and pushed, "He's cute."

"But I'm married!"

That stopped both girls cold.

"What?"

"I'm married," Pan repeated irritated and picking up the books she had dropped.

"But you're not wearing a ring," Lily pointed out dumbly.

"He doesn't believe in rings," Pan looked at her two friends, "I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want seem weird but I can't have you throwing guys at me."

"They can throw all they want as long as you chuck them right back."

"Zarah," Pan turned shoved her books at him, "I'm still mad at you."

"But Pan-"

"I don't want to hear it," she stomped away.

"I brought food!"

Pan paused, "What kind of food?"

Susan and Lily just watched as the guy, who was Pan's husband, just grinned before turning to face them.

"Forgive my mate for not introducing us but I am Zarah-"

Pan jumped on his back sending them both forward and almost into the bushes as Zarah tried to find his balance. The books in his arms didn't help.

"Mate?" Pan growled, "I'm your wife!"

"Ow!" Zarah winced as he received a cuff to the side of his head, "Ok, I get it! Jeez!"

"Um. . ."

The bickering couple paused as they noticed the two girls glance at each other uncomfortably.

"Maybe we should get going," Susan pulled at Lily's arm absently, though she was unable to tear her eyes of Zarah.

"No wait!" Pan half crawled and half leaped over her mate to get her friends.

Zarah finally lost his fight with gravity and fell on his butt, Pan's books going everywhere.

"Damn it Pan! This was my favorite suit!"

Pan stuck out her tongue at him before ignoring him completely.

"This is why I don't bring him out in public," she winced at her bad joke.

"Wow," Susan watched Zarah grumble to himself as he picked up her books, "Where did you find him?"

"Does he have a brother?" Lily demanded, completely serious.

"No he doesn't," Pan sighed, "Just a twin sister."

"No wonder Ryah doesn't interest you," Susan smiled knowingly.

Pan glared at her when the familiar sensation of Zarah's tail wrapping around her waist made her freeze.

"I'm hungry," Zarah rested his chin on her head.

"So am I," Pan swallowed nervously as her friends seemed to become more interested in her husband.

Please don't notice his tail! Please don't notice his tail!

"I'll see you next tuesday!"

Pan turned around and pushed Zarah toward the parking lot feeling his tail flow with her movement.

"Are you crazy? Someone will see!" She nearly shoved him into his car.

"Oh come on, Pan, they were too busy pumping you for information to notice little ol' me," Zarah relented willingly and shut the car door after pulling Pan into his lap.

"Shows how much you know," she scoffed and took the offered fastfood bag, "Don't ever do that again."

"Do what?" Zarah stuffed a french fry into his mouth.

"Let my friends see you," she sipped her drink.

"Pan," he pouted playfully, "It sounds like you're ashamed of me."

"No," Pan glared at him, "You're my husband not theirs, only I get to stare at your butt."

"My butt?" His baby blues blinked increduously.

They stood out so well with his dark coloring. He took after his dad 17 but was more of a rougher wild version with the spiky hair he had inherited from his mom.

"Why would they look at my butt?"

He was also a bit naive when it came to the female race, but you couldn't blame him for being raised in the wild could you?

"It doesn't matter but it's mine and that's that."

"Possessive," his smiled amused, "I knew I made the right choice."

"Hn," Pan rolled her eyes, "but did I?"

"Hey!" Zarah grabbed a burger from her hand, "Take that back!"

"Give me back my lunch," she ordered.

"No," he opened the wrapper, "I just might eat it if you-"

"All right, I take it back," Pan snatched her lunch away from him and stuffed it into her mouth.

Zarah watched her eat the rest of her lunch with amusement.

It was good not to be alone anymore.

**

"Ok, you are in the building," Goten shook his head in disgust at his behavior, "Now leave the lobby and go to Trunks' office."

He was giving himself a pep talk, how pathetic was that?

With new resolve the demi-saiyan marched forward, "I'm not going to stop until I reach my destination."

It was a good plan but he had forgotten one small detail, to look where he was going.

He had the worst timing in the world.

Two pairs of blue eyes were glued to his in surprise and then one turned to dismay.

"Sorry," Goten ducked his head sheepishly, "Maron . . . Bra . . ."

End of Chapter Two