Chapter Ten

Trunks waved as Goten left for the day. He had decided to cut his friend a break and let Goten out early, with full pay of course. Being the boss was a good thing, besides, nothing was depending on Goten working today.

"Trunks."

Trunks acknowledged his cousin with a curt tilt of his head.

"Bra has agreed to the tournament."

The two men stood side by side, still as statues.

"So has Goten."

A smirk.

"Excellent."

Light blue met ice blue.

"Your plan backfired."

Anger glinted off the ice.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. Bra was deeply upset with the incident but refused to reveal why."

"Goten was ashamed, his pride hurt. Not conductive to the intimate feeling you were trying to create."

"Hn," Zarah agreed. "Still, it had her thinking about him in a way she never has, as someone to protect."

"I've spoken with Goten about the attack and made him realize there was nothing to be afraid of," Trunks crossed his arms. "It might take awhile but he will realize he owes her big time whether or not this helps us will be determined with time."

"Bra is searching for a free spot in our schedules for the tournament."

Trunks was startled enough to look directly at his cousin.

"You've convinced her to help organize it?"

Zarah felt a smug smile building but kept it under a cool mask.

"She jumped at the chance."

"That's odd," Trunks furrowed his brows puzzled. "Usually, she avoids such things."

"You underestimate my persuasive skills," Zarah remarked wryly.

"I guess I won't anymore," Trunks studied his cousin with more care then he usually did. "Maybe I should put you on our council."

Zarah snorted, "Only if you want them killed."

Trunks felt laughter bubble in his chest as a grin crossed his face.

"If only."

Zarah peeked at Trunks from the corner of his eye, and decided if it was time to start pushing him.

What the hell.

"Trunks, have you noticed something strange about Maron?" Zarah made sure his voice was gruff with concern.

"What?" Trunks frowned at the sudden change of topic.

"She has been acting out of character. Fainting, crying, and shaking with fear . . . I've never seen such so much emotion from her before." Zarah lowered his brows, "Do you think she's sick?"

"I don't know," Trunks tried to recall anything out of the ordinary.

"Hmm," Zarah allowed the barest of smiles, "So Maron's plan is next?"

"Yes, something about a dinner," Trunks mumbled distractedly.

"Ok," Zarah turned on his heel, "I'll relay the plan to you ASAP."

"Right," Trunks continued to frown.

**

Zarah paused at Maron's desk and chewed his lip thoughtfully. What was her plan going to be?

"So what's this dinner plan?"

Maron glanced up in surprise, "Dinner?"

"Project Couple," Zarah raised a sarcastic brow.

"Oh," Maron bit her lip, "I was thinking of arranging a dinner for us. We've never got along too well and this would be a perfect opportunity for us to get to know each other some more, talk."

She giggled at his look of astonishment and panic.

"Zarah," she admonished lightly, "I will unfortunately be unable to attend. I will ask Goten to take my place."

"I am going to have dinner with Goten?"

Maron laughed at him fully.

"No, you will also be unable to attend. You will ask Bra to take your place."

Zarah looked at her blankly when his eyes lit up with understanding.

"Oh, I see. That's not a bad idea."

Maron rolled her eyes and shooed him away.

"Pan's waiting for you in her office."

"She is?" Zarah's whole contenence changed from stoic business man to light-hearted fool.

Maron shook her head as he bounced into his office. Seriously, he was so weird.

Not ten minutes later the intercom beeped.

"Schedule the dinner for this Saturday," Zarah's voice was strained.

"What? Why?" Maron glanced at the calender, Saturday was only three days away.

"I'm going to have a legitamite excuse not to go."

"Um, ok. I'll Z Right Place."

"Tell them, it's on Zarah Briefs tab. I've eaten there before. The whole floor will be rented and empty for the dinner."

"Um, ok," Maron answered uneasily.

"Call the resturant now. Then speak to Goten. I will call Bra now."

"Right," Maron blinked at the dial tone, "I wonder what happened there?"

**

Bra glanced at the phone wearily as it started to ring. With a hesitant hand she picked up the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Bra, I'm sorry." A heavy sigh, "I need to ask a favor."

Immediately anxious at the sound of Zarah's voice, she sat down.

"What do you need?"

"I screwed up. Maron wanted to have dinner with me this Saturday, you know get to know each other and . . . talk."

Bra smiled at the shudder in his voice.

"What's the problem, you need topics to talk about?"

"No," Frustration edged his voice with a ragged lining. "That's just the thing, I can't go."

"Why?" Bra crossed her legs.

"I forgot about this dinner with Pan and her parents," Zarah grumbled crossly.

"You're going to have dinner with her parents?" Bra winced at the curse that followed, "Why?"

"I don't know! Some crap about- Ow! Pan! Stop it!"

Bra heard several viscious sounding thumps before her cousin's voice came back on the line.

"Apparently, Gohan felt bad about his reaction to our union and thought our families should get together and have a 'family' dinner," the sarcasm was heavy in his tone, "So my parents are invited as well."

Bra felt sweat form as she tried to picture Zarah's family in the same room with Pan's . . . trying to eat . . .

"I see how this could be a problem."

"Hn," Zarah snorted, "So I can't eat dinner with Maron."

"What am I supposed to do about it?" Bra was puzzled.

"Well, you're her friend, right? Go in my place."

"Why don't you just reschedule?" Bra checked a vial of chemicals for explosive quality, nope not quite yet.

"She already booked the resturant and everything. She paid with her first paycheck and . . . I don't . . . I hate to say I . . . Will you go?"

Bra's lips twisted as she thought about any and all possible obstructions to Maron's plans.

"Saturday?"

"Yes, thanks Bra! I owe you and dress nice, it's an expensive resturant."

The line went dead.

Bra dropped the phone in it's craddle in bemusement. The things she did for her cousin, she glanced up at an almost completed invention, and the things he did for her.

Oh well, there were worse things she could do then spend her time with Maron.

**

"So you'll tell your mom?" Pan glared at her husband.

Zarah sneered at her before turning to ignore his mate. This dinner was going to a disaster. His mom wasn't particularly found of Gohan at the moment, perfectly understandable, and his dad had never been fond of Videl. He wasn't sure why but his father wasn't one to hold a grudge unless it was worth holding. And his mother . . . well, his mother was a Vegeta.

"It would be better to wait," Zarah snapped, "You don't realize what you're asking, Pan."

"How long?"

"How about," Zarah threw his hands out, "forever."

"Zarah," Pan ground her teeth, "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get on with our lives. I promise, if the worst happens, then we'll never socialize with both our parents at the same time again."

Zarah was stubbornly silent but he let the proposition sink in. If everone survived the night, would be a miracle, and to not worry about repeating it . . .

Tempting, the challenge was to keep everyone alive til the end of the night.

"Done."

Pan nodded with satisfaction. She had learned quickly, if she really wanted something had she had to do was suggest it and let him think about it for a long time. Sooner or later he would agree to her reasoning.

She tapped his forehead with her finger.

"Ask your parents if they can make it. Don't worry," she rolled her eyes, "I'll make it up to you."

"Really?" He lost his disgruntled expression instantly.

"Really," she sighed at his blissful expression.

**

Maron tapped her pencil on her desk to a song only she could hear.

Zarah had called and told her Bra was in the fold so to call Goten. The only problem was, how was she going to word this? Bra would be the more logical subsitute, as would Trunks, thus, her dilemma.

Maron pursed her lips as she picked up the phone and dialed.

"This is the Son residence. Whom is calling?"

"Um, Mrs. Son this is Maron and I was wondering if I could speak with Goten?" Maron bit her lip nervously.

Chichi Son was never the type of person that was easy to get around.

"Maron? As in Krillin's daughter?" The voice became excited and suspicious all at once.

"Yes, Krillin's my father," Maron arched a brow, did every girl who called get the inquisition?

"All right, I'll get him."

The phone was set down with a thunk.

"Hello?"

"Hey Goten," Maron kept her voice pleasent, "Do you have any plans this Saturday?"

"Um no . . ."

"Great! How would you like to go to dinner?"

The line was silent.

"Goten?"

"Maron, are you asking me out?" Goten's voice was uncertain and shaky.

"No," Maron winced as her voice came out more forceful than she would have liked. "I had arranged a dinner with Zarah but I will be unable to attend. I thought you might like to take my place."

The pause this time seemed contemplating.

"How much?"

"The food's free, I already paid for everything and I probably bought too much food," she laughed, "I'm not sure how much you guys can eat."

"Sure, I'll go!"

She could almost her him drooling.

"All right, I'll give you the time and place next time I see you. Oh, and be sure to dress nice!"

"Yeah, no problem!"

She smiled, "Bye."

"Bye!"

She hung up.

"Any problems?"

She jumped and sent a glare at her cousin who was longuing in her door.

"One, for a moment, he thought I was asking him out," Maron leaned back into her chair.

Zarah crossed his arms as his eyes narrowed in thought.

"We might be able to use that, to make Bra jealous."

And Trunks too.

Maron arched a brow but said nothing.

"Where's Pan?"

"She left," Zarah stared off into space for a moment when his eyes refocused on hers. "Maron, Pan said something the other day but I have no idea what she meant. I was wondering if you could shed some light?"

Maron set her pencil down and gave her cousin her full attention.

"Go on."

"Well, I went to take her lunch the other day and she told me to never reveal myself to her friends ever again. That my butt was hers alone to stare at but I don't understand. Why would they look at my butt?"

Maron's face bloomed bright red. He is not asking me this!

"Why haven't you asked Pan?"

"I did but she told me to never mind and- Hey! Where are you going?" Zarah scratched his head as Maron all but ran down the hallway to get away from him. "Maybe she doesn't know."

The inventor pouted, now he would have to ask Bra.

End of Chapter Ten