Thanks baby-blue-eyes, Jewel, divine-angel143, Hejah, uni babe,
DBZjezzy15.
I'd have updated sooner, but I was itching to write the next chapter of Hold me and they gave me sooooooo many reviews! It's almost scary how many people read Harry Potter. But I'm back, with a long chapter (another reason for lateness) and I can promise you that HP will not replace my love of DBZ.
Confession: I've never seen GT. So my take is that Goku agrees to go with Shenlong when he's in space. Pan and Trunks are the only witnesses. That's the basic run down - I won't bog it down with details. I've got a sneaking feeling that that is not how it happened, but like I said I really don't know anything about GT except for the barest minimum of how it started and how it ended.
Warning: this chapter is part of the reason this fic is R. No lemonheads - I do not believe in writing graphic sex scenes and when I do have sex scenes (warning now) they will be for plot developments and not porn. Please, I am not writing something that will make me have to wash my hands every 30 seconds.
Oh and yes Goten is a complete sick b* for doing what he's doing - but it's necessary plot wise.
Disclaimer: Me no own. You no sue. (Disclaimer: I don't have the original rights to that disclaimer.)
*
Chapter 9: Oh yeah? Next time pick up the phone
*
*
Limbs intertwined. Passionate moans. Fingers trailed over clothed and bare skin.
The woman beneath him writhed in blissful ecstasy . . . and she could not tear her eyes away.
Every few seconds the features would change. 'Short, tall, big, small, hourglass, cylinder, red head, brunette, blond'; the words swirled around in her head again and again.
But always the same rapture on her face.
And then suddenly, she felt her vision darken and warp, as if she was being sucked away. Everything whirled like a kaleidoscope.
She opened her eyes and -felt- the woman's features shift - into her own. Blue hair, cupid's bow mouth, porcelain skin, wide blue eyes. His abyss eyes drank hers in. His hands - on her skin. The moans - her moans. His skilled fingers and lips were everywhere and she felt herself be consumed.
Akuma was devouring her whole.
"ACK!"
Bra fell out of her bed unto the very cold wooden floor. She panted heavily as she tried to gain her bearing. Her skin was slick with sweat and she pillowed her hot cheek to her bedroom floor. That dream - irrationally she glanced up to her bed just to make sure that a certain demi-Saiyan wasn't smirking devilishly down.
He wasn't, but she still shivered.
D* Goten and his provocativeness.
Shakily she stood up and went into her bathroom, looking the mirror out of habit. She scanned her face, her neck - she could still feel the fire searing underneath her skin. She shivered again. D* Akuma.
*
What the hell happened to sweet Goten? Bra sighed, absentmindedly stirring her coffee. In all her childhood memories he had been a naïve goofball, always ready to complete a prank with Trunks or go to a late night movie and moon the audience. He was cute, he was adorable, he was good-natured. And apparently, he was an illusion.
It was the women angle that bothered her the most, she had to admit. Sure, her brother could be accused of his own habit of one night stands, but Goten seemed to have honed it to an art. Bra's stomach turned at the thought and she gave up any wish for a breakfast with such a sordid subject on her mind. 'Short, tall, big, small, hourglass, cylinder, red head, brunette, blond - as long as she's pretty and for one night only.' His words still rang in her head.
But why? What had caused Goten to make such a radical transformation of his - well sleeping habits?
Goku. Everything came back to him after all, in Goten's mind. She just couldn't see the connection. She rubbed her temples in wearied exasperation. Okay, so what did she know? Goten wasn't mourning Goku, in fact the very opposite. He wanted to be Goku's antithesis in all ways. Did that mean he slept with a different woman every time to protest his father's attachment to one?
It was possible, but Bra highly doubted it. It just didn't fit - well, any child of Chichi's. She knew that there was animosity between the brothers, concerning Goten's lifestyle change, but she couldn't imagine that Goten had sunk so low as to abhor his own mother to the point where he'd never want a mate. If anything, Chichi's boys had always been mama's boys. Goten might've moved out, but still. Though now . . .
It also didn't fit with the fact he was so angry at Goku's abandonment. It had to mean he respected family, and that lead to the conclusion he would want to honor the institution his father had so betrayed. Being in no serious relationships didn't fit that.
She would figure it out, even if that meant spending another two years 'getting to know' Akuma. She would figure it out she promised herself. She had to, if not for Goten at least for her own sanity.
There had to be more.
The ring of her phone roused her from her thoughts. Sighing, she reached over and picked the receiver up.
"Who is this?" she asked immediately. Years of conniving ambitious reporters had taught her not to identify herself first.
A laugh echoed through the line. "I've got to love your phone manner Bra. And my parents tell me I'm too impersonal."
"Pan!" she laughed in sudden relief. "How ya doing girlfriend?"
There was a pause. "You've been hanging out with Shela again," Pan deduced. Bra flushed and grinned.
"Sorry. I meant to enquire how the conditions of your life have been proceeding?"
"Excellent, my dear acquaintance." Both girls gave into giggles.
"I went with Shela to the beach yesterday, you know to relax from all the job madness," Bra explained, rearranging herself into a comfortable position. She hadn't talked to Pan for what seemed ages.
"Dare I ask how the job front goes?"
"No!" the answer was empathetic. "I swear, between my mother and Tenshi I'm going to go nuts." Her head sunk into her hands. "Was it this bad for you?" Pan had made her debut into the job market a few years ago and was currently holding a training position at her grandfather's dojo during her free time from college. It was a good fit for Pan, who couldn't stand being trapped behind a desk working with papers all day. And Trunks could always turn to her for a sympathetic ear for his moaning over his office drudgery. Of course she required a sparring match as payment for her listening services.
Pan gave a slight laugh. "Not that bad, but my parents were a totally different matter. Dad was torn between wanting me to be productive and not wanting his little girl to be subjected to the mindless grind of unskilled labor. Mom thought any work would be great, prove that I wasn't above such a thing because of her and grandpa's position. They'd fight every once and awhile about it, which was kindof weird because neither of them had jobs when they were my age. Heck, they don't even know what the 'mindless grind' is like!" Bra shook her head. It was always nice hearing about parents almost as weird as yours.
"Well you know my Dad - if it's not training, he doesn't care."
"Or maybe he just knows not to get in the way of his wife in this matter," Pan pointed out wisely. Bra had to nod at that. In areas where Bulma knew much more than her husband and had really strong opinions about it, Vegeta tried to avoid getting involved. He liked battles where he actually had a chance, or perhaps he was just mellowing in his old age.
"Talking about couples, how are you and Andrew doing?" Pan made an unseen face.
"We actually broke up, right before he left to go back to the U.S. for summer break."
"What?!?!" Bra jerked up straight. Just how long had it been since she'd talked to Pan? "I thought you really liked him!"
"I did, I just didn't feel comfortable telling him about, well you know." Pan sighed. Andrew had wanted her to spend the summer in the U.S., but she doubted that in that amount of time, even he would be able to figure out something wasn't normal about her. Sometimes it just sucked to be half-Saiyan.
(Okay I know must people say that Pan is quarter Saiyan, but that's using nationality/ratios ratios. Like you're a quarter Italian, an eighth Spanish, etc. If you go down to genetic levels, considering that Saiyans are completely different species, there can only be full Saiyans or half Saiyans. Pan inherited Saiyan genes from her father and human genes from her mother. Thus, half Saiyan.)
"And then there were all these complications with my family, my friends, his friends, schoolwork, partying, and so on and so forth. It was just too hard adjusting to college and breaking in a new boyfriend at the same time. Never date your freshman year, it's just a mess," Pan continued. She twined the phone cord around her fingers. "Not that you really have to worry. You have no idea how lucky you are to have Tenshi. Not many guys would take the fact that their girlfriend is half alien that well."
Bra shifted slightly. "Yeah, I know," she mumbled. He was great, just sometimes it was almost like he'd become too much a part of the Z senshi world. Even to the point of absorbing the way they viewed her.
"But I didn't call to talk about my troubles," the other girl announced brusquely. "Actually I called because Trunks' been trying to contact you all week. Apparently he could never reach you."
The blue haired girl frowned and went for her purse. "Doesn't he have my cell phone number? I mean I always have it on-" She reached in and withdrew the cell. Flipping it open, she checked the messages. The cell didn't respond.
Yup, she'd always left it on - and completely drained the batteries.
She cursed. "I guess I found the problem. My phone's dead. I must've forgot because of all that's been going on." Hmm, looked like she knew what she'd be doing today.
"Oh? Job craziness?"
"Well-" Bra suddenly paused, unaccountably reluctant to tell her friend about her 'social work' with Goten. Pan would understand, wouldn't she? After all, she still went out of her way to find out what he was up to. But Bra had a feeling that she didn't know as much about her uncle's transformation as she thought she knew and she didn't want to dash any illusions her friend still had about her father's brother. And a tiny part of her felt angry, greedy to keep one secret, greedy to be Goten's only confidante. He only let her in . . . "Yeah, my mind's been a wreck." She let Pan interpret that as she would.
Liar! Wouldn't Goten be so . . . intrigued. Was she protecting her best friend or him?
She caught the thought before she could analyze it. It would not do to scrutinize her dealings with the devil too critically.
Pan made a sympathetic noise. "Well, you should call Trunks then. I'll see you at the barbecue tomorrow okay?"
Bra jumped.
"The barbecue! I completely forgot!" Her plans with Goten, oh boy this was going to be messy. "How the hell am I going to tell Goten?" she muttered.
Pan blinked. "Got-" but she was cut off by the click as the receiver on the other end was abruptly replaced. Her navy blue eyes broadcasted surprise as she stared at the phone she held in her hands. "Why would Bra be - with Goten?" she spoke aloud. No, she must have heard wrong.
Bra, far from her friend's site of confusion, cursed. What was she going to say? 'Oh I have to cancel our plans because I totally forgot about this family function. Oh and by the way all the Z senshi will be there so you could tagalong, I mean you are one.' Her eyes widened at the last part. F*! He should be there though - he was part of the Z senshi, just like she was, whether he liked it or not. There was no way in hell that he would come, but didn't she have a responsibility to at least make his aware of it?
She groaned. Oh yeah, he'd just be so enthusiastic about an opportunity to hang around people who just about revered his father. But his mother would be there . . .
Fabulous.
"Looks like I'll be using his number after all," she muttered to herself. She retrieved her beach bag and fished out Goten's number. "Oh joy."
"RING!"
Bra almost dropped the piece of paper. There was no way - was there? Eying the slip superstitiously, she cautiously picked up the phone.
"Yes?"
"Bra! Do you have any idea how long I've been trying to get in touch with you?!" Her brother's frazzled voice echoed through the line. Bra gave herself a shake. Of course Goten wouldn't call. After all, they were supposed to get together tomorrow. She ignored the slight pang of disappointment.
"So Pan informed me," she replied dryly. "Apparently my cell's dead and I didn't realize."
"Oh." Pacified, Trunks suddenly became self-conscious. "Um, well, I was just wondering . . ." Bra rolled her eyes at his hemming and hawwing. Honestly, what was so hard with being direct?
"How 'Plan Raise Fallen Akuma' is going?" she asked archly.
"'Fallen Akuma'?" he repeated after a second.
"Akuma's Goten's nickname at the Fiery Pit. Isn't it just lovely?"
"So you did go to the Pit." Trunks decided to ignore her sarcastic banter. Bra rolled her eyes.
"Yes I did Trunks. Why couldn't you do it?" she asked idly, but once uttered the thought seized her. Why did Trunks keep tabs on him, if he didn't do anything about it? The concept tore through her brain and she fretfully ran a hand through her hair. "He's so different - how could you let it go this far? He was your Kami-d*ed best friend!" Her mood shifted viciously.
How could Trunks just let Goten slip into this, this destructive downward spiral? They had practically grown up brothers. They were always getting in trouble together, goofing off, double dating, or going to frat parties . . . For goodness sake they even fused once!
Of course that would be why Goten had cut Trunks out of his life. Trunks was too much like him, too reminiscent of what he never had - a father always, and of what he hated being - son of a Saiyan warrior. He had once tried to save the world, his best friend at his side. Always together until one had ended up in space with the other's child father and the other was left behind.
But why had Trunks let him slip away? Didn't he care?
There was a stunned silence as Trunks unconsciously mimicked his sister and edgily ran a hair through his lavender hair. "You don't understand Bra. I tried." He sighed and sat down. This could take a while. "I better start from the beginning.
When I came back to Chikyuu, Goten was one of the first to meet the spacecraft. He immediately demanded to know where Goku was, but . . . Pan and I waited until everyone was assembled before we told what happened, you remember. Goten slipped out the back door and I went to talk with him." He closed his eyes, remembering that night. "He was in the backyard, just staring into the sky. . . His eyes, they were so empty, like he had suddenly become blind . . . His face was so blank. I can still remember his exact words, they were just, emotionless like he'd finally figured it all out but it didn't matter anyway. 'He finally did it - he's finally gone from beyond our reach. And one day . . . I will have to follow.'" Trunks shuddered at the remembrance. "It was so creepy. He didn't scream or get mad or anything. He seemed so resigned.
And then he just took off. He disappeared that night, completely. The Z senshi pretty much disbanded at that point, but after he didn't show up for a week, we all searched for him. It was like he vanished into thin air. No one knew what to do."
"I don't remember that," Bra muttered.
"We didn't tell you or Pan. You would've told Pan and it was hard enough on her with her grandfather gone, let alone to tell her her beloved uncle was missing to the extent we wondered if he was even alive.
Mom looked for him through more conventional methods: missing persons and rewards for information. I never realized how well Goten was at blending in though. We got a few real leads among all the dead ends, but by the time we checked up on them he was long gone. We didn't get anything substantial until six months later when he got hired as a bouncer."
"Six months?" Bra whispered, racking her mind for some scrap of memory but she remembered nothing but her entering of high school. "How did you keep that from Pan?"
Trunks snorted. "We told her that he'd been sent on a vacation to get himself together. She spent most of her time sorting through her feelings with me anyway. By the time he popped up, we told her that he'd decided he needed some distance from the Z senshi. She took it pretty well."
"What was he doing for six months?"
"Drinking mostly or so I guess. He lived off the streets, staying in seedy bars for most of the time. He spent most of his savings in them, up until he finally decided he needed an income. The reason we couldn't track his appearance was because he shaved his head and I doubt anyone could make out his features underneath all the grime.
We were so relieved to have found him. Gohan wanted to immediately go and wring him out for causing ChiChi so much more worry and pain, but thankfully Mom convinced him that I was the best person to talk with him first. He didn't seem that surprised to see me. He told me that he had just needed some time to get his head screwed on straight. We talked about small stuff and I went on my way.
But Mom couldn't pacify Gohan for long and he tracked Goten down by himself. They had a huge fight - Goten flat out refused to return to ChiChi's house or do any of Gohan's 'suggestions'." Bra could hear the parentheses over the phone. "Things just went downhill from there. I was busy, if that's any excuse, and before I knew it, Paris had called me in tears. She kept sobbing, 'I don't understand, I don't understand . . . What happened to Goten?' She finally told me that she just couldn't do it anymore. He had changed too much - hard partying, smoking, just everything. Apparently he had gotten back in touch with her, but she couldn't handle the changes," Trunks trailed off evasively, not sure exactly how much Bra knew about Goten's . . . habits.
"I went to see him after that, you know, straighten him out and he completely blew me off, to put it nicely. He stopped speaking to any of the Z senshi, except Pan of course. He stopped by to spar with Dad every once and awhile, probably the only one of us he can still stand. He keeps his ki so low that not even I can sense him and I fused with him!" Agitated, his hand went through his hair again.
"To tell you the truth," he confessed in a low voice. "I haven't talked with him since your 16th birthday - it's a miracle he even showed up there."
Bra sat in complete and utter shock. She had never even thought . . .
"That was probably the last time any of the Z seshi saw him, well except for Pan of course. But lately, he's been avoiding even her and Dad."
"Well that's about to change." The confidence in her voice startled Bra herself. "I'm inviting Goten to the barbecue tomorrow."
"WHAT?!?" Trunks jolted out his chair.
"It's my choice to choose where we go anyway, really - long story," she forestalled her brother's confused question. "Of course the real question is if he'll come."
"Bra I really don't think he'll be all gung-ho about seeing everyone, especially Gohan." Oh yes, he had such a flair for understatement.
"I know, but I gotta try." She sighed, rubbing her temples in anticipation of the headache to come. "I'll see you tomorrow Trunks, just don't tell anyone that he might come."
Trunks snorted. "Don't worry, I won't."
"Now I just have to call him," she went on, more to herself. Trunks blinked, but before he could ask how the heck she had gotten his unlisted number, the dial tone was blaring in his ear. He frowned, trying to shake off his uneasy feeling. Why did he get sense that there was much more to Bra's end of the story than he knew?
Bra stared at the number in her hand. So this is what it came down to. She picked up the phone again and was in the process of dialing when her hand froze.
Wait, he had said he couldn't make Friday. What if he was out? Her eyes darted to the clock. Well, it was only 9:30 in the morning and with his lifestyle, he didn't strike her as an early riser. But then again, he had this habit of surprising her . . . She went back to
dialing.
She should still try.
If only she had a clue of what she'd say . . .
*
Bra slammed the phone down in frustration. How could he not have an answering machine? What kind of anti-technology geek was he?
She glanced at the clock in extreme annoyance. It was now 4:00 in the afternoon. She'd been calling every odd hour or so, her mood growing stormier and stormier with each failed call. Where the hell was he?
She cursed internally. The barbecue was starting at ten the next day, but she wasn't scheduled to meet Goten until two in the afternoon. Perhaps she should just let it go . . .
No! She had already decided and she'd be d*ed if she didn't follow through.
She evaluated her options. She didn't know where he lived so that was out - besides if he wasn't answering his phone, then good chances were that he wasn't there. Where else would she be likely to find him or at least get information of where he might be?
She groaned mentally. Fabulous. Looked like she'd be returning to the Fiery Pit after all.
She marched into her room and hurriedly went through her wardrobe, trying to find something she wouldn't feel ridiculous walking into that club with at 4 in the afternoon. She ended up in petite leather boots, a knee-length black leather skirt, and a blood red sleeveless high-necked top. She eyed herself critically in the mirror. Wonderful. She'd match the décor. Giving a self-deprecating snort, she rushed out of the apartment. Wouldn't Goten be pleased.
*
Didn't they ever leave?
Bra paused upon entering the back room, surprised by how many were already situated around the tables. There had to already be ten teens hanging out. Maybe they came early on Fridays. Right. Well, all the better for her.
The blond waitress she recognized from last time - had it only been three days ago? It seemed a lifetime - was the first to spot her as she strode over. "Well look who's back," she called out in a mocking voice. Heads swiveled and all talk died down. Bra ignored the remark, scanning behind them to see if Goten was hidden in the shadows. Sighting no one, she addressed the crowd.
"Is Akuma here?" The girl shrugged, having been the one Bra's blue eyes focused on.
"What's it to you?" she sneered. Bra frowned and looked around for a less hostile personage. Ahh good, red hair was here.
"Um you, with the red hair," she gestured to him. Raen raised an eyebrow.
"Raen."
"Okay Raen, is Akuma here?" Another boy, Bra blinked and a name flashed through her brain - Tern, cut off his response.
"Are you really Bra Briefs?" he asked suspiciously, greasy blond hair in an unkempt mat on his head. Had she really danced with him? Oh man, she had been plastered.
"Yes," she snapped. "Now about Akuma-" But Raen's face had changed to a mulling one. He had wondered anyway and this seemed like the ideal time . . .
"How does Akuma know you?" Bra gritted her teeth. What was so hard with answering one single question? But the avid interest the teens were regarding her with told her she wasn't going to get one until she satisfied their curiosity.
"He's the uncle of one of my best friends." The blond girl's jaw dropped.
"Uncle?!?" Their eyes goggled and in the back of her mind Bra smirked. Apparently they hadn't thought of him as that old, maybe mid- twenties, but not in his thirties.
"Yeah, he could be her father." Okay, very young father, but Bra was not in the mood for technicalities. She almost wished she'd be there when Goten came back to the Fiery Pit - she could bet on some interesting reactions. However she had more pressing issues at the moment. "Now, he is -"
"Not here." Raen looked slightly startled, but otherwise was taking the news the best.
Bra growled in frustration. Now what was she supposed to do? He could be anywhere!
"He stopped by here, but headed home." Green eyes met blue and Raen managed a weak grin. Bra regarded him with keen interest. Why was he telling her this?
"And where is 'home' exactly?" His eyes sharpened for a second and then he shrugged disarmingly.
"You think 'Akuma' would tell us that?" She frowned, but didn't disagree. Well at least she knew he was home and she could call him. Turning on her heel, she made her way out, opening her purse on the way. Sifting through it, she yanked out her phone and flipped it open, glad she had gotten new batteries. She paused in the hallway - the least noisy place at this time of day, and quickly dialed his number.
"Ring! Ring! Ring!"
She slammed it shut. D* that man! He had enough money for a d* convertible, but nooooo he couldn't spring for a Kami-d*ed answering machine.
Looked like she'd have to make a home visit. If he was there and just not picking up the phone, she'd kill him for making her go through this all this trouble.
Most people by this time would just give up or at least re-evaluate what lengths they were going to. But now it was a matter of pride for her. She was too much her father's daughter to give up now.
But how was she going to find out his address? Who might know something like that here?
*
Miriam, the ambiguous blond waitress, narrowed her eyes at Raen. "Why'd you tell her that for? You might as well have told her about his shipment!" She was stung - probably more by the realization of Akuma's age and how that definitely made him off limits for her, than anything else.
The boy shrugged in response. "I dunno - guess I just wanted to see how well she knows Akuma." Or whoever he was, Raen added mentally. "Besides it doesn't matter. Who is she going to find that actually knows where Akuma lives?" He cocked an eyebrow. "I doubt that even Akuma's girls don't know that."
Her frown remained. It wasn't fair that someone that fine should be so old!
*
"I'm not sure I should give you that information."
The bartender's eyes flicked nervously around the room as he mechanically wiped the mug in his hand, basically anywhere away from the bluette staring at him disconcertingly.
Bra smiled sweetly, leaning forward a little and wishing she'd worn something lower cut. Her guess was proving right - the bartender didn't say he didn't know Goten's address. Goten hadn't been able to resist from chumming a little with his fellow bartender.
"Aw come on. It's not that big a deal," she cajoled.
"I'm sorry Miss Briefs, but Akuma didn't give me his address for common knowledge and I honor my clientele's privacy," he resisted firmly, with all courtesy. Bra's friendly smile slipped a little. So he knew who she was, well that would explain the nervousness.
She leaned closer and made her voice go husky. "It's just one little address. What could it hurt? It's not like little old me could hurt someone like him anyway." Perhaps he was forbearing out of some instinct to save her from getting hurt. Hah! And she wasn't going to hurt Goten - she was going to kill him.
Still avoiding her eyes, though he did gulp upon hearing the tone of her voice, he shook his head again.
Bra's last threads of patience wore thin. She just did not have the f*ing tolerance to deal with this. Time to use the charm she had inherited from the other side of her family tree.
Abruptly the bartender found himself staring directly into the very baby blue eyes he had been evading, feet swinging a good foot off the ground while his body draped over the bar. He stared into a face that held no traces of the friendliness she had been trying to convey. He gulped, or tried to except the iron one-handed grip around his throat somewhat impeded the action. The mug dropped heavily unto the counter with a thud.
Her eyes narrowed. "Okay, I tried being nice. Now let's try this again. Where does Akuma live?" she hissed, punctuating every word. The pale- faced man choked out a few words. The 100-mega watt smile returned to Bra's face. And just like that she released him; he slid back behind the bar desperately gasping in air.
"See! That wasn't that hard!" she cheerily chided him and ignoring his point-blank gawk, immediately turned on her heel and strutted out of the club.
D* her father was right.
Intimidation did do wonders for the ego.
*
She wrinkled her nose in disgust at the door in front of her. Well this certainly explained how Goten had managed to afford a convertible on a bartender's salary. Not that the place was a complete dump - but it was enough to make her feel uncomfortable walking around in a leather skirt. Brilliant choice that.
Well she was here. She might as well enter.
And yet some inexplicable feeling made her pause. It was like when you anticipate something for so long, you feel a little lost when it finally happens. She stared at the door, suddenly hesitant to see what was beyond it. She had no idea really . . . It was ridiculous actually, she didn't even know if he was home.
It was different from entering the Fiery Pit though. She would be walking straight into the lion's den. This was unequivocally Goten's turf. There would be no witnesses or anything that would in the least give her the illusion of having any sense of control.
She would be walking straight into an abyss of Goten's own making - and the fact made her skin shiver.
Okay, she had officially spent too much time with creepy Akuma. Shaking the dark thoughts out of her head, she knocked on the door.
No response.
"Goten?" she called through the wood. Demi-Saiyan or not, the walls should be thin enough for him to hear her.
Her hand closed on the door handle, which turned with only a little pressure. He'd left the door unlocked. She frowned. That didn't fit the image of meticulous Goten, but who was she to look a gift horse in the mouth?
Ugh, she had spent too much time with Shela yesterday.
"Goten?" Calling again, she tentatively stepped into the apartment. The air seemed abnormally calm and silent - dead. She took another step in, taking time to check out her surroundings. She left the door open - she couldn't shake the idiotic creepy feeling that if it closed, that was it.
She was in a narrow short hallway, with a doorway to the right and to the left. The wallpaper was a dark green, completely bare of any design or personal memorabilia unsurprisingly. Hmm, so would she chose door number one or door number two? Randomly she went for the one on the left.
Feeling silly at how hideously wary she was acting, she brazenly opened the door wide and stepped in . . . only to step out again even speedier and slam the door shut.
Her face would've given a lava lamp steep competition. His bedroom of all things! Who on earth would place that room so close to the entrance?
She decided not to continue that train of thought.
That left door number two, which actually was only an archway. Well at least that guaranteed she wouldn't be stepping into a bathroom.
Stepping through it a little more hesitantly this time, she was unprepared by what greeted her eyes.
The room was actually nicely put together, sparse with almost no personal affects in the same color as the hallway. Other than a worn leather couch, T.V., and a plain wooden coffee table, the room was unfurnished. But that wasn't what Bra noticed.
Nor did she focus on Goten's goofy grin, reminiscent of his father's, as he turned his head to her entrance - situated on the floor between the couch and the coffee table, even though her eyes did flick there first.
Nor she dwell his delayed welcome. "Hello girl." His voice was slightly higher than normal and utterly void of the bitterness, anger, or resentment that Bra had become accustomed to.
It was the coffee table that attracted all of her attention. Or more correctly what was on it.
Powders, pills, even some liquids were in careful alignment on the table, very orderly in fact. The whole top was covered with the various substances; one of the piles half depleted giving testament to the fact Goten had already begun sampled his merchandise.
. . . and explaining Goten's sudden reversion to a Goku-like mentality.
It was strange actually that the idea had never crossed her mind. Oh yes, Goten was a bad boy - he smoked, drank, and dear me! He hated his father and cut himself off from friends and family!
The realization of how deep the hole Goten had dug, still hadn't sunk in to Bra's head. Sure, she had listened and agonized over Goten's revelation about his 'dating' habits, but deep down, she hadn't believed him. Her mind could simply not put the image of a younger naïve Goten with the man she saw before him. It couldn't be true.
Oh Kami. She felt sick.
He had definitely become a different man than his father. Despite all the challenges, impossible demands made upon him, all the close calls and hopeless situations, his father had always faced them squarely. He had always tried. And that's what made him a hero. But the man in front of her - he was a coward, who was too weak to confront his problems head on.
Something snapped inside of Bra. When all was said and done, a coward. Drugs, booze, women, fast cars - a coward. A coward who was destroying his life and others, regardless of the people who cared about him. A F*ING COWARD!
Oh, she was ready to shake him awake now.
The ki-ball was out of her hands and heading towards the table, before she even registered its formation. Her father had not let out her into the world without any training and forming a ki blast strong enough to stun someone, was something even her mother agreed she should be taught.
In this case it completely incinerated the contents on the coffee table and left a nice black burn mark on the top.
Goten stared at the table, his brain too wired for him to exactly comprehend what had just happened.
Without another word, Bra sought out the bathroom. Once inside, she resolutely opened the mirror and took a hold of all bottles behind. With cool efficiency, she opened each one and watched the contents plop into the toilet. The sound of flushing had never been so gratifying. If some of it was legitimate pain medication, well Goten was half-Saiyan. He'd deal.
Now . . .
"Hey!" So what she'd done had finally sunk into brain-dead's head. Good.
Bra considered her next move. She had destroyed all the drugs he had thus far - if he had any in his bedroom well, he could keep them, but that was right now. He'd be able to get more. Hmm, well she might as well make it a little more difficult.
Making her way back through the living room, where Goten was still staring horrified at the now bare table, she made a beeline for the kitchen.
"Come on, I know you're around here somewhere," she muttered, slamming drawers open and shut. She ignored Goten and his blank stare as he tried to process the intruder in his abode, the devastation she had wreaked, and the effects of the drugs he had taken all at the same time.
"What're you doing?" his words weren't slurred, but the sheer uncertainty and effort they conveyed made them sound like it. He only blinked when there was no response, except the continued sound of the rapid opening and shutting of drawers.
In the process of closing another drawer, she saw it out of the corner of her eye. "Found you!" She snagged the small book and carefully examined it. Black - how typical. It ripped in half with a very satisfying tearing sound. She ripped it into quarters and then
eighths, before gently placing them on the counter. It would be good to leave some evidence when Goten regained his senses. Her features darkened. If he ever did.
She turned to face him. He was standing now, a vague frown and cheery smile competing for control of his face. She snorted at the distracted look in his eyes. Looked like it would be useless trying to complete what she'd originally come to do. Then again . . .
Fishing out her paper pad from her bag and a pen, she quickly scrawled a message. Ripping the sheet out, she presented it to Goten who took it reflexively.
"I'll call you in the morning," she said, starting to feel the frenzied giddiness from completing something huge. Her grin seemed to confuse Goten even more and she sailed out of the apartment.
He looked down at the paper in his hand, not registering what was written on it.
Congratulations Goten!
You've just won yourself a non-escapable invite to the Z senshi barbecue, 10:00 tomorrow.
See you there.
Oh yeah, he was going to kill her.
*
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*
Tada! I was going to post this a few hours ago, but then the floppy this was saved on (for transport to school so I could work on it during my frees) decided to not let me access it. But thank God for computer aids!!!!! I only had to re-write this ending and a few other paragraphs.
The black book was his phone list - where he would probably write contact numbers for dealers. Sorry about the vagueness of Goten high, I have no idea how people high act like. Besides I didn't specify what he took.
Next time: Z senshi barbecue!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait!
Toodles!
Nitte iz
I'd have updated sooner, but I was itching to write the next chapter of Hold me and they gave me sooooooo many reviews! It's almost scary how many people read Harry Potter. But I'm back, with a long chapter (another reason for lateness) and I can promise you that HP will not replace my love of DBZ.
Confession: I've never seen GT. So my take is that Goku agrees to go with Shenlong when he's in space. Pan and Trunks are the only witnesses. That's the basic run down - I won't bog it down with details. I've got a sneaking feeling that that is not how it happened, but like I said I really don't know anything about GT except for the barest minimum of how it started and how it ended.
Warning: this chapter is part of the reason this fic is R. No lemonheads - I do not believe in writing graphic sex scenes and when I do have sex scenes (warning now) they will be for plot developments and not porn. Please, I am not writing something that will make me have to wash my hands every 30 seconds.
Oh and yes Goten is a complete sick b* for doing what he's doing - but it's necessary plot wise.
Disclaimer: Me no own. You no sue. (Disclaimer: I don't have the original rights to that disclaimer.)
*
Chapter 9: Oh yeah? Next time pick up the phone
*
*
Limbs intertwined. Passionate moans. Fingers trailed over clothed and bare skin.
The woman beneath him writhed in blissful ecstasy . . . and she could not tear her eyes away.
Every few seconds the features would change. 'Short, tall, big, small, hourglass, cylinder, red head, brunette, blond'; the words swirled around in her head again and again.
But always the same rapture on her face.
And then suddenly, she felt her vision darken and warp, as if she was being sucked away. Everything whirled like a kaleidoscope.
She opened her eyes and -felt- the woman's features shift - into her own. Blue hair, cupid's bow mouth, porcelain skin, wide blue eyes. His abyss eyes drank hers in. His hands - on her skin. The moans - her moans. His skilled fingers and lips were everywhere and she felt herself be consumed.
Akuma was devouring her whole.
"ACK!"
Bra fell out of her bed unto the very cold wooden floor. She panted heavily as she tried to gain her bearing. Her skin was slick with sweat and she pillowed her hot cheek to her bedroom floor. That dream - irrationally she glanced up to her bed just to make sure that a certain demi-Saiyan wasn't smirking devilishly down.
He wasn't, but she still shivered.
D* Goten and his provocativeness.
Shakily she stood up and went into her bathroom, looking the mirror out of habit. She scanned her face, her neck - she could still feel the fire searing underneath her skin. She shivered again. D* Akuma.
*
What the hell happened to sweet Goten? Bra sighed, absentmindedly stirring her coffee. In all her childhood memories he had been a naïve goofball, always ready to complete a prank with Trunks or go to a late night movie and moon the audience. He was cute, he was adorable, he was good-natured. And apparently, he was an illusion.
It was the women angle that bothered her the most, she had to admit. Sure, her brother could be accused of his own habit of one night stands, but Goten seemed to have honed it to an art. Bra's stomach turned at the thought and she gave up any wish for a breakfast with such a sordid subject on her mind. 'Short, tall, big, small, hourglass, cylinder, red head, brunette, blond - as long as she's pretty and for one night only.' His words still rang in her head.
But why? What had caused Goten to make such a radical transformation of his - well sleeping habits?
Goku. Everything came back to him after all, in Goten's mind. She just couldn't see the connection. She rubbed her temples in wearied exasperation. Okay, so what did she know? Goten wasn't mourning Goku, in fact the very opposite. He wanted to be Goku's antithesis in all ways. Did that mean he slept with a different woman every time to protest his father's attachment to one?
It was possible, but Bra highly doubted it. It just didn't fit - well, any child of Chichi's. She knew that there was animosity between the brothers, concerning Goten's lifestyle change, but she couldn't imagine that Goten had sunk so low as to abhor his own mother to the point where he'd never want a mate. If anything, Chichi's boys had always been mama's boys. Goten might've moved out, but still. Though now . . .
It also didn't fit with the fact he was so angry at Goku's abandonment. It had to mean he respected family, and that lead to the conclusion he would want to honor the institution his father had so betrayed. Being in no serious relationships didn't fit that.
She would figure it out, even if that meant spending another two years 'getting to know' Akuma. She would figure it out she promised herself. She had to, if not for Goten at least for her own sanity.
There had to be more.
The ring of her phone roused her from her thoughts. Sighing, she reached over and picked the receiver up.
"Who is this?" she asked immediately. Years of conniving ambitious reporters had taught her not to identify herself first.
A laugh echoed through the line. "I've got to love your phone manner Bra. And my parents tell me I'm too impersonal."
"Pan!" she laughed in sudden relief. "How ya doing girlfriend?"
There was a pause. "You've been hanging out with Shela again," Pan deduced. Bra flushed and grinned.
"Sorry. I meant to enquire how the conditions of your life have been proceeding?"
"Excellent, my dear acquaintance." Both girls gave into giggles.
"I went with Shela to the beach yesterday, you know to relax from all the job madness," Bra explained, rearranging herself into a comfortable position. She hadn't talked to Pan for what seemed ages.
"Dare I ask how the job front goes?"
"No!" the answer was empathetic. "I swear, between my mother and Tenshi I'm going to go nuts." Her head sunk into her hands. "Was it this bad for you?" Pan had made her debut into the job market a few years ago and was currently holding a training position at her grandfather's dojo during her free time from college. It was a good fit for Pan, who couldn't stand being trapped behind a desk working with papers all day. And Trunks could always turn to her for a sympathetic ear for his moaning over his office drudgery. Of course she required a sparring match as payment for her listening services.
Pan gave a slight laugh. "Not that bad, but my parents were a totally different matter. Dad was torn between wanting me to be productive and not wanting his little girl to be subjected to the mindless grind of unskilled labor. Mom thought any work would be great, prove that I wasn't above such a thing because of her and grandpa's position. They'd fight every once and awhile about it, which was kindof weird because neither of them had jobs when they were my age. Heck, they don't even know what the 'mindless grind' is like!" Bra shook her head. It was always nice hearing about parents almost as weird as yours.
"Well you know my Dad - if it's not training, he doesn't care."
"Or maybe he just knows not to get in the way of his wife in this matter," Pan pointed out wisely. Bra had to nod at that. In areas where Bulma knew much more than her husband and had really strong opinions about it, Vegeta tried to avoid getting involved. He liked battles where he actually had a chance, or perhaps he was just mellowing in his old age.
"Talking about couples, how are you and Andrew doing?" Pan made an unseen face.
"We actually broke up, right before he left to go back to the U.S. for summer break."
"What?!?!" Bra jerked up straight. Just how long had it been since she'd talked to Pan? "I thought you really liked him!"
"I did, I just didn't feel comfortable telling him about, well you know." Pan sighed. Andrew had wanted her to spend the summer in the U.S., but she doubted that in that amount of time, even he would be able to figure out something wasn't normal about her. Sometimes it just sucked to be half-Saiyan.
(Okay I know must people say that Pan is quarter Saiyan, but that's using nationality/ratios ratios. Like you're a quarter Italian, an eighth Spanish, etc. If you go down to genetic levels, considering that Saiyans are completely different species, there can only be full Saiyans or half Saiyans. Pan inherited Saiyan genes from her father and human genes from her mother. Thus, half Saiyan.)
"And then there were all these complications with my family, my friends, his friends, schoolwork, partying, and so on and so forth. It was just too hard adjusting to college and breaking in a new boyfriend at the same time. Never date your freshman year, it's just a mess," Pan continued. She twined the phone cord around her fingers. "Not that you really have to worry. You have no idea how lucky you are to have Tenshi. Not many guys would take the fact that their girlfriend is half alien that well."
Bra shifted slightly. "Yeah, I know," she mumbled. He was great, just sometimes it was almost like he'd become too much a part of the Z senshi world. Even to the point of absorbing the way they viewed her.
"But I didn't call to talk about my troubles," the other girl announced brusquely. "Actually I called because Trunks' been trying to contact you all week. Apparently he could never reach you."
The blue haired girl frowned and went for her purse. "Doesn't he have my cell phone number? I mean I always have it on-" She reached in and withdrew the cell. Flipping it open, she checked the messages. The cell didn't respond.
Yup, she'd always left it on - and completely drained the batteries.
She cursed. "I guess I found the problem. My phone's dead. I must've forgot because of all that's been going on." Hmm, looked like she knew what she'd be doing today.
"Oh? Job craziness?"
"Well-" Bra suddenly paused, unaccountably reluctant to tell her friend about her 'social work' with Goten. Pan would understand, wouldn't she? After all, she still went out of her way to find out what he was up to. But Bra had a feeling that she didn't know as much about her uncle's transformation as she thought she knew and she didn't want to dash any illusions her friend still had about her father's brother. And a tiny part of her felt angry, greedy to keep one secret, greedy to be Goten's only confidante. He only let her in . . . "Yeah, my mind's been a wreck." She let Pan interpret that as she would.
Liar! Wouldn't Goten be so . . . intrigued. Was she protecting her best friend or him?
She caught the thought before she could analyze it. It would not do to scrutinize her dealings with the devil too critically.
Pan made a sympathetic noise. "Well, you should call Trunks then. I'll see you at the barbecue tomorrow okay?"
Bra jumped.
"The barbecue! I completely forgot!" Her plans with Goten, oh boy this was going to be messy. "How the hell am I going to tell Goten?" she muttered.
Pan blinked. "Got-" but she was cut off by the click as the receiver on the other end was abruptly replaced. Her navy blue eyes broadcasted surprise as she stared at the phone she held in her hands. "Why would Bra be - with Goten?" she spoke aloud. No, she must have heard wrong.
Bra, far from her friend's site of confusion, cursed. What was she going to say? 'Oh I have to cancel our plans because I totally forgot about this family function. Oh and by the way all the Z senshi will be there so you could tagalong, I mean you are one.' Her eyes widened at the last part. F*! He should be there though - he was part of the Z senshi, just like she was, whether he liked it or not. There was no way in hell that he would come, but didn't she have a responsibility to at least make his aware of it?
She groaned. Oh yeah, he'd just be so enthusiastic about an opportunity to hang around people who just about revered his father. But his mother would be there . . .
Fabulous.
"Looks like I'll be using his number after all," she muttered to herself. She retrieved her beach bag and fished out Goten's number. "Oh joy."
"RING!"
Bra almost dropped the piece of paper. There was no way - was there? Eying the slip superstitiously, she cautiously picked up the phone.
"Yes?"
"Bra! Do you have any idea how long I've been trying to get in touch with you?!" Her brother's frazzled voice echoed through the line. Bra gave herself a shake. Of course Goten wouldn't call. After all, they were supposed to get together tomorrow. She ignored the slight pang of disappointment.
"So Pan informed me," she replied dryly. "Apparently my cell's dead and I didn't realize."
"Oh." Pacified, Trunks suddenly became self-conscious. "Um, well, I was just wondering . . ." Bra rolled her eyes at his hemming and hawwing. Honestly, what was so hard with being direct?
"How 'Plan Raise Fallen Akuma' is going?" she asked archly.
"'Fallen Akuma'?" he repeated after a second.
"Akuma's Goten's nickname at the Fiery Pit. Isn't it just lovely?"
"So you did go to the Pit." Trunks decided to ignore her sarcastic banter. Bra rolled her eyes.
"Yes I did Trunks. Why couldn't you do it?" she asked idly, but once uttered the thought seized her. Why did Trunks keep tabs on him, if he didn't do anything about it? The concept tore through her brain and she fretfully ran a hand through her hair. "He's so different - how could you let it go this far? He was your Kami-d*ed best friend!" Her mood shifted viciously.
How could Trunks just let Goten slip into this, this destructive downward spiral? They had practically grown up brothers. They were always getting in trouble together, goofing off, double dating, or going to frat parties . . . For goodness sake they even fused once!
Of course that would be why Goten had cut Trunks out of his life. Trunks was too much like him, too reminiscent of what he never had - a father always, and of what he hated being - son of a Saiyan warrior. He had once tried to save the world, his best friend at his side. Always together until one had ended up in space with the other's child father and the other was left behind.
But why had Trunks let him slip away? Didn't he care?
There was a stunned silence as Trunks unconsciously mimicked his sister and edgily ran a hair through his lavender hair. "You don't understand Bra. I tried." He sighed and sat down. This could take a while. "I better start from the beginning.
When I came back to Chikyuu, Goten was one of the first to meet the spacecraft. He immediately demanded to know where Goku was, but . . . Pan and I waited until everyone was assembled before we told what happened, you remember. Goten slipped out the back door and I went to talk with him." He closed his eyes, remembering that night. "He was in the backyard, just staring into the sky. . . His eyes, they were so empty, like he had suddenly become blind . . . His face was so blank. I can still remember his exact words, they were just, emotionless like he'd finally figured it all out but it didn't matter anyway. 'He finally did it - he's finally gone from beyond our reach. And one day . . . I will have to follow.'" Trunks shuddered at the remembrance. "It was so creepy. He didn't scream or get mad or anything. He seemed so resigned.
And then he just took off. He disappeared that night, completely. The Z senshi pretty much disbanded at that point, but after he didn't show up for a week, we all searched for him. It was like he vanished into thin air. No one knew what to do."
"I don't remember that," Bra muttered.
"We didn't tell you or Pan. You would've told Pan and it was hard enough on her with her grandfather gone, let alone to tell her her beloved uncle was missing to the extent we wondered if he was even alive.
Mom looked for him through more conventional methods: missing persons and rewards for information. I never realized how well Goten was at blending in though. We got a few real leads among all the dead ends, but by the time we checked up on them he was long gone. We didn't get anything substantial until six months later when he got hired as a bouncer."
"Six months?" Bra whispered, racking her mind for some scrap of memory but she remembered nothing but her entering of high school. "How did you keep that from Pan?"
Trunks snorted. "We told her that he'd been sent on a vacation to get himself together. She spent most of her time sorting through her feelings with me anyway. By the time he popped up, we told her that he'd decided he needed some distance from the Z senshi. She took it pretty well."
"What was he doing for six months?"
"Drinking mostly or so I guess. He lived off the streets, staying in seedy bars for most of the time. He spent most of his savings in them, up until he finally decided he needed an income. The reason we couldn't track his appearance was because he shaved his head and I doubt anyone could make out his features underneath all the grime.
We were so relieved to have found him. Gohan wanted to immediately go and wring him out for causing ChiChi so much more worry and pain, but thankfully Mom convinced him that I was the best person to talk with him first. He didn't seem that surprised to see me. He told me that he had just needed some time to get his head screwed on straight. We talked about small stuff and I went on my way.
But Mom couldn't pacify Gohan for long and he tracked Goten down by himself. They had a huge fight - Goten flat out refused to return to ChiChi's house or do any of Gohan's 'suggestions'." Bra could hear the parentheses over the phone. "Things just went downhill from there. I was busy, if that's any excuse, and before I knew it, Paris had called me in tears. She kept sobbing, 'I don't understand, I don't understand . . . What happened to Goten?' She finally told me that she just couldn't do it anymore. He had changed too much - hard partying, smoking, just everything. Apparently he had gotten back in touch with her, but she couldn't handle the changes," Trunks trailed off evasively, not sure exactly how much Bra knew about Goten's . . . habits.
"I went to see him after that, you know, straighten him out and he completely blew me off, to put it nicely. He stopped speaking to any of the Z senshi, except Pan of course. He stopped by to spar with Dad every once and awhile, probably the only one of us he can still stand. He keeps his ki so low that not even I can sense him and I fused with him!" Agitated, his hand went through his hair again.
"To tell you the truth," he confessed in a low voice. "I haven't talked with him since your 16th birthday - it's a miracle he even showed up there."
Bra sat in complete and utter shock. She had never even thought . . .
"That was probably the last time any of the Z seshi saw him, well except for Pan of course. But lately, he's been avoiding even her and Dad."
"Well that's about to change." The confidence in her voice startled Bra herself. "I'm inviting Goten to the barbecue tomorrow."
"WHAT?!?" Trunks jolted out his chair.
"It's my choice to choose where we go anyway, really - long story," she forestalled her brother's confused question. "Of course the real question is if he'll come."
"Bra I really don't think he'll be all gung-ho about seeing everyone, especially Gohan." Oh yes, he had such a flair for understatement.
"I know, but I gotta try." She sighed, rubbing her temples in anticipation of the headache to come. "I'll see you tomorrow Trunks, just don't tell anyone that he might come."
Trunks snorted. "Don't worry, I won't."
"Now I just have to call him," she went on, more to herself. Trunks blinked, but before he could ask how the heck she had gotten his unlisted number, the dial tone was blaring in his ear. He frowned, trying to shake off his uneasy feeling. Why did he get sense that there was much more to Bra's end of the story than he knew?
Bra stared at the number in her hand. So this is what it came down to. She picked up the phone again and was in the process of dialing when her hand froze.
Wait, he had said he couldn't make Friday. What if he was out? Her eyes darted to the clock. Well, it was only 9:30 in the morning and with his lifestyle, he didn't strike her as an early riser. But then again, he had this habit of surprising her . . . She went back to
dialing.
She should still try.
If only she had a clue of what she'd say . . .
*
Bra slammed the phone down in frustration. How could he not have an answering machine? What kind of anti-technology geek was he?
She glanced at the clock in extreme annoyance. It was now 4:00 in the afternoon. She'd been calling every odd hour or so, her mood growing stormier and stormier with each failed call. Where the hell was he?
She cursed internally. The barbecue was starting at ten the next day, but she wasn't scheduled to meet Goten until two in the afternoon. Perhaps she should just let it go . . .
No! She had already decided and she'd be d*ed if she didn't follow through.
She evaluated her options. She didn't know where he lived so that was out - besides if he wasn't answering his phone, then good chances were that he wasn't there. Where else would she be likely to find him or at least get information of where he might be?
She groaned mentally. Fabulous. Looked like she'd be returning to the Fiery Pit after all.
She marched into her room and hurriedly went through her wardrobe, trying to find something she wouldn't feel ridiculous walking into that club with at 4 in the afternoon. She ended up in petite leather boots, a knee-length black leather skirt, and a blood red sleeveless high-necked top. She eyed herself critically in the mirror. Wonderful. She'd match the décor. Giving a self-deprecating snort, she rushed out of the apartment. Wouldn't Goten be pleased.
*
Didn't they ever leave?
Bra paused upon entering the back room, surprised by how many were already situated around the tables. There had to already be ten teens hanging out. Maybe they came early on Fridays. Right. Well, all the better for her.
The blond waitress she recognized from last time - had it only been three days ago? It seemed a lifetime - was the first to spot her as she strode over. "Well look who's back," she called out in a mocking voice. Heads swiveled and all talk died down. Bra ignored the remark, scanning behind them to see if Goten was hidden in the shadows. Sighting no one, she addressed the crowd.
"Is Akuma here?" The girl shrugged, having been the one Bra's blue eyes focused on.
"What's it to you?" she sneered. Bra frowned and looked around for a less hostile personage. Ahh good, red hair was here.
"Um you, with the red hair," she gestured to him. Raen raised an eyebrow.
"Raen."
"Okay Raen, is Akuma here?" Another boy, Bra blinked and a name flashed through her brain - Tern, cut off his response.
"Are you really Bra Briefs?" he asked suspiciously, greasy blond hair in an unkempt mat on his head. Had she really danced with him? Oh man, she had been plastered.
"Yes," she snapped. "Now about Akuma-" But Raen's face had changed to a mulling one. He had wondered anyway and this seemed like the ideal time . . .
"How does Akuma know you?" Bra gritted her teeth. What was so hard with answering one single question? But the avid interest the teens were regarding her with told her she wasn't going to get one until she satisfied their curiosity.
"He's the uncle of one of my best friends." The blond girl's jaw dropped.
"Uncle?!?" Their eyes goggled and in the back of her mind Bra smirked. Apparently they hadn't thought of him as that old, maybe mid- twenties, but not in his thirties.
"Yeah, he could be her father." Okay, very young father, but Bra was not in the mood for technicalities. She almost wished she'd be there when Goten came back to the Fiery Pit - she could bet on some interesting reactions. However she had more pressing issues at the moment. "Now, he is -"
"Not here." Raen looked slightly startled, but otherwise was taking the news the best.
Bra growled in frustration. Now what was she supposed to do? He could be anywhere!
"He stopped by here, but headed home." Green eyes met blue and Raen managed a weak grin. Bra regarded him with keen interest. Why was he telling her this?
"And where is 'home' exactly?" His eyes sharpened for a second and then he shrugged disarmingly.
"You think 'Akuma' would tell us that?" She frowned, but didn't disagree. Well at least she knew he was home and she could call him. Turning on her heel, she made her way out, opening her purse on the way. Sifting through it, she yanked out her phone and flipped it open, glad she had gotten new batteries. She paused in the hallway - the least noisy place at this time of day, and quickly dialed his number.
"Ring! Ring! Ring!"
She slammed it shut. D* that man! He had enough money for a d* convertible, but nooooo he couldn't spring for a Kami-d*ed answering machine.
Looked like she'd have to make a home visit. If he was there and just not picking up the phone, she'd kill him for making her go through this all this trouble.
Most people by this time would just give up or at least re-evaluate what lengths they were going to. But now it was a matter of pride for her. She was too much her father's daughter to give up now.
But how was she going to find out his address? Who might know something like that here?
*
Miriam, the ambiguous blond waitress, narrowed her eyes at Raen. "Why'd you tell her that for? You might as well have told her about his shipment!" She was stung - probably more by the realization of Akuma's age and how that definitely made him off limits for her, than anything else.
The boy shrugged in response. "I dunno - guess I just wanted to see how well she knows Akuma." Or whoever he was, Raen added mentally. "Besides it doesn't matter. Who is she going to find that actually knows where Akuma lives?" He cocked an eyebrow. "I doubt that even Akuma's girls don't know that."
Her frown remained. It wasn't fair that someone that fine should be so old!
*
"I'm not sure I should give you that information."
The bartender's eyes flicked nervously around the room as he mechanically wiped the mug in his hand, basically anywhere away from the bluette staring at him disconcertingly.
Bra smiled sweetly, leaning forward a little and wishing she'd worn something lower cut. Her guess was proving right - the bartender didn't say he didn't know Goten's address. Goten hadn't been able to resist from chumming a little with his fellow bartender.
"Aw come on. It's not that big a deal," she cajoled.
"I'm sorry Miss Briefs, but Akuma didn't give me his address for common knowledge and I honor my clientele's privacy," he resisted firmly, with all courtesy. Bra's friendly smile slipped a little. So he knew who she was, well that would explain the nervousness.
She leaned closer and made her voice go husky. "It's just one little address. What could it hurt? It's not like little old me could hurt someone like him anyway." Perhaps he was forbearing out of some instinct to save her from getting hurt. Hah! And she wasn't going to hurt Goten - she was going to kill him.
Still avoiding her eyes, though he did gulp upon hearing the tone of her voice, he shook his head again.
Bra's last threads of patience wore thin. She just did not have the f*ing tolerance to deal with this. Time to use the charm she had inherited from the other side of her family tree.
Abruptly the bartender found himself staring directly into the very baby blue eyes he had been evading, feet swinging a good foot off the ground while his body draped over the bar. He stared into a face that held no traces of the friendliness she had been trying to convey. He gulped, or tried to except the iron one-handed grip around his throat somewhat impeded the action. The mug dropped heavily unto the counter with a thud.
Her eyes narrowed. "Okay, I tried being nice. Now let's try this again. Where does Akuma live?" she hissed, punctuating every word. The pale- faced man choked out a few words. The 100-mega watt smile returned to Bra's face. And just like that she released him; he slid back behind the bar desperately gasping in air.
"See! That wasn't that hard!" she cheerily chided him and ignoring his point-blank gawk, immediately turned on her heel and strutted out of the club.
D* her father was right.
Intimidation did do wonders for the ego.
*
She wrinkled her nose in disgust at the door in front of her. Well this certainly explained how Goten had managed to afford a convertible on a bartender's salary. Not that the place was a complete dump - but it was enough to make her feel uncomfortable walking around in a leather skirt. Brilliant choice that.
Well she was here. She might as well enter.
And yet some inexplicable feeling made her pause. It was like when you anticipate something for so long, you feel a little lost when it finally happens. She stared at the door, suddenly hesitant to see what was beyond it. She had no idea really . . . It was ridiculous actually, she didn't even know if he was home.
It was different from entering the Fiery Pit though. She would be walking straight into the lion's den. This was unequivocally Goten's turf. There would be no witnesses or anything that would in the least give her the illusion of having any sense of control.
She would be walking straight into an abyss of Goten's own making - and the fact made her skin shiver.
Okay, she had officially spent too much time with creepy Akuma. Shaking the dark thoughts out of her head, she knocked on the door.
No response.
"Goten?" she called through the wood. Demi-Saiyan or not, the walls should be thin enough for him to hear her.
Her hand closed on the door handle, which turned with only a little pressure. He'd left the door unlocked. She frowned. That didn't fit the image of meticulous Goten, but who was she to look a gift horse in the mouth?
Ugh, she had spent too much time with Shela yesterday.
"Goten?" Calling again, she tentatively stepped into the apartment. The air seemed abnormally calm and silent - dead. She took another step in, taking time to check out her surroundings. She left the door open - she couldn't shake the idiotic creepy feeling that if it closed, that was it.
She was in a narrow short hallway, with a doorway to the right and to the left. The wallpaper was a dark green, completely bare of any design or personal memorabilia unsurprisingly. Hmm, so would she chose door number one or door number two? Randomly she went for the one on the left.
Feeling silly at how hideously wary she was acting, she brazenly opened the door wide and stepped in . . . only to step out again even speedier and slam the door shut.
Her face would've given a lava lamp steep competition. His bedroom of all things! Who on earth would place that room so close to the entrance?
She decided not to continue that train of thought.
That left door number two, which actually was only an archway. Well at least that guaranteed she wouldn't be stepping into a bathroom.
Stepping through it a little more hesitantly this time, she was unprepared by what greeted her eyes.
The room was actually nicely put together, sparse with almost no personal affects in the same color as the hallway. Other than a worn leather couch, T.V., and a plain wooden coffee table, the room was unfurnished. But that wasn't what Bra noticed.
Nor did she focus on Goten's goofy grin, reminiscent of his father's, as he turned his head to her entrance - situated on the floor between the couch and the coffee table, even though her eyes did flick there first.
Nor she dwell his delayed welcome. "Hello girl." His voice was slightly higher than normal and utterly void of the bitterness, anger, or resentment that Bra had become accustomed to.
It was the coffee table that attracted all of her attention. Or more correctly what was on it.
Powders, pills, even some liquids were in careful alignment on the table, very orderly in fact. The whole top was covered with the various substances; one of the piles half depleted giving testament to the fact Goten had already begun sampled his merchandise.
. . . and explaining Goten's sudden reversion to a Goku-like mentality.
It was strange actually that the idea had never crossed her mind. Oh yes, Goten was a bad boy - he smoked, drank, and dear me! He hated his father and cut himself off from friends and family!
The realization of how deep the hole Goten had dug, still hadn't sunk in to Bra's head. Sure, she had listened and agonized over Goten's revelation about his 'dating' habits, but deep down, she hadn't believed him. Her mind could simply not put the image of a younger naïve Goten with the man she saw before him. It couldn't be true.
Oh Kami. She felt sick.
He had definitely become a different man than his father. Despite all the challenges, impossible demands made upon him, all the close calls and hopeless situations, his father had always faced them squarely. He had always tried. And that's what made him a hero. But the man in front of her - he was a coward, who was too weak to confront his problems head on.
Something snapped inside of Bra. When all was said and done, a coward. Drugs, booze, women, fast cars - a coward. A coward who was destroying his life and others, regardless of the people who cared about him. A F*ING COWARD!
Oh, she was ready to shake him awake now.
The ki-ball was out of her hands and heading towards the table, before she even registered its formation. Her father had not let out her into the world without any training and forming a ki blast strong enough to stun someone, was something even her mother agreed she should be taught.
In this case it completely incinerated the contents on the coffee table and left a nice black burn mark on the top.
Goten stared at the table, his brain too wired for him to exactly comprehend what had just happened.
Without another word, Bra sought out the bathroom. Once inside, she resolutely opened the mirror and took a hold of all bottles behind. With cool efficiency, she opened each one and watched the contents plop into the toilet. The sound of flushing had never been so gratifying. If some of it was legitimate pain medication, well Goten was half-Saiyan. He'd deal.
Now . . .
"Hey!" So what she'd done had finally sunk into brain-dead's head. Good.
Bra considered her next move. She had destroyed all the drugs he had thus far - if he had any in his bedroom well, he could keep them, but that was right now. He'd be able to get more. Hmm, well she might as well make it a little more difficult.
Making her way back through the living room, where Goten was still staring horrified at the now bare table, she made a beeline for the kitchen.
"Come on, I know you're around here somewhere," she muttered, slamming drawers open and shut. She ignored Goten and his blank stare as he tried to process the intruder in his abode, the devastation she had wreaked, and the effects of the drugs he had taken all at the same time.
"What're you doing?" his words weren't slurred, but the sheer uncertainty and effort they conveyed made them sound like it. He only blinked when there was no response, except the continued sound of the rapid opening and shutting of drawers.
In the process of closing another drawer, she saw it out of the corner of her eye. "Found you!" She snagged the small book and carefully examined it. Black - how typical. It ripped in half with a very satisfying tearing sound. She ripped it into quarters and then
eighths, before gently placing them on the counter. It would be good to leave some evidence when Goten regained his senses. Her features darkened. If he ever did.
She turned to face him. He was standing now, a vague frown and cheery smile competing for control of his face. She snorted at the distracted look in his eyes. Looked like it would be useless trying to complete what she'd originally come to do. Then again . . .
Fishing out her paper pad from her bag and a pen, she quickly scrawled a message. Ripping the sheet out, she presented it to Goten who took it reflexively.
"I'll call you in the morning," she said, starting to feel the frenzied giddiness from completing something huge. Her grin seemed to confuse Goten even more and she sailed out of the apartment.
He looked down at the paper in his hand, not registering what was written on it.
Congratulations Goten!
You've just won yourself a non-escapable invite to the Z senshi barbecue, 10:00 tomorrow.
See you there.
Oh yeah, he was going to kill her.
*
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*
Tada! I was going to post this a few hours ago, but then the floppy this was saved on (for transport to school so I could work on it during my frees) decided to not let me access it. But thank God for computer aids!!!!! I only had to re-write this ending and a few other paragraphs.
The black book was his phone list - where he would probably write contact numbers for dealers. Sorry about the vagueness of Goten high, I have no idea how people high act like. Besides I didn't specify what he took.
Next time: Z senshi barbecue!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait!
Toodles!
Nitte iz