I Can't Call You Father
Disclaimers: Same old, same old…
Authors Note: Yeah, I knew you guys would be surprised! In fact, I wasn't even planning it myself. Well, here's a very meaningful chapter, it's the title chapter XD. But you'll see why it is very climatic.
Chapter 14: I Can't Call You Father
"MOTHER!" Cali exclaimed shutting the door to their suite. "HOW COULD YOU EVEN SUGGEST THAT I SPEND THE WHOLE DAY WITH THAT MAN?!" she screamed. "I think it would be nice if you two spent some time together to…err, catch up." Marron responded taking out her clothes and putting them away. Cali glared. "I want nothing to do with him!" she snapped. Marron slammed her suitcase. "Cali! You are going, whether you want to or not!" she replied. Cali folded her arms and plopped down on the bed. "FINE! BUT I WON'T HAVE ANY FUN!"
"MOTHER!" Trunks screamed. "HOW COULD YOU EVEN SUGGEST THAT I DO THAT?! I MEAN…I HAVE A FAMILY YOU KNOW?" he questioned at the top of his lungs. Bulma glared. "Reality check Trunks! She is your family. And you are going…I'll see to that!" Bulma snapped. Trunks pouted. "FINE! BUT I WON'T HAVE ANY FUN!" he shouted.
"YOU'RE WHAT?!" Pan screamed into the phone.
"I said, we're living in Capsule Corps. It was Bulma's idea." Marron replied.
"IS SHE ON CRACK OR SOMETHING!?" Pan replied.
"I know…not the best idea under the circumstances, but it would be good if Cali and Trunks got to know each other." Marron answered.
Pan sighed. "How's Cali taking this?" she questioned.
"Not too well I'm afraid." Marron replied with remorse.
"Can I talk to her?"
Marron turned to the peaceful, sleeping 17-year-old and smiled. "She's sleeping Pan, so maybe tomorrow would be better."
"Yeah, it probably would. Hey Marron? Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, anything."
"Do you still have…" Pan chuckled at the thought.
"Have what Panny?"
"…feelings for Trunks."
Marron frowned and her eyes grew angry. "As if! He's such a jerk!"
Pan started to laugh even harder. "AH-HA! You do still like him!"
Marron grunted. "PAN! I called you for support on what to do with Trunks and Cali! Not my Lovelife!"
"YOU LOVE HIM?!"
"NO! I NEVER SAID THAT!"
"YOU JUST DID!"
"I DID NOT!"
"DID TO!"
"DID NOT!"
"DID TO!"
"DID NOT!"
"DID TO!"
Marron growled and hung up the phone. "I don't love him." She mumbled.
Pan continued to chuckle. Trunks and Marron acted the same way right before they confessed that they liked each other the first time. "Old habits die hard…" she said.
Marron's focused turned to a knock at the door. "Coming!" she rang out. Marron opened the door to find Trunks standing there. Marron glared. "What do you want?" she questioned. Trunks scowled. "What does it look like? I'm the welcoming committee!" he stated sarcastically. Marron's face remained the same. "I mean it Trunks; if you came here just to be a pest, then you can just leave!" she shouted.
Trunks' face grew softer. "Marron…" he whispered in a gentle tone. "I'm…sorry." Trunks continued. Marron stared into his eyes. "He really…means it this time…" she thought. Marron nodded. "Me…to Trunks." She replied. Trunks smiled. "Well…uh, since that's taken care of…do you need anything? Mom told me I am to be your "servant" for the week in order to repay you guys." Trunks said annoyed. Marron laughed. "Tell your mother we're fine, and you don't need to do anything for us." She responded. Trunks pulled his arm down. "YES!" he shouted. Marron laughed even more. "I love your laugh…" Trunks said out of the blue. Marron blushed and started to feel uncomfortable. "Why…why am I blushing!? Could it be…that Pan was…right? NO! He's married and has two other children! I CAN'T FALL FOR HIM AGAIN!" Marron mused. In a panic, she slammed the door in his face.
Trunks blinked. "Was it…something I said?" he inquired.
He came downstairs to see Kyera drinking some coffee in the kitchen. "Hey baby!" Trunks said warmly wrapping his arms around her. Kyera chuckled. "Hey yourself!" she replied kissing his cheek. "How are you?" Kyera asked. "I'm fine. Just needed to check on Marron and Cali." Trunks answered. Kyera's face grew dismal. "Oh…" she replied sadly. Trunks sat down next to her. "You…don't want them here…do you?" he queried. Kyera let out a smile. "No Trunks…actually I'm glad you're doing this. It's for the best but…"
"But what?"
"I'm just worried about Daphne. She's convinced that this is Marron's and Cali's fault and she won't like to know that they are here."
Trunks looked shocked. "But Daphne and Cali have been friends since they were in diapers! This shouldn't change anything!"
"It's a life-changing thing Trunks."
"Yeah but…why would she think that?"
"I think it's because she's been hanging around with that France girl."
Trunks grunted. "Pff…that would explain a lot. Like mother like daughter. And I hear Paris' son is the same way."
"Actually, I hear he's quite nice."
Trunks rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He responded. He looked at Kyera's still sorrowful face. "Key…" Trunks whispered. "I love you. And nothing's ever going to change that. Not Cali…or even Marron." Kyera nodded. "I know that Trunks. But don't forget, it's possible to love more than one person." She replied. Trunks' eyes grew wide. "You're not suggesting that I have feelings for Marron are you?" he questioned. Kyera smiled. "Trunks…your father has 'tutored' me in the bonds of a saiyan and he's convinced that you and Marron share one. Why else would you have mated with her instead of me?"
"I don't know Key." Trunks retorted. "But I know for a fact that I don't love her as much as I love you." He said.
"But you still love her."
"I NEVER SAID THAT!"
Kyera smiled. "Trunks…in time you'll figure all this out. And when you do, I'll make sure you do the right decision. I won't get in the way of you and Marron." "But Kyera! You're not in the way!" Trunks shouted. Kyera put her hand up, signaling for him to stop. "That's enough for tonight. You better get to bed. You have a big day with Cali tomorrow." She added. Trunks rolled his eyes. "Alright…" he droned. Kyera took his hand as they headed into their room.
"HURRY UP CALI! TRUNKS IS WAITING DOWNSTAIRS!" Marron shouted up to her daughter. "JUST A MINUTE MOM!" Cali snapped back. "Cali was never one to care for her appearance, so why start now?" Marron wondered. Marron was right…Cali never cared about what she wore. She just spent as much time as she could get ready in order to delay spending time with…him.
"CALI MAE KRILLAN! IF YOU'RE NOT DOWN HERE IN 5 SECONDS I'M GONNA-"
Cali zipped down in an instant. "You're gonna what?" she answered innocently. Marron scolded her. "Cali! I know you don't want to do this. But please; at least make it a nice experience." She stated. Cali pouted. "Fine…if I must!" Cali exasperated throwing her hands up. Trunks honked the horn. He'd been waiting for well over 40 minutes. "COMING!" Cali yelled. Marron smiled and hugged her daughter. "Have fun!" she said warmly. Cali mumbled incoherently as she made her way out the door and jumped into the front seat of Trunks' car.
"So…" Trunks began. "Where do you wanna go?" He questioned. Cali popped the wad of gum in her mouth. "I dunno…" she said chewing again. "Where do you wanna go?"
"It doesn't matter…where do you wanna go?"
"I dunno…where do you wanna go?"
Trunks sighed. This was going to be a LOOOOOOOOOOONG day. "Cali…" he said in annoyance. Cali glared. "Fine…lets go to 'Da Coco Bean'" she answered. Da Coco Bean was the biggest coffee/karaoke/poetry reading house in all of Japan.
"Aren't you a little young to be drinking coffee?"
"I'm 17."
"What? That's still a minor!"
"Drinking coffee does not require you to be over the age of 18!"
"But still-"
"Look, Mr. Briefs." Cali commented. "I've been drinking coffee since I was 3. You asked me where I wanted to go. And I want to go to Da Coco Bean. We've already wasted 9 minutes arguing. Let's go already! Or…is this process too complicated for you?" she continued. Cali smirked in victory, for she knew she won the case. Trunks glared. "Okay…then 'The Coco bean' is where we shall go."
"It's pronounced 'DA Coco Bean'"
"Whatever." Trunks replied rolling his eyes. He then took off for the coffee house.
Cali's eyes gazed upon his radio. "Can I…put some tunes on?" she asked. "Sure…" Trunks answered back. Cali put on 95.4 FM, a very and I mean VERY heavy metal and rock station. Linkin Park's "Numb" was playing. Trunks, in shock, put the brakes on the car. Cali's gum went down her throat. "WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM!?" she screamed. "YOU SAID YOU WERE PUTTING TUNES ON! THIS IS NOT TUNES! IT'S PEOPLE SCREAMING THEIR FRICKIN' LUNGS OFF!" Trunks shouted.
"THESE ARE TUNES! IT'S LINKIN PARK!"
"LINKIN WHAT!?" Trunks yelled over the music.
"LINKIN PARK! A BAND YOU DODO BRAIN!"
"I AM NOT A DODO BRAIN!"
"YES YOU ARE IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO LINKIN PARK IS!"
The car behind them beeped continuously. Trunks grumbled as he continued driving. "I'm not a dodo brain!" he thought defiantly.
The two had reached their destination. Trunks eyes grew small as he saw the graffiti all over the building. "Yeesh…" he stated. "This place needs some remodeling." He continued. "It's supposed to look this way." Cali retorted opening the door. Trunks winced as more Linkin Park was playing inside. "I see they play your 'tunes' in here as well." He said. "Yep." Cali answered sitting down at a table for two.
Kai came up to them in a waitresses outfit. "Hey Cali!" she rang. "…Mr. Briefs." Kai added seeing both of them there. "Hello Kai, what are you doing here?" Trunks asked. Kai proudly pointed to her nametag. "I work here!" she answered warmly. Trunks looked surprised. "How?" he questioned. Cali glared as Kai laughed. "I see you don't care for the whole dark poetic/grungy rock/coffee joint, am I right?" Kai queried. "More than you know…" Trunks responded. Kai laughed again.
"Hey Kai?" Cali inquired grabbing her friend's attention. "Yes Cal?" Kai answered back. "Can I have a mocha latte with cinnamon and caramel?" she asked. Kai nodded. "And for you Mr. Briefs?" she wondered. "Just plain old coffee with cream." Trunks replied. "Will do!" Kai said heading to the kitchen.
"So…" Trunks started. "What's new?" he asked. Cali gave him a look. "Well nothing in the past 15 minutes we've spent together." She answered. Trunks frowned. "You know Cali…I'm trying to make this enjoyable for you!" he snapped. "Oh, but you are Mr. Briefs! I am in complete heaven!" Cali responded sarcastically. "C'mon Cali! We're here to get to know each other! What do you like?" he chided. Cali turned her head. "Look around, Mr. Briefs. Everything you see here." She said. Trunks pouted. "That doesn't really answer my question…"
Kai came back with the coffee and latte. "Here you go!" she stated politely. Kai also handed a flyer to Cali. "What's this?" Cali questioned her friend. "We're having a battle of the bands contest here! The winning band gets $1000 zeni, and a weekly performance spot here!" Kai answered enthusiastically. Cali's jaw dropped. "ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!" she screamed. Kai nodded. "Dead serious! You better call Eve, Mara, and Tanya and let them know! It's this Saturday!" Kai cautioned. "THIS SATURDAY? THAT'S IN TWO DAYS!" Cali exclaimed. "Yes, but if I know you Cali…you guys can pull it off!" Kai answered turning back into the kitchen.
Cali's stomach had butterflies in them. Her chance…to be in the spotlight. Or, at least in the good spotlight. "You're in a band?" Trunks questioned. Cali's eyes narrowed; it was a "DUH" question.
"That I am Mr. Briefs."
"Wow! I didn't know that!"
"There are a lot of things you don't know…" Cali replied coolly.
"Yeah, well if you'd let me get to know you then…"
"Mr. Briefs." Cali began. "I really don't want for us to get to know each other. I'm only doing this for my mother's sake!"
Trunks glared. "What's with all this "Mr. Briefs" stuff? I'd appreciate it if you called me father."
Cali chuckled snottily. "Oh…so now you want me to call you father."
"Well…you don't have to. I'd like it though because I am your father and you can call me that."
Cali laughed bitterly again. "No…Mr. Briefs, that's where you are wrong. You are NOT my father. Though you may have impregnated my mother, you did nothing else. All those years I prayed for a father…just someone I could call father, you were not there. You were never there when I needed you. So you see, Mr. Briefs, I CAN'T CALL YOU FATHER!" she finished with a cruel tone.
Trunks was truly taken aback by this, for he knew Cali was right. He did not deserve for her to call him father, and he most likely never would. After taking a sip of his coffee, Trunks questioned, "Anything else I need to know about you?"
"No…I think we're fine for today."
I almost didn't believe I wrote this chapter. It was so funny in the beginning, and so powerful in the end. Which part did you guys think was the funniest? I'd like to know…My favorite was either the Phone convo, or the dodobrain part! I really enjoyed writing this chapter and also, I PROMISE there will be romance in the next chapter.
Thanks to…Serena San, MayhemBass, Punk Gal, Punkygal, Daniella, Son Angie Kuri, Alexonite, Xena, Starlite, Forever Broken, Tachigare Yuushi, KrayZfan, OnCeUpOnAnIgHtMaRe, Gypsee Girl, Omi-Tak, Shasti, Pasjuh, Erica, Sonicwind123, Ali-Chan, Evil Sister, Anglmis, razzle-dazzle, African Uub, and Meiling Chan.
SonChan