Tales of Parenthood
Author's Note
Sequel to Coming of Age. Everyone except Goku and Doctor Briefs are alive, but Goku visits. Grand Tour happened and the dragon balls are gone. Ignores Dragon Ball Super.
Pan is 37
Bra is 39
Goten is 50
Trunks is 51
Henry is 20
Cora is 16/17
Maddox is 18
Litta is 14
Cami is 14
Bardock is 10
Vegeta Jr is 4
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or any characters or variations of DBZ. I only own my OCs.
Chapter Thirty-Three: Dating, College, & Kittens
"Woman, are you sure about this?" growled Vegeta watching Bulma work on her computer.
"Why wouldn't I be," she replied simply.
"They're bonded already," scoffed Vegeta knowing his point wouldn't change her mind.
"Yes, but they haven't figured it out yet. So Henry still a chance to find love like a normal human," Bulma typed away.
"I don't believe normal humans do this," he commented as he left the room.
xxXXxx
"Hey you got some fancy looking mail," Bra handed Henry an envelope when he came through the door.
"Huh, it does look fancy," he observed before opening it. He took a seat. "What the hell?" he exclaimed as he read the invitation.
"What is it?" Bra came to read over his shoulder. "Thank you for joining the society," she read aloud.
"I didn't join this. It sounds like a cult!" Henry yelled. Bulma grinned hearing her daughter and grandson.
"It's not a cult. It's a match making service, and I signed you up," Bulma informed him.
"Why?" he groaned slouching down in his seat.
"Because the society is a very elite match making service, and I thought it would be good for you since you haven't been dating lately," she explained.
"I've been working and doing school. Or is having two masters degrees in engineering a bad thing," he pointed out.
"If the society is so good, why didn't you sign me up when I was young, or Trunks?" Bra asked taking the piece of mail to read over more closely.
"Neither of you qualified," Bulma stated simply.
"But Henry does?" Bra stared at her mother confused.
"Yes he does," she answered running a hand through his hair.
"Are you going to explain how?" demanded Bra a little peeved she wasn't deemed good enough for something.
"To be a member of The Society, you have to have wealth on both sides of your family," explained Bulma.
"And Dad is a prince but not rich," Bra commented. Bulma nodded.
"Henry has Satan money on one side, Capsule Corp money on the other. They've been after me to convince him to join since he turned eighteen," Bulma went on.
"But you didn't convince me, you just signed me up without asking!" Henry proclaimed making a pouting face at his Grammie.
"You only have to go to a certain number of events a year. Your information will be added to their book, and they will work on finding the right girl for you," Bulma grinned at him.
xxXXxx
"I need a babysitter tomorrow afternoon. Cora could you?" Bra asked her niece.
"I've got practice tomorrow," Cora answered flipping the page in the book she was reading.
"Great, I'll have to leave Veggie with Daddy again," groaned Bra.
"What's wrong with Vegeta watching him?" asked Pan handing Bra a cup of tea.
"He looks up to him to much. It's like he wants to be just like him," sighed Bra.
"Well he does look just like him," laughed Pan.
Cami and Litta rushed through the house laughing and singing. "Could you two be quiet," Cora gave the two girls a stern look.
Litta rolled her eyes not thinking much of Cora. "What's up?" Cami asked bouncing excitedly to hug her aunt, paying her sister no mind at all.
Pan smiled wide. "Bra is needing a babysitter tomorrow afternoon," she informed her.
"Oh I can do it!" Cami gave her aunt a Son grin.
"Are you sure?" Bra asked looking a bit nervous.
"Yeah it'll be fun!" Cami answered happily.
xxXXxx
Vegeta Junior watched his cousin closely. She was putting out coloring books and starting a movie.
"Here you go Veggie," she offered him a seat.
"Cora watches me," he informed her unwilling to take the seat.
"Yeah, but she had practice today. So you're with me," her smile never wavered.
"Okay… buts I'm watching you," he told her climbing up into the seat he was offered.
xxXXxx
Henry knocked on his father's office door. He heard giggling inside. He cringed knocking harder.
"Come in," called Trunks. Henry walked in to find his mother looking flushed. He gave her an awkward wave.
"Hey sweetheart, what are you up to?" Pan rushed over to hug him.
"I wanted to see if Dad could help me get out of this thing Grammie signed me up for," he handed Trunks the letter from the Society. Pan headed around the desk to read over his shoulder.
"She signed you up for a country club kind of dating service," laughed Trunks.
"Yeah, she says I haven't been dating enough over the past couple years," grumbled Henry. It was a little worse having this conversation with both his parents instead of just his father.
"Bra told me about this. It's a way to keep gold diggers out of the field," Pan announced taking the letter from Trunks.
"My love life is going fine. Could you please tell Grammie that I don't need to join this?" Henry nearly begged.
"You're already signed up, and you are only required to go to a mixer every few months," Pan countered. Henry groaned. His mother would think it was a good idea.
"Your mother's right. Grammie already got you are year long membership, so tough it out. Maybe you'll meet someone special," Trunks gave his son a smirk and a wink.
xxXXxx
Veggie was asleep on Cami when Pan and Bra got home.
"He's so cute when he's sleeping," commented Pan.
"Unlike when he's wake and looks like a tiny grumpy middle aged man," laughed Bra.
"Cami," she nudged her half asleep daughter's shoulder. "Bra's here to pick up Veggie," Pan explained. Cami sat up more her hair a mess. Veggie had drooled all over her.
"We had a great time," she mumbled out allowing Bra to scoop him into her arms.
"Glad to hear," she laughed. Veggie snuggled closer into his mother's grip.
xxXXxx
"Cami, I really like you," a boy studdered.
Cami smiled broadly, "I like you too."
"Really?" the boy looked so hopeful.
"Yeah, you're a really nice guy," she replied touching his arm lightly before wandering off.
"Does she even realize she is leading them on?" asked Cora with a sigh.
"Nope," answered Litta rolling her eyes.
xxXXxx
Cora was coming off the field after softball practice.
"Miss Briefs can we have a word with you," a man in a suit asked. He was with her coach.
"Sure," she gave a soft smile.
"I'm with Orange Star University. Have you ever considered playing softball in college?" the man asked.
"They're offering a large scholarship Cora. It's an amazing opportunity," her coach chimed in.
"There's no way I qualify for any type of scholarship," Cora held back the urge to roll her eyes. Her parents had way too much money for her to get scholarships, no matter how smart she was.
"Technically it's not a scholarship. Since your grandfather is a professor at Orange Star, you instantly get reduced tuition. If you were to agree to play softball, we would wave your tuition entirely," the man explained.
"You don't need to answer now. Talk it over with your parents," her coach patted her shoulder.
xxXXxx
The lounge was full well dress men and women. Henry stayed on the edge of the room. Most were mingling. He sighed wishing the event was over already.
"Boring huh?" a woman in a dark blue cocktail dress gave him a half smile.
"Yeah," he shrugged. For some reason, he felt like he had met her before.
"Ayumi Nattak," she held out her hand.
"Henry Briefs," he shook her hand.
"You don't remember me," she chuckled to herself.
"You seem familiar," he admitted.
"We met back when we were interviewing for preschools," she reminded him. Henry groaned slightly under his breath. She was the little girl who was mean to him all those years ago. "I heard that," she snickered elbowing him.
"Sorry," he mumbled rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
"Don't be. I was a bit of a brat when I was little," she giggled.
"Really, you think you grew out of it," poked her with a smirk playing on her lips.
"Wanna go on a date and find out?" she fluttered her eyelashes. He cringed and started stammering. "I was only kidding," she giggled for a second time.
"Sorry, I just really wish I wasn't here right now," Henry sighed.
"Parents sign you up without asking?" she asked leaning against the wall next to him.
"My grandparents did, and my parents agreed it was a good idea," he replied honestly.
"Yeah, my parents signed me up without asking. If you want someone to hate on stuff with, I'm your girl," she offered. Henry gave an awkward smile assuming this was her strange way of asking for a date. "Don't worry you're not my type," she gave him a wink.
"Oh really, what's your type then?" he asked. He knew most women thought that he was attractive, so how could Ayumi not.
"Long brown hair, shapely legs, and a pair of large breasts," she answered in a low voice.
Henry nearly spit out his drink. "I didn't know the Society catered to different sexualities," he choked out.
"Oh they don't… Why do you think I'm so board," she laughed.
xxXXxx
"A scholarship!" Chi-Chi nearly screamed. Gohan smiled awkwardly at his mother. Trunks and Pan were at his house to discuss Cora's situation. "Gohan got a full ride, but a sport scholarship isn't bad," Chi-Chi continued.
"Technically, it's a wavier not a scholarship," Cora pointed out.
"Technically do you even want to go to Orange Star? I know you were thinking about it, but you were also thinking about London, Paris, and the United States," Pan chimed in.
"Your mom's right. You need to think about where you want to go to school," Videl agreed.
Trunks and Gohan kept their mouths shut as they all bickered.
xxXXxx
"Cami!" a group of girls rushed to speak to her. They pushed Litta to the side. "Cami are you trying out for the volleyball team?" asked one of the girls.
"I hadn't thought about it," she shrugged.
"Well you should! You're tall and would be great at it," one girl complimented.
"Litta we could both try out!" Cami suggested loudly. Litta smiled holding back an eye roll. Cami was terrible at realizing someone wasn't wanted.
"Litta's too short," huffed one of the girls. Litta raised her eyebrows in an expression of 'really'.
"Litta and I do everything together," Cami informed the girls.
"Well you both can try out, but we all know she won't make it," laughed the girls heading down the hallway.
xxXXxx
"Gramps!" Cora called to Hercule on her way into the gym.
"Cora, what are you up to?" he hugged his great granddaughter.
"I got offered a scholarship," she started to explain.
"Videl told me," he beamed with pride.
"Well mom wants me to have a plan and pick the right school," Cora started again. He nodded. The two headed for his office. "I've been thinking about long term. Henry is getting Capsule Corp, no competition on that one. He's way better with technology than I am. I was hoping to do more of a public relations kind of position," she smiled hoping he understood what she was getting at.
"Public relations is a big part of Satan Enterprise," Hercule smiled taking a seat at his desk.
xxXXxx
"Okay I give, why are you looking at kittens?" Litta asked. Cami had been looking at kittens for the better part of an hour now with no explanation.
"Henry needs a new cat," Cami answered simply.
"Why? He has Shadow Rose," Litta smiled thinking of the sweet graying black cat that trotted around Capsule Corp.
"She died last week," Cami stated sadly continuing to look at kittens.
"What!" Litta yelped. How could no one tell her? How could Henry not tell her?
"She was older than Cora," shrugged Cami. Litta nodded it was true. Shadow was an old kitty. "How about this one?" she pointed to a kitten on the screen. The kitten was black and fluffy though not quite a longhaired cat.
"Is it a girl?" Litta looked on the screen. Yes it was. "She'll be perfect!" Litta grinned.
"Can your mom take us to get her?" asked Cami. Litta nodded pulling out her phone to call her mother.
xxXXxx
"If I go to Orange Star University, I can double major in public relations and management with a minor in marketing," Cora looked excited scrolling on her laptop.
"That sounds like exactly what you want to do," laughed Maddox. Cora was currently sitting on his bed in his dorm room.
"I know! Plus, I already have fifteen credits from high school finished, and I won't have to worry about having to transfer them to a different university," she went on.
Maddox took a deep breath. "Cora, I know we haven't talked about it being a factor, but are you wanting to come Orange Star because I am going here?" he asked hoping she wouldn't be angry with him.
"No. It is a school near my family. It has the major I want, and I can do internships for Gramps since it's so close," she stated firmly. Maddox awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "And the fact I would be at the same university as my boyfriend is just a huge bonus," she leaned over kissing his cheek.
xxXXxx
"Rini!" Bra hugged Rini while the girls rushed past carrying a kitten. "What are you doing here?" she asked pulling Rini into the kitchen to talk.
"The girls wanted to go get Henry a new kitten since Shadow passed away," Rini explained.
"He was so upset when it happened. Mom gave him the day off work," Bra sighed. "What does the new kitten look like?" she asked glancing in the direction the girls had rushed off in.
"Small medium haired black kitten. She has a tiny bit of white under her chin, but the girls said it was close enough to all black," Rini smiled.
xxXXxx
"Henry!" yelled Cami barging into his apartment on the other end of the Capsule Corp property.
"Can you knock!" he croaked pulling his shirt on. Litta blushed awkwardly. She never went into Henry's apartment. Usually she saw him in the main house.
"We got you something," Cami announced in a sing song voice.
"Great," grumbled Henry wearing a light smile at his baby sister's attics.
"Close your eyes and stick out your hands," she ordered.
He did as directed. "It better not be slime again," warned Henry.
"We did that to you once. Let it go," Litta rolled her eyes. Henry never forgot anything.
Cami sat the kitten in his hands. It wiggled and tried to jump off him. "Open them," she ordered.
He chuckled snuggling the kitten to his chest. "Aren't you a pretty kitty," he commented petting the little fluff ball.
"She's so you won't be lonely," Cami stated firmly. He gave a light laugh. Cami would worry about him being alone.
"What are you going to name her?" asked Litta. She petted the now purring kitten on the head.
"Shadow," he answered simply. Cami grinned happily.
"You can't give her the same name as Shadow Rose," Litta groaned. Boys were stupid when it came to names.
"Her name is Shadow Lilly," he held the kitten away from her and stuck out his tongue.
"That's perfect! I'm gonna go tell Grammie," Cami rushed out the door leaving Litta and Henry alone.
"I was really sad when I heard about Shadow Rose," Litta admitted softly her eyes staring at the floor.
"I was sad too, but she was an old cat," Henry still held his new kitten.
"I was really upset that you didn't tell me about it though," Litta continued not looking up from the floor. His eyes widened at her admission. "I feel like you don't talk to me like you used to," she barely whispered.
Before Henry could reply, there was a knock at his apartment door. Ayumi poked her head in. "Hey Henry," she greeted her grin widening at the sight of the kitten. "Is this the new Shadow?" she stroked the kitten's head. Litta ran out of the room ready to cry. Of course Henry told her about Shadow. She was gorgous. He probably told her everything. Ayumi took the kitten from Henry. "Go after her," she instructed.
Henry caught up to Litta half way to the main house in the garden and grabbed her arm. "Litta why are you upset?" demanded Henry. He held his breath.
"Why'd you tell her about Shadow Rose, but you didn't tell me?" she spat back. She was somewhere between angry and sad, and she was going to take it out on him.
"Ayumi is a friend, I've been hanging out with lately… I don't see you as much anymore," he replied loosening his grip on her.
"Like she's really just a friend," she snarled wanting to slap him.
"Yes! She is just a friend. Trust me I'm not her type," he gave a weak smile.
"Yeah right," she replied. How could any girl turn down Henry?
"Yeah right, because I'm not a girl!" he nearly shouted getting a little frustrated at her not taking his word.
"What? Wait… She's a lesbian?" Litta suddenly looked confused.
Henry nodded. "Litty, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Shadow… But you know you can text me or come by my apartment if you're at Capsule Corp. I don't bite," he gave her a smile.
"I'd like that," she hugged his neck before heading back to the main house.
Henry headed back to his apartment. Ayumi was playing with Shadow when he came in. "So that's the girl huh?" she asked a smirk wide on her face.
Henry blinked confused. "What do you mean 'the girl'? She's my sister's best friend. And basically my cousin," he explained.
"Whatever you say," she tossed him a toy mouse to give the kitten.
xxXXxx
"So what are you two girls up to?" Bra asked once both Litta and Cami were back in the main house.
"We're trying out for volleyball," announced Cami. Rini looked surprised at the two.
"I thought about doing volleyball in high school, but I didn't get along with many of the girls on the team so I decided against it," Bra commented coming to sit down in the living room with the girls.
"Since when are you two interested in volleyball?" asked Rini finally voicing surprise.
"I don't know, since Litta said so," shrugged Cami. Rini and Bra both turned to stare at Litta.
"The team invited Cami to tryout," muttered Litta knowing her mother would make her explain.
"They only invited Cami?" Bra asked shocked the two girls were always together.
"Yeah, and they were kind of rude to Litta," replied Cami. Litta groaned knowing the two women were going to want more details now.
"How were they rude?" asked Rini her eyes narrowing.
"They said I was too short to play," responded Litta with a snort.
"So you are trying out just to prove them wrong?" Rini recapped to see if she was understanding.
"Yeah," her daughter replied looking aggravated.
"And if you make the team, you're just going to quit?" Rini stared hard at the two girls. Rini groaned again. Her parents hated quitters.
"You two shouldn't try out if you don't want to be on the team. Try out for something you like," offered Bra hoping to defuse the tension in the room.
"Like what?" Cami asked cocking her head to the side.
"What's something you like to do, anything a sport, activity, a craft?" explained Rini her gaze softening.
"I like singing," Cami grinned broadly. Litta nodded her agreement.
"Orange Star has a choir and musical plays, or at least they did back when I went there," Bra suggested.
"They still have both," Litta confirmed.
"See try out for those then," Rini order giving her daughter a slightly warning look.
xxXXxx
"Daddy, am I a good singer?" Cami asked after singing her try out song for the millionth time.
"Of course angel," he assured her as he continued reading.
"I'm sure you'll make the choir," Pan hugged her daughter reassuringly.
xxXXxx
"You sound like a dying cat," yelled Bardock.
"Come say that to my face," Litta called back.
"I'm not scared of you," laughed Bar.
"Oh you will be when I blow up your face," she yelled throwing a ki blast at his face and scorching a throw pillow.
"No ki attacks in the house!" yelled Rini rolling her eyes. "Goten deal with your kids," she ordered continuing her cooking.
"Litta save that for outside. Bar be nice to your sister. Her singing is actual very pretty," Goten attempted to scold them. He walked back into his wife wrapping his arms around Rini. "Do you remember when our house was quiet?" he asked snuggling into her neck.
"It's been a while," she laughed hearing the two yelling in the living room again.
xxXXxx
"I hope Cami makes it. She worked so hard," commented Pan. Today was the day, the school was announcing who made choir.
"It might be better if she didn't," muttered Cora.
"Why do you say that?" asked Videl from her seat at the kitchen table.
"Because if she made choir, then she'll try out for honor choir, then show choir, then captain of show choir," Cora rolled her eyes as if the situation wasn't self explanatory.
"But if she doesn't make it she goes back her usual no worries routine," observed Videl. Cora nodded her eyes never fully leaving the book she was reading.
xxXXxx
Gohan was picking the girls up today. They got into the car quietly.
"Are you not going to tell me?" he asked Cami and Litta giving them a hopeful smile.
"Tell you what Gampa?" asked Cami not guessing what he was referring to.
"We made choir," answer Litta smiling at Cami always present obliviousness.
"I'm so proud of you both," he told them.
"Thank you Gampa Gohan. Can we go practice sparring at your house?" Cami asked looking excited about the chance to fight someone.
"Of course we can," he grinned even wider.
xxXXxx
"So you're really coming here?" Maddox asked nervously. Cora was sitting on his bed smirking at him.
"Yes, I am," she stood pulling him into a deep kiss.
They broke apart to catch their breath. "Awesome," he commented before kissing her back.
Author's Note- If I skip something you would have liked to see, please PM or mention it in a review, and I will do my best to add a chapter to include it.
Please Review, it means a lot to me.