In Search of Oceans

Period 3: Moniker for the little miss.

It's still deep into the night, almost early morning as Trunks awakens. He isn't looking forward to the day ahead. Nothing but work, work and more work. Keeping a job in Capsule Corp meant early mornings and missing out on late nights, for Trunks is the worst sacrifice. Goten had invited him out to the local clubs on a many occasions. But Trunks always let him down. With the lilac follicles on his head matted into the shape of his pillow, he pushes himself off his stomach, rolling onto his side.
His eyes half closed, he reachs over to his bedside table. Knocking everything he touched off, finally he finds the touch lamp. Taping it once the light illuminated, blaring into his eyes he squints painfully. Managing to look at the art deco clock on the opposite wall, its 4:45 am.
--Ah yea, another day in 'Crapsule.Corporation.--he thinks bitterly. Burying his face into his pillow, sucking in air through his nostrils. Reluctantly he flips onto his back, kicking the thin sheets off. Throwing his feet over the side of the bed he feels the cold floor. Sits there for a moment in his boxer shorts, he takes in another morning breath and rubs his face with his right palm.
"C'mon wake up, c'mon". He mutters. Knowing if he ever wants to make president or the corporation and earn the big bucks, he needs to get his act together. Being grandson of the owner isn't enough in this case; you need brains. He stands and paces to the on-suite bathroom. Looking into the mirror at the reflection staring back. His eyes red and puffy.

Trunks showers quickly, and dresses in his sand coloured combat pants and dark green tank top. Fastening his orange and brown combat boots, he heads for the laboratory. Walking around silently, watching every direction for any signs of what he is trying to avoid, today might be the day that he gets a break, maybe not…
"No use in hiding" Says a voice. Trunks is grasped by the back of his tank top. He is slung back into the wall face first.
"I have other work to do today. Can't we skip it for today dad? I mean the tournament isn't for a few days, gee's it won't be going anywhere." Trunks struggles for breath. His whole body is being pressed face first into the wall. Vegeta's open palm pressing firmly against the back of Trunk's neck.
"No such luck Boy, now get into that fucking chamber for a full 3 hours. Then you can go to your chemistry lesson with Mrs. Brief's." Vegeta bullies. Fully aware that Trunks is more than qualified as a laboratory technician. It doesn't sit well with him. His son, the future heir of the sayajin throne, nothing more than a lab tech.
"Ok... im going." Trunks surrenders. Vegeta drops him to his feet.
"Hurry up." He instructs with his hands upon his muscular hips. Though firm, he is no longer as harsh as he once was, even the prince of all Sayajins has to mellow in his age. Trunks hangs his head, muttering words of frustration under his breath as they approach the gravity chamber outside.

Dende awakens with a shock from his meditation; falling off the throne he hits the ground unrestrained. The sun has not yet risen. The sound of his body hittign the floor sends echoes through the room. A few groans later, he pushes himself up into a sitting position, holding his head in both hands, rubbing his temples. The interruption caused quite, being that he was monitoring the entire earth well being in that moment. He hears it again, its even loader now and coming from the house. Dende promptly pushes himself up to his feet, running toward the disturbance. Pushing open the huge double doors, he heads for one of the baby's room.
"MR. POPO, POPOwhat's wrong?" He shouts, turning the sharp corner. He stops when he finds Popo already in the room.
"It's alright Dende, Im sorry for disturbing you but the young miss is hungry. Sadly this is her only way of showing it." Popo walks away from the bed. The pillows are arranged into a square so the baby won't roll off. Her little cheeks are red, her mouth wide open as she cries. Kicking her legs out in another means to vent her frustrations. Dende clutches his sensitive Namekian ears, the pain excruciating, shutting his eyes tightly he tries to block it out.
"Popo when will she stop doing that! Please make her stop, its hurting me!" Dende cringes. Pressing his palms harder over his ears, the skin going pale.
"I'm sorry Dende" Popo apologised, carrying he screaming baby out and away from the bedroom. Taking her down the hallways and into the kitchen. Dende remains in the bedroom. Rubbing his temples gently, soothing the thumping feeling. He then realises that the defining sound has stopped, as suddenly as it started. Dende heads for the kitchen, turning the corner he stops, staring at the sight before him. Mr. Popo sat in one of the redwood kitchen chairs, the little baby amongst the soft pale pink blankets in his arms.
"What are you doing?" he enquires, an amused smirk across his lips. Popo holds what looks like a test tube in his hand. Its filled with a white fluid inside, the end of the bottle was wedged into the baby's mouth.

Popo doesn't break his gaze with her for a second, monitoring the fluid that she takes in formula. Dende can't believe how content she is to lay, curling her tiny fingers as she takes in her fill.
"Dear me Dende. I must say you do not know much about children, do you.?" Popo chuckles, amused at Dende's innocent ignorant. Dende shrugs defensively.
"Well... no. I looked after a few children on Namek. So im not totally a fool to the concept." he frowns. Taking a seat beside Mr. Popo in another of the redwood chairs. Leaning one elbow onto the redwood table beside them, he cradles his cheek in his open palm.
"Yes, you did indeed. But I am afraid Namekian children are much more self-reliant, also they age much faster than human children Dende". Popo points out, lifting his gaze to meet Dende's. Dende yawns.
"I have only meditated several hours, that's much less than I should have Popo. When will she stop crying and stop needing so much food?" Dende asks candidly. Dende had other reasons for meditating besides rest; it was not like Piccolos who did it for self-fulfilment. Dende monitors the earth's people during his meditation. Their safety and evolution, a technique that Piccolo had guided him through, his previous meditation techniques that he had learned on Namek were not enough. With knowledge from a previous guardian and a great warrior, Piccolo knew much more than he let on. But to Dende, he knew it necessary to reveal his secrets.
"Dende, she will need to be cared for by a parent or guardian much longer. Longer than any Namekian child would... 16 to 18 years is normal for humans". Popo reveals turning back to the baby; the genie gently rubs her cheek with his thumb as she continues drinking. Dende almost fell off the chair; staring at Popo as if he had turned white.
"You can't be serious Popo. That much care and attention for a single human?" He almost shouts. Piccolo may have had a valid point when suggesting taking her to a human for the necessary care instead of the lookout. But he has sympathy for this girl, one he couldn't understand. It had been there from the moment he sensed her, this leads him to believe she would have a greater purpose in the future. Popo nods, gently pulling the bottle away from the baby, she has completed finished the formula. He stands up slowly, pushing the chair out with one hand as he held the infant in the other. He throws an old rag over his shoulder, bringing the baby to his chest, her head over his shoulder.

Gently patting her back with his large hand. Dende rubs his chin, still at a loss from the recent revelation.
16 to 18 years? It's simply fascinating how human beings function, not finding their independence until such a late age. Namekian's were at adult status by the age of seven. Dende himself is only 5, not yet at his full height. His ears perk at the sound of the baby burping.
"There, there little miss. Little Savarna." Popo lulls gently to her. Taking her off his shoulder and looking into her face. Dende lifts the corner of his mouth at the sight, and then stands up from the table, pushing the seat back in under it. He prepares to leave but quickly turns back to Popo.
"Wait, what did you just say?" Dende asks.
"Hmm? Oh pardon me Dende, I said Savarna." Popo answers, rocking the baby in his arms. Dende's bottom jaw hangs ajar.
"You named her? You named her already without telling me?" He says, hurt in his voice. Popo looks up with surprise at the tone of Dende's voice. Realising what he had done, he hadn't asked Dende for his opinion.
"Dende, please forgive me, it was not intentional. You see I just thought of it this very moment." The genie explains, walking closer to the guardian. His expression innocent, Dende can see he did not mean to be insensitive, it truly was spare of the moment. Dende watches him for a moment and nods forgiving.
"It's alright Popo; I shouldn't have taken it so personally. After all just a name, but what made you choose Savarna?" Dende asked looking down at the child shortly and found that he couldn't look away from her rich caramel tanned skin and finely shaped features.
"I gave her a name that comes from a human religion, it means Ocean." Popo explains, passing the baby into Dende's arms gently, almost without him knowing it.
"Hah... really... which religion...well then what is it Mr.Popo?" Dende pushes.
"Hinduism" Popo answers.
"Hinduism? What made you choose that?" Dende asks curiously. Popo declines to answer, instead he walks to the table. Searching the table top for something, feeling around with his hand in case his eyes were deceiving him, but there was no sign of it and he was certain that he had left it here. Dende gives a side ways smirk and without saying anything, walks away. Popo mutters to himself about loosing the important object.
--Oh dear Kami I must find it, I couldn't have lost it-- his mind panics, eyes darting around the place.
"Would you be looking for this?" Popo turns from the table, Dende stands holding Savarna in one arm and between his thumb and forefinger of the other, a small shiny object.
"Yes! You found it." Popo exclaims. Trotting over he takes the sleeper earring gently from Dende, holding it between the thumb and forefinger of both hands caringly.
"Actually I found it last night just before I left, I was going to ask you about it this morning" Dende said.

Glad to see Popo relieved, Dende hopes he will receive an answer on the earrings mystery.
"I am so thankful that you did, you see this is how I knew of Savarna's heritage. This jewel in my hand is Hindu; I had found it tied around her neck whilst you were preparing her room." Popo explains. The earring now lying in the palm of his hand. Popo smiles at the object and is then distracted by Dende's laughter.
"Haha, Popo could you tell me how I hold little. I mean Savarna here?" Dende inquires nervously. Loosing his hold Savarna Popo begins instructing the young guardian of the basics of child handling. Delirious to the both of them the sun has risen from its nightly slumber. Its rays of life giving light peaked thought the solid stone square window, shining across the room.