Disclaimers: Don't own, don't ask, don't sue.
Black Sunrise
Bulma looked at herself in the mirror. Her blue eyes were sparkling, yet inside she knew that in order for her to face the weighing troubles that tonight was going to bring, she needed to be comfortable. She had long since become accustomed to her dark ways, and knew that she would have to drop the act before her daughter was old enough to realize that her mother was running from someone, and that someone was herself.
Rayne gurgled happily on the blanket on the floor in Bulma's room, chewing on a soft toy ball. Light blonde curls fell to the base of her skull, and her eyes were focused and alert to everything that went on around her. But at the moment, because she was teething, the soft toy held the most pleasure for her.
Bulma looked at her daughter from over her shoulder. Rayne had seemed to be used to the fact that her mother hardly talked, if she talked at all, and was soon able to recognize the signs of outwardly affection, or scolding. A blue and green eye met up with her pure blue ones, and Bulma smiled. Rayne cooed happily, small fist thrashing the air around her while the other held the toy to her open mouth.
Chloe knocked on the slightly ajar door and walked in. Bulma was standing over the sink, plastic gloves on her hands while holding a clear plastic bottle with a tapering nozzle at the end. She was covering up her roots. She felt the need to be protected. Bulma still felt the need, after a year, she needed to lock herself away from the world in a mask of blackness. The older woman shook her head and clicked the tip of her tongue over her teeth, causing Rayne to look up.
Bulma flashed Chloe a smile, and the woman returned it. At least the frightened teenager was starting to show some emotion, meaning that her breakthrough was just around the corner. She had phoned Bunny, Bulma's air- headed mother and asked to talk to 'Doc'. Once he was on the phone, the grandmother began to slowly explain what was going on with Bulma, and the father knew what to expect.
"Nervous?"
The black head nodded.
"Scared?"
Once more, it moved.
"Excited?"
Her head was still and she shrugged her shoulders. Chloe knew that it was going to be hard on the frightened youth. After not seeing her parents for a year, then coming to them with an 6-month-old child and trying to explain was going to be the hardest thing the young woman had yet to face.
At least she was as slim as she had ever been, muscles well toned and Chloe knew that people wouldn't take Bulma seriously if she told them that Rayne was her daughter. Deep down, she knew that Bulma was, and is hiding the fact that Rayne was her daughter from the world. Cara, bless her soul, had told questioning people that the little girl was her younger cousin, and Bulma was kind enough to look after her.
It was Markus who persuaded Bulma to go to her parents early. Bulma wanted to wait until the end of June, when Rayne would be 10 months old, but her daughters' grandfather shook his head, and for once, put his foot down. He was right. It wasn't fair for Bulma to hide away from her parents, so she was leaving 4 months early. Instead of going in June, like she had planned, she was leaving today, March 10th; making Rayne almost 7 months. She couldn't believe, that in 2 days from now, she was giving birth to the most cherished thing in her life 7 months ago. Rayne would be celebrating her first birthday in Japan, August 12th, and Bulma couldn't be happier.
Chloe picked Rayne up and walked from the room, knowing that Bulma needed to have a shower in order to wash the black from her hair. "Grandma's going to make you look all nice and pretty, yes she is! Oh yes she is! Who's grandma's little girl?" Rayne giggled and kicked her feet in the air as Chloe placed her down onto the changing table. Unbuttoning the pink sleeper, she gingerly pulled limbs from holes and set about getting the little girl cleaned up and dressed.
Their flight was in an hour. Bulma needed to hurry up. Markus was running up and down the stairs, grabbing things that he was positive Bulma needed when she got to Japan.
Bulma stepped out of the shower and quickly towel-dried her hair. Pulling on a pair of black silk boy-shorts, and the matching bra, she tugged on a black tank top. Once that was settled into place, she pushed her arms through the long sleeves on the dark blue net-like top and pulled it over her stomach. Grabbing her most favored pair of pants, she slid them on and set out to do her hair.
Markus called from downstairs.
She ran the brush quickly through her hair and parted it expertly. Wrapping both halves of her raven hair into knots at the back of her head, she tied black ribbon around both buns.
Chloe told Bulma she was putting Rayne in the car.
Tipping her head back, Bulma put in her contacts. Blinking once, she looked at her reflection. Baggy pants covered her black shoes, her arms and stomach were covered with the mesh-like top, and while the black one underneath was seen. Rummaging around in her make-up kit, she pulled out two thick black leather bracelets and snapped them on over her wrists, covering the matching tattoos. They were a design of black roses and stars blended together and shaped into a 'V' on both wrists. They weren't her only tattoos.
On the back of her neck, on either side of her spine, held a pair of bubble- like angel wings that were outlined in black, but filled in with a light yellow, while on the small of her back was a dragonfly designed in Celtic knots.
The van horn honked and Bulma grabbed her make-up kit, her purse, Rayne's diaper bag, and her long black coat. Running down the stairs, she jumped down the last two and ran out the door. It slammed shut behind her, but she paid no attention to it. All that mattered now was the fact that she was going to see her parents in the matter of hours. Sliding into the back of the van, she shut the door and pulled on her seatbelt. Rayne was happily nestled in her car seat, frozen ice-ring in hang.
"Well kids, it's time to get you two to the airport!"
The drive wasn't long, but the extensive amount of luggage took almost 20 minutes to get checked in. Bulma wasn't about to leave behind Rayne's clothing, crib, stroller and toys. Piles of boxes and suitcases were on the floor, and the agitated woman behind the desk seemed to be getting more, and more annoyed.
"Listen," Markus said. "Could you do your job a little bit faster? We've got a lot of stuff for this little lady to check in, and you're taking your sweet old time."
"But sir, this is going to cost..."
Bulma held out her credit card and a glare and a growl. The woman worked a lot faster and soon enough, Bulma held the tickets she would need for herself and her daughter. Holding the tickets between her teeth, she pushed Rayne's stroller through the busy Toronto airport. Chloe and Markus were right behind her.
They all stopped walking when they reached their parting point. Markus walked in front of the stroller and knelt down, holding onto Rayne's hands with his. "You be a really good girl for mommy all right?" he whispered into the child's ear, so no one would hear him. Bulma threw her arms around Chloe and bit back the tears that threatened to fall.
"Thank you." The youth whispered, and let out a small sob as the arms around her tightened.
"We're going to miss you. Make sure you call if you need anything, and make sure you call us to tell us how you're doing. Or at least write us a letter."
Bulma nodded and after giving Markus a hug, she pushed her daughter through the security check. She was nervous. Rayne was bouncing on her knee as they were waiting for take-off. Tears fell from her eyes, rolling down her soft cheeks only to land on Rayne's head, which looked up and patted her mother's face with her thawing ice-ring.
Forcing herself to stop, she rubbed her eyes and then pulled Rayne against her. They would be in the air soon, which meant that they would be in Japan soon. Bulma had no time to be nervous as her daughter started to squeal in her arms.
Black Sunrise
Bulma looked at herself in the mirror. Her blue eyes were sparkling, yet inside she knew that in order for her to face the weighing troubles that tonight was going to bring, she needed to be comfortable. She had long since become accustomed to her dark ways, and knew that she would have to drop the act before her daughter was old enough to realize that her mother was running from someone, and that someone was herself.
Rayne gurgled happily on the blanket on the floor in Bulma's room, chewing on a soft toy ball. Light blonde curls fell to the base of her skull, and her eyes were focused and alert to everything that went on around her. But at the moment, because she was teething, the soft toy held the most pleasure for her.
Bulma looked at her daughter from over her shoulder. Rayne had seemed to be used to the fact that her mother hardly talked, if she talked at all, and was soon able to recognize the signs of outwardly affection, or scolding. A blue and green eye met up with her pure blue ones, and Bulma smiled. Rayne cooed happily, small fist thrashing the air around her while the other held the toy to her open mouth.
Chloe knocked on the slightly ajar door and walked in. Bulma was standing over the sink, plastic gloves on her hands while holding a clear plastic bottle with a tapering nozzle at the end. She was covering up her roots. She felt the need to be protected. Bulma still felt the need, after a year, she needed to lock herself away from the world in a mask of blackness. The older woman shook her head and clicked the tip of her tongue over her teeth, causing Rayne to look up.
Bulma flashed Chloe a smile, and the woman returned it. At least the frightened teenager was starting to show some emotion, meaning that her breakthrough was just around the corner. She had phoned Bunny, Bulma's air- headed mother and asked to talk to 'Doc'. Once he was on the phone, the grandmother began to slowly explain what was going on with Bulma, and the father knew what to expect.
"Nervous?"
The black head nodded.
"Scared?"
Once more, it moved.
"Excited?"
Her head was still and she shrugged her shoulders. Chloe knew that it was going to be hard on the frightened youth. After not seeing her parents for a year, then coming to them with an 6-month-old child and trying to explain was going to be the hardest thing the young woman had yet to face.
At least she was as slim as she had ever been, muscles well toned and Chloe knew that people wouldn't take Bulma seriously if she told them that Rayne was her daughter. Deep down, she knew that Bulma was, and is hiding the fact that Rayne was her daughter from the world. Cara, bless her soul, had told questioning people that the little girl was her younger cousin, and Bulma was kind enough to look after her.
It was Markus who persuaded Bulma to go to her parents early. Bulma wanted to wait until the end of June, when Rayne would be 10 months old, but her daughters' grandfather shook his head, and for once, put his foot down. He was right. It wasn't fair for Bulma to hide away from her parents, so she was leaving 4 months early. Instead of going in June, like she had planned, she was leaving today, March 10th; making Rayne almost 7 months. She couldn't believe, that in 2 days from now, she was giving birth to the most cherished thing in her life 7 months ago. Rayne would be celebrating her first birthday in Japan, August 12th, and Bulma couldn't be happier.
Chloe picked Rayne up and walked from the room, knowing that Bulma needed to have a shower in order to wash the black from her hair. "Grandma's going to make you look all nice and pretty, yes she is! Oh yes she is! Who's grandma's little girl?" Rayne giggled and kicked her feet in the air as Chloe placed her down onto the changing table. Unbuttoning the pink sleeper, she gingerly pulled limbs from holes and set about getting the little girl cleaned up and dressed.
Their flight was in an hour. Bulma needed to hurry up. Markus was running up and down the stairs, grabbing things that he was positive Bulma needed when she got to Japan.
Bulma stepped out of the shower and quickly towel-dried her hair. Pulling on a pair of black silk boy-shorts, and the matching bra, she tugged on a black tank top. Once that was settled into place, she pushed her arms through the long sleeves on the dark blue net-like top and pulled it over her stomach. Grabbing her most favored pair of pants, she slid them on and set out to do her hair.
Markus called from downstairs.
She ran the brush quickly through her hair and parted it expertly. Wrapping both halves of her raven hair into knots at the back of her head, she tied black ribbon around both buns.
Chloe told Bulma she was putting Rayne in the car.
Tipping her head back, Bulma put in her contacts. Blinking once, she looked at her reflection. Baggy pants covered her black shoes, her arms and stomach were covered with the mesh-like top, and while the black one underneath was seen. Rummaging around in her make-up kit, she pulled out two thick black leather bracelets and snapped them on over her wrists, covering the matching tattoos. They were a design of black roses and stars blended together and shaped into a 'V' on both wrists. They weren't her only tattoos.
On the back of her neck, on either side of her spine, held a pair of bubble- like angel wings that were outlined in black, but filled in with a light yellow, while on the small of her back was a dragonfly designed in Celtic knots.
The van horn honked and Bulma grabbed her make-up kit, her purse, Rayne's diaper bag, and her long black coat. Running down the stairs, she jumped down the last two and ran out the door. It slammed shut behind her, but she paid no attention to it. All that mattered now was the fact that she was going to see her parents in the matter of hours. Sliding into the back of the van, she shut the door and pulled on her seatbelt. Rayne was happily nestled in her car seat, frozen ice-ring in hang.
"Well kids, it's time to get you two to the airport!"
The drive wasn't long, but the extensive amount of luggage took almost 20 minutes to get checked in. Bulma wasn't about to leave behind Rayne's clothing, crib, stroller and toys. Piles of boxes and suitcases were on the floor, and the agitated woman behind the desk seemed to be getting more, and more annoyed.
"Listen," Markus said. "Could you do your job a little bit faster? We've got a lot of stuff for this little lady to check in, and you're taking your sweet old time."
"But sir, this is going to cost..."
Bulma held out her credit card and a glare and a growl. The woman worked a lot faster and soon enough, Bulma held the tickets she would need for herself and her daughter. Holding the tickets between her teeth, she pushed Rayne's stroller through the busy Toronto airport. Chloe and Markus were right behind her.
They all stopped walking when they reached their parting point. Markus walked in front of the stroller and knelt down, holding onto Rayne's hands with his. "You be a really good girl for mommy all right?" he whispered into the child's ear, so no one would hear him. Bulma threw her arms around Chloe and bit back the tears that threatened to fall.
"Thank you." The youth whispered, and let out a small sob as the arms around her tightened.
"We're going to miss you. Make sure you call if you need anything, and make sure you call us to tell us how you're doing. Or at least write us a letter."
Bulma nodded and after giving Markus a hug, she pushed her daughter through the security check. She was nervous. Rayne was bouncing on her knee as they were waiting for take-off. Tears fell from her eyes, rolling down her soft cheeks only to land on Rayne's head, which looked up and patted her mother's face with her thawing ice-ring.
Forcing herself to stop, she rubbed her eyes and then pulled Rayne against her. They would be in the air soon, which meant that they would be in Japan soon. Bulma had no time to be nervous as her daughter started to squeal in her arms.