Those next few months were rough for all of them, adjusting to new friends, midterm grades received, and finals looming around the corner with the end of the school year just beyond it.

It took four months for Todd to heal completely and be back to his old self, skateboarding everywhere. Goten was the only marring factor in the picture that hadn't been there before, often seen riding to school with Todd on his own skateboard after Todd had been showing him how to ride it. Goten was a natural, of course, at anything physical and mastered it very quickly.

As strange as it was for Goten and Todd to be seen hanging out, the two had actually become close friends during Todd's recovery. This wasn't the only change in Goten that was witnessed those months. He kept his convertible, which he still loved, but his clothing and attitude became much more subtle. He was most often seen in worn out jeans and a t-shirt laughing when just months ago, he would have been seen wearing brand name clothes and a scowl.

It was during this time that Goten became the favorite for one of the yearbook superlatives, most favored to win Best Personality. It was common to see him still practicing for football as the backup quarterback but also at the skate park or even aiding for teacher's during his free period. He had definitely reached out to the student body and become active, especially as he was running for next year's treasurer of the Student Council, to which he was later elected.

Perhaps it was these changes that softened the girl's hearts of Orange Star high to the great guy that Goten was, but now he was receiving quite a lot of attention from them. This put any small desire Bra may have had to right things, on the back burner even though Goten had been delicately hinting at the prospect of a date, which Bra had flat out refused.

But Bra also became different in those months, toning her gothic look down a notch and not wearing so much black makeup. She also became softer to Goten's presence as the months went by, although she would never have admitted it.

After the school year let out, they were all working, waiting for grades, and bored, as most high school juniors are when they don't see their friends every day.

It was Sunday afternoon, two weeks after school let out that Bra was sitting on the couch in the living room, scanning the yearbook for the hundredth time and eating potato chips.

Trunks came in the front door after working. He looked exhausted.

"Lucky punk," he said to Bra as he collapsed next to her. "You're exactly where I left you this morning."

"I start work tomorrow," she countered, flipping a page quickly so that it wasn't sitting on Goten's Best Personality page. Trunks eyed the yearbook.

"You know," he said slowly. "If you did like Goten, that would be alright."

"What?" She asked, sitting up straight and shutting the book with a snap. "What are you talking about?" He gave her a strange look.

"I mean, I know he's been hanging out with you and your friends, and it's okay to be friends with him despite what you've been through. That's all I meant," he said hastily, getting up and crossing to the fridge. He pulled out a bottle of water and chugged half of it. Bra was still sitting frozen on the couch. "But you like him another way, don't you?"

Bra jerked out of a Goten-free daydream. "Now you're guessing."

"Then why so touchy?"

"I'm not touchy!" He raised his eyebrows and plopped back down next to her.

"Oookay," he said, taking another swig of his water. "Whatever. Oh hey, remember that girl you used to hang out with in middle school?"

"Amy?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, what about her?" Bra asked quickly.

"Didn't you hear? She was running a gang over downtown, terrorizing shops. She got sent to ALF."

"She what?"

"Yeah apparently she was going under the alias of Lady A or something like that. You didn't hear about it?"

"No, I didn't," she said stiffly.

"Well, anyways," he continued. "You should give Goten a chance."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Bra said defiantly, already stretched to the breaking point.

"Ha!" He laughed, draining the rest of the bottle and tossing it aside. "I don't? I've been out with more girls than secrets Marron has let slip so don't tell me I don't know girls. Look, I'm not telling you to fall for the guy but you don't always have to be so harsh when all he did was break your middle-school heart."

Bra stood up quickly, grabbing the yearbook off the couch and heading for the stairs.

"Bra, come on!" Trunks complained. Bra paused at the foot of the stairs, waiting for his defense. "All I was saying was that you should give him a little bit of a chance. Whatever happened between you two was so long ago. I mean, I can't even remember what he did to you."

"That's not saying much as once you forgot your own cousin's name," she shot back from the bottom step.

"I hadn't seen him in twelve years!" Trunks protested, standing up. "He lives all the way up in Northern Landing. I hadn't seen him since I was eight and hey!" he shouted, as Bra took two steps up the stairs. "You can't just ignore what I'm saying."

"Watch me," she said, climbing the stairs but Trunks was persistent and he followed her up to a get a door slammed in his face. Trunks made a face from behind the door, just before he broke it down.

"Trunks!" Bra screamed, running over to him in anger, amidst the shattered wood.

"Come on," he said coolly. "Let's talk."

"Talk?" She screeched, taking another step into his face. "You pushed this way past talking!" She threw a punch. Trunks didn't move and her knuckles hit him hard in the chest but he didn't flinch.

"Yes, talk. Talking is good."

"Then why the hell did you break my door down?"

"Because I wanted you to listen and weren't going to."

"This is why I need to become a super Saiyan! This is why, right here! You and Goten – you think you're so hot because you're strong and that means you can just bully whoever you fucking want! Well, this ends now!" Trunks looked back, all laughter gone from his face now. He braced himself. She jumped towards him and threw a real punch, a hard one, straight to his chin. He moved this time, fast enough to dodge it, because he knew she was serious but after the first punch, she didn't stop but proceeded to attack him with all her might.

After ten solid minutes of Bra's fruitless attacks all over her room, she took a step back from Trunks who looked as calm as if he'd just come from a spa. She was winded, breathing hard through her nose when her fury peaked as she stood there watching him calmness and she took another step back and screamed, absolutely enraged.

It was at this point when Trunks said something Bra did not understand. "You're close. Now focus!" He was serious but she didn't stop to ask questions.

"DON'T MOCK ME!" She screamed. He looked confused as she launched another attack on him. Something clicked into place in Trunks' brain and a crude sneer came across his face.

"You just want everyone to feel sorry for you! Oh, poor Bra got rejected in the second fucking grade! Grow up Bra! Goten never wanted you and he doesn't want you now! Even Marron said-"

But his words were eclipsed by a crackle of electricity and the light flickered on and off several times. Then there was a scream from downstairs but Bra was screaming too, louder and louder, a vein in her temple was throbbing as she threw her head back and let out an almighty roar, painful and angry. The door flew open and their mother barged in, her hands over her mouth.

But it was too late; Trunks and Bulma were blown backwards by the force of energy Bra was emanating with one last outburst of enormous power.

It was then that Bra's vision turned a shade blue, then normal, then blue then she felt her anger enclose around her veins and explode in release.

The debris from the explosion settled and Bra was standing in the middle of the wreckage, completely unharmed, and pulsating a crackle of yellow electricity. Her hair had turned a brilliant shade of gold and it had grown longer, settling rigidly down her back. Trunks and Bulma were climbing out of the wreckage when Bulma saw her daughter and letting out a gasp. Trunks was smiling, completely unsurprised.

"Bra!" She wailed, throwing herself forward around her daughter's golden neck. "Are you alright?" Bra nodded as she let go, her eyes still on Trunks. He took a step toward her, a scheming look in his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. He clenched his fists and let out a yell and transformed into a super Saiyan with ease.

"You ready to go, sister?" Trunks asked, the devious smile still on his lips as he rose into the air.

"You bet your ass, I am," Bra said, rising up after him.

"Trunks," Bulma said sternly. "Take her somewhere away from this house, do you hear me?" It was true but neither of them had noticed there was a gaping hole in the ceiling, where Bra had practically exploded. "I know your Saiyan blood isn't going to let you walk away from a fight - but fight and no broken bones, do you understand?" She sighed, looking at her house as her children nodded and flew out of the gaping hole to fight.

They both nodded. She disappeared back into the hallway, probably to call a roofer.