Taking Chances

It was lost long ago
I could barely recall …

"SHE HAS A WHAT?" Diana squawked, gawking beadily at Trunks.

"Shh!" Trunks hissed, anxiously peeking over his shoulder at his bedroom door. "Why are you so loud? Someone will hear you."

Diana seemed unconcerned as she paced the room in exasperation. "I don't think you understand how serious this is. If she has a boyfriend now, don't you know how much that changes things?"

Trunks shrugged as he moved to sit cross-legged on his bed. "Changes things how?"

Diana stared. "Well for starters, is she in love with him?"

Trunks arched his back rigidly. "How am I supposed to—I mean—I don't know? I don't think …" He then hesitated. How could he answer something like that?

Trunks thought back to the conversation at the restaurant. He was still annoyed about it. For some reason, he just couldn't talk normally with Chibiusa. Whenever they spoke it ended in an argument or awkwardness. But he knew it was entirely his fault this time. He had been pretty rude, telling her to break up with Erishi. It came from somewhere inside, but from a place that wasn't truly him. It wasn't him. Trunks looked at Diana seriously. Maybe now was the time to be honest.

"Diana-chan," Trunks said quietly.

Diana tilted her head, her eyes round and sparkling. She stopped instantly on the spot.

"You…called me 'Diana'," she sniffed, as though a tear had fallen. "I feel… we've gotten closer somehow..."

Trunks sighed loudly and threw his head back, rolling his eyes at her. "Look, listen to me, okay? It's important. The thing is, well I'm not sure if I want to remember the past. I mean, aren't our lives complicated enough?"

Diana frowned, her joy morphing into agitation. "What are you saying? Don't you know what sacrifices were made? Do you have any idea what has happened for you to be here today? How can you be so cowardly and selfish?"

Cowardly? Selfish? Trunks grimaced. "I think you're being unreasonable. it's my life isn't it? I can make my own choices."

Diana gazed at him carefully. Trunks wasn't sure, but he could see that somehow her face looked pained, almost pitying as she regarded him. "Briefs-kun…you do have feelings for her don't you?" Her voice was soft as she said it.

Trunks faltered, a faint malaise upon him as he clutched his knees.

"I..." He stared into his lap, feeling suddenly aware of his own heartbeat. Thinking she's pretty? Not liking Erishi? Did that even mean anything?

Diana sighed. "You don't even know it. You're not even aware of your own feelings. But like your powers, there they are — just under the surface."

Trunks gave Diana a blank stare. He shook his head, clearing her words and his thoughts away like an Etch-a-Sketch board. The bed creaked as he came to a stand, hustling to the other side of the room to retrieve a large duffle bag. Adjusting the sweatbands about his wrists, he gave a final glimpse at his Doraemon wall clock, turned and made for the door.

"Where are you going?" queried Diana, surprised to see him leaving so suddenly.

Trunks didn't turn to look back. "Sunday training. Promised Goten. Sorry, we'll just have to talk about this … later."

Diana's eyes lit up. "Oh! Training? Take me with you!"

Trunks swivelled around, face set in a scowl. "What—Why?"

"I've always wanted to see how Saiyans fight!"

"But I'm not a Saiyan, remember?" Trunks chided, as he lifted the bag over his shoulder.

"Well, next best thing?" Diana mewed, crawling towards him and nuzzling at his ankles. "Please, please, please?"

Trunks gave an exasperated sigh. "Fine. Just try to act…you know…normal."

Great.

Now he was bringing a cat to the dojo. A magical talking cat.

How was he going to explain this one?

"Morning, Mama!"

Usagi looked up from her magazine, her blue eyes trained on her daughter as she came skipping into the living room, her face aglow. Odd. Surely, Chibiusa was a contented girl but she was often so serious. To greet her mother so cheerfully without an ulterior motive was a rare event.

"Morning," Usagi uttered, eyes narrowed with suspicion. The girl must have been up to something. "You're in a good mood…" Usagi added with a hint of caution. Did Chibiusa want more money? Perhaps, Mamoru had secretly increased her allowance? That girl always did have a way of getting what she wanted out of her father.

Chibusa whirled around to face her. She was dressed rather nicely today, again with those bows in her hair. She wore a white pleated skirt with matching knee-high socks and the beautiful bunny-patterned cardigan her grandmother had made for her. Chibiusa looked cute. Too cute.

"Where are you off to?" Usagi asked as sweetly as she could. Sweet to mask her burning curiosity.

"Just going out with a friend," Chibiusa chirped, slipping on a shiny pair of red shoes.

A wide and shrewd grin reminiscent of 'the Grinch' spread across Usagi's face.

"Well, you look awfully nice for just seeing a 'friend', Chibi-chan."

Usagi leapt to her feet, creeping closer like a mouse closing in on a stockpile of cheese.

"Say, could it be? A boyfriend?"

Chibiusa didn't look at her as she collected her purse, but Usagi could see her shoulders tense. She smirked. She had guessed right.

"Who is he? When do I get to meet him?" Usagi pressed, twirling giddily with devilish glee.

"I didn't say it was a boyfriend," Chibiusa said, twisting her head to stare dully at her. The smile and cheery façade faded. "Anyway, it's none of your business."

Usagi recoiled in mock surprise. "Chibi-chan! How dare you say that to your own mother?"

"You're hardly motherly," Chibiusa muttered coolly under her breath.

"I HEARD THAT!" barked Usagi. After exhaling several soothing breaths, she quickly regained her composure, wagging a finger matter-of-factly. "Ahem! No need to be so secretive. Don't you know? I might look old to you but I have experience! I could give you plenty of advice."

Chibiusa was pokerfaced, her red eyes on her mother like knives. "Really? How many boyfriends have you had?"

Usagi felt her flesh drain of all colour. "Well, just Mamo-chan … but …"

Chibiusa smirked with an air of self-importance. "I see. At this young age I'm already more popular than my mother in all her 40 years on this Earth."

"FORTY?! WHY YOU LITTLE—!" Usagi felt the veins throb violently in her fist. That little brat! AS IF she was that old!

Chibiusa winked once, making a single "V" sign before twirling and heading for the front door. She made a proud declaration, shouting over her shoulder, "Oh and even 'Mamo-chan' loves me more, doesn't he? So I guess I don't need any advice, thanks!"

Chibiusa looked back with squinted eyes. The girl had the audacity to do one last thing: stick out her tongue.

Usagi was livid.

"YOU BRAT! YOU BETTER BE HOME BY FIVE OR ELSE—OR ELSE I'LL TELL PAPA YOU'RE BEING A DELINQUENT!"

The door slammed.

The yellow-haired woman planted a hand on her hip, shaking a single fist as she stared the door down in a mixture of rage and hurt. She wasn't a perfect mother, even she knew it. But Chibiusa never skipped a beat, always ready with her bad attitude and criticisms. She wondered if her daughter would ever change.

We're heading for something
Somewhere I've never been
Sometimes I am frightened
But I'm ready to learn
Of the power of love

The streets were alive with the many children, teens and adults of the city, all eager for the relaxation a warm and sunny Sunday afternoon offered; a break from the mundane.

Chibiusa strolled leisurely among them, hand-in-hand with a boy who she could call her boyfriend. She peeked at him from the corner of her eye. He had fair skin and a slim face that complimented his fine features. She noticed his one ear was pierced, and in it he wore a small black stud. And when he turned to his side to glance back at her, she noticed he had long, dark lashes—a contrast to his light, white eyebrows. He smiled. Chibiusa smiled back in return. This was her boyfriend: Erishi Hiro.

"Chiba-chan," he began in his usual soft tone. "We didn't really get to talk much on our first date. Is there anything about me you want to know?"

Chibiusa thought back to their date last weekend. It was true that they hadn't spoken much. They'd seen a movie, a romance-comedy-action-sci-fi thing about some guy who wanted to date a girl but discovered he had to battle a bunch of her ex-boyfriends first. It was a great movie, she thought. But a movie date didn't really allow for much talking or getting to know one another. Chibiusa learned that the hard way. But she really did enjoy watching it with Hiro.

He treated her to popcorn.

This time he surprised her with flowers.

"Hmm, okay. Well, you're in your 3rd year right?" she ventured, thinking off the top of her head what she wanted to know about him as she gripped the small bouquet of daises in her left hand.

Hiro nodded sheepishly. "Well, just starting my 3rd year. What about you? You've just started junior high right? So you're 13?"

Chibiusa wagged her head, feeling a certain shyness. "Well, just 12 still. But I will be 13 in June."

Hiro grinned. "Ah, well I'm already 14 but the difference doesn't really bother me."

Chibusa beamed. He was so reassuring, so kind. She reflected briefly on what Trunks had said about older guys being "untrustworthy". But what did he know? Clearly, Hiro was anything but. Chibiusa really didn't understand Trunks' bad attitude…it had come from out of nowhere. It didn't make any sense.

"Chibiusa?"

She blinked, glancing at Hiro in mild surprise.

Hiro laughed his usual quiet laugh, "Is it okay if I call you that?"

Chibiusa blushed slightly. "It's fine."

The two found a park bench among the centre of the giant city square. Behind the bench was a beautiful marble-stone water fountain set in a concrete square base. It had three jet streams that shot into the air, artfully arching downwards and glistening like a shower of jewels. It was a romantic scene. They sat and Hiro regarded Chibiusa with a gentle gaze as he released her hand.

"I noticed you're always thinking about something, like… distracted…"

Chibiusa gave a tense chuckle, as she placed the flowers on her lap. "Ah-ha, well, friends say that a lot about me. I guess, sometimes I just wonder about things."

Hiro bobbed his head. "Really? What kind of things do you wonder about?"

Chibiusa felt a snag in her chest. For some reason, Trunks crossed her mind again. She knitted her brows, and blinked away the thought. She gazed ahead, not facing Hiro as she responded.

"People. Why they do the things they do. What inspires them. What their dreams are…"

Hiro brought up a hand, stroking his chin. "Wow. That's pretty deep. I wonder who you think about?"

Chibiusa drew back suddenly, her face flushed. "Uh, well, just random, you know?" she looked around, observing as a pair of friends walked their dogs. She pointed them out to him. "Like even they. I'd wonder where they're going, how they met, what brought them together. It doesn't have to be anyone in particular. Just ordinary people passing by, too." She regarded him with a smile. "Don't you wonder sometimes?"

He regarded her with a vacant stare, looking thoughtful, then he mirrored her smile. "Sometimes."

Trunks was brisk in his movements, trying with great effort to ignore Diana who was hot on his heels, and never went too long a moment without asking questions. Trunks growled agitatedly, wondering why it is Diana really felt a need to come. She was a complete nuisance.

"So how far away is this place, anyway?" she asked.

"It's on the other side of town," Trunks mumbled. "I still have to get a train."

"And your friend?"

"Since Goten's working late he'll just be meeting us there."

They continued down an empty sidewalk, under an overhang of trees. Coming into view up ahead was the onset of bustling streets and a cluster of businesses. They were leaving the suburbs and entering the main district. Trunks stopped walking and his voice dropped to a whisper. "We're getting on the train soon. Maybe you should get in my bag or something so nobody tramples you. And seriously—you can't talk anymore."

Diana grimaced. "Yuck! In there with all your sweaty clothes?"

Trunks shot her a glare. "Feel free to go back home if you like."

Grumbling, the grey feline hopped into the bag's opening and settled in. Trunks zipped it up, though only part way, allowing just enough space for her to breathe.

He ambled on until he came to a crosswalk, glancing around idly as he searched for the tell-tale "TRAIN" sign. He noticed a familiar storefront, the place where he and Goten would often stop for snacks before heading to Kame's. His eyes wandered and he saw the city centre, the water fountain and then two familiar-looking people on the park bench.

Trunks stopped dead in his tracks.

Chibiusa and her boyfriend.

Together.

Trunks watched in burning frustration as she spoke. The guy leaned in, listening intently. He was sitting awfully close. Too close.

All original objectives and intentions forgotten, Trunks hastened forward, tip-toeing, stealthily blending in among passers-by and the surrounding landscaping. Once coming to a close enough scattering of trees and brush, he sneaked behind, peering owlishly at the two between its branches. His teeth bared. He snarled.

"What the hey? What's going on?" Diana busted her head through the duffle bag's opening, directing a bewildered look at Trunks. "What are you doing now? Weren't we getting the train?"

"Shh! Look!" Trunks hissed, gesturing irritably at the couple.

Diana turned to where he pointed, her eyes bulging as she saw. She let out a drawn-out gasp.

"That's the guy? Oh boy, this is worse than I thought!"

Trunks scoffed. "But I'm way cooler than that guy."

'That guy' was oddly dressed in a plain white tunic-looking thing and beige pants. Trunks did a double-take at his own dress: a loosely-fitted, marked 'Capsule Corp.' t-shirt; dark, acid-wash ripped jeans; and black high-top sneakers with white soles. He looked way cooler, infinitely cooler—definitely.

Diana shook her head. "That's not it. That guy is no ordinary person. He's from the past too."

Trunks looked at her with wide eyes. "Really? Who was he then?"

Diana sighed. "Small Lady's fiancé."

"WHAT?" Trunks felt himself bowl over. A fiancé? Diana had said nothing about something like this. 'B-But, wait—I though we were—"

"Look, that's not important right now. Just DO something, okay?" Diana snapped as she withdrew into the bag.

Trunks growled, returning attention to the scene ahead. By now Erishi had managed to worm his way even closer to Chibiusa. Trunks made a mad-dash for the water fountain, ignoring Diana's hissing and braying as she tumbled around in his duffle bag. He braced along the wall of the large concrete fountain, trying to remain unseen as he scuttled nearer, straining to see and hear.

He could hardly stand it! Diana was right! He had to do something — but what?

Then it happened. His senses pricked.

All of a sudden, it was like he had gathered a sixth sense; his instincts were animalistic, inert, ape-like…

Chibiusa flourished a hand as she spoke. "So it turns out it was in the kitchen. I was the one who saw it. Oh, but my mother never notices anything. I guess that's where we're totally different."

Hiro brought a hand over his mouth, laughing mirthfully at her story. "That is interesting. You really do pay a lot of attention to these things."

Chibiusa giggled in return.

Their laughter eventually died down and silence swept over them. Chibiusa wavered and gradually faced away, turning to look at her legs as she casually swung them back and forth.

"Chibiusa, if you don't mind me asking, have you ever… kissed anyone before?"

Chibiusa halted, feeling her face redden deeply. That question? She hadn't seen that question coming.

"No … have you?" she asked, anxious, slowly daring to look at him.

Though he watched her with intent, his demeanour remained calm and kind. "Neither have I," he murmured.

For a moment it looked as though Hiro was leaning in, fully prepared to do it. Chibiusa gaped back keenly, waiting, so nervous and excited she didn't even think to close her eyes. This was going to be it, she thought. Her first kiss.

But Hiro stopped suddenly.

He pulled back, looking off into the distance with a puckered brow, leaving Chibiusa puzzled. Unthinkingly, she brushed a hand over her mouth. Why did he stop? She wondered if she had done something wrong.

"That's weird," he said. "I suddenly got this feeling of someone staring at me. Like staring hard."

Chibiusa slumped her shoulders and sulked, looking into her lap as the cluster of daisies still rested there. "Oh."

Hiro stood and gently rested a hand on her shoulder. "Um, would you like some ice-cream? I can grab us some."

Chibiusa gave a weak nod as he left, not bothering to see him cross the square to the ice-cream stall. She looked idly over her shoulder, catching a glimpse of the water fountain. She turned around completely, sighing as she leaned across the bench and gently swished her fingers through its crystal waters. Her eyes followed up its large concrete base as she noticed the marble statue at its centre. It was sculpted in the image of a couple; a young woman with hair styled in odangos, intricate buns, with long wavy ponytails suspended from them. She wore an elegant gown accented with a bow at the smalls of her back, like butterfly wings. She was in the arms of a man who was as handsome as she was beautiful, his hair styled in something of a bowl-cut, but parted in a fringe that fell neat over his eyes. His style of dress resembled some kind of mystic warrior, complete with a breast-plate, gloves, and cape. Oddly though, he seemed to have a tail. They made an interesting pair. Chibiusa puzzled over the significance of the statue. It certainly looked very old, very mythical, though she knew the fountain itself had been restored over the years. As she admired further she consciously ran a hand through her own hair. The woman's hairstyle certainly resembled hers…

Chibiusa heard footsteps.

Figuring Hiro had returned, she turned sharply but then froze into paralysis, a surge of astonishment capturing her, writhing her insides as she saw it wasn't Hiro at all, but Trunks.

"What … are you doing here?" she said, her voice faint as she noticed the large bag across his shoulder. His hands were at his sides forming fists of determination. She couldn't understand where he had come from, why he had appeared just at that moment, and why he was standing there before her.

Trunks grabbed her by the wrist, lifting her to her feet with ease as though she were weightless. Hiro's daisies scattered in a hapless flurry to the ground. Chibiusa knitted her brows, opening her mouth to speak but nonetheless was rendered speechless as he then tugged her through the square, beyond the benches, and beyond the fountain. She didn't know where he was leading her but once she saw they were nearly out the square, approaching the sidewalk, she hitched. Her shoe heels dug into pavement and with her free hand she snatched him roughly by his shirt sleeve, pulling him back.

Let go.

Those were the words she was searching for and yet... she couldn't say them.

"You didn't answer me," she managed at last, her tone hushed but insistent. "I asked what you were doing here."

He rounded quickly, eyes set on her. He didn't smile. He didn't frown. He only stared in the usual way though this time it was even more intense and unyielding.

"What is wrong with you?" Chibiusa rasped, suddenly feeling afraid but remaining as still and unwavering as the statue and trees behind them.

He spread his fingers and his palm opened. He let go of her wrist but then both his hands caught her square at her shoulders. They remained there, firm and as unyielding as the look he was giving her. There it was again—that sensation of two magnetic ends binding. Chibiusa looked into his slanted blue eyes, noticing the vividness of their colour and the depth of his irises luring her in like black holes. Unexpectedly, she saw herself reflected back in them. A strange warmth formed in her chest as she refocused, now seeing him fully, only him. He drew himself in closer until their noses touched. His lips parted as he asked quietly, cryptically:

"Is this the way… to your heart?"

She didn't hear or see anything afterwards. The small space between them vanished as their lips touched.

It was then; it was at that moment that she had her first kiss.

Had a mysterious, ethereal glow surrounded them in that moment?

There was only one thing that registered for the small, pink-haired girl in that split-second.

This puzzle…

This mystery…

This confusing and irritating person… this Trunks Briefs.

In that split-second, she finally understood.

It's hard to resist
It was dead long ago
But it's all coming back to me now…

Author's Note:

Was that movie Scott Pilgram Vs teh World? Possibly. :D LOL I know right, who's even thinking about that now after that intensity. ^.^'

Oh, and totally random, but I also draw fanart. I've drawn some for this story, so if you're into that kinda thing check my author page for my Deviantart link. :3

And thanks for reading.