Ten Minutes Later:
"Hey ma?" Trunks asked as they exited the elevator on the first floor.
"Yeah, what is it?" Bulma asked.
"You don't happen to have both of their car seats, do you?" Trunks asked.
"Of course, I do. We haven't set hers up or anything, but we have it. As for Elm's, we'll just have to get it all unhooked and hooked up into your van." Bulma said with a smile.
"Wait! Mr. Briefs!" They heard a man call out to them before Trunks could say anything; it was Dr. Hashita.
"Yes, what is it? The nurse said we could leave. Was that not true?" Trunks asked as Lily and Elm clung to him.
"Oh, no. It's not that; they're both good to go. I just wanted to get to you before I forgot or lost you. I just finished reading over her results a little bit ago. The results from her last blood work and CT scans. I wanted to let you know in person, rather than over the phone." Dr. Hashita explained, slightly out of breath.
"What's going on? Is everything ok?" Trunks asked, concerned, looking down at Lily.
"I suppose it depends on you. You already know she has ADD, mild autism, asthma, anxiety, is a little slower, and doesn't really talk; But what you don't know (what I just found out) is that she has RA." Dr. Hashita explained, confusing Trunks, Vegeta, and the kids; Bulma just looked shocked.
"What the hell is RA?" Vegeta asked, annoyed.
"Rheumatoid Arthritis. Are you sure?" Bulma asked right away.
"Wait—she has Rheumatoid Arthritis? She's only two—nearly three. Is that even possible?" Trunks asked in shock.
"What the hell is Rheumatoid Arthritis?" Vegeta asked, even more annoyed.
"It's an auto immune disease that affects the joints. The myth is that it only effects the elderly. When in truth, it affects people, mainly females, of all ages. But you're sure she has it?" Bulma explained and then asked, worried.
"Yes, I am unfortunately; I reread and rechecked all the results. My guess is, that she probably has it due to all the abuse and the smoking, drug, and alcohol use while she was pregnant with them. I'm guessing no one in either side of your family has this?" Dr. Hashita explained and then asked.
"No—it doesn't run in my family." Vegeta said calmly; he didn't even know what it was.
"My dad has it, but he recently just developed it." Bulma replied.
'So, I is broked… Now he won't want me.' Lily sadly said to Elm.
'You're not broke. And if he doesn't want you, he can't have me.' Elm seriously said to Lily.
"Oh, good; there you are." A man said, walking over to everyone.
"Who are you?" Trunks asked, slightly annoyed; he didn't like the feeling he got in the pit of his stomach.
"I have both families ready." The man calmly said.
"What families? What are you talking about?" Trunks asked right away.
"The families who will be taking the twins. I have one for each. These people would like the boy and that family would like the girl." The man explained, signaling for two families to walk over.
'They going to seprate us!' Lily screamed at Elm before she just started bawling.
"Oh, it's ok, Dear; my son will take good care of you." Some lady responded with a cheeky smile.
"Is that my pet?" Some boy asked in an arrogant tone of voice.
"Ok. Hold on a sec. Dad, please take the twins." Trunks asked, handing him Lily and then Elm.
It's not that Trunks didn't trust his mother; he just knew his dad could get them away faster.
"Is there a problem, Sir?" The one man asked while the families stared in shock.
Dr. Hashita had gone to call security; he just had a feeling they would need them.
"What seems to be the problem?" Security asked, walking over.
"He's keeping these people's children away from them." The man shot right away.
"Excuse me; those are my children." Trunks shot back, very pissed off.
"He's right, they are his children." Mr. Peer said, walking over.
"Just who the hell are you?" The lady asked, pissed off.
"My name is Coast Peer; I'm a social/protective services worker. I was Elm and Lily's case worker. I do have my credentials on me if you'd like to see them." Mr. Peer answered.
"Mr. Grod, sir!" The one man exclaimed in shock as he bowed when another man walked over.
"Aw, Mr. Point. What seems to be the problem?" This Mr. Grod stiffly asked.
"That man, Mr. Briefs refuses to give those twins up." The man, Mr. Point, replied, very annoyed.
"And why should he; he is their father." Mr. Grod responded, narrowing his eyes.
"That he gave his rights away weeks ago." Mr. Point calmly replied.
"Well, I highly doubt that, seeing as he only just found out about them a little over a week ago. And when he did find out, he came here right away and signed papers saying he wanted to keep them. I know, I was there, watching. Coast Peer is my number one worker—my go to man. I had been shadowing him, recording him for new recruits to follow and study. Yes, he knows this. You, Mr. Pine—you're fired." Mr. Grod said seriously.
"Wh-what? Why?" Mr. Pine asked in shock.
"Now, I'll have you…" The lady started, pointing a finger.
"You'll have what, Mrs. Meloon? As I understand it, you and your husband are in trouble for embezzlement. So, you ma'am, are barred from ever adopting any child ever again. And you, Mr. Pine, you're fired because I have you on camera forging signatures. I have security cameras everywhere—except for the bathrooms." Mr. Grod sternly explained.
"That's enough! Let me say something! I'm going to say this loud and clear; and you people will listen. I did not spend over three years after their drug addicted mother up and disappeared looking for Elm and Lily and hiring a private detective to help to not come meet them when I finally got that call. I did not drive roughly three hours to get here—with my older three kids—and my parents driving behind us for nothing. I did not bring my older kids to meet their younger brother and sister just to tell them, nope, they're not staying with us. I did not spend a week and a half trying to gain their trust after their mother completely ruined their lives just to lose them. I did not waist my life looking for them. I did, however, come here for them, to bring them home with me and their older brothers and sister. They are my kids and they're staying with me and their siblings! And hell, even if I didn't want them, I sure as hell wouldn't separate them; they need each other. And even if I were like that, I sure as hell wouldn't let you people have them. Just because they're different and have cat ears and many other "disabilities" doesn't mean they're pets! They're not pets; they're children—innocent children who deserve a chance at life. They're my children, not yours. I don't care that they have ears or tails, ADD, ADHD, OCD, or autism, PSTD, or anxiety, or RA! I don't care if they're straight, gay, bi, trans, or whatever; I love them just the same—all five of them." Trunks exclaimed, pissed off.
"Very well put." Mr. Grod replied before walking away.
"Well, I never…" The woman gasped before dragging her spoiled rotten son away; the other family bowed in apology and left.
"But Mommy; I want my pet!" The little boy yelled as his mother dragged him along.
"Shut up! We'll get you a different, better pet!" The mother yelled before they got into the car.
"Well—that was interesting." Mr. Peer said, looking at the lady, writing down some information.
"What brings you here?" Bulma asked, looking at Mr. Peer.
"Another case arrived a last night; I just got called in. Call if you need anything." Mr. Peer said, heading to the elevators.
"Well, anyway, I'm sure you want to get going. This is the closest hospital to you that has a Rheumatology department. I know this isn't ideal or anything, but I don't know anything about RA—other than what to look for. One of our rheumatologists made the final ruling; she recommended Dr. Rubay. Dr. Rubay is female and has been the top of her field for the past twenty or so years. She mainly works with younger kids. When they reach a certain age, she'll pass them on to someone else. We got Lily an appointment in two weeks; it's the soonest she could get in to see her. And I hope you agree; my colleague and I thought with just how advanced her RA already is for a child of her age and size, that she be seen sooner than later." Dr. Hashita explained, handing Trunks a pamphlet.
"Yes, of course." Trunks sighed, taking the pamphlet.
"Have a good rest of your day. Make sure they're happy." Dr. Hashita said before heading to the elevators to head back to wherever he was supposed to be.
"Yeah, you too." Trunks said before turning to his mother.
"Everything will be ok—one way or another." Bulma said, looking at Trunks.
"I know—but she's so little. And all the crap she's already had to go through… It's just not fair for her." Trunks said as they walked outside to where Vegeta had taken all of the kids.
"If you get rid of Lily, I'm not staying! I'm going with her; we're not going to be separated!" Elm very seriously exclaimed, shocking Trunks and Bulma.
"No, of course, not. You and Lily aren't going anywhere except with us." Trunks replied.
"What about what that man said?" Elm asked, looking at Trunks.
"He was a liar and a cheater. You and Lily aren't going to be separated; you're going to be staying with me, Knickers, Kishu, and Teddy—in the country. You'll see Grandma and Grandpa as much as possible—even if we have to go every Friday night for dinner or whatever. You're both going to be living somewhere where neither of you will be hurt on purpose ever again. Do you understand?" Trunks asked, picking Elm up and walking to where Lily could see them.
"Yes." Elm answered.
"Lily, do you understand?" Trunks asked, looking at her; she just stared at Trunks before reaching for him.
"Come here. Yeah, you're not going anywhere except for with us." Trunks said, rocking her a little.
"Well, let's head back to the hotel." Bulma said with a smile as they walked to the cars.
Fifteen Minutes Later:
They had just gotten to the hotel and were headed up to the room when something came to Trunks; there was a children's furniture store up the road.
"What are we going to do about beds?" Kishu asked, looking at everyone.
"What do you mean?" Bulma asked, confused.
"Well, there are eight of us and only five beds. Yes, you and Grandpa will share a bed. But there's still not enough for all of us." Kishu answered.
"You're getting very good at math." Bulma said with a smile.
"Where'd Daddy go?" Teddy asked, looking around.
"I think he said he had to make a quick call or something. As for the bed situation, we'll figure something out; we just have to wait for Daddy." Bulma said as Elm looked around with Lily clinging to him; she was still scared and confused.
"Ok…" Trunks sighed, walking in.
"What are we going to do about sleeping? There aren't enough beds." Kishu said right as Trunks walked through the door.
"Kishu, I just walked in the door. I need to take a shower and then I have an errand to run—well two; I need to get clean clothes." Trunks explained, looking at the outfit he had been wearing since he first met the twins.
"Don't worry about any of that; I picked you up some outfits the other day." Bulma said with a smile, picking up a bag.
"Thanks." Trunks said with a smile—until Lily fell over; she did her best not to cry.
"Lily? Do you want to take a shower really quick and get clean?" Trunks calmly asked, kneeling in front of her; she just nodded her head as she lifted her arms.
"Elm?" Trunks asked, looking at Elm.
"I took a bath this morning." Elm replied.
"Ok." Trunks said before walking to the bathroom with Lily.
"Oh, and as for beds? Grandma and Grandpa will get the king bed, you three will get a single bed and Lily and Elm will share the queen bed while I'll sleep on the couch." Trunks answered Kishu's question before walking into the bathroom and shut the door behind him and Lily.
"He won't be sleeping on the couch… Bet'cha he'll sleep in the same bed as the twins." Bulma said with a smile.
"What do you think Daddy has to do?" Teddy asked, looking at Kishu.
"Who knows?" Kishu sighed as he went to his bed.
"If he wants us to know, he'll tell us." Knickers spoke up, looking over his book.
With Trunks & Lily:
Trunks put the lid to the toilet down and set Lily down.
"Ok—arms up?" Trunks asked, looking at Lily; she did as she was told.
"Good girl. Now it's time for your skirt and underwear…" Trunks sighed; this was not easy for her, but she listened and didn't struggle.
After that, he removed her socks and ribbons.
He then removed all his clothes except his boxers; he left those on for her sake.
"Ready?" Trunks asked as he leaned over and turned the water on; she lifted her arms.
"How does this feel; is it too hot?" Trunks asked as he leaned her over so she could feel the water.
"Good." Lily answered as she held her hand under the water.
"Good." Trunks said before he stepped in with her. He then turned the showerhead on, making sure to stand far enough away so that her ears wouldn't get hit by the water; she had her tail wrapped around her waist.
The first thing Trunks noticed was that she seemed to like it when the water hit her back.
The second thing Trunks noticed was that she liked it when he rubbed her back.
She was making "biscuits" as she laid her head against his shoulder while he had one arm tucked under her butt to keep her from slipping while his other arm was around her shoulder.
After a few minutes, he started to notice that she was beginning to fall asleep.
"Oh, no—not yet." Trunks said, gently pulling her away from him.
"We need to get you cleaned up first." Trunks said when she gave him a confused look.
He carefully set her down while kneeling in front of her.
"Let's see… We have White Rain mixed with a little bit of pine, or Vanilla-Hunny mixture for shampoo. Do you want to smell them?" Trunks asked, holding onto the shampoo bottles.
"Yeah…" Lily answered, looking all over the place.
Trunks opened the White Rain with pine first; she did not like that.
Trunks couldn't help but to laugh at her reaction.
When she smelled that, Lily's eyes squeezed shut, nose scrunched up, tongue out as she made somewhat of a gagging noise, and she shook her head every which way.
"I guess that one's a no. How about this one?" Trunks asked, opening the Vanilla-Honey.
"Dis one…" Lily breathed, smelling the shampoo while they both held onto it.
"Ok, hold still." Trunks said as he began washing her.
When he got done washing her hair, he ended up using Mixed Berry body wash to clean the rest of her; she didn't like the Rustic Log scent.
"Hey, Ma; can you come here?" Trunks called through a cracked door.
"What's up?" Bulma asked, looking through the crack.
"Can you take Lily and get her dressed so I can finish in here?" Trunks asked, holding Lily, wrapped in a towel, and her clothes and ribbons.
"I'd love to. Is that ok with you?" Bulma happily obliged and then asked Lily; she just reached out to her.
"Thanks." Trunks said before he closed the door after Bulma took Lily.
"Let's find you a clean outfit." Bulma said, throwing the clothes Lily was wearing into a dirty bag of other dirty clothes.
"You just want to play dress-up with the child…" Vegeta mumbled, looking over his newspaper.
"No, I don't; she needs a new outfit." Bulma argued.
"She hadn't been in that outfit for more than an hour; it was perfectly clean." Vegeta replied, making a point.
"Well—it's time for a different outfit. Besides, that outfit is in the dirty clothes and dirty now. Maybe a dress to see what size dress she needs." Bulma faltered, knowing Vegeta was right; she, however, decided to ignore him.
Vegeta just shook his head—but slightly smiled.
By the time Bulma found an outfit—in the right-sized and turned around, Lily was asleep, wrapped in her towel.
"She's so adorable!" Bulma happily exclaimed, taking a couple of pictures before redressing her in a red dress with pink hearts all over and red socks—and taking more pictures.
She or Trunks would put her hair up later after Lily woke up.
Ten Minutes Later:
"Do you feel better?" Bulma asked when Trunks came out.
"Much." Trunks replied and then noticed Lily under a blanket. She was sleeping on her stomach with her arms above her and out to the sides, with her head slightly tilted to the side.
"That's one of the ways you used to sleep when you were little. For the longest time you hated being on your back—until you didn't. Then you'd sleep exactly like that—except on your back." Bulma said with a smile.
"Or half off the bed…" Vegeta mumbled.
"Knickers sleeps on his side like Mai used to while Kishu sleeps on his back, half-on, half-off the bed and Teddy sleeps all scrunched up. I haven't seen Elm sleep aside from that one night in the hospital. Where is Elm anyway?" Trunks explained and then asked, looking around.
"Sleeping on the couch." Teddy answered with a smile.
Sure enough, Elm was sleeping on the couch on his stomach, one leg hanging off the couch while his other was bent up behind him; he had one arm under him while the other was straight out above him.
"Well, I guess my plans on put on hold." Trunks sighed, walking over to and covered Elm with a blanket.
"What are these plans of yours?" Vegeta asked, looking at Trunks.
"There's this furniture store for kids about fifteen minutes from here; I was going to take them to check it out. I called a little bit ago; they said they do deliveries from one day up to a week. If they found something they wanted, I could have them delivered for Monday afternoon. That way, if everyone wanted, we could stay here until late Sunday night or early Monday morning." Trunks explained, answering Vegeta's question.
"Really?" Bulma excitedly asked.
"Yeah, why not? They deliver, so I have a little more time. And I figured Lily needs some time to have a little fun—or something. It really isn't fair that she was stuck in a hospital and is the only one who didn't get to have any time or fun here. I know they'll be more trips—but this can be a get-well type of thing." Trunks answered.
"Yay! So, we have three and a half days; I have to start planning!" Bulma happily exclaimed.
"Mom—no. Lily's still not a hundred percent; she still needs to take it easy. We can stay here and do things—and we can go out to eat. Save your planning for when she's better." Trunks stated.
"Ok…" Bulma mumbled, causing Knickers to chuckle, Teddy to giggle, and Kishu to just start full-on laughing.
Two Hours Later:
Elm had woken up about half an hour ago and was looking out the window; they were on the second floor.
"Well, good morning, Princess." Trunks said, looking at Lily as she sat up on her knees, dried drool running down her chin, and hair all over the place.
After a few seconds, Lily looked all around, confused.
"You got to leave the hospital, remember? They said you were well enough to go home. Hold still, please." Trunks explained and then said, taking a wet wipe to her face to wipe the drool away.
After a few minutes, Lily felt her head and then looked up at Trunks, hands still on her head.
"Would you like your hair brushed and put up?" Trunks asked.
"Yeah." Lily replied.
"Would you like me or Grandma to do it?" Trunks asked; Lily pointed to Grandma.
The entire time Bulma was brushing and putting Lily's hair up, Lily stared at Trunks, not once taking her big blue eyes off of him.
"What are we doing now?" Teddy asked, looking up at Trunks.
"Can we go swimming; I'm so bored!" Kishu complained.
"Behave. I'm going to take Elm and Lily to pick their beds and dressers. And then, we'll all go somewhere for a late lunch." Trunks sternly explained as Bulma finished putting Lily's hair up; they were up in loose pigtails with small buns tied up with the red ribbons.
"Ok…" Kishu mumbled.
"Ok, Lily—I know you don't like them, but you have to wear shoes; you can't go into stores without shoes. Ok? Just for a little while?" Trunks asked, looking at Lily, holding up a small pair of sandals.
She stared at the shoes for a few minutes before slowly lifting her feet, one after another, allowing him to place them on her feet.
"Good girl." Trunks said, slipping her sandals on.
"Well, let's get going." Trunks said, picking Lily up.
"Can we come with you?" Knickers asked, looking at Trunks; now that Lily was out of the hospital, he didn't want to leave her or Elm.
"It beats staying here and doing nothing." Kishu said, looking at Trunks.
"Can I come too?" Teddy asked with big hopeful eyes.
"It would give me and your father some time to ourselves." Bulma said, hinting that she wanted "special" alone time with Vegeta.
"Ok. But you had all be on your best behavior; go get your shoes on. I'll call you when we're done at the furniture store and whatever." Trunks said, looking at his parents.
"Ok. See you soon." Bulma said with a smile.
"What are you doing?" Trunks asked, watching Lily as she bent backward, watching Bulma and Vegeta before leaning back up to look at Trunks, blinking a few times.
"We'll see you after a while." Trunks said, smiling at Lily as they headed to and out the door.
They walked past the pool, and Lily hid her face in Trunks's shoulder while Elm clung to his leg.
"Do you want up?" Trunks asked, looking at Elm, who was almost tripping him.
"Yes, please." Elm replied right away; they didn't like the pool.
"Lily, hold on tight." Trunks instructed before bending to pick Elm up.
Twenty Minutes Later:
They just arrived at Tiny Tots Furniture Land, and it had started raining.
"Great… *Sigh…* Knickers, can I trust you to watch all four of your siblings while I park the van? It's raining—hard. Neither Lily nor Elm need to become sick again." Trunks seriously stated, looking at his oldest.
"Yes, of course." Knickers said with a smile.
"You have to watch all four of them; don't let them out of your sight. Do you understand me?" Trunks seriously asked, looking directly at Knickers.
"Yes, I understand." Knickers replied with a smile, glad his dad was trusting him with something as important as this.
"Kishu, Teddy, Elm, Lily; Knickers is in charge. You need to listen to and stay with him." Trunks instructed, looking at the kids as Knickers unbuckled Lily; Teddy and Elm knew how to get unbuckled on their own.
"Yes," "Dad." "Daddy." Kishu, Teddy, and Elm replied while Lily looked at him with big eyes.
"Don't worry, Lily; just stay with Knickers and Kishu. They won't hurt you. In fact, they'll keep you very safe. Ok? Just stay with Knickers and Kishu; I'll be with you all soon." Trunks said seriously.
Knickers got out first while Kishu helped Teddy, Elm, and Lily out before getting out himself.
"I'll be over in a few minutes. Don't lose your siblings." Trunks stated before driving off to find a parking space.
"What is it?" Knickers gently asked, looking at Lily, who was tugging at his shorts; she put her arms up in response.
"Ok. Come here." Knickers said, lifting Lily.
As soon as he had a good hold on her, Lily laid her head on his shoulder while Kishu managed to pick Elm up; Teddy held onto Knickers's and Kishu's shorts.
As they waited, they received looks from people walking in and out of the store.
"Are you kids alright? Are you lost?" An older lady kindly asked, concerned.
"No, we're fine; we're waiting for our dad to find a parking spot." Knickers answered, holding Lily.
"Ok. I do hope he gets here soon. Stay dry." The lady said, looking to the sky as she walked away, worried about the kids; she sat in the car and waited until she saw their father walk up to them.
After another minute, a man driving a van stopped in front of them. The lady didn't think that was their father—considering Knickers told her he was looking for a parking space.
"Are you kids ok?" The man asked, looking out his window; he had a wicked smile and smelled of cheap cigars.
"We're fine; we're waiting for our dad." Knickers responded, not looking at the man. Instead, he was looking out into the parking lot for their dad.
"Well, it's raining kind of hard out. Would you like to wait in my van; it's nice and warm." The man said, trying to entice them.
"No, thank you; we're just fine." Knickers replied, holding Lily closer while gently pushing Teddy behind him and Kishu as Kishu held Elm closer to him.
"Oh, come on; your little sisters and brother look cold. Just look at them; they're shivering something awful. Even you and your brother are shivering a little. So, bring yourselves and the little ones in so that you can all warm up. I've got heat, blankets, and other warm things; I even have a puppy." The man calmly stated, really trying to get them in the van.
"You don't have a puppy. If you did, we would hear it barking, scratching, or running around; puppies are notorious for at least running around—especially in a vehicle. My sisters are shivering, not because of the cold, but because they're scared—of you. I highly doubt you have any blankets or anything warm in there: you're nothing but a predator! So, stay away from my sisters, brothers, and me!" Knickers growled, pissed off, holding Lily even closer; he was not going to let anything happen to his younger siblings.
"Why you little—" The man started, until both Knickers and Kishu's eyes and hair started sparking; they were about to change into Super Saiyans.
"Is there a problem here?" Trunks asked, walking over.
"I'm just trying to get these kids to bring their little siblings in to get warm; the little ones are shivering." The man calmly said, looking at Trunks, not realizing who he was.
"They did the right thing; I've always taught my oldest three not to trust or talk to strangers. I also taught them, that when it comes to strangers, to never, ever get into their vehicle under any circumstance. Then, the biggest thing I've taught them, was to always, ALWAYS look after and protect their younger siblings." Trunks dangerously stated, stepping in front of his kids.
After just a minute or two, the police arrived; the lady from before had called. She was worried, to say the least, when the van pulled up; she became quite unsettled when the older boys started holding the youngest two closer and pushed the other girl behind them.
The man was Gogurth Fettish, a Third-Class or Third-Degree Pedophile, convicted of kidnapping, torturing, raping, and murdering several young kids: two through thirteen. He had recently escaped prison when a raid happened six months prior; he was also one of the last few to be re-apprehended.
Six Months Ago:
What We Know:
Fifty-six inmates escaped North City's Maximum-Security Penitentiary:
25 inmates have been killed
4 inmates (1 female & 3 male) were cornered & committed suicide rather than go back
3 inmates (all female) were cornered & turned themselves in willingly
Along with Mr. Fettish, 20 other inmates have been caught & placed in several different titanium holes 20' under the ocean with nothing but their thoughts
3 inmates (2 female & 1 male) working together remain at large
After they finished talking with the police, Trunks looked at Knickers.
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to go almost Super Saiyan." Knickers said, looking down.
"Same here… Kishu mumbled.
"Don't apologize; you did everything right—both of you. You two kept your sisters, brother, and each other safe. You repeatedly told that man no; he wasn't taking a no for an answer—but neither were you. When push comes to shove, you do what you have to do. Because I strongly believe he would've gotten out of that van and tried to forcibly take all five of you. You going Super Saiyan was the right thing to do. Now, if you were to go Super Saiyan during a simple school fight—then we'd have a problem. Do you understand me? I mean—look at Teddy; you two are some of her biggest heroes. But if you really want to have an example of why you did the right thing; look at Elm and Lily—more Lily. They barely know us; and for obvious reasons, have trust issues. But just look at them; they're both clinging to you two. It's clear that you made them feel safe. That's all that matters. As long as you're using it for training with family or our family friends or in some sort of actual danger, going Super Saiyan is perfectly ok." Trunks explained, looking at Knickers and Kishu.
"Ok." Knickers and Kishu replied, smiling.
"Now, give me your brother and sister and let's get inside before any of you get sick." Trunks instructed, taking Elm from Kishu; Lily, on the other hand, was not letting go of Knickers.
"Do you have her? Are you going to be able to carry her around? I don't think they have any carts here." Trunks said, looking at his oldest son.
"I've got her." Knickers said before they walked inside, lifting Lily a little more.
"Ok. Let's get going." Trunks said as they headed inside.
"Hello, and welcome to Tiny Tots Furniture Land; is there anything I can help you with? Are you looking for something specific?" A female store greeter politely asked.
"Umm… I am looking for beds and dressers for my three-year-old twins: one boy and one girl. My daughter has Rheumatoid Arthritis and mild autism; do you have anything that would maybe work a little bit better for her?" Trunks asked after calmly explaining.
"Please wait here; I have someone who can help you." The lady politely replied, excusing herself.
Five Minutes Later:
"Mmmm! Mmmm!" Lily's ears started wildly twitching before she started crying.
"Hold on." Trunks said, switching Elm around a little bit.
"You can set me down—if that's ok." Elm spoke up.
"Stay by Knickers and Kishu." Trunks instructed, setting him down.
"Ok." Elm said as he stood right next to Knickers as Trunks took Lily from him.
"Are you the one who is looking for a special bed for a little girl with autism and RA?" A man asked, walking over.
"Yes, I am." Trunks answered, holding onto Lily.
"You're new at this parent with a disabled child thing, aren't you?" The man calmly asked.
"How can you tell?" Knickers and Kishu asked, becoming defensive.
"Boys, behave; he's just asking a question." Trunks said, hushing Knickers and Kishu.
"Sorry." Both boys mumbled.
"Is it that obvious?" Trunks asked, turning his attention back to the man.
"You're Trunks Briefs, yes?" The man simply asked.
"Yes." Trunks answered, holding Lily close.
"My younger brother, Coast Peer mentioned you. Father of three, just turned father of five. The mother kept the twins from you for three years. Yeah, I knew you had to be him. Not only seeing you had five kids, but that two them had cat ears and tails. Yes, I'm Coast's older brother; our mother makes the entire family come over for Friday Night Dinner and talk about anything—and everything. But anyway, you're not here for all that; you're here for a bed. I am Creek Peer; I'm here to help you in any way that you need. They both need beds and dressers. Do they both need specialty items—or just the little girl?" Mr. Peer explained who he was and how he knew what he knew before asking.
"Uhh… Both? She has autism and RA, and he has OCD." Trunks answered, thinking about it all; he was one hundred percent unsure.
While talking to Creek and trying to think, Trunks is also trying to keep Lily calm.
"Just hold on a minute." Mr. Peer said, disappearing for a minute before coming back.
"Please hold onto her. Here we go." Mr. Peer instructed, placing a pair of earmuffs sideways, over Lily's ears.
"What's with the earmuffs?" Kishu asked, confused.
"They are somewhat noise canceling; they cancel all outside noises except for when someone who is wearing them is being talked to. My sister made them special. Anyway, please follow me." Mr. Peer explained, leading the way.
"How do you know what to look for, Mr. Peer?" Teddy asked, looking up at Mr. Peer.
"Why did your sister make earmuffs like that?" Kishu asked, interested.
"How did your sister know to make earmuffs like that?" Knickers asked, extremely interested.
"Ahh yes… I remember what it was like having young children. I have ten kids: one single, three sets of twins and one set of triplets. My oldest child is now twenty-two, my next two are twenty, the next two are seventeen, the next two are sixteen, and the youngest three are fourteen. Anyway, I have five of each: five boys and five girls. Half of my kids have autism—my last five actually. My oldest child is high functioning, meaning she actually does very well with social situations—except for parties—and she doesn't take change well. My son has mild autism, which is what Lily has; he has issues with socializing, change, focus, and some other issues. And then the youngest three all have severe autism; they have issues with just about everything. Granted, when they're at home, they do just fine. Also, three of my daughters have arthritis as well; they do well. You have kids, so you must know that all children are different; no two children are the same. Sure, some children will have the same interests and such, but they're not the same. The same goes for children with autism; they all have different needs to be cared for." Mr. Peer explained as they continued walking down a long aisle.
"Yes, I've figured that out with my older three. And I'm sure I'll figure that as we go along. Teddy, as much as I appreciate what you're doing to try to help Lily; please stay in front of me where I can see you." Trunks sternly but calmly told his daughter.
"Yes, Daddy." Teddy replied, causing Mr. Peer to smile.
After a few seconds, Lily started bouncing a little as she went from one of Trunks's shoulders to the other.
"What is it?" Trunks asked, looking at Lily; she seemed highly interested in something behind them.
However, there was nothing there; Lily was once again just lying against Trunks's shoulder.
After another few seconds, Lily started acting up again, switching from shoulder to shoulder; Trunks just sighed.
'Maybe this is one of her things.' Trunks thought to himself—until he glanced up at the ceiling.
"Oh, I get it now. Please hold on a second, Mr. Peer." Trunks requested, once again turning around to see nothing there.
"What is it?" Knickers asked, confused.
"You'll see. Ok Lily—go ahead; go get them." Trunks calmly said before whispering the last part; he then set her down and gave her a little push forward.
"Dad?" Knickers asked, really confused now, as were the other three.
"Shh… Just watch." Trunks calmly but seriously stated as Lily started waddling down the aisle.
"She's pigeon toed as well." Mr. Peer noted, watching them.
"What's that?" Kishu and Teddy asked, confused.
"Yeah, I've noticed that as well. Pigeon toed is where someone walks with their feet turned inwards; you actually used to be pigeon toed as well." Trunks calmly explained, looking at Teddy for a second while watching Lily; she fell backward, onto her butt, but she didn't cry. No, she landed on a plush blanket, and it seemed like she was very entranced by it.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?! Where the hell are you parents?!" A bigger man exclaimed, looking at Lily; she froze.
"Hello?! For crying out loud! Your kind shouldn't be allowed here. Can—you—understand—me? Do—you—speak—English? Where—are—your—parents? Jeez, come here!" The man very rudely yelled, reaching for a terrified Lily.
"Get away from her!" Trunks yelled, trying to get to them first. But it was too late…
"Don't you dare lay a damn finger on her!" Vegeta yelled, coming out of nowhere and went to punch the man, but stopped just inches from his face.
"Nice restraint." Trunks said in shock as he and the others walked over.
"I would've punched him." Bulma muttered, walking over.
"Why the hell aren't you watching your kid?" The man finally managed to ask, taken aback.
"I was watching her; I sent her to get my parents—who were—what?
Playing some kind of game? Lily could see you; one of you had her attention." Trunks explained before looking at his parents, who just smiled at him—well, Bulma was; Vegeta was too busy glaring at the man.
"You didn't need to talk to her like she was stupid." Knickers retorted, annoyed.
"Well, if she weren't here, I wouldn't be. Her kind don't belong here; they should be exterminated." The man coldly replied.
"Her kind? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Trunks, Vegeta, Bulma, and Knickers asked, pissed off while Lily clung to Vegeta's leg.
"Come here, Sweetie. Teddy, Kishu, Elm; you three as well." Bulma calmly instructed, bending to pick Lily up; she didn't know if Lily would let her, but she did after a few seconds.
"You know." The man said, challenging them.
"No, we don't know. Do you have a problem with her not being human, like you?" Trunks asked, looking directly at the man.
"No! Kami no! My fiancé ain't human. Her kind—the retards of the Earth. Damn people with mental issues. Their kind should be eliminated—especially the ones who don't talk!" The man yelled, pissed off.
"Why you…" Vegeta started, only to be cut off by Trunks holding him back.
For some reason, unknown to him, Vegeta felt extremely protective of Lily—more so than the others.
"Dad, no; he's not worth it. We'll just file a complaint with the manager or owner or whatever." Trunks calmly stated.
" I am the manager. And my uncle is the owner of this store; nothing will happen to me." The guy cockily stated.
"Oh, really now? Nothing is going to happen to you?" Mr. Peer asked, walking over now.
"Nope nothing… Uncle Creek, what are you doing here?" The man asked, clearly shocked.
"I am showing Mr. Briefs and his family to the special needs area. So, you really don't like the disabled then? Even so, what were you thinking in yelling at the girl like that; she tripped on the blanket you dropped and failed to notice right away." Mr. Peer replied, annoyed.
"I don't mind the disabled—not the physical anyway. At least they have brains, can talk, and ask for what they want or need." The nephew mumbled, looking down and to the left.
"Well, that's not how we operate here; you know that. That's the first thing I told you when you started here; if you had a problem with people with mental disabilities, this isn't the job for you. So, with that being said, I'm going to have to let you go; turn in your vest, badge, and walkie-talkie, and head home." Mr. Peer demanded, holding out his hand.
"What will Mom have to say about that?" The nephew asked with a smirk.
"I don't care what your mother has to say. Yes, you got this job because she asked, but I told her what I'm going to tell you: three strikes and he's out. This is your third strike—and you know this. So, hand everything over." Mr. Peer once again demanded, still holding out his hand.
"Fine! But you'll be hearing from my mom—your younger sister and Grandma!" The nephew exclaimed, ripping off his vest, badge and threw them, along with the walkie-talkie before storming out.
"Sorry about him…" Mr. Peer sighed, running his hand through his hair.
"It's not your fault." Trunks replied, walking to his mom and took Lily.
"This is your store?" Kishu asked, looking up at Mr. Peer.
"Yes. Actually, the entire Tiny Tots chain is mine—well, mine, my youngest brother and our youngest sister's. No, that's not his mother; she's just my younger sister. It's me, Coast, a sister, another sister and then the twins, who have kids of their own with autism. That's how my sister came up with the earmuffs; her oldest child doesn't like loud noises. Please follow me; we're almost to where you need to be." Mr. Peer said, stressed out.
"You mean Tiny Tots Furniture Land chain?" Knickers asked, following along, next to Trunks while carrying Elm, and Bulma taking pictures the entire way.
"Nope Tiny Tots chain. The twins and I have furniture, toy, and clothes stores here, in North City, South City, and East City; we're working on a place in West City. I run and manage furniture, while my brother runs and manages toys, and my sister with clothes. We also make a lot of our own products. Well, here we are. The beds to the left are mainly for children with arthritis, while the beds to the right are meant for children with arthritis and autism. Whenever you're ready, you can let her try out the beds; your son may as well. The only thing that is mandatory, is that there are no shoes allowed on or near the beds. Otherwise, they can bounce a little if they need. My oldest son is over there when you have a decision; just go to him and he'll take you to the next area. He's training so he can take over when he moves to West City next year. I've already let him know what's going on." Mr. Peer explained before leaving.
"Are you ready?" Trunks asked, pulling Lily away from his shoulder and held her out in front of him.
"She doesn't understand." Elm explained, looking up at Trunks.
'Of course, she doesn't. Why would she?' Trunks asked himself, sighing as he looked at Lily.
After a few seconds, Trunks set her on the ground and knelt in front of her.
"Lily—we're here for you and Elm to pick out your own beds and dressers; you will each have your own bed and will no longer sleeping on a hard-concrete floor. Nor will you be sleeping in a closet. You will each have your own room or rooms—depending on what you both want. You will never be hurt by anyone like that ever again. Ok? Your brothers, sister, grandma, grandpa, and I will keep you protected; we won't let anything happen to you. Even though we don't see them very often, Aunt Bulla and Uncle Goten will protect you. We also have friends who will protect you. Lily, you, and Elm are safe now. Hey—it's ok." Trunks explained as best as he could so that she would understand him as he moved her long bangs out of her face before using his thumb to wipe away the oncoming tears.
Trunks was then shocked when Lily grabbed hold of his shirt and cried into his chest.
Ten Minutes Later:
Lily eventually calmed down. And when she pulled away, Trunks saw it; it was small, but she had a real smile.
In the entire week that he's known her, Lily has never smiled; it was usually tears and frowns or blank faces.
"Are you ready to pick your beds?" Trunks asked, looking at Lily and Elm.
"Yes." Elm answered with a big smile as he began walking to the mattresses.
"Hold on, you knucklehead. Mr. Peer said no shoes allowed near the mattresses; you have to take your shoes off. Now Lily…" Trunks explained to Elm before turning to help Lily with her shoes; she already them off.
"She had them off as soon as you said no shoes." Bulma calmly said.
"She ripped those suckers off like she couldn't wait to get them off." Vegeta said with a smile; he was trying so hard not to laugh.
"Ok—come on." Trunks said, picking Lily and Elm up.
An Hour & Twenty-Five Minutes Later:
It took Lily a few minutes to understand that she didn't have to choose the first type of mattress she tried out.
She didn't like any of the beds meant for just arthritis; those were too firm.
She only went through three out of the eight beds meant for kids with arthritis and autism—three times each.
Eventually, Lily chose the third mattress in the arthritis/autism section she tested; it wasn't too soft, but it wasn't too firm. It was somewhere in between—which is no easy task. But Lily liked it, and that's all that matters.
Now we come to Elm…
He went through every single mattress—nitpicking each and everyone; they all had something wrong with them.
All the arthritis/autism beds were too soft and sagged when he got in.
The arthritis beds were too firm and seemingly uneven.
So, Mr. Peer's son took them to two other areas in the store, where he tested every single mattress.
He received many different looks from many different people, who all wondered how Mr. Peer Jr. could be so calm, patient, and understanding. He always replied with: "that's what I was taught, and this was my job."
Mr. Peer Jr. eventually explained that he gets it; he too had OCD. He completely understands the frustrations of everything having to be in a specific place or just the need to have certain things being perfect—which, for everyone, is different. Not all people with OCD like things the same way. And while it's possible, it is really hard for two people with OCD to be friends because they prefer different things.
Eventually, after roughly an hour, Elm found the perfect mattress.
It was firm, but not too firm—and not too soft; it was just soft enough to be bearable to sleep on comfortably.
The best part? It was all around even with nothing out of place, nor was it too short or too tall.
Next, it was time to pick out the bed frame and/or head and footboards…
"I'm soooo hungry!" Kishu complained.
"Kishu, behave; we'll eat in just a little bit." Trunks seriously stated as they looked for what the mattresses would be going in.
"Why don't we split up? It might make it go faster. Your father and I can take Lily and maybe get to know her while you take Elm and have one-on-one time with him—well, sort of." Bulma suggested, looking hopeful.
"I know what you mean. Fine. We meet back here when they find what they want. Teddy, you go with Grandma, Grandpa, and Lily. Kishu, you stay with me and Elm. Knickers, you're old enough; you can choose where you want to go." Trunks calmly instructed.
"I'll go with you." Knickers replied.
"See you in a little bit. Be good for Grandma and Grandpa—the both of you." Trunks said, looking directly at Teddy while handing Lily to Vegeta; he was the one she seemed more interested in.
A Little Over An Hour Later:
In the end, Lily picked out a purple bed frame with a headboard and footboard. The head and footboards were designed with colorful butterflies, fairies, and flowers. The difference between the headboard and the footboard was that the headboard had a rainbow in the background.
The dresser she chose was long, purple, and went sideways; the drawers only went up two but went sideways four.
There was a total of eight drawers—and it was made so she wouldn't have to reach too high up or bend down too low.
Elm chose a simple wooden bed frame with dark blue head and footboards with stars and planets on them—and they were perfectly identical in size and shape.
The dresser he chose went straight up and down and had six drawers; it was dark blue.
"Look, there's Daddy." Bulma said to Lily when they saw the boys walking up to them; Lily twisted around in Vegeta's arms to look.
"Sorry we took so long. Have you been waiting long?" Trunks asked when they made it to them.
"No; we just got here a few minutes ago. She picked out her bed frame with matching head and footboards, and then we went past the dressers and we just decided to have her pick that while we were there." Bulma explained with a smile as Lily leaned for Trunks.
"We did the same thing. Ok, come here." Trunks said, taking Lily from Vegeta.
"So, we're done then?" Vegeta asked with a huff; he wanted to get something to eat.
"I do believe so. We just have to take the tickets up to the checkout line and get everything situated." Trunks answered and explained.
"Does that mean we finally get food?" Kishu impatiently asked.
"Yes, we'll find somewhere to eat after we get checked out." Trunks sighed, holding Lily while she leaned against him.
"Yay! Food!" Kishu exclaimed happily.
"Let's head out." Bulma said with a smile as they started walking away.
Five Minutes Later:
"This store is like a maze." Bulma mentioned as they walked down the hall just in front of the special need's mattress display area.
"Grandpa, my feet hurt… Please pick me up." Teddy complained as she lifted her arms; Vegeta was always a sucker when it came to the girls in his life—especially the little ones.
"Yeah, come here." Vegeta said, lifting Teddy.
"Mmmm! Mmmm! Mmmm!" Lily cried, bouncing around in Trunks's arms. However, they were not scared or upset cries; they were excited or something along those lines. Something had her attention.
"What is it? What do you see? Where are you going?" Trunks asked, holding onto Lily as she tried climbing out of his arms and over his shoulder.
When they turned around to see what she was looking at, they saw a bunch of different blankets and pillows.
"Well—they are going to need bedding." Bulma said, looking at Trunks.
"Oh, come on!" Kishu exclaimed, frustrated; he wanted food.
"Hold your horses; we'll eat in a little bit." Trunks seriously said; Lily was expressing interest in something, and he was going to find it.
Trunks had the distinct notion that Lily would be a child who didn't ask for much.
As they started walking through the blankets and such—and the further away they got away from where they entered, Lily became increasingly agitated.
"Baby, what's the matter?" Trunks asked, concerned as he tried everything he could do to calm her down.
"Does she need to use a bathroom, maybe?" Bulma asked, looking at Trunks.
"No!" Lily cried, struggling to get down.
"Apparently not… Do you want down?" Trunks sighed and then asked as he pulled her away from him.
"Yeah… Down pease." Lily breathed, slightly out of breath, bending and unbending her knees at a rapid pace.
"Ok. Ok. Hold on. You need your shoes back on—once I find them." Trunks calmly said, looking around.
"Oh, I have them. I think Elm is wearing his already." Bulma stated, holding up Lily's shoes.
"He had those back on as soon as he got done picking his mattress. He had them on just as fast as she had hers off." Vegeta stated.
Lily started fussing as soon as she saw Bulma walking over with her shoes.
"I know you don't like them, but you have to wear them if you're going to be walking around in the store." Trunks calmly told her, setting her on his arm in a sitting position—once she calmed down.
"She sure does settle down fast." Bulma noted as she slipped the shoes on.
"Ok. Put your feet flat on the floor." Trunks said when he noticed that her feet were on their sides; she struggled with that, but Lily got her feet flat.
Once she was steady on the ground, flat on her feet, Trunks let her go; she was gone within seconds.
"Where is she going?" Knickers asked, confused.
"Maybe she wants food." Kishu said, thinking with his stomach.
"Does she not like us?" Teddy asked, worried.
"Come on—we should probably keep track of her." Trunks said, turning around.
However, when they turned around, they stared in shock and confusion—until Bulma started taking pictures.
Lily must've fallen because she was on her stomach, legs up off the ground as she struggled to pull herself along.
It never occurred to any of them that she might not know how—or even to be able to pull herself back up when she falls.
"Ok—come on. Up we go." Trunks said, picking her up and setting her flat on her feet again; she had tripped over a long orange cord.
"Tank you." Lily said before she was once again on the move. Though, she didn't go too far when she stopped and looked up.
"Oh. These are what had her attention." Trunks said, looking at the wall and shelves of plush blankets and pillows.
"Oh, there you are. I was wondering when you were going to stumble through this area." Mr. Peer said, walking around the corner.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Vegeta asked right away.
"Relax…" Bulma sighed, stepping in front of her husband.
"Sorry. What I mean, is that—well I mean what I mean. The one thing I've noticed that almost all children with autism have in common, is that they like soft things. Sure, there are some that like other textures; I, however, have just noticed most like soft things. Such is the case with your daughter. I tell you Mr. Briefs, you're incredibly lucky. Sorry. Another thing I've noticed—especially with three out of my five kids with autism—they don't like to be touched. No, I haven't figured that out yet; it's just something I've seen. Anyway, I was hoping I'd run into you again." Mr. Peer explained before trailing off while writing something on a piece of paper.
"What is it?" Knickers asked, walking over to Lily.
"When you go to check out, hand the cashier this piece of paper; it just says that you have five kids and that if each kid wants, they may have one pillow or one blanket on the house. However, the littlest boy may have one pillow and one blanket, while the littlest girl can have up to two blankets and two pillows. Trust me when I say, you'll want two of each because she'll want to have her blanket or pillow on her at all times; it makes it incredibly difficult to wash them." Mr. Peer explained, handing Trunks a piece of paper.
"Why would you do all this—give them each a free blanket or pillow?" Bulma asked, confused.
"Because Trunks is a good guy, raising five kids on his own pretty much. I mean, you're his parents; you're obviously helping him. But he said he's moving soon, and it seems that he's single; he never mentioned a girlfriend or anything. Just like I respect a single mother, I also greatly respect single fathers—possibly a little more, because fathers don't seem to get the same respect as mothers. But anyway, the main reason I'm doing this, is because he reminds me of me when I was younger. I was also a teen parent—granted it was late teens; I was still a teen father. And most of them have different mothers. But anyhow, I should be heading out. Please, don't be afraid to pick what you want." Mr. Peer answered before leaving.
"Thank you, Mr. Peer!" Teddy called after him, waving before walking back to everyone.
"Well, you heard him, you all get to pick one thing—except for Elm and Lily." Trunks stated, watching his kids.
"I'm good; I don't want a blanket or pillow." Kishu said right away, looking at Lily; she was feeling just about every pillow.
"Can I have his blanket or pillow then?" Teddy asked right away.
"If that's ok with your brother." Trunks said as the rest of them look.
"Can I?" Teddy asked, looking at Kishu, giving him the big puppy dog eyes.
"I don't care." Kishu said, backing away a little.
"Yay!" Teddy cried as she started looking.
Every pillow Lily pulled out, Elm picked up and put back; it bothered him, seeing pillows all over. However, that made it harder for Lily, who had to keep pulling the same pillow out over and over again; she had seen and felt one she had really liked.
"Elm. Elm… Why don't you let your sister find what she wants before you put pillows back? Ok?" Trunks suggested, picking Elm up.
"Ok…" Elm huffed as he found something else that bothered him. There was an area of towels that were all messed up; they were not folded perfectly like the rest of them. So, while he was at arm's reach, Elm figured he fix them while he could.
After a few seconds, Lily pulled out a soft blue and purple pillow with fairies all over it; she held it up to Trunks, hiding her face behind it.
"That one? Are you sure?" Trunks asked, kneeling in front of Lily, gently pushing the pillow down so that he could see her face.
"Yeah…" Lily softly replied.
"Well, ok then. Knickers, do you think you could find another pillow just like this one?" Trunks asked, showing Knickers the pillow.
"Sure." Knickers said as he began looking while Elm just couldn't help it any started organizing the pillows, finding a soft brown one with a dog on it.
While Trunks had her up, Lily found a remarkably soft, blue blanket with pink and purple flowers all over.
Teddy found a black and blue camo blanket with a matching pillow; she had seen the blanket first.
Elm couldn't find a blanket he liked so, he just got the one pillow, allowing Knickers to get a blanket and a pillow.
Knickers found a red and blue blanket with mandala designs and a matching pillow with mandala designs on it.
"Are we ready now?" Trunks asked as they all stood there with what they wanted.
"Where's Grandpa?" Teddy asked, looking around.
"He was just right next to me…" Bulma noted, looking next to and behind her.
"What do you need?" Vegeta asked, carrying two bed sets.
"Where'd you go?" Bulma asked, looking at Vegeta.
"Well, while they were picking their blankets and/or pillows, I went to grab them their blankets and pillows and whatever for their beds. And before you say anything, I looked for what they both liked. He likes the stars and planets, so I found him a set that had the planets. And then Lily seems to like those tiny flying people and the color purple, so I found that. The very last one." Vegeta said, holding up the sets.
"Aww Vegeta; you do have a heart!" Bulma exclaimed, hugging her husband.
"Hush it, woman. Now, if we have everything, let's get out of this place; I'm hungry." Vegeta grumbled, trudging on in front of everyone.
"He is such a good father/grandfather." Bulma happily cooed as they all followed Vegeta.
"Over three hours in one store… In a child's furniture store none the less. How the hell did we manage that? I'll tell you how: that man wouldn't shut up; he just kept babbling on and on and on… I don't give a damn how long the kids take. But oh, my Kami did that man talk?" Vegeta mumbled and grumbled as they made their way up to the registers…