Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ A Change of Heart ❯ A Confession ( Chapter 1 )

Trunks sighed and slouched into the chair behind his desk. Annoyed at how little had gotten done while he was gone. He picked up a folder and flipped through its contents, at a loss for what to do next. He finally sat them down and flipped his computer screen up, and summoned the data pad.

A soft knock came to the door, and he turned his chair and pushed one of the buttons on his desk. The door slid to the side, and his secretary came in with a stack of papers. She sat them on his desk without a word, and clasped her hands in front of her, an eyebrow raised.

"Yes?" He asked. She shook her head and grabbed one elbow with her hand. She licked her lips briefly and looked up.

"The data computers in the research department have failed." He brushed away the data pad and flipped down the computer screen…hard.

"You're joking?"

She shook her head, and self-consciously straightened her periwinkle knee-length skirt and relaxed blazer. She drew her lips into a thin line and let out a breath. She fiddled with her pink crystalline necklace while she waited for his answer, the necklace that stood a good inch above her pale pink shirt.

Trunks slid his tongue methodically over the bottom of his right side of front teeth, something he had done as long as he could remember. Although he wondered where he had gotten it. That is, if he ever noticed his habit.

He swallowed and brushed his hand through his hair. "Was the data lost?" He asked, and she winced.

"Not all. But a good portion of this year's data was. We were able to catch some of it-at least the topics of research-on the back-up computer. But it will still leave us a fare good behind schedule."

He stood up and slipped on his bomber jacket, and made his way to the door. She turned to him, her head resting on a fist, her other hand over her elbow.

He slipped his hands in his pocket and said, "Get the back-up computers from the warehouse and move them in. Get someone to repair the others. Get in contact with all our other researchers and call them in. Pay them overtime. We're already behind schedule, so let's get this ball rolling as fast as we can. And remind everyone else that this doesn't mean we're cutting slack for the other departments. Keep them rolling too, the research department isn't the only one behind. I'm leaving for home, and I'll be back tomorrow." She dropped her arms and folded them, nodding. "Did you get all that?"

She smiled. "Move the dead computers and get them repaired. Bring in the backup ones and call the researchers not working today and call them in, classified as overtime. Make sure all other departments are hurrying too, you're leaving for the rest of the day. I think I got it." She grinned. "Have a good day, sir." He smiled and disappeared down the hall.

Trunks raced down the front steps of the Capsule Corps. business headquarters. He made his way through the rows of parked cars, and stopped at the sight of his bike. He slid on his helmet and straddled it, turning the key. The engine hummed comfortingly, and he stepped on the gas, anxious for the relaxing ride home.

"Dinner! Come in and clean up!" Chi-Chi called out from the deck, and Goku stopped mid-punch. Chi-Chi stood straight, her hands on her hips in fists. Goku grinned, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Coming, Chi-Chi!" He called back.

She went inside and slid the glass door closed behind her. Videl was reading a magazine on the lounge chair, and she heard Pan and Goten talking excitedly in the next room. She held up her wrist and looked at her watch. With a squeak she ran into the kitchen and pulled out dishes with loud clanks.

Videl looked up from her magazine at the clock, and smiled. Chi-Chi always hurried around in the kitchen when there was nothing left to be done half an hour before company came. She expected-or had learned-that Chi-Chi always felt she had forgotten something. An extra box of rice, spicing the curry, or something or other. But then, with one saiyajin, two half saiyajin's, and constant company Chi-Chi should be used to how much to cook-and forget.

Goten and Pan strode in and sat on the couch, Goten red in the face from laughing, and Pan still giggling.

"What's so funny?" She asked expectantly. Pan giggled some more, and Goten sighed, resisting laughter.

"Goten showed me how to do run a program on the computer." She smiled. "How to use it by speech instead of the data pad." She looked at Goten. "We were programming the commands, and we were imitating people we knew." She pulled her feet up under her and crossed her legs. "You should've heard Goten's Vegeta!"

Videl smiled and went back to her reading. "I'm sure they were all funny." She smirked from behind her magazine. Goten and Pan exchanged grins and laughed again.

"When is everyone coming over, Mother?" Pan asked looking at her watch. Goten looked over her shoulder at it.

"About twenty minutes." Videl said, closing her magazine and dropping it onto the side table. She stood and stretched her back. "I'm going to go see what I can do to help Chi-Chi." She shot Pan a look.

Pan blinked. "Oh, right. I'm going to help too." Goten poked her behind Videl's sight and stifled a chuckle. "Shut up." She said, whacking him in the chest back. She stood up and pushed her way through the double door into the kitchen.

As usual, Chi-Chi was adding more rice to the pot, and stirring in little extra's in abundance. Videl attempted to find a dish, and Pan tapped her on the shoulder.

"What do I do?" She whispered. Videl turned around and looked up, opening her mouth about to speak when Chi-Chi pointed to the fridge.

"Get out the chicken and chop it into squares." Chi-Chi said without looking up from the broccoli dish she was currently working on.

Pan nodded and opened the fridge, searching desperately for the chicken. She found it-after some time-in a drawer and pulled it out. Lying down a cutting board she slapped the chicken down and pulled out a knife.

There was a knock on the kitchen door, and Number 18 and Marron came in. There were brief "hello's" and "how are you's" before Pan pulled Juuhachi to the side and handed her the knife. She pointed to the chicken and Juuhachi smiled and nodded. Pan smiled back and went out the door calling, "small square's!" behind her back, pulling Marron out with her.

"It's hard to believe your mother ever blew people up." Pan laughed.

Marron shook her head. "Tell me about it."

"Trunks! Trunks, where are you?" Bulma stumbled into the living room, a huge salad bowl in her arms. She looked at Vegeta. "Where is Trunks?"

"Did you check upstairs?" He suggested, a TV controller in his hand. She "humphed" and fell onto the couch.

Taking in a deep breath she yelled, "Trunks!!!"

Vegeta covered his ears only too late, and a ringing in his eardrums ensued. He shook his head jerkily, trying to make the ever-ringing sound obsolete. Bura toppled into the room, her mouth gaped open.

"What the heck was that?" Vegeta shook his head a final time and stood up, dropping the controller into the chair.

"Your mother couldn't find Trunks." Her mouth gaped further in an expression of either disbelief or annoyance, Vegeta couldn't tell which, and concluded it was both.

"Looking for me?" Trunks asked, now appearing in the doorway, a half-eaten sandwich in his hands, the other half in his mouth.

Bulma stood up and snatched the sandwich and threw it in the trashcan. Trunks looked as if he wanted to argue but thought the better of it.

Instead he said, "What's going on?"

Bulma raised an eyebrow, annoyed and frustrated, and clasped her hands together in front of the bowl.

"We were supposed to be at the Son's ten minutes ago." She said pointedly. "But I haven't been able to find you." She "humphed" and made her way out onto the deck.

"Bulma, what are you-" Vegeta started, although he didn't have the chance to finish.

"We're late, Vegeta." She jumped into his arms. "The two of you will have to fly the rest of us." She looked at Vegeta, then Trunks, then Vegeta again.

Bura smiled before up into Trunks' arms. Trunks looked to his father for support, but got none. Vegeta was already heading high into the sky, and Trunks had no choice but to follow him.

Chi-Chi sighed and slumped even further down into the sofa. Everyone was sitting around listening to Goku's joke for the third time. That is, no one got it the first two, so he was embarking on a third try. Once again he said the punch line with emphasis, and everyone furrowed his or her brows, contemplating what the heck could possibly be funny. No one succeeded, and the room was irritatingly silent.

The doorbell rang, and there was a race to see who could get it. Gohan won, and everyone awaited the moment when Bulma and Vegeta's family entered, and ridded everyone the "enjoyment" of Goku's jokes.

"Vegeta, Bulma…what…where's the car?" Everyone in the living room heard before, "We were late so we just flew over."

Chi-Chi smiled. That sounded like Bulma all right.

Vegeta, Trunks, Bura, and a Bulma almost completely hidden behind a salad bowl nearly as big as herself walked in, and Juuhachi-sitting by the doorway-quickly snatched the salad and took it into the kitchen with a smile.

Vegeta took his usual stance with his back against the wall, arms folded. Trunks leapt down onto the ground next to Goten, Bura sat next to the girls and they all started giggling appropriately, and Bulma plopped down next to Chi-Chi with a grin.

"So what was everyone talking about?" Bulma said excitedly, her eyes darting around the room.

Krillin made a sound like a choke, and everyone braced themselves as if the house was made of cards.

Goku gave a pleasant laugh before saying, "Ok, guys, let me start again."

Dishes clanked endlessly as Krillin, Juuhachi, Marron, Bulma, Chi-Chi, and Videl stood staring the Saiyajin's eat. Krillin had barely gotten half a spoonful of rice before the tsunami hit.

Bulma slapped the table, and looked around. No effect. She slapped the table once more, this time she grabbed Vegeta's arm, and Trunks hair as they swam past in the tornado of food and dishes.

Vegeta dropped the curry chicken, and Trunks gave an "aack" of surprise. Goku stopped mid serving, and Gohan looked up, a spoon half way between his plate and his mouth. The whole table soon ceased, and Bulma folded her arms.

"Do you mind if we have a little dinner too?" Goku looked slowly at the faces around the table and grinned.

"Why sure, Bulma." He put the dish down and folded his arms on the table. "You guys go ahead. We can wait a second."

After the "non-Saiyajin's" had food on their plate, Juuhachi smiled and invited them to continue with their "whirlwind".

"So…" Goku started, shoving more food in his mouth. "there's this guy…and he walks into a…into a grocery store…" Vegeta raised an eyebrow at his friend, the one he promised to wipe out more than twenty years ago. "and he asks…for some…carrots." Vegeta smiled to himself, no, Goku hadn't changed since. Even though Vegeta had in a monumental way. "And the grocer says…" Goku continued on, unwavering during his twelfth course. "no, but…but we have a lot of parrots." Vegeta furrowed his brows and smirked. "Parrots!" Goku said, shoving his plate towards the center of the table. "Parrots, Vegeta!" He began laughing. "No, but we have a lot of parrots!" Goku snorted, and Vegeta shook his head. No, Goku hadn't changed at all.

"How's it going?" Gohan asked, ripping the leaf in his hands apart in sections, walking in the yard with Trunks.

"You mean, how is my job going?"

Gohan smiled. "Yes, I guess that's what I meant to ask." He threw the small pieces of leaf in the air, and folded his arms.

"It's my first day back from my first business trip, and we're behind by seven weeks." He sighed forcefully.

Gohan raised his brows. "Seven weeks?" He looked down and raised a shoulder. Looking up he said, "What could put you that behind?"

Trunks shook his head. "There was the bout of flu last month, the whole scenario of the rotten fish we had for a company lunch-The whole building had to get their stomachs pumped!-which was a disaster, the whole legal papers and agreements for my taking over Capsule Corps. that made the business shut down for a week, the cold that everyone seemed to spread put seventy-five percent out of working ability for two weeks, the papers my second secretaries logged into the wrong place. And the list goes on and on, Gohan." Gohan chuckled. "I've only been in charge for one month and everything's caving in! What am I doing wrong?"

"Shouldn't you ask your mother that? Seeing as she ran it before you?"

"Believe me, I have. The same thing, `the business is just going over a bump in the road, Trunks, things will get better soon. Just wait.' I want an answer above that."

"I'm afraid that's the only answer I would-not could, but would-give you. I agree with your mother right now, Trunks. With the huge income you got after the androids were destroyed, there had to be a dry spell."

"It's not a dry spell, Gohan. The sales are all right, just-" Gohan put his hands on Trunks' shoulders.

"Trunks, it's not you. Wade this out and see what happens, it's gonna be all right. Capsule Corporation has been in business for a long time, it's not going to quite now."

"Ok, Gohan, I'll wade it out."

"Wade what out?" Goten stepped in beside them. "Capsule Corps., Trunks?" Trunks nodded. "Gotcha'. Hey, old man, care to go see what your daughter and wife are doing? Eh?" Gohan laughed and slugged Goten in the arm.

"I guess so, go hang out with the ladies." He winked. "If you get too bored by yourselves, you can always come join the married men." He smiled.

"We'll try to remember that." Said Trunks. Goten shoved his hands in his pockets and coughed in his shoulder.

"How was your trip?"

Trunks forced a smile. "Great. I had a blast. You know, business meetings along the beach, hotel along the beach, didn't get to go to the beach. Pretty good."

"Hey, Trunks, I'm your best friend. You don't need to sugar coat it." Goten laughed, and Trunks returned it.

"Ok, it sucked. Pretty bad, Goten."

"That's more like it! I don't get on too good with the sugar coated, good for the sake of the friend stuff."

"I know that. Trying to be…what's that word?"

"Optimistic?" Goten suggested.

"Yeah, that's it. Just trying to be `optimistic', at least, that's what the witch lady told the business exec's."

"What? Tell me more about this, sounds interesting." Trunks laughed. "No, seriously, what happened?"

"Ok, so, they had one of those `motivational' speakers that talk about stress and how to avoid it and treat it with different weeds and stuff. Anyway, that's one of the things she talked about. `Optimism.'" Goten punched Trunks in the arm.

"That's almost-almost-as funny as your mom earlier at dinner. `Do you mind if we have a little dinner too?' Your mom's a crackup, Trunks. I wish I had her around more often. You know, tells it how it is kind of person."

"I guess you could say that."

"Pan, you wanna come talk with us?" Pan walked into the doorway and leant against it. She looked at Bura and Marron; they looked like they were having fun. Why not? Should she?

"Sure, sounds like fun." They both moved further apart on the floor, and Pan sat down. "What are you talking about?" Pan wasn't comfortable with their conversations. Marron and Bura always knew what was what, who was who, and what was the right thing to say, eat, drink, and wear. Pan had never really cared about that, and it showed in the constant camouflage pants and black A-shirt style tank top she wore.

"Nothing too interesting." Marron laughed. "Tasha Plum and Enny Fankir, guys, and school. Nothing out of the usual."

"What about Tasha and Enny?" Hopefully she could get off of the subject in guys, she knew she must have the worst taste in them, and thought it better to just avoid the subject. School was all right, but she was on the geeky, tomboyish side there, and she didn't want to further admit that she was in the computer and woman's self-defense clubs both. Even if it was just Marron and Bura. They were popular, and she was the exact opposite.

"The Usual with them too. They are so weird. They just hit the streets and gamble on the sidewalks with their even weirder friends by night. Pick on the normal people by day. Nothing spectacular. Oh, Bura, I saw Jason at the coffee shop today!"

Pan gave an inward groan. The subject she dreaded was about to begin with different abounding topics, and she just wanted to leave…but she didn't. She wanted to be part of them, talking with them, talking with them about the things all the girls at school talked about.

Marron and Bura had never ignored her at school, or at their homes-ever-but Pan had always escaped to more comfortable surroundings when they talked. While they talked about clothes and boys, she had been blocking and serving punches. When they had been idolizing the girl pop stars growing up, she had idolized the stories of all their fighting fathers. The stories of Frieza, Raditz, and the story of when Vegeta first came. And again when they had met him the second time at Namek. She loved those stories, and knew them all by heart, when Bura and Marron had known the popular songs and TV Shows by heart.

She didn't regret her time spent the way it was growing up, she just wished she had been around Marron and Bura more.

Marron was now finishing up her story, and when she had finished she turned to Bura and said, "So who do you think is cute?"

"You know, there aren't any guys worth crushing around here anymore. I mean, they either treat a friend like crud and you hear about it, or they treat you like crud. Or there's something else wrong with them. There are some cute ones," She sighed. "no one to seriously crush though." She looked up. "You?"

"You know, just Jason. No one else really, though." Marron smiled. "And he's not really a crush, just a cute guy to see around." Bura turned to Pan and raised an eyebrow.

"What about you, Pan? You have to have someone you `kind-of' crush around school." Pan smiled.

"No one really." She wanted to tell them so badly, but they'd laugh and point out the obvious, there wasn't a chance with him.

"Come on!" Marron chimed in. "There has to be someone. Even if you just think he's cute." Once again the urge to tell them, to be one of the girls talking about crushes, hit her like a blow. She smiled.

"No, there isn't anyone." Bura lied her head on her arms and clicked her tongue. She looked at Pan hopefully.

"No one? We won't laugh, come on, don't you want some help?" Pan swallowed hard.

"Ok." The other two girls smiled. "I have a crush on Trunks."