Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Another Time ❯ Chapter 13 ( Chapter 13 )

Another Time

By Karete-chan

Chapter 13: Running Full Pelt

To Vegeta's initial surprise it hadn't taken much to convince his son to participate in the 'lessons'. Gohan too, had also shown interest and said he would drop by when they had one, if he had time.

After the girl had left him sitting on the roof of the shed, he had initially regretted his decision. He was Prince of his people after all, even if there were only three of them, and he shouldn't be lowered to the position of lowly teacher. But that night Trunks had come bounding up the stairs and into his study asking if what Kat had said was true. Not able to say no to the hopeful gleam in his son's eyes Vegeta had given in.

Now, three months later he was extremely glad he hadn't. His two, sometimes three, pupils moved swiftly through their studies and were fast approaching him in terms of history and culture. They struggled with the language because it was so different from their own but they were slowly getting there. All three were now able to understand him when he spoke it, to a point.

Right now he was giving them what Bulma had called a pop quiz. She had suggested it saying, "Just talking at them isn't teaching, you have to test them to see if they're taking it in."

She had been right too. As he read over their shoulders, he could see several mistakes in Trunks' version of proper protocol for formal gatherings, Gohan had several dates of historical events turned around and Kat had almost mislabelled every continent on the planet.

Vegeta sighed. They still had a long way to go.

"Time up," he said and sat on the couch opposite them. Another thing that was annoying, whenever it was raining, the only place they had to go was the Briefs living room and then they had to put up with Bulma screaming over the phone at incompetent people, despite the fact that she was in her study, upstairs, with the door closed.

They handed him back their tests, which he stuffed into his back pocket. They tried to hide their smiles.

"What now, Vegeta-san?" Gohan asked. "Only I have lesson plans to make myself this afternoon."

Vegeta shot him a dirty look. "Too bad. I've decided were going to stay on longer from now on."

"Why? Are we bad students?" Trunks grinned at him.

"If you were, I would never have agreed to this," Vegeta shot back. He stood up. "Follow me."

The three younger Saiya-jins looked at each other and shrugged before following their grouchy teacher. They ended up outside the newly finished gravity room.

"Inside," Vegeta ordered.

They did as they were told and waited patiently while Vegeta booted the computer system and brought the gravity program on line.

"Girl, did you use this machine in the past?" he asked with his back turned.

"Yeah," Kat answered, as she exchanged another shrug with Trunks.

"What level did you get up to?"

"I can stand comfortably at eight times gravity."

The readout flipped to eight and Trunks steadied Kat as she stagged a little.

"I thought you said you were comfortable at eight, girl," Vegeta said, now standing in front of her.

"I am," she answered, pushing Trunks' hand away. "I usually get some warning first, though."

"I really do have to go, Vegeta. Why are we here?" Gohan asked, pointedly looking at his watch.

"To bring the girl up to speed." He smirked at her. "As much as she can keep up with the two of you in the academic field her physical skills are deplorable."

"Hey! They are not!"

His expression didn't change. "Compared to some maybe, but you're Saiya-jin, girl, and if your baka of a brother can get stronger than Frieza, so can you."

She looked blankly at him. "What's the point?"

Vegeta's smirk dropped. "What?"

"What's the point?" she said again, shrugging. "Frieza's dead, the androids are gone, you guys are here. Can't I just train like usual?"

The three younger Saiya-jins watched as Vegeta's eye twitched.

Gohan grinned. "She's right you know, there isn't much point. I mean, she doesn't need to be strong, she's got us." He slung an arm around Kat's shoulders.

Vegeta scowled. "She will train or I will cease her lessons." He smirked. "And pull the funding for her fancy university education."

"You can't do that!" she yelled indignantly.

He lent in toward her. "Watch me, brat."

Kat scowled. "Fine. I'll do your stupid training."

"Good." He turned back to the control panel. The readout flipped to 15 times gravity. Kat stagged and fell to her knees. "First lesson. Walking out of the room." He smirked at her as he passed. "And no helping," he called as the door swung shut behind him.

Gohan looked down at his struggling Aunt. "Well he's the sensei. I'll see you guys at eight."

"Yeah, catch," Trunks answered absently as he watched Kat try to stand.

"Bastard," she muttered.

"He does his best."

"You're no better," she growled. "Help me up."

"Oh no. I don't want to get on the bastards bad side," he answered as he strolled over and lent against the doorframe.

Kat crawled along the floor after him. "I'm so going to get you back for this."

"Heard that before."

She reached up and hit the cut-off button beside the door. The gravity returned to normal and she stood glaring at him the whole time.

"I hope that this doesn't mean you won't come tonight."

Kat pushed open the door and stepped out onto the fresh grass of Capsule Corp.'s backyard before turning and smirking at him. "I'll be there."

"I don't like that look."

"You're not supposed to."

Trunks walked past her back towards the main building. "Guess I'll just stew then."

"You do that Old Man!" she called as she took to the sky.

He turned. "You'll be seventeen soon! Then we'll see who's old!"

"Thanks for reminding me!"

"You're welcome!" he yelled at her departing back.

*****

Music blared in the background before someone dimmed the lights. Trunks could see the shining eyes and the white teeth of those who were grinning at him.

"Happy Birthday to you…"

Twenty-one candles were blown out in one breath and everyone clapped. Trunks grinned as packages were passed down the table. Some of them beautifully wrapped, some not and one he knew that had come from his father.

Because it was polite, he read the cards before anything else but they mostly said the same thing. Only his fathers seemed strange, partly because some of it was written in Saiya-go; he'd have to get him to translate properly later. He turned it upside down; one word looked like it might be 'meadow'. Gohan's and Kat's card had been funny; the little poem they'd written at the bottom explaining the joint present due to lack of funding and a very irate bank manager.

He'd never had such a fun birthday.

He glanced over at Kat and returned her grin. She sat next to Gokou who had his arm around her and ChiChi. With the snow blowing around outside the window behind them they looked like a cosy family.

His mother had given him a new sword, it had a finer blade than the last but he accepted it gracefully. Though he didn't need it he still felt better with one. Gokou and ChiChi gave him a new gi, insisting that he should train properly instead of in his usual sweatshirt and track pants. Gohan and Kat presented him with various hair accessories. He scowled at them, trying hard to ignore Kat's smug look, which just screamed 'Gotcha!' and self-consciously pushed his shoulder length ponytail back over his shoulder. In the box were ribbons, bows and some lacy clips. The two laughed uproariously then handed him a yearlong ticket to the newly opened cinema in town.

But it was Vegeta's present that he liked the most.

Though the small parcel was one of the worst wrapped things Trunks had ever seen, the round, heavy object inside moved something in him that he didn't realise was there.

"The crest of the Royal Family of Vegeta-sei," Vegeta said in reply to his son's questioning look.

Trunks looked down at the round amulet. Though cumbersome, it was finely made and he could almost feel the weight of its years. Tousan had it all this time. Carefully he placed it back on the soft cloth in the box and folded the lid over the top. Vegeta nodded his approval before making an excuse to get away from the 'frivolous human festivities'.

Bright light flooded the room as someone turned the lights back on and the complaints came flooding in as everyone shielded their eyes from the sudden glare.

*****

"There's cake back there, you know."

Vegeta kept staring up at the night sky as Bulma came and stood beside him.

"That was a nice thing you did," she said, laying her hand on his arm. "I know you wanted to keep it."

"This is a special day for humans, correct?" he asked, his gazed still on the distant stars.

"In a way."

"I have missed many of them. I thought that the amulet would be appropriate." He looked down at his mate. "He doesn't like it."

Bulma thought her heart would break at the sad and confused look on his face. "He loves it. Since you walked out, he takes a peek at it whenever he thinks no-one is looking." She smiled and wrapped her arms about his waist. "But he's a little confused over the card." She giggled. "Everyone is. I saw Gokou trying to read it upside down."

A ghost of a smile relaxed his features. "Did he work out what it says?"

"I don't think so. He, Gohan and Kat are trying to now. They're pretty sure one word is 'meadow' and the rest of it has something to do with, 'stealing fruit from the water monster'." Bulma grinned up at him.

Vegeta's face had gone from, slightly happy, to very amused. "I think that the brats need to do some more study. Maybe I'll have to start setting homework."

"Homework? You?" Bulma snorted. "That'll be the day."

He pulled her closer and smirked. "Oh will it? We'll see what you have to say about that when I'm through with you, onna." He leaned down and kissed her softly.

Her arms tightened around his middle.

*****

Inside, four Saiya-jins sat nursing their cake-full stomachs. ChiChi looked disapprovingly at them as her husband waved weakly.

"Really. You're all old enough to know when to stop."

Trunks raised his arms, zombie-like in front of him. "Must eat food. More food." Gohan and Kat mimicked the gesture.

"Gohan! What would you lady friend say if she saw you acting like this?" ChiChi stood, hands on hips, glaring down at her son. Across the room two sets of ears picked up.

"Lady friend?" Kat repeated.

"One with a name?" Trunks asked, craning his neck to look at his former sensei.

Gohan had turned beet red. "Thank you very much kassan," he said as he tried to sink further into the plush armchair he was occupying.

ChiChi gave her son a quizzical look. "What? It's not a secret is it? She was a perfect lady when I saw the two of you at the supermarket."

"Bet it was a secret before that," Trunks said in a very loud stage whisper.

Gohan shot him an annoyed look. "She has more manners than you two at least."

ChiChi sat down next to Gokou. "Of course she has perfect manners. I'd expect it with her upbringing."

Trunks sat forward. "Oh? Who is she?"

ChiChi drew herself up proudly. "Her name is Videl. She's the daughter of Mr. Satan and a perfect lady. She was one of the few who put every effort into hiding the refugees from the city." ChiChi sighed happily. "I always knew my Gohan would marry well."

"Kassan!" Gohan cried. "Don't jump to conclusions!"

"Mr. Satan had a daughter?" Trunks asked. He shot a sideways look at Kat who raised an eyebrow in return. Were they talking about the same Mr. Satan that they knew?

"I hope she takes after her mother," Kat muttered.

Gohan shot her a look. "I wouldn't know who she takes after. Her parents are dead."

Kat had the decency to look ashamed, but only for a moment. She shrugged. "There's a lot of that here."

Gohan growled.

"Kat!" ChiChi admonished. "That's a terrible thing to say."

Kat stood and shrugged again. "Well, it's true isn't it?" she said and walked out of the room.

"Gloomy, isn't she?" Gokou said quietly from beside ChiChi.

"She's rude is what she is," ChiChi answered. "She's almost as bad as Vegeta."

Gokou slung an arm around his wife. "Come on ChiChi, Vegeta's not that bad. You just have to get to know him."

ChiChi snorted. "Gokou, the only way I'm going to 'get to know' that man is to become a muscle-bound gorilla like the rest of you."

He grinned. "Yeah, but you like this muscle bound gorilla. And I bet Videl doesn't think that way of Gohan."

"Leave me out of this!" Gohan cried as Trunks snickered. He buried his head in his hands. "I half wish I hadn't told you now."

"But I'm your mother!"

Trunks could see that this conversation was quickly going to deteriorate into a family squabble and quietly left the room. He grinned as he entered the kitchen and helped himself to another serving of birthday cake. Then he peeled off the last of the iced lettering; the H and A from happy and ate them too.

Sitting down, he propped an elbow on the table and pulled the amulet from his jacket pocket. He put it on the table in front of him and studied it in earnest.

For something that was originally designed as a neck ornament, it was fairly large, almost the exact size of his palm. The base setting appeared white, but it was some alloy that Trunks had never seen and was buffed so much it shone. Inlaid in it were flakes of dark blue sapphire, all the same size and set in a perfect circle around the centrepiece. The shiny surface of the orange-red ruby reflected his face as he gazed down into it.

A few months ago, from the little he knew of his father's people, he would never have thought that they could make anything as fine as the amulet in front of him. He would have said that they plundered it from some planet that they had purged. Now he knew better. He knew that they had their own scientists and their own designers. That brute strength was not the only trait that ran in their blood. Of course those with other talents were few and far between compared to the amount of gifted fighters but they still existed. No society could get along on brute strength alone, not even if they did have slaves to do it for them.

"Look at the girl," Vegeta had said, gesturing at Kat. "Her brains didn't come from reading too much. Her father was one of our top scientists. He may have been the only one but he was good." He narrowed his eyes at his son. "And you certainly didn't get all of your brains from your mother."

Trunks picked up the amulet and put it back in his pocket, deciding that he shouldn't be hiding away in the kitchen on his birthday. He cut two more pieces of cake and left the room grinning.

*****

Trunks found her in one of the upstairs lounge rooms sitting at the window in the dark. "Not one for parties then?" he asked, sitting down beside her on the window seat and handing her a piece of cake.

"Not one for birthdays," she answered as she turned away from staring up at the night sky to accept the proffered plate.

"Oh?" He lent back against the window frame. "Why not?" he took a bite of his own.

"Being the adopted daughter of a mythical being didn't have much leeway on things like inviting people over or having an income to pay for things." Kat sighed and lent her head against the window. "I loved the old guy but he made being a kid kinda hard." She smiled. "That must sound pathetic to you."

He shrugged. "There are different kinds of hard," he said around a mouthful of cake.

"You know, sometimes I wish that he had just let someone else find me. You know, so I could've been normal. Maybe met Gokou and Bulma earlier. We could've trained together and I bet Bulma was cool when she was younger. I could've met Radditz and helped out the others on Namek-sei."

"You consider that normal?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't you?" she shot back.

He shrugged again. "If all that had happened you would have been twice my age when we met."

She looked at him sideways. "I wouldn't have been. Not quite." She turned to face him, her eyes glinting in the darkness. "What would it matter anyway? We still would have been friends."

For the first time that night Trunks' heart plummeted and this time it was he who turned away to gaze out the window. Friends. Is that all she sees me as? A Friend? "Yeah, you're right," he answered softly. "A difference in age would never stop us from getting along." He hoped she got the hint.

She was grinning at him. He could see it in the reflection in the window. His heart lifted a little. "I knew I could count on you," she said, clapping him on the shoulder before getting up and wandering over to an armchair. "Anyway, I was wondering…well…uh," she paused. "Ya see, I sorta promised Gohan I'd help out at the dojo on Saturday," she scratched the back of her head, "and I was hoping you could cover for me."

"Sure, I'm not busy." Trunks didn't turn from the window but watched her reflection carefully. "Mind if I ask why?"

Her eyes went to the floor. "Uh…well, this guy sorta asked me out."

Trunks had to fight himself not to react and he was extremely grateful that he faced away from her. "Oh," he said, his voice sounding strained. He paused for a while before he answered. "Well, I hope you have good time."

An awkward silence fell between them.

"I should really get back now," Trunks said as he stood and left abruptly.

Kat stood in the dark room and stared mournfully at the door as it swung shut behind him. Baka, she thought softly. Is that all you have to say?

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