Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Fall Of The Lost ❯ Corporate Duties ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter Two: Corporate Duties.

~ It is vain to say human beings might be satisfied with tranquility; they must have action, and they will make it if they can not find it.~ Charlotte Brontë.

It had been six months and I was tired. I yearned for sleep that lasted longer than 8 hours and had me waking late in the morning. I longed to wake to the sent of honey toast long since eaten. I longed to wake with the sun high in the sky.

My school year had just finished, and so had my school education. I turned 18 two weeks ago.. It was rather uneventful compared to past parties. It lacked the great social gathering that my mother loved to organise.

Goten gave me a present with a green bow and a large grin. When I had taken off the second-hand wrapping I found to my delight a small hand carved wooden katana. It rested on a tiny wooden stand and had been vanished dark. I loved it, Goten said he had made it him self. This was something I instantly believed as Son Goten had a great talent in woodcarving. It had my name in Chinese symbols engraved on the handle and painted over in gold leaf. I was the most wonderful present I think I have ever been given. We had a small party of two where we got drunk and watched Bruce Lee movies. It was great to wind down from the double load I had been balancing between schoolwork and Capsule Corp business. Looking after a small child had been also as hard but thankfully Grandfather and Grandmother were a great help in handling Bra.

After the party, Goten visited almost every day. With most of his family gone with mother he split his time between me, Chichi, Videl and Pan. Goten was talking to me about going to live with Videl to help out with Pan. Gohan had originally been reluctant to go with Goku and mother but Videl said it would be alright. Chichi was all on her own again and often took the roll of poor-abandoned-house-wife over the phone, complaining in my ear until I sent her $200 just to get her going.

On this morning I lay in bed. I ignored the phone that rang several times as I lay staring at the ceiling. My arms draped lightly over the soft blue duvet on my chest. My red silk boxers were a blissful comfort. I rolled to my side and half buried my face into the cotton pillowcase. I watched the light move like waves of water across the ceiling. It had filtered an escape through the top of my cream curtains. The room had that lovely shady golden darkness of morning. I was too warm and light-headed to move. I sighed happily and wished I could just lay here like this every morning. It was Saturday. I should be at Capsule Corp. I had a meeting.. I checked the bedside clock.. an hour ago. I knew they had been ringing me. Screw them. I was tired and I needed rest and relaxation. I crossed my arms behind my head with a smile. Trunks Briefs, the great and powerful.. I laughed out loud at my arrogant inner thoughts.. always needed his rest and relaxation. I smiled again. Ah.. The lovely morning.. Oh what terrors would this new day bring..

I smirked and went back to sleep.

~*~

"Mr Briefs, we put this simply. We can not come to formal arrangements for anything, if you are not there to head them!" said Matthew Hickman. I looked out the tinted window. I smiled at the sparrow that hopped along the aluminium frame. "This is a serious matter Mr Briefs, as stand-in President and being a young man we understand the weaker flaws in your abilities, to tell you the truth, the rest of us Board members seriously questioned Bulma's wisdom in letting you stand-in.." I frowned slightly. What was that about 'weakness'? I felt a stubborn niggle at the back of my head. If only I was more like my father.. then these snobbish dough heads could go back to their conniving ways. I tensed with anger, how dare they try to wrestle the power of Capsule Corps from me! It was MY families business! I was the President at the moment, not these two-faced idiots!

"Mr Briefs, the current situation between us and our rival company, The Receptacle Inc. is bad and getting worst by the moment! The stocks are down lower than they have in five years and we hear that President Weis is coming out with something new and revolutionary." Mr Hickman dabbed lightly at his brow with a towelette.

The man was nervous, I could see that clearly as I slowly lowered my bored gaze back to him. I was still slightly burnt about his remark of weakness. I knew these men were working hard. Every day they were the first in, last out; working constantly in marketing divisions I had barely peaked my head into. But I had been working like that as well. No matter what they said, I had needed that rest, despite missing this morning's meeting. I clenched my teeth, they had no right to treat me like a child!

Slowly I stood and rested my hands on the polished wood table in front of me. I looked around at all five of them. Matthew was the Board Manager. He was the one who spoke for the Board. I didn't like him, he didn't like me; it was a mutual bond. Even though he was good at his job, for him to be so worked up like this I knew that the situation was serious. I did not want mother to come back to a floundering Capsule Corp. I needed to prove my self.

This was the perfect situation. "Goethe said 'You must be the anvil or the hammer.' We will NOT suffer for being the anvil, gentlemen. We are Capsule Corp, a multi-billion dollar corporation! We have always been the hammer! And we will not hand that power over lightly! President Weis of the Receptacle Inc. is throwing a bluff." I knew this to be true, I could feel it in my gut. Weis always was a bloody liar. And I heard he cheated at cards.

"He has nothing new! But we on the other hand can sink him. I know you have been working on something, gentlemen. I read in a report that you have been researching into holographic display and communications in the power of light? Manipulating light or such. I'm not the scientist. To tell the truth I can barely understand that mumbo-jumbo you write your reports in. But you see that's not the point." I looked around at them. They all looked rather stunned at my outburst. "Carpe diem, gentlemen. Seize the day, we must before Weis works this stuff out before we do! I will not have Capsule Corps fall before that man." I growled, and thumped my fist on to the table, rocking coffee mugs on their coasters.

I was a Prince, I could feel it in me, that ability to rule. But instead of ruling people I would rule this company like my mother wanted me to. I would make both of my parents proud in my own way.

I knew they were impressed with my little speech. Perhaps I had even won some respect from them. Thinking over what I had said, they departed. I stayed where I was, standing in front of the long table. My eyes unfocused with thought.

~*~

"Trunks!" Came the high pitched little voice. Bra came running up to me with a big smile with her rosy cheeks. "Look what Pan gave me!" She jumped up and down holding an origami butterfly made from pink and yellow paper. The other little dark haired girl raced over and covered her mouth as she giggled.

"Bra likes my butterfly see!" laughed the little Son angel. I grinned down at both of them before they ran off to play with some balloons tied to a door handle. The other little children gathered about them, vying for balloons. Videl walked over to me with a disarming smile.

"Hello Trunks, this is a lovely party you've put on for Bra." I smiled back at Gohan's wife and nodded my head slightly. I didn't really like Videl much, she had a habit of sticking her nose into business which was none of her concern. Other than that she seemed nice enough. I was tolerant of her on the whole. She was after all a friend of mother's and Gohan's wife. Also Pan and Bra got along like me and Goten did.

"Yeah, I thought it would be good to get her mind away from mum and dads absence." I shrugged and crossed my arms as though the thought was far from my mind and only a passing comment. Never the less I still saw her frown as she remembered her own missing husband. Gohan had of course left to help mum find Vegeta.

Videl rubbed her bottom lip with a thumb. "Do you think they will be long away? It has been about 9 months now." I sighed slightly at this.

"I'm sure they won't be far. Knowing mum like I do, she'll be back right on time. They'll be back in about three months like she said." I smiled reassuringly and asked if she wanted a flute of wine. Videl liked bubble white wine.

Goten bounded over to me and mussed my hair. "Ach! Watch it man, I only just managed to smooth those annoying fly-aways this morning." I laughed as I ran my left hand back through my short purple hair.

"So what's up with Capsule Corp, I heard you were having some problems." Goten asked with his usual wide-eyed innocence. Videl nodded to me and walked back over to where Chichi and some of the other mothers were discussing politics.

I nodded with a frown. "Yeah, there's just this jack ass which thinks I'm a slacker because I decided to sleep in last Saturday. I may remind you that was the first time I've done any thing of the sort since mum made me stand- in President." I rolled my eyes and stuffed my hands in my tan moleskin pants.

"Ah, I bet I know what jack ass that is." Muttered Goten as he leaned back against the wall behind us. "Hickey Hickman right?" He smirked.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah sure.. hickey.. you know I heard he's going through some relationship problems. I doubt he'd be getting any hickeys from his wife." I leaned my head against the hard board.

Goten gave a short laugh. "Of course not. That's why he has that little bit on the side." He smirked darkly with a tad of disgust.

I opened my eyes. "He's cheating on his wife?!" I said incredulously. This was interesting. So Mr Hickman was not so perfect after all.

"Yeah and guess who with.." spat Goten. " 'President' Weis's daughter." I stared at Goten in disbelief. Weis's daughter was none other than Paris, Goten's girlfriend. I frowned, he must be messed up over that, I thought.

"Damn, Goten I'm sorry." Goten just shook his head with a sigh.

"Ah, its okay Trunks. I should have listened when you said that any 'Weis' is a waste of time." My frown deepened at this. Every one new Goten had been in love with Paris Weis. When I had told him that he had decked me for it, and I understood why. It had been rude of me to say that about Paris. I didn't really know what to say to him now so I just listened and supported him through it like a good friend should.

The party was good for him, Goten had always been a social person and being around others that he knew helped. It was Bra's 6th birthday. I had managed to get today off work so I could have it with her. She had all her friends from pre-school and their parents and the event was calm and happy. Bra was only upset in the morning when mum and dad weren't there for her.

Goten grummbled to him self a few more times before he smiled and sighed. "Well, it's not like I can really do any thing about it now right?" he wiggled his shoulders before giving me a frown. "Hey, you don't think having Hickman dating the daughter of you rival company's President is any thing to worry about do you?" he asked bitterly.

I looked up at him in surprise. Something just clicked. "Do you know how long Paris has been going out with Hickman?" I stood up and looked at him seriously. Goten's eyes widdened.

"Well, I think about a month at least." He shrugged. I looked away to the carpet, bitting my lip in thought.

"Well.. it looks like I may have a rat."

~*~

I looked through the company records over the past month and then I found it. Missing reports, cases of stolen blueprints, which had never been told to me, and over a million dollars in sales stolen. Why did I not know of this?! The answer was Hickman had not told me, because Hickman was the thief. I stood over my desk, the papers pointing to his guilt. I fumed. I was angry like I had never been before. I grounded my teeth together and a long angry hiss passed between my lips. When my mother found out about this she would never leave me in charge again. I would look like a fool and a child in the eyes of my father. How DARE Hickman steal from my family! He was a trusted employee and friend of my mothers! How COULD he!

I seethed inside. Rage boiling within me. The air about me sparked and crackled. That spineless fucking asshole!

I stormed out of the room, passing Goten in the hall. He took one look at me and tackled me from behind. "What are you doing?!" He picked me up and shoved me into the wall. "You can't go after him now! Not when you're this angry! You're likely to kill him in this state. I know he hurt you're great pride Trunks but you have to cool it and relax." I glared at him for a full half minute before I was calm enough for words.

"Do you know what he's done?!" I hissed and pushed Goten back. "Come with me, I'll show you!" I grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back into my office to the desk. I gestured at all the papers. "This is proof of his guilt!" I looked up at Goten who looked over the papers with wide eyes. "He's been stealing money, blueprints and reports and giving them to that prick Weis!" I waved my arms at the window.

Goten was silent as he read the papers one after the other, his frown creasing his forehead. "Hmm." He scratched his cheek. "I see.."

I growled and booted the trash bin into the wall with a loud clang. "He's been doing it for about two months! Two months of an advantage Weis has over Capsule Corp!" Goten looked up at me seriously.

"You have to do some thing about this quickly.." he said so quietly it was almost a whisper.

I looked up at him. There was something hard and glass-like in his dark eyes. I would do something quickly alright.

~*~

I stood on the grass lawn. Yellow and orange light flickered over me and I smiled. The fire was beautiful. Especially at night. I had waited a week, until Hickman's wife and family went away for a holiday in Fiji. It had been a gift from me to Hickman for a job well done. Hickman had been unable to go because of 'work'. I made sure of that.

I don't know why I did what I did. I was like a compulsion I had never felt before now. Something born from stress and despair. My life had once been so carefree. Now, it seemed unnatural to work every day in the same room always. Always the same. Something inside of me had screamed for release from the constant boredom and build up of energies. I was not meant to sit seemingly idly behind a desk every day for hours looking over papers. I was meant to be out in the wilderness, out having fun with Goten, living a simple happy life. I was meant to have a family that was there to help me in my times of trouble, and I was meant to be there for them when they were in trouble. And I was. I was here managing my mother's business. I was here helping Goten through his break up. I was here to help Bra. It was like I was an orphan. Sometimes in the night I would wake up and believe my parents to be dead and it would just be me and Bra, all alone in the world. The house was so quiet at night. So deadly quiet. No breath. No sound. No nothing.

Some times I would sit in my office and there would be that same silence. Like nothing but I was alive in the world. It was times like that I wondered why I was even here. Why was I in this plain dull office? For my mother, I would remind my self. And for Bra.

For all of us. So we could live a full life, happy and safe. But I wasn't happy. And my life was boring me and a great tension was building up inside. Then when Hickman had betrayed my family, it was like a way out.

So I stood there on the lawn. The grass was cool beneath my bare feet. I was going to have to leave soon before some one saw me. I liked he flames. They reminded me of battles in the past. I missed those. There were no more threats in the world. So there was no need for those great heroic battles like when I was a boy. Buu was long gone. Every thing was at peace.

The fire was raging now. Eating away at the white wooden walls of the house. The palm trees out side the windows were being scorched and blown about by the rising heat. I saw a shadow thumping its fists against the blacked out windows. I imagined he would be getting carbon all over his hands.

I knew he could see me. In his last moments he would know his treachery had not gone unnoticed. It was too late for him now. I imagined it would be hard to breathe in there. The fire would be sucking up all the oxygen and the smoke would be making his head feel heavy. He would be coughing.

I smiled at him and gave a small wave. I was angry still. But later.. later I knew I would be feeling different.

I saw flashing lights in the distance and I rose into the air and flew as fast as I could up through the clouds and out into the pure night.

~*~

I threw up in the toilet with gusto then I knelt in front of the porcelain throne with reverence. I felt sick to my stomach with what I had done. How could I have killed him! I was disgusted. I threw up again and then dry reached. Goten was looking at me with quick frightened glances. "Holy shit Trunks!" He gasped. He brought his hands up to raked them through his ebony hair. "How did you do that?! How could you actually kill some one like that!" he was shaking. I could see his sweat. I was frightened too. The feelings inside me made me reach again. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and then stumbled into the bathroom to wash my face. Goten flushed the toilet for me.

"I don't know Goten.." I shook my head. I had the beginnings of a bad headache. "I don't know why I did it.." I turned about to face him, my face was pale and haggard. "It just seemed to me at the time, blinded by rage that I was, it seemed the only plausible way of dealing with him." How could I explain that at the time, his death was the only thing that came to me.

It was like some alien distant part of me had reached up out of the void in my mind and said, 'Death to the traitor.'

I whispered those words out loud and Goten looked at me in horror. "So that's what you were thinking! You.. you were thinking like.. like.." he shook his head and blinked at me. I knew what he was going to say. I was thinking like a Saiyan. And that didn't mean a Saiyan like my father or like his father, but a Saiyan like Raditz. One that hadn't been softened by Earth. I had been told of the story of Raditz. How he had stolen Gohan and said Goku was a traitor to his kind and should die for it. It was one of the simpler stories of the past before me and Goten were born. Cell and Frieza had been much worse. But when I had heard that story about Raditz, it had struck a cord in me.

It was impossible. What I had done had been wrong. No one must ever find out. "No one must know Goten!" I whispered harshly.

Goten looked at me with his large dark innocent eyes and slowly nodded his head. "No one must know Trunks." He repeated and sighed, turning his face to look at his feet.

~**~

TBC..