Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ When It Rains ❯ When It Rains 04 ( Chapter 4 )

No warnings to speak of but any anime characters referenced in this story belong to their respective owner…not me. This hasn't been beta'd, so forgive any grammar or spelling mistakes.

When it Rains

By: Kaineko

Chapter 04

As the morning dawned, it brought with it the warming rays of the sun, chasing away the chill of the air conditioner and casting the room in a salient synthesis of shadow and light. The Ouji yawned and stretched his slumber stiffened muscles. It had been ages since he awoke to the rays of the earth's sun, normally opting to already be up and dressed to train way before it began to rise. The wee hours of the morning were always his most productive time. No onna to constantly nag the hell out of him, no kids to demand his time, no idiotic ningens to be in the way…just him and his training. He could get twice as much accomplished before dawn than throughout the rest of the day simply because there were no interruptions.

Pushing the cover off his body, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up stretching even more. He padded noiselessly across the warm carpet to the balcony curtains and opened them fully, allowing the suns rays to flow more unimpeded into the room. For several minutes he simply basked, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of the warmth caressing his skin, before turning away and walking to his dresser for his training clothes. Afterward, he made his way downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast. Bulma was sitting at the table, reading the paper and drinking that disgusting coffee, her off-key humming wreaking havoc on his sensitive ears. She looked up as he descended the stairs, thankfully stopping the horrific noise.

"Where's my breakfast onna?" He growled out, his voice still thick from sleep.

"Well good morning to you too." She said in exaggerated cheerfulness, rolling her eyes.

"Onna!" He growled warningly, her sarcastic pleasantries too much for him to stomach.

Bulma sighed and looked up over the edge of her paper. "You'll have to make your own Vegeta. I didn't know you were still up there since you're usually already training by this time."

"Well now you know so fix me something."

Bulma smirked at him. "No can do. I'm going to work. Someone's gotta make enough money to feed all you ravenous Saiyans." She said folding the paper in half and standing from the table.

"Fine onna." He grumbled walking to the fridge and rummaging through it. He wasn't even in the mood to argue with her.

"Oh I forgot to ask you last night…how's Goku doing?"

Vegeta froze at the mention of the other warrior's name, and then smirked. He toyed with the idea of telling her what had really caused Kakarrot to become sick, but decided against it. He'd given his word to the baka that he wouldn't say anything and he wouldn't break it. "I told you he'd be fine once he puked his guts out. Afterward he went home to rest."

Bulma breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried about him but she'd only seen Vegeta briefly when she came home last night. She hadn't called the Son house herself because it was pretty late when she got home and she didn't want to disturb them.

"That's good to hear." She said placing her dishes in the sink. "Well I'm leaving now. See you later." She called over her shoulder as she walked out the back door.

Vegeta half-acknowledged her departure as he continued to rummage through the fridge, pulling out various breakfast meats, eggs, vegetables, and juice. He quickly whipped up a huge breakfast that he was sure would taste better than anything the onna could have fixed anyway, and sat down to eat. He ate quickly wanting to be finished before Kakarrot showed up for their daily spar wishing he'd at least had a chance to warm up this morning. Unfortunately his meditation had been too deep and he'd missed his internal alarm clock as a result. But as least he'd succeeded in banishing last night's disruptive thoughts from his head and all he was focused on now was engaging in another exhilarating spar with the earth-raised warrior.

***

When Bulma walked into her office she was greeted by the refreshing smell of fresh-brewed coffee and warmed breakfast pastries. Ian was already sitting at his desk reading through a thick folder of Capsule Corp's standard operating procedures.

"Good morning." He said through a smile.

"Uh…morning Ian. You're a little early aren't you?"

"I wanted to get a good start on learning my new responsibilities."

"Well it looks like you have."

Ian stood up and walked around his desk. "Would you like some coffee?"

"Yes, that would be great. Two sugars…"

"…and no cream." He finished for her. She smiled and nodded, watching as he made the coffee.

Bulma took a sip of the drink before she began speaking. "Instead of reading those boring manuals, why don't I just tell you what needs to be done, and you do it the way you think is most effective." She said watching as he nodded in agreement.

"Your main priorities will be to organize my schedule, re-order supplies, and file away that gigantic stack of reports." She said pointing to a towering pile of manila folders on the corner of the desk. There was actually a lot more that needed to be done, but she knew that what she'd just told him would probably take the better part of several days. There was no way he could catch up a backlog several months old.

"I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, but we provide you with a company capsule car. Someone from accounting will bring it up this morning, along with your credit card for company purchases."

"Great. I'll get started on these things right away."

"If you need anything just call." She said walking into the adjoining room and closing the door between them.

***

Chichi was up bright and early as usual standing on the balcony of her new home sipping herbal tea. She'd planned quite a full day, so she was taking a moment to relax before getting started. Her new home was an exclusive lake front condo on the outskirts of East District. It was small, but luxurious, and it had an excellent view of the lake. She could sit on her balcony and watch the sailboats, jet skis, and canoes go by for hours. It was a truly magnificent and relaxing sight that she would surely make good use of.

The cool air from the lake breezed through her thin bathrobe and stroked her skin. It helped relax her muscles, weary from a night spent on a rough capsule bed. She still didn't have much furniture, but she would rectify that situation this morning with a shopping trip. She'd only had a chance to go grocery shopping the day before, and the task wasn't nearly as harrowing for one normal person as it had been for a full-blooded Saiyan. The food would last her for two weeks instead of just two days.

Finishing off her tea, she walked into the kitchen and prepared herself a small breakfast. It was remarkable how she could switch from Saiyan cooking mode to normal cooking mode so easily. She started thinking of her estranged husband…cooking always made her think of him. She was no less pissed at him now than she had been; being that she was a master at holding a grudge. But the thought of what he'd do for food without her did cross her mind. Shaking her head to banish the thought, she reminded herself that Goku needed to learn responsibility. He'd just have to fend for himself from now on.

Chichi finished up her meal then left the room to get dressed. Afterward she left the condo to begin her day.

***

Goku bolted up fighting the confining tangle of his sheets and panting heavily with sweat pouring off his brow. Looking down at his shaking hands he mumbled, "What's wrong with me?" He brought his trembling hand up to his face and wiped the sweat off his temple before it dripped into his eyes. "This is getting ridiculous."

He'd been awakened several times throughout the night by nightmares that he couldn't seem to remember. Each time it had become increasingly difficult to return to slumber. The details of the dream were always a jumbled blur, but whatever it was scared the hell out of him. He couldn't remember any other time in his life where he felt such startling terror that he could almost taste it in the air around him. He was strong…a warrior…nearly indestructible. At least that's what he had to keep repeating in his head every time he'd wake.

What seemed like an eternity passed as he sat there just trying to calm his erratic emotions. When his breathing returned to semi-normal, he got up out of the bed and left the room, stripping as he walked down the narrow hallway to the bathroom. Hot water and lots of it was what he needed to cleanse his sweat soaked body and help relieve his anxiety.

He turned the shower on full-force and stepped under the hot sprays, thankful for its therapeutic qualities. It only took a few moments before the steady rhythm of the water pattering against his skin and the steamy warmth that enveloped him had eased him into a less apprehensive and more pensive mood. What could be causing these strange feelings? Was it anxiety over Chichi's departure or was it something else? Chichi had meant a lot to him, and it certainly hurt him to think that he no longer meant the same to her. But was that really the culprit behind his abnormal sleep interruptions. He wasn't entirely convinced that she could be blamed, but the thought of something else being the source scared him more than he cared to admit. It wasn't just the fact that he was experiencing fear, regardless of how unfounded it seemed. The real problem was that it somehow felt familiar…almost remembered.

Goku stood under the water, slowly and methodically lathering his body, only performing the task by rote because his mind was elsewhere. It was the stress, he reasoned; the sudden change in his life that he had no control over. The feeling of helplessness. That was the only logical explanation. He'd always felt that he could conquer the unconquerable; destroy the indestructible surmount he insurmountable. If ever faced with a challenge he would always overcome, and he'd never doubted that before. It just seemed like one of those irrefutable facts of nature. But now…in this situation he couldn't remain so optimistic. She'd always done everything for him…taken care of all the little details of life that he'd never had neither the time nor the desire to do. The fact that he didn't have the first clue of how to run a household wasn't lost on him either. He'd have to figure out what he'd do without her in his life…how he'd take care of those finer points by himself.

Even as that thought crossed his mind, the obvious answer presented itself as well. He'd just have to deal with this like he dealt with every other situation in his life. He had no other choice. Simply dive in headfirst and allow his instincts and emotions to guide him. He was destined to come out on top. He always had in the past.

***

Not too much later Goku left the house dressed in his usual orange gi. He hadn't even bothered to stop by the kitchen…there was no food there. It looked liked he'd be fishing for his breakfast this morning instead. It wasn't too bad a prospect…fish, after all, was one of his favorite foods. He landed on the banks of one of his favorite fishing spots immediately stripping down to his black boxer-briefs and diving into the icy water. A few minutes later he surfaced with several humongous fish in tow. After starting a fire on the shore he cleaned and gutted his catch, impaling it on a stick to be roasted. He was famished and intent on enjoying at least one decent meal today. Too bad he didn't have a rice cooker too.

***

Less than an hour and a pile of fish bones later, Goku's stomach was finally sated. He sat with his back to a large boulder that he'd moved closer to the banks for a seat. He'd been too preoccupied to notice before how extraordinarily beautiful the valley was today. The area was quiet except for the sounds of the birds chirping and the babble of the stream flowing through. Squirrels darted back and forth from tree to tree in their daily routine and an occasional butterfly would flitter by to perch on one of the many wildflowers littering the area. It was all too sickeningly cheerful for Goku's melancholy mind to handle. His mood was somber and the absence of other people made him feel utterly alone. Throughout his meal he'd succeeded in keeping his resolve to banish any negative thoughts from his mind...he'd been too busy eating to think of anything else. But now that he was wholly unoccupied once again, he couldn't help but allow his mind to stray back to Chichi.

Pessimism wasn't his forte, but no matter how he tried to remain positive, or even neutral, he just couldn't. Perhaps it was that his environment, though beautiful and cheerful only served to mock him by demonstrating how bitterly miserable and dreadful his life had become in contrast. Overwhelmed with his emotions, he stood abruptly and extinguished the fire, before blasting into the sky and away from the bitter solitude and loneliness.

***

Vegeta had long since finished his breakfast and was now waiting on Kakarrot. The dull cadenced thumping of his fingers on the wooden table was the only outward sign of his impatience. He wasn't normally one to just sit around and wait, but he didn't want to start a session in the gravity simulator, just to have it interrupted before he could really get started. Glancing up to the wall, the kitchen clock indicated what Vegeta already knew…that it was getting really late in the morning and Kakarrot should have been there by now. Maybe he really was still sick after all. Some unknown force compelled Vegeta to extend his senses and check the other warrior's ki. Expecting to find it in the mountains he was surprised instead to find it much closer. Was he supposed to meet Kakarrot? He didn't think so…but maybe he'd forgotten.

He left the house, flying at full speed toward the familiar energy signal. He flew camouflaged by the clouds, following the signature path farther outside the city and into a nearby suburban area. Minutes later he came to a stop, hovering above a playground on a quiet neighborhood street almost completely devoid of any people. A tall building that Vegeta guessed was some type of school stood within close proximity. Immediately he noticed Kakarrot sitting Indian-style on the thick branch of a tree, overhanging the playground equipment. The younger man was seemingly in a meditative trance and obviously oblivious to the Ouji's presence. Vegeta landed quietly on the ground under the tree, annoyed by not being noticed, and flared his ki to an un-ignorable level.

Goku opened his eyes and looked down toward the Ouji, staring blankly for a moment before his eyes focused. Some strange look seemed to briefly flicker in the younger man's eyes, but Vegeta couldn't quite place it.

"What are you doing here?" The prince questioned as he levitated up to stand on the top of the slide.

When Goku had become overwhelmed with the desolation he felt in the valley, he'd decided to go to a place where it wasn't so lonely. There weren't a lot of people around, except for the school full of kids nearby and a few people passing on the quiet side street, but he'd come here for the energetic spirit that surrounded a place where children played. He could just sit and imagine them frolicking around carefree; full of vigorous youth and untainted curiosity. He wondered if he'd been like that as a child but he really couldn't remember much before Bulma had come into his life.

"Uh…well I just came here to think."

"Think? With what?" Vegeta said in a mocking way, slightly pissed that Kakarrot would intentionally skip out on their agreed-upon spar to sit around and do nothing.

Goku frowned, not in the frame of mind to handle Vegeta's cynical remarks. Something clicked inside him and he snapped. "Did you come here just to hurl insults at me, or did you actually have something useful to say for once?"

Vegeta's expression changed from mocking to barely concealed shock. It had been ages since Kakarrot took offense to his sarcasm and he couldn't remember a time when the man had ever actually snapped at him. It was obvious that something was bothering him.

"What I want is to finish pounding you into the ground."

Goku's anger fizzled just as quickly as it had ignited. He knew that he'd probably taken Vegeta's comments too seriously, and it wasn't like him to be short-tempered. It was just that Chichi's less than kind words and her unexpected departure had left him feeling emotionally raw and vulnerable. He was just trying to stop the pain and protect his feelings from any further injury.

Goku looked away and sighed; his shoulders slumped and head down. He wasn't really in the mood for a spar. That much was apparent to the Ouji by his less than enthusiastic response to the proposal of a good fight. Vegeta realized that he was looking at a side of the man he'd never seen before. Kakarrot looked defeated. He'd never seen the man look so…depressed before. Not even at the prospect of defeat in battle. Kakarrot was eternally optimistic. Vegeta's heart clenched painfully in his chest at the sight and he struggled to fight down his emotions.

"What the hell is your problem Kakarrot?"

Goku contemplated just telling the Ouji what had happened. But would Vegeta call him weak for allowing his emotions to defeat him? It went against all logic, but Goku didn't think he'd be so callous. Since they'd met, Vegeta had been verbally abusive and abrasive, but Goku knew that deep down inside the prince didn't mean half the things he said. He may have at once, but Goku would like to believe that their relationship had changed over the years and they'd become allies now…maybe even friends. Vegeta had always been the only person to understand him. Usually better than he understood himself. He'd often helped Goku reconcile his instinctual Saiyanity with his psychological Humanity. Something that no one else had been able to do. It's a wonder he hadn't gone crazy over the years with the two contrasting ideologies fighting within him for dominance.

He nodded to himself in silent reassurance that he should tell the prince what was going on…Vegeta would understand. And he didn't really see a point in keeping it a secret, considering it wouldn't stay that way for long anyway. Besides, he didn't want the prince to think that he didn't want him around. In actuality he was glad his prince had come...demeaning remarks and all. At least he didn't feel so lonely anymore.

Goku glanced up at Vegeta, but still didn't look him in the eye. "Chichi left me yesterday." He said...voice thick with barely suppressed emotion. He paused for a moment, waiting for the snide remark. The silence that greeted him instead encouraged him to continue. "She said I put my love of fighting before her and that I'd never given her what she needed..." He trailed off almost inaudibly, the solemn tears of regret threatening to spill forth at his revelation. He staved them off, refusing to cry in front of Vegeta.

The prince wasn't fooled by Goku's front. He could see the pain and unshed tears just as clearly as he could see the daylight. He felt a slight pang of remorse that he'd been so insensitive before. Though he didn't know when he'd become sensitive in the first place. Pushing the thought from his mind, he instead focused on Kakarrot's declaration. So the onna had finally had enough and left. Vegeta wasn't at all surprised. They never did seem right together. Even though he was empathetic to Kakarrot's quandary, he couldn't say he was sad to see the crazy bitch go. The woman was the screechiest harridan he'd come across in a long time. Even his onna…well technically not his anymore, but even Bulma wasn't as difficult to put up with as Chichi. On more than one occasion he had to invoke all of his willpower to refrain from striking her down, knowing Kakarrot would be devastated by his mate's death. Wait…mate. The word struck in his mind and bounced around like an echo in an empty room. Suddenly something about this situation seemed odd. Vegeta wracked his memories of Saiyan mating customs, trying to remember all the details. If the screech had truly been Kakarrot's mate, she never could have left him. At least not unless Kakarrot had allowed it.

So if that were the case…"Why did you allow her to leave?"

Goku furrowed his brow in confusion. Was the prince suggesting that he should have physically detained her to keep her from leaving? 'No, he knows I'd never do that. Perhaps he also believes that I'm a failure because I couldn't persuade her to stay?' His face blanched. The thought of Vegeta seeing him as a failure made him feel worse than he thought possible.

"I tried to convince her to stay…tried to persuade her to work through things, but…she'd made up her mind already." He said dropping his head in shame. "…and there wasn't anything I could say to change it."

That statement confirmed Vegeta's suspicions. He knew for a fact that Saiyans couldn't completely bond with any other species. It's inherent to their physiology…to insure survival of the race in it purest form. They can, however, form a partial bond with a non-Saiyan. And if the other is of a weaker mind, as humans are, the Saiyan retains a type of mental dominance. Such a bond can be completely severed at the Saiyan's inclination...but the submissive would never be able to leave the dominant of their own freewill. Obviously this wasn't the nature of Kakarrot's relationship with the onna.

"Let me tell you something about Saiyan mating rituals…the way Saiyans bond. Do you know anything about it?"

He shook his head negatively.

Vegeta figured as much. He tried to think of the easiest way to explain such a complicated subject. "While you were with Chichi, did you ever experience her mind?"

Goku frowned, confused by the concept of experiencing someone's mind. "You mean like telepathy?"

"No, not quite…I mean have you ever experienced a profound understanding of her psyche…an insight into her thoughts, emotions, motivations, and desires that went far beyond the scope of understanding you've had for anything else…except perhaps your own thoughts, emotions, motivations and desires?"

Goku didn't even have to think about it. He knew he'd never shared anything like that with Chichi. "Well…no. I never could understand where most of her thoughts were coming from. I often wished I could so that I could better understand her. Why do you ask?"

"When two Saiyans mate they form a mental link with one another…a bond. They can feel each other's pain, emotions, and sometimes thoughts. Their lives become intertwined and one cannot survive without the other. It can only be broken by mutual agreement, meaning that both parties must agree to the split, otherwise it's impossible. Even if it is broken, there will always remain some type of residual connection between the two."

Goku contemplated the information Vegeta was giving him. It was probably one of the most ridiculous sounding things he'd ever heard, but then again he had once thought aliens were a ridiculous concept…until he found out that he was one.

"But Chichi is human. I don't think humans are capable of things like that. I mean I've heard of psychics, but they're the exception, not the rule."

"You didn't let me finish." Vegeta growled a bit annoyed. "Something relatively similar can be formed between a Saiyan and a non-Saiyan, but the strength of such a bond is only a shadow in comparison with the bond between two full-blooded Saiyans. It's true that relatively few humans know how to control their mental capabilities, but then again, it's not really necessary. If a Saiyan chooses to bond with a non-Saiyan, and that other person is of a species with inferior extrasensory capabilities, the Saiyan automatically becomes mentally dominant. The bond that is formed, however, remains partial and one-sided. And though humans may not be able to reciprocate the bond, the superior mental capability of the Saiyan is more than enough to influence the weaker mind. If you'd had that bond with her, then she wouldn't have been able to leave. Your influence over her mind would have been too great to allow it."

Vegeta paused to allow the information to sink in. "I always thought that was the reason she stuck around but apparently that wasn't the case."

"Well what if a Saiyan bonds with someone from a species with superior mental capabilities?"

"In that case it really just depends on the other species involved. There will be variations to the bond and the more closely related that species is to ours, the stronger it will be, but never complete. Saiyan mental dominance…or even equality is not guaranteed. In fact, most humanoid species…with the exception of humans themselves, and a few other species, have mental capabilities at least equal to, if not greater than that of Saiyans. That's why it was extremely rare to have a bond formed outside the race. No Saiyan wanted to give up their autonomy to a foreigner who may be harboring ulterior motives."

"I was aware that I had psychic abilities…I can read people's thoughts and discern their temperament…but I wasn't aware that I could form the kind of bond you're describing."

"You don't have to know how to form a bond; just that you want to form one. The actual formation of the bond is instinctual. Only the decision to make the bond has to be made consciously."

Well that sort of made sense to Goku, but it still didn't change a thing. "This is interesting and all, but what's the point in telling me this? Just to let me know that I never had her in the first place?" He said pain evident in his voice.

It was then that Vegeta realized how truly polluted with asinine human ideas and emotions the other warrior's mind was. "Baka…It's to let you know that you were never supposed to have her. Physiologically you would never have been able to completely bond with a non-Saiyan anyway. But you never even formed the partial bond with her, though you had countless opportunities to do so. That simple fact screams so much more than you realize. Apparently you'd never really had the desire to bond with her."

Vegeta didn't know why he was even explaining all of this to Kakarrot. In a way he wanted to ease the other man's pain and he figured the knowledge that he wasn't supposed to be with the hellcat in the first place might help.

Goku mulled the information over in his head. If what Vegeta said is true, then he supposed he should feel better. But the truth was that now he felt worse. He truly loved his wife, and he believed that at one time she truly loved him also. But he had failed her miserably and now he was reaping the bitter harvest of the seeds he'd sown through neglect. He wished with all his heart that he could redo some things in the past, but he knew that wishing was futile.

"Well, whatever. I don't really want to discuss it anymore." Goku said.

Suddenly the nearby school bell rang and within mere seconds hundreds of small children had materialized and were laughing and running around the playground. The wary stares of suspicion they were receiving from some of the teachers didn't go unnoticed by pair of Saiyans either.

One of the teachers approached the two men. "Excuse me but you're not allowed to be here unless you have a visitor's pass."

Goku nodded as he stood; balancing precariously on the tree limb he'd been sitting on, before levitating a foot above it. He really wasn't ready to go home, and he couldn't stay there so maybe a spar wasn't such a bad idea after all. It would help him clear his thoughts and exhaust his body enough that he could get some sleep later on.

"Well I suppose I could go for a good spar." He said to the Ouji that had also levitated several feet above the playground.

Vegeta smirked and nodded…this is what he'd been waiting for.

They took off into the air amid shocked gasps from the adults and squealing laughter from the kids.

***

"I'm having lunch with the vice president today. Would you care to join us?" Bulma asked through the intercom. Since this Ian's first day she thought she'd at least offer. And she really didn't think Trunks would mind.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm meeting a friend for lunch today."

"Okay, but you owe me lunch sometime this week. My treat." She said.

"Sure thing Bulma." Ian said before the connection was severed.

***

Ian scrawled his signature across the invoice for the supplies that had just been delivered, and gave the paper back to the deliveryman standing in front of his desk. He stood and walked to the cabinet to start putting up the supplies…his back to the door. He didn't notice that as the man left someone else entered through the still open door.

Trunks wasn't expecting to see anyone as he walked into the office. He silently watched the dark-haired man, momentarily forgetting his reason for coming in the first place. He noted how smooth and fluid his movements were, like a fighter, even while performing such a menial task.

Ian felt like he was being watched. His skin was prickly and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He turned around suddenly only to come face to face with a handsome young man with short lavender hair and eyes the same deep ocean blue as Bulma's. Immediately he recognized the man from his news photos as the Vice-President. He was undeniably unnerved by the fact that someone could sneak up on him, and fought to keep his unease from becoming perceptible.

But Trunks was well aware. He wrinkled his nose, his keen sense of smell detecting the ever slight increase in adrenaline that signified anxiety. He became suspicious of the man but before he could ask him who he was, the man spoke.

"Good afternoon Mr. Briefs. I'm Ian Mori…Ms. Briefs' new assistant." He said bowing slightly in a respectful gesture.

Trunks was surprised to see that his mother had already filled the position. The way she was acting yesterday, he thought it would be at least a few more weeks until she found someone qualified. This man was obviously not a temp because he was wearing the security badge that was only issued to full-time personnel.

"Nice to meet you Ian. I'm here to pick up Ms. Briefs. Is she available?" Trunks asked.

As Ian walked back to his desk, Trunks noticed that his earlier mesmerizing fluidity of motion had suddenly taken a back seat to his uneasiness. He stood in front of the desk and observed him as he talked to Bulma over the intercom.

"I'll be out in a few minutes." Bulma said through the small box on the desk.

'Just enough time for me to ask some questions.' Trunks thought.

"I have to say I'm a bit surprised that my mother hired you. I was under the impression that she was still in the interview stages of her search. I wasn't aware that she'd actually been considering someone."

"Actually she interviewed me yesterday. She was impressed by my qualifications so she hired me on the spot."

Trunks quirked his eyebrow…the only outward sign of his incredulity. 'On the spot? How strange.' His mother never did impulsive things…well not when it came to business anyway. In her everyday life, she was amazingly impulsive. That's how he'd been conceived. But she was never that in business. He wondered what could have impressed her enough to hire him on the spot.

"Well Ian, tell me about yourself." Trunks said, focusing his piercing blues on the man in front of him.

Ian was feeling more than a little uncomfortable under Trunks scrutiny. He shifted nervously under the gaze, which didn't go unnoticed by the demi-Saiyan. Though the hue was the same, something about his eyes was different from Bulma's. They seemed more discerning. He'd heard that the VP was much more astute than the President. Rumors had it that Trunks Briefs had a friendly, civil demeanor, but when it came to business he was shrewd and cunning. And from what he saw in Trunks eyes, the rumors had to be true. Had he known of Trunks' heritage, he would have known that these rumors were not only true, but were the direct influence of his father's warrior-like mentality.

"Well…I've been an executive assistant for more than 8 years, mostly spent traveling abroad. I recently decided to settle back in West City and I've been seeking employment ever since…" Ian said, relaying a few more of the finer points of his experience. He hoped it would be enough to quench Trunks' curiosity.

Trunks' gaze never strayed from Ian as he contemplated the situation. How could his mother hire somebody that she'd only interviewed once and didn't really know anything about? Sure, he seemed to have experience, but nothing that was overly impressive.

"You said 'settle back in West city'. Is this where you're from?"

"Well...yes originally..." he said trying to keep any nervousness from his voice.

The double doors to Bulma's private office swung open and she entered the room.

"I'm ready." She said, completely oblivious to the tension that was strung between the two men like a rope.

Trunks stood and they headed toward the door.

"Let's take a long lunch today Ian. We'll resume work at two. Just transfer the phones to the main receptionist's desk until then."

Ian nodded…an audible sigh of relief escaping as the doors closed behind them. He mentally berated himself for being so inept while talking to Trunks, but something about the younger man made him uneasy. Maybe it was the rumors or the way the man seemed to analyze him so meticulously. He wasn't really sure, but he'd have to watch his step around him.

***

Trunks and Bulma were seated in a private booth in a posh restaurant near the Capsule Corp headquarters. It was one of their favorite places to dine since the food was excellent and they always seemed to have enough to feed an army at short notice. The waiter had just left from taking their order and they were pretty much alone.

"So mom…what's up with your new secretary?"

Bulma smiled brightly. "Isn't he great? He was my last interview yesterday, and he was perfectly suited for the position. I couldn't have stumbled across a better candidate if I'd created him myself."

Trunks shook his head. His mother's enthusiasm over the guy was questionable at best. "You hired him right on the spot…without doing a background check?"

Bulma waved her hand dismissively. "Trunks you worry too much. He seemed fine to me…and I've always been a pretty good judge of character."

"I don't know mom. He seems too good to be true. I mean…do you really believe in serendipity." He said skeptically, wondering if his mother had really felt anxious enough to hire someone she knew so little about.

"Oh Trunks…that's just your father's influence coming out. He doesn't trust anyone and neither do you. For years he thought that Goku, of all people, was out to get him." She said laughing.

Trunks couldn't help but laugh also. "Okay, I get your point. Maybe I am just being a bit paranoid. Let's just focus on something other than business." He said, pushing Ian to the back of his mind.

***

Ian stopped his new company car outside a popular little café a few miles away from Capsule Corp. It was situated in the West City Art District, an area rich in venerated history and eclectic culture. The famous West City Museum for the Arts was located just two blocks away from where he was now, and the Shultz School of Contemporary Performing Arts was only a few miles farther. Many of the people that lived here were talented up-and-coming painters, sculptors, and writers. Several world-renowned artists had spent time living there, soaking up the aesthetic of the atmosphere.

Ian hopped out of the car and encapped it, before going inside. The place was packed wall to wall with other people on their lunch breaks. He scanned the dense crowd, hoping that his lunch date had already arrived and procured a table. It took him a few moments before he saw her sitting at a table near the back of the room. He almost didn't recognize her…her long flowing tresses of silky black hair hanging freely in a style he'd never seen her wear before. He made his way through the room and slid into the vacant seat across from her.

Smiling across the table he said, "It's really good to see you again Chichi."

…Tbc…

A/N: What does he mean 'again'? How do Chichi and Ian know each other? I can't wait to find out what happens next...how 'bout you? Only one way to let me know. Review! Review! Review!

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