Part 12 Goten and Trunks weren't apart for a minute if they could be during the next week. Trunks was helping Goten with his sister and she finally accepted his apologies for even getting close to such a slut. Goten promised Trunks he'd help him set his problems in order too, but his were a little more serious. They 'borrowed' Bulma's dragon finder. They plotted where to go. They were going to find one at a time. They'd start every Friday evening and be back on Sunday night. Plus, winter break was coming up. Bra wouldn't miss Trunks but she'd notice Goten being gone. They had to come up with a plan so she wouldn't notice. That Friday night, Trunks told Bulma he was spending the weekend at Goten's and vice versa with Goten. He told Chichi he was staying at Trunks's. They met in front of the library. Trunks pulled the dragon finder out of his pocket. "We've got to go across the world for half of them!" "And?" Goten demanded. "What if someone else already had them?" "You're a Super Saiyan stupid!" "And?" Trunks said, imitating him. "We'll go super and steal it or something!" "Whatever." And they took off in search of the dragonballs who hadn't been seen by Trunks or Goten in a very long time. Meanwhile . . . Marron was struggling with her problems. Something deep inside told her Trunks didn't care if she'd made a mistake but she couldn't face him. Every thought of him tortured her soul in a new and worse way. 'What if he hates me more because I left?' and 'What if he won't accept me because of my red hair?' and so on. Erica was speechless for the next week whenever they talked about Trunks and Marron wasn't getting any better because there were no words of encouragement to fall back on. On the other half of the story . . . Bra was hesitant about going anywhere. She knew Trunks was at Goten's and everything was fine but somewhere deep inside she knew something was wrong. She hadn't heard Marron's voice for almost seven weeks and Trunks seemed a bit tense before going to his friend's house, which wasn't normal. She hadn't seen Marron is school and Trunks seemed to be wearing this glazed over look on his face every time she saw him. She decided she would go visit Gohan and Videl. Pan would praise her and she needed someone to talk to anyways. She flew over there and Videl answered the door. "Hey. Are the guys over here?" "No, Gohan told me they were over at your house." Things raced through Bra's head. She knew they were up to something but she didn't want anyone else to know. "Ya but they went out and I wanted to ask them a question about uh . . . school." "Oh, you're leaving then? You don't even want to visit Pan and Gohan?" Bra wanted to say no and go figure out where they were but she didn't want to look suspicious. "Of course I'll stay and see Pan." "Come on in." Pan was sitting on Gohan's lap and Gohan was reading her a book. They looked up as Bra and Videl entered. Pan's eyes lit up and her red bandanna hadn't looked more perfect anywhere else. She ran and jumped into Bra's arms. "Braaaaaa!" She yelled. "Hey, you took away my audience." Gohan said. "I'm sorry." Bra though she'd be safe in telling Gohan about her dilemmas but she was quite sure he'd tell Videl. She decided she'd talk to him before she left. Pan wouldn't let her leave without playing with her first. She played catch with the bouncy ball and Pan ended up getting tickled by Bra on the grass. She read her a book and they played tea party until Pan yawned and she was ready for her nap. "You wore her out for us. Thanks Bra." Said Videl. "Could I speak to Gohan?" She said awkwardly. Videl's eyebrows raised in curiosity. "Ya. Gohan! Come on in here will ya?" "Ya?" "Could I speak to you alone?" Videl got the hint and let them go into the guestroom. "Is something wrong, Bra?" "Yes, something is very, very wrong." "What?" "I don't know but I need you to help me find out." His eyebrows raised more then Videl's by a long shot. "What are you talking about?" "Trunks told my mom he was going over Goten's for the weekend and obviously Goten told Chichi the same story but he's not at our house." "Not that old story. Did they buy it?" "Yep." "What would they be doing though that needed to be private?" "I have no idea." "Well, we need to have an idea. Those are the two worst pranksters in the history of this town." "Not since Marron dumped Trunks." "We need to find out where they are but, how?" Said Gohan ignoring her. "Would the dragonballs take to long?" Bra asked. "Even if we found them by that time they'd've come home and told a bunch of bull to Bulma and mom." Goten said. "So we could make them tell the truth!" Bra said excitedly. "But what would we wish for? Them to tell the truth? If we did we'd have to undo that wish right quick." "So? It'll be good for them for a bit. Since they always lie." "But like you said not since Marron dumped Trunks has he really been much in the mood to be a joker." "So? It'll be funny and they could use some of that truth telling anyways!" "I don't think it's a good idea Bra." "Are you suggesting anything better?" "No but-" "My point exactly." "Like I said . . .they'd tell the truth and they'd be stuck that way until we wished them back! That might be a while . . . uh . . .precisely a YEAR! Are you crazy? Making them tell the truth for an entire year? A year? Three hundred and sixty-five days! It's not possible. We'd make them miserable Bra." "Fine, no deal." "What can we do then?" "You took my only idea now it's your turn to come up with something brilliantly fabulous since I couldn't." She said crossly. They spent the next hour and twenty minutes coming up with ideas until they hit gold. After lots of silent thinking Gohan stood up. Bra looked at him. "What?" "He kept the promise." Gohan mumbled. He walked to the door opened it and shouted "Videl! Get me my treasure box!" Bra stood up. "What's up?" He didn't answer. Bra's eyes were dashing around wildly. Everywhere there was movement her eyes were upon it. Finally, Videl came in and handed a faded yellow box to Gohan. She left, closing the door behind her. He set it on the bed and looked at it as though it brought something back sad. He opened it and dumped its contents onto the bed. There was a necklace with three charms and Bra realized she'd seen Goten wearing it before. There was a warrior doing a side blade kick, their grandfather's wedding ring and a medallion from Namek their dad had nicked before the planet blew up. There was a bunch of papers they were on the bed too. Bra looked at the one nearest to her. It was a note written in beautiful, loopy strokes in purple pen. Gohan, I noticed you in class today, you were fidgety beyond belief. What's up? Was it Chichi again? I don't know if she approves of you and me you know? When you taught me to fly she wasn't very happy. I know how moms' are but ever since mine died I felt further away from life, but that was before I met you and Saiya man's act was a part of natural life. Wanna do something later? Go for an autograph signing for the extremely talented young Saiya man and his sidekick? I guess I'll see you after this boring teacher blabs about things that happened eighty years ago. Sometimes I wonder how much they get paid. Well, See you, Love, Videl* She picked up a picture of her boyfriend's young mother when Gohan interrupted her thoughts. "I can't turn them in." "What?" "I can't help you anymore." "Why?" Bra was becoming inpatient. "Here." He handed her a worn note, which indicated years of wear. A small child wrote it. Some of the "o"s and "e"s were backwards Goha n im gonna get dad promixe to youl not tell mum. i no she wont like it she wouldnt like it . when i do it promixe youl cover for me okay? Goten And Gohan signed it. She could've smacked him. "Why'd you sign it? You're an idiot, Gohan." "What did you want me to do? Let him cry? You've never heard anything cry until you've heard five year old Goten." Bra rolled her eyes. "You gave into a five year old? Pan hasn't even started through that phase yet." "Pan isn't going to go through that phase." But Bra wasn't listening. "If you're not going to help then I'll be leaving." "Bra, I didn't mean-" "I don't care what you meant but if your not going to help I have no further business here." Now it was Gohan's turn to roll his eyes. 'I'll never understand women,' he though as he gathered up his treasures and put them back into the small pastel box. Bra said a quick goodbye to Videl who was wiping off the countertop with a sponge.