CHAPTER FOUR
 ¡ÈYou did good,¡É Trunks complimented Marron at the end of their session as he carried her home.

        ¡ÈGood?  Or not,¡É Marron replied, discouraged. ¡ÈYou kicked my butt and wiped the floor with it.¡É

        ¡ÈWell, Marron, I¡Çm quite a bit better than you are.¡É

        She sighed. ¡ÈOh, I know.  And I knew you would win.  It was just a bit depressing at how _easily_ you won.¡É

        ¡ÈIt improves you.  Seriously.  You lose, you don¡Çt want to lose, you fight harder to win.  And I predict in two weeks you will be flying on your own.¡É

        Marron grinned at him. ¡ÈThank you.  That makes me feel better.¡É

        ¡ÈI live to serve.¡É Trunks set her down gently.

        ¡ÈWill you go get my backpack?  It¡Çs under the sink in the downstairs bathroom.  I¡Çll change somewhere else.¡É

        ¡ÈYeah, no problem.¡É He went in and came back out with it. ¡ÈHere you go.  I¡Çll see you on Thursday, all right?¡É
        She went on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. ¡ÈThank you, Trunks.  ¡ÇBye.¡É

        ¡ÈSee you.¡É

        Marron climbed on her motorbike and hurried to a gas station.  She refilled the bike and changed back into her school clothes.  She winced when she saw the bruise on her leg. ¡ÈHow can I hide this?¡É she muttered, tugging at her socks. If she pulled them all the way up, she could cover it, but, as Goten had once put it, that was ¡Èoh-so-dorky.¡É  Still, better dorky than regrounded, so she went out and rushed home.

        ¡ÈHello?  Tousan?  Kaasan?  Is anyone home?¡É she called.

        ¡ÈMarron-chan!  Where have you been?¡É

        ¡ÈOh.  Jisan Kenji.¡É Marron attempted a smile. ¡ÈWhat are you doing here?¡É

        ¡ÈUh-uh.  I asked you first.¡É

        ¡ÈI was with a friend.  We were just hanging out.  Now you.¡É

        ¡ÈAzami invited me to stay over again.¡É

        Marron smiled. _What¡Çs wrong with me?_ she wondered._Jisan Kenji hasn¡Çt done anything that would imply he¡Çs anything but great and I keep feeling like I need to be on guard with him.  What¡Çs wrong with me?_

        ¡ÈMarron-chan, are you all right?¡É

        ¡ÈOf course, Jisan.  Uh, where are Kaasan and Tousan?¡É

        ¡ÈThey went to the mainland to buy groceries.  Just the two of us.¡É

        ¡ÈWonderful.  Uh, I¡Çm just going to go up to my room now, all right?  Will you tell them I¡Çm home, you know, if I don¡Çt hear them come in?  You¡Çre the best.¡É She fairly ran upstairs, locking the door behind her._Okay, so Jisan Kenji is a math teacher.  It¡Çs not like he¡Çs evil or anything!  Chill out, girl!_
        Still, she couldn¡Çt bring herself to unlock the door until she heard Jinzouningen Azami ¡Çs voice calling for her.

        ¡ÈMarron, where have you been?¡É she demanded.

        ¡ÈJust hanging out, Kaasan, with one of my friends.¡É

        ¡ÈWhich one?  Marron, you had us worried sick?we had no idea where you were.¡É

        ¡ÈOh, I¡Çm sorry.  I¡Çll call next time.¡É

        ¡ÈYou do that.¡É Jinzouningen Azami appeared not to notice her daughter didn¡Çt specify what friend¡Çs house she was at. ¡ÈOkay, help put these groceries away, please.¡É

        ¡ÈSure, Kaasan, no problem.¡É Marron went out and took two of the bags out of the car.

        ¡ÈWow, Marron-chan, you sure are strong!¡É Kenji commented when she came back in.

        ¡ÈOh, not really.  These bags aren¡Çt that heavy, but thank you.¡É

        Kenji took them from her. ¡ÈAnd you said you didn¡Çt have any powers,¡É he teased.

        ¡ÈBut I don¡Çt,¡É she protested. ¡ÈI¡Çm going to go get another bag, all right?¡É Marron left before waiting for a response.
Jinzouningen Azami followed her out. ¡ÈMarron, what¡Çs going on with you?¡É

        ¡ÈGoing on?  Kaasan, nothing.¡É

        Jinzouningen Azami grabbed her arm. ¡ÈMarron, you were unnecessarily rude to your uncle.  He was justcomplimenting you!¡É

        ¡ÈWhat¡Çs necessary rudeness?¡É Marron asked without thinking.  Her hand flew to her mouth. ¡ÈI can¡Çt believe I?¡É

        Jinzouningen Azami ¡Çs face flushed in anger and she pulled her daughter up. ¡ÈMarron, that was-was?¡É

        Marron tried to keep her balance. ¡ÈKaasan, I¡Çm so sorry.  Sorry.  I don¡Çt know why I said that.  I¡Çm sorry.  I really am,¡É she babbled. Jinzouningen Azami glared at her then shoved her away roughly. ¡ÈYou will apologize to Kenji now,¡É she said.

        ¡ÈYes, Kaasan.¡É Marron looked down at her forearm.  A bruise in the shape of her mother¡Çs hand was beginning to form.  Marron was shocked?her mother had never done anything like that before.  She numbly walked inside and up to her uncle. ¡ÈJisan Kenji, I¡Çm sorry for what I said.  It was rude.  I¡Çm just a bit tired right now, but that¡Çs no excuse.¡É

        ¡ÈIt¡Çs perfectly all right, Marron-chan.  I understand.¡É

        ¡ÈThank you.¡É Marron turned. ¡ÈTousan, may I go to my room?  Will you tell me when dinner¡Çs ready?¡É

        Krillin grinned at her. ¡ÈSure, no problem.¡É

        Marron smiled a small smile. ¡ÈThank you.¡É

        ¡ÈMarron-chan?¡É

        She turned. ¡ÈYes, Tousan?¡É

        ¡ÈWhat happened to your arm?¡É

        Her eyes flickered towards her mother, then returned to her father. ¡ÈI, uh, hurt it.¡É

        ¡ÈWell, that¡Çs obvious.¡É

        ¡ÈIt-I just¡Äit¡Çs nothing.¡É

        ¡ÈAre you sure?¡É

        ¡ÈPositive.¡É

        ¡ÈAll right.  Dinner¡Çll be ready in about half an hour.¡É

        Kenji followed her upstairs. ¡ÈMarron, what really happened?¡É he asked. ¡ÈDid someone hurt you?¡É

        ¡ÈNo, no.  I just¡Äfell.  Forget about it.¡É

        ¡ÈMarron¡Ä¡É

        ¡ÈJisan Kenji, I would really like to lie down for a little while, so could we continue this discussion after dinner?  I¡Çd really appreciate it.¡É

        ¡ÈAll right.  I¡Çll talk to you then.¡É

        ¡ÈI¡Çll look forward to it.¡É

***

        ¡ÈMarron-chan, I need to know if you¡Çre all right with me,¡É Kenji said.

        ¡ÈOf course I am.  Why wouldn¡Çt I be?¡É

        ¡ÈYou seem uneasy around me, Marron-chan.¡É

        Marron thought fast. ¡ÈWell, maybe a bit.  It¡Çs just a bit of a shock, but I am unbelievably thrilled that Kaasan has found her little brother.¡É

        Kenji nodded. ¡ÈOh, I understand.  That makes sense.  I¡Çm glad we got everything out in the open.¡É

        ¡ÈWell, yeah, of course.  It just makes everything better for us.¡É She got up to go.

        ¡ÈMarron-chan?¡É

        ¡ÈYes, Jisan Kenji?¡É

        ¡ÈWhat would you think if I lived here?¡É

        She stared at him. ¡ÈAre you going to?¡É

        ¡ÈNeechan invited me to, but I need to know you¡Çll be okay with it.  I don¡Çt want to make you uncomfortable.¡É

        Marron shrugged. ¡ÈI might a little bit, but that¡Çs just natural.  It would be great if you were here; it would make Kaasan so happy.¡É

        ¡ÈGood.  I¡Çll tell her tomorrow, then.  Well, I better get home.¡É

        ¡ÈOkay, ¡Çbye.¡É Marron went into her room and sighed.  She didn¡Çt trust Kenji, something in her went immediately on guard the minute he walked in any room she was in.  Marron went to the window and opened it.  She climbed out and sat on the roof.  She wondered if she could fly.  She _had-_ to fly, and soon.  Maybe if she knew she could fight Kenji, she would feel better.
        She stepped over to the edge and looked over.  There were bushes down there; it wouldn¡Çt necessarily hurt if she fell.  Was it worth the risk?

        She stepped off.

        She didn¡Çt hit the ground.

        Marron opened her eyes and looked down.  She¡Äon her own¡Äwas flying.  She experimentally attempted raising
herself and was overjoyed when it worked. ¡ÈI¡Çm flying,¡É she whispered. ¡ÈI¡Çm _flying_!¡É
        She went even higher and flew around the island a couple of times. ¡ÈI can¡Çt believe this!  I¡Çm actually flying.  Me, flying!¡É She stopped as a thought occurred to her.  She grinned and headed for the mainland.

***
        Trunks woke up to the sound of tapping on his window. He rolled over, looked out, and fell out of his bed.

¡ÈMa-Ma-Ma-Marron?¡É he finally got out as he opened the window.

        She grinned at him. ¡ÈYes!  Look, I can fly!  I flew here!¡É She laughed delightedly.

        ¡ÈShh,¡É Trunks cautioned. ¡ÈBra would this is enchanting, but my parents would be less-than-thrilled.¡É

        ¡ÈOh, sorry.  I had to tell someone, though.  I stepped off the roof?¡É

        ¡ÈYou _what_?¡É Trunks exclaimed.

        ¡ÈShh!  I, uh, I st?stepped off the¡Äroof.¡É

        He just looked at her.

        ¡ÈI, uh, I didn¡Çt fall,¡É she said brightly.

        ¡ÈThat much is obvious,¡É he replied flatly.

        She rolled her eyes. ¡ÈTrunks, don¡Çt even get on my case.  I¡Çve seen some of the things you and Goten have
done.¡É

        Trunks flushed slightly. ¡ÈBut we¡Çre--¡É

        She shook her head. ¡ÈOh, no.  You can¡Çt use ¡ÆWe¡Çre Saiyajins¡Ç or ¡ÆWe¡Çre guys.¡Ç  At least, you can¡Çt on me.  I do not fall for that.¡É

        ¡ÈOkay, okay.  Sorry.¡É Trunks grinned. ¡ÈWow, you flew all the way here?¡É

        ¡ÈYep.  It was so cool.  I was up in the air¡Äall by myself.  No one was holding me or anything.  It was the greatest!¡É

        ¡ÈSo I guess that makes me kind of redundant, huh?¡É

        Marron looked up at him in surprise. ¡ÈRedundant?  Oh, you mean because I can fly on my own.¡É She looked down, then back up. ¡ÈWell, I still wouldn¡Çt mind coming over to visit you every Tuesday and Thursday.¡É

        Trunks¡Ç expression was so comical that Marron couldn¡Çt help laughing. ¡ÈReally?  You still want to come over?¡É

        Marron lightly punched him. ¡ÈI don¡Çt kiss just anyone, Trunks,¡É she said. ¡ÈI don¡Çt kiss guys I don¡Çt like.¡É She suddenly looked uncertain. ¡ÈDo?do you want me to still come over?¡É

        He gave her his most incredulous look. ¡ÈOf course I do!  Don¡Çt be ridiculous!¡É

        She grinned at him. ¡ÈThat gives me the most incredible feeling of exuberance you wouldn¡Çt even believe to hear you say that.¡É

        ¡ÈWhy?¡É

        Marron thought it over. ¡ÈProbably because the idea that you like me is still unbelievable.¡É

        ¡ÈWhy?¡É he repeated.

        Her most incredulous look was ten times more incredulous than his was. ¡ÈLet¡Çs see, you¡Çre a twenty-four-year-old millionaire and you like me, a seventeen-year-old high school senior?¡É

        Trunks stared at her. ¡ÈI had no idea you felt that way, Marron.¡É He put his hands on her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. ¡ÈDon¡Çt.  You are a gorgeous, smart, funny, brave, beautiful woman.¡É Marron wasn¡Çt quite sure how to respond. ¡ÈWell¡Äthank you, Trunks.¡É
        ¡ÈNo, I mean it.  I hadn¡Çt even really thought about the fact that you¡Çre seventeen.  Am I supposed to care?¡É Trunks bent and kissed her.

        Marron blinked in surprise and kissed him back. ¡ÈWow,¡É she said when they broke apart. ¡ÈI had no idea
you felt _that_ strongly.¡É

        ¡ÈHow could I not?¡É

        Marron couldn¡Çt help grinning. ¡ÈThat is unbelievable.¡É

        ¡ÈYou already said that,¡É Trunks reminded her.

        ¡ÈWell, it still is.  In fact, it¡Çs even more unbelievable.¡É

        Trunks shook his head. ¡ÈI can¡Çt believe you.  You¡Çre so smart, yet you have this strange inferiority complex.¡É He kissed her again and didn¡Çt pull away until he was absolutely dying for air. ¡ÈDo you believe me now?¡É
        All Marron could do was nod.  Her mouth was half-open and her eyes were unfocused. ¡ÈUm, I?I better g-go.  It-it¡Çs late,¡É she got out.

        ¡ÈAre you okay?¡É

        ¡ÈUh-huh.  Don¡Çt worry about me.¡É Marron turned and climbed out the window.  She turned back. ¡ÈThis feels weird.  I know I won¡Çt fall, but¡Ä¡É And she let go. Trunks had to restrain himself from jumping after her and pulling her back in. ¡ÈYou okay?¡É

        She nodded. ¡ÈGood night, Trunks.  Sleep well.¡É

        ¡ÈYou too.¡É He watched her until she became a tiny speck on the horizon.


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