Disclaimer: Everyone belongs to Akira Toriyama.
Author's Note: I got the idea for this from the song, "Perfect One," by Lit. If you're a continuity buff, this takes place after the first time Trunks arrived from the future, but before the androids appeared. Also, there is more than one Trunks present: the one from the future and the baby. Future Trunks is simply referred to as Trunks, and the younger one is just called Baby Trunks or the baby. WARNING: This is one of my stranger stories, which is why I'm not sure whether it should be under Romance or Humor.
Crushes Are Like Cherry Pies...
Gohan sighed and stared out of the window. He found the clouds much more interesting than calculus. But then, he was only in the fifth grade. He wouldn't need to know calculus for at least two more years. Of course, his mother had different ideas.
Suddenly, a face appeared at his window. Gohan gasped in surprise. "Dad, what are you doing out there?"
Goku pressed a finger to his mouth and glanced around. "I'm going to Bulma's house for a while. She has a new invention that she wants me to try out. You wanna come with me?"
"Sure!" Gohan cried. Then he frowned. "Oh...but wait. Mom won't let me go."
"Well, you have been studying pretty hard lately. I guess what your mother doesn't know won't hurt her this one time."
"Wow! You mean I can go?" Gohan asked.
"Yeah, sure!" Goku stepped away from the window as Gohan hopped to the ground. "By the way, Mrs. Briefs said we could stay for dinner if we wanted."
"That's great, Dad! Let's go!"
Goku stepped aside as Gohan quickly flew into the air. "Hey, what's the rush?" he asked as he caught up to his son. "They don't live that far away."
Gohan's face turned a slight shade of red. "I guess I just got excited about the invention," he muttered.
Goku let it drop, but he had a feeling there was something else on his son's mind...
* * * * *
"I'm really glad you decided to hang around, Trunks," Bulma said as she performed some last-minute checks on her invention. "You're almost as good with machines as I am!"
"Well, when androids have destroyed everything, you tend to learn how to fix things in order to survive." Trunks wiped some sweat from his face and put down the wrench. "Are we done yet?"
"I think so. Let me check. Go stand on that black X, will you?"
Trunks stared at her. "You think I'm going to stand on that target while you point that thing at me? You never told me what this is, but it really is starting to look like a laser cannon!"
"Trunks, I'm surprised at you! Do you really think I'd test this on you if I thought it could hurt you? I AM your mother, you know!"
"Well, yeah, but-"
"Talking back to your mother?! Not another word! You get on that X, young man!"
Trunks mumbled something under his breath as he walked over to the X.
"One more word and it's no dessert for you!" Bulma threatened as she hit a few switches. "Now hold still!"
Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
"I'LL GET IT!" Trunks dove aside just as Bulma pressed the start button. A beam of red light flew from the cannon and struck the X.
"Trunks, get back here!" Bulma shouted.
Trunks flew to the front door, nearly knocking over Mrs. Briefs, who was on her to the kitchen. "Sorry, Grandma!" he quickly apologized before opening the door.
"Hey! Good to see you, Trunks!" Goku cried, slapping him on the back. "How's life in the past treating you?"
"Okay, I guess, except Mom keeps trying to experiment on me."
Goku made a face. "Looks like I've been tricked. But if I can survive a fight with Frieza, I should be able to handle this." He walked off to Bulma's lab.
Trunks shook his head and was about to close the door when he noticed a familiar tuft of black hair peeking out from one of the bushes in the yard. "Gohan, is that you?"
Gohan slowly came out into the open. "Um...yeah. Listen, can I ask you something personal?"
"Sure. Come on in."
Gohan hesitated. "Um...your grandmother isn't around, is she?"
"Well, she's in the kitchen right now. She probably wanted to make some snacks for you and Goku before dinner. Why is that important?"
"Um...I'll tell you later. Let's go talk in your room."
Trunks shrugged and followed Gohan to the rear of the house.
Just as they reached the bedroom, Dr. Briefs came out of his office, holding Baby Trunks in one arm. "Oh, there you are, Trunks. Say, could you watch your...eh...self for a while? I need to make an important phone call."
"Sure, Grandpa," Trunks replied, taking the baby from him.
Baby Trunks made a gurgling sound and grabbed one of Gohan's fingers.
"Don't you ever feel weird taking care of him?" Gohan asked as they walked into the bedroom that both versions of Trunks shared.
"Not really," Trunks said. "It's only weird when they say it. 'Trunks, go change your diaper,' or 'Trunks, go play with yourself.' That took some getting used to." He made a funny face and was rewarded with the baby's laughter. "So what did you want to talk about, Gohan?"
"Um...have you ever been in love with anyone?"
Trunks looked at him, clearly confused. "Huh?"
"I mean, do you have anyone special waiting for you back in the future? Besides your mother."
"Well...there was this one girl I liked." Trunks got a far-off look in his eyes. "She was perfect." Then he sighed. "But she died with most of the other people when the androids came."
"Sorry, man," Gohan said. "I didn't know."
"That's okay. It's just been a long time since I thought about her. So who's this girl you obviously like?"
Gohan turned bright red. "Well, she's not really a girl..."
Trunks gave him a worried look. "Gohan, you're scaring me."
"No, she's human! She's just...a woman."
"So that's it." Trunks grinned. "Anyone I know?"
"Yeah, but I don't know if I should tell you this. You might get mad and blast me."
"Gohan, where I come from, you were like a father to me. There's very little you could say to change my opinion of you."
Gohan took a deep breath. "Okay, but I warned you." He paused. "Trunks...I think I'm in love with Mrs. Briefs."
Trunks didn't speak right away. "You mean my Grandma?" he asked after a few seconds.
"Yes, and...why are you looking at me like that?"
"Nothing. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You've only been around three women most of your life, and two of them just happen to be related to me. I'm not gonna get mad about it. Besides, I can't really blame you. In all honesty, she is really pretty."
Gohan stared at him. "So...you're not gonna hit me?"
"Nah, not for that. Of course, I might, depending on what you plan to do about this."
"That's why I came to you. I don't know what to do."
Trunks thought for a moment. "Have you told anyone?"
"Just Icarus, but I guess that doesn't count, since he's a dinosaur that can't tell anyone." Gohan started to say something else, but scrunched up his face. "No offense, Trunks, but you stink!"
"Huh?" Trunks glanced at the baby in his arms, who had a big smile on his face. "Oh. I should've known he was a little too quiet. Pass me that box of diapers, Gohan."
* * * * *
"So what does this thing do again?" Goku asked.
"Well, it's supposed to increase certain emotional responses in people," Bulma explained, "but since Trunks is such a chicken, I haven't been able to test it."
"I'll test it for you." Goku stood on the black X. "Is this going to hurt much?"
"It shouldn't, but we'll see." Bulma pressed the start button and watched as the red beam hit Goku in the chest. Much to her disappointment, nothing happened. "I don't understand. It should be working perfectly! Goku, do you feel any different?"
"Not really. I'm kinda hungry, but that's why I came here for dinner in the first place. Oh, and to help you with this! Heh heh..."
"Yeah, right. Are you sure you don't feel any different?"
Goku thought for a second. "I do have a sudden urge to raid the pantry, but that's probably just my stomach talking."
Bulma sighed. "I guess my machine doesn't work. Maybe I can get Dad to take a look at it later."
* * * * *
Mrs. Briefs knocked on Trunks' door. "Trunks, are you in there?"
A few seconds later, Trunks opened the door. "Hi, Grandma. What's up?"
"I just thought you and Gohan might like some snacks before dinner. He is with you, isn't he?" She held up a tray of fruit.
"Yeah, he's right over...Gohan, where'd you go?"
"Right here!" Gohan called from the closet. "Your bro...um...younger self is trying to eat your clothes!"
"Maybe he'd like some fruit, too!" Mrs. Briefs suggested with her ever-present smile.
Gohan suddenly came tumbling out of the closet and slammed against the wall. Baby Trunks soon crawled out, a flamelike aura surround his chubby little body.
"Oh my goodness!" Mrs. Briefs ran over and scooped up Baby Trunks. "That was very naughty of you, Trunks! Bad boy! You shouldn't hit Gohan!"
Baby Trunks, who obviously didn't know or care what she was saying, giggled and waved his tiny fists in the air.
Mrs. Briefs handed the baby to Trunks. Then she leaned down to check on Gohan, who looked a little dazed. "Are you all right, dear?" she asked, pressing a hand against his cheek.
Gohan blinked and shook his head before turning bright red. "Um...I'm fine, ma'am. Really!"
"Gracious! Your whole face is red! I'd better get some ice! Don't move a muscle, Gohan!" Before he could stop her, she rushed out of the room.
Trunks looked at the baby in his arms. "I guess you might even turn out to be more powerful than me someday, huh?"
Baby Trunks squealed and bopped him on the nose.
"You need some help getting up, Gohan?"
Gohan slowly pushed himself to his feet. "No, I'm okay. I just didn't expect him to punch me that hard."
Mrs. Briefs soon returned with a bag of ice, which she promptly pressed to Gohan's face. She left strict instructions for him to eat some fruit so he would heal up faster.
Once she was gone, Trunks turned to Gohan and said, "Man, you've got it bad. You could barely keep from staring at her the whole time."
"I told you I had a problem," Gohan muttered. "What am I gonna do, Trunks?"
"I don't know, Gohan. Maybe we should try talking to your Dad. I mean, if he can get a tough woman like your mother to fall for him, he's got to know something about this stuff." Then, with a doubtful look, he added, "And if we get really desperate, we could always ask my father..."
Gohan turned pale. "Um...let's try mine first."
Trunks nodded. "Good idea, buddy."
* * * * *
The boys found Goku hovering around the kitchen, where Mrs. Briefs was putting the finishing touches on dinner. Since she was always happy to have visitors that appreciated her cooking, she kept giving him tastes and samples of the various foods. Naturally, Goku liked them all.
Trunks and Gohan almost had to drag him away before they could get his complete attention, and even then, he kept catching whiffs of certain foods.
"Dad, I've got a big problem," Gohan said.
Goku looked down at his son. "What's the matter?"
"Well...I've got a crush o this girl and-"
"Whoa! My son's in love!"
Gohan turned red. "Dad, don't-"
Goku jumped up and started doing cartwheels. "Go, Gohan! Go, Gohan!"
Trunks blinked. "Goku, this is serious!"
Goku stopped and looked at them. "Sorry, but I'm just so HAPPY for him!" He grabbed Gohan and gave him a big hug. "My son is in love!"
Gohan pulled away. "Dad, just what did you taste in the kitchen?"
"A little bit of everything, I think. Why?"
Trunks shook his head. "C'mon, Gohan. We'd better ask my father. At least he won't start doing cartwheels."
"Are you sure he won't mind being bothered?" Gohan asked uncertainly.
Trunks grinned. "We'll take him one of Grandma's spare cherry pies. She keeps plenty of them around, just in case he gets mad too often."
* * * * *
There was absolutely no dessert better than Mrs. Briefs' cherry pies. Every time one was uncovered, some hungry person always showed up. So when Trunks pulled a warm pie from the oven, he wasn't surprised to find Yamcha standing over him, a hungry look on his face.
Gohan frowned as he played with Baby Trunks. "Yamcha, that pie's for Vegeta!"
Yamcha chuckled giddily. "He won't want it. He's always trying to get in better shape, and pie will just add unhealthy calories. Give it to me!"
Trunks backed away. "No way, Yamcha. We need this pie."
Yamcha took a step closer. "C'mon, Trunks. No one has to know! Just hand it over and we'll say it vanished into thin air!"
Baby Trunks suddenly frowned and raised a chubby hand, which began to glow bright blue.
"DUCK!" Gohan shouted, diving to the floor.
Trunks moved aside as Baby Trunks fired. The blue beam hit Yamcha in the chest, knocking him through the window with a loud crash. There was a loud thump as he hit the ground outside.
"Wow," Gohan said quietly. "Nice going, kid!"
Baby Trunks giggled and tried to stuff his own foot into his mouth.
* * * * *
Vegeta was in the middle of one of his perilous training sessions when there was a loud knock on the door of his ship. With a low growl, he ended the simulation and threw the door open. "Who DARES-" He stopped when a warm pie was shoved under his nose, and as the familiar aroma invaded his nostrils, he recognized it as cherry pie.
Following the hands that held the pie, he found Trunks standing at the door, along with Gohan, who was holding Baby Trunks in his arms. Vegeta weighed the annoyance factor in his mind, and quickly decided that nothing could be too annoying as long as he had a warm cherry pie. With a grunt, he grabbed the pie and said, "Get in."
Trunks and Gohan literally ran into the ship.
Vegeta, of course, sat in captain's chair. He glared at them. "Well?"
Trunks spoke up first. "Gohan's got woman trouble, and we need your help."
Vegeta snorted. "Why should I help the son of Kakarot?"
Gohan spoke this time. "We can get you more pies."
Vegeta stopped glaring, but the stern look remained on his face. "Go on."
Trunks grinned a bit. "We figured that since you're a prince, you'd know all there is to know about women."
Vegeta snorted again. "I suppose you didn't go to Kakarot first?"
Trunks hesitated for a moment, but Gohan quickly replied, "He didn't help at all."
Vegeta laughed for a moment, then checked his pie. Still too warm to eat. He would wait a little longer before devouring it. He turned his merciless gaze on Gohan. "So what's the problem? You wet your pants in front of a girl or something?"
Trunks glared at his father. "No. Actually, the real reason we came to you is that Gohan has a problem that you had not too long ago."
Gohan's eyes widened as they traveled from Vegeta to Trunks, and then back to Vegeta. "You mean...he..."
Vegeta's glare returned. "I thought we agreed NEVER to talk about that!"
Trunks grinned evilly. "We also agreed you wouldn't insult my friends anymore."
Vegeta started to shout, but then thought better of it. After all, his pie was cooling rapidly. He stuck his finger in and pulled out a cherry. He stared at it for a second, watching the gooey filling drip onto the pie's crust, then popped it into his mouth. After swallowing, he sighed and closed his eyes. Pie was indeed perfection.
"Father, are you listening?" Trunks asked slowly.
Vegeta's eyes shot open. "Of course! Now, what is it that he plans to do about this...problem?"
"I don't know," Gohan said. "That's why I need your help, sir."
Vegeta leaned back in his chair. "The way I see it, you have two options." He paused to plunge his finger into the pie and gulp down a few more cherries. "Actually, your problem is a lot like a pie."
Gohan and Trunks looked at each other. "A pie?" both boys asked.
"A cherry pie," he added, sucking some pie filling from a finger. "Say you're a hungry little kid, and the object of your affection is a cherry."
"Okay," Gohan said slowly.
"Don't interrupt!" Vegeta roared. He picked a cherry out of the big mess he was making of a once perfect pie. "Now, the delicious little cherry is hidden inside of the pie, and if you really want the cherry, you have to penetrate the hard crust, like so." Vegeta drove another finger through the crust and picked out a lone cherry.
Gohan and Trunks traded confused looks, but neither dared to say anything.
Vegeta went on. "Now, in this situation, the pie crust would be the marriage of Dr. Briefs & Mrs. Briefs. If you really want that cherry, you have to break the crust and go for it. That's one way to fix the problem. However, you might find that the crust was a lot stronger than you first expected, and you might never break through. That would result in your extreme unhappiness and prolonged depression, as you never obtained the object of your strong desire."
"What's the other way, father?" Trunks asked.
Vegeta jammed a bit of pie crust into his mouth, leaving a red stain on his lips. "The second method is the one I used, and it worked out quite well. Instead of trying to get the cherry, avoid cherry pies altogether."
"Huh?" Gohan blinked, obviously confused.
"Find another type of pie to raid," he explained. "For example, I turned to apple pies. My apple was becoming a Super Saiyan, and the crust was years and years of intense training. In the end, it paid off, and I learned something very important."
"What's that?" Trunks asked.
Vegeta grinned. "While I was trying to get my apple, a cherry came to me all by itself."
"Say what?!" Gohan cried.
Vegeta chuckled. "It's exactly like the way I became a Super Saiyan. When I stopped caring about becoming one, I did become one. When I stopped worrying about trying to get that cherry, another one that was just as good came along." He finished off the pie and tossed the pan at them. "Now, GET OUT AND GET ME MORE PIES!" he roared at the top of his lungs.
Trunks and Gohan fell over each other trying to get out of the ship. Just as they did, a blast of energy sailed over their heads, and the door slammed shut behind them.
"I'm not sure I understand," Trunks muttered. "What was the other cherry he kept talking about?"
The words were barely out of his mouth when Bulma stormed out of the house and banged on the ship's door. "Vegeta, get out of there right now! It's dinner time!"
"GO AWAY, WOMAN!" came the yell from within. "CAN'T YOU SEE I'M TRAINING?!"
"YOU GET OUT OF THERE RIGHT NOW, MISTER!" she shouted back, adding kicks to the door.
Gohan watched the scene for a few moments, and then smiled. "Trunks, your father is really smart."
Trunks gave him a weird look. "Huh?"
Gohan shoved Baby Trunks into his arms. "Sorry, but I've gotta go."
"What? Where are you going? It's time for dinner!"
Gohan smiled. "First, I'm going to get Vegeta some more pies. After that, I've got some serious training to do." With that, he turned and ran off.
Trunks scratched his head and watched his mother beat on the ship's door a little longer. Then he looked at the baby in his arms. "I don't see it. How about you, kid?"
Baby Trunks only squealed and grabbed a lock of his light violet hair.
Trunks shrugged and walked back toward the house. He wasn't sure why, but he had a feeling that being in love with a woman was more complex than he'd first thought. That, and after that last conversation, he'd never touch another cherry pie as long as he lived...
The End.
Author's Note: I got the idea for this from the song, "Perfect One," by Lit. If you're a continuity buff, this takes place after the first time Trunks arrived from the future, but before the androids appeared. Also, there is more than one Trunks present: the one from the future and the baby. Future Trunks is simply referred to as Trunks, and the younger one is just called Baby Trunks or the baby. WARNING: This is one of my stranger stories, which is why I'm not sure whether it should be under Romance or Humor.
Crushes Are Like Cherry Pies...
Gohan sighed and stared out of the window. He found the clouds much more interesting than calculus. But then, he was only in the fifth grade. He wouldn't need to know calculus for at least two more years. Of course, his mother had different ideas.
Suddenly, a face appeared at his window. Gohan gasped in surprise. "Dad, what are you doing out there?"
Goku pressed a finger to his mouth and glanced around. "I'm going to Bulma's house for a while. She has a new invention that she wants me to try out. You wanna come with me?"
"Sure!" Gohan cried. Then he frowned. "Oh...but wait. Mom won't let me go."
"Well, you have been studying pretty hard lately. I guess what your mother doesn't know won't hurt her this one time."
"Wow! You mean I can go?" Gohan asked.
"Yeah, sure!" Goku stepped away from the window as Gohan hopped to the ground. "By the way, Mrs. Briefs said we could stay for dinner if we wanted."
"That's great, Dad! Let's go!"
Goku stepped aside as Gohan quickly flew into the air. "Hey, what's the rush?" he asked as he caught up to his son. "They don't live that far away."
Gohan's face turned a slight shade of red. "I guess I just got excited about the invention," he muttered.
Goku let it drop, but he had a feeling there was something else on his son's mind...
* * * * *
"I'm really glad you decided to hang around, Trunks," Bulma said as she performed some last-minute checks on her invention. "You're almost as good with machines as I am!"
"Well, when androids have destroyed everything, you tend to learn how to fix things in order to survive." Trunks wiped some sweat from his face and put down the wrench. "Are we done yet?"
"I think so. Let me check. Go stand on that black X, will you?"
Trunks stared at her. "You think I'm going to stand on that target while you point that thing at me? You never told me what this is, but it really is starting to look like a laser cannon!"
"Trunks, I'm surprised at you! Do you really think I'd test this on you if I thought it could hurt you? I AM your mother, you know!"
"Well, yeah, but-"
"Talking back to your mother?! Not another word! You get on that X, young man!"
Trunks mumbled something under his breath as he walked over to the X.
"One more word and it's no dessert for you!" Bulma threatened as she hit a few switches. "Now hold still!"
Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
"I'LL GET IT!" Trunks dove aside just as Bulma pressed the start button. A beam of red light flew from the cannon and struck the X.
"Trunks, get back here!" Bulma shouted.
Trunks flew to the front door, nearly knocking over Mrs. Briefs, who was on her to the kitchen. "Sorry, Grandma!" he quickly apologized before opening the door.
"Hey! Good to see you, Trunks!" Goku cried, slapping him on the back. "How's life in the past treating you?"
"Okay, I guess, except Mom keeps trying to experiment on me."
Goku made a face. "Looks like I've been tricked. But if I can survive a fight with Frieza, I should be able to handle this." He walked off to Bulma's lab.
Trunks shook his head and was about to close the door when he noticed a familiar tuft of black hair peeking out from one of the bushes in the yard. "Gohan, is that you?"
Gohan slowly came out into the open. "Um...yeah. Listen, can I ask you something personal?"
"Sure. Come on in."
Gohan hesitated. "Um...your grandmother isn't around, is she?"
"Well, she's in the kitchen right now. She probably wanted to make some snacks for you and Goku before dinner. Why is that important?"
"Um...I'll tell you later. Let's go talk in your room."
Trunks shrugged and followed Gohan to the rear of the house.
Just as they reached the bedroom, Dr. Briefs came out of his office, holding Baby Trunks in one arm. "Oh, there you are, Trunks. Say, could you watch your...eh...self for a while? I need to make an important phone call."
"Sure, Grandpa," Trunks replied, taking the baby from him.
Baby Trunks made a gurgling sound and grabbed one of Gohan's fingers.
"Don't you ever feel weird taking care of him?" Gohan asked as they walked into the bedroom that both versions of Trunks shared.
"Not really," Trunks said. "It's only weird when they say it. 'Trunks, go change your diaper,' or 'Trunks, go play with yourself.' That took some getting used to." He made a funny face and was rewarded with the baby's laughter. "So what did you want to talk about, Gohan?"
"Um...have you ever been in love with anyone?"
Trunks looked at him, clearly confused. "Huh?"
"I mean, do you have anyone special waiting for you back in the future? Besides your mother."
"Well...there was this one girl I liked." Trunks got a far-off look in his eyes. "She was perfect." Then he sighed. "But she died with most of the other people when the androids came."
"Sorry, man," Gohan said. "I didn't know."
"That's okay. It's just been a long time since I thought about her. So who's this girl you obviously like?"
Gohan turned bright red. "Well, she's not really a girl..."
Trunks gave him a worried look. "Gohan, you're scaring me."
"No, she's human! She's just...a woman."
"So that's it." Trunks grinned. "Anyone I know?"
"Yeah, but I don't know if I should tell you this. You might get mad and blast me."
"Gohan, where I come from, you were like a father to me. There's very little you could say to change my opinion of you."
Gohan took a deep breath. "Okay, but I warned you." He paused. "Trunks...I think I'm in love with Mrs. Briefs."
Trunks didn't speak right away. "You mean my Grandma?" he asked after a few seconds.
"Yes, and...why are you looking at me like that?"
"Nothing. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You've only been around three women most of your life, and two of them just happen to be related to me. I'm not gonna get mad about it. Besides, I can't really blame you. In all honesty, she is really pretty."
Gohan stared at him. "So...you're not gonna hit me?"
"Nah, not for that. Of course, I might, depending on what you plan to do about this."
"That's why I came to you. I don't know what to do."
Trunks thought for a moment. "Have you told anyone?"
"Just Icarus, but I guess that doesn't count, since he's a dinosaur that can't tell anyone." Gohan started to say something else, but scrunched up his face. "No offense, Trunks, but you stink!"
"Huh?" Trunks glanced at the baby in his arms, who had a big smile on his face. "Oh. I should've known he was a little too quiet. Pass me that box of diapers, Gohan."
* * * * *
"So what does this thing do again?" Goku asked.
"Well, it's supposed to increase certain emotional responses in people," Bulma explained, "but since Trunks is such a chicken, I haven't been able to test it."
"I'll test it for you." Goku stood on the black X. "Is this going to hurt much?"
"It shouldn't, but we'll see." Bulma pressed the start button and watched as the red beam hit Goku in the chest. Much to her disappointment, nothing happened. "I don't understand. It should be working perfectly! Goku, do you feel any different?"
"Not really. I'm kinda hungry, but that's why I came here for dinner in the first place. Oh, and to help you with this! Heh heh..."
"Yeah, right. Are you sure you don't feel any different?"
Goku thought for a second. "I do have a sudden urge to raid the pantry, but that's probably just my stomach talking."
Bulma sighed. "I guess my machine doesn't work. Maybe I can get Dad to take a look at it later."
* * * * *
Mrs. Briefs knocked on Trunks' door. "Trunks, are you in there?"
A few seconds later, Trunks opened the door. "Hi, Grandma. What's up?"
"I just thought you and Gohan might like some snacks before dinner. He is with you, isn't he?" She held up a tray of fruit.
"Yeah, he's right over...Gohan, where'd you go?"
"Right here!" Gohan called from the closet. "Your bro...um...younger self is trying to eat your clothes!"
"Maybe he'd like some fruit, too!" Mrs. Briefs suggested with her ever-present smile.
Gohan suddenly came tumbling out of the closet and slammed against the wall. Baby Trunks soon crawled out, a flamelike aura surround his chubby little body.
"Oh my goodness!" Mrs. Briefs ran over and scooped up Baby Trunks. "That was very naughty of you, Trunks! Bad boy! You shouldn't hit Gohan!"
Baby Trunks, who obviously didn't know or care what she was saying, giggled and waved his tiny fists in the air.
Mrs. Briefs handed the baby to Trunks. Then she leaned down to check on Gohan, who looked a little dazed. "Are you all right, dear?" she asked, pressing a hand against his cheek.
Gohan blinked and shook his head before turning bright red. "Um...I'm fine, ma'am. Really!"
"Gracious! Your whole face is red! I'd better get some ice! Don't move a muscle, Gohan!" Before he could stop her, she rushed out of the room.
Trunks looked at the baby in his arms. "I guess you might even turn out to be more powerful than me someday, huh?"
Baby Trunks squealed and bopped him on the nose.
"You need some help getting up, Gohan?"
Gohan slowly pushed himself to his feet. "No, I'm okay. I just didn't expect him to punch me that hard."
Mrs. Briefs soon returned with a bag of ice, which she promptly pressed to Gohan's face. She left strict instructions for him to eat some fruit so he would heal up faster.
Once she was gone, Trunks turned to Gohan and said, "Man, you've got it bad. You could barely keep from staring at her the whole time."
"I told you I had a problem," Gohan muttered. "What am I gonna do, Trunks?"
"I don't know, Gohan. Maybe we should try talking to your Dad. I mean, if he can get a tough woman like your mother to fall for him, he's got to know something about this stuff." Then, with a doubtful look, he added, "And if we get really desperate, we could always ask my father..."
Gohan turned pale. "Um...let's try mine first."
Trunks nodded. "Good idea, buddy."
* * * * *
The boys found Goku hovering around the kitchen, where Mrs. Briefs was putting the finishing touches on dinner. Since she was always happy to have visitors that appreciated her cooking, she kept giving him tastes and samples of the various foods. Naturally, Goku liked them all.
Trunks and Gohan almost had to drag him away before they could get his complete attention, and even then, he kept catching whiffs of certain foods.
"Dad, I've got a big problem," Gohan said.
Goku looked down at his son. "What's the matter?"
"Well...I've got a crush o this girl and-"
"Whoa! My son's in love!"
Gohan turned red. "Dad, don't-"
Goku jumped up and started doing cartwheels. "Go, Gohan! Go, Gohan!"
Trunks blinked. "Goku, this is serious!"
Goku stopped and looked at them. "Sorry, but I'm just so HAPPY for him!" He grabbed Gohan and gave him a big hug. "My son is in love!"
Gohan pulled away. "Dad, just what did you taste in the kitchen?"
"A little bit of everything, I think. Why?"
Trunks shook his head. "C'mon, Gohan. We'd better ask my father. At least he won't start doing cartwheels."
"Are you sure he won't mind being bothered?" Gohan asked uncertainly.
Trunks grinned. "We'll take him one of Grandma's spare cherry pies. She keeps plenty of them around, just in case he gets mad too often."
* * * * *
There was absolutely no dessert better than Mrs. Briefs' cherry pies. Every time one was uncovered, some hungry person always showed up. So when Trunks pulled a warm pie from the oven, he wasn't surprised to find Yamcha standing over him, a hungry look on his face.
Gohan frowned as he played with Baby Trunks. "Yamcha, that pie's for Vegeta!"
Yamcha chuckled giddily. "He won't want it. He's always trying to get in better shape, and pie will just add unhealthy calories. Give it to me!"
Trunks backed away. "No way, Yamcha. We need this pie."
Yamcha took a step closer. "C'mon, Trunks. No one has to know! Just hand it over and we'll say it vanished into thin air!"
Baby Trunks suddenly frowned and raised a chubby hand, which began to glow bright blue.
"DUCK!" Gohan shouted, diving to the floor.
Trunks moved aside as Baby Trunks fired. The blue beam hit Yamcha in the chest, knocking him through the window with a loud crash. There was a loud thump as he hit the ground outside.
"Wow," Gohan said quietly. "Nice going, kid!"
Baby Trunks giggled and tried to stuff his own foot into his mouth.
* * * * *
Vegeta was in the middle of one of his perilous training sessions when there was a loud knock on the door of his ship. With a low growl, he ended the simulation and threw the door open. "Who DARES-" He stopped when a warm pie was shoved under his nose, and as the familiar aroma invaded his nostrils, he recognized it as cherry pie.
Following the hands that held the pie, he found Trunks standing at the door, along with Gohan, who was holding Baby Trunks in his arms. Vegeta weighed the annoyance factor in his mind, and quickly decided that nothing could be too annoying as long as he had a warm cherry pie. With a grunt, he grabbed the pie and said, "Get in."
Trunks and Gohan literally ran into the ship.
Vegeta, of course, sat in captain's chair. He glared at them. "Well?"
Trunks spoke up first. "Gohan's got woman trouble, and we need your help."
Vegeta snorted. "Why should I help the son of Kakarot?"
Gohan spoke this time. "We can get you more pies."
Vegeta stopped glaring, but the stern look remained on his face. "Go on."
Trunks grinned a bit. "We figured that since you're a prince, you'd know all there is to know about women."
Vegeta snorted again. "I suppose you didn't go to Kakarot first?"
Trunks hesitated for a moment, but Gohan quickly replied, "He didn't help at all."
Vegeta laughed for a moment, then checked his pie. Still too warm to eat. He would wait a little longer before devouring it. He turned his merciless gaze on Gohan. "So what's the problem? You wet your pants in front of a girl or something?"
Trunks glared at his father. "No. Actually, the real reason we came to you is that Gohan has a problem that you had not too long ago."
Gohan's eyes widened as they traveled from Vegeta to Trunks, and then back to Vegeta. "You mean...he..."
Vegeta's glare returned. "I thought we agreed NEVER to talk about that!"
Trunks grinned evilly. "We also agreed you wouldn't insult my friends anymore."
Vegeta started to shout, but then thought better of it. After all, his pie was cooling rapidly. He stuck his finger in and pulled out a cherry. He stared at it for a second, watching the gooey filling drip onto the pie's crust, then popped it into his mouth. After swallowing, he sighed and closed his eyes. Pie was indeed perfection.
"Father, are you listening?" Trunks asked slowly.
Vegeta's eyes shot open. "Of course! Now, what is it that he plans to do about this...problem?"
"I don't know," Gohan said. "That's why I need your help, sir."
Vegeta leaned back in his chair. "The way I see it, you have two options." He paused to plunge his finger into the pie and gulp down a few more cherries. "Actually, your problem is a lot like a pie."
Gohan and Trunks looked at each other. "A pie?" both boys asked.
"A cherry pie," he added, sucking some pie filling from a finger. "Say you're a hungry little kid, and the object of your affection is a cherry."
"Okay," Gohan said slowly.
"Don't interrupt!" Vegeta roared. He picked a cherry out of the big mess he was making of a once perfect pie. "Now, the delicious little cherry is hidden inside of the pie, and if you really want the cherry, you have to penetrate the hard crust, like so." Vegeta drove another finger through the crust and picked out a lone cherry.
Gohan and Trunks traded confused looks, but neither dared to say anything.
Vegeta went on. "Now, in this situation, the pie crust would be the marriage of Dr. Briefs & Mrs. Briefs. If you really want that cherry, you have to break the crust and go for it. That's one way to fix the problem. However, you might find that the crust was a lot stronger than you first expected, and you might never break through. That would result in your extreme unhappiness and prolonged depression, as you never obtained the object of your strong desire."
"What's the other way, father?" Trunks asked.
Vegeta jammed a bit of pie crust into his mouth, leaving a red stain on his lips. "The second method is the one I used, and it worked out quite well. Instead of trying to get the cherry, avoid cherry pies altogether."
"Huh?" Gohan blinked, obviously confused.
"Find another type of pie to raid," he explained. "For example, I turned to apple pies. My apple was becoming a Super Saiyan, and the crust was years and years of intense training. In the end, it paid off, and I learned something very important."
"What's that?" Trunks asked.
Vegeta grinned. "While I was trying to get my apple, a cherry came to me all by itself."
"Say what?!" Gohan cried.
Vegeta chuckled. "It's exactly like the way I became a Super Saiyan. When I stopped caring about becoming one, I did become one. When I stopped worrying about trying to get that cherry, another one that was just as good came along." He finished off the pie and tossed the pan at them. "Now, GET OUT AND GET ME MORE PIES!" he roared at the top of his lungs.
Trunks and Gohan fell over each other trying to get out of the ship. Just as they did, a blast of energy sailed over their heads, and the door slammed shut behind them.
"I'm not sure I understand," Trunks muttered. "What was the other cherry he kept talking about?"
The words were barely out of his mouth when Bulma stormed out of the house and banged on the ship's door. "Vegeta, get out of there right now! It's dinner time!"
"GO AWAY, WOMAN!" came the yell from within. "CAN'T YOU SEE I'M TRAINING?!"
"YOU GET OUT OF THERE RIGHT NOW, MISTER!" she shouted back, adding kicks to the door.
Gohan watched the scene for a few moments, and then smiled. "Trunks, your father is really smart."
Trunks gave him a weird look. "Huh?"
Gohan shoved Baby Trunks into his arms. "Sorry, but I've gotta go."
"What? Where are you going? It's time for dinner!"
Gohan smiled. "First, I'm going to get Vegeta some more pies. After that, I've got some serious training to do." With that, he turned and ran off.
Trunks scratched his head and watched his mother beat on the ship's door a little longer. Then he looked at the baby in his arms. "I don't see it. How about you, kid?"
Baby Trunks only squealed and grabbed a lock of his light violet hair.
Trunks shrugged and walked back toward the house. He wasn't sure why, but he had a feeling that being in love with a woman was more complex than he'd first thought. That, and after that last conversation, he'd never touch another cherry pie as long as he lived...
The End.