Raindrops

Prologue

AN: Credit to Ryneshi for the wonderful cover -- link to her tumblr in story details

This feeling wasn't anything new.

Marron's eyes stayed glued to her red kitten heels, clacking against the cement as she followed behind her parent's shadows. Much to the young blonde's protest her mother insisted on the small heels and red dress. Her surroundings were loud, the stench of burnt popcorn seeping into the hot summer air and not to mention the pain the young girl felt on the ball of her feet. The blonde never truly understood the point of the tournament other than the monetary gain one could garner.

"Now Marron" her father began, "when we get to the Briefs and Sons you better be polite."

Marron responded with a simple nod. It's been some time since the blonde was graced with the Son's presence, but even longer for the Briefs...had she not spent so much time with Goten and Trunks when she was younger she probably wouldn't have even remembered them. A small grin broke on her face at the wacky childhood adventures they had in her uncle's reserve, but that was far too long ago and the boys are likely to be much different.

She sensed her parents halt and her father's cheerful voice rang through her ears, "Goku!"

Marron looked up, seeing her father run towards his best friend. Son Goku: the savior of the universe, an immensely powerful man with an unmatched fighting spirit. You would imagine someone of such power would be flocked with paparazzi much like Mr. Satan. But in reality, he lived humbly in Mt. Paozu with his wife and now grandchildren.

"Marron, go say hi," Lazuli nudged the blonde.

She stepped towards the Son family, smiling awkwardly. "H-hi," she shyly greeted.

"She's just a little shy," Krillin stated patting his daughters back softly.

The dark-haired Saiyan grinned brilliantly, kneeling down to Marron's height, "hey kid, no need to be shy with me!" He stretched himself back up and looked down. Almost immediately, the saiyan's onyx eyes recognized the girl's next question. "If you're looking for Goten and Trunks they are around the dining hall."

The blonde whipped her head back to her mother and father, her eyes gleaming in some newfound excitement, "Can I-" She didn't even have to finish as her parents nodded, somewhat reluctantly, sending her off. "Thank you!"

"Sorry about that Goku," Krillin chuckled as he watched his daughter bolt towards the giant red building. "That Marron should know better."

Goku grinned sheepishly, swatting his hand. "No worries, kids will be kids."

The sheer excitement made Marron speedily arrive at the dining hall, despite the numbing pain her feet were in. She didn't have time to notice the several cotton-candy and ice-cream stands that she seemed to adore at every tournament, prior. She would usually relish on the cold strawberry flavors dancing across her taste buds, or the pink cotton that seemingly melted into her mouth.

The fifteen-year-old didn't quite understand just why she was so excited to those two, but she could feel her energy bouncing throughout her body. Two small hands pushed open the door; her eyes caught sight of the two half-breeds. Well, it was actually a stack of platescovering the two gluttonous hybrids faces but blonde knew better than to believe it was anyone but those two. She slowly approached the two, attempting to avoid making her presence known.

"Hey," she said softly as the two teens paused and glanced over to the curious girl. Her eyes caught sight of Goten first. His hair was much longer than she remembered, she was tempted to tease the mop-hair on his head. But she decided to avoid expressing that to him. "Oh wow, you're hair got long!" Marron complimented causing the younger teen to blush and smile awkwardly.

"And Trunks..." the blonde began but paused when his ocean blue eyes met with her icy ones.

A blush suddenly crept upon on her cheeks, her heart fluttering. Though short-lived she snapped her line of sight to her glossy red shoes. She didn't understand what was happening, under the ministrations of this modern-day Adonis she could feel a sudden tug at her heartstrings. Marron swore she was shaking in those kitten heels that very moment. Perhaps it was the way his lavender hair was styled, or maybe it was her hormones running amock.

Regardless, she didn't know what to make of it.

To Marron, she always saw the same snot-nosed brat that would pick on her for having no nose. The same eight-year-old who would pull on pig-tails so often, that Marron had practically begged her mother to snip off.

"Nice to see you too..."

Trunks smiled at her, "you grew a nose!"

The blonde's eyes quickly widened, subconsciously covering it and looking away. "I always had one!" Marron replied defensively, "I-It just grew more!"

He quirked a brow at her. "Whatever you say blondie."

Goten motioned the girl over to his side, a friendly grin plastered across his face as he patted down to the seat beside him. Marron sat down, legs crossed as she looked over to him. "Thank you, Goten."

"So what have you been up to, last time I saw you was...jeez, I don't know, five years ago?" Trunks asked before returning to his food.

Marron looked down to her glossy heels and shrugged, "Uh, not much really...I'm about to start school in West City High, so I guess that's fun."

Goten looked over to the blonde. "Oh cool, Trunks went there y'know...I mean he graduated early but-"

"You skipped a grade, Marron?" Trunks asked, cutting his best friend off.

Marron nodded, idly playing with the hem of her dress. "I was homeschooled for some time so I got some more stuff done"

"Boy!" The unmistakable stentorian voice bellowed across the dining hall, striking all those around those paralyzed. Dark eyes, connected with his son's wide-eyed blue ones, "come now."

Trunks looked over to Goten and Marron, a weak smile. "Well, guess our time got cut short, see ya guys."

Her eyes followed lavender-haired teen as he walked towards the flamed-tipped haired man. His stoic expression and folded arms gave Marron all she needed to know: Trunks was in trouble. It was clear in the way he walked, like a dog with its tail in between his legs. "What did he do?" Marron mumbled to Goten.

"He uh..." Goten began, his fingers tapping on the table, "he dropped out of the tournament to go on a date...guess Vegeta found out."

Marron rolled her eyes, slouching down on her seat, "classic Trunks."

Goten scoffed. "Tell me about it," he paused looking over to Marron, "you staying for the tournament?"

Marron shrugged. "I guess I don't have much of a choice."

With that, the hybrid flashed his classic Son smile and stood up. "I should probably get going, the preliminaries are starting soon and I don't wanna miss out. See ya Mar!"

Marron stayed seated, watching as Goten left and stared back down to her shoes, clicking its tips mindlessly as she attempted to understand what just occurred.