Don't Own DBZ! Thought I told ya!

Mothers Nurture, Fathers Build Up

Chapter 5

It was just after noon the next day, and Mrs. Briefs readied her grandson for his daily training with his father. She had been taking on this task, since Bulma had been working at the main office, and was his predominant caretaker during the day.

Trunks had become quite adept at dressing his own little body, however, and always declined any assistance, although it took him a while to put whatever limb in through the right hole and whatever foot in the right shoe. The Velcro on the boots was his favorite part. Sometimes he would fasten and unfasten repeatedly just to get a kick of the sound it made. Also, there was never a problem with his little black cap, and that was probably because he’d never take it off, unless it was during a bath or an occasionally trimming, which his mother had to fight with him in order to do so. She would have to promise he could put it back on afterwards to settle him.

Vegeta conducted the usual training with his son, but he had not been satisfied with the boy’s overall progress for the day. He blamed it on that diaper thing again. Trunks froze in the middle of the session and backed away from his father, and then shyly came back with a saggy bottom. “Twunks poo-pee…”he passively expressed to his father, and Vegeta immediately called for his mother-in-law to rid his son of the stinky diaper. Trunks returned, powder fresh, having wasted valuable training time. It would take some hard work on Bulma’s part to get Trunks familiar with using the toilet, but she made a deal with his father.

Vegeta recalled that particular agreement as he and Trunks entered the main housing area, and he decided to address the matter of the ‘pointy-eared beanie’ at that time.

“Trunks, isn’t it about time you take that thing off your head?” He looked down at the boy as they entered the study. Bulma decided to take an afternoon off to begin Trunks’ potty training, and the study was their planned meeting place.

Trunks innocently patted the top of his head, not really sure what ‘thing’ his father was implicating. He then shot Vegeta a perturbed glare as it dawned upon him that his favorite clothing article was the only ‘thing’ upon his head.

Vegeta took a seat in his favorite chair, while gesturing for the boy to come to him, and Trunks slowly treaded over to his father with his little chubby arms crossed stubbornly in front of him. He knew what his father was onto and did not like it one bit.

“That’s getting too small for you…” Vegeta pointed at the head gear with a stern finger as Trunks parked before him. “It’s time to get rid of it.”

Trunks did an awkward about face and glanced with angry eyes over his shoulder.

“Twunks no wanna.” He pouted, then faced forward.

“And why not?!” Vegeta growled, almost growing impatient already as he reached out and turned the boy back to face him properly. His slightly angered expression faded when he saw the reason his son may have turned away from him. Trunks had a single tear running from one of his blue eyes as the other fought to barricade another leaky pool; he was hiding the fact that he was crying from his father.

Vegeta smirked at the boy, as he remembered the words he had strongly impressed upon Trunks some months ago: ‘…and he (a Saiyan) does not shed a single tear for anyone or anything…’

Trunks was ashamed that he had gone against his father’s words and shed tears, but his father was fairly proud regardless of the fact. Vegeta supposed that he would have to make some minor amendments. After all, he himself shed a many tears in his life time, one time being right before he had died by the hands of Frieza and many times before that unfortunate event. Therefore, he had contradicted himself and could be labeled as a hypocrite.

“Trunks…” He sighed heavily and placed a palm on the boy’s crown. “…tell me…why do you not wish to comply?”

Trunks did not fully understand the exact meaning of some of his father’s last words, but he figured Vegeta was ‘politely’ asking the same question.

Trunks sniffled as he wiped his ‘tear and a half’ and looked up at his father.

“Twunks hehwu (hair) wike(like) Dad-dee.” Trunks softly stated with hint of sadness. If his mother was there, she would have broken down in tears herself while squeezing him tight; he was just that cute.

“What?” Vegeta heard his son’s utterance clearly but asked purely out of reflex to confirm what Trunks had just said.

“Twunks…hehwu…wike…Dad-dee.” Trunks slowly repeated, strongly stressing each word and a little louder than last time as his little head moved up and down for special emphasis.

“Oh…” Vegeta chuckled softly. That would have been the last reason he thought of as it was a ridiculous reason, but acceptable for an advanced, talking toddler who was barely a year and a half. “…so you think that thing makes your hair look more like mine, do you?”

Trunks dejectedly shook his head for yes. He then watched as his father stood and walked across the room, stopping in front of a mirror above the vacant fireplace.

“Come here, son…” Vegeta said facing his reflection, and Trunks padded over to him. He grabbed a hold of the back of boy’s top as he gently pulled him up to stand on the mantle and look at his reflected image. “… You see, it’s nothing like mine…”

Vegeta kindly pointed out the differences in his hair verses the black beanie. He figured Trunks was mainly focused on the ‘point’ as well as the dark color. His hair came together to form one point, not two, and besides, the thing was made from threads of cotton totally different than thick strands of Saiyan hair. “Touch it…” he said slouching just a bit to let Trunks get a good feel. “…does my hair even feel like that thing?”

“Oh-wu.” Trunks said rubbing a good bit of hair between his fingers. It wasn’t Trunks’ first time touching his father’s thick mane, but those were valid points Vegeta had made.

“If anything, it makes you look like the old man’s fury companion, not me.” Vegeta continued drawing a scrunched look of disappointment from Trunks as the boy realized his father’s statement made sense. That thing does look more like the top of Scratch’s head.

“There…” Vegeta said pulling the beanie off his little head and set it on the mantle to reveal a messy lavender mane. “…does not Trunks look more like his father now?”

Trunks deepened his frown at his reflection as he mentally compared his hair to his fathers. “No.” he answered firmly and huffed.

“Why not?” Vegeta followed up as he brushed soft purple strands to the side with the intention of giving Trunks a better view of himself.

“Dad-dee dif-fen (different).” Trunk muttered sadly with his sweet baby tone as he looked away from the mirror to his father.

“Look son…” Vegeta finally spoke again after thinking for a brief moment. His words would have to be assertive and yet comforting so that Trunks would stand tall and proud like the Saiyan Prince he is and like his father before him. “…You obviously had to inherit at least one thing from your mother, so that’s where the hair comes in…” he said with a smirk, thinking of Bulma; her feelings would be hurt if she knew her baby apparently preferred his father’s genes. “…and while we may not have the same hair, we have the same everything else. See…” Vegeta took the boy’s hand, after having him turn back to the mirror, to form a point with his little index finger and place it near of his blue eyes; and at the same time, he mimicked the boy with his own finger pointing to one of his dark eyes. “…the color’s different but we have the same eyes…” He moved his hand to his ear and had Trunks do the same. “…we also have the same ears…” He rubbed his chin between a thumb and index next, and by now Trunks wittily caught on to copy his father without out the guidance. “…the same cool face…and let me show you something…” Trunks watched as his father turned around, lifted his navy training shirt from the back with one hand and slightly tugged on his bottoms with another hand to reveal a furry nub in his lower back. “…you know what that is?”

“Dad-dee te-wu (tail)?” Trunks asked, second guessing his self. It wasn’t the first time he had seen the left-over proof of his father’s tail, but Vegeta had never really told him about it. His knowledge was one-sided from his mother’s view as she explained a few times during his baths about the little knot in his own lower back.

“That’s right. I used to have a tail…” Vegeta faced his son again and had him turn to lift the back of his white tee, while slightly pulling down his bottoms as well. “…and see…” He somehow positioned Trunks to get a glimpse of his own little back in the mirror, showing him the bare knot with light scarring upon it. His tail was removed by a highly-paid professional reconstructive surgeon unlike his father’s that was chopped off in battle by that cowardly, fat-slob weakling, Yajirobe. Vegeta mentally cursed the poor excuse for a warrior.

“…you had a tail too when you were born, something your mother never had or ever will…” He fixed the boy’s clothing and brought him down from the mantle by the same manner in which he put him up. He then smiled proudly while looking down at the boy, and Trunks looked up to him with the same expression. “You are more like your father than you realize.” Vegeta finished, acknowledging to himself that one day they would both have practically the same hair when the boy would finally achieve the Super Saiyan level.

“Oh-wu.” Trunks let out a cute little titter upon realization. He never thought about the other distinct physical features of his father in comparison to his own that show how much they look alike; it wasn’t just about the hair.

“So I take it you will discontinue wearing this thing?” Vegeta asked snatching the beanie and held it out in front of the boy.

“Mmhmm.” Trunks nodded for yes as he smiled brightly.

“Good.” Vegeta said with a smirk; this task was a piece of cake. Bulma should have simply asked Trunks the reason he refused to stop wearing that thing, he thought to himself as he tossed the beanie into the empty fireplace. “Now stand back.” He softly pushed the boy back with one hand as he spread the fingers of the other to aim and shoot a small ray of ki, setting the beanie on fire.

“Woawu!” Trunks coolly exclaimed in fascination as he watched with wide eyes. He wanted to learn that move next, he thought.

Vegeta stood as he also watched the beanie slowly turn to ashes in a daze, and he felt small hands grab at his leg as Trunks rested his head against his father. Their eyes twinkled as they both studied the fading blaze intently, and after another minute or so, it had completely died out.

“That’s that…” Vegeta huffed as he dusted his hands and then looked towards the entrance for his wife as he had suddenly felt her presence nearby.

“Dad-dee wook (look)!” Trunks called causing his father to jump a bit.

“What is it?” Vegeta asked with a faint sign of agitation and looked down at the boy once more.

“See!” Trunks shouted with excitement, tugging down his pants and diaper in brisk awareness of yet another ‘thing’ he had in common with his father. “Twunks hab (have)! Dad-dee hab! Mom-mee no hab!”

“That’s right, son!” Vegeta laughed hard at his son’s rather unexpected little disclosure. Trunks was too smart for his own good. “…now put that thing away before your mother sees you!”

I must say thank you kindly to all the faithful readers and reviewers. I really do appreciate it. Like I mentioned before, I have only a few chapters left for this one. However, I will not tag it complete as I feel I may come back to it later on if I think of something else. Meanwhile, if you haven't checked out any other fics from me, please don't hesitate to read those as well. I think if you found this one interesting, those may also appeal to you. Below is a continuation of the previous skit 'He Said/She said'...and thanks to those you submitted some feedback for that one as well. Thanks again everyone!

HE SAID/SHE SAID

Part 2: Yamacha Said

Trunks: Mom!

Bulma: What is it Trunks?

Trunks: I have some questions.

Bulma: Okay, but I’m drafting some new prototypes right now, so you’re going to have to hurry and spit it out.

Trunks: Did dad become a Super Saiyan because of you?

Bulma: Well sort of, did he tell you that?

Trunks: No, Yamacha did.

Bulma: Really? Was that all he said?

Trunks: He also said it would take a ‘very talented and charitable woman’ to ‘care for and love someone like dad’ and he ‘saw’ that you were the best woman ‘suited’ for ‘the job’.

Bulma: That was very sweet, but strange…did he really say that?

Trunks: Well…he didn’t say those exact same words but…

Bulma: Well, what exactly did he say?

Trunks: He said, *ahem*(flawlessly imitates Yamacha’s voice) “…was I surprised when I peeked into that shuttle window…instead of performing maintenance on the gravitron, she stripped out of those coveralls and so graciously performed it on HIM…Man! I always figured Bulma was so EASY even a MURDEROUS SAIYAN could DO her!”

Bulma: No he did not go there! …the nerve of him...lying to my son like that!

Trunks: (back to normal voice) So it’s not true?

Bulma: Of course not!

Trunks: Then what’s your side, mommmm?