Chapter 2 : Goten, Trunks, Marron (Age 784)

Marron bought gifts for the boys and things don't go as planned.

"Here you go guys. A little something I got from my school trip," Marron smiled as she handed out two separate gift bags to Goten and Trunks.

"Thanks Marron, although you didn't have to," Goten murmured, a little surprised by Marron's little gesture.

"Wait, why is my bag smaller?" Trunks chimed in, holding the small paper bag on his palm. He then compared his gift bag to Goten's which was obviously larger, almost like the average shopping bag. "Is it because I said you were impure when you fell off the Flying Nimbus?" he chuckled, earning a burst of laughter from Goten and a frown from Marron.

"For your information, I fell because I was too short to climb on the Flying Nimbus, okay Trunks. And that was 3 years ago."

"Not in my story. You should have seen both my parents' faces when I told them. Little Marron has an impure heart?" Trunks tried to mimic his mother's reaction, which prompted Goten to laugh even harder. The two boys continued to taunt Marron with stories of their family's reaction to her falling off the yellow cloud. The poor girl crossed her arms and waited for the boys to calm down before interrupting their roasting session.

"Okay I'm impure, whatever. Are you guys done for the day?" she grunted impatiently. The boys calmed down, still tickled by the thought of their 'impure friend' causing a big commotion among their friends and family, even though the incident happened years ago.

"Sorry Marron, the story just never gets old. On the bright side, my dad and Gohan thought I was a bad influence on you. Can you imagine that?" snickered Goten in disbelief.

"My father said the same thing," Trunks added.

"About me or you being a bad influence?"

"Erm…yeah…" Trunks paused, unsure whether to tell his best friend the truth. "By the way, what did you get us?" he shook the small bag, trying to figure out what was inside.

Marron uncrossed her arms and pleaded, "Just open it, silly." The boys tore the paper bags open and Goten immediately took out his gift. It was a box of premium strawberry daifuku, one of his many, favourite desserts.

"Wow! Thanks Marron, it's been a long time since I ate these. Now I feel bad for laughing at you," he gave her a side hug, planting a quick kiss on her head. "Finally I can have these to myself," he exclaimed happily, then took the first bite of his daifuku.

"MARRON WHAT IS THIS?!"

Both teens turned to Trunks who was holding a tiny figurine. It was carved from wood and looked like a misshapen fox, almost cartoonish.

"It's a fox, silly. I know it looks odd but it reminded me of you. Look here," she pointed to the features on the figurine. "It has your piercing blue eyes too. When you get irritated your eyes widen slightly and you have a sharp nose, just like this fox! Cute right?" she replied cheerfully.

Goten grabbed the toy from Trunks and studied it, looking back and forth at Trunks, who was wearing the same irritated face as the misshapen toy. "You're right, it does look like him!" he chuckled, almost choking.

Trunks grabbed the toy away from him. "Are you serious? Marron, why would you get me this? Did I do something to you? Do you really hate me?" he questioned her, almost whining.

"No I don't, Trunks. When I first saw it I immediately thought of you…and you're making that same face again," she giggled, giving him a playful pinch on the face. Trunks remained silent, staring at the blonde, completely dumbfounded by her honesty while Goten continued to devour the rest of his daifuku.

"What am I going to do with this thing?"he sighed, toying around with the figurine.

"I'm sorry Trunks, I thought you would like it. If you don't want it, I can get you something else,"she replied, feeling a little guilty for getting her friend a gag gift instead of something that he liked.

"Or I can give it to Pan," Goten offered, finally putting away his half eaten gift.

Trunks considered the offers for a moment, but declined. He could just keep it in his glass cabinet with his other figurine collections, he thought. "Thanks Marron. I will cherish this cute figurine of me forever," he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes when the petite girl had jumped on him, giving him a very tight hug.

"Yay! I knew you would like it somehow," she exclaimed, feeling content. Trunks looked at Goten and gave him a knowing smile.

"So… you were thinking of me during your school trip huh?" he asked, teasingly. Marron gaped at him in shock, releasing her hold on him immediately.

"It's nothing like that, okay. And besides, I was thinking of Goten too,"she answered sternly, unaware of what she was about to start between the boys.

"Oh my, you were thinking of two men at the same time? How impure of you Marron," Goten teased while Trunks began laughing again. "That's why she fell off the Flying Nimbus!" he shrieked, then started roasting the poor girl again.

Marron sighed loudly and hung her head low, accepting her fate that for as long as she was friends with Goten and Trunks, she will always be reminded of the day she fell off that damn yellow cloud.

END