Brotherly Love
Eleven-year-old Trunks Briefs sat in the center of his
playroom. He leaned back on his hands
and let out a bored sigh. It was Friday
afternoon, and there was nothing for the young half-Saiyan
to do for the entire weekend. He watched
as his toy train slowly moved around in a circle, following the tracks the boy
had put together.
He looked at
the clock that hung next to the door.
Seeing that it was barely two in the afternoon, nothing would be of
interest on TV either. At the moment he
wanted to spare, but that wasn’t going to happen unless he spared himself. Goten, his usual
sparing partner, had gone on a weekend trip with his family. The only other person to fight with would be
his own father, Vegeta. But even the bored Trunks didn’t feel like
getting his butt kicked and come out feeling just as bored but with more
bruises.
The opening of
the door startled him and he looked up to meet the face of his mother. “Trunks, I’m going to the airport to pick up Malenia. I should be
back in a few hours.”
“Sure Mom,”
Trunks said as his mother left, leaving the door partially opened.
“I forget Malenia was coming,” he said with a small smile of
relief. “She’s a lot of fun to hang
around with.”
The small
lavender haired and blue-eyed boy picked himself up off the floor and went to
his bedroom next door. Trunks opened his
desk drawer and pulled out a small photo album his mother had made him. He lay down on his stomach on the bed and
flipped through the pages. Most of them
were filled with Goten and himself through the years
of their life. There were a few others
he knew from school as well.
He then found
the page of the last time his cousin Malenia came for
a visit. He was eight years old at the
time, not long after the World Martial Arts Tournament. Malenia was nine
years older than he was. Her mother and Bulma were first cousins, but when they were together you’d
think they were sisters.
He flipped the
page to find his favorite picture in the entire book. There was only one of him with the other
person, but he cherished it just the same.
The man next to him was whom Trunks liked to call his own “Big
Brother.” It was fate that had brought
them together really.
Trunks had
always wanted an older brother, but alas, he knew that even if his mother were
to have other kids, he’d be the oldest.
Trunks met his “Big Brother” Tapion when a
weird old man wanted to free this “Great Hero” who was trapped inside a music
box.
At first, Tapion and Trunks didn’t get along very well, but Trunks
figured it was because of two things.
One, Tapion didn’t want to see Trunks get
hurt; for there was a monster spirit inside his body at the time they met. And two, Trunks might have reminded Tapion of his own little brother. It all fell into place however and they
became great friends.
Unfortunately
for Trunks, his mother had made a time machine that allowed Tapion
to go home—1000 years in the past to his own planet, Konats. The only thing Trunks had to remember Tapion with was this picture, and his sword.
Before Tapion was imprisoned in the music box, he and his little
brother Minoshiya, where given legendary swords and
an ocarina which were used to hold off the terrible monster Hildegarn. Not needing it any longer, Tapion gave Trunks the sword.
The boy looked
up and saw the sword hanging from its case on the wall. He smiled, wishing that he could see his Big
Brother again. His mother said that it
was possible as long as Tapion had the time
machine. But Trunks tried to understand
that Tapion had his own home and family.
Trunks woke up
after hearing a loud noise. He looked at
his alarm clock, noticing that it was
He jumped off
his bed and ran to the front door, expecting to see Malenia
standing there. To his surprise, there
was no one there. He looked over to the
kitchen and the family room, thinking that maybe it was his father that he
heard.
The doorbell
caused Trunks’ heart to skip a beat. He
raised an eyebrow, trying to figure out who would ring it. Any of his mother’s friends usually just came
in, and Goten wasn’t around. Unless, his mother dropped Malenia off for now so she could go to the store. That must be it.
Trunks opened
the door, expecting to look up to see a girl smiling back down at him. What he saw instead shocked him. He stared at the person for a moment before
letting his mouth form a large smile on his face. “Tapion!” he
shouted.
A “Hello
Trunks” was returned to him as the boy jumped over to give the Konatsian a hug.
“You’ve gotten a little taller,” Tapion
commented once he was free from Trunks’ grasp.
It was
true. Trunks looked the same since the
warrior last saw him, only gaining a few inches. “I was just thinking about you earlier! I can’t believe you’re here!!” Trunks looked
over Tapion, seeing the Konatsian
just as he was in the picture, with his orange Mohawk and bright green
eyes. The outfit was the same as well,
the skintight dark green shirt and pants, covered by a mustard-yellow robe-like
vest with heavier shoulders. Around his
neck was a long blue piece of material with the ends hanging both in front and
in back. On his hands were brownish
gloves, and the same color boots covered his feet.
“I thought it
was time to pay you a little visit,” Tapion said, his
green eyes smiling down at his earth friend.
It wasn’t long
before the two caught up. They sat at
the kitchen table drinking lemonade, telling the other what’s been going on in
the past few years. Trunks couldn’t stop
himself from talking so fast, being excited from Tapion’s unexpected visit.
Tapion smiled, feeling just as if he was home
listening to Minoshiya talk up a storm. Sometimes, he could swear that Trunks was a
reincarnation of his younger brother.
As the two
continued their conversations, the front door opened. Two women, one young and the other older,
came in carrying a few suitcases.
“Trunks will be so excited to see you again. He sure was when I told him you were coming,”
Bulma recollected.
“I’m sure he
hasn’t changed much since I saw him last,” Malenia
said. She let out a tired sigh as she
placed her suitcase on the floor.
Laughter from the kitchen caught her attention. “Seems like Trunks is
already excited about something.”
Bulma raised an eyebrow.
“Trunks?” She called.
“Mom’s home!” Trunks said jumping from his seat. He ran out of the kitchen into the foyer to
greet his mother and tell her the good news.
Tapion smiled to himself and followed a few
seconds later.
“There you
are,” Malenia said putting her hand on her hip as she
saw her little cousin dash in.
Trunks stopped
quick and noticed his cousin. He
completely forgot that she was coming. “Oh hey Malenia!” He then turned
his vision to his mom. “You won’t
believe who came to visit!”
Bulma and Malenia looked at each
other with confusion. “Trunks,” Bulma started, “She’s standing right here.”
“No no! Tapion’s here!”
“Tapion?” Both women
repeated. Then they noticed the taller
figure standing in the entryway of the kitchen.
“Tapion!” Bulma
said in a cheery voice. “I didn’t think
we’d have the pleasure of your company as well.” She gave the Konats
warrior a small hug.
Malenia looked over the stranger before her. He was taller than she maybe six feet or
so. He looked human until she noticed
the large pointy ears and the strange object on the sides of his head. She could tell that he was summing her up as
well, for his eyes unknowingly looked her up and down.
Tapion tried to hide his shock and hoped that his face
wasn’t turning red. He wasn’t that
comfortable around young girls, especially pretty ones. And the one before him were both. She stood about 5’ 7” tall, dark blue hair
that hung past her shoulders, with matching blue eyes. She was slim, yet perfectly built. She wore a red short-sleeved shirt with a
yellow image of a crown and short blue jean shorts.
Tapion swallowed as he heard Bulma
introduce her as Trunks’ cousin “Malenia.”
Malenia smiled and extended her hand to greet him. “Trunks mentioned something about you in a
letter a few years ago. It’s a
pleasure,” she said. She let her hand
fall to her side when Tapion only smiled weakly at
her.
“Well, I have
some steaks ready to be cooked on the grill for dinner. I’ll get them started and we’ll celebrate,” Bulma said. “Malenia, I’ll show you to your room. Trunks, why don’t you show Tapion the room down the hall from yours.”
“Sure! C’mon Big Brother!”
Trunks pulled Tapion by the hand up the stairs and
down the hall.
The food was
surprisingly good; usually Bulma can’t cook that
well. The others finished their meals,
as Vegeta and Trunks continued. Tapion barely ate
anything, feeling a little uncomfortable around this new girl Malenia, and Vegeta, whom he
could tell didn’t like him very much.
“That was good
Mom!” Trunks said while wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Trunks, use a napkin,” Bulma
corrected as she watched Vegeta do the same
thing. He smiled at her knowing that she
can’t make him use a stupid napkin.
Trunks jumped
to his feet. “C’mon Tapion! I’ve
got some new toys to show you!!”
“More toys?” Tapion questioned him as he felt himself being pulled back
into the house from the deck.
Trunks let go
of Tapion’s hand to turn on the light and move to the
side so the Konats warrior could view the
playroom. “My gosh
Trunks,” he said, “you have more toys than I’ve ever seen in a lifetime.”
Trunks put his
hands behind his head. “I know. My grandparents are always buying me
stuff. This one is the best
though.” He picked up a small
plane. “Watch this! Its great!” Tapion watched the
boy place the green plane on the floor and push a button. The plane rolled around and then took
off. Tapion
ducked as it came by, almost clipping the top of his orange hair.
After an hour
of not seeing her cousin, Malenia decided it was time
to hunt him down. She went up to the
boy’s room to find it was empty. But the
sound of her cousin’s laughter down the hall caught her attention. She stood in the doorway watching as Trunks
played with a few toys, while Tapion sat and watched.
“Having fun
boys?” She said with a small smile.
“Mind if I join you?”
Tapion didn’t look up.
Rather, he turned his head slightly to avoid her eyes. Trunks smiled and she sat down on a nearby
beanbag. Malenia
barely listened as Trunks explained some of the toys to she
and Tapion.
However, she couldn’t help but glance over to the orange haired man
sitting across the room. Her only
reasoning why he wouldn’t look at her was that he was just plain shy. She couldn’t help, though, admitting to
herself that he was kinda cute for an alien.
Tapion sat on the floor in the same position for close to
two and a half hours. Finally, he began
to feel his leg fall asleep and thought it’d be best to get up. Trunks watched him with a questioning look on
his face. Tapion
smiled down to him. “I want to show you
something,” he said with a smile.
Trunks’ eyes
immediately lit up. “What? Show me!!”
He yelled jumping to his feet.
Tapion chuckled to himself.
“Alright, come with me.”
Malenia raised an eyebrow as the two left the room without
inviting her. “Its
as if I wasn’t even here!” She exclaimed to the robot still moving around on
the floor.
Trunks followed
Tapion out onto a small balcony of the house. “What do you want to show me?” Trunks asked
once again.
“Calm
down.” Tapion
reached into the side of his vest where he kept the object. “I didn’t want you to see it until
later. I had one made for my brother and
myself.” Trunks’ eyes widened as he
caught a first view of a shiny royal blue ocarina.
“You got a new
one!” Trunks said with joy. He reached
out to touch the smoothness of it.
“I missed
playing that tune all the time. It
settles my nerves, so I decided I wanted another one.”
“Play it for
me?” Trunks’ hopped up onto the railing and sat down. Tapion did the
same, but faced the city. He put the goldish mouthpiece between his lips and began to play the
melody he used against Hildegarn. Trunks sat still and silent, listening to
each note as if he was hearing it for the first time.
Malenia stood next to the door, listening and feeling
relaxed as she heard the soft music. She
noticed Bulma coming down the hall. Her older cousin stopped and listened for a
moment as well. “Beautiful, isn’t it.”
She stated. “He plays that song so
well.”
“I’ve never
heard it before,” Malenia replied.
Bulma smiled.
“That’s because it’s a legendary melody that kept the monster Hildegarn in check. Tapion used to play it for protection. Now he must play it for pleasure.” She smiled at the young girl.
Bulma stood in the doorway, looking at her son watching Tapion’s fingers.
When the Konatsian finished the melody, he
moved his eyes to look at the boy’s mother.
Bulma smiled.
“Very nice,” she replied, receiving a slight nod back. “But I’m afraid that its time for bed
Trunks.”
“Aw Mom!” Trunks pouted.
“Why can’t I stay up late tonight?
Please???”
Tapion smiled and put his hand on Trunks’ shoulder. “Listen to your mom, Trunks. There’s always tomorrow. I’m not going anywhere right away.”
Trunks still
pouted but agreed. Bulma
winked a ‘thank-you’ to Tapion as she followed her
son off the porch. Trunks yelled back
and asked Tapion if he was coming.
“You get ready
and I’ll be right there.” The Konatsian sat in the new silence for a moment and looked at
the sparkling city before him. A gust of
wind hit his face and he closed his eyes as he felt it. He thought for a moment and looked down at
the ocarina in his hands. He remembered Hildegarn and how that monster was the reason he met
Trunks.
Tapion was started by small footsteps. He quickly turned his head around to meet the
gaze of dark blue eyes. He turned his
head back to the city.
Malenia put her hands behind her back and stopped a few
feet from the stranger. “Aren’t you
going to play anymore?” She asked innocently, trying to start up a conversation
with Trunks’ hero.
Tapion didn’t answer.
Not meaning to be rude or anything, he tied the instrument to his
belt. Malenia
frowned. “What’s your problem, anyway?”
She asked a bit annoyed.
Tapion twisted around and slid off the railing to let his
feet touch the floor. “What makes you
think I have one?” His voice was calm,
and didn’t seem to either care or mind the annoyed tone of the other’s voice.
Malenia put her hands on her hips. “You know, why are you so rude to me? I’m trying my best to be polite, but all you
seem to care about is yourself.”
Tapion’s green eyes shot her a glare. “That’s not true,” he said with a bit more of
a harsh tone.
“Oh, that’s
right. You care about Trunks. He idolizes you, if you didn’t know that.”
Tapion sighed and walked away into the house, leaving Malenia dumbfounded.
“Where are you going?”
“I have no
desire to argue with you.” And with that
he was gone down the hall.
Trunks waited
in his bed for Tapion to come in. He smiled widely when he saw his big brother
poke his head in. “I’m happy you’re
here, Big Brother,” the young boy stated.
Tapion ruffled the boy’s lavender hair. “I’m here for you,” he said with a
smile. “Minoshiya
didn’t understand why I was going back to the future.”
“What did you
tell him?”
“I said that I
had a friend I needed to visit.”
“Oh,” Trunks
said with a thoughtful look. “You should
bring your brother here next time. I’d
like to meet him.”
“I’ll do
that.” Tapion
looked around the room for a moment.
When he looked back he noticed Trunks’ eyes had closed and he was
already off to dreamland. “Sweet dreams,
little brother…” He brought the sheet up to Trunks’ neck and crept out of the
room.
The next
morning Trunks was up bright and early.
He had jumped out of bed the moment light came through his windows, got
dressed, and was racing down the hall in an instant. He knocked on the bedroom door where Tapion was sleeping.
When there was no answer, he took it upon himself to open the door. He raised an eyebrow when he saw that there
wasn’t any sign of him.
Trunks searched
a few more rooms before his mother leaned her head towards the door. Trunks ran outside and looked around. The only thing he noticed was his dog digging
a hole in the ground.
“Big Brother!”
he called eagerly. The sound of music
caught his attention. He laughed as he
flew to the pool area.
Tapion looked up at him as he finished the tune. “You’re up bright and early.”
“Of course! What do
you want to do today!?”
During
breakfast, Trunks quickly gobbled down his meal as Tapion,
Malenia, and Bulma ate
slowly while watching the half-Saiyan. “More please,” the boy said holding up his
plate to his mother.
“Sometimes I
wonder who eats more, you or your father,” Bulma said
taking the plate. Trunks gave her a
large smile back. Bulma
filled the plate with more hash browns and scrambled eggs. “So, what are you guys planning on doing
today?”
Trunks took the
plate from her and began filling his mouth.
“Me and Tapion are
going to take a walk down to the game store and check out the new video games
that came out.”
Bulma looked at Malenia who shook
her head. “Aren’t you going with them?”
“Yeah! Come with us!”
Trunks announced.
Malenia smiled but looked to her right where Tapion was sitting.
Her small smile disappeared as he looked at her from the corners of his
eyes. “Sorry,” she said trying not to
show that she was upset, “But I don’t think I’d be wanted by certain
people. Excuse me.” She got up, put her dishes in the sink and
quickly left the room without saying anything further.
Trunks and Bulma looked at each other.
“What brought that on?” Bulma asked the two on
either side of her.
Tapion sighed. “I
think I know.” He stood up. “Excuse me
as well please.” He also brought his
dishes to the sink and left the room. Bulma looked at Trunks who just shrugged his shoulders.
Tapion found Malenia sitting on a
bench outside the house. She had a few
tears in her eyes and turned away when she noticed Tapion
coming. He looked down at her, noticing
that she wouldn’t allow him to meet her gaze.
“Malenia,” he started, hesitating on what to
say. “Please don’t feel that I don’t
want you to come with us,” he got out.
Malenia wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. “Yeah, so why won’t you bother even looking
at me sometimes? I know when I’m not
wanted. I’m not stupid.”
“By all means,
you’re not stupid. And I never said I
didn’t want you.” He sat down on the
other end of the bench she sat on. “You
don’t understand why I don’t associate with you, though.”
“Alright, then
explain it to me,” she told him.
Tapion looked up at the blue sky above him and noticed a
flock of ducks flying overhead. He took
a deep breath as he interlocked his fingers and looked back down at the
grass. “You’re familiar with the story
of Hildegarn, am I right?” She muttered a yes. “A long time ago, I was very involved with a
girl. She was…everything to me. We probably would’ve been wed…if…”
“If what?” Malenia asked eagerly.
“If Hildegarn hadn’t killed her…”
Malenia’s stern face relaxed to look sympathetic. “I’m…I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“I was so upset
over the whole thing that I was even willing to commit suicide. When I saw my brother again, I decided
against it of course. Her death is one
of the reasons why I so willingly took the task of playing the ocarina to keep
the monster under control. I wanted
revenge.” He paused for a moment before
turning his head towards the blue haired girl next to him.
“Malenia, after losing her, I didn’t think I’d ever be able
to go through another loss. I was afraid
that if I got to know you, I’d like you too much. I can’t stay here on Earth, I must return
home, and I couldn’t have expected you to come with me. I just didn’t want to hurt you or myself when
that time came.” His face seemed to have been hiding his sorrow, for he looked
back down at the ground rather quickly after finishing his sentence.
Malenia smiled with a feeling of relief. Now she knew that he didn’t hate her, but if
anything, he did like her. She moved
right next to him and put her arm around him in a comforting way. “You should’ve told me before. I’m sorry for the way I’ve acted, Tapion.”
At that moment,
Trunks came outside to greet the two. He
missed Malenia quickly pulling her arm away from the Konatsian, but it didn’t matter to him. “Want to go now?”
Tapion smiled at him.
“Would you give me the honor of your company?” He asked almost seeming
embarrassed to ask.
“You guys go on
ahead. I’ll hang around Bulma and help her here.”
Tapion nodded in agreement and he started to
walk away. “Tapion!” Malenia
called. He half turned around to face
her. “I wouldn’t have minded if you went
home without me. I always do what’s best
for the ones I love.” She giggled to herself when she saw his astonished face. She left it at that and went into the house.