Reprogrammed

Rock, Paper, Scissor

Cause and affect. Two simple words that went hand in hand. If there was a cause, then soon enough, there would be an affect. It may not be for many years, but the consequences of an action would soon take place.

The cause of one's actions were now taking affect as the sanctuary came under attack by a powerful foe from the past. Not nearly as strong as Janemba or Buu, but still with a devastating power. And this foe had come to Kami's Lookout with one purpose in mind.

Dende was knocked to the ground, and a large foot pressed down on his head, making him cry out, another form of cause and affect. The one pinning the Guardian down snickered, finding amusement in the Namekian's pain.

"So, Guardian, are you going to call him. It'll be so much easier for us all if you do."

Dende looked up at the fiend defiantly. "Forget it. I won't sell him out."

The intruder growled angrily. "Do you think I won't be able to find him on my own? I'll find him whether you call him here or not. This is just the fastest way. Besides, he is the last defender of Earth. He's meant to fight me." His eyes narrowed. "Now, this is your last chance. Call him now, or I'll crush your head beneath my foot." To show he was serious, he pressed down harder, causing Dende to scream in pain. "Do it!"

"All right!" Dende shouted. There was no point in putting it off. Trunks would have to fight the guy at some point. "I'll call him, just ease up so I can concentrate."

Grinning, the villain stopped pressing, but didn't remove his foot. "That's a good little toad."

Glaring at him, Dende called out to the saiyan."Trunks, are you there? Answer me, please."

He waited a few moments, but received no response. So he tried again, but still didn't receive an answer.

"Well?" the intruder demanded impatiently. "What's the hold up?"

"I can't seem to reach him." Dende replied, wincing as more pressure was added again.

"Why not?"

"He's eating. You ever try to get a saiyan's attention while he was eating? It's not easy."

With a growl, the intruder pressed down even harder. "Well you better keep trying. I have precious little patience, and you've almost used it up."

Knowing that his life was in the balance, Dende called out to Trunks again, hoping the saiyan would hear him.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)(-)-(-)

18 figured it was a good thing she didn't have to eat, because whenever Trunks got an appetite, she lost hers.

"Where did you learn your manners anyway?" she asked. "Certainly not from your mother."

"Nope." Said Bulma. "From his father."

18 raised an eyebrow. "But… Vegeta… when Trunks was a baby…" She didn't want to bring up painful memories.

"It's imprinted in his very DNA." Bulma told her. "Just like they can't help but to fight and get stronger, they also can't help but to engorge themselves."

Trunks swallowed what he had in his mouth before giving his mother a bashful grin. "Aw, come on. Must we go through this every time we eat?"

"Every time we eat? No. Every time you eat? Yes. You'll never get a girlfriend with such bad table manners." She glanced at the android. "Take my advice, 18. When you get a boyfriend, make sure he knows how to eat properly."

18 couldn't help but to smile at the irony at the woman's words. "I could always train them to behave properly."

"I just wish I could train my son properly, but it seems that table manners is one technique a saiyan can never learn."