usual disclaimers apply

Trunks struggled with his tie as his cufflinks dropped from his grasp. Exasperated, he sighed and ignored his fidgeting with the tie in order to retrieve his runaway cufflinks.

"Trunks, relax. It's just one night. It's the largest fund raiser Capsule Corporation has. Every eligible male employee with a bit of looks and rank is participating this evening. You are of course, the main event." his mother said desperately trying to console her nervous son and feeling a touch of pride in her own son's status.

"You said that last year too and look at the mess you threw me into."

"How was I supposed to know that she was not exactly a she. Just think of how much you had brought in to charity. Just the amount from you alone, built that new facility for Western Capital's homeless and needy. This year, you have a chance to help the schools. With government cutbacks, their funding has been sacked. Only corporate funds can help in the education of our future leaders. "

"Spare me the lecture mom. I know it's for a good cause, but why don't you auction your own self off?"

"Vegeta would kill. Besides, I'm not half the catch you are."

"And that's your excuse?"

"A handsome, wealthy bachelor who's the president of the most powerful corporation on our entire world. I stand by my reasons Trunks."

"Flattering me doesn't help matters."

"If you were married, we'd have to fund these things the boring way."

"Oh, now you're going to play that card again." Trunks huffed as his finally perfected his tie and attached his cufflinks.

"You know how it is honey."

"I can't believe you throw your only son into that pack of wolves like this."

"I can't help it if my little Trunks is such a hot stud."

"You're using me. Treating me like a piece of meat."

"Am not. I'm bragging about my son's looks and abilities not to mention intellect and skill."

"Yeah, right."

"Do it for the children Trunks."

In the distance, Trunks suddenly heard his name called. It was time.

"I still can't believe you're making me do this."

"Suck it up and enjoy it Trunks." Bulma commanded with a hint of laughter as she pushed her reluctant son from the backstage and towards the main stage. As he reached the curtain edge, Bulma straightened his tux and slappped him on the back.

"AND HERE HE IS LADIES! THE HOTTEST, HANDSOMEST, SEXIEST, MOST POWERFUL BACHELOR ALIVE. TRUNKS VEGETA BRIEFS, THE PRESIDENT OF CAPSULE CORPORATION!"

Trunks inhaled deeply as he confidently strode onto the stage to stand beside the announcer. The crowd would never see anything other than a confident, professional, dashing corporate leader. He had an image to maintain, despite the cold sweat forming under his collar. With his sensitive saiyan hearing, he could hear his mother in the background. "My little Trunks is such a hottie." He would get her back for all those phrases someday.

Once across the stage, Trunks smiled warmly and shook the hand of the grateful female announcer. Even she was wowed by his image. This man was perfect and yet, at age 30, still a bachelor. No one knew why, not even his mother. With nearly every female and even some males interested in this corporate phenom who was a golden warrior as well, Mrs. Right had to have made herself known at least once to this grade A hunk of a man or would soon. But for one night, some lucky (and rather wealthy) female (or male) would have an exclusive date with the most eligible bachelor alive.

"OKAY LADIES, THE BIDDING STARTS AT ONE THOUSAND ZENI ! "

Immediately hands with paddles flew up in a flurry. Shouts of bids shattered silence and even some females attacked others who dared to outbid them. It wasn't pretty, but the amounts of zeni were flying faster than a starving super saiyan to a banquet feast.

Trunks was amazed at the spectacle before him. He was humble and modest, yet, even he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride and ego. He was still a hot-blooded male afterall. Still, a small blush crept across his cheeks and bridge of his nose. He wondered what they all saw in him. Did they even care what he was like on the inside or was it purely superficial, that his looks and money were the only attributes doing the talking? Perhaps that was why he was still single afterall?

The bidding continued to soar on the wings of a zeni laden eagle. The announcer's arm was flailing about trying to pinpoint each desperate bidder.

After about ten minutes of hostile bidding, the announcer began to assume control once again.

"2 million zeni, going once..."

"2.5 MILLION ZENI!!!"

"2.5, anyone going 3?"

"3 MILLION ZENI!!!"

"3 million zeni, going twice..."

"3.5!!!"

"4!!!"

"SOLD FOR 4 MILLION ZENI!!!!" the announcer yelled as she slammed down her gavel and winked at the young corporate president.

Trunks nodded solemly then turned to gaze out into the crowd as he tried to pinpoint the lucky bidder. His heart thumped nervously. The bachelor auction he faced just one year ago turned out to be a female gone bad. In fact, the she was a he, but of course, he didn't know that until it was almost too late. This year, he vowed he would use his saiyan sense of smell to try to decipher sex before he embarrassed himself again. It had taken him over two weeks of silence agianst his mother to get over that little experience. If it happend again, he swore he'd never speak to her again, no matter how much it hurt both of them.

Unfortunately for the corporate saiyan, the winning bidder was engulfed in a swarm of sobbing losing bidders. He couldn't see her and it was now time for him to depart behind the curtain. With a subtle smirk and wave, Trunks exited stage left. He would find out who the mystery winner was in roughly an hour.

Meanwhile, the winning bidder had to weave through the sobbing, angry mob of losers to get to the cashier to make the payment. Nonetheless, it was a exciting and breathtaking to think about a night out, alone, with the sexiest, eligible man alive. Now, only one hurdle remained and it wasn't the sobbing losing bidders nor the huge sum of money to be paid.

"How could you! You KNEW I wanted him!" a wailing voice threw out above the other whining losers.

The winning bidder simply continued onward, pride obviously developing within.

Upon reaching the cashier in the small office at the side of the room, the bidder quickly pulled out a money case and supplied the large sum of zeni for payment.

"Congratulations. I hope you enjoy your evening with the most eligible bachelor on the planet." the cashier replied with a hint of envy to her voice.

"I'm sure it will be an eventful evening."

"Take care of Mr. Briefs. We need him back for work tomorrow." the cashier commented with a chuckle. She was, afterall, his personal secretary and dealt with one too many cover-ups when their president opted for an unannounced and often spontaneous day off via his office window.

"Oh he'll make it to work, but what condition he's is still to be determined." the winner returned with a laugh and a wink.

Backstage Trunks was once again fiddling with his collar.

"Mom, I don't know who won. I couldn't see through that mob of females."

"Well then I guess it'll be like a blind date then." Bulma said as she helped her son readjust his collar.

"Great...just great. When was it that I wronged you mother?" Trunks muttered as he prepared for his evening with the unknown, lucky bidder.

"And remember, someday I'd love to hold and play with grandchildren." Bulma replied, completely ignoring her son's inquiry.

Trunks growled. He was going to get little support or encouragement from his oh so loving mother.

to be continued...