Shikou - When it Rains it Pours

SHIKOU - (Waiting Upon {Someone})

“When It Rains, It Pours”

Side-story By: Truuly, the fusion of Hooly (the Noseless Wonder) and Trinityblue!

He flew with great speed, not bothering to push his ki down. Everyone knew he was coming anyway, and he was almost certain she did too. Piccolo grumbled under his breath as he traveled over the forests leading to Central City, where Capsule Corporation was located.

If he wasn’t mistaking, he felt Pan’s ki soar last night… when she was with Trunks. How could she have been so careless? If Piccolo knew Vegeta, there was no doubt that the Saiyajin had recognized the unordinary power. The Namekseijin was almost certain that they knew who she was already. How could she been so stupid?

He could already see the clearing ahead that marked the beginning of the city. He would have to fly higher now, in order to avoid being seen by anyone in the city who happened to be looking up.

As he began to climb higher in the sky, his sensitive hearing picked up a whistling noise coming towards him. He turned his head just in time to see something crash into him. He blacked out instantly, hitting the ground with a great intensity.

When Piccolo regained consciousness, the sun was neatly into the sky, beginning its daily track. He began to look for the object that knocked him out of the sky and saw a small figure lying near him. It was a white-haired child dressed in a purple gi and white boots with a thick white belt. He would have left and resumed his original course, but this child's ki was nearly dying and there seemed to be no reason for such a thing to happen.

He reached into a small drawstring bag that he carried and pulled out green seed. Piccolo was a bit curious as to where this child came from and the quickest way of doing that was to make her better and ask. The Namek-sei-jin placed the seed into her mouth and the white-haired child chewed reflexively.

Suddenly her ki shot up higher than anyone would expect as she sat up and immanently the ki went down. She looked around with a puzzled expression on her face. Her crystal blue eyes suddenly looked up at him wondrously.

"Who are you?" she asked, then re-thought her question. "What are you?"

Piccolo frowned at her as he crossed his arms. This was what he got for help someone without knowing them? He did not have time to answer such questions.

"Who are you and what are you doing here, little girl?"

She looked up at him as she stood. His figure towering over her own but she showed no signs of fear, only child-like wonder.

"I asked first," she said, crossing her small arms in a natural pose, similar to that of Vegeta.

"Answer my question!" he demanded.

She shook her head, a smirk lacing her lips, "It doesn't work that way. I asked first. You answer me, I'll answer you."

"Fine, my name's Piccolo and I'm a Namek-sei-jin."

"Namekseijin?" she repeated. "Wow!! I've never met a Namek-sei-jin before!!"

Piccolo took a step back, surprised by her sudden outburst.

"Piccolo..." she said, her tone changed to one of thought.

"Alright, I've answered you, now who are you and what are you doing here?"

"Hmm?" She looked at him as if she forgot he was there and then remembered his question. "Oh, I'm Silk and I'm trying to find my way home," she answered, returning to her thinking. "Piccolo... Piccolo... Piccolo-san... Piccolo-san!?" she literally screamed the last word. "You're Piccolo-san?!"

Piccolo nodded, a confused look on his face. His look changed to surprise when Silk started flying around him.

"Oh wow! You're Piccolo-san?? My Ojiichan told me lots about you and everything!"

Piccolo calmly stuck out a hand and grabbed the back of her gi, holding her in front of him.

"Your 'Ojiichan' knows about me?" he asked suspiciously.

"Hai, he should. You trained him." With that comment, the Namek-sei-jin dropped the child, backing away.

"And who exactly is your ojiichan?" he asked, knowing the answer but hopping it was not true.

"Um..." she began to think again, sitting on the ground and crossing her arms as she did so. "Otousama calls him Gohan-san..."

"Goha....Ah! Not again! Don't tell me you're from the future too."

She looked up at him with her own confused expression. "From the future? No, I came from another dimension."

"Then how could you be his granddaughter?? His only daughter's only eight!"

"Wow, Okaasama's eight-years-old? Sugoi!... um..." again the thoughtful look returned and now that she had mentioned it, Piccolo recognized that look. He had seen it many a time on Gohan. "Hmmm.... I guess some worlds go faster than others do. I read about it in some of Ojiichan's books when I was bored."

"So, you are, or will be Pan's brat. I guess you'll wind up even weaker than she. The Sons really are going down," he grumbled looking away.

The child stood up in a flash, a scrawl covered her small face turning into a miniature look-a-like of Vegeta. "I'm not weak!" she yelled. Piccolo marked how fast her ki was rising and the look she gave him.

"Who is your father?" The angered looked vanished quickly as she began to think again. 'Easily side-tracked, just like Goku,' Piccolo mused.

"Well, Ojiisama always called 'em brat... but he calls me that too... uhhh.... Hisofu-chan and Ojiichan call 'em Trunks..."

"Trunks??" Piccolo yelled, falling over in shock. Silk quickly ran to his fallen form, a worried look on her face.

"I've killed him..." she gasped. Piccolo's hands moved to his forehead, defying her presumption, and began to misusage his temples, trying to prevent an on-coming headache.

"Great, just how many weak brats for the future am I going meet?" he grumbled.

"I AM NOT WEAK!" the seven-year-old shouted, her ki rose greatly again as she crouched in to a fighting stance. "And I'll prove it to you, Piccolo-san."

The green man could not help but smirk as he stood. Did this white-haired brat really think she could best him in a fight? Piccolo was interested in the result of Goku and Vegeta's bloodlines mixing, so the Nameksei-jin led the child out to a plain. It was the same spot where he had “sparred” with Pan. Silk looked around her as she followed him. The land was pretty much flat, if you ignored the craters that dotted it. Her anger was beginning to give way to curiosity again. It was obvious that someone had been fighting there and Silk wondered who. Her mental question was forgotten when Piccolo suddenly turned around and she remembered what she was mad at him for.

"I am the Saiyajin No Ohimesama for a good reason, Piccolo-san," she stated simply. Piccolo just glared at her.

"Then prove it," he vanished as he finished those words. Silk did also.

To a normal observer nothing but faint flashes of light could be seen and the sound of flesh hitting flesh as the two warriors traded blows in the sky. Silk knew that the Nameksei-jin's reach was much greater than her own and so she would have to react faster. She dodged and blocked a session of kicks and hits, twisting her petite frame in anyway imaginable to avoid getting hit.

"Ojiichan wasn't kidding! Piccolo-san really is an incredible fighter. Heh, I bet he's not really even trying," She thought half amused. Suddenly she changed her fighting style as the white-haired Saiyajin grabbed an extended green arm and roundhouse kicked him in the jaw then flew some distance away as he recovered.

Piccolo stood opposite her, his head still turned to the side from her blow. Slowly he turned it to her, wiping away the purple-crimson blood that trickled down his jaw.

"Not bad, brat. Maybe you do have some potential after all."

Silk smirked up at him, "Hai, my Hisofuchan says I'm stronger than any demi-Saiyajin my age should be."

"Just how strong are you?"

"Currently, not quite strong enough to break in to my full power, beyond Super Saiyajin." Piccolo face-faulted in the sky. "Ano… are we going to continue to spar?" she asked innocently.

Piccolo let out a deep breath and squalled at her, "I have better things to do with my time than to spar with you. Besides, you're only a little stronger than Gohan. He went beyond when he was 11."

"I did when I was six," she chirped happily, giving a peace sign. A bead of sweat rolled down the green alien's fore head.

"…… Yes, well, I still have other things to do…" The Nameksei-jin said flying away. Silk watched him go blankly.

"Now what do I do?" she asked the air as she slid out of her ready position as she touched the ground. Having nothing else to do, Silk began to fly in no particular direction. This world was different than Vegeta-sei and she didn't get to see much of the last Earth she was on so it was time to see the place she had heard so much about from her grandfathers.

Silk had been flying over Earth for quite some time before she decided to land. She looked around and smiled at the greenery of the world, it was so much like where her great grandfather and grandfathers lived and yet so different, warmer in a since.

"Chikyuu, no wonder Hisofu-chan talked about this place so much…" she mused as a smile, one of her own, a mix of Vegeta's smirk and the Son smile, slid on her face. Suddenly voices of the other side of the woods caught her attention. The white-haired Saiyajin lowered her ki as much as possible, something her ojiisama her taught her to do automatically, and peaked through the brush.

Silk was transfixed by what she saw.

adadadadadad

"Bra, please??? Please spar with me," begged a young girl wearing an orange gi and bandana to a blue-haired girl. Bra, the blue-haired one, continued to sit on the ground and color in her coloring book as she shook her head.

"Not-ah, I don't wanna," she replied stubbornly, "You hit too hard Pan."

Pan rolled her deep blue eyes at the older girl, "It's sparring, least I'm not going to kill you or anything and besides, we got senzus," she protested.

"No, Momma doesn't want me fighting."

"But you're part Saiyajin, you're sposta like to fight," Pan insisted but Bra continued to protest.

Pan sighed in frustration, walking away from her best friend.

The Son's, Briefs and others of the Z-senshi had gathered together for a meal, and what a meal was being prepared for the Saiyajins and demi-Saiyajins. Everyone had split into their social groups while Bra and Pan went out on their own, finding no place among the adults. All Pan really wanted to do was spar with someone, but after what happened last time with Trunks and Goten, they wouldn't spar with her for sometime. The others were all busy talking bout the old times, except Vegeta and Piccolo, who were somehow persuaded into coming and chose to exclude themselves from the others by meditating or standing far away starring disdainfully at the get-together.

Pan did not dare to ask Vegeta to spar with her at this moment but tried to get her best friend to. That was a lost battle. Now she walked to the edge of the woods on her own. If she could not spar with anyone, she would at least train. She stopped short sensing a strange, stronger-than-normal ki in the bushes.

"Come out, whoever you are!" she said to the bushes sliding into a stance, "If you're underestimating my strength you're making a big mistake. I'm a lot stronger than I look!"

A giggling came from the bushes as did a white-haired girl. She was shorter than Pan with shimmering, crystal blue eyes and tan skin wearing a dark purple, long sleeved gi, with white boots and a white belt. A smile was dashed across her face.

Pan's eyebrows furrowed, "Who are you?"

"Silk!" the newcomer chirped, the smile on her face and sparkle in her eyes never faltered. Those eyes, where had she seen those eyes before?

"Um, who are you?" Silk asked, breaking Pan's thought.

"Son Pan," she said proudly. "Do you know anything ‘bout martial arts?"

"Hai!"

"You wanna spar with me?" Pan asked hopefully and prayed that Silk was not weak. Silk nodded eagerly as she also got into a fighting stance. Pan quirked a brow. That stance looked just like the one she remembered her grandpa would use when training her before he went off to train that other kid. What was his name? Uubu?

"Ano, are we going to spar or not?" Silk asked.

"Hai," Pan smirked, "I'll try to be gentle on you. I've been trained since I was a little kid."

"So have I," Silk laughed as Pan rushed at her. The girls traded a series of kicks, punches and blocks as each tested the other. Silk never let her ki rise higher than her miniature mom's while Pan tried to hide her own powerful ki.

Silk continued to block a series of punches aimed at her head when Pan suddenly changed tactics, kneeing her white-haired opponent in the ribs. Being caught by surprise, Silk was knocked to the ground; it was then that the girls realized that their spar had been taken to the air. Pan landed proudly in front of Silk, who looked up shyly with her arm behind her head and a stupid smile on her face.

"Ha! *pant* Told ya' I was strong! *pant* " Pan said breathlessly. She had not realized how much keeping her ki in check and sparring with Silk had taken out of her. It was then that she realized something as the white-haired girl stood up, the girl's belt had unraveled from her waist. But it was no belt…

"Is that a… a…" the bandana-bearing girl stuttered. Silk looked behind herself.

"What? My tail?" Silk said bringing her fifth-appendage to the front so Pan could get a better look.

"Hai…SUGIO!!!!" Pan exclaimed reaching for the fascinating white tail of her friend, the owner of which quickly pulled it out of her reach.

"Not-ah, you can't touch, Oka-- er, Pan-chan."

"Awwwww, but why not?"

"Um… 'cause my tail's kinda sensitive…" Silk fumbled as she wrapped her tail around her waist once more.

"My papa told me that he once had a tail, so did my grandpa and my best friend's papa!" Pan said happily smiling like the Son she was.

"Hontou?" The other girl faked a surprised tone.

"Hai! You wanna meet them?" Pan said grabbing her friend's arm and proceeded to drag her to the gathering. The two reached the place where Bra had been and Pan discovered that best friend had left. Pan squealed at this for she wanted Bra to be the first to meet her new friend. Discarding that idea, she led her tailed friend to Capsule Corporation. Pan motioned Silk to stay on the hilltop and wait before leaving to tell everyone about her new friend.

Silk watched her would-be mom walk to the dome house; it reminded her of the one her grandfathers had. She sat down, suddenly homesick as she remembered Vegeta-sei and her family. Her real family. Silk stretched her senses in the direction that Pan left, feeling all those that were there. She only recognized a few of them: Piccolo, Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Trunks and Pan… but she felt her mother's ki twice. It was different from the younger Pan's, even different from her Mother's on Vegeta-sei, but then again Goku, Vegeta, Gohan and Trunks' ki’s were different form the ones on her home planet, yet it was Pan's ki. Unless you knew her ki as well as Silk did, or at least paid attention to it, it was hard to tell it was even Pan. This ki was much older and stronger then the younger one, even if it was suppressed.

A sudden burst jolted her from her observations. It was Trunks' ki, she recognized as she watched a figure fly away. There was something wrong with his ki… Silk could read it clearly, he was mad, hurt, sad… so many more emotions radiated from him that she had to stop searching his ki before she was overwhelmed. She turned her attention to the others and studied them. Confusion was the main feeling in them all, save Piccolo and the older Pan. That Pan's ki held hurt and fear in it. The child's crystalline gaze turned back to the retreating form, which was merely a speck in the sky now, and took to the air herself.

It was perhaps best if she did not meet the others now, that would make everything harder on her and everyone else if they learned where she was from. She followed him, hoping that they would not sense her as she flew. Even if this was not Vegeta-sei and these were not her true parents, the one's who helped her take her first step and held her when she was frightened, they were still her blood line, her family. And right now, her father needed someone to talk to, even if he did not know it.

Trunks flew around for what felt like days. In reality, it was only an hour or so, but he was miserable, and time was passing slowly. She was Pan… Pan… That name kept running through his mind over and over again like a broken record. He couldn’t get her face out of is brain. She was all he was able to see, being so blinded by anger and pain.

What was she thinking? How could she have been so selfish? Those words that he had said to her… they were cold, he knew, but necessary. He had called her immature, foolish and selfish and she was. She had played with his heart and ended up breaking it. Therefore, she deserved everything he had said.

At times, he wished he could take back his words, and go running back to her, but why? What would that accomplish? In the end, she would end up leaving anyway. There were also times when he felt like he wanted to go and destroy everything he knew she held dear, simply for the purpose of making her feel the pain he was feeling now. Maybe he could start by burning that stupid orange cloth on her head…

No, he could hear what his heart was telling him. He was still in love with her… but she was Pan.

“No, no…” He said out loud. “I’m only remembering what my feelings were for Kara… I don’t love Pan. I can’t love Pan, she’s fourteen years younger than me. “

“Why am I even considering this?!” He yelled loudly as he continued to fly over the Mid-land forest. “She’s just like a little sister! I don’t see her any differently than I see Bra! But that woman… When I look at the woman who stayed with me all this time… I definitely don’t think of her as a little sister.”

Trunks growled in frustration at the thoughts that were running through his brain. Memories of the previous night were invading his every thought. He could recall every detail about what she looked like under the moonlight that was flooding in from his window. Even alone with only his thoughts, he could feel a want… a need for her returning. Why was it that he felt so complete by just being in the same room with her? And so empty when she was away from him?

Feeling a little nauseous about his remaining feelings for Pan, Trunks landed. It wasn’t a good idea to fly when one’s stomach was upset. A little worn-out by his energy explosion and conflicting emotions, he decided to take a rest against a tree.

The mid-land forest was well known for its giant trees. They created a canopy so high, and so thick, one would think night had fallen in the middle of the afternoon. If he kept his ki low and rested against one of the larger tree’s giant roots, he would be well hidden, far from view of anyone who might come looking for him.

Trunks leaned back against the tree and relaxed. The scratchy tree bark dug into the skin of his back, but he didn’t care. The small physical pain could only slightly distract him from the excruciating pain he felt in his heart. He closed his eyes, ready to welcome sleep if it chose to grace him with its presence. His mind continued to race, different emotions were flooding his heart all at once.

He felt a little foolish himself now. Back at Pan’s ship he had destroyed her bedroom. Why? Because he wanted to have a temper tantrum. He threw a very expensive engagement ring into the middle of a pond, just so he could teach her an object lesson. He had seen the look on her face when he did it too. She was trying to remain dignified, but he could tell he had broken her heart. Maybe there was no need to be so harsh. True, she had lied to him… but he was the one who kept pursuing her.

Thoughts continued to coarse through his mind. His heart and brain were having an all out war within his body. He embraced slumber when it fell on him. It was only a light sleep, but it would be sleep without pain.

Silk landed on the plush floor of the forest. He had landed here. She didn’t want to talk to him when he was with someone else, so she waited for him to go off by himself. He was somewhere close, she could feel, but his ki was extremely low. He was obviously suppressing it as far as it would go.

She gasped and quickly hid behind a trunk of a nearby tree when she spotted him. He was laying against a large tree root and his eyes were closed.

“’Otous… oops.” She nearly called, but shushed, covering her mouth with her hands.

She could see his form clearly. There was no way it could be anyone else, other than her father. He was thinner, and his hair was darker and shorter, but it was him. She decided to go up to him. He was still sad, and she didn’t like that he was.

Trunks slept peacefully underneath the large red oak that was shading him. Unfortunately, his dreams were not so peaceful. His theory about sleep being able to momentarily take the pain away was wrong. His dreams were all about her. They were livid dreams, though. He was angry and very afraid of what he had been feeling. Those feelings manifested themselves into monsters in his sleep, causing a nightmare to live out in his mind.

In his dream, he saw her beckoning him. Kara… Pan… both only names for the same beauty that had entranced his heart. The monsters were chasing him away from her though. They weren’t bigger or stronger than him, they were much weaker, and he could’ve taken them out easily. So why was he letting those demons keep him from what he wanted? As his dream continued, the monsters became bigger and stronger, managing to push him even further away from her.

Silk approached slowly as she noticed he was asleep. Carefully, she crept behind a nearby tree root, one that was sticking far enough out of the ground to hide her waist, and the furry, pale appendage that was wrapped around it. If her ‘Tousan found out who she was, he would only get confused, and then she would have to explain everything to him.

Trunks twitched almost violently in his sleep. His fingers were jumping reflexively, and his eyes were moving rapidly behind their lids. Silk cocked her head and watched in wonder. He looked like a dog dreaming about chasing a squirrel. He looked like he was having a bad dream. The little girl was worried. She didn’t like having bad dreams and she always woke up from them afraid.

Slowly and carefully, she reached her forefinger out. She didn’t want him to stay in his nightmare. Her finger drew closer, ever so slowly. She was almost to his shoulder. A little tap wouldn’t hurt him, but he would probably wake up.

“Ah!” Trunks yelled abruptly as he grabbed the small wrist that was approaching him.

Silk jumped back and out of his reach quickly, ducking behind the tall tree root so she couldn’t be seen.

’What was that?’ Trunks wondered as the owner of the hand disappeared in a purple flash. He sat up, panting heavily while trying to regain his composer and get his bearings again. ’That was a heck of a dream!’

“Umm… hello?” Trunks asked air, wondering if the little stranger was still there.

Silk slowly stood up behind the tree root, and peaked over the top. Making sure it was safe, she stood all the way up, revealing her whole face.

“I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?” Trunks asked, concerned he had used too much strength with the small child.

“Nope!” She replied, surprisingly happy and with a wide smile spread across her face.

“Oh, that’s good… I was dreaming.”

“You were having a bad dream, weren’t you?” the little girl inquired.

“Yeah… I was.” He admitted. “How could you tell?”

“’Cause whenever I have a bad dream, I always move a lot, and then I fall off my bed. You were moving a lot too.”

Trunks chuckled at the girl’s innocence. She reminded him of… of Pan-chan. The very thought saddened him as he remembered why he was out there to begin with.

Silk noticed his face. That was a look her ‘tousan got a lot when he was sad. Her bright smile dropped as she studied his solemn expression. “Why are you sad?” She asked.

Trunks chuckled lightly, it wasn’t such a good thing that she could tell his pain just by looking at him. “I’m not sad.” He denied.

“Yeah you are! You’re lying.”

Trunks sat in silence for a while, looking up at the small girl. She had a fire in her eyes… a fire similar to Panny’s. Truth be told, she reminded him a lot of himself too. Her eyes, her spark, her coloring… she could almost be related. “What’s your name?” He asked her.

She put her finger to her chin and looked up to the sky. Trunks thought it was strange that she would have to struggle to remember her own name, but that wasn’t it. She was trying to decide whether or not to give him her real name. “Silk.” She finally answered.

“That’s a pretty name.”

“Otousama and Okaasama gave it to me!” She chirped, smiling proudly.

“I’m Trunks.”

“How come you’re sad, Trunks-san?” She said, getting back to her question.

Trunks sighed deeply. This little girl didn’t want to hear his problems, did she? Of course she didn’t. Then again, she was willing to listen and she was there, so why not?

“Silk, have you ever had anybody you care about lie to you on purpose?”

A blank look crossed Silk’s face as she thought back. Trunks almost laughed out loud. He had seen the same look on Goten’s face many times.

“Yep! Okaasama and Otousama have lied to me!” She answered, cheerily.

“Why are you so happy about that?”

“’Cause…”

“Cause why?”

“’Cause they didn’t want me to get hurt, or worry about them.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well…” Silk trailed off, not wanting to share with him some of her past. “Sometimes they tell me not to go too far out into the woods or the big bad wolf’ll get me.” She lied.

“Well, they just don’t want you to get lost, or hurt.”

“Maybe your friend lied to you because they didn’t want you to get lost or hurt.”

Trunks was about to counter, but he couldn’t. She was making too much sense. Trunks had been the one to pursue Pan. She went along with it, but she tried to call it off many times too. He wasn’t stupid. There were plenty of times when she wanted to leave. “That could be true.”

“’Sides, it shouldn’t matter if they lie to you.”

“Why not? It’s not a good thing to lie to someone.”

“No, but if they wanted to keep you from getting hurt, they must really love you. Just forget that your friend lied to you and forgive them. If they’re really your friend, it shouldn’t matter. Everybody makes mistakes.”

“You make a valid point.” Trunks said, almost to himself.

“Trunks-san, do you care about your friend?”

“Yeah, Silk-chan, I do.”

Silk giggled at the endearing name Trunks had just called her. “Then I think you two should apologize to each other and make up.”

Trunks chuckled in response to the simplicity of her answer. If only it was that easy… But it was for from it. The situation with Pan… was more confusing and mind boggling than anything else he had ever been through in his entire life.

“Arigatou Silk-chan.”

Silk smiled brightly, reinstating the feeling of familiarity he had about her. “You’re welcome Trunks-san!”

Trunks stood up, causing a bit of fear to arise in Silk. She didn’t want him to see her tail.

“Do you need me to walk you home?”

“Umm… no thanks. I’ve got to go. Bye Trunks-san!” She yelled, rather quickly as she disappeared into the woods.

Trunks just stood there, confused. He saw her run off, but she was extremely quick about it. Was that a tail wrapped around her waist?

Silk flew off from the scene feeling somewhat proud of herself. Her Otousama didn’t look as sad as he had been. For some reason, Silk thought his sadness had to do with the ki she had felt earlier. It felt so much like her Okaasama’s…

**Translations**

-chan - title of endearment, dear

-san - title of respect; Mr., Mrs., Miss.

-sama - highest level of respect

Hisofuchan - great-grandfather (what Silk calls Goku)

Ojiisama- grandfather (what Silk calls Vegeta)

Ojiichan- grandfather (what Silk calls Gohan)

Okaasama - mother (what Silk calls Pan)

Otousama- father (what Silk calls Trunks)

Saiyajin No Ohimesama- Princess of the Saiyajins, literally. Also Saiyajin Princess.

Ano… - um…, well…

Hontou? - Really?