Disclaimer: Don't own 'em… don't want to. My house is too small for all of them anyway.
Author's Note: Here it is… finally… the first chapter. Things go a little slow at first, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't read it. Moreover, yes… it really did take me over a year to write. It wasn't the easiest chapter.
Camera flashes were going off all around her as the brightness of the stage lights burned into her eyes. She was trying very hard not to squint. Combing her fingers through her ebony hair apprehensively, she wondered when this whole event would end. She was very nervous as every eye in the house was turned directly towards the stage. Her cap was beginning to collect small droplets of sweat as the cheap material of her gown trapped the heat from her body in. Yet, despite the heat and nervousness, elation filled her. This day had been a long time coming for her and she rejoiced in the fact that she wouldn't have to see this stupid high school ever again.
She could practically see her father's gleaming, proud eyes on her from where she stood, despite the blinding flashes that were coming from the section where family and friends were all sitting. The line moved again and she realized she was almost on stage. She took a deep breath, trying to remember which hand she crossed over which to take the diploma and shake the Principal's hand. Suddenly, she heard whistles and shouts of encouragement coming from the pews. Trunks and Goten seemed to be enjoying their favorite pastime… embarrassing her. It was bad enough that the entire school knew she was Mr. Satan's granddaughter, not to mention the fact that she was graduating a year early, with honors, from the most prominent high school in the country. As it was, she was getting more attention than she wanted. To make it even worse, those guys had to go and single her out. Her uncle and his best friend were going to pay.
Finally, after all the other students had received their diplomas, she stepped onto the stage. It didn't surprise her that she was last in line, as usual. No one from her class had bothered to save her a space. Everyone seemed to hate her. That particular attitude towards her was quite normal, as far as she was concerned. She had always been a loner, no matter where she went. Of course, when you can lift cars with one hand, fly and beat up the entire football team without ever breaking a sweat, people tended to treat you like a freak. This time, however, the students who loved to treat her like dirt also happen to be rich, spoiled snobs unlike the plebian jerks from her previous schools. The students from this school thought they were the rulers of Earth just because they had trust accounts that had more money in it than she would probably see in her life.
She hated this school and was very glad to be leaving. She had complained to her father many times about it, asking if she could leave. He had told her it was a small price to pay for top-notch schooling. Unfortunately, he was right. He understood her plight, just as any good father would, and in her sophomore year, with his help, she hit the books hard. That was why she had been able to cut her attendance a year early and she couldn't thank her father enough.
Finally, she heard her name called and she stepped forward. "Pan Son." The over-enunciating Principal proudly announced. Pan was a little confused with his giant smile and proud voice. Just a week earlier, he had called her to his office and chewed her out, simply for breaking her math teacher's arm when he suggested a 'profitable extra-curricular activity.' He had then added something about how if he ever saw her again, he would rip the few hairs he had left out of his head.
She decided to ignore his odd attitude and quickly stepped forward. A thousand flashes from every press camera in the room went off at once as she reached for her diploma with her left hand and reached for his hand with her right. She uttered a quiet, 'Thank you.' Unfortunately, he pulled back, not allowing her to claim her certificate. He turned to the crowd, eyes shining. He didn't even have to open his mouth before she knew what was coming.
'Dende, don't tell me he's going to do this.' She mentally pleaded.
"Miss Son is graduating early… with honors, no less. We're sad to see her leave our humble academy, but we all know she'll be moving on to much greater aspirations." The older man announced.
'Humble?! Right… They couldn't get rid of me fast enough.' Pan put on a fake smile and made another grab for the piece of paper in his hand. He moved it out of her reach just in time.
"However, it really isn't a surprise that she has achieved so much in such a short amount of time." He continued, glaring at Pan from the corner of his eye for acting so foolish in front of such a distinguished crowd. "You see, she is the granddaughter of our most honorable hero… Mr. Satan."
Pan made a growling noise in her throat. Just because her 'most honorable' grandfather had paid ten times the amount of her tuition to the school as a donation, didn't mean they could make such a spectacle about it at her graduation.
"Oh no," Videl said aloud, cringing for her daughter. "He's done it again."
Gohan looked over at his wife and took her hand sympathetically. His proud expression fell when he saw the look on his daughter's face. In front of so many people and having to endure her much despised Principal's speech… She looked utterly miserable.
"Mr. Satan, as you know, is not only our retired World Champion… He has also made a much-needed contribution to our fine school, which has enabled us to build a new wing for a library expansion. We are truly indebted to him."
Every snob in the audience stood up and clapped. They applauded in vain, for a man who was so desperate to rekindle mankind's love for him that he had gone to an open-press wrestling match instead of his own granddaughter's graduation. He, instead, had only sent her a card with money… somehow thinking that she would rather have fifty dollars than see him at her graduation.
"Where's your grandfather?" The man whispered into Pan's ear.
Pan frowned and glared at him. "He isn't here!" she spat… a little louder than she should have.
He was about to retort when she reached over and grabbed her diploma. In front of the most prominent social group in the country, including a few reporters, she stormed off the stage. He laughed nervously and made up some quick-witted jab about being as spirited as her grandfather.
Pan turned and quickly sat back down in her seat, crossing her arms angrily while she seethed inside. She stayed there for the rest of the ceremony, suffering through more speeches and sentimental photomontages. After the assembly had officially been let out, she took off toward the back door in a full run, not wanting to stay behind and celebrate with her classmates.
"Pan!" Videl shouted as she ran after her hurt daughter.
She didn't acknowledge her mother as she walked quickly across the grounds of the prestigious private school. Instead, she focused on untangling herself from her cap and gown, tearing at them as if they were burning her.
"Pan!" Videl yelled again, daring to take off in flight and landing right in front of Pan, despite there being people nearby who might have seen her. "Don't walk so fast, your old mother can't keep up with you."
Pan finally stopped trudging forward, glaring angrily at the woman in front of her. "I can't believe he did that!" she shouted.
"Who? Your Principal?" She asked knowingly. "Or your grandfather?"
Pan looked away, calming down. "Grandpa." She said, slightly remorseful.
"He always manages to steal the spotlight, doesn't he? Even from his own family."
Pan bit her lip and turned away, willing the embarrassment down to a dull ache. "He didn't even bother to show up. Even at seventy-five, he still believes that publicity is more important. Does he think that people are still falling for the 'World Champion' gig? Who does he think he's fooling?!"
"Pan, he may be an arrogant jerk, but he loves you. You're his little 'Panny', after all." Videl said, feeling a little weird about making excuses for him once again.
Pan sighed, kicking the dirt with her dress shoes. The frown was still on her face. "He didn't come to my high school graduation either." Videl admitted. "In fact, he sent one of his groupies to film the whole thing for him so he wouldn't have to be there. To my own horror, he actually had the gall to make a 'grad speech video' for me and my class."
Videl lightened a little as she heard a soft chuckle coming from her daughter. "It's a good thing that 'Son' comes after 'Satan' alphabetically. If your father hadn't been right next to me, holding me down, I probably would have flown straight through the roof of our auditorium. Could you imagine seeing your grandfather's face on the huge projector in front of our whole class telling us all to stay away from drugs and un-safe sex?!"
"Oh, my Dende…" Pan said, laughing harder. Her mom had it harder than she did, that was for sure.
Videl smiled, thankful that enough time had actually passed for her to be able to laugh at the incident rather than hide her head under her pillow. "He even warned the class to beware of dangerous people… '…such as scrawny, tall, dark-headed delivery boys who think they can just step in and date your daughters'."
Pan didn't get this one at first. She looked at her mother questioningly before it finally dawned on her who her grandfather had been describing. "Did anyone see the connection?"
"No one other than your father and I." Her mother said amusingly. "The only other time I've seen him blush so brightly was at our wedding."
"Okay, so maybe it worked out better for me this way. I don't think I would want him here if he was going to pull something like that anyway." Pan admitted.
Videl looked her daughter in the eyes… happy that she was able to cheer her up a little. Pan had a strong, Saiyan sense of pride. For her own grandfather to have wounded that pride at a very public event that she had been looking forward to was especially damaging. Still, Videl couldn't help but feel a little burdened. She stepped forward, catching her daughter's attention once again.
"Pan…" She started, her voice suddenly solemn compared to where it had been just moments before. "I need you to remember something about my father."
Pan looked at her questioningly. "What's wrong?"
She sighed, trying to put it as delicately as possible. "Look, your grandfather is getting older. I know you're used to Goku's seemingly unending life span. Even when he dies on purpose, he always comes back. Grandpa Satan doesn't have Saiyan blood and the favor of all the gods in the galaxy on his side like Goku does. Haven't you noticed how weak he's getting? He can't even walk right without his cane."
"That's because he got hurt in the ring…" Pan started in denial.
"Pan… He didn't want me to tell anyone this… but he didn't get hurt in the ring. He lost his balance and fell on his driveway when he was getting into his car. He broke a hip and twisted a knee because of it… That was nearly six months ago. If he was strong enough to recover from a fall like that, he would have been better a long time ago."
Pan's brow furrowed in concern as she listened to her mother's words. "Why are you telling me this?"
"I just… It seems like you've been distancing yourself from him lately. You used to visit him once a week, or even more… but you haven't gone over to see him for nearly a year now." She told her. "Every time he calls you make some excuse not to talk to him, but he never lets me off the phone without telling him every detail about your life."
"I know, but it's not like he can't come over and…"
"Pan, I'm not denying that he's selfish and foolish when it comes to family. Yes, he could make the effort to visit us every once and a while… but it's not as easy for him to travel over 900 miles as it is for us. Plus, I honestly think he doesn't have a clue about how to have a legitimate relationship with someone he cares for. You just, sort of, have to… make the effort for him. He paid for your school because he thought that it would prove to you that he cares about you. For some reason, he seems to think that money and expensive gifts are more loving than hugs and time."
"Mom, he doesn't need to buy me stuff to…"
"Tell that to him."
Pan sighed. She was right… seventy-five was just below the average life expectancy for a human. "You're right… I guess I have been avoiding him lately. I love Grandpa, Mom… It's just… every time I take a look at that particular side of me I can't help feeling…"
"Feeling what?"
"…disappointed…" Pan answered quietly.
Videl's lips curved downwardly for a moment… long enough for her daughter to catch. Pan walked over and gave her mother a hug… knowing that she had been mourning the emotional loss of her father since she was Pan's age, and now was faced with losing him in the physical sense too. "I'm sorry Mom." She said, talking into the older woman's shoulder. "You know I'm not disappointed in you. I'm just disappointed in the human side of me."
Pan cringed, knowing that what she had attempted to say didn't sound any better. "Your human side?" Videl asked, not exactly liking where this conversation was heading.
Pan growled lightly and slapped her hands to her sides in frustration. "It's just… well… it… I just… don't feel like I belong on this planet." She said almost casually, as if she were giving a weather report.
That statement definitely set off maternal alarm bells in Videl's head. She looked on curiously, wondering if this had anything to do with the space trip Pan had taken several years earlier. "Care to elaborate?"
Pan looked away… For some odd reason, she felt a little awkward explaining this to her mother… but it was something she needed to talk to someone about. "I just feel… detached… as if I don't fit in with these people. I feel like I'm walking through a dream, where no one really cares about anything or anyone." She said, pointing her hand at the auditorium. "The older I get, the more separated I feel to this society that my generation has built around themselves. I feel smothered by it all… like I'm trapped in the middle of a giant room with a thousand people trying to push past me all at once. Then I realize… it isn't just this way with my generation… it's like this all over the world! No matter where I go, or what I do, I'm overwhelmed and nearly drowned by this pool of weak, self-righteous, hypocrites who think they're immortal, even though they wouldn't even be alive today if it weren't for Dad, Vegeta and Grandpa Goku. I'm starting to hate the human blood in me and I don't even know why. Sometimes I have to wonder… why Grandpa bothered saving this planet in the first place."
Videl was now more than a little concerned. From what it sounded like, Pan was going through a minor depression… and had been for quite awhile. "Is there anything that makes this feeling go away?" She asked, prodding deeper in an effort to understand where her daughter was coming from.
"Yes." She answered bluntly.
Videl raised an eyebrow… she had answered a little quickly. "And what's that?"
"Fighting."
Videl gave her daughter a disapproving glance. "You know it's only a temporary fix, don't you?"
"I know," She argued, "but when I spar with Vegeta, Grandpa or Trunks… I feel like I can breathe again."
"Why?"
"I don't know," she stated. "It's sort of corny, I guess… It's just… when I spar I get a glimpse of my history. I suddenly don't feel so far away from my Saiyan side. I feel like I belong somewhere… probably because fighting is the only thing I really know how to do well. It's the only thing I get excited about…"
Videl smiled, "You know, I think you're more Saiyan than your father, uncle and grandfather combined."
Pan smiled back kindly, not being able to help the fact that her mother's comment was swelling her chest with pride. Suddenly, the auditorium doors opened loudly behind them, graduates and their families making their way down the stairs. Gohan walked out quickly, making his way across the green grounds to where his wife and daughter stood. Trunks, Goten and the rest of the Son and Briefs clan followed closely behind.
Pan blushed a bright crimson at the sight of this enormous party, realization of how she had just acted finally hitting her. "I can't believe I just stormed out of there like that." She quietly whispered.
"Hi Panny! How're you feeling?" Goten asked, chucking his arm around her shoulders like a vise.
She smiled lightly. "I'm doing okay," she said nervously glancing at the Briefs.
Bra had graduated earlier that week… and since the Son's and the Brief's were so close, they were more than happy to attend the older girl's ceremony. Unfortunately for Pan, the Briefs felt the same way and decided to come to her graduation as well. Somehow, Bulma had even managed to drag Vegeta with her… and he was not withholding his displeasure of having to attend such a foolish event.
"I'm sorry for running off like that." She said, directing her statement mostly at her father, who had been proudly waiting for this day since she had first started grade school.
"You didn't run off," Trunks interjected, "you just… left a little quicker than the rest of your class."
"Yeah, don't worry about it!" Bra cheered, pulling Goten's arm off his niece's shoulder and replacing it with her own. "You've got your precious diploma, now it's time to party!"
Pan inwardly groaned, wondering what had possessed her to agree to a joint graduation party with Bra. The last thing she felt like at that moment was mingling with a room full of strangers. Of course, they had both turned in their guest lists over a month ago. Bra's list had over a hundred people on it… most of whom Pan had never even heard of. Pan's list, on the other hand, consisted of one… six if you counted her family.
"We should get home and start getting ready if we're going to start by six." Bra said worriedly checking her watch.
"Bra, it's only two o'clock!"
"I know Pan, but I want to make sure I look good for Etsuniiru." She said brazenly. "And I know a certain someone that you're going to want to impress too…"
"You're right… I should probably get ready soon too. Maybe you could… help me with my hair." She suggested.
Bra literally squealed for joy as she attempted to drag the younger girl towards the parking lot. The rest of the two families followed, planning to meet at Capsule Corp for the huge gala the girls had been planning for so long.
"Honey, have you seen my blue blazer?" Gohan called from the bedroom, peering into their bathroom where Videl was putting the finishing touches on her face.
"It's at the dry cleaners, I think."
"No, that's my work blazer. I'm talking about my casual blazer."
"Your casual blazer?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah." He replied, noticing her odd expression. "What?"
Videl shook her head and laughed. "You're such a nerd, Gohan. What ever happened to wearing a t-shirt and jeans?"
He smirked, leaning down to give her a small kiss on the cheek. "So? I know I am. I'll admit it… but that's why you love me."
"Uh huh… right…" She said sarcastically.
"So uh… how's Pan?" He asked, awkwardly straightening his glasses. "Is there anything I should be bracing myself for once we get down to CC?"
"Well, she's… um… a little angry with her grandfather."
"He did just miss her graduation… and managed to embarrass her in front of her entire class at the same time."
"I don't think it was that embarrassing for her. She never liked the kids in that school anyway." She argued. "I think she's beginning to feel a little pressured by time. She was probably touchy to begin with today. After all, the ceremony marked the official end of high school. It most likely just served to remind her of how much time she doesn't have. She still doesn't know what she wants to do in life… and I haven't even seen her open one of the packets from the hundreds of colleges that want her." She told him, working up to revealing the rest of their mother-daughter talk.
"True… but she should know that she doesn't have to make up her mind right this second. She can start school, get some basic credits in, and pick a major later. A lot of kids do it that way."
"True, but… Gohan… she's beginning to sound odd. The things she said to me earlier weren't like her at all. She sounded… depressed."
Gohan paused his self-grooming and looked curiously at his wife. "What do you mean 'depressed'?" He asked, his voice lowering with concern.
"She told me that she doesn't even feel like she belongs on this planet."
Gohan shrugged. "I'm sure it's just a phase. A lot of kids feel weird when they go through a major milestone." He said, fixing his glasses once again. "She just needs to readjust… get herself into another routine."
Videl twisted her lips in frustration. His voice was so casual… it seemed he didn't really understand what she was attempting to tell him. "Gohan, this is serious. There was something in her voice that sounded odd… something that sounded so… sad."
Gohan's brow furrowed with this news. Videl never jumped to conclusions when it came to her daughter. If she were ever concerned with the way Pan was acting, she would just go and ask her. Pan shared every thing with her mother… well, almost every thing. They had a very close relationship. "So what do you think she means by all of this?"
Videl sighed, "She said she was ashamed of the human race. She gave me this huge speech about how it seems that everyone around her is selfish and pompous… unaware of their own mortality. She said… that she wonders why Goku ever bothered saving this planet in the first place."
That was enough to make Gohan frown as paternal warning lights started going off in his head as well. This didn't sound anything like his daughter… who had experienced more pain from her Saiyan side in the two-years of her galaxy tour than her human side had caused her throughout her entire life. "I wonder what got her so depressed."
"I have no idea. Maybe something happened at school that she didn't tell us about."
"Maybe…" He trailed off.
"I asked her what made her feel better whenever she got like this, though. I don't think you're going to like her answer very much." She said.
"And what was that?" He asked.
"…Fighting..." Videl admitted.
Gohan let out a deep breath and sat down on the edge of his bed. He knew that Pan liked to fight as much as a full blood Saiyan… possibly more, but he never really approved of it. It's not that he didn't want her to fight. He knew more than anyone did how impossible it would be to get that girl to stop training… but graduation from high school and finding a college came first. Obviously, she had other ideas.
"She told me that she feels like she belongs somewhere when she fights. She even said that it was the only thing she knew how to do well… the only thing she gets excited about."
"Hmm… What do you think we should do?"
"Nothing." Videl said plainly, earning a confused look from her husband. "She's an adult now… she has to take care of her own problems."
Gohan nodded his head in silent agreement.
"But that doesn't mean she can't have a good talk with her father about it." Videl continued. "She'll relate to you about this more than she'll relate to me. Maybe you can work out a deal with school or something."
"You're right." He said. "I just hope she's okay."
The reception hall at Capsule Corp was packed with guests… each of them buzzing around, laughing, mingling and dancing with one another. The young hostess of this particular bash was in the middle of the dance floor. Guys from all walks of life surrounded her, vainly trying to get her attention.
Pan sighed and put her head in her hands. While she was sitting alone at a corner table, Bra was having a ball. What was so great about having so many guys swooning over you anyway? She only needed one guy… one guy to swoon over her and make her happy. Suddenly, her expression lightened as she sat up quickly, attempting to smooth her dress and hair. She moved her hand in front of her mouth and breathed, wondering if she had the time to stuff a Tic Tac in her mouth without him noticing.
He smiled across the room, light hair shining as he displayed his lady-killer smile he was so well known for. She was so young, but so beautiful. They got along so well that he hoped that what he had to say to her tonight would make it worth risking their relationship. Looking at her bright smile and shining eyes, all of his doubts fled.
She could barely contain her joy. She closed the distance between them, running up to him and tightly wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "Noroi! I thought you weren't going to make it!" She said ecstatically.
"I'm sorry I missed your graduation Pan. The interview lasted a lot longer than I thought it would," he apologized.
"That's okay! I'm just glad you decided to come to the party." She smiled up at him, lightly brushing his dirty blonde hair out of his face. He smiled softly, stroking her chin softly as he visibly admired her appearance.
The simple actions gained lots of attention from Pan's family and friends around the room, mainly her father, mother and uncle. This particular guy was quite different from the ones that Pan usually dated, different… and older.
Pan met Noroi when her school held their annual career fair. He was in charge of the medical booth and had immediately captured her eye. At first, it was because he had the same pretty boy smile and shocking eyes that Trunks had, but as she learned later, they were two very different men. Pan and Noroi had been dating for nearly three months and things were getting somewhat serious. Pan's parents were a little wary about this one. The relationship seemed to be developing too fast… not to mention the fact that he was a good seven years older than she was. The only thing that put her father's mind to rest was the fact that he was a doctor, but who knew what being in such a serious relationship with such a large age gap might do to a seventeen year old girl.
The two stayed in the same position for a few minutes, cooing over each other like newlyweds. Their actions attracted almost everyone's attention, including someone else they had not intended. Trunks sat in the corner, watching them intently. Even though he still hadn't made up his mind about what had happened between them in the past, he felt rather possessive over Pan.
Watching him work, Trunks had noticed Noroi was a bit of a wolf in sheep's clothing. Trunks had been one as well when he was younger, quickly learning the art of manipulation and charm as he dated a new girl every night… and regretfully got them to do things with him they normally wouldn't have done. He grew out of that stage quickly, but he still remembered how they operated. These days, he could smell the sly ones a mile away, especially when they were trying for one of his friends or his sister… or Pan.
He started to walk over to them, figuring that they could stand to be interrupted. After all, he had not had the chance to congratulate Pan alone yet. His heart lifted as Pan tore her gaze away from her company and locked eyes with him. She smiled brightly, welcoming him over.
"Hi Mr. Briefs!" A perky redhead said, practically jumping in front of him.
"Umm… hi." He replied, glancing desperately over her head at Pan.
"I just want to thank you for giving me a second chance at my job."
"Uhh… sure." Trunks acknowledged, smiling politely though he wasn't really listening to a word she was saying. What was one of his employees doing at his sister's party?
Pan's smile fell as she watched Trunks talking to the woman in front of him. She was a very attractive woman. She had hair that fell all the way down her back, legs all the way to her neck and a mini skirt that didn't hide anything. He was smiling. It had appeared to Pan that Trunks was once again distracted by a pair of legs and a friendly smile. She sighed, oblivious to the man in front of her. Some things never change…
Goten sat across from the most beautiful creature on earth. It was too bad he was too chicken to call her that to her face. His eyes were on her the entire time, never leaving her porcelain face as she droned on about her job. He must have appeared to be a very good listener, though he had no idea of what she was talking about.
"So I told him to stop ordering the IBN mouse pads. They're ugly and we can't even give them away. In fact, the warehouse we store them in is covered floor to roof with the things." Marron said, continuing her one-sided conversation.
Goten smiled, nodding politely. He couldn't take his eyes off her. Her hair seemed to glow like a halo in the low lighting of the room. The candlelight of the centerpiece on the table in front of them seemed to dance in her eyes. He sighed audibly, catching her ear.
"I'm sorry," she chuckled, "am I boring you?"
He sat up suddenly. "No!" He shouted, a little too defensively.
"That's okay, Goten… I know how boring and monotonous my job must seem compared to yours."
"No, Marron… I just… I'm a little distracted tonight. I'm sorry." He admitted, hoping she wouldn't take any offense.
Marron laughed, blushing lightly in the warmth of her surroundings. She had noticed that he seemed a little preoccupied. Truth was, she was hoping she'd be the one to capture his attention that night. He was such a good friend. However, in the very back of her mind a thought lingered… a thought about what it would be like if they were more. She shook it out of her head every time it popped up. Things with her and Goten were a little too weird to go down that road. He was so much like a brother it was almost scary. The three of them, including Trunks, had been friends since they were children.
Sure, her and Trunks had experimented once with a relationship, but it had ended in disaster. Plus, Trunks' mom had said so many times that she thought they would make a cute couple. In fact, everyone said that. It was as if everyone else was already convinced they would end up together. Nobody was at all surprised to hear of the romantic involvement between the two when they finally ended up dating. Now, if she were to start dating Goten… that would cause quite the stir, but that thought was silly. Goten loved her as a sister... and she loved him as a brother. They were too close, closer than she was to Trunks. Maybe that's why she had risked a relationship with Trunks, but not with Goten.
The two boys were so different, she mused. Goten was so soft spoken, especially when compared with Trunks. Trunks was definitely more abrasive than the younger man. He was shy in his own way, but he would never allow someone to step on him or use him. He was a born leader of leaders. He was born and raised to run the most powerful company in the world. Even though he never tried to show it in his casual life, his nature always came through. Whether he was ordering dinner, or watching a movie, his demeanor was always like the confident leader he was. When it came to making a decision or getting a job done, he was your man.
Goten, on the other hand, was very different. To everyone else, he was naïve. Some even speculated he was dumb, or at least a little slow. She knew otherwise… He was a lot more intelligent than he let on. He hid it under the veil of genetics and a girl crazy, food-loving, simple pleasure façade, making everyone think that he was as simple minded as his father, which was very different from the truth. He hid it well, but she knew he had a brain upstairs. Anyone who ever bothered to listen to what he was saying had to have noticed. Trunks might have chosen to ignore it, but she didn't. Discovering this little fact made her dark, tall and handsome friend even more intriguing to her.
Goten, however, was also the submissive one in almost every relationship he was in. He let people make judgments and decisions for him, especially Trunks. With Trunks' abrasive personality and Goten's submissive nature, the two got along great, but it was always easy to see who got their way whenever they came to an impasse. She knew where Goten had gotten his submissive side from. With a mother like Chichi, it was destined that he would be the one to always give in. Trunks, however was an unknown. She could only guess his desire to be such a strong leader over Goten had to do with his father's constant down talk about Goten's father.
Marron put her head in her hands, silently wondering what a romance between her and Goten would be like. She was a lot more like her mother than she'd like to admit sometimes. She could be rather harsh when it came to guys. Living with her mother and father for so long, she had picked up lots of mannerisms on how to treat a guy like trash when he asked for it. She felt somewhat sorry for her dad… having to put up with her and her mother's tempers over the years.
Much to Goten's disappointment, she got up and left their table. She started walking towards Bra, swimming through the crowds of boys hovering around the blue haired beauty. Goten frowned when he saw some of the guys that were swooning over Bra walk over to Marron. They were high school guys. She would never see any thing in any of them… right? He called after her, but she didn't turn around. He angrily slammed his head on to the table repeatedly, nearly splitting it in the process. He must have said or done something wrong. Why couldn't he do anything right around her?
Pan solemnly watched Trunks' conversation with the young woman. She hadn't gotten a chance to talk to him all night long. For one reason or another, he was never available. She knew he had other obligations, but he was her best friend and she hadn't even been able to talk to him long enough for him to congratulate her. Trunks' job seemed to be getting the better of him every day. She called him almost every night to go and do something, but one way or another he had an excuse ready that he was too busy and had too much work to do. The last time they did anything together was at Pan's prom.
She chuckled at the fresh, recent memory. Come to think of it, she met Noroi only a week after. Maybe it was her fault that Trunks didn't have time for her anymore. After all, usually when a man and a woman went out together to have fun, people would assume they were on a date or something. Trunks probably just didn't want Noroi to get the wrong impression.
'Yeah, that's stretching it.' She thought.
Despite years of attempting to get him out of her head, she still couldn't help but feel jealous that a redheaded stranger was better at getting his attention than she was. Her feelings for him still lingered. Only one person, her boyfriend, noticed her longing stare.
Pan was startled out of her reflections by a hand on her shoulder. Oh yeah, Noroi. Was he still there?
"Hey, Pan… you want to go get some air?" He asked, green eyes sparkling.
Pan sighed and looked back at Trunks. He was a little preoccupied at the moment… but she didn't want to leave without talking to him. "Okay, maybe for just a few minutes."
"I mean… how was I supposed to know that it was illegal to deposit checks made payable to 'petty cash?'" She asked, giggling innocently while twirling her red hair around in her fingers. "My department owed me money anyway… and I'll pay back the rest."
Trunks smiled and laughed politely, wondering what the heck he was smoking the day he had given her a second chance. She should be in jail, not standing in front of him and preventing him from talking to the one woman in the room he wanted to see most.
"Really, it wasn't my fault that they came in an envelope addressed to me. How was I supposed to know I was supposed to spend it on supplies for our department?"
Her voice was reaching registers that were about to make Trunks' head explode. Add that to the fact that she was keeping him from talking to Pan… and he was ready to fire her all over again.
"Well, people usually only get one paycheck… Petty cash is not money you spend on yourself." He said abrasively, slightly scaring the woman in front of him.
"I'm sorry. I can be a little air headed sometimes." She laughed, attempting to save face.
"Look, miss. If you're caught taking anything so much as a paperclip from my company, you're gone. Get out of my way."
His voice had been eerily calm, but it had done the job of scaring the woman in front of him. She practically melted into a pile of goo as she tried to get out of his way as fast as she could.
He smiled, self-satisfied as he pushed his way past her. His smirk fell. Pan was gone. He sighed in aggravation as he walked around the room in hopes of finding her again. If he could spot her taller boyfriend, he was sure to find her under his arm.
"She's outside." A voice interrupted.
He turned to see his long-time friend with his head in his hand staring wistfully at something in the corner. "Pan went outside with Noroi."
"Oh…" Trunks said, more than a hint of disappointment in his voice. "What are you so mopey about?"
"Same old, same old." He said, continuing to stare.
Trunks shook his head and walked away. He'd be listening to Goten's griping forever if he didn't do something soon. Why if you care about someone so much would you hide anything from them? Trunks cringed inwardly… that was a lesson he had learned nine years ago.
Knowing Pan, she'd be out in the gardens, just outside of the reception area. Bulma had kept the area well groomed, putting in a long walkway and large grassy area surrounded by beautiful flowers within walking range, just in case someone wanted to have a wedding there.
Pan had never really been into flowery gardens, but even Vegeta had respect for the incredible sight those gardens were. She and Noroi were most likely walking around the grounds and his intention was to follow them.
"It's gorgeous out here, don't you think?" Pan asked, walking arm in arm.
"Not as gorgeous as my company." He flirted, giving her a coy smile.
Pan blushed. Not being able to take compliments very well, she changed the subject. "Umm… thanks. Yeah, Bulma really keeps these grounds up..."
"Pan, there's something I need to talk to you about." He said, very seriously.
Pan's face straightened as he turned her around to sit on a near by bench. A lump formed in her throat as he kneeled down in front of her. Despite the fact that he was acting so sweet, kissing her hand and treating her like a lady, she still felt there was something wrong. Then again, the clock had been running down on this relationship for a while. Three months was sort of a record for Pan… but she hadn't exactly told him everything about her yet either. He hadn't had the chance to be scared off.
"What's wrong?"
He breathed in deeply, trying to find the words to say what he needed to. "Pan, where do you see us in five years?"
She smiled, "You'll probably have your own practice… I have no clue where I'll be then. I don't even know what I want to do."
"Exactly… So… I have an idea."
Pan looked at him curiously. 'Uh oh…'
"My interview went better than I thought it did. A lot better than I thought it did… and well… they offered me a position in a very reputable office. This could be exactly the job I need to jump start my career"
"That's great!" She shouted, hugging his neck. "I'm so happy for you!"
"Pan…" He started, taking her arms from around her neck and looking into her eyes. "The office is posted up north… way up north… as in fifteen hundred miles away."
"Oh," She said, rather shocked. "That's a long way away."
"Yeah, it is. That's why I was hoping… you'd move with me."
Trunks heard everything. He was behind a tree near them, desperately hiding his ki so Pan wouldn't sense him. He had to cover his mouth to prevent himself from screaming obscenities at the other man for even suggesting such a thing to a seventeen year-old girl.
"Umm… Noroi…" she started, looking rather perplexed, "My parents are not going to let me live with you. Besides, I'm only seventeen years old. I'm not ready for a relationship like that yet."
"I know… so you'll move out in six months when you turn eighteen. As for your parents, they won't have any say in anything you do then. If you want to move out, all they can do is try to talk you out of it."
"You don't understand." She argued. "First off, I don't hate my parents like most people do. I love and respect them. If they don't want me to do something, I listen to them… within reason… Plus…"
"Plus what?" He asked, growing impatient with her lack of a reasonable answer.
"Plus I made this… agreement with myself and my parents a while ago and…"
"And…"
Her cheeks were flush with anger, frustration and embarrassment. What goes through a man's mind to make him think that asking a seventeen year-old girl to move away from her home and family and into his bed is perfectly acceptable? "And I can't!" She shouted, finally showing her frustration and anger.
"Listen, I know this is a big decision for you to make in one night. Take a week or two to think it over and…"
"No." She said flatly, calm finally lacing her voice, tears lining her eyes. "I don't need a week or two. My answer will be the same as it is now. No."
"Pan, let me just try and convince you…"
"No." She restated, tracing her finger along his jaw as he desperately tried to plead his case. "I would be lying if I said that a small part of me wasn't tempted. I can't just throw my life out the window and follow you across the world. I'm not ready for that. Come back up in five years maybe and we'll talk."
"If you would just let me…"
"No."
"But you don't…"
"No." Pan's anger was starting to ascend dangerously. He wasn't respecting her answer.
"If we could just talk about this like two adults…"
That one made her want to snap. She was tempted to blow this guy's head off with a ki blast. She had actually developed feelings for him. Much more, she thought it would last. He didn't seem too worried by the fact that she could fly, which was a good sign, and he had already discovered her family's eating habits and strange mannerisms. She was planning to tell him the rest soon… after she found a college and moved out on her own… after things started to settle down. Instead of letting her anger and pain get the better of her, she turned around and walked away.
"Pan, please… don't leave like this." He pleaded, grabbing on to her arm. "I love you."
She quickly shook him off her. She couldn't say it back to him. Even if his offer were erased and they had continued their relationship for a long time… she could never say it back to him. She had too many secrets, he was too old, he was moving too far and he reminded her too much of… Her voice was strained as she choked back her own emotion. "I can't. I'm sorry Noroi. I'm sorry."
"Please… Pan." He begged, grabbing her arm yet again.
"I said leave me alone!" Suddenly, a blue aura glowed around her. Even though this seemed to shock Noroi, he was relentless.
"Didn't you hear what she said? Leave her alone." A demanding voice said from behind.
She cringed, recognizing the voice instantly. Her knight in shining armor was glowing too… In fact, he had bolts of electricity flowing around him as his power affected the plants and trees around them. This was enough to sufficiently scare Noroi. 'What are these people?!'
"Get off my property." Trunks demanded; his expression tense and set in the stone features of his face.
Without saying another word, Noroi took off. He never glanced back at the woman he left with the broken heart. Trunks powered down as the younger man was out of sight. His heart instantly sank as he turned around to face her. She looked so broken. "Are you okay?" He asked quietly, though he already knew the answer.
"Yeah." She lied. Biting her lip, her expression told him everything. "I can't believe he was such a… a…a… "
"I'm sorry."
Pan sighed, looking him in the eyes… trying to think of something to say to hide her emotion. He lightly put a supportive hand on her shoulder, but she took it as an open invitation. Trunks was a little surprised when she jumped into his arms, but he wasn't about to complain. Though she didn't cry, her eyes gave her away. They had once had a serious relationship. Noroi had told her that he loved her, and Trunks had the feeling Pan was beginning to feel the same way.
"You don't have to play the big brother, Trunks." She said, her voice being muffled against his coat.
"I know I don't, but he didn't have the right to hurt you like that." He said, attempting to soothe her a little by stroking her back and saying the right things. Pan felt a lot better just being in his arms. "I had a feeling about him. I knew he was a jerk from the beginning. I could smell it on him."
Pan chuckled against his chest. "Oh, you could, could you? Wow, Trunks, you're so smart." She said, with more than a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
Trunks was very happy with her response, so he went on, resting his chin on her head. "He didn't deserve you. How sick can a person be to prey on a seventeen year-old girl like that anyway? I can't believe he wanted you to move in with him… and after you told him you were saving yourself too! Oh well… he's gone. You know, he'll probably have someone else by the end of the night anyway. I hope that it's someone his own age. He was way too old for you."
Suddenly, he felt Pan tense under his arms. "Pan…?"
She growled, once again allowing her ki to rise as she tore out of his embrace. "You have no right to butt into my business and tell me who's right for me and who's not! Just stay out of my life Trunks! I don't need a big brother to come rescue me!" She shouted, just before taking off into the night sky.
Trunks was left standing there… stunned and tattered by the wake of the huge amount of ki she used to take off. "What just…?" He really had no clue as to why she changed moods so quickly. "Oh crap…" He said, slapping his face in realization.
Vegeta smirked from the doorway. He had silently been watching the entire thing. The girl was foolish to put so much faith into such a weak excuse for a man to begin with. He didn't really care either way. It wasn't his blood that was mating with inferior humans. He looked back towards the party almost mournfully at his little girl danced with several partners at once. Well, not yet it wasn't.
What really bothered him about the whole scene was the girl's power. He thought he had been monitoring each child's level rather thoroughly, but Pan had managed to surprise him. True, she hadn't been spending as much time over at Capsule Corp since Trunks was so busy, but she couldn't have improved so much in such a short time with just her ordinary training, could she? An almost frightening thought made its way across his thread of reflection. He was beginning to wonder if the girl had Super Saiyan potential after all. Before, he had assumed it was impossible. She was only one-fourth Saiyan and a woman, at that. Perhaps he was a bit foolish to have made such an early judgment.
His assumption was based on percentage and gender. He had forgotten to include
genetics. Kakarott's line was very powerful when they became emotional. Moreover,
they managed, aggravatingly enough, to surpass him easily. It was possible Pan
was on the same track. Her power was exponential now compared to where it had
been just a few short months ago. The mere thought that Pan would have the same
power while combined with her sometimes-unstable emotional outbursts was a scary
one. She had potential…
I was somewhat disappointed in this chapter due to the fact that it has many clichés. I hate using over-used plot ingredients that have been done by ninety percent of the T&P authors out there. Oh well… the next one will be better.
I would really like to thank Cka3ka ( www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=122450)
(The author of "A Brief Moment in Time")
and Morgause ( www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=62118)
(The author of "You Will be Mine")
for beta-ing this chapter for me. They both helped me a lot! This wasn't the easiest chapter to write, either. They're both also VERY good authors so go give them a visit.
I also want to give a shout out to Yuna Angel of Hell ( www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=171571)
Go read her fic "Black Rose"!
and Samantha Williams for offering their services. I really appreciate the fact that so many people were so willing to volunteer their help for a mere fic author like me.
Thanks you guys!
Next