Pan, Trunks, Bra, and Goten were once again really, really bored. Goten had suggested any number of things, but all of them would have only added to the boredom. Suddenly, Pan got an idea.

“Trunks?”

“What?”

“Is your time machine still working?”

“If I turned it on, yeah, it’d work.”

“Can it go into the past? And into another country?”

“Yeah... of course. Why?”

“Why don’t we go to the past of America? Like to the gold rush or something?”

“Ewwww! Wasn’t it really hot then?”, asked Bra.

“Bra? Shut up before you hurt yourself.”, Pan said, glaring. Bra wrinkled her nose at Pan. Goten and Trunks suddenly broke out laughing.

“Well?”, Pan asked the group.

“Sounds like an idea to me.”

“Me too. Let’s go. The time machine is in the shed.”

“All right!”

“Ewwww... Do I have to go?”

“YES!”, and poor Bra is once again dragged into an adventure she wants no part in.

At the shed...

“See? All it needs is a little assembly.”, Trunks looked up from the time machine with a bit of grease on his nose.

Bra tried to sneak out of the shed, but was grabbed by Pan. Trunks made a few minor repairs, coming back out with black grease all over his face and hands. He went and took a shower before they decide to leave. Bra was dragged into the time machine by Trunks, Pan and Goten. Trunks pushed a few buttons and the time machine made a high, shrill sound before shaking violently.

runks suddenly said, “Well, I’ll be damned. That’s never happened before.”

Bra started to whimper. The hatch to the time machine opened to reveal large tropical plants and steaming valleys.

“Ummmmm.... Trunks? I would swear the place we were going to was a lot more...... desolate than this.”, Goten says.

“Shut up! I think that I would KNOW THAT! Something happened...”

Suddenly a little dinosaur jumped into the capsule. Bra and Pan screamed.

“Trunks. If that’s a meat eater, I swear I will kill you.” Pan said, fairly shaken.

“Then kill me.” he said as the small dino approached him with it’s mouth open wide, showing small, but razor sharp teeth. Suddenly Goten jumped from behind the dinosaur, scaring it out the door, and Bra quickly closed the hatch.

“Let’s go to the right place this time, thing.” said Pan to the panel as she retyped where they were going and what time period. Then she pressed the go button. The machine again made the high pitched scream and shook. Then the hatch opened. They were in ancient Egypt. An Egyptian slave master approached them and cracked a whip. Goten had been looking out of the hatch and was struck in the face.

“Oh my gawd! Goten!”, Bra, now dressed in a linen wrap around dress, rushed out of the machine and helped Goten to his feet, only to be scared half to death by the whip cracking again.

“Get to work! You two,” the slave master pointed at Pan and Bra , “come with me.”

“No thanks, dude.” said Pan, as she draged Bra and Goten back into the time machine and shut the hatch. “Get this piece of junk moving, Trunks!” Pan yelled at Trunks, who was standing at the console.

As they start moving again, Pan watched as Bra gently cared for the side of Goten’s face, tears running down her own. Pan walked to the console next to Trunks, eyes shimmering a little. Trunks watched her. When she came to a stand next to him, he reached out and touched her cheek. “I can’t believe that guy would have taken you...”

“Trunks. Don’t get mushy on me.”

“All right.” Trunks typed in some more commands. The machine made a crunching noise.

Pan said angrily, “This better work this time.”

“And what if it doesn’t?”

The machine landed before Pan could answer, which might have been a good thing. The hatch opened. Trunks pushed a stick out. Nothing attacked it so he figured it was all right. He stepped out to find himself in the middle of a mob of Catholics, Catholic converts, and King Henry IIIV. Trunks rolled his eyes and shut the hatch. He turned around to see Pan, Bra, and Goten staring at him angrily. Trunks inched over to the console and typed in some commands. The machine made another crunching noise and landed. When the hatch opened they were in the middle of a concentration camp where prisoners were being tortured.

“Um...oops.”, Trunks once again typed in some commands, praying fervently that it worked this time.

“I know. I will rip you limb from limb. Then I will tie you down and dig your heart out with a spoon...” said Pan.

“Save it for later, we have other priorities.”, said Goten, interrupting her.

Finally after a few creaking noises the machine landed and the hatch opened. They were in their destination. The old west. As they got out their clothes changed and they were dressed as settlers.

Trunks bowed to Pan and said in a really bad accent, “May I escort you to the Saloon little lady?”

Pan looked at Trunks like he was stupid and asked, “May I ask what you’ve been snortin’?”

Goten smiles... and then follows Trunks’ bad example. Bra doesn’t follow Pan’s though... she smiles and takes Goten’s arm. “Sure stranger.”, Bra said.

Pan takes Trunks arm and followed him to the nearest building, her long leather skirt swarming round her legs, tripping her up, while Bra had no trouble what so ever with her cotton one. At the saloon men were drinking and being rowdy, serving girls were avoiding hands and serving drinks, and a piano player was playing a piano as some women danced on the stage.

“Come on boys. Act natural and git in swing of things.”, Bra said in a country accent.

“I thought that you didn’t want to be here.”, Trunks sneered. Bra just shrugged. Then some guy grabbed Pan from behind. Trunks immediately knocked the guy out and an all out war started right then and there.

“Maybe we should go to the general store. It might be safer.”, Goten yelled over the mob, and the four left for the general store.

When they entered they were happily greeted by the store owner. They looked around and bought a few items with the money they found in their pockets before leaving. Once outside the town clock struck 12:00. The streets began to clear. The four teens were the only ones left. Then they heard a galloping sound. Five horses with mean looking riders rode up. They talked among themselves and then looked at our four heroes. (Heroes my butt...) The one that the four thought was the leader dismounted and walked up to the teens. He immediately grabbed Pan and Bra by the waists. He pulled both of the girls up on the back of his horse and the group started to ride away.

At the hideout...

“What do you think you were doing, bring dem girls here? Wes gonna git caught for that!” said one of the outlaws.

“Course we won’t. I think they’re pretty. That one with the blue hair looked kinda wimpy if you ask me, though. The black-haired one looked like she has a lot of spunk.” said another.

“Shut yer traps. Billy Kid probably grabbed dem for a reason... and not for our purposes.” said an older one.

“You're right, Tornado. I did. So you guys leave them alone. If I hear you roughed them up, I will personally have you shot,” said Billy sternly. Then an idea came to him... “In fact, I am claiming them. They are my property.” Pan and Bra glanced at each other in the separate “room”. It was only a section of the small sod house cut off from the rest of the place by a hastily put up curtain.

Bra whispered to Pan, “How the hell did we get ourselves into this mess?”

Pan looked up then whispered back, “We were standing outside and they came and the dumb asses didn’t bother to save us.” Bra looked down pitifully.

Back on the main street of town...

People are starting to come out of hiding. Trunks and Goten are making a scene about Pan and Bra. The mayor of the town comes up to them. He examines them before speaking.

“Were those two ladies related to you two young men?.... and stand up straight.”

Trunks and Goten straightened up and answer in unison, “YES.”

The mayor cleaned his spectacles, “Well. you’re probably never gonna see them again. That there was Billy the Kid; he’s got the roughest gang of double-crossing varmits that you ever did see. Not even the best sheriffs could catch them outlaws.”

“What if we said that we were better than your best?”, Trunks inquired.

“Give these boys the sheriff’s horses. We have reason to believe that his hide out is somewhere over that there hill.”

Back at the hide out...

“Like shit you will!”, yelled Pan in outrage when she heard Billy’s plans. “I wouldn’t go along with that if my life depended on it!”

“Well, stranger, it does. And even if it didn’t, you don’t have a choice.”, said one of Billy’s gang, Downright.

“I don’t have to do nuthin’.”, said Pan, “Especially nuthin to help you. You have threatened me and my friend, spoken crudely, beat us up, and ‘forgot’ to feed us. I am not helping you.”

“Please?”, asked Billy, who had just walked in. “I know you haven’t been treated the best, but... we need your help. If my memory serves me, you threatened my man first, hit Tornado in the stomach, causing him to cuss, and nobody had any food that day. We didn’t forget to feed ya!”

Pan shook her head and mumbled, “Well......... that’s beside the point!!”

Bra just sat in the corner, mumbling to herself a few cuss words and how Trunks and Goten were going to die if she ever got out of there alive. Pan glared at her. She then turned back to Billy.

“OK,” a cheer went up in the crowd of men, “But first I want to get the story straight. You guys have been stealing anything you can sell so you can buy yourselves clothes and stuff so that you can be respectable? And go to school to get learned,” Pan added when she noticed Tornado about to add something. “And you want me and Belle hear to act as your wives till you get into the society as ranchers?”

“Yup. That’s it. So you’ll help us?” asked one.

“Sure.” And another cheer went up. Pan, in the excitement, got kissed on the cheek by Billy. Both of them blushed, but then the beer was broke out and nobody cared or remembered.

Back in town in a ranch...

Trunks and Goten have been given horses and guns and are grooming their horses.

The deputy came running and yelling. “It’s high noon and them varmits still ain’t showed themselves!”, the deputy yells. Trunks and Goten look at each other and start to wonder. They wait about an hour, but they still don’t show.

Finally they give up for the day. “Damn! Are we ever gonna git them back?! My GAWD! I’m starting to actually talk like these people!”

“Calm down Goten. Feelings are mutual. We’ll git them back tomorrow. ARG!” Trunks growls as he poked himself with the steel bristle brush he was using.

Back at the hide out...

“What’s the plan, darlin’?” asked Billy softly.

“Well.... at about 4 o’clock, we take the wagon you got at Lonesome Dove and bring it into town. Pan’s clothes are good enough for a rich man’s wife, but you will need to wear your suit. I am the wife of ole Mister Tanner, who is a rich friend of yours, and he plans to be half-owner of the ranch you guys are going to buy. You need to buy about 250 acres from the land-seller. That will take about half the loot. Then take a quarter of the loot and buy the cattle. Then the rest can be used to get furniture and fixin’s to eat for a month or so until ya can get some cash for the cattle. That will set you guys up for about a year.” said Bra, smiling at the brilliancy of her plan.

“OK. What about the rest of the gang?” asked Tornado.

“They will be your cowhands. You’ll need to get them some grub too, though.” said Pan. “Billy, your name will be Cole Thomas, and Tornado your name is John Tanner. You cowpokes can come up with whatever name you guys like. Then you will be able to find girls of your own out of the town girls.”

“Right.” said the two cowpoke, Lolly and Downright.

Back at town... again...

“That’s it! We’re saddlin’ up and lookin’ for them ourselves!”, Goten yelled. Trunks agreed and the two saddled up and went out to search for the girls. Three hours of searching later...

“It’s useless Goten. We’ll never find them. I’ll never get to tell Pan how I really feel.”

“It’s okay Trunks. We will find them. We just need to look where we would least expect.... somewhere right under our noses.”

That’s when they saw the hide out. They rode over and went in, but it was empty. They knew that they were in town. They galloped back to town, but it would be too late by the time they got there.

At town in the land proprietor’s office...

Bra was waiting out in a wagon outside, along with a few of the outlaws.

“Halloo there, mister. Can we help ya?” asked a fat balding guy behind the desk.

“Yeas sir, ya sure can. The little lady, me, and my friend here would like to purchase a tract of land no less than 250 acres from ya.” said Billy/Cole.

“Why, that is wonderful, sir! We have just the land. You are planning to make a home here? Maybe settle a ranch?” asked the guy, his eyes gleaming with greed.

“Yes sir. A cattle ranch. Me and the little wife gonna settle down with some friends and make us a home.” Cole said, slipping into the lie like he was made for it.

“Really. That is wonderful. We have just the right piece of land you need. And it even has a house and the furniture on it. All you have to do is move in. Here are the papers. All ya have to do is fill them out, pay me, and ya got yourself a nice little spread. Are ya planning on buying cattle immediately?”

“Yes, we are.” said Pan smoothly, looking over the paper that were slid into Cole’s hands. Cole set to work filling and signing the papers, and Pan handed the money over. All the loot had been turned into the bank, (by different people and different times of course) and put into bags. When Cole had finished with the signing, they went to go there separate ways. Pan to settle the cabin, and Cole to purchase the cattle.

With our two heroes of the Texas Rangers... Trunks and Goten... not...

Trunks and Goten are still galloping toward the town. In the back round you hear the Texas Rangers theme song very lightly.

At the new house.....

Pan looked over the house, grimacing at the dust that had settled over everything. She was glad that the house’s furniture had included a couple dusters and other cleaning supplies. She would need those. Everyone was put to work, although the guys complained about having to clean the house.

“It’s just plain degrading to have to do women’s work.”, Tornado grumbled. Pan just smiled at him and forced him to do the upstairs with Lolly.

The door slammed open and Bra’s screaming voice could be heard above all the commotion, “DAMN IT! GIT YO ASSES OUT THERE AND HELP UNLOAD THE DAMN CATTLE BEFORE I TAN YA’ALLS HIDES!”

Lolly began to talk half to himself and half to Tornado, “Damned if I thought that Miss Jadine up here was a bitch and here we have someone equally as loud down there. Life is full of hells.”

Tornado replied, “She cusses. Miss Jadine, do ya cuss like ya friend down there?”

Pan rolled her eyes, “No. I cuss a hell of a lot more.”

Bra stomped upstairs, “Damn it to hell, Jadine. The cattle down there are startin’ to get restless and we need some help! The damn house can wait. The cows can’t.... TORNADO! LOLLY!” Bra grabbed them by the back of the shirts and hauled their butts down stairs. A full grown man couldn’t stand up to them and now a 16 year old was dragging them down a flight of stairs.

After throwing them outside, Bra yelled, “And there will be no supper till the work is done. Just be happy you’re not degrading yourself with women’s work anymore. Now you actually have to work!”, and with that she slammed the door.

Bra and Pan finished cleaning the house and Bra cooked supper, knowing Pan will burn it, herself, or the house down.

With our two heroes of the Texas Rangers... Trunks and Goten... not...

Trunks and Goten are still galloping toward the town. In the back round you hear the Texas Rangers theme song slightly louder than before.

At the ranch...

“Come on! Get them damn doggies movin’! We need some help over at this end!” shouted Pan over the herds noises from on top of her stallion. Immediately she got some help from both Lolly and Downright, who showed her how to rope a calf without breaking either her or the calf’s neck. She got the idea almost immediately, and soon was able to round up the cattle just as easily as the guys could into the corral. The next day Cole had decided he was going to brand all the cattle with his mark, then take them into Carson to be sold off. He was so excited by the idea, that he had almost forgotten the fact that he was either sleeping on the couch or in the bunkhouse.

All of a sudden they heard the door slam open and Bra yelled, “SUPPER’S ON!” Immediately everyone came running except for Pan who finished up with the cattle. They all sat around the table waiting to be served. Pan came in, only after getting cleaned up. She had to laugh as Bra listened to them lie about getting cleaned up, turn over their hands, smack them upside the head with her wooden spoon, and make them go get cleaned up for dinner. Eventually everyone was able to sit down to dinner.

Every time someone was ill mannered, Bra would smack their hand with her spoon and turn around with a flip of her apron to be seated again.

“Can’t I just eat like I normally do? I’m hungry.”, Downright, whined. Bra smacked him on the hand for such a suggestion. She had seen them eat and it was almost as displeasing as her father and brother.

“This is good home cookin’ Miss Belle. Did you learn it from ya ma?”, Lolly asked in between bites.

“No. I learned it from a book. It’s called a cookbook. Eat with your mouth CLOSED.”, Bra smacked him on the hand with her wooden spoon. It was a wonder she had time to eat herself, as much as she was getting up just to correct bad manners. Pan just had to laugh at their antics. She noticed that Cole and Tanner were never hit by the spoon, and she wondered if they came to manners naturally, or they just forced themselves to have them.

Cole glanced at her, noticed her secretive smile, and said, “Gold speck for your thoughts.”

She just smiled and said, “They aren’t worth it anyway.”

“Ya can still tell us.” chimed in Lolly, ever helpful.

“I was jus’ wondering’ why Belle never smacks Billy or Tornado.”

“Well, that’s easy, lil’ lady. Me and Billy here ain’t never been down in the mud like the boys here.” says ole Tornado, teasing.

Bra knocks him over the head, “And if ya do ya’ll be in for a tannin’”

Everyone laughed at him. After Bra cleaned up the table with the help of Billy, Tornado, and Pan, it was nearing time for bed.

(Goten and Trunks finally reached the town)

Everyone was in the sitting room except for Bra, who stayed in the kitchen to do the dishes. Pan and Tornado were reading out of the Bible. Billy was smoking a pipe and staring at the wall. Lolly was putting wood in the fire and Downright was sleeping.

Bra came in, took away Billy’s pipe, and put it out on her heel, “Those things’ll kill ya.”

Billy shruged and took out another pipe. Bra again snatched it away. Billy looked up at her amused. The other’s all stopped to watch. If there was one thing you never did, you didn’t take away Billy’s pipe. Billy stood up. Everyone except for Pan and Bra gasped. He went to bed without saying a word about the pipe. Everyone looked surprised. Pan was just plain amused.

Suddenly, Billy walked back out, this time carrying an entire case of his pipes. “Woman, just leave me alone. I’ll go out on the porch.” he said to a speechless Bra as he walked out onto the porch and smoked his pipe.

Pan laughed at him, and she and Bra headed upstairs to bed.

With our heroes...

“Where do you think Pan and Bra are at?” Trunks asked as he gazed up at the stars.

“I don’t even want to think about it.” said Goten looking at all the constellations, slightly comforted that Bra might be looking up at the very same stars.

“I hope their all right. Even Bra.”

“I really hope Bra is all right.”

“Could we name stars after them or something?”

“I guess so. I want to name that one Brataria.”

“This one I dub, Pan’s .”

The next morning at the ranch...

Bra was the first one up and was waking everyone else up at 4:00 in the morning. They all went out to wash up.

Before Pan went outside she commented half asleep, “What I wouldn’t kill for electric alarm clocks...”

When they came back in, Bra inspected their hands and sent Lolly and Downright back out to wash again. All of them except for Bra had time for breakfast, because Bra was preparing the day’s schedule and making sure everyone had manners. She sent Lolly, Tornado, and Downright outside to put feed in the cattle trough. Pan followed them. Bra collapsed on a chair in the sitting room and looked at the list of chores that she had to do that day. She wasn’t able to find Billy so that meant if he didn’t come back that there would be more work for everyone else. Bra sighed and added a few more items to her list.

“Miss Belle?”, a voice came from the door behind Bra. Bra looked back. Downright was standing in the doorway, looking kind of sheepish. “Wes gonna need to get some laundry done, Miz Jadine said. She also said that you were going to get some sleep, she didn’t care if you thought things needed to be done.”

“Tell Miz Jadine that I don’t care, I am helpin’ out.”

“She was perpared for that. You have to drink this then.” He handed her a small cup of a brown liquid. The smell of cinnamon, lavender, and honey drifted up her nose, and Bra drank it, smiling at the absurdness of it all. She felt herself get lifted, and put into bed, where she immediately went to sleep. Downright smiled down at her tenderly, then left to help with all the work that was to be done.

Pan glanced at the pile of laundry set on the floor next to the wash basin and the wringer. It was an interesting contraption, but how it worked was not hard to figure out. Pan smiled with satisfaction. When she didn’t have Bra hovering over her shoulder, acting in charge, being uptight, Pan felt that she could breathe easier. If Cole could take care of the cattle, then she could take care of the house. After working with the laundry for half an hour, Pan started lunch. The bacon and eggs were frying nicely, and she had toast made up when Cole walked in the back door, dusty from the drive.

He immediately sat down at the table. “Belle! That sure do smell good! Is it almost done?”

“Almost. But I ain’t Belle. She is getting the day off. I am taking care of the house.” Cole got up to make sure who was actually cooking, and when he saw Jadine, he smiled, surprised after hearing all the stories Bra had told of Pan’s cooking.

“Looks like you could use a bath, stranger.” said Pan, looking him up and down.

“I could, but washing my hands will have to do. I will just get dirty again.” he said.

“That’s fine. Are the rest any cleaner?”

“Not by much.... Are you making a lot of that?”

“Yeah... why?”

“Cuz we have three more cowpokes.”

“We have plenty extra for more big appetites. I was wondering what I was going to do with the extra anyway.” As she was talking, all the cowpokes and Tanner walked in, really hungry and almost as dusty as Cole.

Pan dished out the plates and teased the new cowpokes, learning their names were Juan, Jack, and Dave. Everyone complemented her on her food, and Pan was grateful that she hadn’t burnt anything. She smiled as she went through her chores, even when she told Billy that they needed some helpers for the house. He agreed and said he would go to town to see if anyone needed hiring in the morning. After everyone left, Pan set about making dinner. This was an entirely different matter though.

She had to set another fire in the stove. She waited to do that till the last minute though, so if she was to burn the house, at least she would have some help putting the fire out. She decided the guys would have stew and biscuits, so she could bake the biscuits last. Pan went around, cleaning the house while the stew stewed, dusting and finishing the laundry. About 30 min. after she decided she had stop putting off the inevitable and light the stove so she could make the biscuits. She lit the match, creating a great deal of ceremony. She leaned into the oven, ready to light it, when suddenly Cole tapped her on the shoulder, causing her to drop the match and lighting the entire stove on fire.

“Damn it, Cole, see what you made me do?!”, Pan yelled.

“Oh yeah, I see! What do we do?”

“Stupid! Go get the rest of the guys and pump some water!”, Pan yelled again, and the poor man went out the door yelling for water.

Pan sighed, “Men are sooo useless in emergencies.... just like Bra’s mother....” Pan was able to save the stew, but was able to save the stove and stop the few singe marks from being put on the wood floor.

Suddenly, Lolly comments that Belle’s stories were accurate.

Pan just smiled and said, “My cooking is perfectly fine... I just don’t like messing with fire. ‘Sides Billy boy here made me drop the match!”

“I was jus’ tryin’ to see if ya needed help!”, Billy said defensively.

Pan smiled again, “That’s all right. I forgive you. What do you guys think of the stew?”

“It’s great, if it wasn’t so cold....”, said Downright.

“And I don’t think it was worth the stove...”, said Billy.

“Ya’ll hopeless. It tastes fine, Miz Jadine.”, said Tornado.

“Thank ya, Mr. Tanner. I will try to live up ta ya’lls expectations. Next time I will stick with the ranch work... then I will just put Belle asleep after she cooks the grub.”, said Pan, causing everybody to laugh.

Bra started walking down the stairs. She walked into the dining room, surprised to see anybody was laughing after trying Pan’s cooking.

“What’s so funny?”, she demanded.

“Nothing....”, Pan stammered out in-between giggles. When Pan was able to stop giggling, she pulled out her chair for Bra, putting a plate in front of it. “Sit and eat.”

“Is it even edible?”

“Course it is. Theys scarfing it down.”

“Their opinion don’t count for much.”

“Just sit down.”

“Heh heh.” Bra takes her first bite of the stew, and the first thing out of her mouth is, “Why is it cold?”

“Had an accident with the stove....”, said Cole, covering for Jadine.

“Did she set sumpthin’ on fire?”

“Yup. Burned it to the floor!” said Lolly, ever helpful.

“Burned what?”

“The stove.”

“ok......”

Pan is sitting at the table, blushing lobster red.

“It wasn’t her fault. I knocked the match.”

“It was my fault Cole.”

“It’s not a problem. We can make due till we get a new stove.”, Bra picked up her plate and put in the sink, “If ya’ll will excuse me, I’ll be reading in the sitting room.”

“And I’ll do the dishes.”, said Pan. Surprised when Cole offered to help, Pan went into the kitchen. The cowpokes and Tornado went to the bunkhouse, followed by one of the puppies they picked up off the trail. One of the other puppies sat at Pan’s feet, looking up at her as she and Cole washed the dishes. The last one sat in Bra’s lap as she read, whining a little. Pan didn’t know how to act as she washed the dishes with Cole, so she acted in charge. After she washed the dishes, he would dry, creating an assembly line so that her pup wasn’t kicked or stepped on. The scrawny thing was a gift from Cole... a wedding gift, he had teased. She had named it Sweety, cause that was what she felt it was. Cole just laughed and said it was the perfect name. After the dishes were done, he went into the living room to smoke his pipe. He went over to his seat, right next to the huge box full of pipes. He took one out to smoke, but it’s bell was full of bee’s wax. When he looked into the box, he noticed that they were all filled with bee’s wax.

“Belle.”, he called sternly. Bra looked up from the book of Shakespeare that she was reading.

“Yes?”

“The next time you try to fill something with wax, why don’t you try your ears? The wax would be an excellent replacement for a brain compared to what you have now.”

“Really? Well, then I will see to it.” She answered smiling. Pan listened, smiling. She walked into the room.

“I have one more pipe..... come here and I will give it to you.” Pan said, still smiling. He walked over, took the pipe, and was ready to put his tobacco in it, when he noticed it wasn’t in his pocket. Thinking he had forgotten and put some in his stash, the 20 year old went over to the fishing basket hanging on a wall.

When it wasn’t there, he looked at the girls. “What have ya girls done with my tabaci?”

“You can’t smoke without it, now can ya?” asked Pan innocently.

“Damned right I can’t. Where did you put it?”

“I don’t rightly know... but I think it was buried in the garden.” said Pan. “But there isn’t anything in the garden but some tools to churn the soil.”

“I know. Get to it.”

“Grr. Grr. Grr.” He went out and started churning the soil, thinking that the girls wouldn’t lie to him. Darkness wouldn’t stop him from smoking his tobacco.

Lolly walked in and asked, “Why’s the boss out there churnin’ the garden soil at this time of night?”

Pan smiled, “He thinks we buried his tobacco in the garden. I took it to town and got rid of it. Made a bit of a profit too.” Cole who was in the garden right outside of the window, over heard her and came in. Lolly ran out, so as to avoid the outburst that was about to be unleashed.

“WHY DID YA DO THAT TO ME?” Cole shouted.

“Cuz it wasn’t helping ya none to do it anyway, but it was quite helpful to the household in more ways than one.”

“Oh. Can I at least spend the money for my tabaci?”

“Sure ya can. We have to go to town in the morning anyway. You promised some helpers for Bra in the kitchen.”

“You're right. Is there anything else we need? Tomorrow we are running the cattle to Carson after the stop, so you can buy whatever and we will money when we get home.”

“I don’t know. I’ll make a list.”

“Whatever.”

Back with our heroes... Goten has tears running down his face, “It’s been three days and we still haven’t found them. What if they’re dead?”

“Don’t think like that... We’ll find them. They’re not dead..”, Trunks was nearing tears and almost trying to convince himself of his own words.

“Ya know what Pan would say at this very moment? Don’t go getting mushy on her.” said Goten, smiling.

“You're right. Stop getting mushy.”

Back with our heroines... in the morning... Bra was in the kitchen working on making breakfast. Her puppy, Sandy, trotted in undetected. Bra was over at the new stove when Sandy came over and jumped on her leg, begging for food. Bra didn’t expect it and accidentally burned her hand on the pot she was about to lift it off the stove with pot holders. She jerked her hand away with a bit of a screech. Downright ran in when he heard her. He grabbed her hand and stuck it into a bucket of cold water that was nearby. Bra was crying a little, and Downright was laughing. “You are not any better than Miz Jadine. Sit down and I will serve the food.” said Downright.

“Damn dog.” Bra muttered, sitting at the kitchen table, watching Downright move from the kitchen to the dining room, carrying the pots, then setting the table, and cradling her hand in her apron. Everyone sat down for breakfast. Pan was still in bed. Bra was late due to time she took to bandage up her hand.

When she did get there Tornado noticed her hand, “Miz Belle, what happened to yer hand ta make ya bandage it like that there?”

Bra grumbled, “For the first time in history, I burned myself and it’s all due to that there stupid pup.” They laughed a bit.

Breakfast was eaten with minor chitter chatter about this and that and what had to be done. Although the pup had caused her to burn her hand, Bra allowed Sandy to sit in her lap and eat some scraps. Pan came down, sniffling and coughing. Cole pronounced her too sick to go on the cattle drive, but Pan insisted on going to the store. “I am the only one who could possibly read my handwriting anyway.” , she gave as an excuse. So everyone went to the store, the pups trailing behind the horses or riding with a favorite owner. Pan wore a bandanna over her face to keep the dust from her face, and Bra was wearing a bandanna to keep dust out of her hair. This also served to keep anyone in town from recognizing them. When they rode in, Pan, Bra, and Cole walked into the general store, picking what they need off the shelves and sticking them on the counter. Pan stood there and called out what they needed. When they were done, Bra put the money on the counter, and they walked out. Then Trunks and Goten walked down the street.

The two met up with them before they could escape. “Pardon me, but we’re looking for our girls. One of them has black hair and the other has blue. Have you by any chance seen them around?”, Goten asked, leaning against a wooden pillar. Cole disguised his voice a bit, “This is my little wife, Jadine, and my friend’s wife Belle.”

Bra also did her best to hide her voice, “Sorry. We’re new around here. We just moved into the new ranch over yonder.” Pan also did her best to hide her voice, “Now if ya strangers don’t mind we must be leaving now. Sorry we couldn’t help ya’lls.”

The three of them mounted their horses with their packs. A small gust of wind blew, sending Bra’s bandanna flying, also revealing her hair. Goten let out a little gasp, and was ready to rush off and grab Bra, when Trunks stopped him. “No. Why would they hide their identities from us? Something is going on, and we need to find out what it is.” said Trunks quietly. He had recognized Pan almost as soon as he had seen her, and seeing Bra’s hair confirmed it. They wouldn’t separate from each other.

With the girls..... Pan and Bra are the only one’s left at the house. Pan is in the living room with an ice pack on her head, in front of the fire, with her pup on her stomach. Bra is cleaning house and taking care of Pan at the same time. Suddenly Lolly comes in yelling, “Miz Jadine! Miz Belle! Downright’s got imself in a mess of trouble. One of them cattle rammed his horse and knocked im off. It rammed im again and we’re gonna need some help.” Pan stood up. Bra ran through the living room with a small box and pushed Pan back down. “You stay here Pan. You’re gonna get well if it’s the last thing I do.”, and she followed Lolly out. When they got there, Downright was lying on the ground. Cole looked up for a minute, “ I thought you were bringing Miz Jadine.” Bra answered for Lolly, “Miz Jadine is sick and she flunked her health lessons so I wouldn’t be talkin’.” Bra went over toward Downright. She put her hand on his leg, then on his chest, then on his head. “He has a broken leg and two broken ribs.”, Bra chewed on the end of her pen. “Then whatta we do?”, Tornado asked. “Just let me die.”, Downright whimpered as he let his head fall back. “Stop whining. It’s no becoming.”, Bra was making a tourniquet for his leg, “Why don’t ya’ll help me out by getting some water for this poor man?” Dave went for some water. By the time he came back, Bra had wrapped Downright’s midriff and leg up. Dave gave some water to Downright. “Well, that’s one less for the cattle drive.”, Cole sighed. “It just leaves someone for poor Jadine to talk with. She’ll enjoy the company. Now help the poor soul into a bed in the house. There’s an extra room.”, Bra stood up and swept off her skirt. Later that night Bra was sitting in the living room. Pan was still in front of the fire place and Downright was on the couch, his temporary bed. Bra was working on some stitching when Danny-boy (Tornado’s dog) came in and ate a button off of her skirt. Bra immediately went to the door and yelled at the men, before they left, “ TORNADO! You’re gonna die along with your dog when you get back! He ate the damn button off my dress!” “So we’ll pick you up some new buttons on the way and personally sew them on.”, Tornado yelled. Bra put her hands on her hips, “Is that a promise?” “Yes ma’am. Don’t give me that look. I wouldn’t lie. I promise.” “I’ll hold ya to it to.”, Bra brought out, and loaded them enough food to make the trip, “Ya better appreciate this. It took forever to cook it all.” “Oh, we will. We’ll probably eat it all in the first day.” “Oh, no you won’t. You had better appreciate this while it lasts. I just have this really bad feelin’ that ya’ll gonna get in a mess of trouble. If somethin’ else happens to any of ya like it did to poor Downright, then ya’ll ain’t gonna know what the hell to do. Good luck.”, Bra blew them a kiss and walked in. “And we thought she was whimpy.”, they rode off with the cattle as the sun set. Bra went back in to the living room to find Pan yelling at Downright. “Woman, just leave me the hell alone. I can do anything I damn well please.” “Not while I’m around! Give me back that damn book!”, Pan was ready to smack Downright upside the head when Bra stopped her. “Pa-....Jadine. What’s going on?” “I was reading and he took the book from me! GIVE IT BACK DAMN IT!” Bra took the book with force from Downright, handed it to Pan, and handed him another book. Then she went back to her stitching. Once bored with that, she started to crochet a blanket. Pan sat on the love seat, taking up the entire thing. Sweetie was sitting on her lap, looking like she was reading the book with her mistress. Every once in awhile Pan would sneeze... and so did Sweetie. If Pan got up, so would Sweetie. Sweetie followed her around like a furry shadow, driving Pan nuts. Bra’s pup, Sandy, sat at her feet as she crocheted. When the blanket started hitting the floor, the pup would roll over on top of it, only to get rolled off when she had to change the side she was working on. When the dog finally got mad at being rolled off, she would take the blanket in her teeth and drag it away, causing another person to go nuts because of a dog. Danny-boy was sitting on top of Downright’s splinted leg, every once in a while walking up and down it like a four-footed tight rope walker. Once it walked up to his book, resting its paws over the top. Once the dogs weight forced the book to fall down, pushing the pup into a back flip. Everyone laughed so hard that Downright was forced to defend the dog. The next day... “Might I add, that I am the nurse? I am the one is charge, and I am the one issuing the orders! And I order you to sit down and eat the soup. That also means you aren’t gonna help me. NOW SIT!!” Bra commanded. Downright limped back into the living room on some crutches Pan had made him. “I told you not to fight her in this kinda mood.” commmented Pan without looking up from the book she was reading. “I know. You were right and I was wrong. Happy?” “Immensely.” “Soups on!” called Bra from the kitchen as she delivered it to the invalids. “Smells good.” said Downright. “Is it more chicken noodle?” asked Pan. “Thanks and yes.” answered Bra. On the cattle drive... “What do you think about trying to keep Miz Jadine and Miz Belle instead of looking for some other girls?”, Tornado asked Cole. “If they wanna stay, their more than welcome. Jadine really knew how to handle the ranch and Belle sure can cook.”, Cole responded, putting some more soup in his bowl. “If we can get them to stay, then I suggest we do. I doubt that we’ll find any girls like those two and then we’d be up a creek without a paddle.” “Like hell. We’d be without a boat.” At the house... “Belle!!! We have had three days worth of Chicken soup, and we have only been eating it for two! Could we please have some stew or sumpthin’?”, said Pan, looking rather disgusted. Bra looked out of the kitchen with feathers in her hair sarcastically, “No. The dogs keep on killing chickens so we’re eating chicken. If they killed a calf we’d be eating beef jerky. Shut up and eat it. I’ve had to pluck far to many chickens as it is. Oh... and here comes another one. I have to tend to everything as long as you’re sick and he’s injured. You’ll like what you get cuz you’re not gettin’ nuthin’ else.” Pan grumbled and Downright laughed. The dogs were slowly growing as they went along. They might have soon started killing calves. Pan heard Bra cussing and she watched as peas rolled out of the kitchen. Bra cleaned everything up and was as bitchy as ever for the rest of the day. Pan spent the most of the day reading, Downright spent the day sleeping, and Bra spent the day cleaning and crocheting on her blanket. With our heroes... “Why would they lie to us? To them?” asked Goten. “I don’t know. All I know is that from all my resources, the only thing I learned is that they have been living with those guys since they arrived.” answered Trunks. “You found out where their ranch is?” “Yup. It’s a nice little spread too.” “Could we go see them. Ya know. Make a neighborly visit?” “We could. But we would probably never get alone with ‘em.” “I don’t give a shit. Can we?” “Yeah. We’ll go tomarrow at noon.” “Alright!” The next day at the ranch... Our heroes arrived as the town clock struck noon. Goten and Trunks made sure that nobody was around and they went to knock on the door. Bra was the only one awake at the time, cooking lunch for the two sick and injured ones when she heard a knock on the door. She went to answer it and gasped, about to slam the door, Goten put his foot in and stopped it. She kind of knew she was beat so she yelled, “ JADINE! Dawson and Brian are here.” Goten and Trunks looked at each other and then back at Bra. Pan yelled as she walked in, “Who are ....Dawson and.... Trun-.... Brian. Hi. It’s been a while. Belle! Why didn’t you tell us that they were here.” Goten and Trunks finally caught on and adopted the names. “We’ve come here to take you back to Desert Gulch.”, Trunks grabbed Pan by the waist. “And what if we don’t wanna come?”, Pan pushed Trunks away. “Why don’t you gentlemen stay here until Cole and Tanner come back? We can talk until then”, Bra asked them in and sat back down to her crocheting. “What do you mean ‘don’t wanna come’?”, demanded Trunks, “Of course you are coming with us!” “Don’t be so sure.” said Downright, standing on his one good foot, a gun aimed at Trunks’ head. “Downright! Put down that gun. They are our friends.” Bra said, sounding annoyed and stressed. “Didn’t sound like anything a friend would say. Or even a real gent! What man would take a lady against her will?” said Downright, downright angry. (Sorry Peeps.... no more puns will be included.) “We aren’t going anywhere, Downright. Put down the gun.” ordered Pan, without the usual coughing fit that came with raising her voice, “Sit down on the couch, guys. Downright, sit in the love seat.” Pan disappeared and got a chair from the dining room. Trunks noticed that she sat a little primmer on the seat, and she didn’t seem to be in the least happy to see them. “Everybody has other things to do you guys, and we are all going to get to it. If you wish, you could help with the chores, hang out, look around, whatever. Dosen’t matter.” said Bra, not deigning to look up from her work. As soon as Pan heard the dismissal, she reached under her chair and pulled Sweetie out and stalked out to the barn to milk Maria and feed the horses. Trunks followed her. Goten sat on the love seat, watching Bra. “Are you even going to talk to me?” asked Goten. “Not really. You should have waited till we found you.” “And do what? Wonder how you were, what had happened?” “No. You saw us well enough to know we were fine.” “We knew nothing. Just saw you with some guy. Was he the outlaw that took you?” “No.” “Who was he?” “None of your buisness.” “Sure it is.” “Nope.” At the barn... Trunks and Pan are having a similar conversation. Then it turns to other things. “Where did the clothes come from?”, Trunks asked, curious. “They were gifts.” “From who?” “Someone.” “I thought you didn’t like dogs.” “Sweetie is nice. ‘Sides she was a present.” “From someone.” “Yeah.” With Downright... When Downright heard Belle and Dawson arguing, he skedaddled. He went upstairs to Bra’s room. He looked through everything... including her drawers... Back with Goten, Dawson, and Belle... “Why can’t you just tell me?”, Goten asked. Bra looked at him coldly, “Why can’t you wait?” Goten just stared at her. Bra stared back. Pan and Trunks walked in from the barn, both carrying pails of milk. Bra took the milk from Pan and put it in the kitchen. Trunks just followed and did the same. Suddenly Bra asked as she finishes the blanket, “Where did the patient go?” Everyone searched the whole house until Goten found him in Bra’s room. (The only reason he knew it was Bra’s room was the choice of clothing hanging up.) “Br-....Belle! GET UP HERE NOW!”, Goten yelled, standing still. Bra ran up the stairs and screamed when she saw Downright going through her stuff. Trunks cracked his knuckles. Bra held her brother back, “Brian... Let me take care of this. There are worse punishments than death and pain.” With that, Bra sentenced him to sleep out in the barn, because it was about to snow. A few hours later... The door suddenly opens and a course voice yells, “We’re back!” Pan says, “That must be Cole and the others now.” Cole meets Pan halfway and swings her around by the waist, “Where’s Downright?” “Belle sent him out to sleep in the barn when she found him going through all her things.”, Pan smiled up warmly and Trunks’ scowl deepened. “I’ll have to fix him later. He won’t want to look through any lil’ lady’s belongin’s by the time I’m done.” Pan laughed, “Now don’t go and hurt ‘im too bad now.” Bra was folding up her new creation when Tornado came in with some new buttons for her skirt and a needle with thread, “I told you I’d bring back some buttons.”, he looked down at Bra’s skirt which by now had another button missing, “Did ole Danny boy git ahold of another one?” Bra shook her head as Tornado helped her sew on the buttons. Goten glared from the side. “Oh, and we brought you ladies some new dresses.”, Lolly chimed in, bringing in some boxes. “For what?”, Pan curiously asked. “For the little shindig we’re bout to go to for a celebration a course.”, Dave walked in. Lolly handed the boxes to the girls, “Why don’t you lil’ ladies go change and git ready.” Pan and Bra happily ran up the stairs. Goten and Trunks gritted their teeth and remained seated on the couch. Suddenly, Cole turned and noticed the guys sitting on the couch. “What chya dudes doin’ here?” asked Lolly. “We came to get Belle and Jadine.” answered Goten. “You ain’t takin’ them gals nowhere. Theys stayin’ here.” said Cole, angry. “We know. They won’t go with us.” said Trunks. “Really? That’s wonderful!.... I mean, oh, sorry. Thats awful.” said Tornado, grinning. Trunks and Goten just rolled their eyes. Just then, Bra and Pan walked down the stair, wearing their new dresses. The guys all had to smile, noticing how happy the girls were. Pan walked over to Cole and asked, “Who all is goin’?” “Jus’ a few of our nearer neighbors.” he answered, possessively allowing his gaze to run up and down her. “I knew that dress would look beautiful on ya. Red is most definitely your color.” “Why thanks. Who chose Belle’s?” “I did.”, spoke up Tornado proudly, as he watched Bra. “And it’s a wonderful dress.” said Bra, watching the blue cotton swirl about her ankles. “How did you know our sizes?” asked Pan. “We had to guess at those.”, answered Lolly. “Ya guessed well.” said Bra. “Thank ya kindly ma’am. We have your horses saddled and ready, if you wouldn’t mind me and my friend escortin’ ya.” said Cole, gallantly offering his arm to Pan at the same time as Tanner offered his arm to Belle. “Gladly, kind sir.” Pan answered as she took his arm. Everyone went out to the horses, Trunks and Goten trailing them. “There’s a few mules over there if you two would like to join us.”, Lolly said snickering. “No thanks. We’ve got our own horses.”, Trunks grunted under his breath. They all rode to the party.Tanner helped Bra off of her horse and the same went for Cole. Goten and Trunks were completely ignored for the time being. The shindig was actually in a barn, and everyone was just coming in. A few men were up on the “stage” (it was just a pile of hay bales with a sheet over it.) People were gathered into groups everywhere, and on one side of the area was a table with punch on it. As if on cue, the caller called out, “Pick your partner, men, and get into form. We gonna start this shindig right!” Cole got to Pan before Trunks, as did Tornado before Goten with Bra. They were all lined up, and since Pan and Bra didn’t know what the steps were the caller was calling out, they were tripping alot. But they were in a good mood, and just laughed and went on with the next step. Trunks and Goten had chosen some strangers for partners, and they each each watched their gal, gritting their teeth. Trunks almost becomes enraged as Cole pecked Pan on the cheek. Bra giggled, seeing Pan blushing a deep shade of burgundy. Meanwhile in the other barn with Downright... “Well, gosh darn it. All I was doin’ was havin’ a bit uv fun. I didn’t think Miz Belle would get so gosh dang mad at me snoopin’ through her bloomer drawers.” Back at the shindig... Goten is restraining Trunks from killing Cole. “That ass. He has no right to touch her, mush less kiss her!”, hissed Trunks. “You can’t kill anyone here. You could alter the future.” said Goten, the voice of reason. “Sure I can. Watch.” said Trunks. “Stay where you are.” said Goten. “Fine.” “Are you going to tell me about these guys?” asked Tanner to Bra. “What do you want to know?” “Who are they?” “The one with a hair color like me is my brother Brian. The one with black hair is Jadine’s uncle, Dawson.” “You still haven’t answered my question. Who are they?” “I just told you.” “You told me what relation they were and their names. I want to know who THEY are.” Bra just shook her head confused. Tanner thought for a moment, “Would I get an answer if I did this?”, he bent his head and kissed her, throughly and surely on the mouth. “Yup... they were at one time a crush. We arrived with ‘em” “From where?” “Our home town.” “Oh.” “Our friend seems to have hit it off with Belle.” commented Cole, when he noticed Bra and Tanner kissing. “Looks like it.” Pan said, making a mental note to herself to be sure that Tornado was in the third room upstairs tonight. Goten was about to start running toward Tanner, eyes blazing red, when Trunks grabbed him by the shoulder. “Remember, we can’t alter the past or we might not exist.”, Trunks mimicked Goten’s earlier and wiser comment. Goten snorted and tried to calm down. A serving girl walked past Goten and Trunks. Goten stopped her for just a minute. “Do ya see that ther girl with blue hair and that guy she’s with? Can ya do me a favor and spill some punch on him, ‘accidentally’?”, Goten held out a silver dollar. The lady took it, smiled, and walked toward the couple. She accidentally missed and punch went on Bra’s new dress. Goten said, “Whoops. Close enough. She deserved it for letting him kiss her like that.” Bra backs away, looking down at her dress. “Damn. Will you take me home so I can get cleaned up, Tornado?” Bra asked, frowning. Red most definitely did not look good with blue. Tornado took her hand and dragged her through the crowd to their horses. He helped her mount his, then they half-galloped home, not really worried about her dress. Pan frowned. She knew she had seen that server spill the punch on purpose. And she knew why too. She had seen Goten talk to the maid and slip her a coin. Anger flashing in her eyes, Pan asked Cole if she could talk to someone for a minute. “Sure. But hurry back, ok?” he said, smiling down at her. “I’ll be right back.” she answered, smiling back at him as she walked off. “Goten!” he heard a sharp voice call his name, and he whirled, unwilling to be caught off guard. “Yes? Have we met.... stranger?”, Goten sneered. “That was uncalled for! That was a brand new dress! That was just plain nasty.”, Pan threw a cup of punch at Goten and turned back. Pan yelled to Cole in a loud enough voice for Trunks and Goten to hear, “I’m back, darlin’!” Cole looked at her with a pained look. “Was that really necessary?” he asked, noticing Trunks’ face turning red. “Not really, but it’s fun to rile ‘em. Sorry. Can we go home now?” said Pan, sort of innocent. “Sure. Be careful... you might get some punch down your back.”, he said. “Not a chance.” Pan answered as he helped her onto her horse. Then she noticed something hanging out beneath her horse. “One minute, Cole.” Pan said as she dismounted, looking at the object. It was Sweetie, curled up and sleeping. “Ohhh...” Pan said, picking up Sweetie and carrying the pup home. “That thing sure is attached to ya.” said Cole softley as he helped her down. “It’s kinda sweet.” said Pan, getting quiet when Cole doesn’t let her go. “We are getting kinda attached to ya too. I mean... um... well... would you and Belle stay here?” Cole stuttered, blushing. “I dunno. I will talk to Belle about it.” Pan says, gently extracting herself from his grip and heading into the house, Sweetie trailing her. Pan ran up to Bra’s room. Bra was sitting there in a nightgown, taking a soapy brush to her dress. “Bra. We’ve got some problems. Cole wants us to stay here.”,Pan leaned against the door frame. Bra looked up from her work, “If there were some way for us to stay here I would..... but what about our family..... our friends..... Goten....”, Bra began to tear up. “Now don’t go getting mushy on me. We need to think.”, Pan began tapping her fingers one her forehead and pacing. “What are our options?” Pan asked after Bra dried her tears. “Well. We can lie to them, and tell them we are staying and then leave. We can forsake our families and stay, or we can tell them the truth and leave.” said Bra, listing the list in her way. “Well, Bra.... we have another problem then. I want to stay.” Pan said, leaning against the door frame again. Bra sighed, “So do I.... but our family..... Goten.... Trunks....”, she walked downstairs to hear Goten and Trunks fighting with the guys. As she comes down, Goten grabs her by the arm, ‘claiming her’. This was the last straw to Bra as she jerked her arm away. “You guys don’t get it, do you. Pan and I want to stay here. There is nothing that you can do to stop us.... Trunks.... Goten.... We’re happy here. We don’t want to go back to Capsule Corp. with you.”, Bra had tears streaming down her face. Tanner and Cole were stunned. They hadn’t heard Dawson and Brian refered to by those names....and what was Capsule Corp.? Goten and Trunks were equally as stunned. “Sis.... you.... don’t mean that..... Do you?”, Trunks trembled. “I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t,” Bra answered, touching his face softly, “It’s alright...” “No. It’s not.” Goten said, his eyes like black ice. He ran out the door, riding away quickly. Trunks, not beleiving Pan would possibly have made such a desision, ran up the stairs, calling her name. “What is wrong?” Pan asked from her doorway. She was dressed in her nightgown, her hair loose, when he ran up to her. “You aren’t staying... are you?” Trunks asked. He looked at her face, as if he had seen her for the first time. “I was considering it... why? And how did you know?” Pan asked. Trunks told her the entire story. She smiled grimly, knowing how much it must have hurt her best friend to do that to Goten. “You can’t stay... you or Bra. That would make too many empty spaces in the house.” After watching Goten leave from the kitchen window, Bra whirled on a coat, going after him. She was stopped in the door way by Tanner, “Are you going after that jerk?” “I.....”, Bra didn’t know what to say, so she turned away and headed to saddle up her horse. Before she left he yelled, “Just ask yourself if he’s worth goin’ after.”, he shut the door behind him as Bra mounted her horse, quickly. “Pan...... you can’t leave..... because.... I..... I.... I love you.”, Trunks stuttered out, his eyes watering. “Now don’t be getting mushy on me.”, Pan smiled. Trunks started laughing through his tears. “I am not that funny. You couldn’t love me. Not the way you mean. I need to get away, though.Take some time off, I guess. I met up with this indian hunter, and he said I could visit his tribe if the mood struck me. I think I am going to spend a week or so with them.” Pan said. She had heard the second set of hoofbeats, and knew what they meant. Her friend wouldn’t be back for the rest of the night at least. She could pack tonight and leave in the morning. She might be able to stay until the first snowfall. Who knew? She might take her friend with her too.... Bra kept her horse at a steady gallop, barely keeping the distance between her and Goten even. No matter how much more he weighed than her, he just seemed to be able to stay ahead. Goten had tears flashing down his face as he rode through the darkness. He didn’t even hear the second set of hoof beats behind him. All he knew is that he had to get away. He brought is stallion to a stop at a ravine, leaving Bra a little time to catch up to him. He dismounted his horse. “Goten?” Bra asked, her voice shaky. “What.... do...you... want?” he asked. “I don’t know. Could you help me find it?” “Find what.” “I don’t know.” “Then how do you know you were looking for it in the first place?”, Goten granted her a bit of a smile, even if it was fake. Bra gave a bit of a glazed laugh, coated in awareness. The two just stood there for a few minutes. Bra inhaled deeply, the fresh air that was all around her. Goten finally spoke, sorrow and uncertainty masking his words, “ Ya know.... all this time....I wondered.... Bra? I love you.” “Really?”, Bra trailed off, “If you really loved me.... you’d understand how I feel right now. Here I’m having the time of my life, but.... I’m missing out on my OWN life. I just don’t know what to do anymore.” “Then come home with us. Please?” Goten said, the pleading making his voice husky. “I will. But I don’t know about Pan...” “Trunks can talk himself out of just about anything. He’ll convince Pan to come home.” “I’m gonna miss this place and all that went with it.”, Bra sighed and bent her head. “We can bring Sandy.” Goten said, and Bra laughed... although the laughter stopped when the kiss started. Back with Trunks and Pan... “Pan... you have to come home. You know it...”, Trunks brushed the hair out of her eyes. Pan finally submitted, “I suppose you’re right. I can’t screw up time as we know it. It would change our future... if we haven’t screwed up time enough as it is. We made hell with that dinosaur.” Trunks laughed. When Pan wasn’t looking he reached down and lifted her chin up with his hand. For a brief moment they stared into each other’s eyes. Trunks lowered his head and gently kissed Pan on the lips. Pan was surprised, but allowed Trunks to have his way. When he came up, he watched her face, waiting for the reaction bound to come. And it did. She stood up from the stair, eyes glaring, and ran into her room, kicking the door. {He just had to ruin everything! Just when it was going so well! Now I am most definitely leaving for the camp a little while.} Pan heard hoof beats inbetween her head pounding against the door. Her friend and uncle were back. So soon? Pan shrugged it off. When Bra dismounted she stood there looking at the house. Tears filled her eyes. “I can’t leave. I don’t know why. This has become my home. I can’t explain it, but I just can’t. I’m sorry Goten. I’m so sorry.”, Bra ran into the house and up to her room. She collapsed on the bed crying herself to sleep. Downstairs with ALL of the boys... “Me and Dawson talked, and the girls agreed that they should go home.” Trunks said. Cole lunged at him. “You no good dirty dealing politican! What did you say to make em change their minds?!” demanded Cole, loud enough to wake Pan and Bra for the second time in one night. “ I never said they wanted to leave. They just agreed they had to.” Cole calmed down slightly. Bra walked over to Pan’s room, “Pan.. I don’t know what to do. I’m so confused. There’s Goten... then there’s Tanner.... and I just don’t know...”, Bra started to tear up again. “Mushy. Stop. Brain Storming time again. Has anyone told you I am leaving for an indian camp in the morning?” “No. Why would you do that?” “Cuz I need a break. Do you want to come with me?” “ I don’t know.... who would cook?” “They can survive on Lolly’s cooking for a couple of days.” “ What about the cleaning?” “The house never really needed to be cleaned EVERY day.” “The mending?” “The guys haven’t had those clothes for a while, they can wait some more.” “What about the laundry?” “They don’t always turn it in anyways... have you ever seen their socks?” Bra half snickered, “I suppose so. You’re not the only one who needs a break.” “Then it’s settled. We leave before anyone else is awake.” For the third time that night the girls heard the screaming get overly loud. 3:00 in the morning the next day... “What clothes are we going to need?” asked Bra in a whisper. “Only two warm outfits and underclothes for a week.” answered Pan. “Why?” “Because the indians will have warmer clothes for us.” “oh.” They packed their few personal items and some bits of jerky for the pups, then ride off to the trail in the woods. As they ride, snow starts to fall. “Trunks? Did you hear that?” “Yeah. It sounded like a horse. Why?” “Why would a horse be out at this time of night?” They look at each other. “The girls.” They run out the door, but the girls are already gone and beyond their hearing. At the indian camp... Bra is shivering from the cold and Pan is just staring onward with coal dark eyes. They were riding through the indian settlement, indians stopping to watch the two ride by. They made it to the chief’s teepee, finally. “Are you sure the boy’s will be fine at home? ah...ah.... choo!”, Bra sneezed. “YES. They’re gonna be fine. How many times do I have to tell you? Everything is gonna be fine. Now behave.” Pan said as they dismounted. “Jadine Walker! We bid you welcome! You should have come before the great cold though... and you brought a friend. Who are you?” asked Desert Hare, the hunter who had invited her. “This is Belle Sanders. She is a friend of mine. I am sorry, but I must impose on your hospotality.” “That is perfectly alright child. Come. We are about to have breakfast. Sit by the fireside and we will warm you right up.” said the old cheiftain. Pan and Bra were seated on a palette of warm furs in front of a fire, then wrapped by some men of the tribe in more furs. Pan smiled up at them, but Bra just sat there unsure. “Why is her hair colored that way?” asked one of Hare’s many children, Little Thistle. “Because the rain colored it as it passed through her hair and wahed the color from her eyes.” said the child’s mother, Red Fern. Pan smiled, while Bra just looked confused. She knew they were talking about her, but she did not understand what they were saying. It ws obvious Pan did. “What did they say?” “The child asked about your hair, and his mother told him a story. Now shush. We are about to go through a naming ceremony for Hare’s 6th child. We may be named with it, so we have to pay attention.:” The old chief made a great deal of gestures, saying a few words here and there, then gave the child over to his parents, who then dipped their fingers in berry juice and wrote his name on his forehead. Then the chief called out the child’s name... “Little Pine!”.. and then waved Pan and Bra up. “We have new members to be adopted into the tribe. Our friend, Jadine Walker, has saved clan member Desert Hare, and has thus earned the right to be adopted into the tribe and having all the rights of tribe members. Thus, she brings in the blue haired one, also to be adopted. May they be blessed by the Great One... (he then takes both girls hands and passes them to Desert Hare and his wife, who mark their names on their foreheads with the berry juice.)... Jadine Walker is now Onyx Eyes... and Belle Sanders is adopted into the tribe as Rainy Hair.” Everyone cheered as Pan and Bra sat down, Pan cradling the new born Little Pine in her arms. Back with the guys... “Where the hell could they have gone?” demanded Cole. “Pa- Jadine mentioned she was going to spend a week with some indians, earlier.” said Trunks. “Why would they go there?” asked Goten, pacing. “She said she needed a break.” “From what?” asked Cole, upset. “More like from who,” said Tornado, “I am just betting she needed some time to think, and she convinced Belle to come too.” “I think you are right.” said Trunks, frowning. “What do we do in the meantime?” asked Goten. “You are going to hang out here with us.” said Cole decisively. In Capsule Corp. in the future... Bulma stormed down the halls yelling. She finally got to the phone to call Chichi and tell her where her son and granddaughter were. “Yes. You heard me right. The time machine is gone.”, Bulma was searching through some papers. She heard a scream and a commotion on the other side of the line and then a thump. She figured that Chichi had fainted and hung up. A few hours later, all the parents were gathered at Capsule Corp. to discuss what to do. Back in the old west... “Well, shit. I never knew Pan could put up with anything following her, much less a DOG!!” exclaimed Trunks, talking about old times with Downright and Cole. “Did we tell you about her burning down the stove?” asked Cole. “No...” “Well...” At the Indian camp... Bra was asleep on a pile of furs and a small group of children were sitting around her, admiring her hair. Pan was kneeling and telling the children a story in their native language. “Onyx Hair... a word?” asked Red Fern, who was one of Pan’s best friends at the camp. “What do you want to talk about?” asked Pan. “Well... I just wanted to say thank you. You have saved my husband from the rock, but you have saved me from my children.” “I love being with them. They are wonderful.” “Thank you. I would like you to have this. I made it with some beads I traded the white men for, and some of ours, to signify the coming together of us.” Red Fern said as she handed a bracelet made of glass and ceramic beads to Pan. “Thank you for the gift. I will cherish it always.” Pan said, inclining her head graciously. Pan sat down, amist the children, who asked her for another story. She just smiled and got back up, telling them she had to do something else, and would be back to tell them a story during the night campfire. Pan had noticed Running Wolf, one of the newly appointed braves of the tribe. He walked over to her, smiling the smile that made her heart jump. “Would you like to go for a walk through the snow, even though it is cold, with me? I am sure the snow would melt under your feet.” said Wolf, flirting with her in the poetry of his native language. “I would be glad to, one who runs during the night.” answered Pan, smiling. With the guys... “And then, Danny boy here”, Downright scratched the dog behind the ears, “ate the button right off of her skirt.” Goten laughed, “I can imagine so. Br- Belle would be mighty angry if that were to happen.” “She just threw a minor hissy fit...” With the Parents in the future... Bulma was searching through the computer files of where the time machine had last traveled, “ Three million BC, Renaissance era, here we go.They’re somewhere in the gold rush era.” Chichi and Videl were bawling their eyes out. Goku and Gohan just stood there with their hands in their pockets. Vegeta leaned against the wall, planning on killing the lot of them if they made it back alive. They waited while Bulma typed some more into her computer. “Good news. They’re all fine, including the time machine. We just have to wait for them to come back.” Everyone was slightly relieved. Back in the indian camp... “What can I say?” asked Bra, when Bushy Fox, one of Desert Hair’s son’s and part of the hunting party, handed her a dead rabbit. Bra had no choice, but to accept it. Although the face she made was not one Fox usaully saw to indicate Rainy Hair loved him, she had accepted his gift... so she must love him. He ran off, skipping with glee. As soon as the child turned his back, Bra dropped the rabbit on the ground, disgusted. She reached into her pouch and drew out the gloves she carried around, and gingerly picked the thing up. {No sense in wasting meat} she thought, her nose wrinkled. She carried it into the camp and set it down in front of one of the women smoking meat. Back with the boys... They had long since broken out the beer and were all drunk, including Trunks and Goten. Cole was walking around the house, singing. Tanner was just plain passed out. At the Indian Camp... Pan and Bra are watching a game some of the teens are playing. All the kids had poles with baskets attached to the end and were playing on ice. The game was like hockey, only without all the penelties for beating someone up.. and you couldn’t let the ball touch the ground. Eventually, Wolf came out and invited them to play a game. Bra declined when she noticed that someone came out with a broken nose, and Pan entered in for that very reason... Pan was on the opposite team from Wolf’s. She smiled, and as the “ref” whistled, beat the guy who had the puck and grabbed it, skated to the other teams basket, and made a shot. The next time she got the puck, she had to beat up on Wolf, then pass the ball around to a team mate. Pan just smiled, and left the game. The next morning with the guys... Everyone woke up late. Tanner, Cole, Trunks, and Lolly all had hang overs from the past night’s drinking. That was when Tanner noticed the mess, “What do ya’ll think Miz Belle will say to this mess when she gets back?” They all looked at each other. Everyone broke out laughing except for Tanner who was dead serious, “Ya’ll gonna get into a heap of trouble. I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna start cleanin’ up round here.” They all ridiculed and teased him for doing a woman’s work. In the future... “I’m gonna kill ‘em... kill ‘em..” muttered Vegeta as he walked around the house. “I have never seen him this worked up. They are perfectly fine. They are fine. They have to be fine. Right, Chichi?” asked Bulma, blowing on her coffee. “Yes, of course. Heh heh.” answered a very nervous Chichi. Being in a house with two very aggressive people (one who could beat you to a pulp and another who could make your ear drums burst) was VERY nerve-wracking. (Author Pan feels very sorry for Chichi...) Back in the Indian camp... One of the elderly women in the Indian village was showing Bra how to make her own thread and weave. Bra kept on messing up while making the thread and yarns. Her weaving was a different story. She took to it right away and worked on it all day long. Pan had spent her day walking around the village and talking to people. Wolf met up with her at one point and started discussing this and that and how many Buffalo he had killed recently. Pan got bored and went to visit Bra in the weaver’s house. Before she even opened the door, she heard laughter. When she went in, the weaving lady (Singing Lark), was rolling back and laughing. because Bra was tangled in wool. After working on a weaving design, Bra went back to work on spinning the wool and it hadn’t been working. Pan broke out laughing too. Soon, a few others in the camp heard laughter and came too. Among them was Red Fern and her son, Bushy Fox. Bushy Fox helped Bra with the spinning, showing her how easy it was. Pan watched, and noticed what Bra had not; Bushy Fox had a crush on her. Pan just smiled and walked off with her information, dragging Red Fern with her to teach her to weave a basket. Wolf followed them, and watched as Pan sat down and started weaving her basket, Red Fern patiently pointing out her mistakes. Pan leaned over, paying attention to her basket and only her basket. So she didn’t notice she was weaving the sharp ends of the willow wands into her deer skin skirt. Eventually, Red Fern pointed it out. Blushing, Pan said, “ That was stupid of me. Will I have to start over?” “No. You just have to go back and undo your skirt until you get to the place you started your mistake. That way you only have to undo some of it.” answered Red Fern. “Thank Gawd,” said Pan in her native language... adding a few cuss words. Back with the boys... Tanner had finally stopped cleaning, knowing that without the other’s help, he couldn’t finish cleaning they were all pretty much screwed. Then the other’s all brought in a ton of laundry. “Have ya’ll finally decided to help me, before the mistresses come back?”, Tanner leaned on a broom. Lolly dropped his load of laundry, “Nope. We brought more for you.” Tanner looked up at Lolly like he was going to kill him. By the end of the week... Bra and Pan are ready to return to the house. Bra has everything packed and is waiting by the horses as Pan says good-bye to all her friends. “You are leaving me?” asked Wolf pitifully, watching her with hurt eyes. “Yeah. You probably aren’t even going to see me again. You won’t miss me too much.” Pan said, teasing. She ran her hand along his cheek, giving him a tender look, then turned away, talking to the last of the people she had to say good-bye to. The last person she talked to was Hare and his wife. Pan hugged the pair, just as she had hugged his children, and accepted the gift of the bronze wolf howling on a leather rope around her neck. She smiled, tears in her eyes, as she hugged the old stuffy chieftain. Then she rode off on her black stallion. “That was an awful lot of mush, Pan. What did you do to earn a place like that?” asked Bra, glancing at Pan’s wet face. “Saving a man’s life tends to make Indians pay debts.” said Pan. “Who did you save? Why didn’t you tell anyone?” asked Bra, incredulous, as they rode toward home. “I saved Desert Hare from a falling rock. I don’t care to tell people of my deeds. I prefer no mush.” answered Pan. They rode in silence the rest of the way home. Bra and Pan dismounted once they arrived at the house. They walked to the door and immediately opened it. Bra squeeked the moment she saw the mess. Pan just looked around and shook her head. Bra walked in and turned around to see the whole thing. Lolly was in the kitchen cooking lunch. There was a mess of dirty dishes in the sink and you couldn’t see the floor. Now that Bra noticed it, she couldn’t see any of the floor. There was a pile of clothes sitting in a corner. Nothing was left untouched. Even the girls’ rooms had been ransacked. Just then all of the boys walked downstairs laughing until they saw Bra and Pan there. Bra looked at Pan, “I thought you said that everything would be okay.”, she looke back at the guys, “Guess what? Your lives are about to become the ultimate hell.” “But Miz Belle. Now..... now be rational.”, Lolly laughed nervously. “Oh, I’m being rational. Compared to this mess... I AM RATIONAL!” yelled Bra, pointing to herself. “Belle. Calm down. The guys ‘ill clean the mess. All of them. By themselves. We will clean our rooms and leave it at that. Alright? Alright.” Pan ordered. Pan and Bra retreated to their rooms. The guys looked at each other, dreading the job ahead of them. “I don’t hear any cleaning!!” yelled Bra down at them. They immediately started cleaning, making alot of noise. Pan and Bra basically did the same in their rooms, if you don’t include the noise. Nearly six hours later... Pan was sitting in her room, doing some finishing dusting. Bra was asleep, after cleaning her room twice over. Pan heard a knock on her door. Trunks walked in before Pan told him he could. Pan glared. Trunks sat down on the edge of her bed, “Sooo.... are you coming home with us?” “I still don’t know. I need time.” “Time is the only thing we don’t have.” “We can make time if we have to.” Trunks sighed. He stood up and left her room. Pan sat on her bed and thought about the problem until she drifted off to sleep. Trunks sat down on the stairs, also to think. {Why won’t she come home?} {Why won’t he leave me alone about it?} In Bra’s room... Goten walked in on a snoring Bra. He smiled and sat on the edge of the bed, watching her. He had been doing a lot of thinking as well, and decided to stop acting hurt and trying to influence her decision. It was what he could do. Goten shifted position on the bed causing Bra to move and wake up. “Goten? What are you doing here?” asked Bra, still sleepy. “Just checking in on ya. I didn’t mean to wake you. And I’m Dawson here, remember?” he retorted, smiling. “Yeah, I remember. G’night Goten.” “Good night Bra.” And Goten left. Back in the future... Bulma and Chichi are pacing in opposite directions. Back.... and forth.... and back again. Vegeta was working in the sparring room, still cussing about killing them all when they came back. Videl, Gohan, and Goku were asleep in spare rooms. The waiting was becoming to much for Bulma and Chichi and the coffee was running low. As much as they drank of it you couldn’t blame them. Even Marron was there worrying about her friends. Then all of a sudden Chichi slammed her cup down on the table, “THIS HAS GONE TOO FAR! WHERE’S THE COFFEE?!” “There is no more. We’ll have to get some more tommorrow.”, Bulma’s hair was frizzing. Back in the old west in the house... “We have to go home, Bra! Mom and Dad are probably worried sick. Do you know how much homework you are going to have?” Trunks said to Bra. {Not to mention how much paperwork I am going to have at work.} “I know exactly how much homework we are going to have. Who cares.” Bra said and shrugged. “What about Mom and Dad? This is probably killing them.” “Dad probably doesn’t care. Mom is probably too busy to notice.” “How can you say that? They love you.” “Sure they do.” “Mom’s hair is probably neer going to get straight. And Dad is going to kill us all. Whoa. Where did that thought come from?” “I’m not sure if I even want to go home now. I think Pan feels the same way. I don’t really know what to do.” Trunks stomped out of her room as Goten and Tanner came up the stairs. They were fighting about something and needed it resolved. “Br- Belle! You’re little friend here claims that Danny boy ate something of his.”, Tanner opened Bra’s door. Just then the dog runs by. It has something elastic in it’s mouth. Bra recognized it as a pair of her bloomers. Goten started chasing the dog, “Hey. Wait. No...” Bra started blushing as she chased Goten and the dog out of her room, followed by Tanner. “Goten! That better not be yours!” yelled Bra, chasing them. Trunks, Cole, Pan, and Downright could be heard laughing from various parts of the house as the animal runs through, trailed by three humans. In the future with the parents... “I am going to pull my hair out! Where is the coffee Vegeta was supposed to get an hour ago?” Bulma asked Chichi. Suddenly, the phone rings. “I dunno, but I think that may be your answer....” she answers as Bulma picks up the phone. “Is this Bulma Vegeta?” asked the voice over the phone. “Yes.” “Are you aware your husband has robbed a store and beat up a police officer?” “No. Should I be?” “Yeah. He did. And we want to know if you can collect him. NOW!” yelled the voice as a ton of crashing sounded in the background. “I’ll be there in a minute.” said Bulma. She hung up and grabbed her car keys, heading out the door with Chichi trailing her. “I give that man one simple thing to do... and what does he do? Goes and gets himself incarcerated!” muttered Bulma. Back in the old west... Goten was tied to a tree outside in one of Bra’s dresses. Bra was finishing the knot as everyone was laughing at the humiliated one. Bra stormed back into the house, stopping one moment, to pull the panties away from the dog who had already eaten the majority of the elastic. Everyone laughed even harder. Bra yelled back, “And if ya ever do something like that again, I’ll have you tarred and feathered!” The door slammed. Goten let his head drop as Danny boy tore at his boot lace. “Damn dog! Get!” he yelled, trying to kick the dog away. But Danny-boy was one persistent pup, and wouldn’t be deterred. So Goten just let him eat the shoe-string. “I hope you choke on it.” he muttered, and let his head lay back on the tree. Then he heard a weird sound. The dog was actually choking. Goten looked at poor Danny-boy, than yelled back at the house, “You peoples might wanna help this here dog!” Which brought Downright running to save the pup he had helped raise. He carefully dragged the length of shoelace that was cutting the air off out of the pup’s wind pipe. Then he hugged the dog so hard, it might as well have still had the shoelace still in it’s throat. Pan was sitting in her room reading a book. She heard a door down the hall creak as she was turning the page. She got up to investigate it. Goten was up and walking down the hall. “Where are you going?”, Pan whispered down the hall. “Shhhh.... I’m going to town.”, Goten whispered back. The next thing Pan heard after she went back to reading, was the gentle sound of hoof beats in the backround. Goten rode into town. He smiled at all the hustle and bustle that reminded him of the house. Still smiling, Goten walked into the general store. “Can I help you sir?” asked a boy, who was obviously a desk clerk. “Yes. What do you think I should get a lady for an anniversary?” “I would get my girl a gun...” the boy blushed. “But thats because my girl is into those things.” “I might just get my girl that. Do you have any nice small ones?” “Yes sir. We have just the thing for a lady.” said the boy, who walked over to the display case and pulled out a gun. The barrel was no longer than Goten’s little finger, and the handle was covered in pearl chased with silver. “This will do nicely. And some bullets and powder too. Thanks.” said Goten, and he handed the kid the money. “Would you like that wrapped?” “Sure.” He watched as the kid wrapped the gun in a paper bag with a paper bow, wondering if he should have gotten Bra a gun... what with her temper and all. “Thanks,” said Goten as he left, “keep the change.” “Gosh golley...” he heard the kid say as he mounted his horse. Back in the future... Bulma and Chichi were sitting in the kitchen, dead looks on their faces, both mumbling, “Coffee.... Coffee....” Vegeta had a bruise from where one of the police officers had shot him. Now, just about everyone was chanting they were gonna kill the kids when they got back from their little trip. Bulma mentioned something about gouging their eyes out with spoons. Back in the old west the next day... Pan and Bra are both rushing around the house, checking to see if the boys had actually cleaned up. To their complete shock it was almost perfect. (There was a burn hole in the wall from Lolly’s cooking.) Goten came back with a smile on his face and handed Bra the gift. “Oh... Goten! You shouldn’t have! But what is it celebrating?” asked Bra. “ I am celebrating the anniversry of the first day I saw you.” he answered. “Oh.” Bra said blushing. She opened the present, and brought the tiny gun out. “Dear.” she said, smiling, “What do you expect me to do with this?” “Anything. Stick it in a boot or purse or something. I don’t care. Just don’t shoot anyone with it. Bra snapped her fingers, “Darn. Ya can’t blame me for hoping.” Goten laughed a bit and stared at the ground, hands in his pockets. Tanner walked in and threw himself against the wall, “Don’t shoot!” Bra and Goten snickered a bit. Tanner let himself at ease when he finally figured out what was happening. For some reason, jealousy struck him at that moment. Bra thanked Goten with a kiss on the cheek and went into the kitchen to start breakfast for the houseful of hungry animals. (The dogs were counted as animals too.) Pan went up to her room to finish the book she was reading, trailed by Sweetie and Trunks. Goten followed Bra. Cole went to the Bunkhouse with the cowpokes and played poker with them until breakfast. In Pan’s room... “What all happened with the injun’s?” asked Trunks sarcasticlly. “Nothin’ at all. Now go away.” “Would you pay attention to me?” “I am giving you the amount of attention you deserve.” “ I know I deserve more than that!” “Don’t be so sure.” “Why are you mad at me?” “I don’t like being trailed on. Drives me nuts.’’ “oh.” In the kitchen... “You haven’t been trying to get me to go home recently.” said Bra. “I didn’t think you would miss me ragging on you anyways.” said Goten, shrugging. “Really? hmmm...”, Bra turned the eggs over. She then went over and added some flour to a mixture. She mixed it, but before she could pour it on a grittle, Goten had his finger in it. Bra smacked him with her wooden spoon, “And what do you think you’re doing?” “Testing it.”, Goten smiled broadly. Bra rolled her eyes, “Do you think you could watch the batter without screwing up, eating it, or burning it?” “Sure. I suppose I could relieve a lil’ lady of such a difficult task.” Bra rolled her eyes, “Much obliged, sir.” She walked out to the Bunkhouse to gather up the boys. When she got out there they were still playing poker. As she passed, Tanner was trying to decide what card to lay down. Bra looked at his hand, chose a card, and set it down on the table, winning that hand for him. “Time for breakfast and it’s more fun to play strip poker.”, Bra winked and walked toward the door. “Never knew the little lady to flirt so much,” muttered Downright. Everyone sat down to breakfast. Pan still had her book in her hands. “Is that a REALLY good book, or is your nose glued in it?” asked Trunks teasingly. “Its a REALLY good book.” answered Pan, leaving it at that. Until, that is, Bra hit her hand with her spoon. “It’s not polite to read at the table.” Bra said imperiously. “I don’t give a flying shit.” said Pan, and continued. Bra just grabbed the book away and set it down. She didn’t bother to mark the page. Trunks noticed that Pan was trying to control her temper. When she was unable to hold it any more, Pan grabbed her book and walked out, trailed by Sweetie. Bra shrugged it off too and the rest of breakfast was eaten in silence, other than the sound of the dog chewing on something. Downright looked under the table and broke up laughing. The dog was chewing on a chair leg and no one else noticed until Bra’s chair broke. Her skirt flew up, showing her bloomers as she landed with a crash on her butt. Pan was standing in the doorway, laughing just as hard as the rest of the men, when Bra blew up at poor Danny boy. The cuss words streaming out of her mouth were enough to make a sailor blush (although no one present blushed), and pups whine... but Danny didn’t whine. He just stood there. Finally, Bra just stood and glared. “What do you have against me anyway?” she asked the dog. Then she just left, shoving past Pan. Back with the adults in the future... Bulma was trying to rush around the house, looking for parts to make another time machine, Vegeta and Chichi trying to hold her back, not doing a good job. Earlier, when the coffee was brought back, she had drunken too much and was on a kick. Nothing was going to stop her now. Back in the old west again... Bra was sitting in her room staring at the ceiling and thinking. Pan cracked her door open, but Bra didn’t respond. “Are we going back with Trunks and Goten or staying here with the boys?”, Pan asked. Bra finally turned her head, “We have a responsibility to ourselves and everyone back home, but we have a responsibility to those here. We have to, but we can’t leave.” “What exactly are you saying?” “If only there was some way to be in both places at once. We could settle this with ease. Life isn’t made to be easy, but this could be an acception.” “Now in English please.” “Two of us. A clone.... in a sense..... or perhaps inter-time travel -going back and forth at our will. Either way, there will be disappointment. We can give up Trunks and Goten for Cole and Tanner or the exact opposite. I just don’t know. It was a silly idea. Forget I mentioned it at all.” “Good. I am going to. It probably wouldn’t work. We could miss something important in another world or something. We have to disappoint some one.” “Who do you think we should disappoint?” “I wanna go home.” “Why?” “I miss my family. Although I swear, if we decide to leave we are taking Sweetie.” “I dunno no more. I can’t decide. Maybe I will let someone choose for me....” “Wrong attitude girl. Weigh the pros and cons and decide yourself. Otherwise you’ll always wonder if you could have made a better decision.” “Nice little speech... Now can we get on with our lives? What’s that there book about?” Downstairs with the guys... “Let me get this straight... You want to take the girls with you to your home town? And where did you get the crazy idea that we’d let them go?”, Cole laughed. “You’ll see. They have to come home.”, Trunks tried to convince the others as well as himself. “I hate to break it to ya, but they’re the ones choosing. They can stay if they want.”, Tanner chimed in, sensibly. Just then Pan and Bra came down stairs. Bra sat on the stairs, resting her arms and head on her knees, while Pan walked to the bottom and stopped. “Guys. I wanna go home. I’m sorry... but... I miss my family.”, Pan had tears running down her face. Trunks got up and hugged her, “Now don’t be goin’ soft on me.... ya hear?” Pan let out a small laugh. Cole looked over at her, almost regretting letting her go. “And what about you Miz Belle? Are you going with them too?”, Tanner looked remorseful. Bra didn’t answer, but ran up the stairs and slammed her door. She couldn’t answer. What could she say? Bra listened to what they were saying downstairs. She couldn’t go back down. She just couldn’t decide. Later that night... They all went up and knocked on Bra’s door. There was no answer. They knocked again. Still no answer. Finally Trunks busted down the door, only to find an empty room. In the distance they heard the sound of fading hoof beats. Bra’s window was open and Bra was gone. “Where do you think she went? Sandy’s gone too.”, Lolly stared out the window. Bra rode. She didn’t no where she was going and she really didn’t care. She ended up in a little town called Dusty Brook by the next morning. As she walked her horse through town, people stared at her. “Guess they’ve never seen anyone with blue hair.”, Bra grumbled as she tied her horse up near the general store. She picked up Sandy and headed in. Back at the house... Pan was cooking breakfast, Trunks supervising so that she didn’t burn anything down again. The chores were all done and after breakfast they all planned on searching for Bra. “Be careful not to burn that, Pan. It’s almost done.”, Trunks was chewing on a piece of straw. “Are you cooking? NO. Keep your mouth shut.”, Pan flipped the eggs again. Pan served breakfast in one piece, nothing burnt. It was almost amazing that nothing burned. In the middle of breakfast, Sweety came in whining. She had a thorn stem stuck in her fur. Pan cleared it out and cleaned up the table. Breakfast was over in her eyes although the guys didn’t think so. Back with Bra... Bra was talking to the owner of the general store, “If you had a choice between going home with your family and someone you love or staying in a place where you have put a family together and have someone you love which would you choose? Both live completely different lives in completely different places where one would never meet the other. What would you do?” “Well miss, if you ask me I really couldn’t tell you. I’ve never been put into that position and I wouldn’t rightly know.” “Do you know where I could get a room for the day. I’ve been traveling all day and I am dead tired.” “There’s a quant little Motel up there.”, he pointed up the road. “Much obliged.” Bra traveled up the road and got a room at the tavern. Later that evening... Trunks, Pan, Goten, Cole, and Tanner all walked into the general store. Pan went to the counter, “S’cuse me sir. Has a girl with blue hair by any chance come through here?” “Actually, I think I did see her. I sent her up the road to the motel.” “Thanks.”, Cole answered as they all walked out. They all traveled to the motel. Once there, Cole talked to the manager, “Has a lil’ lady with blue hair checked in today?” “Yes. Oddest thing I ever did see. She’s in the first room to the right. If ya ask me she should be in a freak show.” Trunks punched the guy in the jaw, “That’s my sister you imbecile.” They got to the room Bra was staying in and opened the door. Bra was asleep on the bed with Sandy laying across her stomach. Sandy woke up as they walked through the door. She was jumping around them by the time they were three steps into the room. SOMEONE walked over to Bra’s bed and shook her a bit to wake her up. HE/SHE laid HIS/HER hand on her forehead. She was burning with a fever. SOMEONE ELSE came over and picked her up. She began to wake up coughing. Sandy whined a bit. Pan looked worried, “Br-Belle? Are you okay? You sound sick.”0 After a small coughing fit Bra looked toward Pan, “What do you think?” At the doctors... Bra was coughing almost uncontrollably by now. Dr. Henderson looked up and shook his head, “She has Scarlet Fever... We won’t be gitin’ a nuther shipment of medication for at least two weeks... I don’t think she’ll last that long here...” Someone became very pale and almost fell over until SOMEONE ELSE steadied HIM/HER. “Now don’t you see. The only way to get treatment is if she comes back with us. We have to take her back.”, Goten almost pleaded. Tanner looked at Bra in deep thought, wondering if he could really let her go. Without word he left. Later at the time machine... The four teens were in the time machine as the hatch shut and Trunks typed in some commands. Pan watched as the ranch vanished and was replaced by a nice domestic scene of Capsule Corp. life. Goten was carrying Bra and Trunks was fumbling through his keys, looking for the house key. “It’s gone. The house key is gone. Oh... Crap...”, Trunks looked pale. It was missing and the four were stuck outside of Capsule Corp. to wait for their parents to chew them out. Back in the old west with the boys... Danny boy was again choking and Downright rushed to his rescue. The dog coughed up a strange metallic object. Lolly picked it up, “It looks like a key...” Downright threw it in the bushes, “You mean looked like.” THE END

***************************************************************** There will be a sequel to this coming out sometime sooner than later. Most sequels suck compared to the originals but... this isn’t your ‘NORMAL’ person writing this. This is an ironic pair of lunatics and anything that is right is wrong. Sequel coming soon. heh...

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