The cold harsh rain fell onto Pan's shoulders. Each rain drop slicing into her porcelain skin. Dark grey clouds hung high above her head, casting a gloomy and ominous fog on the city. Thunder clashed violently in the distance. Every once in a while a streak of lightning would illuminate the mountains beyond the city limits. She sat there, allowing the rain to soak her entirely. The black zip-up jacket she wore was drenched, along with her dark denim skinny jeans and old worn out sneakers. Her long dark hair clung in thick strands around her pale oval shaped face, her bangs sticking to her forehead. Her dark empty eyes stared down at the bustling city down below her. She tilted her head, ever so slightly, as she wondered how people could live such boring lives and not considering that each day could be their last and quite a few times it had been their last. But that was a long time ago, there was no longer any opposing threats to the Earth or the galaxy. Everything was peaceful now, in a way to the young saiyan it was almost too peaceful.
In the distance she could hear another loud clash of thunder. Slowly, she raised her head up towards the sky and closed her eyes. In her mind she pictured each rain drop washing away some of her regrets and worries. Ever since she had lost her parents she found the rain was incredibly peaceful. It was a way for her to escape an everyday life that was full of so much loneliness and despair that even when surrounded by family and friends, she felt like an outsider looking in.
At the thought of her parents, her eyes began to water up. Tears threatened to spill over; it was so hard to believe that it had been nine years since her parents were taken away from her. She clenched her fist as rage took over. She could have prevented their death! She could have stopped those strangers from taking them away! They would still be here if only…if only she would have been brave and strong enough. Blood begin to drip from her fingers as her nails dug into her palm. To make matters worse, not long after her parents passed away, her grandmother passed away and her grandfather had disappeared with Shenron long before the accident. All she had left was her uncle, who worked constantly; leading to her being placed into the care of her grandfather's best friend, Bulma. But it wasn't long after Pan had come to live with Bulma that she moved away with Yamacha, leaving her behind with Vegeta, Bulla, and Trunks.
Now that Pan thought about it, it seemed that everyone had just up and left her. Almost as if they didn't care about the heartbreak they left onto the girl's shoulders. Like it didn't matter that she was so fragile and so close to shattering. Despite having Bulla and the others, it was like she was always completely alone. Even in a room full of her loved ones she felt like she was an outsider looking in. If you wanted to label it, she supposed, you could call it being the outcast of the group. Everyone around her always seemed to carry a smile on their face and happiness in their heart, but not her. She had lost all her happiness years ago.
Pan's legs dangled on the side of the large grey skyscraper that she was perched on. Her tiny hands holding ever so lightly onto the concrete edge of the building's top. She looked back down at the busy streets below her. All the people below her looked like ants, so frail and lost, just like she was.
Another few moments passed, nothing but the rain and the sounds of the city filling her ears. Car horns honked in the distance, sirens wailing on the streets below and the rush of the evening crowd finding shelter from the harsh rain. Pan brushed some of the strands of hair away from her face, before looking at the large digital clock a top one of the enormous skyscrapers to her right, 9:30 P.M. She let out a sigh. She should head back to Capsule Corp before Bulla sent out a search party, which knowing her best friend, was already taking effect. Ever since the accidents, Bulla had kept a watchful eye on Pan. Bulla almost refused to let the brunette have any time alone, however, Pan would win a few arguments here and there allowing her the privacy she needed. Despite those little victories she was almost always being watched.
Take tonight for an example, Bulla had come to Pan before dinner, grinning like a cat that caught the canary. The grin on her blue haired best friend made Pan grimace a little. That grin could only mean one thing, Bulla had some elaborate plan to get Pan out of the house and into the "social" scene. Before Pan had time to protest, Bulla had blurted out that Trunks wanted to take her out on a date tomorrow night and was planning on asking her before dinner. Pan rolled her eyes and told Bulla that she didn't want to go on the date, but Bulla was forcing her to go anyways. Using the "you need to get out of the house, it would be good for you" excuse. Realizing that this was one battle that Bulla was not going to budge on, Pan agreed that she would go. Before Bulla could squeal with excitement, Pan assured her that it was a one-time thing and that was all. Not long after Pan and Bulla's conversation, Trunks asked her out and against her better judgement, Pan said yes. Trunks looked extremely excited, so Pan faked a smile and pretended like she couldn't wait. Once Trunks was gone, she took off wanting to be alone. Which led her to where she was now, sitting atop a cold skyscraper, in the rain, questioning the choices she's made recently.
Pan scolded herself, she had put returning home off long enough. It was time to suck it up and head back, not to mention if she was out in this rain much longer she would catch pneumonia. Although she highly doubted that her saiyan heritage would allow her to get too ill. Pan brought her knees up to her chest and slowly stood up. She took one last look at the surrounding city, took off into the sky, and began her journey home.
The whole flight back to Capsule Corps. Pan was mentally preparing herself for the scolding she would receive from Bulla. Sure she appreciated that her best friend looked after her and made sure that she wasn't in danger but sometimes Bulla would get too mother hen like and it suffocated Pan. It seemed that the only person in that whole house that respected her want and need for privacy was Vegeta. He never once forced Pan to do anything she didn't want to do or recommend that Pan go outside and get some fresh air. But, then again, Vegeta didn't really care about anything other than his training. Sure Vegeta had changed over the years, but the minute that her grandpa Goku left was Shenron, it was like a gear in his mind started working again and all he wanted to do was train and be stronger.
"PAN!" She could hear Bulla's voice over the loud roars of thunder. Oh no, let World War III began. Pan thought as she landed in the backyard. Almost as if like clockwork, the minute Pan's worn out canvas sneaker touched the ground Bulla came storming out of the Kitchen, an enraged look plastered on her flawlessly makeup faced. Pan braced herself, she knew there was no point in arguing back. This lecture was bound to happen.
"There you are! Where in the world did you go off too!? You stormed off before supper…" Bulla began lecturing but Pan just zoned her out, something she had learn to do quite recently. Instead of listening to Bulla's ramblings she took a good look at her friend. Bulla had changed a lot over the years. Her hair was still long but she had decided to loss the red head band. Bulla's figure had also blossomed over the years, giving her father and brother more issues than they cared for with young men. However, when she began filling out more she changed her outfit to a better fitting long-sleeve dress and a pair of boots. Sometimes, Pan would forget that she was looking at Bulla and not a younger Bulma. Their looks were uncanny before, but now it was just down right strange. The two could pass more for twin sisters than mother and daughter.
"Hello? Pan! Are you even listening to me?" Bulla was fuming, her manicured hands placed carefully on her hips.
"Yeah, yeah….whatever. I just went out for a stroll around the city." Pan replied, in a hushed tone. To anyone passing by the scene probably resembled a mother scolding her child.
"I know you think I'm annoying you and babying you. But I'm just worried about you is all! You're my best friend and I can't stand the thought of losing you, you know since the people that killed your parents are still – " Bulla began rambling, but stopped when she realized what she had said, "Pan, I'm sorry, I didn't mean too – " She began to apologize but Pan stopped her with a hug.
"It's alright, I know you didn't mean it. Now, is there any supper left? I'm starving!" Pan asked, changing the subject and started walking into the kitchen.
"I had the kitchen bots save you a plate, I'll have them heat it up! Not to rush you or anything, but we're having movie night tonight so if you want to see the beginning of the movie you'd better hurry!" Bulla said smiling and happily skipping back into the house.
Pan just sighed and followed Bulla into the kitchen. The kitchen was quite small considering the size of the house. There were counters wrapped around all the walls in the kitchen, with a stove and refrigerator to the left of Pan and a sink with a dish washer to her right. In the middle was square kitchen table with four kitchen chairs. In front of Pan on the kitchen table was her plate of supper, steam slowly rising from the plate. At the sight of the warm food on the table, her stomach began to growl.
Bulla came skipping into the kitchen. She walked over to the white kitchen cabinets, opened the door, and grabbed a box from the bottom shelf. Pan struggled to see what her blue haired friend was doing as she slowly chewed her food. Once Bulla opened the yellow and red box, she pulled out a paper package and placed it into the microwave. After a few seconds Pan could hear the popping of popcorn from inside the appliance.
"So what movie are we watching tonight?" Pan asked, taking another bite of her food.
Bulla jumped, obviously forgetting that Pan had been sitting at the table, "Geez, Pan! You scared me," She chuckled, "I don't know. I think Trunks is going to pick it out." Pan rolled her eyes. If Trunks was picking the movie out there was no telling what it was. It would either be some cheesy comedy or an action movie that they had watched over and over.
"Great." Pan mumbled under her breathe. After she finished her plate, she placed it in the dishwasher and headed towards the stairs. Her soaked clothes had started to dry and was clinging to her in unbearable ways. Pan was halfway up the stairs when a voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Aren't you going to watch the movie with us?" Trunks asked, his hand placed on the railing. Pan knew without even looking at him, that he had "concern" plastered on his face. Sometimes Pan thought that he really was concerned about her but something was off. She didn't know what it was or what made her think it. But every time Trunks acted this way, Pan had this itch she just couldn't scratch.
"I'm going to change my clothes, these are soaked." Pan's voice had a hint of annoyance. Honestly, where else would she be going upstairs? The moon? Yeah, either Trunks wasn't thinking or he was just making an excuse to butt in.
"Well, we can wait until you get done to start the movie, if you'd like?" Trunks asked in a hurt tone. Pan could hear him shuffling behind her, most likely looking down at his feet.
"Whatever." She mumbled and started up the stairs again.
At the top of the stairs, she turned down the left hallway and made it about halfway when she reached her door. Quickly, she punched in the code to her room and walked in. The sliding door hissed as it closed shut behind her. Her bedroom was dark, except for the lights from the city that snuck past the slits in the blinds hanging on the window. Pan didn't even bother turning on the light. She slowly made her way to her dresser on the opposite wall, slamming her shin on the foot of the bed causing her to curse under her breathe. Finally her hands touched the smooth wood that was her dresser. She grabbed a pair of grey sweatpants from one drawer and a long sleeve black capsule corp. shirt from another. For a minute she stood there, pondering whether she should try to change in the dark without getting herself killed or finally turn on the light. She decided on the latter and turned on the lamp sitting on her night stand.
Her room was nothing special. Like most of the walls in capsule corp., they were white. She had a bed in the middle of the main wall with two night stands on each side. A lamp sitting on top of one of the night stands. Her dresser was on the same wall as her windows looking out to the surrounding city. The door to her closet and bathroom were on the wall opposite her bed. Sometimes Pan would get the idea to decorate her room, but would always decide against it. Plain and simple seemed the best to suit her. There was nothing fancy or special about her, so why should she try to make her room any different?
Pan peeled her soaked clothes of her body and threw them into the bathroom, making a mental note to place them in the hamper later. The clothes landed with a loud slap as it hit the white tiled floor. She pulled on her new dry clothes, but not before grabbing a pair of socks from the top drawer of her night stand. Once she was fully dressed, she grabbed a hair tie and pulled her back into a loose messy ponytail. Then she exited her room, not bothering with turning off her lamp.
She made her way back down into the area they considered the living room and sat down in the large recliner on the opposite side of the room. Bulla, Trunks, and to Pan's surprise, Vegeta, was sitting on the white couch next to her. Trunks sat on the side furthest from Pan and Vegeta sat on the side closest to her. Bulla was snuggled up next to her father with a large bowl of popcorn in her lap.
Pan turned her attention to the TV, to her surprise one of her favorite horror films was on. There was no way Trunks had picked this. He wasn't scared of horror films, he just didn't prefer to watch them and there was no way it was Bulla. Bulla was absolutely terrified of horror films. That probably explained why Bulla was almost in Vegeta's lap.
"Trunks, did you pick this?" Pan finally asked.
"No, daddy did. He said that he was going to have to sit through movie night, he wanted it to be a movie he would at least kind of enjoy." Bulla answered before jumping and hiding her face at something on the TV.
Now that made sense. Vegeta wasn't one to usually watch movies but Pan knew that he secretly liked certain horror films. He would catch Pan watching them, when no one else was around, and join her when something interesting would happen. Pan couldn't count how many times she had been joined by the saiyan prince when watching her favorite horror films. She would never admit this to anyone, but secretly she really enjoyed it when he would watch them with her. She loved the way he looked when he would get absorbed into the movie and the way he would be infuriated at some characters poor and predictable decisions.
Pan turned her attention back to the TV. A small smile started to spread on her face as she was engulfed into the movie. Maybe movie night isn't so bad after all.