A/N: This fic is entirely made up of six vignettes set throughout Dragon Ball GT, surrounding the times Trunks and Pan have been separated (in chronological order). This is meant to show the deep and special friendship between the two, but it can be seen as romance if any Pan/Trunks shippers so wish.
One (Black Star Dragon Balls Saga): First Dolltaki took Pan, and now she's trapped inside Lord Luud. But not for long, if Trunks can help it.
Close Yet
The moment the Para Para brothers' ship takes off with Pan and Giru still inside, Trunks panics.
Immediately he begins interrogating the aliens, demanding to know where Pan's gone, and lucky for him (and the brothers, knowing Trunks' protectiveness of the girl) the youngest is rather dim.
The Saiyans trail Pan as quickly as possible in their own spaceship, but by the time they reach Planet Luud there is no sign of the ten-year-old.
Just when Trunks is ready to blast the entire castle apart in search of Pan, one thing and one thing only gives him hope: Giru. The little robot who is so devoted to Pan is shaking like a leaf in his arms and insists on repeating "Pan! Pan! Pan in danger! Pan in danger!" over and over.
Trunks shoots toward the castle without wasting another second, Goku at his heels.
If Pan is there, if she's in trouble, he'll find her and make sure she's safe. Nobody messes with her without dealing with him.
But in reaching the castle they can find no trace of her body or ki anywhere. This only serves to make the fire in Trunks' heart burn brighter.
He will find her.
He promised her long ago, when she was still just a little girl who was in love with the Turtle School uniform given to her by her beloved grandfather, that he would always protect her without hesitation, and there is no way he's going to let some cult overseen by a manipulative overlord stop him.
He doesn't care what it takes.
He'll get her back.
And though he is temporarily distracted by the fight with Cardinal Mutchy Mutchy, the thing that gives him strength is the knowledge that Pan is waiting for them, is depending on their help. Just thinking of the child curled up in the dark somewhere, crying and screaming for them as she is held captive or worse causes Trunks' fighting spirit to overflow.
He and Goku defeat Mutchy Mutchy in short order, and they are on Pan's nonexistent trail again when another man appears.
They hear everything he (whose name is apparently Dolltaki...how disturbingly fitting…) says, watch closely everything he does, and it is only when he mentions Pan and holds up the doll in his possession that they come to realize the truth.
"That's Pan?" Goku sputters in his shock, while Trunks is speechless at his side.
It's true that the doll is the spitting image of Pan, but there's just no way…! And yet, with how its brown eyes penetrate his blue ones and dig into the confines of his soul in only the way Pan's can do…there is no denying it.
This is Pan.
The next thing he hears of Dolltaki is just as riling and disgusting as the last, and he is about to let a bloodthirsty retort roll off his tongue—when Goku beats him to it:
"Over my dead body!"
And Trunks can only agree with shaking fists and blazing eyes. Dende, if only looks could kill…
But nothing seems to faze the man as Dolltaki merely takes doll-Pan and nuzzles his cheek against hers, while Trunks is ready to explode at the sight of his utterly defenseless best friend being manhandled in such a way.
He starts to raise an energy-bridling palm, but the process is halted when Goku reaches up and clasps his arm in a tight, urgent hold.
"Goku, what are you doing?" he demands, looking down at the fifty-two-turned-twelve-year-old, but he stops his tirade in seeing the little man's serious, protective expression.
"Trunks, if we attack like that, we'll only end up hurting Pan. We'll have to find a better way, somehow convince him to give her back to us." His face hardens with hidden pain, and Trunks is almost embarrassed to find himself feeling the slightest bit afraid of his friend. "And if that doesn't work we'll have no choice, but that has to be our last resort if we want Pan safe."
And Dende knows that's all Trunks ever wants.
He nods firmly, his released arm dropping to his side.
He looks up and gives a shout of surprise as they are blinded by a green light (this brings back memories…), and the next thing they see is the giant machine Dolltaki and the cult's followers call Lord Luud.
This keeps his attention for but a moment as he spots Dolltaki cackling before turning tail and running away, the man's last words echoing in the enclosed room:
"You'll soon realize that trying to get her back will only get you killed!"
Trunks roars.
He doesn't care what happens to him—he never has. All he cares about is protecting Pan, making sure she comes out unscathed and lives the life she deserves.
He's not about to let Dolltaki take her away from him, and he and Goku dart forward in order to prove it. But Luud jumps to the man's defense, and it seems they'll have no choice but to fight him as he blocks them again and again. Even when they try to split up, with Trunks going after Pan and Goku taking on Luud, there is no getting past him.
Grudgingly, they realize Pan will have to wait.
With nothing but her in mind, best friend and grandfather do their best to take down the childish machine and are this close to succeeding when a sudden wind blows and somehow Luud comes back stronger than ever.
Things don't look good as the castle is basically obliterated in the ensuing battle, and Luud is beating them both to a pulp.
It doesn't seem they have a chance of victory, and yet neither can bring himself to simply give it up.
Pan needs them.
She is all that matters now.
This way, Trunks is keeping his promise. He'll fight for her until he breathes his last breath, and even then his spirit will continue on in this endeavor.
But for all of his vows, when Luud hits him head-on with a mega laser blast, he is dearly ashamed to admit he has been blown out of commission.
His condition compels him to watch now from the sidelines as Goku takes on Luud alone, firing at the spot just above his heart the way the Para Para brothers instruct.
It is solely when Trunks hears Pan's name that he feels his life force being restored.
Even though she's been absorbed by Luud she's all right, and while she's not happy to be there with the annoying brothers or that pedophile-with-a-doll-fetish Dolltaki, at least she's safe.
He's relieved, but only when she is back in his sight and within reach will he be truly convinced.
At last Goku and Pan get the rhythm right, and with a mighty explosion and dancing green lights those who have been sacrificed to Luud are set free.
When the lights fade, there is a moment of dazed silence.
But in Trunks managing to get to his feet, there is a joyous shout and tiny, warm, strong arms enwrap him.
"Trunks!"
The voice is that of an angel, and not an instant passes before Pan is taken into his arms fully, her bandana-clad head and forehead laden with kisses.
"Pan…!"
She fortifies her hold to match his, breathing in his familiar scent and drinking in the warmth and safety she feels in these beloved arms.
In all, he's kept his promise.
A/N: Thanks for reading, as always!