How Do I Get There?
(A.k.a.: Daddy's Girl)
Rated PG
01.29.01
By Moon Faery
crystalmilleniu@bolt.com
http://www.faerysgarden.asiansquare.com
AN: ~Lyrics~
DBZ isn't mine; it's Toriyama-sensei's. Neither is the song, but I'm not sure
who owns that. More notes at the end.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~ We've always been the best of friends~
~No secrets and no demands~
Trunks stumbled into the house. It was well past midnight, and he had
just broken up with the 'flavor of the week'. The emotionally exhausted man
leaned back against the door, rubbing a hand over his reddened cheek. Cassandra
hadn't taken it well. She was a simpering blue-eyed beauty, everything anyone
could want in a woman: sweet, kind, lovely and gentle. Trunks had no idea why
he couldn't seem to go beyond the 'just friends' stage this time. But, on
second thought, he never did. There was always something that was just... not
right.
Collapsing on the couch, Trunks threw his arm over his eyes and sighed.
He hadn't been able to keep a steady girlfriend since... Well, it had been a few
years. Not since Pan's sixteenth birthday, at least. Though why *that*
milestone seemed so darn important, he had no clue. It had been three years
ago, and nothing had really been the same since.
~ But suddenly from somewhere out of the blue~
~I see a different light around you~
***Flashback***
A newly turned sixteen-year-old Pan looked up in astonishment as Videl
wheeled in a huge cake. It had blue and orange frosting, with 'Sweet Sixteen
Pan' written in beautiful kanji. Everyone sang 'Happy Birthday' as it wheeled
to a stop, exactly sixteen blue and orange candles lighting up the room. Trunks
grinned at Pan, singing just as loudly as everyone else in the room.
"Make a wish, sweetie," Gohan urged her, wrapping an arm around Videl's
waist.
Pan looked around the room, her eyes finally resting on Trunks. The
candlelight danced in her eyes as they looked at each other. Finally, Pan
smirked and blew out the candles. Meeting Trunks' blue eyes again, she mouthed
'you're mine' and grinned.
***Flashback Ends***
'Of course, she said that she hadn't said that,' Trunks mused, staring at
the ceiling. Slowly and surely, his eyes slid shut until he was deep asleep.
Bra and Pan walked through the font door, giggling. They fell silent as
the two feet hanging off the edge of the sofa became evident. Pan motioned for
silence as she crept up to the prone figure of Trunks. Reaching out a finger,
she poked him in the ribs...
And was suddenly flipping head over heels as Trunks grabbed her arm and
threw her across the room. Like any good Saiyajin, Pan was prepared. She
grabbed Trunks' hand and rolled backwards on landing, planting her feet solidly
in his abdomen, thus catapulting the half-breed boy across the room and into a
wall. There was a crash as Trunks slid down the wall to the carpeting.
~ One thing I haven't told you~
~I just wanna hold you~
~And never let go~
~I need to know~
"What'd you do that for?" the purple haired man demanded, looking up.
"You had *no* right to wake me up like that."
"And you had no right to *try* and toss me halfway into tomorrow," Pan
snapped, but she was grinning. "Try opening your eyes before attacking next
time, baka!" She stuck her tongue out, looking very childish.
Trunks opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out. Some days, it
seemed like they couldn't even look at each other without fighting, and he
didn't want to chance this being one of those days. He would just loose his
temper and yell at her, almost automatically expecting her to break down in
tears and apologize. But she always yelled right back at him. Somehow, Pan
just managed to push his buttons. He just lost control whenever she was around,
especially when she argued back with him. Damned women didn't even know her
place...
'Wait a SECOND! Her *place*? Her place as *what*?'
Pan frowned; somehow sensing what was going through his mind, as usual.
"Well?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. All thoughts of teasing him were long
gone by now.
"I'm sorry, Pan, I just had a rough night."
Pan blinked. Neither one of them *ever* apologized. "I'm sorry, too," she
mumbled, brushing a long midnight strand behind her ear. There was an
uncomfortable silence.
"Come on, Bra," Pan finally said, grabbing Trunk's sister and hauling her
upstairs.
Trunks watched them for a second, and then let his head flop back against
the wall. "Women."
~ How do I get there from here?~
~How do I make you see?~
~How do I tell you what my~
~Heart's been tellin' me?~
Bra and Pan stayed up until almost three in the morning, talking. They
covered everything from clothes and boys to fighting styles.
"C'mon, Pan! Admit it!" Bra urged, bouncing where she sat on the bed.
"You like my brother, don't you?"
Pan was blushing brighter by the second, and it wasn't because she was
standing on her hands and leaning against a wall. "So what if I do?" she asked,
beginning to see spots. "He'll never notice me!" She kicked a leg back,
flipping neatly to her feet. "And it's not like I haven't been trying for three
years, either! Can we *please* drop it?"
Bra sighed, visibly giving in. "Why don't you stay the night? It's late."
Pan grabbed the chance to change the subject. "Sure! I'll just call Dad
and..." She looked around the trashed room. "Where's the phone?"
After five minutes of digging around Bra's trashed room, the phone was
left undiscovered and Pan trooped downstairs to use the kitchen phone. On the
way, she passed Trunks' room. Temptation pulled.
~ Lost in your lovin' arms~
~That's where I wanna be~
~You know I love you~
~How do I get there?~
'Oh, just a peek,' she reasoned, cracking the door and peering in.
Trunks was tossing restlessly on his bed, muttering incoherently. Pan
tiptoed to his bedside, watching his expressions changes violently with worried
eyes. "Oh Trunks-chan," she whispered, brushing a bang out of his eyes. Her
touch turned into a caress as her hand traveled down his cheek. The lavender
haired man sighed and calmed under her soothing hand. "You baka," Pan murmured,
voice breaking as she held in her tears. "Can't you see that I love you?"
Leaning down, her lips brushed Trunks' cheek, soft as a goose-down feather.
Sadly, Pan sighed and drew back, feeling the wetness on her cheeks and
seeing the small diamond tears on his. Wiping a tear from her eye, she backs
silently towards the door.
"Aishiteru, Trunks," the quarter Saiyajin breathed before turning to
leave. "Zutto." Closing the door, she went to call her parents.
~ You probl'ly think I've lost my mind~
~Takin' this chance~
~Crossin' that line~
Trunks didn't recognize his surroundings. It was dark, but not with a
lack of light. Everything was flat, lifeless and gray. The sky was mottled,
colored like congealed blood and rolling with sinister clouds. The lightning
boiled across it, striking down with such force that the ground shook violently.
The ground was torn and charred, blood-soaked and ruined; a battlefield with
scars that it would bear for an eternity or longer.
Trunks surveyed the landscape, averting his eyes from the various limbs
and corpses that lay pooled in their own blood. He felt himself go cold as he
recognized Goten's arm from a tattoo he had gotten only last week. Turning from
the sight, he nearly tripped over Goku's body, its bottom half sheared off from
the ribcage down.
Desperately trying not to be sick, he stumbled back and slipped in a
puddle. With a yell, he toppled backwards, catching himself before his head hit
the ground. Something rolled away, coming to a halt a few feet away. Vegeta's
dead eyes gazed back at him, glazed over and no longer having that spirit that
marked his father as a Prince. Just beyond Vegeta's head was his mother's high
heel... with her foot still in it.
The blue-eyed boy rolled away, closing his eyes. He couldn't stand to see
what had become of his family and friends. With a groan, the ground cracked
open beneath him.
Trunks was tossed into the chasm as the earth bucked and twisted
underneath him. The wind howled, laughing at him as he frantically clutched the
sides of the canyon walls, fingers probing for any hold they could find on the
blood-slicked rock. Slimy, invisible fingers clutched at his hands, pulling at
them. He could feel monstrous, clawed hands grabbing his feet, tugging him down
into the gorge.
Trunks strained against the pulling hands, pulling himself over the rim
inch by inch. The hands became more desperate, clawing at him. Voices whispered
in his ear, undermining him. Making him doubt, making it seem so easy just to
let go...
"You're all alone now," one breathed.
"They're all gone; you'll be alone forever."
"Let go," a female voice murmured. "You'll never win, so why keep fighting
the darkness that you've earned? You weren't there to help them. It's YOUR
fault. Let go..."
The other voices caught those key words and echoed them hauntingly,
surrounding Trunks with a steady murmur. "Why fight? All alone. Why? Alone. Your
fault..." Tears rolled down his cheeks. They were right, everyone was gone; he'd
be alone for the rest of his life. His parents, friends; everyone was dead
because he hadn't been there to help them. It would be simple to end it; just
let go. So easy...
The voices were no longer soft; they were shouting curses at him and his
cowardice. Chilled, bony hands pulled at his legs, tugging him into the chasm.
Taking a breath, Trunks let his hands slip off the rock....
~ But I promise to be truly true~
~Dreamin' every night~
~With these arms around you~
Two soft, gentle hands grabbed his arm with a grip of iron. A steady white
glow pushed back the darkness, and the voices that could only be the demons of
hell. They moaned and called to him from outside the light, but no longer would
touch him.
"No," a beautiful, melodic voice said above him. Trunks looked up,
wondering who had believed his life worth saving when even he had been ready to
give up a moment ago.
Pan angelic face looked down at him, eyes the color of the midnight sky
gleaming with something he'd never seen before; not even in his parent's faces.
It was the most beautiful thing he could imagine ever seeing in anyone. True
love. "You're NOT alone," she told him, louder now. "HE'S NOT ALONE!" It was a
scream of defiance to the darkness pulling him down. The radiance around her
brightened and pulsated, pushing the spirits away until they were a dim whisper
in the background, and the cold blackness a memory.
"Hold on, Trunks. I won't let go." Pan gave him a brave smile. "I'll never
let go." (AN: Sorry for the Titanic flashback.) Pan pulled him up, inch by inch,
until Trunks was no longer in danger of falling into the canyon.
"Why?" He asked, cradled gently in Pan's arms.
Pan just smiled and kissed his forehead. "Aishiteru, Trunks-chan. Zutto."
The aura grew so bright that it blinded him.
Trunks opened his eyes, noticing that he was in his own room. Sitting up,
he saw Pan's back as she shut his bedroom door silently behind her.
Trunks stared at the door for several seconds. Somehow, he knew that he'd
need to think about this.
Pan groaned, holding her head. A cup of strong black coffee sat in front
of her on the kitchen table. She hadn't been able to sleep for weeks, ever since
she had spent the night at Capsule Corps.
Gohan sat down beside his daughter and took her hand. "Pan, honey, is
there anything you'd like to talk about?"
Pan sighed and made an attempt to look livelier. "No, Daddy, I'm fine. I'm
just a little tired."
Gohan squeezed her hand, and then stood. "Remember, Pumpkin, I'm always
here if you want to talk."
"Thanks Daddy, I'll be fine. I'll just go train a bit, that'll wake me
up." She stood and walked out the door.
Videl came up and wrapped her arms around Gohan from behind. "Our baby
girl's growing up." Gohan just nodded sadly, looking at the door his daughter
had just walked through.
~ I can't wait any longer~
~This feelin's gettin' stronger~
~Help me find a way~
Pan threw a punch at the air, then kicked, turning it into a flip. She'd
been training hours. Even though she woke up a long time ago, nothing seemed
clearer yet; everything still had that hazy, half awake quality to it. Closing
her eyes, she rolled from the flip into another one.
Someone caught her feet midair and lent force her movements. Pan pushed
higher in the air to compensate for the increased spin and landed in a fighting
stance, eyes cold as ice.
Trunks laughed at her serious expression. "What are you doing?" he asked,
rocking back into a stance of his own.
Suddenly, everything was as clear as a summer day. Pan aimed a kick at his
stomach, but Trunks blocked her at the last second. Lightning fast, she punched
at his face, but the purple haired boy dodged every blow easily. "Working out my
tension. You?"
Trunks swept his leg under Pan, trying to knock her down. Pan jumped his
leg and aimed a kick at his head, but Trunks caught her foot and sent her
tumbling into the ground. "Just visiting."
Pan hit the ground hard, but kept rolling until she was far enough away to
stand in once smooth, graceful movement. "Want some lunch?" she dropped her
guard a bit.
Trunks leaned over and picked up the CC Logo jacket he had discarded
before playing with Pan. "That's what I cam here for, Imouto-chan."
'Imouto-chan,' the granddaughter of Goku thought bitterly. 'And that's all
I'll ever be.'
"What? You only come here for the food?" She punched his arm, masking her
hurt with a classic Son grin. "Some friend you are!"
Trunks frowned a tiny bit. He had felt Pan brighten up when he had
arrived, and now she was upset again, even though she tried to hide it. Somehow,
he just KNEW that it was his fault. Whatever it was. "Pan, what's wrong?"
Pan clenched her teeth. The hurt that had settled into a cold ball in the
pit of her stomach suddenly flared up. It raged through her blood, boiled in her
veins. A low growl of anger tried to push past her teeth, but she refused to let
it. 'C'mon, Pan, it's not his fault he's an idiot.'
"Nothing's wrong." She tried to make it sound normal, but her voice was
forced and tightly controlled, even in her own ears. She bit her lip, hoping
that the slight pain would distract her from the feeling of
hurt/anger/desperation.
Trunk, however, was not a stupid as she thought. He KNEW she was mad at
him, but he couldn't figure out why. "Imouto-chan," he tried, squeezing one of
her shoulders with a hand.
Pan's teeth bit through her lip and her fists clenched. The salty blood
that dribbled onto her tongue was the last straw. She couldn't take just being
his little sister anymore. Pan was going to how Trunks that she was all grown
up... even if it killed him.
The growl that she had been suppressing rose through her throat and out
her lips. Pan twisted around and grabbed Trunks' arm, rolling him over her
shoulder and throwing the shocked boy three yards.
Trunks tumbled to a halt. "Pan, what are you DOING?" he yelled, not even
bothering to get up.
Pan was furious; all she saw was Trunks. She tossed a small ki blast at
Trunks' feet, snarling. Trunks yelped and jumped backwards, landing on his rear
and skidding.
"Get up and FIGHT ME, DAMNIT!" Pan growled, her voice deeper and
infinitely more threatening. She threw another blast at him.
Trunks scrambled back, too stunned to even think about fighting. "Pan!
STOP! You're going to kill me!"
'What's gotten into her?'
Pan clenched her teeth in a grin, her canines very prominent. "Then
FIGHT!" she powered up another ki ball and threw it directly at his chest.
Trunks rolled to his feet and jumped out of the attack's path. "What did I
DO?" He yelled, trying to distract her.
Pan kicked and punched so fast he almost couldn't block the blows. His
instincts screamed at him to fight back, but Trunks pushed them down. Fighting
her would only make it worse. So he stayed on the defensive, determined to wear
her down.
'He's not fighting me!' Pan thought. She wanted- no, needed; to prove
herself to him, and he wasn't letting her!
"Baka! Old man! Too WEAK to battle a girl? A third class quarter Saiyajin?
Or too SCARED?" Moving so fast that his eyes couldn't follow; she backhanded him
across the cheek. The boy was thrown into a tree, which cracked and shattered
under the impact. "FIGHT ME, DAMNIT!" She advanced towards the devastated tree.
Trunks stood, but didn't attack. Instead, he kept the distance between
them, backing up as she moved towards him.
"What is WRONG with you, Pan?" he yelled, blocking her blast with one of
his own. "Imouto-chan, stop it!"
Pan snarled, "I'm NOT your little sister!" In a burst of speed, she
blurred out of sight, to appear just behind him. One swipe of her arm tossed him
aside, sending Trunks sprawling on the battle-torn lawn.
"WHY CAN'T YOU SEE THAT?" Pan screamed at him. She turned and ran back
into the house, tears trailing behind her. Trunks clearly heard the door slam
shut, and a click as she locked it behind her.
"What just happened?"
~ How do I get there from here?~
~How do I make you see?~
~How do I tell you what my ~
~Heart's been tellin' me?~
Gohan watched as Pan hugged her pillow to her chest; she was squeezing so
tightly that the seams were near bursting. He'd seen the fight, and had some
idea of what was happening. It was a shame that Trunks didn't. With a sigh, he
pushed open the door and walked into his daughter's room, sitting beside her on
the bed.
"Panny-chan? You can't say that nothing's wrong now. Not when you're
crying after knocking Trunks through a wall."
Pan hiccupped and buried her face in the pillow. "You can't help Daddy."
It was muffled through the cloth and her sobs.
Gohan sat beside her silently, rubbing a hand down her back soothingly.
Pan looked up at him with watery black eyes, then threw herself in his
arms. "Oh, Daddy!"
They sat there for several minutes, Gohan just holding Pan and brushing
her hair out of her face while she cried on his shoulder. Eventually, her heart-
wrenching sobs turned to sniffles, then to silence.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Gohan finally asked. Pan just shook her
head, face still hidden in his shoulder.
He nodded. He hadn't thought she would. "I understand. But, Panny-chan?"
he moved Pan back a few inches so that she was looking him in the eye. "If
there's something you want, don't make yourself miserable waiting for him to
come to you." Gohan kissed her forehead, then stood up and moved towards the
door. "Go and get him." Smiling, he left, shutting the door softly behind him.
Pan stared at the wall, eye wide and reddened from crying. Her father's
words echoed in her ears.
'Go and get him.'
Bra lay sprawled on the couch, one hand in a bowl of popcorn while the
other held the remote control. The channels on the T.V. were flipping too
rapidly for the human eye to see clearly.
Trunks walked through the front door, his black tank top and blue jeans
scorched and tattered, and his once neatly combed hair bore a strong resemblance
to a bird's nest. To be blunt, he looked like a very pissed Saiyajin woman had
beaten him up, and not left much to finish off.
Bra looked up to see her older brother drag himself upstairs to his room.
Curious as a kitten, she turned off the T.V. and followed.
"What happened to you?" she asked as Trunks grabbed a towel out of the
closet, then continued on to his room.
"What does it look like?" he grumbled, pushing open the door. "Pan
happened to me. And I STILL don't know what I did!"
"Pan beat you up, huh?" Bra asked in mock sympathy, barely smothering her
giggles. "Poor baby, I'm sure you didn't deserve it."
Trunks just crossed his arms. "Go ahead, you know you want to." He waited
patiently while Bra rolled on the ground, laughing like a maniac.
Finally, Bra pulled herself together and stood up, hanging on the wall.
"PAN beat you up?" she gasped. Trunks nodded, and then had to wait while she
collapsed in a heap, giggling again.
"What did you do?" Bra asked from the floor, leaning back against the
doorway.
Trunks flopped back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, his shower
momentarily forgotten. "I went over to Gohan's house to ask Imouto-chan and her
family to dinner like Mom asked," he explained. "But Pan just-" Bra cut him off.
"You didn't call her THAT, did you?" she demanded, suddenly very serious.
"Don't tell me you're THAT stupid!"
Trunks blinked. "Call who what?" He leaned up to look at Bra, who was now
standing. Her hands were on her hips, and she was glaring at him like he had
just decapitated her favorite teddy bear.
"Call Pan your little sister," Bra deadpanned.
The purple haired hunk just shrugged. "Sure, why not?"
Bra shook her head. "If you're that dumb, you deserve every bruise." She
walked out of his room, leaving him staring at an empty doorway.
"What did I do?" Trunks asked the ceiling. It didn't answer. But, then
again, it seldom did.
"Pan!" Videl called from the kitchen. "It's Bra!"
Without even opening her eyes, Pan threw an arm out and grabbed the phone
beside her head. "Moshi moshi."
"Pan-chan?" Bra asked, sounding worried. "Are you okay? I heard what my
baka of a brother did!" She was talking so fast that Pan couldn't interrupt. "I
can't believe he was so stupid! You'd think he'd wake up and smell the coffee,
but he's just so DENSE sometimes! Are you sure you're okay? I can go to his room
and beat him up some more for you if you want. IMAGINE! Him calling you 'Imouto-
chan'!" Bra paused for breath.
Pan grinned weakly. "I'm FINE, Bra-chan. And since it's obvious that you
know how I ruined any chance I might ever have had with the one guy I'll love
until the end of time; is there any reason you called?"
Bra was instantly sympathetic. "Oh, Pan-chan, you haven't lost your chance
at him. I'm sure he'd understand... If he wasn't a guy."
"A blind, deaf and dumb guy," Pan corrected her.
Bra giggled. "You're right, as usual."
"So, why'd you call?"
"Do you want to go out tonight? To make up for Trunks' stupidity?"
Pan frowned. "I don't know, Bra-chan..."
"Please? I'm on my knees here. PLEASE?" Bra put just the right amount of
'desperate' in her voice. "You're my BEST friend, an I want to cheer you up.
pretty, pretty please, with hot fudge and sprinkles on Trunks?"
"BRA!" Pan screamed, blushing cherry red.
"PLEASE?!?!?!"
"Okay, okay, just STOP THAT!"
"I'll pick you up at seven! Dress for dancing!" She hung up.
Bra grinned at the phone, then set it back on the hook. Now to ask her
Daddy if she could go dancing, and the plot was in motion.
"No." Vegeta crossed his arms to signal the finality of his decision.
"WHY NOT?!" Bra demanded, crossing her own arms to symbolize her
stubbornness. Like father like daughter, after all. "We'll be perfectly safe!"
"I won't have any daughter of mine out in a crowd of pathetic, skirt
chasing human males who care nothing for her royal heritage." That was his way
of saying that he didn't want her getting drunk and knocked up. Okay, she could
deal with that.
Bra glomped her father, carefully measuring the amount of 'little girl'
she put in her voice. "Daddy? Please?" She snuggled.
Vegeta turned to putty; Bra could almost SEE him melt. Two things in the
universe could make the Saiyajin no Ouji bend his will without a fight.
Chocolate covered cherries were one; his baby girl was the other. Vegeta was
well and truly wrapped around her finger, and tied up with a pretty pink ribbon.
Of course, this meant that he was a firm follower of the 'Daddy on a Rampage
Scale'. (AN: See the endnotes for the scale) Bra was counting on that.
"Oh, alright," Vegeta sighed, figuring (correctly) that there was no point
in fighting. Of course, when a direct assault wouldn't work...
Bra gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Daddy!" She beamed at him,
then bounced off to her room.
From downstairs came a bellow. "TRUNKS!"
Bra grinned as her plan fell into place.
"Why are we doing this again?" Goten whined.
Trunks paused, hand posed to open the set of double doors that led into
P3, Satan City's most popular club. "Because Dad'll pound me into the ground if
I don't," he answered briefly, with a long-suffering sigh.
"Rephrase that. Why am *I* here?"
Trunks sighed again. "Because I'm not trailing my sister alone." he
thought about it. "And because I'D pound YOU into the ground if you DIDN'T
come."
Goten thought about it. "Oh. Okay." They entered the club.
The first thing the two boys noticed at the blaring music and multicolored
lights. The second was a tightly packed crowed of people on the dance floor,
cheering the couples in the middle of the circle on.
"Do you see them?" Trunks yelled in Goten's ear. Goten just stared
straight at the dance floor. "Goten? GOTEN!" Trunks screamed. Goten grabbed his
best friend's jaw and forced the older boy to look at the dancers.
The crowd had thinned out a bit, and the four dancers in the center of the
circle were clearly visible. Bra was dancing closely with some guy Trunks had
never seen before, but that wasn't what caught Trunks' attention.
Pan had her arms around the neck of a man who appeared to be in his
earlier twenties. He had placed his hands rather possessively on her hips.
Dressed in a pair of tight hip-huggers and a low cut blue spaghetti strap top
made of some kind of shiny material, she was beautiful. The lights shined on her
jet-black hair, giving it highlights, and her eyes were shining. Her partner
pulled her closer, and Pan practically slid down his body. The two couldn't have
gotten any closer in public.
"See them?" Goten asked, his voice barely audible over the pounding bass.
"Bra's looking kinda close with that guy."
Trunks shrugged it off. 'Bra's a grown woman. She can take care of
herself." He headed into the crowd, with every intention of the man that Pan was
with into next Tuesday.
Goten grabbed his shoulder. "Where are you going? You said so yourself;
they can take care of themselves."
"Bra can," Trunks corrected, shrugging off Goten's restraining hand.
"Pan's just a kid though-"
Goten pulled Trunks around to face him. "A KID?" he yelled over the music.
"She's as much an adult as Bra is!"
"She's only..." Trunks trailed off.
"She's nineteen, Trunks," Goten told him. "She's old enough make her own
decisions, and she knows what she wants. I'm surprised that you haven't realized
what that is yet." Goten let go of Trunks' arm and vanished into the crowd.
'What she wants?'
~ Lost in your lovin' arms~
~That's where I wanna be~
~You know I love you~
~How do I get there?~
Pan was having a great time. Trunks was a dull ache in the back of her
heart; something she could almost ignore.
Someone tapped lightly on her shoulder. Pan whirled to face the blue eyes
she had come here to forget.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded, backing up a step and almost
running over her dancing partner. The man, with a strong sense of self-
preservation, moved off to find someone else to dance with.
"Who was he?" Trunks asked, falling into a smooth dance pattern without
really thinking about it. "You looked... close."
Pan tossed a lock of hair over her shoulder. "No one in particular. Why'd
you come here?" A sneaky smile crossed her lips. "It's not like you're jealous
or anything."
Was it his imagination, or was she getting closer to him? "No, I'm just
worried for you." Trunks edged away from her. He was almost certain that she
followed him. "Guys only want one thing."
A look of minor disgust crossed Pan's face. "You could take a lesson," she
muttered, almost too softly for him to hear. "So? I can take care of myself."
She moved even closer, her hips taking on a snaky movement as she wrapped her
arms around his neck.
Trunks suddenly had a fierce urge to run screaming for the hills. 'C'mon,
it's just Pan... But when did Pan get so beautiful?' He blinked at the question.
'Goten's going to pulverize me!' He suddenly realized that there was no way he
could move back more without it being obvious that he was uncomfortable.
"Pan-chan? What are you doing?" Trunks hadn't heard his voice that
unsteady since puberty. 'Screw Goten! GOHAN'S gonna KILL ME! I HAVE THE HOTS for
his DAUGHTER. A girl WAY younger than me!' He wanted to beat his head against
something. 'Life's unfair.'
She smiled. "Following some advice my dad gave me," she murmured. "I'm
getting tired of waiting. "Her mouth was right next to his ear, sending warm
shivers down his spine.
"Pan-chan..." Trunks trailed off, looking desperately around for Goten.
His friend was nowhere in sight.
"Yes?" Her smile was predatory.
Trunks grabbed Pan's hand and twirled her around, maneuvering her so that
she was the one on the edge of the dance floor.
She stopped spinning and realized what he had done. Pouting, she looked at
him with big black eyes. "Don't you trust me?"
Trunks caught himself staring at her parted lips and wrenched his eyes
away, an image of Gohan with a shotgun firmly in the front of his mind.
Nervously, he laughed and ran shaking fingers through his hair. "No, it's
nothing like that..."
Pan's lips twitched slightly. 'So, I'm getting to him,' she thought,
shoving down her ecstatic smile.
A slow song came on, and Trunks' blue eyes widened desperately as Pan
wrapped her arms around his neck and moved in closer. She rested her cheek
against his chest with a happy sigh.
~ The shortest distance~
~Between two points is a~
~Straight line~
'I've got to get off this dance floor,' Trunks thought frantically, nonchalantly
looking for a was out. However, the slow song had brought many couples out to
dance, efficiently blocking off all possibility of escape. In the corner of his
eyes, he caught Bra and Goten grinning at him from the tables. He glared at them
over Pan's shoulder, but they just grinned wider.
His attention was snapped back to the girl in his arms when she tightened
her arms and snuggled closer to his chest.
'Okay, Trunks, you can do this,' he told himself. 'This is just like when
she was six. Remember that? You were teaching her how to dance, only she's not
standing on your feet anymore. But she's STILL a kid. Isn't she?'
Pan smiled happily. She'd been wanting to feel his arms around her like
this for a long, long time. She just wished he would loosen up a little, maybe
even treat her like an adult. But at least she was getting her message through
his thick skull; even if it was slow work. She wasn't a child anymore. She could
only hope that he took the news well...
'Trunks, you baka! I love you! Why can't you just see that?
She stepped closer, determined to at least have this.
'Is she insane?' Trunks once again fought off the urge to run. 'Maybe
she's been drinking? No, she doesn't smell like alcohol. In fact, her breath
smells like oranges... NO! Breath leads to lips, and lips lead to kissing and
kissing... NO! This is PAN! Trunks, pull yourself together!'
~ But I'll climb any mountain~
~That you want me to climb~
He finally forced himself to face reality. 'God, I'm sick, and Gohan's
going to kill me. He's going to string me out to dry like beef jerky. I'm in
love with my best friend's nineteen-year-old niece. And I'm just onni-san to
her.'
Trunks wrapped his arms tighter around Pan. 'Damnit, I love her. And
there's no way she could feel the same. Trunks no baka!'
Unknown to Trunks, a tear trailed down his cheek where it sparkled in
Pan's hair.
~ The perfect combination is~
~Your heart and mine~
~Darlin' won't you give me a sign?~
'I love her too much. I just wish I could say something. But she doesn't
love me back, I just know it.'
'Dear Kami, Trunks, say something! I love you, and I don't think I can
wait much longer.'
'I'll do it. I have to get this out, even if it ruins our friendship. She
has to know.'
"Pan-chan?" Trunks pulled gently away from the grip she had on his neck.
Pan looked up at him, frowning slightly.
'What did I do? What's he going to say? That he has a girlfriend?' Her
eyes narrowed dangerously. 'He'd damn well better not! I'll KILL her!'
~ How do I get there from here?~
~How do I make you see?~
~How do I tell you what my~
~Heart's been tellin' me?~
"Yes, Trunks-chan?" Her voice was like ice.
'Oh, great! What did I do THIS time?' Trunks swallowed, remembering the
fight earlier.
"Pan, I..." He licked his lips nervously. This had to be the hardest thing
he'd ever done.
Pan gritted her teeth; she could SMELL the fear on him. 'I was right!' He
had a girlfriend, and he wasn't sure how to tell her.
"Pan, I- I..."
"I DON'T want to hear it!" she snapped, stepping away from him. "I KNOW
what you're trying to say, and I DON'T CARE!" Some people in the crowd stopped
dancing to watch the spectacle.
Trunks blinked. She knew? And he had just figured it out for himself a
second ago.
Meanwhile, Pan ranted on. "I KNOW that you think I'm too young for you,
but I'm nineteen for Kami's sake! And I don't care WHO she is, I'll hunt her
down. I-" Pan stopped to gather her breath and courage. "I love you, Trunks-
chan. You're MINE. And no Kami-be-damned hussy is going to- MMMPH!" Trunks'
lips on hers silenced the rest of her speech. The entire club broke out in
applause as Pan melted against him.
"As I was saying," Trunks said, grinning, once they had broken apart. "I
love you, Pan-chan."
Pan blushed bright red. "I... Um, well..." Trunks kissed her again as the
music faded out.
~ Lost in your lovin' arms~
~That's where I wanna be~
~You know I love you~
~How do I get there?~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
AN: Well, how'd you like it? It's my first REAL DBZ fic, so please excuse
things like being out of timeline, out of character, ect.
Now, to explain the 'Daddy on a Rampage Scale'. See, some fathers are VERY
overprotective (a.k.a.: shotgun daddy). Some genius came up with a scale, so
that the daughters that are being protected can predict how their fathers will
react. This has NO place in this story, except as a joke. So, here is the scale
that I think Bra would use to measure her Daddy's reactions! The Daddy on a
Rampage Scale was created by Lilac Summers, and you can find it in The BIG Wish.
(DOARS) Daddy On A Rampage Scale
0.- Glare - Barefist: He's a stranger who's asking for the time.
1.- Baseball Bat (iron): He's a friend who's holding your
hand to help you get off the bus.
2.- Hockey Club (sharp): He's a very good friend who's giving you a
birthday hug.
3.- Small Gun (.33): He's a very, very good friend who's kising you on
the cheek (the friendly way!).
4.- The Family's Sword: He's kissing you. On the lips. He's
your boyfriend. He's doomed.
5.- Shotgun (single barrel): He's kissing you, you are kising
back. Very intimate.
(double barrel): Watch your hands you two!
6.- Magnum (.45): He's not watching his hands. Neither are you.
7.- Hunting Rifle (for rhinos): Phew! It's getting hot in here!
8.- Tommy Gun (classic design): It's getting TOO hot in here!
9.- Chain Gun (doom like): Last warning...
10.- Bazooka: blush
11.- Satellite Beam: That's gross!!! AND DADDY SAW IT!!!
XX.- Tuxedo Suit: Oh well... It happens in the best families... ^-^
(Happy ending!)
(A.k.a.: Daddy's Girl)
Rated PG
01.29.01
By Moon Faery
crystalmilleniu@bolt.com
http://www.faerysgarden.asiansquare.com
AN: ~Lyrics~
DBZ isn't mine; it's Toriyama-sensei's. Neither is the song, but I'm not sure
who owns that. More notes at the end.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~ We've always been the best of friends~
~No secrets and no demands~
Trunks stumbled into the house. It was well past midnight, and he had
just broken up with the 'flavor of the week'. The emotionally exhausted man
leaned back against the door, rubbing a hand over his reddened cheek. Cassandra
hadn't taken it well. She was a simpering blue-eyed beauty, everything anyone
could want in a woman: sweet, kind, lovely and gentle. Trunks had no idea why
he couldn't seem to go beyond the 'just friends' stage this time. But, on
second thought, he never did. There was always something that was just... not
right.
Collapsing on the couch, Trunks threw his arm over his eyes and sighed.
He hadn't been able to keep a steady girlfriend since... Well, it had been a few
years. Not since Pan's sixteenth birthday, at least. Though why *that*
milestone seemed so darn important, he had no clue. It had been three years
ago, and nothing had really been the same since.
~ But suddenly from somewhere out of the blue~
~I see a different light around you~
***Flashback***
A newly turned sixteen-year-old Pan looked up in astonishment as Videl
wheeled in a huge cake. It had blue and orange frosting, with 'Sweet Sixteen
Pan' written in beautiful kanji. Everyone sang 'Happy Birthday' as it wheeled
to a stop, exactly sixteen blue and orange candles lighting up the room. Trunks
grinned at Pan, singing just as loudly as everyone else in the room.
"Make a wish, sweetie," Gohan urged her, wrapping an arm around Videl's
waist.
Pan looked around the room, her eyes finally resting on Trunks. The
candlelight danced in her eyes as they looked at each other. Finally, Pan
smirked and blew out the candles. Meeting Trunks' blue eyes again, she mouthed
'you're mine' and grinned.
***Flashback Ends***
'Of course, she said that she hadn't said that,' Trunks mused, staring at
the ceiling. Slowly and surely, his eyes slid shut until he was deep asleep.
Bra and Pan walked through the font door, giggling. They fell silent as
the two feet hanging off the edge of the sofa became evident. Pan motioned for
silence as she crept up to the prone figure of Trunks. Reaching out a finger,
she poked him in the ribs...
And was suddenly flipping head over heels as Trunks grabbed her arm and
threw her across the room. Like any good Saiyajin, Pan was prepared. She
grabbed Trunks' hand and rolled backwards on landing, planting her feet solidly
in his abdomen, thus catapulting the half-breed boy across the room and into a
wall. There was a crash as Trunks slid down the wall to the carpeting.
~ One thing I haven't told you~
~I just wanna hold you~
~And never let go~
~I need to know~
"What'd you do that for?" the purple haired man demanded, looking up.
"You had *no* right to wake me up like that."
"And you had no right to *try* and toss me halfway into tomorrow," Pan
snapped, but she was grinning. "Try opening your eyes before attacking next
time, baka!" She stuck her tongue out, looking very childish.
Trunks opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out. Some days, it
seemed like they couldn't even look at each other without fighting, and he
didn't want to chance this being one of those days. He would just loose his
temper and yell at her, almost automatically expecting her to break down in
tears and apologize. But she always yelled right back at him. Somehow, Pan
just managed to push his buttons. He just lost control whenever she was around,
especially when she argued back with him. Damned women didn't even know her
place...
'Wait a SECOND! Her *place*? Her place as *what*?'
Pan frowned; somehow sensing what was going through his mind, as usual.
"Well?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. All thoughts of teasing him were long
gone by now.
"I'm sorry, Pan, I just had a rough night."
Pan blinked. Neither one of them *ever* apologized. "I'm sorry, too," she
mumbled, brushing a long midnight strand behind her ear. There was an
uncomfortable silence.
"Come on, Bra," Pan finally said, grabbing Trunk's sister and hauling her
upstairs.
Trunks watched them for a second, and then let his head flop back against
the wall. "Women."
~ How do I get there from here?~
~How do I make you see?~
~How do I tell you what my~
~Heart's been tellin' me?~
Bra and Pan stayed up until almost three in the morning, talking. They
covered everything from clothes and boys to fighting styles.
"C'mon, Pan! Admit it!" Bra urged, bouncing where she sat on the bed.
"You like my brother, don't you?"
Pan was blushing brighter by the second, and it wasn't because she was
standing on her hands and leaning against a wall. "So what if I do?" she asked,
beginning to see spots. "He'll never notice me!" She kicked a leg back,
flipping neatly to her feet. "And it's not like I haven't been trying for three
years, either! Can we *please* drop it?"
Bra sighed, visibly giving in. "Why don't you stay the night? It's late."
Pan grabbed the chance to change the subject. "Sure! I'll just call Dad
and..." She looked around the trashed room. "Where's the phone?"
After five minutes of digging around Bra's trashed room, the phone was
left undiscovered and Pan trooped downstairs to use the kitchen phone. On the
way, she passed Trunks' room. Temptation pulled.
~ Lost in your lovin' arms~
~That's where I wanna be~
~You know I love you~
~How do I get there?~
'Oh, just a peek,' she reasoned, cracking the door and peering in.
Trunks was tossing restlessly on his bed, muttering incoherently. Pan
tiptoed to his bedside, watching his expressions changes violently with worried
eyes. "Oh Trunks-chan," she whispered, brushing a bang out of his eyes. Her
touch turned into a caress as her hand traveled down his cheek. The lavender
haired man sighed and calmed under her soothing hand. "You baka," Pan murmured,
voice breaking as she held in her tears. "Can't you see that I love you?"
Leaning down, her lips brushed Trunks' cheek, soft as a goose-down feather.
Sadly, Pan sighed and drew back, feeling the wetness on her cheeks and
seeing the small diamond tears on his. Wiping a tear from her eye, she backs
silently towards the door.
"Aishiteru, Trunks," the quarter Saiyajin breathed before turning to
leave. "Zutto." Closing the door, she went to call her parents.
~ You probl'ly think I've lost my mind~
~Takin' this chance~
~Crossin' that line~
Trunks didn't recognize his surroundings. It was dark, but not with a
lack of light. Everything was flat, lifeless and gray. The sky was mottled,
colored like congealed blood and rolling with sinister clouds. The lightning
boiled across it, striking down with such force that the ground shook violently.
The ground was torn and charred, blood-soaked and ruined; a battlefield with
scars that it would bear for an eternity or longer.
Trunks surveyed the landscape, averting his eyes from the various limbs
and corpses that lay pooled in their own blood. He felt himself go cold as he
recognized Goten's arm from a tattoo he had gotten only last week. Turning from
the sight, he nearly tripped over Goku's body, its bottom half sheared off from
the ribcage down.
Desperately trying not to be sick, he stumbled back and slipped in a
puddle. With a yell, he toppled backwards, catching himself before his head hit
the ground. Something rolled away, coming to a halt a few feet away. Vegeta's
dead eyes gazed back at him, glazed over and no longer having that spirit that
marked his father as a Prince. Just beyond Vegeta's head was his mother's high
heel... with her foot still in it.
The blue-eyed boy rolled away, closing his eyes. He couldn't stand to see
what had become of his family and friends. With a groan, the ground cracked
open beneath him.
Trunks was tossed into the chasm as the earth bucked and twisted
underneath him. The wind howled, laughing at him as he frantically clutched the
sides of the canyon walls, fingers probing for any hold they could find on the
blood-slicked rock. Slimy, invisible fingers clutched at his hands, pulling at
them. He could feel monstrous, clawed hands grabbing his feet, tugging him down
into the gorge.
Trunks strained against the pulling hands, pulling himself over the rim
inch by inch. The hands became more desperate, clawing at him. Voices whispered
in his ear, undermining him. Making him doubt, making it seem so easy just to
let go...
"You're all alone now," one breathed.
"They're all gone; you'll be alone forever."
"Let go," a female voice murmured. "You'll never win, so why keep fighting
the darkness that you've earned? You weren't there to help them. It's YOUR
fault. Let go..."
The other voices caught those key words and echoed them hauntingly,
surrounding Trunks with a steady murmur. "Why fight? All alone. Why? Alone. Your
fault..." Tears rolled down his cheeks. They were right, everyone was gone; he'd
be alone for the rest of his life. His parents, friends; everyone was dead
because he hadn't been there to help them. It would be simple to end it; just
let go. So easy...
The voices were no longer soft; they were shouting curses at him and his
cowardice. Chilled, bony hands pulled at his legs, tugging him into the chasm.
Taking a breath, Trunks let his hands slip off the rock....
~ But I promise to be truly true~
~Dreamin' every night~
~With these arms around you~
Two soft, gentle hands grabbed his arm with a grip of iron. A steady white
glow pushed back the darkness, and the voices that could only be the demons of
hell. They moaned and called to him from outside the light, but no longer would
touch him.
"No," a beautiful, melodic voice said above him. Trunks looked up,
wondering who had believed his life worth saving when even he had been ready to
give up a moment ago.
Pan angelic face looked down at him, eyes the color of the midnight sky
gleaming with something he'd never seen before; not even in his parent's faces.
It was the most beautiful thing he could imagine ever seeing in anyone. True
love. "You're NOT alone," she told him, louder now. "HE'S NOT ALONE!" It was a
scream of defiance to the darkness pulling him down. The radiance around her
brightened and pulsated, pushing the spirits away until they were a dim whisper
in the background, and the cold blackness a memory.
"Hold on, Trunks. I won't let go." Pan gave him a brave smile. "I'll never
let go." (AN: Sorry for the Titanic flashback.) Pan pulled him up, inch by inch,
until Trunks was no longer in danger of falling into the canyon.
"Why?" He asked, cradled gently in Pan's arms.
Pan just smiled and kissed his forehead. "Aishiteru, Trunks-chan. Zutto."
The aura grew so bright that it blinded him.
Trunks opened his eyes, noticing that he was in his own room. Sitting up,
he saw Pan's back as she shut his bedroom door silently behind her.
Trunks stared at the door for several seconds. Somehow, he knew that he'd
need to think about this.
Pan groaned, holding her head. A cup of strong black coffee sat in front
of her on the kitchen table. She hadn't been able to sleep for weeks, ever since
she had spent the night at Capsule Corps.
Gohan sat down beside his daughter and took her hand. "Pan, honey, is
there anything you'd like to talk about?"
Pan sighed and made an attempt to look livelier. "No, Daddy, I'm fine. I'm
just a little tired."
Gohan squeezed her hand, and then stood. "Remember, Pumpkin, I'm always
here if you want to talk."
"Thanks Daddy, I'll be fine. I'll just go train a bit, that'll wake me
up." She stood and walked out the door.
Videl came up and wrapped her arms around Gohan from behind. "Our baby
girl's growing up." Gohan just nodded sadly, looking at the door his daughter
had just walked through.
~ I can't wait any longer~
~This feelin's gettin' stronger~
~Help me find a way~
Pan threw a punch at the air, then kicked, turning it into a flip. She'd
been training hours. Even though she woke up a long time ago, nothing seemed
clearer yet; everything still had that hazy, half awake quality to it. Closing
her eyes, she rolled from the flip into another one.
Someone caught her feet midair and lent force her movements. Pan pushed
higher in the air to compensate for the increased spin and landed in a fighting
stance, eyes cold as ice.
Trunks laughed at her serious expression. "What are you doing?" he asked,
rocking back into a stance of his own.
Suddenly, everything was as clear as a summer day. Pan aimed a kick at his
stomach, but Trunks blocked her at the last second. Lightning fast, she punched
at his face, but the purple haired boy dodged every blow easily. "Working out my
tension. You?"
Trunks swept his leg under Pan, trying to knock her down. Pan jumped his
leg and aimed a kick at his head, but Trunks caught her foot and sent her
tumbling into the ground. "Just visiting."
Pan hit the ground hard, but kept rolling until she was far enough away to
stand in once smooth, graceful movement. "Want some lunch?" she dropped her
guard a bit.
Trunks leaned over and picked up the CC Logo jacket he had discarded
before playing with Pan. "That's what I cam here for, Imouto-chan."
'Imouto-chan,' the granddaughter of Goku thought bitterly. 'And that's all
I'll ever be.'
"What? You only come here for the food?" She punched his arm, masking her
hurt with a classic Son grin. "Some friend you are!"
Trunks frowned a tiny bit. He had felt Pan brighten up when he had
arrived, and now she was upset again, even though she tried to hide it. Somehow,
he just KNEW that it was his fault. Whatever it was. "Pan, what's wrong?"
Pan clenched her teeth. The hurt that had settled into a cold ball in the
pit of her stomach suddenly flared up. It raged through her blood, boiled in her
veins. A low growl of anger tried to push past her teeth, but she refused to let
it. 'C'mon, Pan, it's not his fault he's an idiot.'
"Nothing's wrong." She tried to make it sound normal, but her voice was
forced and tightly controlled, even in her own ears. She bit her lip, hoping
that the slight pain would distract her from the feeling of
hurt/anger/desperation.
Trunk, however, was not a stupid as she thought. He KNEW she was mad at
him, but he couldn't figure out why. "Imouto-chan," he tried, squeezing one of
her shoulders with a hand.
Pan's teeth bit through her lip and her fists clenched. The salty blood
that dribbled onto her tongue was the last straw. She couldn't take just being
his little sister anymore. Pan was going to how Trunks that she was all grown
up... even if it killed him.
The growl that she had been suppressing rose through her throat and out
her lips. Pan twisted around and grabbed Trunks' arm, rolling him over her
shoulder and throwing the shocked boy three yards.
Trunks tumbled to a halt. "Pan, what are you DOING?" he yelled, not even
bothering to get up.
Pan was furious; all she saw was Trunks. She tossed a small ki blast at
Trunks' feet, snarling. Trunks yelped and jumped backwards, landing on his rear
and skidding.
"Get up and FIGHT ME, DAMNIT!" Pan growled, her voice deeper and
infinitely more threatening. She threw another blast at him.
Trunks scrambled back, too stunned to even think about fighting. "Pan!
STOP! You're going to kill me!"
'What's gotten into her?'
Pan clenched her teeth in a grin, her canines very prominent. "Then
FIGHT!" she powered up another ki ball and threw it directly at his chest.
Trunks rolled to his feet and jumped out of the attack's path. "What did I
DO?" He yelled, trying to distract her.
Pan kicked and punched so fast he almost couldn't block the blows. His
instincts screamed at him to fight back, but Trunks pushed them down. Fighting
her would only make it worse. So he stayed on the defensive, determined to wear
her down.
'He's not fighting me!' Pan thought. She wanted- no, needed; to prove
herself to him, and he wasn't letting her!
"Baka! Old man! Too WEAK to battle a girl? A third class quarter Saiyajin?
Or too SCARED?" Moving so fast that his eyes couldn't follow; she backhanded him
across the cheek. The boy was thrown into a tree, which cracked and shattered
under the impact. "FIGHT ME, DAMNIT!" She advanced towards the devastated tree.
Trunks stood, but didn't attack. Instead, he kept the distance between
them, backing up as she moved towards him.
"What is WRONG with you, Pan?" he yelled, blocking her blast with one of
his own. "Imouto-chan, stop it!"
Pan snarled, "I'm NOT your little sister!" In a burst of speed, she
blurred out of sight, to appear just behind him. One swipe of her arm tossed him
aside, sending Trunks sprawling on the battle-torn lawn.
"WHY CAN'T YOU SEE THAT?" Pan screamed at him. She turned and ran back
into the house, tears trailing behind her. Trunks clearly heard the door slam
shut, and a click as she locked it behind her.
"What just happened?"
~ How do I get there from here?~
~How do I make you see?~
~How do I tell you what my ~
~Heart's been tellin' me?~
Gohan watched as Pan hugged her pillow to her chest; she was squeezing so
tightly that the seams were near bursting. He'd seen the fight, and had some
idea of what was happening. It was a shame that Trunks didn't. With a sigh, he
pushed open the door and walked into his daughter's room, sitting beside her on
the bed.
"Panny-chan? You can't say that nothing's wrong now. Not when you're
crying after knocking Trunks through a wall."
Pan hiccupped and buried her face in the pillow. "You can't help Daddy."
It was muffled through the cloth and her sobs.
Gohan sat beside her silently, rubbing a hand down her back soothingly.
Pan looked up at him with watery black eyes, then threw herself in his
arms. "Oh, Daddy!"
They sat there for several minutes, Gohan just holding Pan and brushing
her hair out of her face while she cried on his shoulder. Eventually, her heart-
wrenching sobs turned to sniffles, then to silence.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Gohan finally asked. Pan just shook her
head, face still hidden in his shoulder.
He nodded. He hadn't thought she would. "I understand. But, Panny-chan?"
he moved Pan back a few inches so that she was looking him in the eye. "If
there's something you want, don't make yourself miserable waiting for him to
come to you." Gohan kissed her forehead, then stood up and moved towards the
door. "Go and get him." Smiling, he left, shutting the door softly behind him.
Pan stared at the wall, eye wide and reddened from crying. Her father's
words echoed in her ears.
'Go and get him.'
Bra lay sprawled on the couch, one hand in a bowl of popcorn while the
other held the remote control. The channels on the T.V. were flipping too
rapidly for the human eye to see clearly.
Trunks walked through the front door, his black tank top and blue jeans
scorched and tattered, and his once neatly combed hair bore a strong resemblance
to a bird's nest. To be blunt, he looked like a very pissed Saiyajin woman had
beaten him up, and not left much to finish off.
Bra looked up to see her older brother drag himself upstairs to his room.
Curious as a kitten, she turned off the T.V. and followed.
"What happened to you?" she asked as Trunks grabbed a towel out of the
closet, then continued on to his room.
"What does it look like?" he grumbled, pushing open the door. "Pan
happened to me. And I STILL don't know what I did!"
"Pan beat you up, huh?" Bra asked in mock sympathy, barely smothering her
giggles. "Poor baby, I'm sure you didn't deserve it."
Trunks just crossed his arms. "Go ahead, you know you want to." He waited
patiently while Bra rolled on the ground, laughing like a maniac.
Finally, Bra pulled herself together and stood up, hanging on the wall.
"PAN beat you up?" she gasped. Trunks nodded, and then had to wait while she
collapsed in a heap, giggling again.
"What did you do?" Bra asked from the floor, leaning back against the
doorway.
Trunks flopped back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, his shower
momentarily forgotten. "I went over to Gohan's house to ask Imouto-chan and her
family to dinner like Mom asked," he explained. "But Pan just-" Bra cut him off.
"You didn't call her THAT, did you?" she demanded, suddenly very serious.
"Don't tell me you're THAT stupid!"
Trunks blinked. "Call who what?" He leaned up to look at Bra, who was now
standing. Her hands were on her hips, and she was glaring at him like he had
just decapitated her favorite teddy bear.
"Call Pan your little sister," Bra deadpanned.
The purple haired hunk just shrugged. "Sure, why not?"
Bra shook her head. "If you're that dumb, you deserve every bruise." She
walked out of his room, leaving him staring at an empty doorway.
"What did I do?" Trunks asked the ceiling. It didn't answer. But, then
again, it seldom did.
"Pan!" Videl called from the kitchen. "It's Bra!"
Without even opening her eyes, Pan threw an arm out and grabbed the phone
beside her head. "Moshi moshi."
"Pan-chan?" Bra asked, sounding worried. "Are you okay? I heard what my
baka of a brother did!" She was talking so fast that Pan couldn't interrupt. "I
can't believe he was so stupid! You'd think he'd wake up and smell the coffee,
but he's just so DENSE sometimes! Are you sure you're okay? I can go to his room
and beat him up some more for you if you want. IMAGINE! Him calling you 'Imouto-
chan'!" Bra paused for breath.
Pan grinned weakly. "I'm FINE, Bra-chan. And since it's obvious that you
know how I ruined any chance I might ever have had with the one guy I'll love
until the end of time; is there any reason you called?"
Bra was instantly sympathetic. "Oh, Pan-chan, you haven't lost your chance
at him. I'm sure he'd understand... If he wasn't a guy."
"A blind, deaf and dumb guy," Pan corrected her.
Bra giggled. "You're right, as usual."
"So, why'd you call?"
"Do you want to go out tonight? To make up for Trunks' stupidity?"
Pan frowned. "I don't know, Bra-chan..."
"Please? I'm on my knees here. PLEASE?" Bra put just the right amount of
'desperate' in her voice. "You're my BEST friend, an I want to cheer you up.
pretty, pretty please, with hot fudge and sprinkles on Trunks?"
"BRA!" Pan screamed, blushing cherry red.
"PLEASE?!?!?!"
"Okay, okay, just STOP THAT!"
"I'll pick you up at seven! Dress for dancing!" She hung up.
Bra grinned at the phone, then set it back on the hook. Now to ask her
Daddy if she could go dancing, and the plot was in motion.
"No." Vegeta crossed his arms to signal the finality of his decision.
"WHY NOT?!" Bra demanded, crossing her own arms to symbolize her
stubbornness. Like father like daughter, after all. "We'll be perfectly safe!"
"I won't have any daughter of mine out in a crowd of pathetic, skirt
chasing human males who care nothing for her royal heritage." That was his way
of saying that he didn't want her getting drunk and knocked up. Okay, she could
deal with that.
Bra glomped her father, carefully measuring the amount of 'little girl'
she put in her voice. "Daddy? Please?" She snuggled.
Vegeta turned to putty; Bra could almost SEE him melt. Two things in the
universe could make the Saiyajin no Ouji bend his will without a fight.
Chocolate covered cherries were one; his baby girl was the other. Vegeta was
well and truly wrapped around her finger, and tied up with a pretty pink ribbon.
Of course, this meant that he was a firm follower of the 'Daddy on a Rampage
Scale'. (AN: See the endnotes for the scale) Bra was counting on that.
"Oh, alright," Vegeta sighed, figuring (correctly) that there was no point
in fighting. Of course, when a direct assault wouldn't work...
Bra gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Daddy!" She beamed at him,
then bounced off to her room.
From downstairs came a bellow. "TRUNKS!"
Bra grinned as her plan fell into place.
"Why are we doing this again?" Goten whined.
Trunks paused, hand posed to open the set of double doors that led into
P3, Satan City's most popular club. "Because Dad'll pound me into the ground if
I don't," he answered briefly, with a long-suffering sigh.
"Rephrase that. Why am *I* here?"
Trunks sighed again. "Because I'm not trailing my sister alone." he
thought about it. "And because I'D pound YOU into the ground if you DIDN'T
come."
Goten thought about it. "Oh. Okay." They entered the club.
The first thing the two boys noticed at the blaring music and multicolored
lights. The second was a tightly packed crowed of people on the dance floor,
cheering the couples in the middle of the circle on.
"Do you see them?" Trunks yelled in Goten's ear. Goten just stared
straight at the dance floor. "Goten? GOTEN!" Trunks screamed. Goten grabbed his
best friend's jaw and forced the older boy to look at the dancers.
The crowd had thinned out a bit, and the four dancers in the center of the
circle were clearly visible. Bra was dancing closely with some guy Trunks had
never seen before, but that wasn't what caught Trunks' attention.
Pan had her arms around the neck of a man who appeared to be in his
earlier twenties. He had placed his hands rather possessively on her hips.
Dressed in a pair of tight hip-huggers and a low cut blue spaghetti strap top
made of some kind of shiny material, she was beautiful. The lights shined on her
jet-black hair, giving it highlights, and her eyes were shining. Her partner
pulled her closer, and Pan practically slid down his body. The two couldn't have
gotten any closer in public.
"See them?" Goten asked, his voice barely audible over the pounding bass.
"Bra's looking kinda close with that guy."
Trunks shrugged it off. 'Bra's a grown woman. She can take care of
herself." He headed into the crowd, with every intention of the man that Pan was
with into next Tuesday.
Goten grabbed his shoulder. "Where are you going? You said so yourself;
they can take care of themselves."
"Bra can," Trunks corrected, shrugging off Goten's restraining hand.
"Pan's just a kid though-"
Goten pulled Trunks around to face him. "A KID?" he yelled over the music.
"She's as much an adult as Bra is!"
"She's only..." Trunks trailed off.
"She's nineteen, Trunks," Goten told him. "She's old enough make her own
decisions, and she knows what she wants. I'm surprised that you haven't realized
what that is yet." Goten let go of Trunks' arm and vanished into the crowd.
'What she wants?'
~ Lost in your lovin' arms~
~That's where I wanna be~
~You know I love you~
~How do I get there?~
Pan was having a great time. Trunks was a dull ache in the back of her
heart; something she could almost ignore.
Someone tapped lightly on her shoulder. Pan whirled to face the blue eyes
she had come here to forget.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded, backing up a step and almost
running over her dancing partner. The man, with a strong sense of self-
preservation, moved off to find someone else to dance with.
"Who was he?" Trunks asked, falling into a smooth dance pattern without
really thinking about it. "You looked... close."
Pan tossed a lock of hair over her shoulder. "No one in particular. Why'd
you come here?" A sneaky smile crossed her lips. "It's not like you're jealous
or anything."
Was it his imagination, or was she getting closer to him? "No, I'm just
worried for you." Trunks edged away from her. He was almost certain that she
followed him. "Guys only want one thing."
A look of minor disgust crossed Pan's face. "You could take a lesson," she
muttered, almost too softly for him to hear. "So? I can take care of myself."
She moved even closer, her hips taking on a snaky movement as she wrapped her
arms around his neck.
Trunks suddenly had a fierce urge to run screaming for the hills. 'C'mon,
it's just Pan... But when did Pan get so beautiful?' He blinked at the question.
'Goten's going to pulverize me!' He suddenly realized that there was no way he
could move back more without it being obvious that he was uncomfortable.
"Pan-chan? What are you doing?" Trunks hadn't heard his voice that
unsteady since puberty. 'Screw Goten! GOHAN'S gonna KILL ME! I HAVE THE HOTS for
his DAUGHTER. A girl WAY younger than me!' He wanted to beat his head against
something. 'Life's unfair.'
She smiled. "Following some advice my dad gave me," she murmured. "I'm
getting tired of waiting. "Her mouth was right next to his ear, sending warm
shivers down his spine.
"Pan-chan..." Trunks trailed off, looking desperately around for Goten.
His friend was nowhere in sight.
"Yes?" Her smile was predatory.
Trunks grabbed Pan's hand and twirled her around, maneuvering her so that
she was the one on the edge of the dance floor.
She stopped spinning and realized what he had done. Pouting, she looked at
him with big black eyes. "Don't you trust me?"
Trunks caught himself staring at her parted lips and wrenched his eyes
away, an image of Gohan with a shotgun firmly in the front of his mind.
Nervously, he laughed and ran shaking fingers through his hair. "No, it's
nothing like that..."
Pan's lips twitched slightly. 'So, I'm getting to him,' she thought,
shoving down her ecstatic smile.
A slow song came on, and Trunks' blue eyes widened desperately as Pan
wrapped her arms around his neck and moved in closer. She rested her cheek
against his chest with a happy sigh.
~ The shortest distance~
~Between two points is a~
~Straight line~
'I've got to get off this dance floor,' Trunks thought frantically, nonchalantly
looking for a was out. However, the slow song had brought many couples out to
dance, efficiently blocking off all possibility of escape. In the corner of his
eyes, he caught Bra and Goten grinning at him from the tables. He glared at them
over Pan's shoulder, but they just grinned wider.
His attention was snapped back to the girl in his arms when she tightened
her arms and snuggled closer to his chest.
'Okay, Trunks, you can do this,' he told himself. 'This is just like when
she was six. Remember that? You were teaching her how to dance, only she's not
standing on your feet anymore. But she's STILL a kid. Isn't she?'
Pan smiled happily. She'd been wanting to feel his arms around her like
this for a long, long time. She just wished he would loosen up a little, maybe
even treat her like an adult. But at least she was getting her message through
his thick skull; even if it was slow work. She wasn't a child anymore. She could
only hope that he took the news well...
'Trunks, you baka! I love you! Why can't you just see that?
She stepped closer, determined to at least have this.
'Is she insane?' Trunks once again fought off the urge to run. 'Maybe
she's been drinking? No, she doesn't smell like alcohol. In fact, her breath
smells like oranges... NO! Breath leads to lips, and lips lead to kissing and
kissing... NO! This is PAN! Trunks, pull yourself together!'
~ But I'll climb any mountain~
~That you want me to climb~
He finally forced himself to face reality. 'God, I'm sick, and Gohan's
going to kill me. He's going to string me out to dry like beef jerky. I'm in
love with my best friend's nineteen-year-old niece. And I'm just onni-san to
her.'
Trunks wrapped his arms tighter around Pan. 'Damnit, I love her. And
there's no way she could feel the same. Trunks no baka!'
Unknown to Trunks, a tear trailed down his cheek where it sparkled in
Pan's hair.
~ The perfect combination is~
~Your heart and mine~
~Darlin' won't you give me a sign?~
'I love her too much. I just wish I could say something. But she doesn't
love me back, I just know it.'
'Dear Kami, Trunks, say something! I love you, and I don't think I can
wait much longer.'
'I'll do it. I have to get this out, even if it ruins our friendship. She
has to know.'
"Pan-chan?" Trunks pulled gently away from the grip she had on his neck.
Pan looked up at him, frowning slightly.
'What did I do? What's he going to say? That he has a girlfriend?' Her
eyes narrowed dangerously. 'He'd damn well better not! I'll KILL her!'
~ How do I get there from here?~
~How do I make you see?~
~How do I tell you what my~
~Heart's been tellin' me?~
"Yes, Trunks-chan?" Her voice was like ice.
'Oh, great! What did I do THIS time?' Trunks swallowed, remembering the
fight earlier.
"Pan, I..." He licked his lips nervously. This had to be the hardest thing
he'd ever done.
Pan gritted her teeth; she could SMELL the fear on him. 'I was right!' He
had a girlfriend, and he wasn't sure how to tell her.
"Pan, I- I..."
"I DON'T want to hear it!" she snapped, stepping away from him. "I KNOW
what you're trying to say, and I DON'T CARE!" Some people in the crowd stopped
dancing to watch the spectacle.
Trunks blinked. She knew? And he had just figured it out for himself a
second ago.
Meanwhile, Pan ranted on. "I KNOW that you think I'm too young for you,
but I'm nineteen for Kami's sake! And I don't care WHO she is, I'll hunt her
down. I-" Pan stopped to gather her breath and courage. "I love you, Trunks-
chan. You're MINE. And no Kami-be-damned hussy is going to- MMMPH!" Trunks'
lips on hers silenced the rest of her speech. The entire club broke out in
applause as Pan melted against him.
"As I was saying," Trunks said, grinning, once they had broken apart. "I
love you, Pan-chan."
Pan blushed bright red. "I... Um, well..." Trunks kissed her again as the
music faded out.
~ Lost in your lovin' arms~
~That's where I wanna be~
~You know I love you~
~How do I get there?~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
AN: Well, how'd you like it? It's my first REAL DBZ fic, so please excuse
things like being out of timeline, out of character, ect.
Now, to explain the 'Daddy on a Rampage Scale'. See, some fathers are VERY
overprotective (a.k.a.: shotgun daddy). Some genius came up with a scale, so
that the daughters that are being protected can predict how their fathers will
react. This has NO place in this story, except as a joke. So, here is the scale
that I think Bra would use to measure her Daddy's reactions! The Daddy on a
Rampage Scale was created by Lilac Summers, and you can find it in The BIG Wish.
(DOARS) Daddy On A Rampage Scale
0.- Glare - Barefist: He's a stranger who's asking for the time.
1.- Baseball Bat (iron): He's a friend who's holding your
hand to help you get off the bus.
2.- Hockey Club (sharp): He's a very good friend who's giving you a
birthday hug.
3.- Small Gun (.33): He's a very, very good friend who's kising you on
the cheek (the friendly way!).
4.- The Family's Sword: He's kissing you. On the lips. He's
your boyfriend. He's doomed.
5.- Shotgun (single barrel): He's kissing you, you are kising
back. Very intimate.
(double barrel): Watch your hands you two!
6.- Magnum (.45): He's not watching his hands. Neither are you.
7.- Hunting Rifle (for rhinos): Phew! It's getting hot in here!
8.- Tommy Gun (classic design): It's getting TOO hot in here!
9.- Chain Gun (doom like): Last warning...
10.- Bazooka: blush
11.- Satellite Beam: That's gross!!! AND DADDY SAW IT!!!
XX.- Tuxedo Suit: Oh well... It happens in the best families... ^-^
(Happy ending!)