Plain Pan
Pan stood at the lake observing her reflection in the water. She wore a yellow T-shirt with a pair of baggy blue jeans. She wasn't wearing her usually orange bandanna. Pan decided to let her hair loose today.
As she continued studying her reflection, she tilted her head to the side and shook her head. She let out a heavy sigh. Even at sixteen, she still looked boyish; not just the way she dressed, but the way she looked. She just looked so plain. There was nothing special about her eyes, nose or hair. She just couldn't see it.
"Oh its hopeless I'm just ugly!" she said out loud as she slumped down on the soft grass. She sighed again and laid down on the grass. "Why wasn't I blessed with good looks like my mother or even grandma Chichi?''.
"hey!", just then Trunks showed up. He walked up near the lake were Pan lay on the grass.
Pan's eyes popped open. "oh um hi Trunks" she replied sadly.
Trunks frowned at this. "what are you doing down there and why do you sound so sad?" he asked as he joined her on grass.
"I'm not sad!" Pan tried to lie. But she was a terrible liar just like Gohan was.
Trunks shot her a stern look. "Pan don't lie to me, you are sad because I can hear it in your voice and I can see it in your eyes" Trunks said. At this Pan sat up and rolled her eyes.
" Ugh!, must you know everything?" Pan said irritated.
"Of course, we Briefs know everything!" he joked.
"Whatever" Pan said.
"So are you going to tell me what's wrong or not?" Trunks ask still wanting to know what was on the quarter sayian's mind.
She let out another heavy sigh. "fine I'll tell you", She finally gave in. "but please don't laugh okay?" she asked him pleadingly.
"I promise Pan now tell me!" he urged.
"Do you think I'm pretty Trunks?", She asked nervously.
Trunks started at her shock and somewhat confused at her question. Why in the world would Pan all the sudden care what she looked like? She never cared before. For as long as he had known her she had always been a tomboy; always wearing baggy clothes and even behaving like a boy. Pan was never really ladylike but why in dende's name would she suddenly take notice in her appearance?! and why would she even care?
Personally, Trunks liked her for who she was, not how she looked.
Trunks shook his head from his thoughts and answered her question. "Pan, why the sudden concern about what you look like or about being pretty? You've never cared before so why now?" he asked putting his hand on her shoulder.
"well it's just that I haven't exactly grown into my looks yet and I'm sixteen!". "when am I going to start looking more like a woman or even beautiful? when I'm as old as my mother?!" she practically screamed. This was really driving her crazy! She hated looking plain all the time.
Trunks blushed at this. "well Pan, I... it's just oh boy!" he ran his hand through his hair. "you're just a late bloomer that's all, but you'll grow or blossom" he finally said.
"so you're saying I'm ugly, well that make perfect sense!" she paid sardonically but she was now very hurt, even more so than she was before. Pan stood up as she prepared to take off into the sky.
Trunks stood up and grabbed her foot. "Hey! Now that's not what I meant and you know it Pan!". "I don't think you're ugly and I didn't say you were ugly", He explained.
"then what the heck are you saying then?! Mister know it all!", she growled. "let me go!" she struggled in his grip.
"No I will not let you Pan, you asked me a question and I'm doing my best to answer it for you", Trunks tried explaining but she was just so stubborn.
"Oh so the best way that you can explain things to be is by insulting me and calling me a child!" she screamed as she finally yank her foot out of his hold. She was now floating in the air.
Trunks growled, hands in fist. "Why are you so stubborn? Once you've made up your mind, there's just no stopping you!". "Goku was right abou-''.
"Oooh so now you guys are talking about me behind my back?! IS THAT IT!", she roared. Trunks just stood there staring at her. "This is unbelievable! How can she be so stubborn? She asks me a question and I try to answer it but she just takes everything I say the wrong way. This must be really bothering her or else she wouldn't be making such a big deal out of it. How can I explain things to her without her getting upset with me?".
Trunks finally sighed. "Alright Pan, why don't you just go and talk to your mother about this? Maybe she can explain it better than I can", he finally said.
"No, what you do you mean by late bloomer? She asked not wanting to leave anymore.
"well if you'd sit back down I'll be happy to explain it to you" Trunks said causally not wanting to offend the teen any further.
"okay!" Pan said as she sat back down.
"okay so a "late bloomer" is a person whose talents or capabilities are not visible to others until later than usual". In other words, it is a child or adolescence who develops more slowly than others in their age group", he explained.
"that's all, there is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed. You will eventually develop when the time is right and you'll grow into a beautiful young woman Pan" he said smiling at her.
"thanks" , Pan blushed. "so there's nothing wrong with me?" she asked.
"No Pan, but you are a little high strong", he slightly narrowed his eyes at her.
"sorry" she blushed again. "I have to start be more girl like!"
Trunks pulled her in for a hug. "that's okay don't worry about it" he reassured her.
"Your grandfather told me you and Chichi were a lot alike", he said.
"really? How so" pan asked looking up at him.
"well for one, Chichi was really high strong and stubborn like you" he said poking her on the nose. "but she was also very strong, brave, determined and devoted just like you" Trunks smiling down at her.
"yeah grandma Chichi was really strong for human that is" Pan laughed.
"She actually slapped the crap out of Goten one time!" Trunks laughed out as he grabbed his stomach. He fell over in the grass laughing. "I'm even afraid of her sometimes", Trunks finally said.
"you know what?" Pan asked
"what?" Trunks replied.
"I bet grandpa Goku's more afraid of her" she whispered.
"yep that's true!" he said. "Chichi's pretty scary sometimes when she's angry but she's just being a mother I guess". "my mom is kind of the same way too".
"Goku also told me that Chichi was very beautiful and she still is" He said.
"That's true, when I go visit her sometimes I see the picture of her when she was younger, in the living room". "she was so beautiful! I just hope I can be like her someday…" Pan said feeling sad again.
Trunks squeeze her shoulders slightly. "Don't worry Pan, you're already a lot like her" he joked.
"Thanks Trunks you really made me feel a lot better" she said.
"don't mention it!"
"Oh my dende! It's almost six, I've got to get home for dinner" Pan exclaimed looking at her catch. "sorry Trunks, wish I could stay but I've got to go or my parents will kill me!" She said as she floated up to the sky.
"oh that's okay Pan! Glad I could help!" he said waving at her. But before Pan took off, she floated back down to the grass and gave Trunks one last hug and give him a pecked on the cheek. This caught Trunks off guard; not the hug but the kiss...
"Bye!" she finally waved as she took off towards her home.
Trunks watched her disappear in to the distance. "did she just kiss me?" he brought his hand to his cheek. "Man these kids grow up so fast!" he said as he too took off into the sky, in the direction of his home. But as he flew he had slight smile on his face.