A lighthearted, heartwarming tale about friendship, family, but most of all, love. With a little sexual tension sprinkled in, of course, because all the best stories have it. :)

When I watched the new Dragonball movies and realized that the kids are now much closer in age than they were previously, I decided it was time to finally write a story that would seem a tad more realistic! Ages are estimates only, of course.

Trunks: 29

Goten: 28

Pan: 20

Bulla:19

Includes new movies, excludes events from Super and GT.

As an aside: I'll possibly change up the POV over time, depending on where the story takes us.:)

I hope you enjoy!

"Bulla… Bulla!"

I snapped out of my daydream, suddenly acutely aware of the three hundred pairs of eyes resting on me.

"Uh… er…" I glanced up at the screen, then down at my neighbor's notes; it appeared as though the professor had posted an equation and had asked the class to solve it.

I sighed, as I often did when called out by professors. Both my brother and I had inherited our mother's talent for math and science. It seemed only natural, then, that I follow in their footsteps- I certainly wasn't going to follow in my dad's- and that meant getting a degree.

I quickly solved the problem in my head- my neighbour had gotten the wrong result- and gave the answer aloud.

The professor gave one curt nod, and carried on with his lecture.

It seemed as though all of the professors at university were split down the middle; half were excited to have such a gifted student in their class, and the rest seemed resentful to have a student who succeeded with such little effort.

I got a nudge from my neighbor. "Smooth," she whispered.

I smiled, and replied in a hushed voice, "Just be glad he didn't call on you!"

Pan couldn't help but smile in response. "Math isn't my thing. I'm only in this class 'cause dad basically forced me to."

The professor cleared his throat, glaring in our direction.

I gave him an apologetic smile, and flipped open my notebook- probably for the first time all semester.

You can't blame him for poo-pooing your kung-fu dream when there hasn't been a threat to earth in ages, I wrote.

Pan glanced at the page and rolled her eyes. She'd stopped correcting me about the 'kung-fu' thing once she realized I only ever said it to bug her. She grabbed her pen.

I hope you know how awesome you'd be at martial arts if you'd just give it a shot.

I shrugged. Pan was jealous- not of anything I've actually achieved (she couldn't care less about the world of academia), but of my 'fighting potential.' Blah blah Saiyan blood blah blah Vegeta's daughter blah.

It's just not my thing.

Apparently, both my mom and dad gave me the option to start training at an early age. I'd jumped at the chance to learn to fly- what kid wouldn't?!- but when it came to the fighting portion, I just wasn't into it.

When I started junior high, my mom suggested I learn some basic self-defense, which I reluctantly agreed to… but that just further solidified my decision to stay away from the martial arts.

First of all, my dad is a shitty teacher. I adore the man, but he's not exactly patient. Enough said.

Second, the gravity chamber is actually disgusting. It gets cleaned nightly, but it still reeks of B.O. and the lighting is creepy. And it's always filled with nearly-naked men who I'm either related to or might as well be. I can't spend more than five minutes in there.

Third, I don't really see the point. As I remind Pan (constantly!), there's not exactly a looming threat to earth at the moment. I'm strong enough to defend myself against creepy human men- so any time spent training is time spent away from studying. If I expect to be co-CEO of Capsule Corp some day, I need some truly useful life skills.

"Read chapter twenty-three before class next week. I expect all of you to be familiar with the material during discussion period! Enjoy your weekend, everyone!"

I packed my bag and followed the crowd of students out of the lecture hall, then turned my phone on to check for any missed calls. It was Friday night- hopefully there was something going on…

A text from Trunks:

Are these leftovers in the fridge yours? I'm eating them.

Delete.

Two texts from my mom:

Hey hun, I've got a dinner meeting tonight. Trunks is coming with. Ask dad to order in for you guys.

Delete.

Dad says he won't be home for dinner. I'm not sure about Grandma and Grandpa. I'll leave my card on the table for you.

Delete.

And one from Marron:

When are you guys done class? Wanna meet for pizza later?

I turned to Pan, but it looked like she'd already gotten the same text. She groaned.

"Ugh… I can't make it. I just got a text from my mom, saying that we're going for dinner at my grandparent's tonight." She quickly texted back, declining the offer.

Before I could make a decision either way, my phone buzzed. Marron again.

Nvm. Dad just told me that Goku invited us over for dinner. Don't you just love short notice?!

I smiled, and my phone buzzed in my hand once more.

Hey hun. Chi Chi just called and said they're doing a dinner. I told her we can't make it, and Grandma and Grandpa aren't going, but you're welcome to! Can you give her a call to let her know either way? Just heading into a meeting now. Love you!

I turned to Pan to fill her in, but she was already rolling her eyes. "They are so unorganized. I bet Grandpa's only job today was to invite everyone over, and he left it til 4:30 p.m."

I smiled; it was part of Goku's charm. "Call your grandma and tell her we're coming! Do you want a ride? I just have to quickly stop at home first."

Pan nodded. "I'll never turn down a ride in the pouring rain!"

"You know… if you got a job, rather than training all day, you might actually be able to afford your own car," I reminded her.

"Yeah, right. Ain't gonna happen. And hey, isn't the lecture portion of my day supposed to be over?"

We both laughed, then headed outside, capsule in hand.

"I have nothing to wear!" I groaned.

Pan snorted. "Bulla… it's a family dinner. It's not like there's gonna be any hot guys there. Wear sweatpants if you want!"

I turned away quickly, hoping she wouldn't see the colour rise in my cheeks. "Have you ever seen me in sweatpants? They don't really do it for me." I grabbed a pair of dark jeans, a blank tank, and a plum coloured cardigan from my closet. "Do these match?" I asked, holding them up.

Pan looked at me, raising an eyebrow. "I don't know. It's jeans and a sweater. You know you look good in everything- I'm sure it will be fine for a casual family dinner."

I bit my lip and looked at the clock; we were supposed to be at Goku's place in an hour. I could already feel the butterflies looming in the pit of my stomach.

"Okay, whatever, you're right. I'll quickly get changed and then we can go." I threw the outfit on, touched up my lipgloss and mascara in the bathroom, then ran to the east wing of the house.

"Grandma! Grandpa! I'm going! Bye!"

"Bye, honey! Have a fun time," I heard my grandma call from somewhere down the hallway.

I found Pan, and together we hopped in the car and began the long drive to Goku and Chi Chi's.

"Okay everyone, make room!" Chi Chi instructed, placing a vat of rice in the middle of the table. "Boys! Let the ladies go first!"

Goku and his sons had begun reaching for the spoon before the pot had even been set down, earning all three of them a whack to the head.

I kept my head bowed, simultaneously trying to stare at and avoid eye contact with the person sitting across from me. (If you think that sounds impossible... you're right). But I seriously can't help myself. I've tried.

Sigh…

I should probably explain.

Long story short: I have a major crush on Goten. It ain't gonna work out.

Long story long:

It ain't gonna work out because:

Goten thinks of me as his second little niece (as he likes to remind me… often).

Goten does not realize I am 19. As a matter of a fact, he likes to emphasize how young Pan and I are, probably because it makes him feel like a hotshot. This started a few years ago and has gotten increasingly annoying with each passing year.

Goten could have any hot, 20-something woman he wants. He has no interest in a 19 year old nerd.

Goten says he doesn't like hanging out with me because I'm 'too smart' (even though he hangs out with Trunks constantly… just saying).

Goten is big into martial arts. I'm not.

My dad would have a heart attack and die.

Goten lives like an hour away in the middle of nowhere.

Goten has no serious job prospects, which my mom always stresses the importance of, even though she ended up with a guy who hasn't contributed a thing to society since before I was born.

And honestly, probably the biggest reason it won't work out, is, well…

"Hey babe, could you pass me the sauce?" Goten asked, as the stunningly gorgeous woman sitting next to him picked up a bowl and handed it over.

I took a deep breath. Okay, so his girlfriend wasn't exactly serious- they'd been doing the on-again, off-again thing for a few years. Still- she was a crazy hot, ridiculously sweet, super successful pharmaceutical rep who the entire family absolutely adored.

"Hey Bulla, Pan! How was school? You have class together on Fridays, right?"

I smiled. Leave it to her to be so thoughtful that she actually remembers little details about her boyfriend's family.

"It was shit," Pan said, earning herself a stern look from Gohan. "Sorry. It sucked. I am horrible at math."

"Yeah... she really is," I agreed, earning some chuckles from around the table. "It was good, though. It's one of those classes where the group work counts for a huge chunk of the grade, or else I probably wouldn't go. The professor is a total idiot."

"Of course you'd still go!" Pan exclaimed. "Who else would let me copy their notes!?"

Everyone giggled, but quickly quieted down when they noticed Gohan and Videl's expressions.

"I hope you know that you're only hurting yourself when you copy Bulla's assignments," Videl scolded. "Dad is happy to help you with your homework, but you never ask!"

"Okay, mom, I was just making a joke. Now's not the time for a lecture," Pam muttered, staring at her plate.

"Yeah, well, Gohan's a total nerd, so I don't blame Pam for wanting to focus on her training like the cool members of her family!" Goten piped in, which got everyone laughing again.

"Trunks is a total nerd," Gohan reminded him. "You still think he's cool."

"That's because Trunks doesn't act like a lame-o. Neither does Bulma. This one, on the other hand…" he gestured toward me, snickering. "Hey, Gohan, maybe the two of you should hang out more!"

I felt the heat rise in my face; first, because he'd called me lame, and second, because he insinuated something between me and his own brother, of all people.

I kept quiet, but Gohan just shook his head, unperturbed. "No, maybe you and Bulla should hang out more. Hopefully you'd learn a thing or two?"

I blushed even more at this, especially as people began to "Oooooooh"- including Goten's girlfriend, which actually sucked more than anything else. She obviously didn't see me as even the tiniest bit of a threat if she found the joke so hilarious.

"Nah, I get enough tween time babysitting my own niece," he joked, winking at Pan.

"Whatever makes you feel better," Pan replied. "Everyone knows that I'm the one babysitting you and Trunks whenever we train."

"Is that so?" Goten's girlfriend asked. "What exactly goes on at these little training sessions?"

"Absolutely nothing, my dear," Goten replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and kissing the top of her head.

"Is that right? So, you wouldn't mind me coming with you one of these days?"

"Not one bit! We're training tomorrow afternoon! You might want to bring a friend, though. You'll find that it's extremely boring to watch."

"Oh lord. For the millionth time, stop trying to play wingman! I'm not going to encourage any of my friends to date playboy-of-the-century Trunks Briefs!"

I couldn't help but smile at that. "How about I tag along?" I asked. "I promise I won't start dating Trunks." More laughter. "Anyone else want to join?"

"Sure, I'll come!" Exclaimed Goku, excitedly.

"That means my dad will probably want to go too, then," I said.

"I'm not able to keep up with you guys anymore, so I'll pass on this one," said Krillin.

"Yeah, and I'd probably try to date Trunks if I went," sighed Marron, smiling. Since they were kids, everyone had placed bets on which of the boys would end up with sweet little Marron, and she still joked about being in love with both of them whenever the subject was brought up. But she was as uninterested in fighting as I was, so I assumed a day spent in the mountains, watching a sparring session, was not exactly appealing.

"What about you, Gohan?" Goku asked hopefully.

He shook his head in reply. "I've got a big meeting on Monday morning. I can't make it." Goku nodded, clearly disappointed.

"Well, that settles it, then!" Goten exclaimed. "I can't wait!"

I pried my eyes open at the sound of Trunks' ringtone coming from down the hall.

What was Trunks doing upstairs, rather than in his own suite? Whatever. I didn't care enough to ask. I wrapped myself in my duvet like a cocoon, trying to drown out the noise. I had just about fallen back asleep when I was jolted awake by a knock on my door.

"What?!" I croaked.

The door flung open. "Bulla, what the hell?! You think you could have maybe told me about the plans you made last night?"

I shielded my eyes from the light that poured in through the door. "Huh? What plans?"

"About how our training session somehow turned into a family fun day?!"

"Who cares?" I asked, groggily. My voice was muffled by the duvet. "Dad and Goku are coming. So what?"

"You forgot about how you somehow turned it into a spectator sport!"

"What is your problem?!"

"You and Nadine are watching!"

"…And? Your point? Nadine invited herself. I said I'd tag along for company. She didn't want to bring one of her own friends, because she knew you'd show off and look like a total fucking idiot."

"You're literally the most annoying human being on this planet."

I couldn't believe how ridiculous he was acting. "Fine, fine. She said she didn't want to subject any of her friends to your man-whore tendencies. You can't blame her for that."

I heard the door slam, followed by some dramatic stomping that gradually diminished in volume until it finally disappeared.

I had just about fallen asleep- again- when my door was flung open a second time.

"CLOSE THE DO-"

"What did you say?!"

I snapped my mouth shut. That was not Trunks. Oops.

"Sorry, daddy."

"Bulla. Did Kakarot say he was training with the boys today?"

Shit. Oops again.

"Yeah…"

"Did you say that I would be joining them as well?"

I gulped. "Yeah…."

"Don't you think that might be the sort of information I'd like to know?!"

I sat up in bed. "You know what dad? You and your son can both drop whatever attitude you woke up with this morning. I'm not gonna just waltz in to your gravity chamber- or wherever you were by the time I got home last night- and fill you in on our dinner convo. If you'd stop being so anti-social for once and actually came with me, you would have known about it!"

I wasn't usually so bitchy, but I hadn't had my morning coffee yet. "And by the way, I didn't tell them you'd be going. I said you'd probably want to join once you heard Goku was going. But it's not my responsibility to fill you in on Goku's schedule. So cool your jets."

"Cool my… what?" my dad growled, in the most non-threatening way possible.

"Your jets. Relax. Calm down. Let's be real- it's not like you had a super hectic schedule today. I don't think we're leaving til noon anyway. I'll drive us over."

My dad scoffed. "We aren't driving. You can't reach our training area by vehicle. We'll be flying."

I made a face. "I haaaate flyng," I whined. "It messes up my hair, and I have to wear like fifty jackets just so I don't freeze to death. Can I take the plane?"

My dad gave me an extremely unimpressed look in response, which I couldn't help but smile at, and he walked out.

I decided to get up at that point, since it was now nearly ten o'clock, and I desperately needed all the time I could get to properly primp myself before the big outing.

I didn't bother changing out of the shorts and tank top I wore to bed- everyone in my family is an early riser, so nobody would be in the kitchen anyway- but I washed my face and brushed my teeth before leaving my room. I put my long hair into a messy bun on the top of my head- I would need to spend at least an hour making it perfect later that morning- and tucked my feet into some slippers before heading downstairs.

Once in the kitchen, I padded toward the giant fridge, opened it up, and began to dig through the bottom shelf to find some fruit. All of a sudden, and with no warning, I heard a voice that sent shivers down my spine exclaim, "Ay, caramba!"

I jumped about a hundred feet in the air, whipped around, and covered my braless chest with one hand while tugging my shorts down over my behind with the other.

"No! Get away from me, jailbait!" Goten joked, covering his eyes (but not his smile).

I couldn't choke anything out, other than, "what the hell are you doing here?!"

That just caused Goten to start laughing. "Don't worry, kid, I'm not looking. I'm just here to grab a snack. Outta my way!"

He uncovered his eyes and walked toward the fridge. He didn't seem the slightest bit flustered- and he certainly wasn't trying to peek at anything from the neck down.

I moved off to the side and crossed my arms while he did his thing. Was it wrong that I was slightly… disappointed? I gave my head a shake. Yes. It was wrong. Very, very wrong. He was acting like a gentleman... either that, or he truly did not care to see.

"You know, you shouldn't just waltz in here unannounced," I scolded.

"Really? I've waltzed into your house unnanounced practically every day that you've been alive, and you've never complained before. Besides, everyone else will be here soon. Dad's coming over in a bit, with Pan, I think. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone I saw your jammies."

I furrowed my brow. Jammies. Why did he insist on treating me like a little kid?

I tapped my foot on the ground impatiently, which earned me a raised eyebrow from Goten.

"Can I help you?"

"You're in my way."

"You've got a big fridge. We can share."

I held my breath. How on earth was I supposed to grab anythning while both of my hands were… otherwise occupied?

Goten looked back into the fridge, digging around, seemingly oblivious to my dilemma.

I was feeling extra confrontational- probably due to the three idiots I'd had to deal with already that morning- which also made me more confident than usual.

I let my arms dangle, tried to get rid of the redness in my cheeks, gathered up whatever courage I had before it disappeared, and walked back toward the fridge. I stood next to Goten, leaned over, looked straight ahead, and joined him in the search for breakfast.

In my periphery, I could see his head begin to tilt- ever so slightly- in my direction. I leaned over a little further.

I'd been playing this little game with Goten since I hit puberty; gather up my courage, attempt to show him that I wasn't a child anymore, see if he'd take the bait, and then...

Well, I don't know what would happen then. He'd never once taken the bait. Not even close, to be honest.

"What are you looking for?" He asked, still cool as a cucumber.

"Hmmmm. Not sure yet," I replied, trying to keep my voice as level as his.

My heart was beating a mile a minute. My stomach felt like it would erupt with butterflies any second; needless to say, my appetite had completely disappeared. My palms were hot. If it weren't for the cool air blowing on my face, I knew it would be red as a tomato.

As I leaned, I felt the front of my tank top fall, though it was still less revealing than some of my regular outfits were- nothing he hadn't seen before. Although, without the help of a bra, he might be able to see more than usual. I had no idea if he was actually looking- but if he wasn't yet, he was about to. "Excuse me," I murmured. "I just need to grab something from the bottom shelf."

For the first time ever, he didn't give me some stupid response- he just took a few steps back. I leaned forward just a little more, causing the hem of my shorts to ride up, up, up…

Suddenly, a cupboard door slammed behind us.

"Oh, my gosh! I'm so sorry!" Nadine chirped, holding the hand towel close to her. "I didn't mean to see you like this, Bulla! Don't worry, I'm not looking!"

I had jumped about a mile in the air at the sound of the cupboard door closing, only to see Goten's girlfriend, looking like a supermodel, standing in my kitchen.

"Trunks just asked me to grab a few extra towels because he accidentally dropped his coffee, but I had no idea you were in here! I really didn't mean to intrude!"

My hands had resumed their rightful place- covering myself up. "It's... it's okay," I stammered.

"Don't worry about it, babe," Goten reassured her. I glanced in his direction- he didn't seem the least bit startled by her sudden apperance. "I did the exact same thing when I came to grab us some grub. She should only be a second. I'm sure she's just grabbing some Cheerios!" He winked at me, smiling like always, not even attempting to sneak a peek.

I couldn't bring myself to smile at his really-not-funny joke. "You know what? Don't worry about it. You guys go ahead. I'm just going to hop in the shower, then I'll catch up with you in a bit." I turned around and walked upstairs- but unfortunately could still overhear their voices.

"Gosh, she must be so embarrassed," Nadine said. "I feel just awful. I wouldn't want anyone to see me right after I roll out of bed…."

"To be honest with you, hun," Goten said, in a tone I'd never heard before, "I wouldn't want anyone else to see you then, either. Because I think you look so incredibly-"

I sprinted up the rest of the stairs, two at a time, hoping my heavy footsteps would drown out the rest of their conversation. I had almost made it to my bedroom, when I was- you guessed it- interrupted for the fifth time that morning.

Can a girl get some privacy in her own house?!

"Hey, honey… could I talk to you for a sec?"

I shrugged. It was getting late, but whatever- no need to doll myself up now, not when Goten had already seen me looking so awful.

"Can we go into your room? It's kind of… well…"

I walked into my room and laid on my bed, looking up at my mom expectantly.

"Bulla, have you noticed- well, have you spoken to Trunks recently?"

I shrugged again. "He barged into my room this morning and had a total freakout, but I wouldn't exactly call that a conversation."

She furrowed her brow, looking concerned. "That's what I'm talking about. He's seemed so… on edge lately. He didn't eat a thing at dinner last night, and barely spoke to anyone. I'm worried he's having second thoughts about Capsule Corp."

I rolled my eyes. Trunks had been having second thoughts about Capsule Corp since the first time he'd had sex. He loved the playboy lifestyle too much to completely devote himself to such a huge company. He loved the money that came with it, but hated the hours.

"Well, obviously, mom. Duh. But that's nothing new. There's no reason why he should be acting like such a dickhead because of it, though. Especially because those dinner parties are one of his favorite perks of the job."

My mom leaned on my dresser, a pensive look in her eyes. "That's what I can't quite figure out. Then again, I did say that I'd offer him the co-CEO role when he turned thirty, which is coming up rather quicky-"

"WHAT?!" I screamed, jolting out of bed. "I didn't know about that!"

"Well, honey, you're not an employee. Of course you didn't know."

"But you're grooming me to be an employee. You're grooming me to be CEO!"

"And? This is business, not personal. Once you graduate, and begin working for Capsule Corp, I'll be having the same conversations with you."

"I can't believe this."

"Believe what? You thought I wouldn't promote Trunks until you were old enough to take over together? How on earth would that be a smart business decision? He and I will run the company together for a few years, until I feel he has a good enough handle on things. Then, once you show you're ready, I will probably let you take my place, and I will step down. Just like Grandpa did for me."

My head was spinning. How could I not have known about this?! Trunks didn't even take Capsule Corp seriously!

"Well, Trunks does turn 30 next month. I guess it makes sense that he'd be freaking out. I'm freaking out myself." I sat down and looked away, hurt.

"Bulla, don't act like a spoiled brat. If you don't think my decision is a smart one, then that proves to me that you aren't cut out to be making big decisions yet."

I had no response.

"Dad told me you guys were going out today. Is that right?"

I nodded.

"Can you try and talk to Trunks? You might get a better response than I could. I can't offer him the position if I don't know what's going on inside that brain of his."

"Yeah, sure, I'll talk to him. No idea when we'll get a minute alone together, though."

My mom smiled. "Well, you're flying, aren't you? That seems like as good a time as any!"

I smiled back. "Sure, sure. I'm sorry for freaking out, by the way. It's been… a weird day."

She laughed. "I knew something must have been up when I saw you out of bed by ten in the morning on a Saturday!

Waterproof makeup: check. (My eyes water when I fly.)

Ponytail, plus an entire can of hairspray: check.

Fleece lined leggings, boots, tank top, sweater, jacket, scarf: check.

I was ready to go.

I walked to Trunks' suite and let myself in. He was alone, chugging a glass of water.

"What's up?" I asked. "Where is everyone?"

"I think they're outside," he responded, tossing his glass in the sink. "I was just about to join them."

"Cool." I paused. "Hey, Trunks…"

"I'm sorry about earlier."

"Huh?"

"About how I freaked out. I overreacted. Sorry."

I narrowed my eyes. Something was fishy about this. "Why are you being nice?"

"I'm a nice person." He cracked a smile.

"You feel bad for me. Why do you feel bad for me? What happened?"

He smiled wider- a knowing smile.

"THEY TOLD YOU?!" I shrieked, which just caused Trunks to burst out laughing.

"Listen, I'd be embarrassed too. Standing up next to Nadine, looking like a homeless person? How humiliating."

I punched him in the shoulder. "You're an asshole. So is Goten."

"Goten isn't the asshole here. You were the one who basically tried to flash him- OW!"

I haven't been trained in martial arts, but apparently my dad was crazy strong when I was conceived, so that means I can be really strong when I feel like it…. or something. Pan tries to explain it to me sometimes. Basically, it means if I get angry enough, my punches can actually hurt Trunks. Score.

"What did they tell you?!" I demanded, a fire burning in my belly.

"Well, Nadine asked Goten what exactly was going on, and he said he was digging through the fridge, minding his own business, when you walked right up next to him and made yourself cozy. That's when he stepped back- because, you know, awkward- and you decided to grab something from the very bottom shelf, just as Nadine was walking in."

I was speechless. I could not believe how much Goten had twisted the story. But why?

"Are… are you okay?" asked Trunks, the smile disappearing from his face.

"I'm kind of humiliated, to be honest," I told him truthfully. I wanted to tell him what really happened- but that would only make me look even more pathetic, in his eyes.

Trunks put an arm around my shoulders. "Don't worry about it, sis. Who cares what Goten thinks? That guy's an idiot."

I half-smiled. "You don't believe him, do you?"

"Hell no! I know you're much too intelligent to ever have a thing for Goten. Besides, you could get respectable, smart kid your own age- why would you go for a loser like him?"

This actually made me feel better, in a funny kind of way- and I started to cheer up. "Thanks Trunks. You're right. But could you do me a favour?"

"Maybe. Depends what it is."

"Can we try and nip this ridiculous story in the bud before it gets out? The last thing anyone needs is dad getting the crazy idea that I like Goten."

Trunks laughed out loud. "No kidding! I don't want a dead man on our hands. You'd probably be dead, too, or at least locked up for the rest of your life. I'll make sure he doesn't find out."

My smile faltered slightly. "Thanks."

He nodded. "We should probably get going. Goku just got here with Pan."

One thing that would be cool, I decided, is learning how to detect power levels. Maybe I'd ask him to teach me some day. "Awesome. Let's go."

Flying is like riding a bike- you never really forget. I was able to keep up okay with the rest of them- even though I knew they were slowing down, for my sake. And possibly Goten's, too, since he was carrying Nadine.

Dad, as usual, flew alone at the front; Goten had Goku on one side, Trunks on the other; and I was at the back, next to Pan.

"What's wrong?" Pan asked.

Damn that girl. "Nothing's wrong."

"Yeah, let's not do this. I know something's up. You're not talking, and you love talking."

I chose my words carefully. Saiyans have gigantic ears. "There was… an awkward moment, this morning."

"Really? What happened?"

"I went downstairs in my pajamas, and was surprised to see Goten. And Nadine."

I looked at Pan; she had one eyebrow raised. "…So?"

Pan was gorgeous. Dark hair, dark eyes, porcelain skin. She never wore any makeup, and didn't need to. Her hair was thick, straight, and hung perfectly down her back. She woke up looking like a model. Of course she didn't understand my humiliation.

My bright hair is thinner than hers, and needs a lot of work to stay looking healthy and long (my mom, who I inherited my hair from, actually got a perm to try and minimize the amount of work required- then chopped it all off shortly after in frustration). I wear makeup to give my pale skin some colour, and my eyelashes match my hair, so obviously, eyeliner and mascara are necessities.

Having my hair tied in a knot on top of my head, having my bare face on display, and wearing clothes that I would never want to be caught in public wearing: not my best look. Actually, significantly worse than my best look.

"Well… I wasn't exactly decent, and Goten and I had a bit of an exchange… basically, he wanted to get a good laugh out of Nadine and Trunks, so he made up a story that made me look like an idiot."

Pan still didn't look at all sympathetic. "But who cares what they think? It's not like they're friends with our friends. The story isn't going to 'get out'. Just add it to the long list of reasons why they're the most immature pair of man-children in this universe. And as for Nadine…" she glanced in her direction. "Nadine is the nicest person in the world. I bet she didn't even laugh when Goten told the story. She probably got mad at him for even saying it."

I sighed. She was right. Nadine probably scolded Goten and told him to be nicer to his cute, adorable, little almost-niece with the blue hair and tiny boobs and fluffy slippers. (Okay, my boobs aren't tiny. But they sure has hell aren't as amazing as Nadine's D-cups. I've checked them out a few times).

Pan interpreted my sigh as the end of the conversation, and pulled forward to fly beside her grandpa.

Trunks floated back beside me, and checked in to see if I was alright. I assured him that I was.

"You know, the more you fly, the more you'll get used to it," he informed me for the billionth time.

I ignored his comment. "Hey Trunks… you know how you do the power level thing? Where you can sense where people are, how strong they are… do you think you could teach me that?"

Trunks looked at me in surprise. "Wow. I never thought I'd hear you say those words. Honestly, though… I don't think I could. I don't think anyone could. You don't even understand your own power level- how could you assess someone else's?"

I nodded. "I guess that makes sense."

I had a feeling he could sense my disappointment. "I know you learned to fly when you were really little… but do you remember what we taught you?"

I shook my head. "Not really… no."

"That's okay. When we fly, it's a result of us focusing our energy in a certain way. Energy and power… they're kind of the same thing. You being able to focus your energy shows me that you know how to harness your power, at least a little bit. You just need more practice, that's all."

"Practice… doing what?"

"Practice controlling your energy. Pushing yourself to the limit, and seeing what that feels like. Dialling it back, and seeing what that feels like. Once you understand your own, you'll be able to understand others."

"All that… just to be able to tell when Goku and Pan show up?"

Trunks laughed. "Well, pretty much. All we're doing is sensing their energy. To be honest, I don't really know how to do it, either. I just do it. Goten and I learned when we were so young- back when Majin Buu was still bad. Then again, we had already been fighting for so long… maybe it was easier for us to learn. I don't know."

This was the first time I'd had a conversation like this with my brother in ages. Even though we were discussing something as simple as power levels… I could see the passion in his eyes.

"Hey Trunks… I spoke to mom."

His expression froze.

"She told me… about your promotion. Next month."

At this, Trunks seemed to relax a bit. "Yeah… it's been in the works for a while. I'm really excited."

"Are you?"

Trunks looked at me. "Yeah… I am. I'm nervous, but not because I'm worried about screwing anything up. I've been training for this since… well, forever. Plus, I'll be mom's partner, so…"

"Still, it's a big job." I was determined to dig up whatever was bugging him.

"Yeah, it is. Not to sound cocky, but I don't think I'd do well working for a smaller corporation. I know I can do it, and I know I can make it better… somehow…" he trailed off. "All in good time."

I left it at that. He really didn't seem stressed; not to me, anyway. Maybe he was just really good at putting on a façade. I decided to work more on him later.

"It's just up ahead," he told me, pointing to a cleaning a few hundred feet to the right. "You're still good with landing?"

I nodded, and followed the group down to the ground.