DISCLAIMER: I do not own nor profit from Dragonball, or any works based on it. All characters associated with such are easily recognizable to those that care.(and are reading this, if you don't know what DBZ is move along before ya get hurt)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Basically this is only my third fan fiction. The first few being lemons that were only up briefly before I requested they were removed from various sites. I owe this one to my partner in crime Rob, who helped me develop the fine character here-in, and the rest of the pack who came by our place to have a bit of fun and give their input.


Dragonball:After Earth
By Blood Wraith


Prelude

Pan was in all honestly bored. She had promised her parents to pick him up, but it was still more trouble then she thought it would be. She had things to do, it wasn't like she was getting any younger. She was going on twenty-nine now and was attempting to make a career as a martial arts instructor. The demi-sayai-jin gave a slight chuckle and flexed her arm a bit, peace for almost seventeen years and she was still the strongest woman in the world. She had even passed 18 a few years ago. She was just preparing to leave when the reason she had been here came running out of Orange Star High School towards her car.

He would have stood out in most crowds. Not for his appearance so much as his expression. He was always smiling; nothing seemed to really bother him. Gohan said it was a trait that probably came from their grandfather. Goku was the same way. So it was with Pan's younger brother, Medon. Shortly after the incident when the Dragonballs had vanished along with Goku, her mother, Videl, had become pregnant again. The result was the sixteen-year old boy that was now charging down the stairs.

The young woman took a minute to size up her brother as he ran. All the main family traits were there. Black hair that seemed to have a mind of it's own, slender build, and the large innocent eyes. She smiled to herself as he stopped next to the car panting and looked up at her with those eyes. Despite it all, he had the look of his mother. If anything it made him look at bit more innocent. Lavender eyes, set into softer features with the Son family's trademark happiness. He had also been named by Videl in honor of some favorite uncle.(1) He had lucked out genetically.

He had caught his breath by this time and was managing to get out a few words.

"Pan, I'm so so so sorry. I was in the library and they were letting me check out books and I didn't know which one to take, so I just had to read parts of some so I knew."

It came out a bit to quick but she got the drift, where she had spent a lot of time with their grandfather and learned to fight, Medon had spent time with his father and learned to love to read and expand his mind. She had intended to yell at him for taking so long, it was the duty of a good older sister to make sure he was responsible after all, but it fled in the face of that smile. He was infectious.

"Ok, Ok, your forgiven. Just this once though. Dad wanted me to pick you up today, they had a lot to get done today. With the new paper Dad just published and all."

She saw her brothers face fall a bit at that, she knew why. He had been hoping that they had sent her to pick him up because it was his birthday, and they were setting up something. That was totally true, but Gohan had said to try to hide it, the last few parties that they had intended as surprises had fallen through due to something or another and he wanted this one to work out.

Medon tossed his book-bag into the back of the car and got in. He watched Pan out of the corner of his eye as they pulled out of the parking lot and started home. He was faking with the look. He knew they wouldn't have sent her to pick him up otherwise. His parents and him lived to far from the city for driving to really be worthwhile, even if Pan did live in it. If they really wanted to make sure he got home, he would have just ridden on Kintou.

They drove for about fifteen minutes before she stopped the car and turned to her brother. One eyebrow raising sharply, and her lips pursing up.

"Well? Your not going to mope the entire drive are you? Just ask and then we can get on with it."

He broke into a grin as soon as she said it, despite the look, which he usually got from his mother and was quickly followed with, "What is this under your bed" or some such thing in reference to a present or two from Uncle Goten.

"You mean they didn't forget?!"

She sighed and shook her head, he really could be such a....kid at times. Sixteen years old and his moods were closer to someone ten years younger.

"Of course not. Even with Dad's paper, you know your Mom's pride and joy. She'd sooner tell Dad to go train and forget the scholar bit then let you be unhappy for ten minutes."

He grinned and nodded, throwing his arms around his sister's neck and hugging her. Then sitting back he folded his hands in his lap and faced forward to let her finish driving, after all he'd have to look surprised whenever they got to where they were going.

Pan shook her head again, he got that reaction from her a lot, he had since he had started walking, but she loved him dearly all the same. Pulling back out into traffic she headed towards their destination, The Capsule Corporation.
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Bulma sat in the doorway to Capsule and looked out onto the interior lawn and couldn't help but smile. They had all been working on this for the last week, and seeing it come to conclusion was quite satisfying. The lawn area had been fixed up and made ready for the party. Tables were brought out and food prepared. Chi-Chi and Videl were even now working on the finishing touches on the cake. Both she and Chi-Chi were getting on in years, well into their sixties, and still the other woman had insisted she be allowed to do most of the work for the food for her grandson's party. Bulma knew why. After Goku had vanished with Shenron, they had an empty place in their hearts. Medon had helped to fill that void. Gohan's job kept him busy and away from home, especially after he started to write more and would go on lectures. So they all were there for Videl, whether it was babysitting Pan or simply picking her up something. It also gave Chi-Chi something to focus on. With both her sons grown and her husband gone, she had taken to Medon like he was her own, spoiling him rotten with a ferocity that only his mother had managed to equal.

The only one who hadn't taken immediately to the boy, was of course, her mate. That would have been too easy. Instead it had turned into a series of subtle tests and insults aimed at the child's linage to whomever would listen. Vegeta had eventually grown more comfortable with Medon as the years had passed however. She suspected he was afraid the boy would grow to be more powerful then him. Seeing as how strong Pan had become, and as the Prince so nicely put it, she was only female. Bulma also suspected part of him desired that as much as he hoped for it. As Medon had grown though he had shown none of the hidden power of his father or even the potential of his sister. Vegeta actually said he was probably barely stronger then Bra, who had never trained in her life. Bulma for one was happy with that outcome, it caused the proud prince to finally act like a person a bit. That and the fact Bra had taken to Medon when he was a baby and was the main one who got to baby-sit for him. She had her father wrapped around her little finger, and anything she liked he would at least be sociable towards.

She smiled again and ran a hand through her hair. Its' color had faded over the past years and was now a light lavender. She supposed it was better then going gray, as Chi-Chi had done. Of course on Chi-Chi it just seemed to make her appear all the more the matriarch of her family that she was.

Bulma started slightly as someone sat down besides her, then relaxed as she heard the voice of her son.

"Real nice job here Mom. Looks like everyone put a lot of hard work into this."

She patted him on the knee and looked over to him, still always a bit amazed, as she was when she looked at any of them. Trunks was in his early forties now, and you'd be hard pressed to tell it. He really hadn't changed at all, since he had been in his late twenties. The only real difference was his eyes, he had become more responsible with his duties as head of Capsule Corp. and was starting to look a bit tired. He was happy though, or so he usually seemed. She suspected he wished he wasn't still single but that was something he really didn't need to hear from her. So she instead stuck to the subject on hand.

"I think so. We even got your father to help by flying up and putting a few of the higher decorations up." She chuckled as she remembered the attempt at that.

"Of course it took a whole prepared bit on how some of us were only fragile human females and we needed our valiant prince to do this for us."

Trunks tried to imagine that and laughed. Vegeta probably didn't believe a word of it but no matter what anyone said or how he acted, he did still love Bulma, and would let her get away with little things like that, because she tended to spare his pride.

"Well miracles will never cease. So how many more do we have coming?"

"Hmmm, well I know Goten and Marron are coming, though I don't think they're bringing their little girl. Kuririn and 18 said they'll try to make it. After a few hundred years, Muten Roshi is finally slowing down and they want to make sure he's ok before they leave. Satan is already inside, I think he's taking a nap, at his age, hell at our age, we need them. Otherwise everyone is all here, Videl and Chi-Chi are inside. Your father wandered off but should be back when he smells food, and Bra and Gohan are finishing up the few decorations. We think Pan should be here with Medon within the next few minutes."

Trunks gave a nod, leaning over and kissing his mother on the cheek before standing and going to find his sister and Gohan to give them a hand. He looked back over his shoulder as he walked though to look at his mother one last time. He tried to spend as much time with her as he could now. He regretted he hadn't been with her more when he was younger. In the last few years it had begun to dawn on him, while his father hadn't changed much, his mother was getting older. He didn't know how much longer he'd have with her, and wanted her to find the remaining time special. The demi-sayai-jin gave a frown and pushed the unpleasant thoughts from his head. She was happy now he knew that, it was in her eyes, but part of him still wished things could go back to right after Buu, when things all seemed perfect.

Now was not a bad time though, it was simply time to move on. Though he'd have to get back into dating. He saw the way Chi-Chi dotted on her grandchildren, and hoped he'd be able to see Bulma doing the same someday.
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Dende yawned and looked out over the Earth. Things had been quiet for so long he almost didn't know why he came out everyday and stood, looking out over the Earth. It still felt right though, he was God, it was his duty. Peace had dulled his senses though, so it was that the first portal opened without anyone upon the blue planets knowledge.

In a desolate wasteland upon the Northern Continent, the ground shuddered and gave a groan before it split open. Energy waves pulsed forth, followed by a dark blue flames that licked at the ground. Within the rift, something stirred.


1.)The names in the Satan family all refer back to the underworld. Satan is obvious, Videl can be flipped into Devil, and Medon can be flipped into Demon.