RIP
Krillen
………
RIP
18
… … …
RIP
Marron
… … …
I hate you.
Why?
Why do you think?
It's your fault, not mine.
No. Not my fault.
Your fault, your fault, your fault! It's all your fault! They're dead and it's because of you! It wouldn't have happened if you didn't totally demolish their house! That's what everyone's thinking- your grandfather, your grandmother, your parents, your uncle, Bra, Trunks, everyone! Thanks a lot, Pan! You should just die!
Shut up!
"Just shut up!" Pan yelled in frustration, clamping her hands over her ears and squeezing her eyes shut. "Shut the fuck up and leave me alone!"
Mrs. Simmons, who was standing by the white board explaining calculus, looked at her with an expression of puzzlement. "Excuse me?"
Blair, one of Pan's classmates, tapped her shoulder gently. She jumped at the contact, but almost immediately calmed and lowered her hands. "Sorry," she apologized quietly.
"Do you need to see a counselor, dear?" Mrs. Simmons asked.
"No. I'm fine. Sorry," she repeated.
"Well, ok." And with that, she continued with the lesson.
I'm sorry, Pan. You shouldn't die; I'd miss you too much. Forgive me?
No, never.
Well, you'll come around, you always do. Later.
The Krillen-family (I don't know what their last name is) funeral was everything that could contrast the mood. The sun was shining, the blue sky showed off no clouds, and there was a small breeze. Flowers danced in their pots on porches and hanging from rails.
Everyone had showed. They all stood huddled around the coffins- two tall, one short- and the pits they were to be put in. The caskets were in a V formation: 18's and Krillen's on the sides, Marron in the middle. But it looked a little odd because Krillen's was the smallest.
No one cried. Tears ran down nearly everyone's cheeks, but no one really cried. Out of everyone, Trunks and Goku seemed to take it the hardest (Trunks was dating Marron at the time of her death).
Even now, though it had been a couple of days, no one really knew of the circumstances covering their dying. Pan had gone to their house to spend over-night, and everyone slept soundly. The next morning, the house had collapsed and everyone except Pan had died. According to the doctors, she wasn't even hurt. A perfect six-foot square surrounding where she had been sleeping remained untouched. When questioned, she never answer directly, always, "Does it matter anymore?? They're dead! That's all there is to it!"
Bra buried her face into her brother's side whimpered quietly. Marron had been one of her best friends, and now, just like that, she was gone. Forever. The house-collapse was considered a natural cause of death, so they couldn't be wished back…
Trunks absentmindedly stroked his sister's hair, sighing to himself. His mother behind him sniffed occasionally. His father chose not to come.
For no apparent reason, his gaze turned to the other people who'd shown up: the Son family, Yamcha, Tien, Lunch, and Chaozu, Master Roshi, etc. Everyone looked gloomy, or at least solemn. No one spoke except the preacher.
Everyone was still silent as they piled into their cars when everything was said and done.
Later on that night, Gohan was tossing and turning in bed. Not because of the funeral, but more rather the sound that was coming from down the hall, in Pan's room.
Finally, Videl complained, "Gohan, I can't sleep with you repositioning yourself every minute! It's two in the morning!"
"Sorry. I just hate it when she plays that music so loud when she's supposed to be sleeping."
"You don't like Charlotte Church?"
"Not really. Is that who she's playing? Her voice hurts my ears."
Videl gave a snort. "Better than Blink 182."
"She listens to Blink 182?!"
"Well, yeah."
He looked disgusted, and got out of bed. "Well, I'm gonna ask her to at least turn it down a little."
He strolled down the hall, opened her door slowly so it wouldn't creak as loud, and peeked in. "Pan-chan?"
Still awake, she sat up in her bed and switched on the bed stand lamp. "Yes, toussan?"
"It's two in the morning. Mind turning the music down a bit?"
Pan suddenly looked worried. "I… I can't."
"Why not?"
"If I turn it down, or turn it off, he'll come," she replied, lower lip quivering.
Gohan sighed, walked over and sat on the side of the bed. "Who'll come?" he asked, a hint of annoyance in his tone.
"He calls himself Matt. But he changes his name a lot- sometimes Jason, sometimes Rob, once it was Nick," she explained. "And I'm the only one who can see him, no one else can. Please, Dad, don't let him come."
He sighed again. "Pan. I can't sleep with it and anyway you're getting too old to be afraid of imaginary enemies or whatever. Now get some sleep." He turned off the music.
Her face looked miserable, and her hands started shaking with nervousness. "Can you at least stay with me until I go to sleep?" she asked.
Figuring his daughter would fall asleep quickly considering the hour, he agreed, pulled up a chair, and sat by the bed.
Every curve and feature of his body was shown nicely in the lamp's light. He wore nothing- he never had clothes on at night. His hair was pure white, but it didn't make him look old at all, and his eyes shone a brilliant purple-gold color. In short, he was very handsome. Heck, he was beautiful, but he didn't deserve it.
The second the singing was off, he appeared, leaning against the back wall, watching the two.
Pan. How nice to see you tonight.
You wouldn't! Not in front of my dad! … Would you?
I'll just let him hear you, ok? Not see. Heh. He might become concerned for you. Might think you're crazy. I dunno, it might be interesting.
Please no… Matt!
Pan opened her eyes, which were now welled up in tears. "Daddy," she whimpered ever so quietly.
"Yes, dear?"
"He's here."
Suddenly, she threw her head back and cried out… in pain? Her upper body arched upwards at a painful position but her hands remained at the mattress, as if held down. Slowly, her legs spread and went stiff. Her breath had quickened to quick, short gasps and all the while she was yelling things like "Daddy!! Make him stop!!" or, "Ohh!! Oh my God!!" All the words were choked out under sobs and tears flowed from her closed eyes. Her entire body was shivering and her skin went white.
Gohan, meanwhile, was panicking like hell and didn't know what to do. He wasn't sure if she was having a seizure, or what, and even if it was a seizure he didn't know what to do. All he could do was watch, terrified, and shout her name over and over. Once, he tried to grab her arm, but only to yank it back, because her skin was burning hot.
Another time, she started powering up for a Kamehameha to supposedly try and attack her attacker, and, not wanting to be hurt himself, he cried, "Pan! Don't! You'll destroy the house!" Hearing this, she stopped immediately.
Even as the syllables left his mouth, he realized what happened at Krillen's. He stopped yelling and stared at his daughter, who was apparently being raped by an invisible… thing. His mind was clouded with anger and denial that Pan could do such a thing. He continued watching her, dumbstruck.
In mid yelp, she stopped, eyes wide, staring at the ceiling. A small choking emerged from her throat and she slowly- so slowly- lowered back down into a lying position. Her legs relaxed somewhat.
"Are…. Are you alright, Pan?" Gohan asked.
Her eyes glazed over at him. A sneer that wasn't hers crept over her lips and her eyes narrowed. Her look reminded him very much of Vegeta. After a few moments, she turned over onto her side so that her back was facing her father and evidently fell asleep.
Gohan tried to shake her awake. Her shoulder was so cold he had to check her pulse to assure himself that she wasn't dead. Her face, despite its previous expression, was full of hurt. "Pan…"
Pan's body wracked with exhaustion but mostly pain, especially where he'd ripped and bit her, causing blood to flow. Watching her father leave the room, she finally conjured up enough courage to communicate with the boy who now appeared to be wiping himself off with a handkerchief.
What does he see?
You have your clothes on and all that, and right now you're asleep.
So he didn't see anything? Thank Kami…
He didn't see what I was doing to you, but he saw your body's reaction to it and what you were yelling the entire time, if that's what you mean. Must've looked disturbing. I'll show you later, but right now I have a girl in South Korea whom I must now grace with my presence. Bye.
After that, he disappeared, along with Pan's wounds, though the pain was still there and was not at all dampened. Her pj's were on in an instant.
She leaned over to her boom box and managed to quietly turn on her Charlotte Church CD, to the "Panis Angelicus" track (her favorite). She put it on close-to-minimum volume. She then cried herself to sleep.
"Sorry that took awhile," Gohan apologized, climbing into bed beside his wife. "Man, can she yell…"
"She yelled?" Videl rolled over and looked at her husband. "I didn't hear anything."
"You didn't?? Both of us were yelling, how could you not?"
She rose an eyebrow. "You yelled at her to turn down the music?"
"… What? Oh. No, it was something… else. I'll tell you in the morning, I guess… You're sure you didn't hear a thing?"
"Positive. I was listening to the crickets outside. There wasn't a sound that came from her room, and you know how well it carries in this house. Now, goodnight, Gohan." She kissed his cheek and went to sleep.
"Goodnight, Videl," he murmured in reply. But his eyes were directed at the door, which was still open to the hall.
Something was very wrong with his daughter.