Pan sat on the floor of the gravity room, her legs crossed, back straight, and mind focused. Her breathing was slow, methodical, paced. She pulled her focus inward, away from the insanity of reality, trying to find that elusive peace inside her.
In order to train the body, you must train the mind. She remembered it as the first lesson her grandfather had ever taught her and, years later, it still rang true. She focused on her breathing and relaxed each muscle as she did so, finding that elusive center deep within.
Years of practiced meditation and mental training had changed from the impulsive and rash girl she'd been. Having been taken under Vegeta's wing. And despite his gruff exterior he was a thoughtful and patient man for his pupils and children. A large of his training had been in trust and relaxation. It was impossible to fight well while tense, so relaxation and focus had always been a key element to Vegeta's training regime. Pan's training in meditation had allowed her to relax at a mere touch from her Sensei, something he'd insisted on to prepare her for real fights. She remembered fondly how Vegeta had used to test her at random times to make sure she was doing the work. He would go up behind her at random times and touch her shoulders when she least expected it.
As she meditated, she heard her Sensei enter and begin to make alterations to gravity settings. After a moment, he turned and scowled at her. She peeked open an eye, having felt his glare many times in her life, and looked at him. His expression was grim and angry, a rare combo for Vegeta. It was as if he were saying, "You're just going to sit there?"
She scoffed. "There's nothing I can do, Sensei. Trunks is a grown man, who knows what he's doing—or thinks he does. It's not my place...it never was." She trailed off, her face downcast in sorrow. Vegeta scoffed at her and walked up. He hauled her body up his eyes level by her collared training uniform.
"Brat, what is wrong with you?" he yelled at her surprised face. Vegeta never got physical to prove a point. He pushed and hit and sometimes even gave her an encouraging pat on the shoulder, but he never got physical in anger with her. To have her Sensei handle her in such a way was very shocking. She was strong, but she was still an underling in Saiyjin hierarchy, which was how she'd chosen to live her life.
"W-what do you mean?" she stuttered. Vegeta was glad to see he was making an impression on the girl. The shock had been enough to draw her full attention to him. Maybe, he thought, it would help to sink in his message.
"What do you think, Onna?" he snarled. "There is a reason I called you this morning. That slut does not deserve to spawn the blood of Vegeta-sei. I will not have my precious blood stained by her weak ki." Pan's eyes widened, inkling of what he was getting at trickling in.
"Then why did you call me?" she whispered.
He dropped her in disdain to the floor and turned from her to stalk to the control panel. He braced his arms on it and turned with a severe look on his face. "There is only one onna worthy of carrying our blood. One that understands and respects our ways and will show honor for the privilege of bearing his son."
As the meaning sank in, Pan felt the blood drain from her face. Her hands began to shake, disbelief and shock racing through her. "But...I'm only a third class warrior," she protested weakly. "I'm not worthy of mixing with a royal blood line!" she continued, her voice rising as her anger did. "And, besides, you can't just choose who your son will mate with! It's not like that! The blood chooses and mine is too weak to even transform! How could you?" she protested loudly, as she got to her feet. The anger and betrayal made her reckless and stupid as she stalked up him, her face just inches from his. "You are my Sensei, and I will respect you. And I have pledged my life to our continuing the Saiyjin traditions, to obey you as my Sensei and a royal bloodline, but this is one order I won't take!" She turned and headed for the door quickly. As she reached the entrance, she heard her Sensei's voice echoing through the chamber.
"I know how you feel, Pan. An utter disgrace. Unable to obtain that which was my birthright as the Prince of all Saiyjins." He turned from the console and looked at her, his eyes fierce and unrelenting. "But it is not the same with you, Onna. It isn't a question of whether or not you are strong enough. It is merely a question of when it happens. You can save Trunks and your pride," he said barely loud enough for her to hear. "It will happen as I've said it will. You and my son will mate. Because his blood and yours call to one another. He feels it too."
She turned away, her face red, heated from embarrassment and anger at the implications of his words. "Shut up!" she ran away then, trying to escape his words. The GR door slammed behind her, the sound reverberating through the room.
Vegeta let her go. The shock alone would have shaken her to the core and anything further would have just been adding insult to injury. He hadn't planned on divulging what he knew, but it seemed that this was the only way that his son would end up with his true mate.
Vegeta turned to the console and stared at it, his thoughts a jumbled mess. He knew that he felt something odd when they were together. Trunks and Pan's ki nearly crackled whenever they were in the same room together. They were like two magnets pulling at one another, yet resisting it with all their might.
He thought back to his woman's words. They would find each other eventually, but Vegeta wasn't so sure it would be before others got hurt in the process.
No, it wasn't possible! He was wrong! There was no way that he could be right!
Pan crumbled to the floor, not really knowing where she was inside Capsule Corp, but her heart's screaming voice was all she could hear. Her ears roared with blood coursing through them. Her palms were wet with sweat and panic, unable to even reconcile what Vegeta said. It felt like a betrayal and an insult.
There was no way that Trunks could want her. Sure, she'd had a crush on him since she'd turned sixteen, but that didn't matter! It wasn't right. They were twelve years apart, separated by much more than just an age gape. There was the blood, her level in the hierarchy. And he was still in love with Marron. Vegeta obviously didn't understand what the situation was if he thought Trunks felt anything for her.
Even as Pan listed all the reasons that made the union impossible, she couldn't help but feel a small flicker of hope resting inside her. The bloom of emotions, ones she'd buried years ago, spranh up again.
What if Vegeta was right? He usually had a nose for this kind of thing. He'd sensed Bra and Goten's mating three months before it even happened. According to him, there was a distinct difference in the way that the two people's ki interacted from others. Heck, Vegeta had even told her that when particularly angry or carrying one of his children, Bulma and his energy tended to act the same way, confirming that they were destined for each other.
And what about her father? Pan shuddered as she thought of that. There was a reason that she never dated, aside from her focus on ascending. The rules of her house were simple. If you can beat me, then you can date my daughter. Needless to say, there hadn't been anyone since that rule came into play.
But Trunks is stronger than Gohan. A little voice in her head said. Pan shook it to knock away the voice.
Yeah, till he became Mr. Trophy Husband, she thought with disdain. And even if he somehow managed to beat Dad, he'd probably just institute another stupid rule that kept her from dating, like "If you can beat Goku, you can date my daughter." Who did that leave, anyway? Goku himself? Maybe Vegeta? Pan banged her head into the wall. "I don't wanna have to date Sensei!" She exclaimed in a distressed voice.
A chuckled resounded through the room. "Well, you don't have to, Pan."
The girl in questioned darted a glance to a very pregnant Bulma who was wedged under the console of a broken com. Her face poked out long enough to smirk at her. "Besides, I don't share, sweetie. Sorry." Bulma laughed at the look on Pan's face and pulled herself from the floor. With a laugh, Bulma wiped her hands. "So, what's wrong, Pan? And why would you have to date Vegeta?" she asked with a huge grin.
Pan shook her head. "I was just thinking that Dad might make people defeat Grandpa to date me, if they ever got past him."
Bulma smiled. "So, you thought of Vegeta," she concluded. "He might be able to beat Goku. They're pretty evenly matched nowadays. But I don't think your Dad would do that. He just wants you to be happy with someone who deserves you. Someone who can look after you," she explained as she sat heavily next to her.
Pan sighed. Bulma was always so beautiful, no matter how many worries or years she carried. Her long blue hair and her soft blue eyes. Pan loved Bulma so much. Along with the rest of the Briefs family. Bulma was so at home in the clutter of the lab, inventions littered the floor and grease painting her angelic face. Her dirty overalls were torn and tattered, but comfortable and soft from use. Her swollen abdomen was a testament to the love she felt for her mate.
"Pan." Bulma scooted closer awkwardly due to her girth and put an arm around the girl.
"It's nothing. Just worrying over everything. Trunks, ascending, all the usual," she conceded. Bulma nodded and put a smile of encouragement.
"Well, I have good news," Bulma said excitedly. Pan's head came up at the news.
"Really?" Her hope flared to life.
Bulma had been working on a way to strengthening Pan's blood, so she would be able to transform. It had been in progress for almost a year. However, all their attempts had failed so far. "From what I can tell from your latest samples, you lack some of the key markers for production of ki and there's also another gene I want to check. If I can find that one, I can use a modified version of gene therapy on you, using Vegeta as a template. That should allow you to ascend," Bulma said as she led her to the corner of the lab that had been designated for medical use.
Pan plopped onto the table, knowing the next part by heart. She forced the anxiety behind a smile, trying to cover how much she hated the process. The hole in her heart flared horribly inside her as it always did in this part of the lab.
Pan didn't register the needle going in. But she did feel herself weakening from the enormous amount of blood that was needed for testing. She hated this. The lack of dignity in it. If her blood had been as strong as it should have been, none of this would have been necessary. It felt like a slap to the face.
As Bulma worked, she seemed to be distracted, her gaze faraway as she filled the blood bag. For several minutes, she was silent, which was nigh unheard of for the exuberant woman. After several attempts by Pan to strike up a conversation, Bulma's eyes seemed to clear. "Okay, he's coming."
Before Pan had time to ask what she was referring to, Vegeta came down the stairs. "What is it, Onna?" he asked gruffly.
Pan tried not to shrink in her chair, eyes watching Vegeta closely, trying to gauge his mood. To face Vegeta after an argument was never a good thing. But if Bulma noticed, she said nothing. Vegeta's eyes softened slightly as he looked onto his mate and her pregnant state. He walked over, a silent conversation going on between them through their connection. He put a hand on her stomach and Pan saw something very rare.
Vegeta smiled. Really smiled.
A moment passed and Bulma patted his large hand and led him over to the adjoining chair. The IV went in smoothly. "Bulma, what's going on?" she asked, laying her head back on the pillow behind her.
"I'm taking blood from Vegeta to compare to yours. This will help me to determine what needs to be done to strengthen it. Any missing markers or genes you might be missing. If I can isolate that one gene, I may be able to alter yours," she said softly. She handed a squeezy ball in the shape of a penguin to Vegeta. He raised his black brow in question, only succeeding in making Bulma laugh. When Pan broke a smile, Bulma wiggled her eyebrows. "If you like that, you should see his pink 'Bad-Man' shirt." This visual made Pan burst out laughing.
"I burned that horrible shirt." Vegeta responded to the teasing. Bulma just chuckled and went to take the IV out of Pan's arm. Bulma pulled out another syringe and injected Pan with it. At Pan's questioning gaze, Bulma explained. "It's a slight steroid that will help your blood to restore to normal faster. I remembered that you were complaining about how long it took you get back to normal, so I whipped this up." Pan smiled at her second mother in thanks.
As Bulma cleaned the blood away, Pan felt the energy signature of the unborn child. "How's Veggie Jr.?" she asked.
Bulma smiled. "He's kicking more than any of the others. He kicked Vegeta out of bed last night. I think he's jealous." As if to prove he wasn't, the baby kicked hard. Bulma grasped her stomach, bending slightly. Vegeta about pulled his IV out to get over to her. He placed his hand on her stomach. An instant passed and it began to glow softly with ki. The energy flowed into her, Bulma looked better. She let out a breath she'd been holding, her skin returning to its normal healthy glow.
"You shouldn't over-exert yourself, Onna. You're too far along to be on your feet so much." he ordered.
Bulma's head shot up. "Excuse me? If I remember correctly, I'm the one carrying this child, not you. I'll decide what's too much. What's the point of even having children if I can't take care of all of them?" she said gesturing to Pan.
"Is Pan's transformation more important than the safety of our child?" he asked, his eyes deathly serious as they regarded his wife. Bulma's face turned a deadly shade of red, and she looked like she wanted to strangle him.
Pan took her chance to leave. Their arguments were always loud. She heard them go back and forth for several minutes as she crept away, till she heard a low murmur, followed by the sound of kissing. She made a sound mixed between amusement and disgust.
Pan stumbled up the stairs and barely made it to the couch before collapsing onto it. She was exhausted and wobbly. The grunt she felt from under her made her raise herself up, looking inquisitively at the person. She could have sworn that everyone was gone. Trunks had left to take Marron home, Bulma and Vegeta were probably doing things that were NSFW, and Bra had left earlier that morning to take out her rage on her poor boyfriend. Which probably involved many things Pan didn't want to think about Bra doing with Goten.
Pan felt dread creep into her as she realized who she'd landed on. As she looked at Trunks, she noted that his button up shirt was undone, exposing his perfect abs, his hair skewed from its messy ponytail and tie missing. With sheer force of will, she pulled her eyes back to his eyes, which were regarding her with mild annoyance in his sleepy eyes. She tried to form words, but they died as she realized just how she was sitting on the Prince of Saiyjins.
Pan froze, as a heated blush crawled up her cheeks, feeling the perfect indentions of defined abs underneath her. It certainly wasn't helping the color in her face. She had to admit, even if it was guiltily and secretly done so, that he looked good enough to eat. His blue eyes were lazy with light annoyance, the afternoon shining on his lavender hair and turning it almost as gold as being Super Saiyjin. His skin was tinted with sunlight, his deep blue eyes catching the rays of the sunset. The lingering vestiges of sleep made his gaze lazy, obviously unconcerned with moving her. He'd obviously been napping before she landed on him. That explained why he looked so deliciously messy. Pan gulped, blushing harder as her stomach clenched deliciously.
Damn, she was usually so good at hiding it.
Well, that was also coupled with the fact that she purposefully stayed away from him most of the time. His presence tended to make her go a little lightheaded at time. However, even when she was in close proximity to him, it was never this bad. She felt her entire body flush with awareness of the man underneath her. Who didn't look keen on moving himself or her.
The body underneath her let out a sigh as they stared at one another. Pan could feel the energy crackling between them as it often did. She usually figured that it was due to unresolved anger between them, regarding Marron. However, this felt different. It wasn't the same background static she was used to. She'd become almost accustomed that. This was –
"Hey, Pan."
– feral. Pan felt what little blood she had left rush to her face. God, she'd never heard his voice so deep and husky. Pan realized with a rush that heat was gathering in her body. Or, more specifically, between her legs. And Trunks was probably waiting for her to say something. Or at least get off of him.
"Just gave blood, huh?" Trunks regarded her with those beautiful blue eyes, taking note of the pale skin and her unfocused eyes. Still completely content to let her sit on him.
She nodded weakly, eyes darting away from the man under her. "Is Bra back yet? It's almost five o'clock." Trunks chuckled, the vibrations going up into Pan, who shifted at the sensation.
"No. Still pounding Goten into whatever surface she can find. Your guess is as good as mine as to what context she's doing it in." Trunks looked immensely uncomfortable at this observation.
Pan didn't pay any mind at his attempted humor. She had a bigger problem. Now she would have to transport herself home. There was no way she could spend enough time around Trunks for him to take her home. Not with how she was reacting to him. And there was no way in the world she was going to try to talk to Bulma or Vegeta. Not for another five hours or so.
She would have to find her own way home. Or stay at CC, which wouldn't been that bad. She was used to staying there for days on end. But, at the moment, she just really wanted her own bed, her dad's cooking and her mom's presence. She sighed, annoyed. She didn't think she had the energy or focus needed to use the Instant Transmision.
"Jeez, how much blood did you give?" Trunks said. His large hand raised, resting on her cheek. Pan noticed it in a distant kind of way. It was pleasant to feel his hand on her face, so it wasn't bad, right?
Pan shrugged, having not realized that she nearly leaned over onto the still reclining Trunks. "Three or four pints." She guessed, with a light shrug. Pan felt her light-headedness return full force as she spoke. This day just kept getting worse and worse.
Trunks shook his head and went to pull her up. As soon as they touched, Pan stiffened as the familiar bouts of electricity surged between them. She tried to get her limbs to cooperate, but her body just wasn't responding. Pan gasped as she was lifted into the air. "Put me down, Trunks. I can get home on my own. I don't need your help. I can just use the Instant Transmission." She tried, but failed to sound threatening. Her body wasn't listening to her, her head was spinning and she could feel more energy draining from her with every struggle.
God, how much blood did Bulma take?
It didn't help that she could feel every single inch of her prince's body pressed into her. She was shocked to notice that he was muscled and strong beside her. Hadn't he stopped training? He should be about the size of her dad now. Instead, his physique seemed to be more like his father's. That didn't make sense at all. And it only served to make her more angry and flustered. Her body seemed to softened against him, welcoming his body against her.
Just peachy, she thought.
"And end up in the middle of a tree when you miss? Don't think so. Just let me take you home." he ordered tersely. He didn't wait for an answer but turned still holding her to the front door. He took her outside and put her in his car, his face set in that scowl that reminded her so much of his father.
Pan hated being this weak. And in front of Trunks of all people. Wasn't she telling him just this morning that he was being a weakling? This was definitely karma coming to bite her in the ass.
"You're not talking," came Trunks' voice from the driver's side. "So, that means either you're zoned out from giving blood or you're so pissed at me that you've nothing to say," he said, glancing at her, a sliver of pain visible on his handsome face.
Pan shook her head. "Nah, the first one. It's not my business how you throw your life away, or with who. Though Vegeta-sensei thinks it is," she shrugged again, her hand falling dejectedly from the window and her breath whizzing through her lips. He gave a half-smile at her loopy attitude, ignoring her barb.
"Man, you haven't been this messed up since Bulma gave you those elephant tranqs when your were sixteen. You really beat the shit outta me that time," he said fondly, remembering the fight that ensued beforehand, how Pan seemed to drawn to him in some kind of tantrum. Trunks still didn't know the story behind it, but had chalked it up the cycle of the moon, as it seemed to have a significant effect on Saiyjins, aside from making them turn into giant apes.
"Yep, my first heat," she said her gaze fixed on the passing scenery. Trunks started in shock, the car veering dangerously before righting.
"What the fuck?! Heat?!" He asked, dumb-founded.
Pan nodded and was fascinated by the way her hair fell over her forehead, her mind slowly getting fuzzier as time went by. "I asked them to tell you that it was full moon or something. Which in essence, it was. I didn't want you to see me as a girly girl just cause I was growing up and going through that." She glanced at him, thinking how pretty he looked with the sun shining off him like that. Like an angel. "And I didn't want you to think that the reason I was all over you was because of that." As soon she said those words, her face heated again and she suddenly found her long hair unbelievably fascinating as it fell over her shoulder.
Trunks stared at her, almost wrecking the car again before he managed to pull his eyes from her. It was true that when Pan had been out of her mind, she'd been glued to him, but he'd figured that it was due to her delirium-induced fear. Seeking out a familiar presence and who would be more familiar than her best friend? Apparently not.
This new information stunned Trunks thoroughly. He remembered that night. It had been two years since he'd started refusing his Saiyjin blood for the sake of Marron. Pan had been ill-tempered all day, snapping at everyone. Vegeta had been acting strangely, keeping a closer eyes on Pan, as if he'd sensed something coming. Bulma had been forced to take Bra and herself to Goku's house for the day, something he still didn't understand. It had only been Vegeta and Trunks at CC that whole day. And the instant the moon had crested into the sky, Pan's faculties deserted her.
Trunks remember feeling something in the air, a scent he almost recognized, but he'd put it up to the effects of the moon. But the entire night, Pan had been after him, following him and alternating between attacking him and a keening cry that sounded like wounded animal in need of help.
Trunks could have kicked himself. It wasn't a cry for help! It had been a mating call! And he hadn't even acknowledged it! He'd already been denying his Saiyjin blood's existence for two years by then, only resurfacing long enough to help his best friend that one night as she struggled.
And he hadn't even heard it. It was customary for their kind of hear mating calls, even if they weren't accepted. The receiving party would instinctively hear it, then answer yes or no, depending on the offer. It was so ingrained, that children who couldn't even consider mating would hear the song, the pulse in the air. Kami, he'd heard his father's when he was nine, after he had returned from his death at Buu's hand. When his father had finally claimed his mother. He'd also heard Goten's when he'd chosen Bra the year before he'd started denying himself. There was never a time when his ears hadn't been able to pick it up.
Anger laced through him at this realization. Had he really been so far gone that he couldn't hear his race's ancient song? Something that even Pan, with her quarter Saiyjin blood, was able to? What had happened to him?
Trunks was torn from this epiphany as Pan groaned loudly, her body jerking violently in the seat, the seat belt coming straight out of the car's frame.
"Pan, what's wrong?" he asked, frantically, his heart clenching with fear.
"I don't know." she whispered, her eyes scared and helpless as she stared at him. As if on cue her body was wracked with spasms and her body contorted in pain. Her form seemed to implode in on itself, bending over in the seat. The seizures wracked her small frame with intensity that sent her nearly into the floorboard and a gut-wrenching scream erupted from her throat. What was wrong with her? Pan felt panic rush through her like nothing she'd ever experienced. This wasn't natural. Another seizure whipped through her, and Pan felt her consciousness slipping further from her.
It all happened so fast. One moment she was in the car, seizing on Trunks' expensive upholstery, the next he was running her into the med-wing of Capsule Corp, his white, fear-stricken face close to hers. Bulma was screaming for Vegeta, and she being laid on a cold table. Then darkness. She was out cold. The last thing she registered was an intense power burst from somewhere outside. Then nothing.