Disclaimer: The normal stuff
Author's notes: Again, I apoligize for any ooc-ness or things that may seem of. Have a nice read, and please review. I crave mail.
A flower by any other name...
by Reiyuka
Bulma sighed and gently wiped away her tears, "I had no idea the poor child was in so much distress." Suddenly, laughter was heard, also a shrill girl-voice, calling, "Oh Trunks-kun!" Bulma glanced at the window and growled, "I can't believe Trunks never noticed it!" She sighed a bit, "But then again, it's not like I knew." She narrowed her eyes at her husband. "Vegeta! Why didn't you tell?"
Instead of receiving the usually scowl, Bulma was surprised when Vegeta merely shrugged and said, "It wasn't up to me to tell." A few moments of silence followed, and then she smiled knowingly. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, then cocked his head, "What is it, woman? Don't just stand there." Bulma giggled and walked closer, bringing her face close to his, "You respect her, don't you? You really like her!" Vegeta blushed for a moment, not used to Bulma's closeness when they were anywhere outside their bedroom. After reconsidering, he shrugged, idly ran his fingers through her short hair and nodded, "Yeah, I guess I do. Now how are we going to handle this?"
Bulma smiled warmly at him, then sighed a bit desperately and waved for him to follow her. She stepped out of the house and coughed. Nobody paid attention. She coughed again. Now the grown-ups turned their head to the Briefs-couple. After a few more coughs, the younger generation finally noticed their hosts.
Now that all attention was turned to her, Bulma easily fell back into her roll of leader and told a few of the boys to bring some stuff out. She was terribly curious about the rest of the film, since Vegeta hadn't allowed her to watch the whole thing.
Before much time had passed, Goten and Trunks had carried almost half of the living room outside. Everyone took place somewhere around the television set, curiously chattering and wondering what it was all about. Vegeta stood aside of all the commotion, sensing around to see if he could find Pan. He knew she'd be alright, but he would've preferred if she'd at least told him a tiny bit of her plans. He grunted softly, everyone seemed so cheerful, they probably though they were gonna see some funny movie. But Vegeta found the message on the film entirely humourless.
After everyone was settled and the entire entertainment system was placed outside, Bulma winked encouragingly at her husband before addressing her guests. She sighed gently, then started, "Um...everyone, Vegeta and I think we've found the reason why Pan isn't here. It's all..." "Is that the reason why all this stuff is outside?" Trunks interrupted with a laugh. Vegeta felt the sudden urge to blast his son, but instead he moved next to his mate and just snapped at his son, "Yes, it is. And you'd better shut up, boy. This is important."
The group of friends blinked and nodded. Bulma smiled weakly and put the tape in the VCR, moving away to allow others to see the screen. Entering the play button, Pan's sad face appeared onto the screen, fiddling with her hair a bit. She sighed shakily and closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and stubbornly stared into the camera. Her surprisingly soft voice came trough the boxes.
"Hi everyone. I'm... not really sure how to say this. I know I'll probably hurt you, mommy and daddy, grandma and great-grandfather, but there really isn't another way. I just...can't continue to live like this. Being so lonely, I mean." The girl on the screen gave a soft smile, not really genuine, "I know you probably have no idea what I'm talking about. Nobody knows how I feel. Except my best friend in the world," Everyone looked at Bra who shrugged in confusion, and everyone blinked as they heard Pan continue, "Vegeta-san, I'm really grateful that you have been my friend these past two years. I really owe you a lot. Without your friendship, I probably wouldn't be strong enough to do this, or anything. I would've killed myself a long time before that. You've not only been my friend, but you've also been that one person who'd listen and understand me. You've been what grandpa was before, and I think he'd appreciate what you've done for me as much as I do. I know how good friends you were, even though I'm very aware of your eagerness to beat him. I hope the times we have sparred and fought in the woods have made up for that a bit. So...I was hoping to count on you one last time, Vegeta-san. Could you show this to everyone? You're the only one I really trust; you know everything about me, even how much I love your son. I know you probably disapprove off this, but you know how hard it has been for me to see Marron and Trunks together. I love Marron like a sister, but that doesn't take away that I hate her because Trunks loves her. I...don't want to hate her, Vegeta-san. I'd rather do this then hate her, and I know I would've hated her in the end."
Suddenly, the sound of a school bell was heard, and Pan anxiously looked up. "O dammit, I have to go. I had to do this between classes, in my media class." She chuckled a bit humourlessly, "I bet nobody even knows I take media...Anyway, Vegeta-san, could you show the tape up to this point to Bulma-san? She'll know what to do. I'll continue this some other time." Pan walked up to the camera, and the screen turned black.
Vegeta was standing a bit uncomfortably, being eyed at from all directions. He scowled and turned his head cockily, "What are you all staring at?" Gohan sighed gently, "The only person who really knows my little girl." Everyone blinked for a moment and Videl broke down in tears, "I can't believe we don't know our own daughter!! She's right! I don't even know she's taking media." Gohan wrapped his arms around his wife and nodded slightly, his eyes moist with held back tears. Bra softly caressed Goten's hair, showing her support and love. Yet even in a time like this, she couldn't resist being curious, "Why would she take media?"
Silence was her answer, until Vegeta cleared his throat, "She also takes Drama and Modern Arts." This resulted in everyone staring at him again, and Chichi asking, "How do you know all this?" Vegeta glared, "'Cause she told me, how else you baka-woman? I bet nobody even knows about her ambition to become some sort of actor."
Trunks, standing at the edge of the group with a sobbing Marron in his arms, turned to look at his father, "Why, Oji-sama?" Vegeta snarled and turned to his son, "You people are so thick sometimes! I can't believe that I, the great prince Vegeta am stuck on this puny planet with you morons! Even my own son is stupid enough to ignore a girl like that! And when she's left, all they think about is her schoolwork!" Bulma, who not only saw but also felt her husband exploding, walked over and put a hand on his shoulder, "Vegeta, calm down. It might help us to find her."
Vegeta sighed and shook his head, "We won't. We can not find her unless she wants us to. She'll explain that later. But if you all seem so interested to know why she wants to be an actor, it's really simple. It's her ambition so she can play someone else, someone that isn't her. She's very good at it too, I went to one of her plays a while ago..." He blinked and blushed softly; he had said something that wasn't supposed to be said.
Bulma beamed proudly at him, "Oh Vegeta! It's hard to believe that you respect her, but I never would've guessed that you actually love her!" Everyone looked Bulma like she was a nutcase, but then it hit most of them why Vegeta was making such a deal about this, even though it was indeed a very big deal. But he wasn't one to show his concern and worry. Except about things concerning his loved ones. Vegeta scowled, ignoring the blue-haired woman who couldn't resist cuddling him a bit, "Aren't you people more worried about that girl then my motives?!"
The completely idiotic scene stopped, everyone getting back from the confusion they were in.
Gohan cleared his throat and turned to look at Vegeta, "You said that we wouldn't find her unless she wants us to. How's that?" Vegeta grunted, he was getting sick of having to explain everything to these stupid humans...or half-humans....Oh, who cares, they were just stupid in his eyes. "The kid will explain that later. Now if you'll all shut up, we can watch that!" Everyone nodded in agreement, starting the tape again. This time, Pan appeared to look like a whole different person. Her body was clad in something that seemed like a medieval corset, showing the creamy white of her bare shoulders and neck. Her hair was pinned up, a fake silver tiara in her hair as a few black tresses framed her face. She was beaming happily, her cheeks red with excitement and her dark eyes sparkling with held back tears.
"Oh oh, minna-san! I'm so happy! Oh, wait, I'll try to calm down and explain...Okay." She sighed a little before grinning from ear to ear, "I've got a job! Yup! Some talent scout figured that I had talent and offered me a role in some sitcom. Isn't it great?!" She clapped her hands in excitement, staying in that genki state for a while. Then she suddenly seemed to remember her job and she nodded, "Anyway. I figure that I should say goodbye now. I was first planning to leave silently during the night, but then again, I figured you'd all be looking for me and I can't keep my ki low forever. But then I remembered this project that Bulma-san and Trunks-kun were working on...something to mask your ki, or something." She looked a bit guilty now and bowed her head, "Gomen, Bulma-san. But I kind of stole your prototype...I know it works, I've seen Trunks-kun test it." Her hand reached up and she patted a simple, silver necklace with a heart shaped locket hanging from it, a curly 'T' in it. "I put it inside this...it'll make me remember about you guys...and Trunks..." She smiled softly, shaking her head, "But then again, how could I ever forget?"
Pan remained silent for a few moments, her eyelashes batting swiftly to try and hold back the tears, "In any case...From the moment that I leave this place, I'll have it activated. I trust your products, Bulma-san, so I'm sure it'll work for a long time. So unless it malfunctions or I put it of, you guys won't find me. But don't worry, I'll send a card every now and then, so that you all know that I'm still alive." She fiddled with the hem of her dress for a moment before saying, "Mommy, daddy...I know you must be worried about my school..." She looked up and smiled sarcastically, "I'd think it's more important to you guys then me doing what I like. Must be the influence that daddy got from grandma. In any case, you needn't worry about that. Since I go to another school then Bra and Marron, it was pretty easy to hide that I skipped a grade. My graduation ceremony was this afternoon. I graduated with honours. So I guess that you'll be proud, ne?" She closed her eyes sadly, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I know you probably won't be proud about my lack of strength. I should've been stronger, I know. But, even though I'm a Saiyin fighter from the outside, I still am a teenage girl inside. And I couldn't keep holding this."
After a few moments of silence, she looked to her side, "Oh dammit, I still need to get out of this costume." She blushed as she patted the fabric, "I feel like a princess in this outfit. Not only that, I'm pretty pleased about how I look in it too. I can't help wondering if Trunks-kun would've noticed me if I had wore dresses like Marron-chan or sexy outfits like Bra-chan." She brushed a stray strand of hair from her face and chuckled, "But then again, that isn't my style. Besides, they have this gentle kind of beauty that I don't have. Tell me something, Vegeta-sama, could I pass for a Saiyin princess?" She giggled and cocked her head up, "I'd probably be no good in looking down on people, not like Bulma-san or you, anyway." Pan looked down pensively before saying, "I'm not sure if it means anything to you...but I would've been honoured to call you my Prince, Vegeta-sama."
Vegeta looked startled at the screen, he hadn't hear her say this before. He'd been too freaked out, especially when she started talking to her mom and dad, that he'd just turned the video off. Her talking was now directed to her uncle and Bra, so he didn't really pay attention.
He'd never heard anyone say that to him before...she was too insecure of herself, and it annoyed him to no end. She could've definitely been a princess, or a queen, for that matter. And he would've been honoured to have one like her as a warrior. He wished she was here at the moment, so he could yell at her, scream, beat her up. Anything! Not this, not this feeling of helplessness. He couldn't take that. After all this, he'd take that boy of his in the Gravity room for a training session. He needed to lunge at someone who would at least give a bit of a fight in return.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he glanced at the purple-haired young man and was pleased to see that he was looking pale while staring at the screen. 'Good,' he thought, 'so at least he's a bit affected. Serves him right.' Yet while observing the boy, he saw something in Trunk's eyes while he was staring at Pan on the screen, who was laughing at one time and almost crying the other. There was a strange glint in his blue eyes, something that looked familiar. And then he remembered! All those looks the woman used to throw at him, when he'd come back to earth after his search for Kakkarot...He did feel for her! In any case, he'd finally noticed what a rare flower she was.
All this mushy stuff wasn't his terrain, but he could tell dislike from like. Vegeta was certain of it, the boy had felt something more for Pan. But now he'd blown his chance. Not being able to resist the temptation, Vegeta smirked evilly, 'Stupid boy.' He kept on gloating over his son's hidden feelings until his attention was drawn back to the screen by a soft sob.
"Gomen, gomen. I really most go now. There's still so much to do. I gotta get some of my stuff to my apartment too. I guess in this case that it's a good thing that no one cares about what you do in the weekends. I had a job, you know, and I saved all my money. So now, my charming little place is fully equipped with all kinds of furniture, mostly just stuff that I really liked. I have a whole new set of clothes and stuff, so you don't have to worry, mom and dad. Everything is still in my room, I only took my personal stuff." She ran a hand through her hair and sighed softly, "So...I guess this is goodbye. I hope that, in time, you will all forgive me for my selfishness. Uncle Goten, take care of Bra-chan, and don't you dare hurt her! And Trunks-kun, I hope you'll be happy. Really happy. You deserve it. Sayonara, minna-san."
With a last, warm smile at the screen, Pan stood up and turned the camera off, leaving the entire group with both a guilty and a helpless feeling. Guilty, for noticing her problems and pain. Helpless for not being able to make it up to her now. That ship had set sail.