Pan sighed as she stepped into the steamy spray of her shower head. Her muscles ached uproariously from the rough treatment of her new mate. She wasn't one to complain, she had loved every second of it, but it seemed her muscles had another story to tell afterwards. She stretched and let herself relax as the heat scalded her flesh and the bite mark on her next pulsed.

Memory of his touch sent shivers up her spine and she had to catch her breath as lust ravaged her. The waves had been happening periodically since they'd woken up that morning. It made sense, in a way. They were newly mated and their instincts were much closer to the surface. Coupled with the Vegeta's blood still coursing through her, she was sure she'd be acting odd till their bodies acclimated.

Once her composure had returned, she reached for her shampoo and lathered it up, thinking on the new developments of late and how their families were reacting. Vegeta and Bulma seemed happy, as were Goten and Bra, but Pan had yet to tell her parents. Gohan would understand, he knew the complexities of a Saiyjin mating. Plus, Trunks could definitely win in a fight against her father. Pan wasn't quite sure about her mother's reaction. She didn't understand as much about being Saiyjin despite being married to one.

Videl Son was a woman to be reckoned with when angry and Pan didn't want to risk it. She would tell them the moment she got out of her shower. Hopefully the adjustment would a quick one. Would anyone else be angry over their new relationship? she wondered.

That thought brought the picture of Marron to her as she rinsed her hair and applied conditioner to the ends. Marron would surely be pissed at Pan. They had never gotten along with each other to begin with. The engagement with Trunks had strained that forced acquaintance to the max...but this. It would tear the threadbare treaty apart.

Pan sighed. She would deal with her when she was ready. She was just a human. Marron couldn't hurt her. Pan was a Saiyjin warrior. And, to top it off, she was the mate of Saiyjin royalty. That made her even more powerful. Trunks and her had exchanged blood last night, and she could feel his blood inside her.

Trunks. He'd been nothing but sweet to her. Understanding and loving. The perfect mate. Pan smiled gleefully to herself as she remembered their morning. Kami, she had never believed it possible to be so consumed by another person. Just looking at him made something unwind in her, relaxed her like nothing else. Trunks' presence was like sedative to her nerves. She giggled as she remembered his behavior at breakfast. It was adorable how he'd effortlessly kept tending to her. Piling food on her plate before she'd even realized it was gone. And when she'd left, he'd grabbed her, pulling her to his body, his mouth on her mating mark, as if reassuring himself it was still there.

From the corner of her eye, she'd noticed Vegeta leaving the room, a wide smirk on his face. It was obvious that Trunks was making his father proud with how he cared for his mate. Trunks really was turning out to be a perfect match for her. Guess blood really did out.

Something jerked Pan from her happy musings, nearly retching as a feeling of pure mortal danger suddenly laced through her. Her stomach knotted with the intensity of it and Pan knew intrinsically something was wrong with Trunks. She tried to think through the sudden pain in her chest. She could feel the blinding, searing pain he felt. Then crushing weight on her chest and body. Something was terribly wrong.

Someone had attacked him.

Pan didn't waste time, threw on her clothes quickly and was prepared to Instant Transmission herself to him when her room began to rattle and shack, like an earthquake happening directly below. But this was no natural earthquake. The air around her crackled with energy, angry pulsing energy that snapped and cracked against the drywall.

With a great crash, the wall to her room was ripped away, debris flying toward her. Pan dodged it easily and crouched, ready to fight whatever was going to come through that wall. She growled dangerously, her eyes flashing with anger. Whatever was there, it had hurt her mate. She didn't know where this knowledge came from, but trusted it. A wave of pure possessiveness washed over her in a tide of vengeful hatred.

Air snapped around her from the sheer magnitude of energy present. Pan raised her eyes and saw, as the dust cleared, the form of a woman, one unlike anything she'd ever seen.

Eyes of sickly green stared at her. Hair of deep scarlet lashed around the slim woman, her aura pulsing a deep lavender. Pan stared back uncomprehending for an instant before recognizing her. It was Marron.

Pan's breath caught in her throat as she realized what had happened. A memory tugged at her, of stories her Sensei had told her on calm nights after long days of training. In confidence, Vegeta had told about something few even in their close group of friends and family knew about. A year after Vegeta had staked his claim on Bulma and wedding announcements had been sent out, Yamcha had showed up at Capsule Corp, raging pouring off him and screaming for Vegeta to come out and face him. Initially, Vegeta had scoffed at the former bandit for even attempting to challenge him. However, within a few moments of arriving, Yamcha had proved the King of All Saiyjins wrong by spontaneously ascending to the level of Super Human. He'd challenged Vegeta for the right to Bulma on the grounds of their home and lost miserably. However, it was only because Vegeta was a Super Saiyjin 4. And even then, he'd barely won.

Super Humans were deadly creatures, ruled only by rage and betrayal. They weren't like Super Saiyjins. These warriors transformed only once, to carry out revenge and then never transformed again. The transformation was not ruled by strength, but emotions. It didn't matter what power level they had, so long as they had a strong fighting spirit. If you royally pissed off a human that carried enough strength, they had the rare ability to transform, and they were beyond deadly.

Pan had never dreamed she would see one...or that Marron would become one. But there she stood, her aura pulsing and her eyes set to kill. "Pan." The woman in questions shivered, fear creeping through her at the inhuman voice coming from Marron.

The hair on Pan's neck stood stick straight. She couldn't defeat a Super Human. It was impossible. Pan couldn't even ascend, much less achieve a level four. Unless Vegeta or Goku got there, she was doomed,. Goku could handle her easily. But even with Vegeta's blood still in her, she would never be able to channel the amount of power necessary to take down Marron as she was.

Marron was trying to take Trunks. The thought struck her and her instincts screamed in protest, rampaging through her like a tsunami. Pure Saiyjin pride suffused her veins, conjuring the power she'd cultivated for most of her life.

She was Pan fucking Son! She could—would destroy anything or anyone that threatened her mate. She didn't need to ascend to kick Marron's low-level human ass. She would protect her right to Trunks! He was hers! No force in this or any world would keep him from her.

With that thought, she stood, voice rising, and let lose all her power. She powered up to her maximum level and even higher as her instincts assaulted her with possessive rage. She glared daggers at the woman and waited. They both waited, watching the other for the first move.

Pan registered the sound of her parents coming in and seeing the broken remains of her room. She chanced a glance at them. Her first mistake.

Marron charged her with speed she'd never seen in any creature and pounded her with a sharp elbow to her face. Pan felt her nose break as she went flying back, but Marron caught her and pummeled her stomach and chest with lightning fast moves, her bones breaking with each blow. She saw stars as she heard her father transform to level three and begin to engage Marron. She sighed in relief as she was tossed aside. In mid-kick, a third voice pierced the fighting frenzy.

"Gohan!" Pan looked up through her good eye and saw her grandfather, in all his glory, standing with Goten and Bra in her broken wall. Gohan stopped and looked at his father. "This isn't your battle. Pan must protect her right as a warrior." His eyes were hard as he turned to look at her, all warrior. "You must fight to protect your claim to your mate, Pan."

Gohan looked aghast, but released Marron and stood back. Pan struggled to stand and made her way toward Marron. This was her fight. She wouldn't back down from this. Even if it killed her.

Marron smiled. "You'll be dead before you can make your first move," she said cockily. She blurred out of view and reappeared at Pan's side. Pan struggled to get ahead of the blow and caught Marron's foot and swung her into the remaining wall of her crumbled room. How she'd managed to catch it, she didn't know, but she felt her blood beginning to rise. She felt...

Marron came back around and kicked her hard in the back, sending her into a pile of debris. Pan heard another of her ribs break and cursed. She had to find some way to win. She flinched as she felt of press of shattered bones. Behind her, Marron was cackling loudly, assuming she had already won.

With difficulty, Pan stood. She turned and stared her enemy down.

Gohan looked to his father, "But Dad..." He pleaded. Goku cut him off. "This isn't about you or me. It's about honor and ownership."

Gohan shook his head. "Of what?"

Marron laughed at Pan's weakened form. "Why would Trunks ever want you? All your talk of Saiyjin superiority and here I am, a weak human, killing you in front of your family's eyes. You're a disgrace. Not enough blood to be a Saiyjin, not enough to be human. You're pathetic little ape." She snarled at Pan with pure female wrath. Pan looked away momentarily, trying to blot out Marron's words. Down below, Pan caught sight of Vegeta and Bulma arriving. But the person Vegeta carried sent her blood turning to ice.

Trunks' broken body, barely conscious, tucked under his father's arm, bloody and bruised.

Pan felt her blood boil. Marron had hurt Trunks. He was in pain. Her mind blanked out, reduced to the most basic of instincts, all thoughts of inadequacy and honor disappearing in the face of one thing.

Mate. Hurt.

Her eyes flashed from black to dark blue in an instant then back as rage began to build. "You..." She trailed off as she felt her anger take hold. "Bitch!" She screamed, long and penetrating, her voice rattling the house.

Pan lunged for Marron, grabbing her around the midsection and threw her outside, leaving a deep crater where she fell. Pan reared back and screamed, her hands coming together in the familiar position of the attack that defined her family line, "Ka-me-ha-me-!" Pan poured every ounce of her soul into that attack, the ball of light building behind her injured ball till it eclipsed her body. The vision of Trunks filled her mind, driving her toward insanity with rage.

"Pan, no! That level of attack will demolish the entire island!" Her grandfather's voice was distant thing. At the moment, she didn't care.

In that moment, Pan felt something foreign, but welcome. She wanted to kill.

"HA!" The energy erupted from her cupped hands, barreling toward the stumbling woman below her. An instant before it connected, Marron raised her hands, meeting the wave head on.

Before the energy of the first attack had faded, she prepared another. "Final Flash!" The brilliant light of her Sensei's attack beat down on Marron, combining with the energy of the Kamehameha wave, doubling and tripling the intensity of it. Time seemed to stop as Marron pushed back, and Pan felt a power surge run through her. She could win. She put more of her ki into the attack and it doubled, then tripled, till she was spent. The energy dissipated and she sighed in relief.

She sagged in the air as the attack faded and looked to see if she'd won. Goku followed behind to see the damage.

"There's no way she'd be alive after an attack like that," Goku said grimly, clapping her on the shoulder.

Pan shook her head. "No, she's alive. I'm no murderer," she replied, floating down to help Marron. Despite the desperate urging of her instincts, she would never willingly take a life. And certainly not the life of someone her family cherished.

The smoke cleared and Pan tried at a smiile. "Come on, Marron. Let me help you up," she said, reaching her hand into the hole. A second passed and Trunks' voice caught her off gaurd, "Pan, no!" The warning was too late.

It all happened so fast. Pan whipped her head around the see Trunks' horrified face, then back to the hole as she saw, from the corner of her eye, a hand lashing out to grab her neck in a death grip. She wheezed as air stopped in her lungs. The hand was followed by an arm, then an insane face emerged wearing a purely savage grin.

"You should have killed me when you had the chance, slut." It breathed. Her eyes were such a dark green, they were almost black. Pan felt a rare thread of pure terror weave through her as she look into Marron's face. And with a shudder, she knew why. Death was staring her in face. And it scared her shitless.

As she began to choke, she heard screams erupting around her.

"Krillin! 18!"

"What's going on? Marron! Stop!"

"This is her fight."

"Let me go, I've got to get to Pan! She needs help!"

"No, Trunks! Besides, you're too weak right now!"

"I don't care! PAN!"

"Boy, STOP!"

There was silence after that. Her vision began to darkened, fading rapidly to black. She couldn't hear, couldn't breathe, couldn't think. All she knew was silence. Her heart began to slow and her hope faded with it. She was going to die. Just like that. She wouldn't ever know if she could ascend. Disjointed hope ad wishes danced before her eyes. A small forest wedding to handsome man, the same man holding a little black haired baby. A tear trickled down her cheek. She would never get to see Trunks hold their children.

As her world began to faded, something was there. A great light. Pan shuddered as she realized it was death coming for her. But instead of a warm, comforting light. It was savage, one that she was scared of.

Inside the light she saw something. It was...

Trunks screamed as Vegeta restrained him. "LET ME GO! SHE'S DYING!" He pulled and strained against his father, but to no avail. Goku was having a similar fight with Gohan, but both Saiyjins held their ground.

Just as Vegeta was about to let Trunks go, the wind stopped blowing. The birds stopped chirping. A dead silence descended over the forest around her parents' home. The stillness penetrated each person like a physical blow. The very Earth had seemed to stop moving. Goku looked around curiously, unable to discern what had caused it. Several seconds passed and the eyes of all those watching went to the crater.

Pan's eyes were large and lidless as she stared, unseeing, into the sky. Her hands had stopped their clawing efforts to free herself, and her aura has dissipated into nothing. Goku swallowed nervously, dread rising in him. A terrible thought occurred to him. He was about to lose his granddaughter.

Marron looked around, confused at the sudden silence around them. A tingle of unease wormed its way into her. Her green eyes turned to the woman she held in her grasp, fear clear on her face. Her eyes widened in anger.

With a shriek, she threw Pan into the creator behind her and backed away. The silence continued. It was broken as a pulse trickled through the air, ripples of power cascading off the fallen woman. A massive shockwave shot out, knocking Marron into the foundation of the house.

The others were forced to move, else they be taken as the house crumbled under them. Once they were safe, they turned their attention to Pan. The pulsations were becoming stronger and stronger with each new one that surfaced.

Suddenly, the sky turned as dark as night. It resembled the Dragon being called, but that was impossible. The Dragon Balls were stones for another six months. The hair on the back of Goku's neck stood up, his intuition catching on to what was happening. Next to him, Trunks stepped forward, his instinct to protect Pan overriding any unease at the energy coming off her.

The Earth began to quake and shiver as something moved in the creator. Another pulsation rocked the planet, throwing everyone nearby back at least twenty feet in a cloud of dust. They scrambled to protect the more vulnerable of their party. Goku and Gohan went for their mates, Vegeta put himself between Bulma and the ground as she was flung back.

Power rushed through the air and the figure of a woman stood in the dust, her long foot length hair swaying jaggedly in the wind. As the dust cleared, the Son and Brief family search frantically for their friend.

Trunks limped toward the crater, fear choking him, searching frantically and started as he recognized her amidst the debris. "Pan!"

Pan was unrecognizable from the woman who'd been struggling to keep up with Marron. In place of her caring black eyes, were cold midnight blue ones, death etched into them. Her waist length hair was spiked pure gold, wrapped in a frigid silver aura. Black fur covered her arms and stomach and an ebony tail swished behind her. In that moment, they all knew what had happened.

Pan had ascended.