Dragon Ball-GT - Pan's Innocence

Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one in this story.

Chapter Eight – Confusion is Mutual

Being disoriented, Pan had subconsciously wrapped her arm around Trunks' neck the entire time. When her eyesight, for the most part, returned, she jerked her hand back as if something had just scorched her fingers.

Trunks chuckled, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "You know Pan, you really need to get over that road block of yours, it's proving to be quite a problem."

"Road block? What are you talking about?"

"Pride, your pride is holding you back," Trunks said, and began to descend when he noted their destination.

Pan squinted at him, what exactly was he getting at? "Holding me back? From what?" she wanted to know.

Trunks sighed as the grass below, and around, his feet quivered from the energy he was emanating, he set down softly in the yard, and eased Pan to her feet. "We'll talk about it later I guess, for now let's make sure you're not going blind." After setting her on the ground, and letting her test her legs, he motioned a hand for her to lead the way into the house.

Pan blinked for a second, trying to form logical thoughts about what he said, and the fact that they were already at her house confused her. "Oh, right, what was that stuff anyway?" she asked stroking a hand over her eyes.

Trunks scratched the back of his head in a bit of bewilderment. "I don't know Pan, it's probably best you don't know. Let's just have your mom look and make sure your eyes are ok."

The smaller Saiyan nodded wearily, the day was finally catching up to her, and all she wanted to do now was sit and vegetate. Pan stepped shakily toward the front door to her house. It was a bright sunny day, so her mom left the door open. It wasn't like she was scared anyone would break in, Videl could take care of herself, and she was, after all, one of the only known humans in the world able to use ki, even if she was getting a bit rusty in this time of peace.

Trunks walked immediately beside Pan. The raven hared girl rolled her eyes. "Honestly, he's like a mother hen when the slightest thing is wrong with me," she thought, while stepping into the house, she looked from left to right, having to adjust her eyesight to the slightly darker house after being outside in the bright sunshine.

Trunks dropped Pan's pack on the floor near the door from which he stood as Pan searched around for her mother. "Mom, I'm home!" she paused when stepping away from Trunks and to the middle of the living room so she could now get a good look into the kitchen. "I uh, I have a slight problem." Not seeing her mother, Pan frowned, scratching the back of her head, she walked back to Trunks. "She must be upstairs or someth-"

"Hi sweetie, I was in my room reading." Videl greeted while descending the stairs from the two bedrooms. "Hi Trunks, what brings you here?" she asked when she stood only a few feet away. Pan gripped her mom around the waist in a tight hug, obviously happy to be home after a long day of school.

Trunks shifted on his feet, and held his arms to his sides in an awkward position. "Well your little Chaos here got into a bit of a scrap today," the half Saiyan said, now with one hand on his hip and the other indicating Pan as the 'Chaos'.

Pan growled when her mother demanded to know what happened. "Er Trunks, did you have to put it exactly like that?" She looked at him and released her mother.

Videl's worried gaze didn't waver as she pried further. "Pan, Honey, what happened?" she asked, concerned, and held Pan's right hand in a motherly grip.

Pan sighed and stared up at her mother. She noticed her vision still hadn't recovered completely, but she could tell that who she looked upon was indeed her mother, although there was a thick fog outlining her figure.

When Pan seemed to be in a daze and didn't reply, Videl asked again, "Pan? Tell me Honey."

The small Saiyan snapped away from her trance. "What? Oh right, I huh got ambushed after school, and I was..." Pan paused, searching for the correct wording when Trunks interrupted.

"Cocky? Arrogant? I seen the whole thing Pan," Trunks stated coolly, arms crossed.

Pan narrowed her eyes at the demi-Saiyan in her doorway. "Careless," she finished, not even acknowledging his statement.

Videl looked from Pan to Trunks, and then to Pan again. "But what happened? and why are you blinking so much?" switching her hand's position from the girl's hand to her cheek, the woman tenderly eased her thumb over Pan's right eye, examining it at the same time, all the while expecting an answer.

Pan toggled her head at her mother's will as she continued to examine the slight swelling that had occurred. "Well, like I said, a couple boys cornered me and sprayed my face with something."

Videl huffed and scoffed at the same time if it was even possible. "Why didn't you just dodge, or fly away or something Pan? Or is what Trunks said true? Were you just getting a big head as usual?"

Pan shrugged her shoulders when her mother finished the examination. "I guess so, but I wasn't going to run away! I'm not a coward mom!" the dark haired teen shouted, stomping her foot for emphasis.

Videl sighed and hopelessly looked to Trunks with a, what am I going to do with her? Look.

Trunks just raised his hands in a shrug, and Pan grumbled something about miserable, sneaky boys.

With yet another exasperated sigh, Videl started her way into the kitchen. "Ok Pan, it looks infected so I need to get some special eye drops ready. You go lay on the couch, I'll be back in a minute or so."

Pan nodded and did as told. She hopped over the back of the living room couch and landed softly in the middle of the empty sofa.

Trunks chuckled to himself. For some reason seeing her so full of life, even after something so normally traumatizing as nearly getting mugged, or who knows what else, well something about that made him smile. Any normal girl would have been scared for the rest of her life after nearly getting mugged. But not Pan, no, she had lots of unnatural experiences throughout the past few years, and this was something so trivial that she had almost nearly forgotten about it. In fact, she would have already, had she not still be suffering from the burning in her eyes. Come to think of it, had she been any normal girl, that probably would have blinded her for life, but having that fraction of Saiyan blood flowing through her veins made her anything but normal.

Trunks walked over next to the couch and sat down on the armrest as Pan groaned and laid back, resting her wrist over her forehead. "If I ever find out where that jerk lives, Urgh! He will have a black eye to match the other one I'm going to give him when I find him!" she growled. She didn't have to look to see Trunks was there, she could sense him. But it wasn't like he needed to be very close, he could have heard her anyway, since she said it almost as a shout.

Trunks had a wry smirk on his features as he stared at her. It didn't look like she was in pain, but it did indeed look as though she was in a bit of discomfort. Trunks thought back, to when Omega was causing havoc, and Goku had to fight him blindly after his encounter with Eise Shenron. After awhile, Goku was able to heal himself naturally, so then maybe Pan would do the same.

She wriggled uncomfortably on the padding, as though, there was something else bothering her. Soon enough, Pan sat up, an agitated look about her. She growled and trudged over to, and up the stairs, disappearing for a good minute.

When she came back down, Trunks noticed she had changed into some specially made sweat pants. Allowing her tail to roam free through the custom made hole.

Trunks chuckled outwardly at this. "What's wrong Pan? Tail getting to be a burden?"

She growled. "Of course not! And I'm not getting rid of it! I already had this discussion with my parents!" the girl huffed and took her former position on the couch.

Trunks raised his hands in an amused defense. "Sorry I asked, but I wondered why your jeans actually fit you today."

Pan growled again, looking at him through one eye, as she reclined while her hands supported her head. "Yeah, I needed them to be high enough so I could wrap it around my stomach. You have no idea how much it hurts to sit on all day."

Videl's soft padding alerted Trunks to turn and see her step around to Pan's head, next to the other arm of the couch. "Ok Pan, this could either hurt a lot, or be very irritating, so I need you to hold still, understand?" she asked, while uncapping the medicated eye drops.

Pan nodded and reset her head so it was flat with the cushions.

When they had finished, Pan sat up, blinking like crazy and unknowingly clenched a couch pillow for comfort, as the medication stung and burned the infection away.

Videl capped the dropper and nodded to Trunks. "I'm going back upstairs Pan, your dad will be home in an hour or so."

"Ok Mom," Pan confirmed and when Videl's presence left the room, Pan felt the couch vibrate a tiny bit, indicating Trunks had sat down beside her. "Trunks, you don't have to stay here you know; I'm ok now," she said, turning her head to him in vain.

Trunks smiled. "I know, but I don't have anything else to do today, other than go home and train with my dad, and to tell the truth, I'd rather not." He hung his head in a hopeful gaze. "Besides, I was hoping you'd like to go somewhere with me. It's Friday, so I didn't think your parents would mind."

Pan's face lit up with excitement as her tail whipped excitedly. "Really? Well yes of course I want to go! Let's go now!" the female Saiyan pushed herself off the couch, but didn't feel her sensei had the same amount of enthusiasm at the moment.

Trunks felt his breath pulled into an incoherent laugh as he beamed at her. "How about we wait until that medicine wears off, and your dad gets home so you can ask him?" he patted the seat next to him, knowing she would get the hint just by sound alone.

Pan moaned and flopped to the couch again, tail practically dead now. "Fine, but I bet this stuff would wear off by the time we get there...Wait where is there exactly?"

Trunks smirked and stretched an arm over the back of the couch. "That's a surprise. And just what did you have in mind for getting there? What, did you expect me to carry you again?" he teased and watched her face fade from excited, to embarrassed, tail twitching as she stared at her lap and lowered her head.

Trunks laughed, he loved that tail now. It was just too funny; he could read her temperaments exactly as they came. "That's not what I meant Trunks, and I guess you're right," muttering, Pan looked away.

Trunks couldn't help it, he wasn't used to seeing her timid like this. Lowering his hand from the head of the couch, he rustled her bandana in amusement. "I know, Pan, I know. But it's like Bra said, you're just so easy to pick on lately."

Pan sounded a sighed growl and tried to scowl at him. The burning in her eyes stopped and now she could see blurry figures again, it also seemed they were clearing up by the second. She looked at him, eyes narrowed mostly because of the soreness in them, but also because she wanted answers. The dark haired teen couldn't take it any more; she had to get to the bottom of this. "Well maybe if you would stop flirting with me then I'd be able to hold my composure! For heaven's sake Trunks, what has gotten into you lately?"

He frowned at her and let his shoulders droop, as he imitated her previous action and looked away. "I'm sorry Pan, but you know...I don't think it's just me. I think, if you opened up a little, then you would understand." He smirked sadly as he hung his head. "I can tell. You thought about it a lot."

Pan sat up erect and fought another blush off with a broken smile; her eyesight was almost perfect again. "Yeah," she paused, tail twitching erratically. "I have, actually. But Trunks, to tell the truth, I've always thought of you as a brother or an uncle even. So you've got to understand, this is really awkward for me."

Pan watched his features; he smiled warmly, and understandably. "It seems you need a little more time, but that's ok, I'm sure you'll understand soon." He stood up, hands formed into fists. Apparently, he was fighting something inside, holding it in so as not to make a scene. Pan watched him intently, she didn't want him to leave, but she just wanted answers.

Finally, after a good moment of silence, Trunks sighed with hard eyes aimed at the ground. "Pan, I'm sorry."

Pan stood in a panic when Trunks started to walk away. "What? But Trunks what about-" she started but was interrupted when Trunks faced her, cupping her chin with his left hand.

"Look Pan, I know that you're too young for me right now, but I'd hoped," he paused, and looked away sadly. "I had hoped you wouldn't push me away like this."

"Trunks wait!" Pan tugged at his sleeve when he stepped back. "I'm not, I mean..." Trunks stood and waited patiently as she refused to let go. "I'm not pushing you away Trunks, I'm just confused, that's all. And I really want to go with you today...Wherever it was you said you'd take me," she met his eyes, her features hopeful.

Trunks kept his sad smile, and gently pried her hand away. "Pan I promise, I'll take you somewhere in two weeks like we planned, now don't go picking fights just to see me again, understand?"

Pan nodded and stared at him worriedly, he seemed hurt somehow, but how was that even possible? How could she hurt him? She continued to stare dumbly when she noticed he still held her by the wrist. She felt a nagging pull in the back of her throat as the tears started to well up. Just the thought of Trunks being hurt by something she said or did, made her angry, sad, confused, all of the above. "Trunks I'm sorry, I don't know what's going on, I feel like my whole world is changing all of a sudden."

With a weary sigh, Trunks thought it better not to say anything else. "Trunks?" she asked in dismay when he walked to the front door. "Trunks!" she asked again when he didn't look at her.

"Pan I'm sorry too, I shouldn't be making you grow up so fast, it isn't right." The demi-Saiyan said without looking back as he took to the air before Pan could say anything else.

Pan stumbled to the doorway after tripping off the couch in the mad rush to follow him. "I'm sorry Trunks," she repeated while watching his departing form.

Tears filled her eyes now as she felt that pull in her throat again, this time more painful and harder to bear without sobbing. Once he was out of view, Pan found it unbearable to keep from crying.

Stepping back to the couch, she looked back one more time, hopeful, but then sighed and sat back down. The choking in the throat became worse and before long her eyes were leaking again, but for much different reasons.

She didn't know why she was crying, the only thought she could come up with, was the same one she had been saying all day, she was confused, as simple as that. Confused, and scared of what this was going to do to her friendship with Trunks, and how this relationship with him was going to change her world forever.

The stairs creaked and Pan looked up to see her mother. Tear filled eyes met worried ones. "Pan? What's wrong Sweetie?" Videl wanted to know stepping over and sitting next to her.

Pan sobbed a couple times, and then leaned into her mother. She sobbed again as Videl stroked her daughter's hair behind her bandana while resting her chin on the girl's head. "Pan, you need to tell me what's wrong, I'm so out of the loop, in fact, I'm in a square on the other side."

Pan chuckled slightly, in between sobs at her mother's humor. "Mom, how can I tell you, when I don't even know myself?"

Sighing, Videl moved a few strands of hair away in order to kiss Pan's forehead. "Oh Pan, this has something to do with Trunks doesn't it?"

Pan nodded as her grip tightened around her mother. "A couple years ago I wanted people to treat me as an adult, but now everything is just moving too fast, I want it to slow down."

Videl chuckled at this. "Well of course you do, Pan. That's just life, you want to grow up when you're little, and then you want it to go in reverse when you get older...that's just how it is."

"But he's my best friend Mom, it just seems wrong somehow..."

"Do you really believe that Pan? Or is that just an excuse?" Videl held her back, to get a good look at her daughter.

"No...But," Pan mumbled and added, "this changes everything...doesn't it?" She kept thinking things would never be the same again, she would feel uncomfortable around him, and she would never be able to be herself around him anymore. But maybe, maybe that's the whole reason she was feeling this way. If she couldn't be herself around her best friend, no matter what, then what good is a best friend?

"Where is my headstrong Pan and what did you do with her?" Videl rubbed Pan's head playfully, getting a restrained chuckle out of the girl. "What ever happened to all your confidence and jumping in head first, without thinking?" Videl wanted to know and released her daughter to stand. "Your dad will be home in a minute, why don't you talk to him?"

Pan nodded, wiping her eyes as Videl left for the kitchen. "I sure hope Papa is up to sparring today," she thought, while stepped just outside the front door so she could then sit and wait. "Otherwise, I might have to go find a few boulders and trees to practice on."
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