Thirty Eight- Frozen
A seventeen year old Isabella walked down a hallway of the castle, not paying much attention to where she was going... It had been a long, stressful week with the Tuffles attacking Bridgetown for the second time in the last month...
It seemed like ever since Blake's birth five years ago, they had only bombed a few other times, before the attacks actually started. Each time the Saiyans would arrive, kick their asses as always, and then the Tuffles would just disappear... Trunks was determined if they just killed Sryuo, things would be okay. Thing was, Sryuo stayed hidden in the shadows, working his mastermind in secret. Hina hadn't been seen at all since the Tuffles had come back, everyone wondered if she was even still alive...
Suddenly, freezing cold water landed on Isabella's head, causing her to scream. "Reirionto, Resto!" Them two were always pulling some type of prank! Her dress was already soaked!
The two twenty-year-olds were in front of her almost immediately. The corners of Rei's lips began to tremble upward as Res tried to hold in his laughter. "What have I told you two about tricking me?!" Isabella demanded.
"That wasn't us," Res snickered.
Isabella shot her glance upwards to the stairs to see two almost matching smiles. "JASE! BLAKE!" She yelled as the two boys laughed hysterically before running away. "I'm going to get you two one of these days!" Isabella yelled.
"Come on Babe, I'll walk you to your room so you can change," Rei grabbed her arm gently.
"Don't call me 'Babe'!" Isabella pouted as she let him lead the way. Rei rolled his eyes before looking back at his twin. He wished didn't, Res was giving him two thumbs up with a big goofy grin on his mouth. Behind his back Rei gave him the finger, earning a short laugh. Him and Isabella weren't dating, no matter how badly he wished they were...
The two entered Isabella's room, and Rei fell onto her bed, laying on his stomach, and covering his face. Isabella groaned, knowing there would be no making him leave. He would stay until she was done changing so he could walk her back. "You had best not look," she glared at his back.
"I would never do such a thing without your permission," he muffled back.
Walking into her closet, Isabella quickly slipped out of her now wet dress. Not wanting to dress up again for the day, she put on a pair of jeans and a pink long sleeved shirt with a v-neck. With a sigh she picked up her brush that was laying on her desk before working on her wet hair.
Not thinking much about it, Isabella sat down beside Rei. There was something about that man that always sent butterflies in her stomach. Since the first time she met him, she had always thought him and Res were obnoxious, and they still were to this day... But she knew them like he back of her hand- especially Rei who she could tell apart from Res immediately. She could just feel which one was Rei, letting her automatically know the other was Res. She laid her brush on her nightstand getting Rei's attention.
"What?" He asked, lifting his head and raising a brow.
Isabella continued to look at him... Could what her sister and mother been telling be true..? Could Rei, really, honestly like her..? She had been pushing him away for several years now, not because she didn't want him, but because of fear. She didn't want to risk falling in love with him, and there was the factor that he could die in a battle... But it was too late... With a shaky breath, Isabella realized the truth. She had fallen in love with Rei! Tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision.
"Isabella?!" Rei spoke in a gentle voice, even though he was panicking on the inside. He placed a hand on each of her cheeks as he wiped away the tears that were now falling from her eyes. "What's wrong?" He asked worriedly.
Isabella placed her hands over his and held them tightly as she shut her eyes. She could feel the warm tears escape from the crack of her eyelids, but his hands on her skin were scorching her. "I've been pushing away away for so long, because I didn't want to fall in love with you... I was afraid that maybe you would get killed in a battle... But it's too late!"
"What is too late?" Rei asked; his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was fixing to burst out of his chest! Was this a confession?
"Me falling in love with you," Isabella whispered, looking up at him. "I'm in love with you, Reirionto..."
Rei looked at her in complete shock as he froze. The girl he had spent the last eight years trying to woo and win over, admitted to being in love with him! He felt like he could fly to the moon right about now! Gently, he lowered his head before kissing Isabella straight on the lips! Her crying stopped instantly, as her eyes became as big as coins. Her heart was pounding so hard she could hear the blood in her ears. It was her first kiss, and she couldn't ignore the warmth that spread over her enter body...
Rei pulled back, looking at her, afraid he had gone too far. Opening his mouth to apologize, he was cut off by Isabella, who leaned into him this time and pressed her lips on his softly. Rei sighed in contentment as he placed his left hand on the back of her neck to guide her, and his right one fell to her small waist. Isabella clung to his shirt tightly, not wanting the moment to stop. She gasped when she felt Rei's tongue tickling her bottom lip. He used this advantage to slip his tongue all the way in. He explored every inch of her mouth, before coaxing her own tongue to join his.
Needing a gasp of air, the two finally pulled away, panting heavily. A light, pink blush lit across Isabella's face. Rei reached his right hand up and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear with a smile. "I've been in love with you for eight years," he told her.
Isabella smiled at him sadly, "I wouldn't be able to stand it if something happened to you."
"Shh," he cupped her face with his left hand. "Do not worry my little Bell, nothing will happen to me," he told her before giving her a chaste kiss.
XxXxX
The castle was in a creaking silence as everyone slept peacefully... Everyone but one person.
Pan's eyes shot open as se became alert. She immediately was aware of Trunks' arm wrapped around her waist as she snuggled against him. Without consent, her arms lifted, slowly removing Trunks' arm from her. She opened her mouth to speak, but he couldn't! She had no control over her body! Slowly, and involuntary, her body scooted away from Trunks' warmth. He stirred, but soon after taking a deep breath he was fast asleep again.
Pan was panicking on the inside as her body continued to stroll down the hallway against her will. She soon passed Sophia room and then Blake's... Both of them had the light from their music boxes still on... She had just sung them to sleep a few hours ago... She wanted to cry! What was going on to her?
As she stepped down the stairs, Pan's heart raced and she got a sickly feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had a feeling that she knew who it was and she swallowed hard. Nothing could be scarier than a woman who felt like se had been scorned.
XxXxX
Five minutes later, Pan came to an house. She was shaking from the freezing cold, and the old long-sleeve tee of Trunks and the shorts she was wearing didn't help any. The house looked normal looking... Pan's hand grabbed for the handle without even knocking, and opened the door. The inside looked liked a castle, and Pan knew it had to be bewitched. Her body continued to walk as she entered a room filled with smoke. But it didn't take long for the smoke to clear, and Pan saw who was responsible for her problem... Hina. The woman looked so much older than the last time Pan had seen her, and honestly she couldn't have been that much older than her. Hina had a huge pink scar on the left side of her cheek, Pan guessed it was from their fight all those years ago.
"About time the guest of honor arrived," she spoke with a slight smirk. "Please, sit," and Pan did so unwillingly in an old wooden chair. "You're probably wondering what is wrong with you," Hina spoke as she walked in front of Pan. "I got it from my mother's side, she was full Creaon, and the Creaons have a knack for what you would call... Magic. Once Sryuo and I landed back on the planet, I learned from a old woman there everything I could... And so here you are, it's called Puppet Doll. All I needed was a piece of hair, which I easily got from a faithful servant who fought you in the last attack."
Forcing herself, Pan moved her lips. "Why are you doing this Hina?" She demanded, her eyes glaring at the Tuffle.
"Isn't it obvious?" Hina growled, "Sryuo loves you!" She spat with tears in her eyes. She had tried everything to try to make him love her, she even tried to give him a son... Hina felt herself tremble as she remembered all the miscarriages; a part of her died with each of her unborn children... She picked up a vile of clear liquid and shoved it to Pan, "Drink it."
"What will it do?" Pan gritted her teeth to stop her body from doing what it was being forced to do.
"If it works correctly, it will kill you," Hina replied emotionlessly.
A strange look crossed Pan's face before she dropped her restraints and drunk the liquid, quickly. She looked at Hina, having full control of her body again, but she didn't move to attack. She just sat there, her eyes boring into the Tuffle's.
"You broke the restraints! How are you alive?!" Hina asked, shocked.
"Your potion won't kill me," Pan told her confidently. "It will just put me into a deep sleep... Get away now while you can, Hina. Get away from Sryuo, he'll never stop, and he'll only bring you down."
"What do you know?" Hina sneered.
Pan's eyes began to feel heavy as the deep sleep began to rise up on her. "No," Hina shouted quickly, regretting what she had done. "Don't go to sleep! How will I be able to wake you up? How can we stop Sryuo?"
Pan looked at her and smiled softly. "The answer to both of those questions, are in the past..." Just then, her eyes fell shut and she began her deep sleep.
XxXxX
Trunks sat up in his bed with a scream. His heart felt like it was being squeezed, and he knew something had to be wrong with Pan. She wasn't in the bed beside him, and he almost tripped as he jumped out of it. He couldn't Instant Transmission to her, because her ki was so low, making him worry more. He would just have to follow his gut... He ran out into the hallway, it was almost four in the morning and everyone was still asleep, but Trunks needed them all awake in case something happened. He pressed a button on his watch, contacting him to the others. He could hear all their watches going off simultaneously.
"I need everyone awake and alert. Pan's missing! I'm going to go find her." With that, Trunks ran all the way down the stairs and into the chilly night relying on nothing but his gut instincts.
XxXxX
"What are you planning?!" Sryuo yelled as he stormed into the house, trying to find Hina. "Hina! I have heard the rumors, what are you-" he stopped when he saw Pan, who seemed to be asleep. "What did you do...?" He whispered, shocked.
"I-" Hina started weakly. "I tried to kill her, but she's in some type of deep sleep instead."
"How do I wake her up?!" Sryuo demanded.
"I don't know," Hina tears burned her eyes. "She said the answer was in the past..."
Sryuo looked at Pan carefully before grabbing the diamond necklace around her neck and ripping it off. He stuck it in a safe pocket in his shirt. "I am going to get Pan, if not this one, then I'll just go back to the past... Then I can have both of them," he smirked as he walked out of the house.
XxXxX
Hina was on her knees sobbing when Trunks broke into the house. He ran straight to Pan, gathering her in his arms. "PAN?!" He asked, noticing something was very wrong right away. "Why is she not waking up?!"
"It's a spell," Hina whispered softly. "I tried to kill her, but instead it put her in a deep sleep."
"How do I wake her up?" He growled.
Hina shook her head as she looked at Trunks. "There is something you need to know... Pan knew something before she fell asleep, I think she knows how to end this war... She said the key to waking her up, and to stoping Sryuo was in the past... If I were you, Trunks, I would get to the past and quick. Sryuo will be on his way there soon enough."
Trunks picked Pan up in his arms, her head rested on his chest as his right arm supported her back, and his left arm was securely under her knees. He wanted to scream. Hina just tried to kill his wife- again! Thankfully, she was still alive, but in a deep sleep? He felt like he was dying. Why did this all have to happen to Pan? He would gladly take her place in a heartbeat.
"So, to wake Pan and defeat Sryuo, we need to go to the past?" He whispered.
"That is what Pan said," Hina nodded, picking up a knife with a glint in her eyes.
"What are you doing?!" Trunks started. "You have to help us save Pan!"
Hina shook her head. "I can't Trunks... My pain is like yours at the moment, except you have a chance. Go to the past before Sryuo! Save Pan, and please... kill that sick bastard..." Hina smiled softly, "I can finally be with my children," she spoke... Right before ramming the knife right into her heart.
XxXxX
Trunks arrived back at the castle, feeling dead. What if they couldn't find the answer? Or Sryuo found it? He couldn't live without Pan... Entering into the castle, everyone looked at him. It was clear by the fact that he was carrying Pan, that something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong...
"Mom!" Blake and Sophia ran over to Trunks.
Trunks looked at his children, and tried his best to not show any of the true emotion that he was really feeling. "Your mom is sick, she's going to have to sleep for a while..." He hated lying to his children, but what else could he say? He didn't want to worry them, or give them fear.
While walking up the stairs, Trunks made eye contact with his father, giving a small nod. Vegeta sighed, knowing what it meant, and gave the hand signal for a meeting...
Thirty minutes later Trunks had told everyone the story. Pan was safetly in their room, lying on the bed. He felt weaker by the minute, and at the moment he wished nothing more for Pan to wake up. Everyone felt the coldness of what had happened. how could something like this happen to Pan? For the most part, anger and despair were the emotions in the room.
"I could get two people to the past," Bulma spoke up. "I have been working on time traveling since Mirai Trunks came, and I think I have it mastered."
Before Trunks could say anything Vegeta spoke up. "You can't go," he told his son. "You're too weak. Right now the only thing that is keeping you alive is the fact that Pan is still able to breath and that she's just in a coma-like state. You will get weaker son; it would be best for you to stay as close as possible to her."
Trunks nodded, he really didn't want to leave her. "You and Goku should go then."
"What?" Goku asked, slightly confused.
"Who better than to send you two?" Trunks simply asked. His father and Goku were an unstoppable team. If anyone could figure out the answer in the past, it would be them.
"Well then, I guess we should be getting ready, right Vegeta?" Goku asked.
"Hn," Vegeta gave his typical response.
XxXxX
From their spot in the alcove above, Sophia and Blake listened from a vent. The twins had done it one year when they weren't allowed in some meetings, and the other kids soon found out about it.
Sophia turned to Blake, "We should go."
Blake clinched his fist in anger. "They hurt mom!"
"Yes they did, but this is why we need to go to the past," she explained.
"Why can't Grandpa and Papi go?" Blake asked, trying not to cry.
"We have to do something Blake! Don't you want mommy to be better?" Sophia whispered.
"Of course I do!" He stormed, growing angry.
"Then there is no time to waste," she said.
The two made there way to their rooms where they grabbed a few of their things that they capsuled. As quietly and slowly as they could they went to their parents room.
"We promise to find the answer Momma," Sophia whispered, holding Pan's hand tightly.
Blake laid his head on his mothers stomach, listening to her light breathing. "I love you Mommy," he whispered as a tear leaked out of his eye. It didn't take long for both kids to be sobbing.
"Our bracelets are set to Christmas day about thirteen years in the past," Sophia looked at Blake. They couldn't tell their father what they were about to do; he would never let them go... "The Tuffles don't arrive until the next August, so that gives us eight months to find the answer."
Blake nodded, grabbing his sister's hand. "Let's go so we can hurry back."
XxXxX
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" A maid banged on the meeting room door. Confused, Trunks opened the door, "The Princess and Prince are gone!"
"W-what?" Trunks asked in a hollow voice.
"They snuck into Lady Bulma's lab, put on these weird looking bracelets, and then poof they were gone! I am so sorry your Majesty, I should have tried to stop them!" the maid wailed, "but I had thought they were just playing."
"They must of heard some how," Videl's eyes widened as se glanced around.
Trunks grabbed the doorframe for support. Pan was in deep sleep, and now his children were in the past...? He had faith in his kids, really he did, but why did they have to leave? Though he knew the answer already... They were too much like himself and Pan, that's why...
"Tru-nii?" Bulla asked softly, grabbing his arm and pulling him back into reality.
Trunks shook his head, feeling quite numb." I can't," he whispered. "I can't handle this right now... All we can do now is have faith in Sophia and Blake. They know their mother, they can find the answer." With that Trunks walked out of the room and up to his own. He was a broken man, and he would remain that way until his family came back to him.
-Last Mirai chapter-