22- Angel
Trunks sighed as he sat on the edge of the cliff and looked down at West City. It was peaceful and thriving. It had been almost three years since the Androids and Cell had been destroyed.
As a child and teen, Trunks had lived in fear. Now at twenty-four, he felt peaceful and calm. He was confident in his powers. If another threat ever dared to arise, he would stop them.
Life was peaceful, and Trunks couldn't complain about anything. But it was moments like these - him looking over the city alone that he felt like something was missing. His mother thought he was lonely, and he could agree to an extent. Growing up, he hadn't exactly had time to make friends.
His mother, trying to help, had attempted to set him up on countless dates. Trunks appreciated the thought, but he always managed to get out of them.
What he really wanted was another Saiyan. Someone like him who understood what it was like to be the last one left. Someone who understood just how deep the loneliness cut into one's soul.
A shift in the air made the hairs on the back of Trunks' neck stand. He stood up and turned around quickly to look at the field behind him. The air was pulsing. It felt similar to Instant Transmission, but it was different - this was wilder and out of control.
Slowly, Trunks reached up and grabbed his sword's grip from its spot behind his back. A blinding light flashed across the field, and Trunks shielded his eyes. It only lasted a few seconds before he could open his eyes. The sight in front of him made him gasp.
A girl, no older than sixteen, was on her knees on the grass. A golden aura surrounded her, and her hair was glowing. She had her eyes closed as her head tilted up towards the sky. She looked like an angel, and Trunks felt his chest tightening. He let go of his sword and took a step forward.
Suddenly, the girl gasped. Something snapped, and the golden aura vanished. Her golden hair turned black as it fell across her shoulders and back. She leaned forward, panting and heaving as she clutched the grass.
Trunks rushed forward without a thought. She wasn't a danger, and he wasn't sure how he knew that. He fell in front of her, half tempted to reach out to her. He noticed she had a belt around her hip and a saber strapped to it. She had a sword too?
"Are you okay?" Trunks asked.
The girl looked up, and Trunks felt himself freezing. Those eyes - he knew those eyes. They were dark and endless, but there seemed to a glaze over them. She squinted at him, her body shaking.
"Trunks?" Her voice was a hoarse whisper.
His eyes widened in shock. "You know who I am?"
Her lips trembled, and he could see the dark circles under her eyes. Just where had she come from, and what had she been through?
"Help me," she whispered before her eyes rolled back, and she started to fall.
Trunks caught her in his arms quickly and adjusted her. She seemed so small - so fragile. Something was stirring in the pit of Trunks' stomach. It was an overwhelming feeling that made him hold her a little tighter.
"It's okay," he whispered. "You're safe now," he promised.
Trunks crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the wall and stared at the door in front of him. He had rushed the girl to his house after she had fallen unconscious. His mother had the basic knowledge of first-aid and could insert IVS, and if needed, Trunks would take her to the hospital. He didn't know what to expect when she woke up, so he figured the safest option was to bring her there.
The door opened, and Trunks glanced up expectedly. He knew not to expect the girl to recover so fast, yet he still felt disappointment when only his mother walked out.
"How is she?"
"She's sleeping," Bulma said softly. She let out a sigh and leaned against the wall across from Trunks. "She looks exhausted, and she was a little dehydrated. I hooked her up to an IV to get some fluids in her. Now, mind telling me what happened?" She raised a blue eyebrow.
"She's a Saiyan," Trunks said, not being able to help himself.
Bulma's eyes widened in shock. "How do you know?"
"Other than the fact that she favors the Sons?" Trunks raised an eyebrow, "I can sense it."
Bulma furrowed her brows and frowned as she turned towards the door. "I wonder what she's doing here. And I did think she favored the Sons," she mumbled. "Should I call Chi-Chi?"
"No, not yet," Trunks shook his head. "I think it's best we find out why she's here first. She might be trying to find a way back to where she came from or could need help."
Trunks was torn on how to feel. If there was a chance for her to go home and be with her family, then he wanted that for her. But at the same time, he didn't want her to go.
"Okay," his mother nodded slowly. "I'd give her a few hours before she wakes up, though."
"It's okay," he said as he walked over and touched the knob. "I'll keep her company until then."
Pan woke up to her nose twitching. To her surprise, she felt normal. Well, as normal as could be. There weren't any headaches, and her body wasn't swirling anymore. She felt as if she were on steady ground.
Her memories were a blur, though, and she peeked her eyes open. She was in an unfamiliar room. Relief flooded through her. It wasn't a dream, was it? She had escaped Axel. She was free, wasn't she?
"You're awake," a quiet voice commented, and Pan heard a chair squeak as someone stood up.
She sat up in surprise. She hadn't expected anyone to be in there with her. She saw him and froze. She had thought seeing him had been a dream, but it wasn't. He was really there, in front of her.
"Trunks," she whispered his name. He was tall, his body muscular and fit. He wore a dark shirt that was right around his biceps and dark pants to match. His lavender hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. He was just as handsome as Pan remembered him being. She could see his sword resting against the wall; her saber was resting next to it.
Trunks' lips twitched. "You know my name, but I don't know yours."
"Pan," her voice was hoarse, and he held out a glass of water to her. She took it gratefully and gulped it down. "My name is Pan Son."
"I knew you were a Son," he commented, a proud smirk crossing his face. "I knew Chi-Chi was pregnant when I left that timeline, but I -"
"That wasn't me," Pan shook her head slowly. "It was my brother, Goten. I was born a few years after him."
"Wow," he said in amazement. "So, you really are from that timeline?"
Pan nodded slowly. "And you're from this one? The one where the Androids destroyed everything?"
"Not everything," he told her gently. "Plus, they're dead now. They've been dead for three years, so this timeline is peaceful and safe. Is-" he paused for a moment and let out a small sigh. "Is everything okay in the other timeline? I'm assuming you didn't mean to jump."
"I didn't," Pan whispered. She could still remember the Other Pan pushing her back and sending her away. "But I'm glad I did," she said. "I was saved and brought here."
Trunks furrowed his brows as he leaned against the footboard of the bed. "What do you mean saved? Is the other timeline in trouble?"
Pan frowned as she looked down at the blanket in front of her. Where would she even begin? Just thinking of Axel caused her to shudder.
"Pan," Trunks said gently as he took a step towards her. "You don't have to tell me right away. You can take your time, but I'll do whatever I can to help you. I'll get you back to -"
"No!" Pan yelled as she glanced up. Her eyes were wide, and Trunks was looking at her in surprise. She could feel her cheeks flooding with heat. "No," she said again as she shook her head. "I can't go back," she told him. "My family - they're gone," her eyes were growing hot and her throat tight. "There's no Dragon Balls to wish them back. The only thing waiting there for me is a monster -" she bit her lip to stop her cry.
"Okay," Trunks' voice was quiet and sincere. "Stay here with me, then," he said.
Pan's eyes met his, and for the first time in years, she could feel a smile twitching across her lips.
"I'm back," Trunks said as he walked into Pan's room.
It had been one week since Pan had shown up. It had taken a few days, but she had managed to tell him and Bulma the gist of what had happened in her timeline. Apparently, Chi-Chi's side of the family possessed magic, and one of her relatives went a little crazy. He used a potion to summon one Dragon Ball at a time for seven years. Then he wished to be powerful. He used his power to destroy the Dragon Balls, so no one could take his power from him and then killed the Saiyans of that timeline, except for Pan. He had kept her in a prison for four years, and the day Pan escaped, she had discovered the reason why he didn't kill her. He wanted to marry her and procreate with her.
By the time Pan had finished the story, Trunks had a swirling sense of rage and hatred for the man he never knew, Axel. He was thankful Pan had escaped when she had, and even more grateful that Axel didn't know of his timeline so that he couldn't find her. She would be free of him forever.
There were other things that Trunks had learned about Pan over the last week. The biggest thing was that she had a bit of agoraphobia, meaning she didn't like big crowds or big open spaces. Pan hardly left her room, though she had let Trunks show her around the house.
Bulma had said that it was most likely a form of PTSD. For so many years, Pan had been trapped inside a mansion she couldn't leave. Her only companion had been Axel, and it was understandable that she needed time to adjust. Plus, Trunks didn't mind going on snack runs for her. His mother got everything else for Pan, including feminine products, toiletries, and clothes too. Already, Pan had a closet full of clothes that his mother couldn't help but buy.
Pan didn't wander out of her room much, but the smile she always gave Trunks when he came in made his chest tighten. She seemed to smile every time she saw him, and he always returned it.
Trunks placed the bags of snacks on Pan's bed and watched as she opened them up. "Thank you," she smiled at him as she carefully took them out. Her long dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail. The dark circles around her eyes were growing lighter, much to his relief.
"You're welcome," he said. He smiled as he watched her open up a bag of gummies. She picked out the red ones - her favorite flavor and handed him all the blue ones - his favorite flavor.
"So," he said after a few minutes. "Chi-Chi is here."
Pan froze. Her eyes grew wide as she slowly looked up at Trunks. He had told her about how the Chi-Chi on this timeline was still alive and healthy. When Bulma asked Pan if they could call Chi-Chi to tell her what had happened, she had been quiet but eventually agreed.
Pan swallowed hard, "does she want to see me?" She asked slowly.
"I'm sure she does," Trunks said gently, "but I also know she doesn't want to rush you."
She frowned, her bottom lip poking out adorably. "I don't know what to think," she sighed. "I yearn to see her - to see my Mama, but I know, she isn't the Mama I remember. I know she's different and yet the same."
"One thing I've learned about time traveling is that no matter what the timeline, you're family is still your family," he told her softly.
Pan rewarded him with a smile, and she let out a sigh before she scooted over and tapped the spot beside her. Trunks got up from the end of the bed where he had been sitting and sat down beside her. Instantly, Pan was leaning against him, her head on his shoulder. He felt himself growing warm with delight over the fact that she trusted him so much. They had only known each other for a short amount of time, but he felt as if they had been with each other forever.
"Trunks," Hey gentle voice called his name. "For the last four years, I've been trapped in a hell, guarded by a devil. Then I came here, and you found me." Her hand roamed down his arm, and she entwined their fingers. "You're my Guardian Angel."
Trunks felt blistering hot. He was sure Pan could feel the heat radiating off of him. Could she hear how loud his heart was pounding too? He squeezed her hands gently as he looked at their conjoined hands. Hers was so small compared to his, and yet, they fit perfectly.
"The Angel is you," he told her. "When you appeared in front of me for the first time, that's what I thought - She's an Angel. You were glowing and so beautiful. You still are beautiful."
Trunks sneaked a glanced at her and was pleased to see that her cheeks had gone pink. She let out a small sigh, "we can be each other's Angels," she told him softly.