49- A Change in the Winds

Early Summer

Pan could feel her heart pounding against her chest as she looked across the conference room. She wasn't entirely sure what gave her the courage to be as bold as she just was. She had felt it in her gut and went with it.

"That's our sister," she could hear Gohan and Goten's snickering.

Trunks, who was still standing beside Pan, wrapped his arm around her waist. "You have no idea how hot you look at the moment," he whispered into her ear.

Pan could feel her cheeks burning, but she ignored Trunks' comment for now.

The quiet Thuerian who had spoken to Maw earlier stood up. His skin was a dark umber color. He had golden freckles across his cheeks. Silver curls rested on his head as his glassy eyes looked at the Saiyans.

"My name is Ta'lah. I am the Chief of my people," his deep voice said. "We will help the Saiyans."

"As will wee," Tobias, the King of Josen, stood up. "Princess Pan is right. There are still plenty of bad men out there. We must come together and keep our galaxy at peace."

Pan was shaking as she watched the other planets stand up one by one. The only planet who refused to do so was Maw's planet. They had left shortly afterward.

The rest of the summit went by smoothly. The planets shared their woes and frustrations. Trunks was amazing at saying the right words of comfort to them. His promises were sincere, and Pan couldn't have been prouder of him.

By the end of the day, the summit had concluded with arrangements to meet all together twice a year. Letters would be exchanged between planets to keep everyone up to date with other ongoing things.

The summer sun was beginning to set when a meal was served for the guest that would be staying. Delegates from the planet Povis, Thueria, and Lienus would all stay since their planets were hours away. There was a little bit of everything served for the meal so that everyone could have something delicious to eat.

Everyone was getting along so well that Pan's heart was growing warm. The night would have been perfect if only Takehiko and Takara were there. She and Trunks had left them on Vegeta-Sei while the summit was being held for safety reasons.

"Princess Pan, you seem troubled," Ta'lah said as everyone began to rise from the table.

"Chief Ta'lah," Pan bowed her head slightly. "I am okay. I'm just missing my children," she sighed softly.

"I left mine home as well," Ta'lah nodded. "Perhaps one day, our children could meet."

"That would be lovely," Pan smiled.

"But Princess Pan, that power of yours," Ta'lah continued gently. "Earlier, that was just a little bit of it, wasn't it?"

Pan felt her cheeks growing warm. She had expected to be asked about her power throughout dinner but surprisingly wasn't. She assumed her display of it was enough for most people. That, or it frightened them, which Pan hoped wasn't the case.

"I'm surprised I was able to do what I did," Pan admitted truthfully. "All I wanted to do was to show Maw that he was wrong and that he couldn't scare us."

"You no doubt did that," Ta'lah said softly with a nod. "Your power, though- you're scared of it," he stared it like a fact.

Pan's eyes widened in surprise. Ta'lah's silver eyes weren't judgmental- they were kind. Pan felt calm while looking into them. There was something about Ta'lah's ancient and peaceful presence that made Pan want to trust him.

"I am," she whispered. "It's still new to me. The first few times I ever used it, I wasn't even aware of what I was doing. It was like someone else was in control. I'm scared that I won't be able to control it, and I'll hurt someone I care about."

"That kind of power- I've seen it before," Ta'lah said. "500 years ago."

Pan's eyes widened. Had he been around for that long? Her expression must have amused Ta'lah because he laughed.

"I have been around for a while," he nodded slowly. "That power you process- it's the power of The Dragons."

"The Dragons?" Pan repeated as her eyes grew legs.

Ta'lah nodded. "A Saiyan, just like you had that kind of power almost 500 years ago."

Pan's mouth felt dry. "Those are legends," she said weakly.

"All legends have some sort of truth to them." Ta'lah held out his hand palm to her. "Would you like to see?"

Pan breathed deeply as she looked at Ta'lah's palm. She wanted to see. If the legends were true, then that could give her some insight into her power and how to control it.

Everyone in the room was busy with their conversations, and so no one was paying attention to Pan and Ta'lah. Her heart thudded nervously as she placed her hand on top of his.

Pan's vision blurred instantly before a blinding light almost knocked her off of her feet. She was no longer on earth. She was on Vegeta-Sei, but it wasn't the Vegeta-Sei she knew. This was before cities had been built. The planet was covered in vegetation. Pan gasped as she looked at the large body of water in front of her. There had been an ocean on Vegeta-Sei? What had happened to it and all the plants?

The scenery was changing rapidly. A woman appeared in Pan's sight. Her dark, shoulder-length hair was as unruly as Pan's. She had to have been a general since she was speaking to an army. They were going into a battle.

Images flashed through Pan's mind. Images of death, ruins, and ashes. Soldiers were fleeing from the battle with cries of fear. The woman's eyes were wide and fearful. She looked back, noticing she was alone. Her eyes met Pan's and it was as if she could see her. Tears were streaming down her face silently before she turned around and started to glow. The next thing that happened was an explosion of light that shook the entire galaxy.

The scene changed again, and Pan gasped as she saw her Papa. He was running up a narrow path. A small, unmoving bundle was in his arms. Pan glanced around in shock to see that he was running to the Dragons Den. He reached the top and started to yell. Pan could see his lips moving, but she didn't know what he was saying.

The scene changed again, and Pan was surrounded by darkness. Her breath came out in short, shallow gasps. A low grumble echoed across the darkroom before two red eyes appeared in the darkness.

Pan knew those eyes. She had dreamed about them countless times. Her body began to shake as she stared at the eyes.

"Who are you?" Pan's voice shook.

The eyes just stared at her. They were unblinking and making Pan grow fearful.

"Please, answer me!" Pan begged as her heart pounded. "Tell me who you are- help me understand! SHOW YOURSELF!" She screamed.

The red eyes glowed, and a growl sounded throughout the darkness before there was a roar. Pan gasped and threw her hands up to brace herself, but the wind was too mighty. It sent her flying, but she could hear the whispers of the beast with red eyes.

Soon. Soon you will know.

Pan gasped as she opened her eyes. The room was still busy in their own conversations. Only a few seconds must have passed, but it had felt like lifetimes to Pan. She looked up at Ta'lah, and his eyes were still just as gentle. There was a sadness behind them now as well.

"They really did leave her," Pan whispered.

Trunks hold told her the story of the legendary Super Saiyan and how the army had fled. She could feel that woman's sorrow.

"They were scared," Ta'lah said quietly. "I wouldn't doubt it if they regretted it. I assume that their souls are very restless and waiting to be released.

"Who were they fighting?" Pan asked curiously.

"Evil," Ta'lah sighed. "The personification of it. He would stop at nothing to ruin Planet Plant, which was what Vegeta-Sei was called back then. The Super Saiyan at that time sacrificed herself to save the planet."

Pan felt a tremor run down her spine. "She didn't succeed in killing him," she whispered. Faintly she could remember what Frieza had spat before his death. She swallowed hard. That evil being would be coming back, and her power had said that Pan would be waiting. Would she have to sacrifice herself too to save her family? Is that why she kept having nightmares of her being consumed by fire?

"Princess Pan," Ta'lah said gently. "Trust in yourself," he told her. "That will be your greatest strength for what is coming."

Pan sighed as she walked the empty castle hallways. It was early in the morning, and she had woke up without being able to go back to sleep. Trunks was sleeping peacefully so Pan tipped-toed out of her old bedroom without waking him.

Without realizing it, Pan had made her way to the clearing. She was surprised when she walked in and saw she wasn't alone.

"Papa?" Her eyes widened as she saw Goku sitting on a rock near the bank.

He glanced up at her in surprise before he smiled. "Hey, Panny," he said. "You woke up early, too, huh?"

"Mhm," Pan nodded as she walked over to him. He scooted over to make room for her before she sat down next to him on the rock.

"I used to bring you and your brothers here," Goku said with a gentle laugh. "Thinking about all the memories we had here kept me sane when Freiza had me in prison."

"I remember those times too, Papa," Pan told him softly. "I used to come here almost every day because of them. It's was when our family was whole. I'm so glad everyone is back, safe, and sound."

"Me too," Goku reached down and grabbed her hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Papa," Pan said quietly. "The night I was born, you took me to the Dragons Den, didn't you?" She asked.

She had wanted to talk to him about it, but it was something she felt needed to be discussed privately between the two of them for now.

Goku froze, and Pan could feel him tensing. "You-" he let out a sigh. "How did you know?" He looked at her with wide eyes.

"Ta'lah showed me," Pan said. "He showed me the Super Saiyan before me, and then he showed me the night I was born."

Goku let out another breath. "Panny, when you were born, you were so sick," he whispered. "You weren't crying or moving. Dr. Brief had told us we needed to say goodbye. I didn't know what else to do-" he shook his head slowly. "The night after you took down Freiza and his men, she appeared to me. The first Super Saiyan who helped you do all that," he admitted.

Pan's eyes widened. "Why did you never tell me?"

Goku let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. "I didn't want to worry you," he said gently. "I wanted to shield you from all the troubles that might come your way for as long as I could."

As a parent herself, Pan could understand that. She wanted to protect her children in that way too.

"What did she tell you? That other Super Saiyan?"

"You are her descendent," Goku smiled down at Pan. "The first girl born in generations. She had it planned that you would inherit her power."

"So it was fate," Pan whispered.

"Very much so," Goku nodded.

"I saw him, you know," she said. "Well, not all of him, but I saw his red eyes. I wanted him to reveal himself to me, but he said I wasn't ready."

"That's a relief," Goku said with a small laugh. "I can protect you for just a little while more."

Pan didn't say anything else as she rested her head against her Papa's shoulder. She knew he would try everything in his power to protect her. Trunks was the same way, and that scared her. After what Ta'lah had shown her, she wasn't sure if any of them would be able to protect her if her fate were to be the same as the first Super Saiyan's.

"If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all your ancestors. All of them are alive at this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people."
-Thich Nhat Hanh

I'm apologizing in advance for the next chapter.