50- Appa

Mid-Summer

It had been weeks since the summit, and something had been bothering Pan ever since. Trunks wasn't sure what it was. His mate was good at pretending that everything was okay, but he could see the worry in her eyes.

Desperately, Trunks wanted to ask her what was wrong. What was it that had her so worried? But he didn't. Out of everyone that Pan was trying her best not to worry, Trunks was the biggest one she was trying not to show it to. So he pretended like he didn't know. She would tell him when she was ready.

A soft coo gained Trunks' attention, and he turned to look at his children. They were sitting on a blanket playing with toys. He smiled as he sat down with them. It was amazing how much they had grown. Both of them could sit up all by themselves, and they were working hard on pulling themselves up. Soon they would be walking.

"Hey," Trunks smiled at them. "When are you going to say Appa?"

Takehiko smiled at him. Two teeth were shinning proudly on his bottom gum. Takara clapped at him as she laughed. Her thick dark hair was in a ponytail on the top of her head that swooshed about as she moved.

"Come on," he said. "You can say it. Ap-pa," he said slowly.

"They already share your birthday," Pan said as she walked out of their bathroom. "I think if they say Appa first, I might just cry," she teased as she sat down with them.

"Do you hear that?" Trunks grinned at the twins. "You had best say Mama first."

Pan smiled, and Trunks felt his chest grow warm. She leaned over the twins and caressed his face with her fingertips.

Trunks beamed at her. "I love you too."

They played with the twins, helping them build block towers and tickling them. It was moments like these that Trunks realized how lucky he was. He wondered what his life would be like if he had never met Pan, and the thought made him shudder.

Loud banging on the door interrupted playtime. Bulla rushed inside with Goten behind her. The worried looks on their faces stopped Trunks from huffing at them.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"A ship from Saibogu just arrived unannounced," Bulla said.

Pan let out a gasp. "Does Gohan and Marron know?"

"Dad went to go get them," Goten answered.

Trunks felt his jaw tightening. It had been weeks, and they had heard nothing from Saibogu. Now they suddenly showed up? What was Lapis planning?

"Why did they wait so long?" Bulla asked nervously.

"Probably because of the summit," Pan said softly.

Trunks nodded his head in agreement. "Lapis probably wants one of two things- war or an alliance. I'm going to steer as far away from war as I can. And after what he did to Panna, an alliance with Saibogu as long as he's the king is impossible."

"Where's Mama and Bulma?" Pan asked.

"In Appa's study," Bulla said. "He's making them stay there."

Trunks looked over at Pan and saw the fire in her eyes. There was no way she would let him go without her. He stood up and reached down to scoop up the twins as Pan stood up.

"Let's go take them to our mothers, and then see what Lapis has to say."

Despite trying not to be, Pan was nervous. She hadn't seen Lapis since he slammed her into the wall and nearly made her miscarry Takara. She wasn't nervous about what Lapis would do because she was ready to face him. She was more worried about what she would do to him. The fire in her belly was growing eager.

Pan held onto Trunks' arm as they stood in the courtyard with the others. Trunks was just as tense as Pan felt.

The ship Lapis arrived in was small, which sent relief through Pan. No army could have fit in that, so maybe he wasn't there to start a war. Still, Pan's stomach wouldn't calm down. Something wasn't right.

The ship's doors hissed open. Trunks' back tensed, and Pan held onto him tighter to stop both him and herself.

A tall man walked out. He had his black hair pulled into a low ponytail. His dark blue eyes swept across the Saiyans as he stepped out of the ship. He had a long scar on the side of his face that stirred something inside of Pan. He wasn't Lapis, but he was familiar.

"Stop right there-" Vegeta growled as the man stepped out of the ship. "I don't know who the hell you are, but you can get your ass back on that ship and tell Lapis to go to hell. We don't know what kind of shit he's trying to pull-"

"Lapis?" The man furrowed his brows. "Oh!" His eyes widened. "You mean my father, Seventeen? He's dead," he announced loudly.

A shocked silence hung in the air. Was the man Lapis' son? And Lapis was dead?

"Wait," Marron said as she stepped forward. "I never knew that my uncle had a child."

"You wouldn't," the man said. "Our parents shipped me off the moment I was born," he spat. "But we- we are family," he told Marron. He held up his arm and pulled his sleeve to reveal a production code.

"Kind of sick that our birthmarks are production codes, huh?" He asked Marron.

Marron gasped as she clutched her arm. Gohan stepped up beside her as she spoke. "Who are you?"

"I am Kage, and I'm the one who killed my father."

"You expect us to believe you?" Vegeta asked.

Kage motioned to a nearby attendant who was holding a bag. He reached inside of the bag, and Pan watched with wide eyes as he pulled Lapis' head out of the bag by its hair. He tossed the head, and it landed a few feet in front of Vegeta before it rolled to a stop. Bulla choked back a scream as Marron gasped in horror. Pan's eyes widened as she looked at the head. It was Lapis.

"I killed him," Kage repeated. "He summoned me to Saibogu after Eighteen's death. He was planning an attack on Vegeta-Sei and the Earth. I had to stop him. Seventeen and Eighteen have ruined Saibogu. I think my cousin can vouch for that."

Marron didn't speak. She just breathed deeply as she avoided looking at Lapis' head.

Pan couldn't believe it. The man that had almost made her lose her child was killed by his own. It was ironic, and before she could stop it- Pan laughed. It started as giggles, but soon she was laughing loudly as she leaned against Trunks for support. She knew she looked mad, but she felt crazy at the moment.

"You're laughing," Kage looked at her. "Does my father's death amuse you?"

Pan's laugh quieted down, and she met Koba's gaze with a fierce glare. Something clicked in Pan's mind. That's why he looked so familiar.

"Yes, it does," Pan admitted truthfully. "It's so ironic."

"Ah, yes, I heard he injured you while you were with child. My deepest apologies-" Kage bowed. "But Princess, aren't you the one that also killed Eighteen?"

"So what if she is?" Trunks demanded coldly. "Eighteen threatened our children and was attacking Marron."

"I meant no ill intentions by the question," Kage shook his head. "It's just that I was shocked, is all. I had heard the Princess was a quiet and timid girl."

Pan glanced at Trunks, and their eyes met. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he knew who Kage was as well. Slowly, Pan stepped forward. Her hand ran down Trunks' arm to his hands. He gave her hand a squeeze of encouragement, and it was all Pan needed to smirk viciously at Kage, whose eyes widened in surprise.

"That girl is gone," Pan told him. "She left the day that rebels tried to destroy her home and force her to marry someone she didn't love. You, of all people, should remember that day, right, Lord Koba?"

"Koba?!" Gohan nearly growled.

Kage swallowed hard and fell to his knees into a low bow. "I am not surprised that you saw through my disguise, but I was not intentionally trying to deceive you. This is my real appearance. Koba was who Seventeen forced me to be."

"Why did Seventeen force you to be Koba?" Trunks demanded.

"He wanted to control the earth, and he was using me as a pawn. He thought if he could force the Princess to marry me, then he'd have some leverage. Eighteen was doing the same thing with my cousin and Vegeta-Sei," Kage glanced up. "We were nothing but pawns to them."

Pan could feel her body shaking. Lapis had truly deceived them for years, and Eighteen had Vegeta-Sei as well.

"You Saiyans have asked the galaxy to forgive you for doing deeds that Freiza has made you do," Kage looked up from his bow. "I'm asking for the same. I am not my father." He stood up slowly but still had his head bowed slightly. "I will allow you all some time to think about it." He turned around and started walking back to his ship.

"Hey!" Trunks yelled after him, and Kage stopped and turned around.

Trunks took a step in front of Vegeta and reared his leg back before he kicked Seventeen's head to the ship. An attendant frantically caught it and fell to their knees.

"Take that damn thing back with you," Trunks huffed at Kage before he turned around and grabbed Pan's hand so they could walk off. "Fucker," Trunks said as they stalked back towards the castle. "Total bullshit. I don't believe a damn word."

"Agreed," Pan sighed.

Kage wanted them to think that he was like them, but Pan saw it in his eyes. He was slimier than Lapis ever dreamed of being.

Vegeta frowned as he sat at his desk and looked at the ground. It always seemed like once something was settled, another thing would pop up. At the moment, it was Saibogu and Kage.

Trunks didn't trust him, and neither did Pan. They both seemed to think he was acting during his pitiful bowing and apologizing. Vegeta had no reason not to trust their judgment, plus both of them could read people better than he ever could.

Vegeta knew that when the time came, Trunks and Pan would be powerful rulers. Not only was their judgment spot on, but the power they possessed together was amazing. Pan's power of the grim was enough to make anyone terrified and show respect. Trunks' swordsmanship was the best in the entire galaxy, and no one could beat him. Plus, he had a way with words that Vegeta never had.

"Your Majesty!" Radtiz burst into the room. He looked scared, which worried Vegeta because Radtiz was not the type to be easily frightened.

"What is it?" Vegeta stood up, his mind already going haywire.

"You need to come with me. It's urgent," Radtiz said.

Vegeta followed Radtiz out of the study and down to the bellow the castle where the prison cells were. It was rare that anyone was ever put in them since most of the time, things could get worked out civically. Radtiz led Vegeta into a cell where a beat-up man was sitting. His hands were broken and chained. His face was twisted from a beating. He didn't look like a Saiyan, and Vegeta's gut twisted.

"What is this?" Vegeta demanded.

"We caught him sneaking around the castle," Radtiz voice was stern. "He had this with him-" he handed Vegeta a bag.

Vegeta peered inside. It seemed to be some sort of device. "What the hell is this?" He asked the prisoner in chains.

The prisoner started to chuckle. "Boom," he muttered.

Vegeta's stomach dropped as he quickly took it out, but the device was off. "Who do you work for?" He growled.

The prisoner laughed loudly. "Kage," he admitted without a fight. "He set the whole thing up. I came here with two and got caught before I placed the other," he frowned.

The room was tense. "Two?" Vegeta's voice was dark. "Where is the first one?"

The prisoner glanced up at him. His green eyes were wicked as he smirked. "Where's the Prince? When the clock strikes midday- boom!" He threw his head back and laughed.

Vegeta dropped the bag before he turned on his heels and ran.

Trunks was out in the town square for the morning, checking on things. He did it at the beginning of every week, and when the clock strikes midday, Trunks would be under the archway in the town square and heading home!

Vegeta was practically flying through the castle. It was nearly midday, he didn't have much time, but he had to make it there. He had to save Trunks!

Vegeta's heart pounded frantically as he thought of his son. He could still remember when Bulma had told him she pregnant. Truthfully, he had been rather indifferent about it at first. His Appa hadn't been particularly close to him, so Vegeta wasn't sure how to act.

Then Trunks came, and his world changed. His son wormed his way into Vegeta's heart, and he had a permanent spot that no one could replace. Vegeta could still remember when Trunks had said his first word- Appa. Bulma had been so aggravated, but Vegeta had been so proud. Trunks had always continued to make him proud.

The town square was in sight, and Vegeta glanced up. The suns were nearly at the top of the sky! He sped up, his heart pounding and his stomach twisting.

The arch was in view, and then there it was- lavender hair. Vegeta nearly forgot how to breathe.

"TRUNKS!"

Trunks glanced up as he stepped under the archway. He smiled brightly at Vegeta, "Appa!"

Vegeta used all of his strength as he rushed forward and shoved Trunks out of the archway. His son fell back with a loud thud as surrounding Saiyans gasped in surprise.

"Appa?" Trunks' voice was confused as he started to sit up. His brows were furrowed together as he frowned.

The clock chimed. The walls shook. Vegeta, who was still under the archway, shuddered. A look of horror crossed Trunks' face as he screamed.

At least Vegeta saved his son. That was all that mattered.

BOOM!

"APPA!"

"Parents will protect their children at any point of time, just like a blanket protect us from the cold."
-Bharat Kuman