untitled

Mysterious Beauty
Chapter 7: Dahlia
By Lady Starra
Rating: PG-13
presea94@netscape.net
See foreword for standard disclaimers.


A few notes: From now on, instead of saying 'Planet Dahlia' I am going to
call it either Dahlia-sei or just Dahlia. It's much easier to type. ^^; Also,
I have revised the foreword of this story, I've added a few more terms.


* * *

The first beams of morning sunlight shone on two sleeping lovers, their
naked bodies entwined, their hearts beating steadily against each other. The
birds of the forest began to chirp and sing, causing one of them to stir in
his sleep. Feeling the soft, slender body in his arms, he smiled, pulling her
closer to him, kissing the top of her head and stroking her hair.

She stirred, but didn't wake up. He stroked her back as he nuzzled her nose
with his own, planting a soft kiss on her lips. Kami, she was so beautiful,
the most precious gift anyone could have given him. Remembering the night
they shared, his heart filled with love, knowing that now she was his and
would belong to no other.

"Mmmm..." she murmured as he kissed her lips again, coaxing her to open those
incredible eyes that he loved to get lost in. Slowly, she complied, her eyes
fluttering open slowly.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," he said with a smile, caressing her face with
his fingers, then leaning in for another kiss.

"Hmmm...now this is how I wish I could wake up every morning," she said.

"Pan-chan, I...I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Oh, no. You could never hurt me, Trunks. Never." She leaned in to kiss him
again. "So...does this mean I'm yours forever?" she asked, putting her arms
around him.

"Yes, Pan-chan. You're my mate, forever."

"In that case, when we get home, the first thing I'm going to do...is make
you my king."

Mirai Trunks paused, realizing what she meant, feeling somewhat shocked.
"King? Me?" he said in astonishment.

"Of course, you. You're bonded to the queen, aren't you? Besides, your father
is a prince. It's only fitting that someone like you be my king," she said.

"Me...a king. So, if I become king...does that mean I get to learn magic?"

"Hmm...yes, actually it does. You WILL be considered Dahlian royalty, after
all. But it may be difficult at first because the magic is easier to learn at
a young age."

"So, you're saying I'm old?" he joked, reaching out to tickle her side.

"No," she giggled, squirming as he tickled her. "It's just that normally,
lessons in magic begin when someone is six years old. It takes a normal
person almost their whole childhood to learn it, so I'm surprised my mother
is comprehending everything as well as she is. But since you're half
Saiyajin, you'll probably be able to learn as fast as I did."

"Well, I can't wait." He rolled her on her back and kissed her again, and she
responded eagerly, and the feelings from the previous night began to stir
within them again. "I never want to be without you, Pan-chan," he murmured
in her ear, kissing down her neck. "Never."

"I love you, Trunks," she whispered, and they showed their love for each
other once again.

* * *

"WHAT!? What do you mean you're going with them?" Bulma said hysterically.
"What about the company?! You can't just take off for a whole year, Trunks!"

"Well, that's just what I plan on doing, Kaasan. I'm sure there's a way she
can bring me back as if I never left."

"And if there isn't? Trunks, please don't do this to me! I just retired a
week ago, and I haven't had a real chance to relax yet!"

"Well, why don't you come as well, Kaasan?" Trunks suggested. Bulma paused.

"Me? Go to Videl's home planet?" she said.

"Sure, why not? Remember when Pan-chan told us that Dahlia-sei's technology
hasn't completely been restored to what it once was? Maybe you could help
them out."

"But...what about your father and Bra? We can't just leave them behind for a
whole year! Unless, of course, they came with us..."

"See, it could be a family thing. I am going to Dahlia-sei no matter what it
takes, Kaasan."

"Why is it that you want to go so badly, Trunks? You don't have any reason
to," Bulma said.

"Oh, but I do."

"Are you going because of Mirai Pan?"

Silence.

"Trunks, if that's the reason...you had better be extremely careful. Mirai
Trunks loves her deeply, and I don't think he's going to give her up so
easily," Bulma told him.

"How can you be certain that he loves her?" Trunks asked.

"Trunks, he may not quite be the same person as you, but in a sense, he IS
you, and he's still my son. I can read him as well as I can read you, and
believe me, he loves her," his mother assured him.

"But I love her too. I've never felt this way about anyone, Kaasan. Not ever.
And just because Mirai Trunks loves her, that doesn't mean that I can ignore
what I'm feeling. I at least have to tell her what I feel, she deserves to
know that much. Mirai Trunks is going with her to Dahlia-sei, and if I wait
until they come back it may be too late. If I go with them, at least I might
have chance."

"Trunks..."

"Kaasan, I am leaving now to go ask her if I can come along. So tell me now,
do you want to go or don't you?"

* * *

When she woke a second time, Mirai Pan jolted upwards, noting that dawn had
passed and it had been morning for quite some time.

"What is it?" Mirai Trunks asked her as he woke slowly.

"Oh, no...Trunks, what time is it?!"

He grabbed his watch off of his pile of clothes. "It's nine o'clock."

"Agghh! I'm late! We're supposed to start training right after breakfast!"
she panicked as she frantically began to search for her clothes.

"Wait, Pan-chan, calm down," he said as he embraced her, pulling her back
down beside him. "You don't need to rush."

"Trunks, I'm late! I..."

"Your family isn't waiting for you. Trust me," he said with a Vegeta-like
grin.

"Oh? And how would you know?" she asked as she grinned back.

"I just...know." He kissed her lips, held her tighter to him and kissed her
neck. He attempted to go lower, but to his disappointment, she stopped him.

"Trunks...I'm exhausted!" she told him, squirming out of his hold. "Not only
that, but all of this...excitement has really made me hungry. I doubt there's
any food left in those picnic baskets."

He sighed. "All right. I suppose we can go back now. I wouldn't mind eating
some breakfast myself. Although...you are not to train today, Pan-chan. For
today, you're mine. All mine."

"Hmm, I suppose I don't have choice, do I?" she asked.

"Honestly, my love, do you really think you could train right now anyway?
You're too 'exhausted' to even make love anymore, let alone train, which
requires even more stamina..."

"Heh! Not with YOU as a lover. I'm surprised you let me sleep at all. I can't
imagine what it's going to be like once we're married," she said as she began
putting her clothes back on.

"Oh, just you wait, my sweet. Once we're husband and wife, things will only
get better."

* * *

"Hey...why didn't anyone wake me up?" a young Pan asked as she walked down
the stairs. Normally, her mother would get her up at daybreak so they could
train. She'd woken up to the smell of food, but it was after nine o'clock.
Her grandmother usually had breakfast ready much earlier.

"We're taking a day off today, sweetheart," Videl said as she sat at the
table.

"A day off? How come?"

Just then, Mirai Trunks and Mirai Pan walked into the house.

"Ohayo," Mirai Trunks greeted.

"Hey, kids. Have a good time?" Chichi asked them.

"Hai, Obaasan, but we're absolutely starving," Mirai Pan said.

"Well, breakfast is ready. Come, both of you sit down."

"You...you're just now coming back from your date?" Pan asked in disbelief.

"We...sort of fell asleep," Mirai Pan said innocently.

"Uh-huh. I'm sure you did," Gohan said as he gave his daughter a knowing
smile. Mirai Pan felt a blush stain her cheeks.

"Eh...I'm sorry, Tousan..."

"It's all right, Pan-chan. You don't need to apologize. I understand." He
gave her another smile before sitting next to his wife at the dining table.
Mirai Pan looked up at the man she loved, who only winked at her as they
joined everyone else at the table.

'Oh, man,' Goten thought as he took in what had obviously happened. 'Trunks
IS NOT going to like this turn of events at all. I know I'M not going to be
the one to tell him...'

Goten's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing.

"I'll get it!" Young Pan sprang out of her seat and opened the door.

"Trunks! Ohayo!"

"Ohayo, Pan-chan." Everyone was surprised to see Trunks walk in.

"Hello, Trunks! Shouldn't you be at work?" Goku asked.

"Hello, everyone. I took the morning off. I hope I'm not intruding," he said.

"Not at all. Why don't you sit and have some breakfast with us?" Gohan said.

"Thank you, but I've already eaten. But I would like to sit down, if you
don't mind."

"Is something wrong, Trunks?" Gohan asked.

"No, nothing's wrong. It's just...I came to ask Mirai Pan a favor," he said.

Mirai Pan looked at him, curious as to what he could possibly want. Mirai
Trunks gave him an odd look, but he ignored it and continued.

"My family and I would like to accompany you to Dahlia-sei," he said simply.

She was stunned. "Why?"

"Call it...curiousity. Besides, we could all really use a vacation," Trunks
told her.

"But Trunks...we'll be gone for a whole year!"

"Yes, which brings me to my next point. Will you be able to return us as if
we'd never left? Because if not, I don't think my family will want to go, but
I would still like to."

"Return you the same day you left? Well, I suppose that would be easy enough,
after all that is how I plan to return home. But are you sure you want to do
this?"

"My mother was thinking perhaps she could help out some of your scientists
there. And Bra-chan always talks about wanting to see the marketplaces on
your planet...although, don't ask me how she knows about them," Trunks said.

"Eh...hee hee," Young Pan said silently, blushing. She was always getting her
older self to tell her about Dahlia-sei, and then she would go and brag about
it to Bra.

"As for myself," Trunks went on, "It's been forever since I've had a real
vacation, and I'm rather curious to find out what it's like there."

"I know!" Goku said, snapping his fingers. "Why don't the rest of us go
too?"

Everyone looked at him with wide eyes. "ALL of us?" Chichi asked.

"Sure! It could be a family thing! And if we can return the same day we left,
then it shouldn't interfere with any of our lives," Goku said.

"I wanted to ask if Gohan could go along anyway. I don't know what I'd do
being away from my husband for so long," Videl said.

"If everyone else is going, I wanna go, too," Goten added.

"Well, then that settles it! We'll all go as a family!" Goku finished.

Mirai Pan was silent. At first, the thought of EVERYONE going seemed rather
odd. Then, she thought of the possibilities. 'Bulma-san WOULD be a great help
to Maia and the other scientists. And if everyone stays for the whole enitre
year...surely, Trunks and I will be married by then. Maybe I can still have
the wedding I've always wanted, with my entire family there, and Tousan
walking me down the aisle...'

Finally, she smiled. "Hai. We'll all go."

* * *

That following week was quite a busy one. Mirai Pan, Videl and Young Pan
trained day and night, because Mirai Pan wanted to be sure they would be
prepared for their training with Lutz. Because they were training more than
they usually were, she hardly even saw Mirai Trunks that week. He too kept
busy by training, and they had greatly missed each other's company that week.
Mirai Pan promised to herself that she would make it up to him once they
arrived on Dahlia.

Before they knew it, the day of departure had come. Everyone met at the Son
residence for breakfast, and after that, they went outside.

"I need everyone to move in closer together and join hands, to make a
circle," she said, and they obeyed. She stood in the center of the circle,
and lifted her arms in the air as a beam of light appeared in her hands.

"Sphere Barrier!"

Everyone was stunned as a bright light flashed suddenly, and they were
all encased in a magic bubble.

"Hey...cool!" Goten commented.

"We have to travel inside this sphere, otherwise we will more than likely get
separated in the time void," Mirai Pan told them. She got in between both
Trunks and took each of their hands. "Everyone join hands again." Again, they
complied. "All right minna, please listen. Since there are so many of us,
this is going to take a lot of energy. I am going to need all of you to raise
your ki as much as you can," Mirai Pan told them.

"You can count on us, Pan-chan," Goku said. Nodding, Mirai Pan closed her
eyes and began.

"O, great powers of Mystoke, I call upon thee once more, in the name of
Dahlia-sei," she chanted, as everyone began to raise their ki and the pendant
began to glow. "Lead us, once again, to our destiny. Guide us, once again, to
our path." The pendant's aura grew even stronger and soon enveloped the
entire sphere. "Fate...take us to Dahlia-sei!"

* * *

A majestic waterfall spilled over a rocky cliff, pouring into a crystal-clear
lagoon just below it. Lush, green trees and grass surrounded the area, and
the scent of sweet flowers filled the air. All was quiet, until a bright
light flashed in the sky above, and a somewhat large group of people enclosed
in a magic barrier descended to the ground.

When the bubble around them faded, they remained still at first. Mirai Pan
opened her eyes, taking in the atmosphere around her. She looked over at the
huge waterfall and smiled. She knew just where they were.

"We made it," she said.

Everyone looked at the beautiful scenery around them. The air was so clean
and fresh, and everything around them was just beautiful.

"Where are we, exactly?" Bulma asked.

"This is part of what's called the Cille Islands. I come to this spot a lot
whenever I need to think or be alone," Mirai Pan told them.

"Well, we're here. Now what to we do?" Videl asked.

"First, I need all of you to stay here for a little while. I have to go back
to the palace by myself."

"How come?" asked Mirai Trunks.

"I should prepare them for this. Keep in mind, that Bra-chan's and Uncle
Goten's future selves are here too. I don't know how they would take it if
they just saw all of you without an explanation, since you're all supposed to
be dead," Mirai Pan said.

"Good point," Trunks said.

"Hey, cool! I get to see how I'm gonna look when I'm older!" Bra said
excitedly. "NOW we'll see who's prettier, Pan-chan!"

"Humph! Even if you are, I'm STILL the queen!" Young Pan stuck her tongue out
at Bra and made a taunting noise.

"Come on, you two. Knock it off," Videl warned.

"Anyway, you go ahead, Pan. We can set up a capsule house and have something
to eat while we wait for you," Bulma said.

"All right. I'll be back as soon as I can. And please, lower your ki. I don't
want to alarm anyone." With that, she used her teleportation technique, and
was off.

* * *

Goten and Bra halted their training session with the captain of the gurad and
his wife as they felt the presence of a familiar ki. They all looked at each
other in surprise.

"Could it be...?" Kara asked.

"Pan-chan! She's back!" Goten cried, and he and the others sped off from the
training grounds to the palace.

"LUTZ!" Bra called out when they entered the palace. Lutz and Aron were
running down the palace's huge stairway, for they had also felt Pan's ki
return to the planet.

"She made it back! I told you she would!" Goten said.

"She's not in the palace, though. Where is she?" Bra wondered alound.

Just then, the queen of Dahlia appeared before them, smiling as she saw her
friends waiting for her.

"Pan-chan!" Goten and Bra cried as they ran up to hug her. Lutz, Crys and
Kara bowed before their queen.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty," Kara greeted.

"Kara, don't make me beat you up my first day back. You know you don't have
to use such formalities when you speak to me," Pan said.

"Yeah, well, I just can't help it. It takes my mind off of wanting to beat
you to a bloody pulp for just taking off like you did and not saying where
you were going," the dark-haired warrior shot back.

"Yes, you had us all worried sick, Your Majesty," Aron said. "According to
Lutz, you were hurt quite badly. You should have at least come back so you
could get healed."

"Believe me, everything turned out for the best," she assured them, giving
them a radiant smile that both Bra and Goten were very surprised to see. Ever
since their families died, she had always been so melancholy, and she rarely
ever smiled. Now, she seemed different. Her face radiated happiness, and they
could practically feel all the of joy that was in her heart. It seemed that
whatever happened HAD been for the best.

"Minna...there's something I need to tell you, and we had better go somewhere
and sit down, because this is going to be quite an interesting story."

* * *

"You met Mirai Trunks?!"

"And you went back to train your younger self?"

"And...THEY'RE ALL HERE?!?!"

Mirai Pan didn't know how long she had been explaining things to everyone,
she had been interrupted quite a few times with everyone's shocked responses.

"Pan-chan...are you saying that my parents, and my brother, and even ME...are
HERE? NOW?" Bra said.

"Yes, TWO brothers, in fact. Trunks and Mirai Trunks both. It wasn't my
original plan to bring everyone. I was only going to bring my mother and my
younger self so they could do their special training, and Mirai Trunks was
going to come too. Then, everybody else said they wanted to go, so...it just
sort of worked out that way," Pan explained.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Goten said.

"Well then, believe it, Uncle Goten, because I'm going back to fetch them
right now. Wait for us in the Garden Meadow."

* * *

Meanwhile, everyone back at the waterfall was either swimming in the lagoon
or sitting outside playing cards. The scenery around them was just too
beautiful for them to stay inside the capsule house. However, a separate
conversation was going on between Trunks and Mirai Trunks.

"Are you in love with Pan?" Trunks asked him straight out.

"Why do you ask?"

"Don't try to ignore the question. Just answer it."

"Well, if you must know...yes," Mirai Trunks told him. "And I also know that
you love her too."

"Maybe I do."

"But you don't love her like I do. I don't think you can even come close to
comprehending the love I have for her. Before you go trying to pursue her, I
should tell you that she returns my feelings."

Trunks was silent. He had been afraid of this. But nothing was set in stone
yet...or so he thought.

"You have no right to assume what I feel and what I don't feel. I have just
as much of a chance with her as you do."

'The poor guy. He doesn't realize that Pan-chan and I have bonded. Should I
tell him?' Mirai Trunks wondered.

Before another word could be said, Mirai Pan was back. Everyone quickly
rushed over to her.

"Well?" Videl said.

"They seemed to take everything pretty well. They're shocked, of course, but
very eager to see all of you." She paused as she looked around. "Well, I can
see you've been enjoying the water."

"Yeah, it's great!" Pan said as she and Bra climbed out.

"Well, wait until you see the palace pool. You all had better dry off." With
a snap of her fingers, Mirai Pan used her magic and everyone that had been
swimming was suddenly in dry clothes.

"Hey! How come I haven't learned that trick yet?" Videl questioned.

"Basics first, Kaasan. But right now, I have to take you all back to the
palace."

They joined hands again, and in an instant, they were all transported to the
palace gardens where Mirai Goten, Mirai Bra, Lutz, Crys, Kara, and Aron
awaited them.

From the far side of the garden, Mirai Bra and Mirai Goten (AN: There are a
lot of Mirai's now!) just stared in disbelief. Mirai Goten found himself
staring right into the face of his younger self, while Bra's eyes were fixed
on her brother...or rather, brothers. Her vision blurred due to the tears in
her eyes, when she finally noticed her parents standing there as well.

"Tousan...Kaasan...Oniichan," she said. "Oniichan...ONIICHAN!" Without
another thought, she ran towards the group, heading straight for Mirai
Trunks. The younger Goten was stunned as he watched the most beautiful girl
he'd ever seen run up to Mirai Trunks and embrace him tightly, crying as she
called him "Oniichan."

'Oniichan?! Then that means...that's BRA?!' his mind cried out.

"B...Bra-chan?" Mirai Trunks said, thinking that was who she had to be.
Trunks, Bulma, and Vegeta were at a loss for words as well, surprised to
suddenly see their little girl as a young woman.

'Now I know how Videl and Gohan must feel,' Bulma thought, and then beamed
with pride. 'Hmm, I knew she would look just like me when she grew up.'

"Oniichan...this isn't a dream. This is real, isn't it?" the older Bra asked
as she clung to Mirai Trunks.

"H-Hai," Mirai Trunks said a little nervously.

"Bra-chan, just look at you. I can't believe my little sister is so grown
up," the other Trunks said. She then hugged him as well.

"I can't believe this. I have two brothers. I've really missed you,
Oniichan."

"And what about us?" Bulma asked as she and Vegeta stood there, waiting to be
acknowledged.

Smiling, she got out of her brother's embrace and hugged both of her parents
at once. "Kaasan. Tousan."

Then, everyone noticed the younger Bra looking up at her older form in
complete astonishment. "That's me...wow, I look just like you, Kaasan!" she
said.

Mirai Bra finally looked down at her younger self in surprise. Now everything
REALLY felt weird. Mirai Goten walked towards them then, finally taking in
the sight of his own family and his other self as well.

Goten looked at Mirai Goten. 'Hmm, I haven't changed all that much. I'm still
wearing my hair the same, too. Those clothes I'm wearing are something else.
They're kinda cool though...I sorta look like a prince!' Goten thought.

"It's been...so long," Mirai Goten finally said.

"Hello, Goten-kun. You're looking very handsome," Chichi complimented.

Mirai Pan smiled as she saw the heartwarming reunion between her family and
friends. Then suddenly, she heard two familiar voices behind her.

"Okaasama! Okaasama!"

She turned to see her two beloved pets running towards her. "My babies!"
Her heart filled with joy as she knelt on the ground and hugged the large
white cats. "Yuki! Tenka, I've missed you so much!"

"Okaasama, you're all right! We were worried we'd never see you again!" the
female cat said as they purred and Mirai Pan rubbed them behind their ears.

"Are these your pets you were telling me about, Pan-chan?" Mirai Trunks
asked as he knelt down to pet one of them.

"Hai. Meet Yuki and Tenka." It wasn't long before the entire group came to
admire the two beautiful cats.

"They're adorable!" Young Pan said as she pet Tenka softly. The cat sniffed
the girl's hand.

"Okaasama, she has the same scent as you," Tenka said.

"Okaasama? Is that what they call you?" Mirai Trunks asked.

"They've called me that ever since they were cubs. And I feel like a mother
to them."

"Speaking of cubs," Mirai Bra said, walking over to the cats.

"No, Bra-chan, let Yuki tell her," Mirai Goten said.

The queen of Dahlia was confused. "Tell me what?"

"Okaasama," Yuki began, "I'm going to have cubs!"

Mirai Pan gasped, happiness washing over her features as she embraced her
pets again. "Oh, Yuki, Tenka, I'm so glad! This is wonderful news to come
home to!" She then stood up, addressing her royal advisor. "Aron, we're going
to have a big celebration tonight. Get every available chef in the area to
make the largest feast they possibly can, enough to feed a dozen Saiyajins,
and more."

Aron bowed. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

* * *

The people of Dahlia-sei were overjoyed to have their queen back. Although
Mirai Pan had attempted to come back to the planet as though she'd never
left, she learned that she had been gone more than a month. That had only
been her third time using the pendant, and although she was getting better
each time she used it, she wasn't able to fully control it yet. She only
hoped that she could get it right when she returned everyone home.

Word got out all over Dahlia City about the feast that was going to be held
at the palace. The queen ordered her guests to be given the finest attire to
wear, so all afternoon the finest tailors and seamstresses were at the
palace, fussing over the queen's honored guests. The clothes of Dahlia were
beautiful, yet simple, and the women especially adored the unique gowns they
would be wearing that evening.

Meanwhile, the queen had called a meeting with Lutz and the members of the
Royal Council, as well as her uncle and Bra, to discuss an important matter
with them.

"I've called everyone here because of an important decision I've made," she
began. "By now you've all heard about Mirai Trunks. Well, in his world, the
Earth is dying. They've tried everything to restore their resources, but they
cannot. If they don't find a new planet to live on soon, all of the people
there will perish. So, I have decided to let those remaining inhabitants of
Earth come to Dahlia."

There was silent chatter among the council, and Aron, Lutz, Bra and Goten
just looked at her in surprise.

"Your Majesty, are you certain about this? I mean, outsiders, coming to live
on Dahlia?" one council member asked.

"What of it? Look at my uncle and Bra-chan. They have no Dahlian blood but
they have lived on this planet and served its people faithfully. In Mirai
Trunks' world there are roughly only 1,500 people left, which will still make
our population much lower than it once was. Also, I believe that it is fate
that we bring them here," Mirai Pan told them.

"Fate? How can you be sure, Majesty?" Aron asked.

"Because...Mirai Trunks and I...love each other."

Silence filled the room, and her uncle and best friend looked at her in
shock. "Not only do we love each other, but our Saiyajin blood has caused us
to bond, and when Saiyajins bond, it's for life. If Trunks and I were to be
separated, it could result in a life of loneliness, even death."

Lutz and the council, who did not know this, gasped at this new information.
The last thing they wanted was the death of their queen. There was more
silence until Aron spoke up.

"We would not wish for that to happen to you, Your Majesty," he said.
Nodding, she said her final say.

"When the people of his time are transported here and they are made citizens
of Dahlia...I will announce to the entire planet that Trunks will reign as
king by my side."

* * *

"Oh, Vegeta! Would you look at this room? It's so beautiful!"

Bulma pranced excitedly around the bedchamber given to her and Vegeta, noting
the beautiful designs, the large bed, and the exquisite bathroom that looked
like it was made of crystal.

"This is going to be the best vacation we've ever had. And can you believe
how beautiful our daughter is going to be?" Before Vegeta had the chance to
respond, they heard a knock at their door. "Who could that be?" Bulma said,
and when she opened the door, she was surprised to see Mirai Goten standing
there.

"Goten-kun?" Bulma said.

"Hello, Bulma-san, Vegeta-san. I...came to see if I could speak to you about
something very important," he said.

"Oh...of course, Goten-kun. Please, do come in."

Mirai Goten entered the room nervously, and Bulma closed the door as he began
to speak.

"So, what's this all about, boy?" Vegeta asked.

"I...I don't know how to say this. It's about Bra-chan."

"What about her? Is something wrong, has something happened?" Bulma asked.

"No, nothing like that. It's a little...complicated." He took a deep breath.
"In these last several years...Bra-chan and I have become very close. When
you died, it had a huge effect on her, and Pan-chan was the same way. But we
still had each other, and we helped each other heal, and we've been there for
each other. And in that time...I've come to care for her a great deal."

Vegeta was silent. He wasn't sure he liked where this was going.

"It was only when Pan left for the final battle with Zio...that I realized I
was in love with Bra-chan."

"Goten-kun..." Bulma said in surprise.

"I told myself that when Pan came back...I would ask Bra-chan to marry me.
But now that you, her parents, are here...I wouldn't feel right...if I didn't
have your consent." He paused and looked at Vegeta and Bulma. "So, that's why
I'm here. I would like your permission for your daughter's hand in marriage."

Vegeta looked at Mirai Goten, studying him thoroughly for the first time. He
was nothing like the Son Goten he was used to seeing. This Goten carried
himself differently, he had a demeanor about him that seemed more mature and
regal. And he was stronger, much stronger than his other self. It was true,
he had indeed changed a lot when he came to live on Dahlia-sei. Because he
was the uncle of the queen, he was highly respected, admired, and looked up
to, practically considered royalty himself. Everything he had been through in
his life had caused him to lose his childish facade and become a real man, a
man of responsiblity and integrity. And Vegeta could see this.

"You've grown a lot for the better, boy. I can see that. Tell me...does she
return your feelings?" Vegeta asked.

He nodded. "She does. I also know that she's loved me all her life. Because
she was so much younger than me, I never gave her a second glance. But I
think we were meant to be all along. I want to spend the rest of my life with
her, and give her the family she deserves."

Bulma looked at her husband, smiling, and he nodded.

"Very well, boy. You have our blessing."

* * *

Dusk came, and the palace celebration began. Everyone rejoiced at the return
of their beloved queen, and warmly welcomed her guests, especially her
"mother" who was considered royalty as well. Mountains of food were on every
table, and though the food on Dahlia was somewhat different, it was the most
delicious thing that any of the earthlings had ever tasted.

From where he was seated, Trunks looked at Mirai Pan and became mesmerized by
her beauty yet again. She was dressed in a purple gown, her hair beautifully
curled and braided, with a beautiful jeweled crown on her head. Whenever he
didn't think she could be any more breathtaking, he was always proven wrong.
He looked at Mirai Trunks who sat next to her, finely dressed in blue,
talking with her and holding her hand.

'I need to tell her tonight,' Trunks said to himself. 'I can't waste any more
time.'




What will happen between Trunks and Mirai Pan? How is Mirai Goten going to
propose? And what's this...the other Goten is jealous? It's all in the next
chapter!