A dark shadow rained down upon the Earth as dense blazing fires reared their dragon heads from
the surface and slaughtered the land. Life was literally wiped out, the souls of millions crying out
in unison as their home was crushed. In the center of it all, floating high above the death and the
chaos like a horseman of the apocalypse, was a figure. Silhouetted in the shadows of crumbling
buildings, he raised his head and laughed maniacally as he watched those last pieces of Earth burn
to ash. His howls ripped coldly through the winds and yet nothing was alive to hear it. The grim
spectacle of death was now a reality, as the darkened figure floated down to the surface of the
planet and stepped cautiously into a small silver orb, shutting the door firmly with his right hand
and typing in a destination on the small calculator-like device in his hands. The orb, pushing aside
rumble and debris with the exertion of its immense force, blasted off into the sky, shooting
through the walls of a toppling edifice and suddenly disappearing in a flash of intense color into
thin air.
*****
Gohan stared down at his plate with an expression of confusion. Videl gazed anxiously at him,
unwilling to voice her concerns. Finally, she spoke.
"Gohan, what's the matter?"
Gohan looked up at Videl, nudging his glasses about an inch up his nose. "Oh? Nothing, Videl.
I'm fine."
Videl scrunched up her nose, showing off that look that she always gave Gohan whenever she felt
that he was acting immature. "Gohan, please. It's our anniversary. Besides, I've known you for
way too long, and there IS something bothering you."
Gohan smiled at his wife. "It's got to do with fighting, and I know how much you hate fighting."
"As long as you don't talk about it in front of Pan, I'm fine with it. Now what's the matter,
Gohan?"
Gohan lowered his head again. "I feel it, Videl. That feeling you get when you know something
bad's going to happen. Like what I felt when I fought Freeza, Cell, and all the others.
Something's happening, and I'm not sure what."
Videl's expression faded from attentive compassion to profound concern. "If you can feel it, then
maybe it's something that you should talk to your friends about it."
"Really?"
"Gohan, I'm not as protective as Chi-chi. I know you'll be just fine out there. But for now..."
The half-Saiyan stared lovingly into his wife's eyes. "Yes?"
"Can we finish dinner? It's nice to have a quiet anniversary dinner at home, where we can
celebrate, while Pan stays over with Bra and Trunks."
Gohan set his hand over Videl's. "It doesn't matter where we are, Videl, as long as we're
together."
*****
Vegeta scowled as he looked in the mirror at his reflection. "Now if only that accursed Super
Saiyan 4 form could grow me some more hair!" he growled, molding the strands into spikes with
hair gel Bulma had purchased.
Bulma smirked as she looked at Vegeta from the kitchen. "I always thought that your haircut
made you look a little like a porn star," she noted.
Vegeta twitched and turned to her. "Wha? Porn star? Absurd!"
"Well, you were able to grow that mustache. Maybe you can grow some hair."
Vegeta stared as Bulma shuffled through the cupboards in the kitchen for some pots and plates.
He smiled, a rare feet, admiring her from his position at the hallway mirror. He loved what she
had done with her hair, letting it grow long again and wrapping it into a ponytail. She didn't look
a day over thirty to him! It was incredible how human females were able to mask their age so
well.
"Bulma, may I ask you a question?"
"What is it, Vegeta?"
"Do you ever think about Kakarotto?"
*****
Bra picked up a small clear perfume bottle from her dresser and tossed it to Pan. Pan caught it in
her right hand as she untied her bandana with her left one.
"It was great that you could come over, Pan!" said Bra, an obvious look of joy on her face.
"Thanks for accepting me. It's nice to have someone to hang out with and talk to. Everyone else
sucks," observed Pan as she unrolled her sleeping bag in front of Bra's bed.
"And I love your pajamas!" laughed Bra.
Pan examined the outfit once again. They were white, one piece pajamas with teddy bears on
them. Pan slapped her head. "My mom made me wear these."
Bra hopped off of her bed, displaying her red silk nightgown. "You need to get accessories, Pan.
Just because no one's around doesn't mean you shouldn't try to dress in designer pajamas."
"What? Let's just go get some sodas from downstairs," ordered Pan, grabbing Bra by her wrists
and dragging her out the bedroom door and toward the stairs.
The two reached the bottom banister, and Pan swung herself off the stairs, slamming headfirst into
Trunks. Trunks screamed in fright as Pan landed on top of him and knocked him to the carpet.
"What's going on in there, kids?" shouted Bulma from the kitchen.
"Nothing, mom!" echoed Bra, looking at the two figures lying on the ground.
Trunks slowly opened his eyes. Beautiful eyes shined back at him, and he suddenly realized that
Pan was lying on his chest, staring back at him. Her cheeks flushed bright red and she laughed in a
cracked voice. "Trunks! Oh, I'm really sorry! Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm okay, I think," replied Trunks, rubbing his head with his left hand.
"Good."
"Pan?"
"Yes, Trunks?"
"Could you please get off me?"
Pan blushed harder. "Oh!" she shouted, rolling off of him and standing up. Trunks hauled himself
to his feet and brushed off his tan sweatshirt. Pan gazed at him until he glanced at her.
"Hey, nice pajamas."
Pan felt like she would die of embarrassment. Curse her mother for buying such stupid pajamas
and humiliating her in front of Trunks! "Um, thanks."
As Trunks walked off, Bra ran over to Pan. "EW! I can't believe you like my brother!"
Pan tried to stop blushing. "It's just a stupid crush! I don't really like him!"
"Oh, come on! Your cheeks were red enough to start a fire!"
Pan scratched her head. "Let's stop talking about it."
"Fine. Now you want a soda or are you just going to keep dreaming about my brother?"
"Bra!"
As Bra darted off toward the kitchen, Pan stood in the hallway, looking at herself in the mirror.
She knew it wasn't just a crush, but what good would love do her? She didn't have anything to
offer Trunks, and she doubted Trunks would even go for a tomboy anyway. She was fifteen, and
her life was a wreck. What else could go wrong?
*****
Crashing waves exploded on the shoreline of Sapphire City. Beyond the awning darkness brought
by total night, the waters began to twist and spin, flying into the air, and rotating like a typhoon,
as a figure emerged from the ocean floor, completely dry. Water crashed behind him with each
step as he approached the shore, looking ahead at the bright lights of the bustling metropolitan.
He smiled eerily, the kind of smile someone makes when they mean to do something wrong. He
snickered softly to himself, raising his palm at the city, unaware of the fate about to befall them.
The silent madman cocked his head to the left as he stared on, his actions clear. Moments before
the ensuing screams, there was one voice, one word.
"Kakarotto."