Only Time Will Tell
By: Faye_Valentine00
Faye_Valentine00@hotmail.com
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okay. I dedicate this chapter to one of my favorite authors here on FF.net, AMCM74. Go read her fic "I never dreamed" Its soooooooooooooooo cool!
Thanks for all your wonderful reviews! Its makes me feel so special! Love ya and Merry Christmas! *FAYE*
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**** 4 months later ****
"Pan, I don't understand this sudden pressing need that you feel to compete in the Worlds Tournament." Mom watched me as I streched and threw a few practice kicks to get ready for my fight.
"I just want to fight. It will be fun." I bounced around to keep my muscles warm but carefully avoided my mothers eyes.
The truth was that however much I tried to deny it, Cammy had gotten under my skin and I wanted to prove to her and myself that I really was as good as I thought. I guess if I was to be really honest with myself then I'd say that I was also trying to show Trunks that Cammy was wrong too.
"Pan, you haven't fought in a tournament in almost 10 years. I'm worried about you."
"Why?"
"Because 18 is fighting too."
That stopped my warm ups and I spun around to face my mother. "What?!"
My confidence level suddenly did a nose dive. If any woman on planet earth could beat me it was her. Sure it was an intergender tournament but I knew she was going to be my opposition in the finals.
"I've been trying to tell you for days but you refused to talk about the tournament with me." Mom gave me an 'I told you so' look and I sighed.
"Oh well. I guess it will just be tougher than I thought." I smiled as confidently as I could and then headed towards the privacy of the restrooms.
I locked myself in a stall and dropped my head into my hands. Is my pride so important to me that I was willing to risk physical harm to prove my point? Of course. I wouldn't be saiyan if I didn't. Why do I care so much about Cammy and her uneducated statements anyways? My thoughts had been an endless stream of questions ever since Mom dropped the bomb on me but I knew that there was no going back. I had to fight to win or go down trying.
I had a total of 5 matches. 18 and I both breezed through the rankings. Grandpa Satan told me that it was the first time in history that two women had fought in the finals. It had been a long time since all of our families had been together. It was refreshing to look up into the stands and see all the Z fighters cheering together. I was sad to see Bulma, Vegeta and Bra had come without Trunks but I guess it was just as well. Who knew what the outcome would be. If I lost, I'd prefer that he wasn't there anyways.
We got to the ring and smiled to each other. 18 had never been an emotional woman but I could tell that she was looking forward to a good fight too. In all honesty the other matches had been boring. At least this was challenging.
18 started off the match with a flurry of kicks which I easily blocked. I returned with a set of punches which she too blocked easily. We jumped apart and smiled openly to each other. She was good but she realized that I was too.
I attacked agressively and we took to the air. We fought hand to hand for a long time with neither one of us getting the upper hand. I could hear Mom, Bulma and Bra all cheering wildly and it pumped me up.
It only took a nano second when I was distracted by the cheers for 18 to get the upper hand. She landed a lightening quick kick right in my gut and I doubled over in pain. Without slowing, she elbowed me to the back of the head and sent me slamming down onto the ring, creating a large crater.
I couldn't move for a moment. It'd been a long time since I taken such a powerful blow that it toko a minute to recover. I heard the ring judge start a ten count and I waited until he got to 5 before I gathered up all my strength and shot back into the sky.
18 looked surprised when I attacked so quickly but she was faster then I was now that I'd taken a good blow. She quickly got the upper hand again. I could feel the fatigue beginning to weight down on me as the minutes ticked by but 18 showed no signs of slowing. That worried me.
She placed a good punch to my face which sent me flying backwards and in reflex I shot off a ki blast which she was easily able to block.
"So Pan... we're going to play like that?" A wide smirk spread across her face and dread filled my very soul.
I'd barely recovered from the punch when 18's large ki blast hit me square in the chest. All the air in my lungs was forced out and I couldn't regain my breath. I fought to stay concious as I fell to the ground but on impact the world went black and the screams from the crowd faded off into nothingness.
*Later*
I woke up to the sound of my father voice talking to me. "Panny, wake up."
The dark abyss threatened to overtake me again but I forced myself to focus on Dads voice until my head was clear enough to stay concious.
My eyes fluttered open and I realized that I was in a small room surrounded by people. I tired to move but a pain shot through my entire body and I could tell somethings were broken.
"Ouch." That was all I was able to get out but I couldn't help but grin as I saw the worried looks of all the fighters.
"Don't move, Pan. Goten when to get you a senzu bean." Dad flashed me a big smile. "We're really proud of you. You did really well and hey, you still got second place!"
I laughed a bit before the pain made it impossible. Then I spotted 18 in the back corner of the room and I smiled to her. "Good fight. Thanks."
She smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. "You're good. I'm impressed." I assume that she thought I was better now cause after saying those few words she smiled one last time and walked out the door.
A second later, Uncle Goten walked into the room and plopped down on the bed next to me.
"Hey. You're awake! Hows my favorite niece? You did awesome today! Open your mouth. I brought you a present."
I did as I was told and he put the tasteless bean in my mouth. Within 10 seconds I felt a surge of energy and my pain vanished. The moment I sat up, my mom had me in a bear hug.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'll be fine." Physically that was true but my pride was hurt. I now understood why Vegeta always wanted to prove that he could beat Grandpa Goku so badly. He had to prove to himself that he was the best but he never could. I guess that was the way that I felt now.
Dad seemed to sense that I was upset because he made eye contact with me and gave me a concerned fatherly look before turning to the crowd.
"Lets give Pan a little time to relax before we leave. When shes ready, I'll take everyone to dinner. My treat!" Within moments I was alone in the room and I laid back down on the bed with a disheartened sigh.
I allowed tears to fall down my cheeks but didn't allow any sound to escape. I had been beaten by a better fighter. That was it. I wasn't mad at 18 by any means. She'd come to win and she did. There was no ill will in that.
The problem was that I was mad at myself. I wanted to prove Cammy wrong and I had failed. That made me feel extremely inadequate. Now every charge that Cammy had made to me at dinner 4 months ago were as good as true. Even if Cammy hadn't forbidden Trunks to see me, I didn't know how'd I'd ever be able to look him in the eye again. He had defended me against the slanderous words of his fiancee and I had failed to live up to his words.
I just wanted to hide out a never let anyone know how badly the defeat and hurt me but I'd never been a quitter and I was not about to start now. I was just sitting up when I heard the door open and then shut quickly. I looked up to see Trunks standing in front of the closed door.
The moment we made eye contact, all the walls of confidence that I'd built up came crashing down and I burst into tears.
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Next Chapter - Trunks to the rescue. Why did he come to the area after the match?!
Please review. More Cammy in the next chapter. ;-)
I hope you all have a very very Merry Christmas! :-) Love always, *FAYE*
