Author's Note:
Okay, I've had some people waiting and waiting for the romance between Pan and Mirai Trunks and all I have to say is this: THE FANFICTION DESCRIPTION SAYS ACTION/ADVENTURE as well as ROMANCE, and I don't want this fic to turn out all sappy and unoriginal and not-much-plot like, no offense, I'm not talking about any fic in particular, if you prefer those kinds of fics, that's okay, but I'm taking my time because I enjoy having a little suspense and fighting in stories too, and if you don't want to wait a couple chapters, that's fine with me if you don't want the end I promise that I'll make the wait well worth it! But I sincerely hope that you won't mind and just go along with the fic. Thanks to all my reviewers, I love y'all! *pastes a cheesy smile on her face* Okay...
Since not *many* of you voted for shorter fics and shorter time or longer fics and longer time, I'm just going to see what happens, whether I'm in a good mood or a bad mood...Enjoy this chapter anyway, it gets a lot darker, more mysterious like!
And blah blah...I don't own DB/Z/GT, you know the drill...
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Revenge of the Saiyan Heart - Chapter Four
Megami sensed his presence. She had known him for so many years, they had grown up together, comforted each other, and even...loved each other. She knew him as well as she knew the back of her own hand, or the structure of the old Isagi-jin palace where she had been enslaved with him. Yes, she was captured with him when they were only mere children. They were separated when he was roughly grouped with other savage men, trained to be royal guards to their mysterious master. She remembered how she spent her last day with him, wrapped up in chains with whip marks on her back. They held each other and she knew she would never, ever, ever see him again and that was the first night she had cried. They were so close, and now they were so far apart. That was the day when she realized that he meant more to her than just a dear friend. She loved him. And it had hit her like a sword slicing swiftly through her heart in her sleep. She loved him, even though they were just mere children. Love was a strange sort of phenomenon, something even her mother could not explain to her.
She now cursed herself for her vulnerability. If it wasn't for the fact that she craved for him so passionately and hungrily she wouldn't have to be where she was now. At least she was alive, but perhaps only by a mere string. Her only strong asset to guarantee the preservation of her life was Pan now and once her training was complete, Megami knew that both of them would die eventually by the hand of her betrayer. She understood Pan's feelings completely as she too, had felt that way. She knew altogether too well the feeling of loneliness. But it was her duty. And now that Pan was with her, she endangered both their lives.
*That's why a warrior must always be alone,* she said to herself. *I guess it's the price one must pay for being powerful. It's our fate, a most unchangable one. It is not in our control.*
He was drawing nearer and nearer. She shuddered slightly. His ki was so cold, not like the warm energy that used to make fuzzy feelings surge into her blood. He was changed completely and she had to admit that now. He was not the Kiyoran Seiju, proud son of the advisor to King Vegeta, as he used to be. She often wondered if he still had the ability to care, to feel, or to love within him. Being brainwashed totally by the Isagi-jin at a young age of eleven was hard to break and it was hard to tap into his mind. He had been trained too well by his master.
Her sensitive hearing could pick up the swish sound his long cape made, his clicking shoes that echoed through the halls in the walls in the small palace of this forsaken planet. She could hear his breathing as he stopped behind her. Oh, he was so close...
"Ami-chan..." he whispered, grabbing her hand. "I've missed you..."
She closed her eyes and relished the feeling of her old nickname. She wasn't going to succumb to this, she wasn't! She forced herself out of his grasp and took a few cautious steps away.
"Don't Seiju...don't do this to me, leave me alone," she said, trying to free her voice from all the emotion that she wanted to pour over his head.
"Why?" he asked simply. That little question made her heartbeat run faster until it pounded literally against her chest. He grabbed her behind her back and snaked his arms around her waist. Why was this killing her? She melted unwillingly into his arms.
"How did you find me?" she mumbled, defeated, unconsciously sliding her hands around his neck and rested her head on his armored upperbody. After all this time he was STILL taller than her by at least six inches.
"I know you too well, Ami, you can't hide from me," he replied, resting his chin on her head. This was pure bliss for him, to be holding the one he loved. But it was forbidden for the both of them, especially when there was a mission to accomplish. He had an ulterior motive.
"I know what you want," Megami said calmly. Of course she knew. It was obvious. Why else would he come when it was forbidden to even see each other? He had to have been sent from his master.
"Well, I guess in that case I won't have to bother asking you. Tell me where she is," he demanded.
*Well, so much for that,* she thought sadly, but regained her composure.
"At this rate, I don't know," she lied. "She could be anywhere, I don't have a single clue. Do you think I can control that kind of power? She is much stronger than me, even untrained, though she doesn't know it yet."
"You used Instant Transmission to conceal her whereabouts, didn't you?" Seiju let go of her and stared at her coldly. His mask had slipped back on his face. It was like nothing ever happened between the two. That was habitual, more or less. His training always got the best of him.
"So what if I did?" she retorted, putting her hands on her waist defensively. "What, now I can't use what power I've got left after what you and your fucking master did to me?"
Something hard struck her cheek and sent chills of pain through her body. He had slapped her and now she found herself sprawling on the ground.
"You will respect my master, as she is yours too," he replied coldly, staring down at her. It pained him to do this to her, but did he have any choice? He had a master to serve. He shoved these thoughts aside and focused on the girl in front of him.
"She is NOT my master, she will never be," Megami said forcefully. "I'm not doing this because I want to Seiju, it's my mother's last request. I honor her."
"You are a stupid fool, as is your mother. If she wasn't so foolish and stupid, she would still be here today."
"You killed her Seiju. I will never be able to forgive you for that."
"Forgive me already. Just think. If you join forces with me and my master, we'll have everything we'd ever hope for. We would be feared, we'd rule all of the universe, all four quadrants. All you have to do is beg for forgiveness to my master and most important of all," he paused. Then added hesitantly, "We'd be together. We wouldn't have to live like this."
"I'd rather grovel to a pile of dead flies than to join with your master," she spat. "I hate her. I hate you."
"No you don't Ami-chan. You love me. I know it."
"No, you see, that's where you are wrong. I loved the young man you used to be. I loved Kiyoran Seiju...I do not love you. You are not him. I love my Kiyo, not the cold, angry, greedy, weak Seiju I see in front of me who will slap a woman. I will always love Kiyo," she whispered, looking straight into his icy steel-colored eyes. "Not you."
The words ripped him apart as she placed two fingers on her forehead and disappeared. Her impact of her words lingered in the air even though she was already gone.
"Not you..." the words echoed in the halls.
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Everything was so...blurry. She groaned and tried to get up, but something in her body just wouldn't let her. She couldn't move when she tried to turn her head away. She squinted and barely made out a green figure above her. She tried to pry open her lips, which felt stiff and glued, but to no avail. She couldn't move, and as hard as she tried to force her eyes open wider, they just wouldn't. She felt so helpless, laying there.
"How are you feeling?" Megami asked, leaning over Pan with a concerned expression on her face. She was kneeling down beside her with several odd-shaped chunks of crystal crushed to a powder in her hand. She mixed the fine grains with water from a small jug that hung from her neck and applied the ointment carefully on Pan's face. "Here, this might make you feel better."
It felt good. It was like pouring ice water after boiling dry skin. Its soothing qualities flowed through her and she felt relieved. Pan sat up gingerly and flexed her fingers.
"A lot better now, thanks. What's that stuff?" She pointed to the powder. "It works just like a senzu bean, except you don't eat it."
"Oh, that's perhaps because this is one of the minerals that a senzu bean is made out of, except this is raw material. It should work a little bit faster, and it's water soluble and it dissolves into your skin. It also regenerates energy if you wear a chunk around your neck."
Megami pulled a necklace with a large, roughly cut clean crystal pendant from her neck and put it around Pan's.
"Use it wisely. There's not a lot of it left in the universe, it's extremely rare. It's an old saiyan recipe, my mother taught me it. Just add clean, pure or distilled water and it should work. The more purer, the better it works."
Pan fingered it lightly. The huge chunk wasn't heavy at all. "Thanks a lot Megami. I really appreciate it."
She just nodded and stood back up. "So, how are you REALLY feeling? Did you have any sort of...revelation? Do you remember anything at all?"
"I..I don't know what happened. Everything...just went black..." Pan rubbed her head. It was throbbing. Hard. Then it hit her. She had been knocked out cold. "I don't think it was anything actually, I just...it kinda felt more like a dream, except it was all black and it was me talking."
Megami nodded again, and said, "Go on."
"And I don't remember exactly what I said...it just kinda blurted out, like it was me, but it wasn't ME talking. And I don't even recall what I was saying, I think something about loneliness and being a female warrior. And not allowed to love or to feel any emotions at all. It was so cold!" She shivered.
"I see. Well, I suppose you do know what that means, don't you?" Megami asked.
She shook her head no in response. "No, I don't understand."
"It means that you are slowly letting your warrior side take over. By releasing your emotions like that, your mind will take over your heart. You let loose an extreme amount of power which was triggered by your emotions. I had to use Instant Transmission to transport you just so the Isagi-jin wouldn't find you. Did you feel that power?"
"Yeah, I did...why did I black out?" she asked curiously. It still was a little numb, but she sat up.
"Oh...well...that's just probably nothing, you probably weren't used to your power yet." She shot Pan a look that told her not to question the situation further. "Get up. We need to start training again, but there's maybe one little detail you need to know."
"What is it?" Pan asked, getting up slowly, adjusting her bandanna and tying a warrior's knot on her hair, which was surprisingly waist-length now. She began to stretch her muscles.
"We're on Earth in the Mirai timeline."
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Videl searched Pan's room as she began cleaning up, but it was crystal clean already, so she just sat on the bed, looking around. She hadn't been in there for years, Pan always locked her room whenever she was in it. Heck, she even installed a set of locks in the back of the door. Although it was always easy for her and Gohan to break the doors, they always felt that Pan needed a sense of privacy, being in her teenage years. She was a good kid too, reports cards were sent home with straight A's and she wasn't the type to do drugs or smoke. So they trusted her and let her stay home alone a lot. But now she was gone...what had gone wrong?
Gohan and Videl were busy, busy people, but they had always taken the time to talk with their one and only daughter. She still was, in a sense, a precious darling baby, even though she was at the age of seventeen. She wiped her tears away as she remembered that Pan was in danger, and that no one could protect her, even if they wanted to. She had truly grown up in more ways than expected. What was surprising was how Videl and Gohan could've seen her each and every day and not suspect anything. During the past four years after her adventure with her beloved grandfather, Pan had changed with anyone noticing it. It was a very, very gradual change, but for Videl to now reflect on the changes in retrospect, there was a dramatic amount. She was more quiet, always deep in thought, didn't talk too much. She stayed away from socials at Bulma's and actually never went to proms, school dances or anything. Was Pan a social outcast? Was there a side of her that no one knew? Videl never wondered about it.
Videl propped up Pan's pillow. Suddenly, she noticed a small, leather-bound bookshelf hidden behind it. It wasn't there before. Curious, she took a bobby pin out from her hair and picked at the lock. It snapped open easily. A small orange diary fell out and Videl picked it up. It was Pan's diary.
*Since when did Pan keep a diary?* Videl wondered. *Hmm...I know I shouldn't, but maybe there's something in here that led to why she ran away.*
She flipped back a few pages till she read the most current entry:
Dear Diary,
You know, I think someone up there really hates me. Maybe Dende has something against me or maybe holds a grudge against me for being a stowaway on that Dragonball quest with my chibi grandpa and Trunks, but honestly, must he make my life such a living hell? I mean, here I am, Little She-man Pan Son, voted "Most Likely to Undergo Transexual Operations." Isn't that bad enough to be voted that three times in high school and it's also published in my high school yearbook, which everyone sees (hey, and I'm betting this senior year I'm going to get voted again) but then I have to deal with my social life...
Or rather the lack of it. I went to the mall today, not to shop of course, you know how much I hate shopping! I went to the mall to check out the new food court that's opened...hey don't look at me like that diary, I'm a saiyan, I'm supposed to love food. Not so surprisingly Uncle Goten and Bra were there. I swear the both of them like each other A LOT, I can tell by noticing. I don't talk much anymore, I've told you about all that remember? Anyway, you know how Goten is with food. And Bra, she's trying to be all ladylike, but yeah, I totally saw her drool at the sight of the extra extra EXTRA large onion rings that Goten bought for her. (Guess what she's drooling about? Goten or the onion rings? I'll leave that for you to decide) You know that spaghetti scene with Lady and the Tramp? They relived that whole scene, except with onion rings. Ew, talk about bad breath. Why not curly fries? They work much better.
But I digress. Trunks and Marron were there too. Is it just me or am I, like, invisible? They all sat at the same table, couple with couple like it was a double date. How come Bra never tells me her plans anymore? I tried to talk to her about that last time but she just went on and on about some dude named Takashi. Whatever...anyway, I was sitting across from them. I waved, but they didn't even see me. I practically had to scream. Not worth it, so I left. I took a nice, long walk...you know that secluded place way on the outskirts of town where Daddy used to train Goten? Well, I went there to train again today. Yeah, yeah, I know, I train there everyday. I think I'm getting a lot stronger though, I almost went beyond SSJ2. It's a really weird thing. I wish I could shove it in their faces that I'm just as good as the guys. I'd love to see their faces when I beat their butts to...never mind. One day, when I decide that it's the right time, I'm going to reveal myself. I don't know when just quite yet, but I have a feeling it's going to be soon. Guess I'm going to have to bide my time.
You know, I really like those training grounds. What are they called? Mount Paozu or something? Anyway, every time I'm there I can feel like Goku is there with me as well. I miss him so much...once I thought of going to him, committing suicide, but then it would be selfish. And I think of Mom, think of Dad. I can't do that to them. They're all I have left, other than Chi Chi. I wish Grandpa was here though, I wouldn't have to be so lonely. At least I'll live for those who really do care about me. Unlike Goten, Bra, Marron or...Trunks.
The sound of his voice makes me tremor...I've been obsessed with him for too long. I really should give up on him, he's going out with Marron. It doesn't help that Marron is one of my best friends. Well, used to be anyway...now that Goten and Bra and that Trunks and Marron and Marron and Bra and Trunks and Goten seem to fit together than I fit with them. Who am I supposed to hang out with? I have no one. I really stick out like a sore thumb. I wish I had a different personality, I think I'm way too controversial. I hate my life. Okay, I'm pathetic, I know. I chase after unreasonable goals. I like someone who is totally way over the hill. At least for me anyway. So tell me something I don't know! I wish Grandpa was here. At least I'll know that someone understands me.
Lots of Love, If I have any left,
Son Pan.
Videl gasped and quickly glanced at the date of the entry. Two days before she had disappeared. Is this how Pan really felt? How come she didn't notice all this before? Pan liked Trunks?
"GOHAN!!!" she yelled from inside her bedroom. "Come look at this!"
Gohan rushed up to the bedroom. "What is it Videl?" he asked.
She thrusted the diary in his face. Gohan put on his reading glasses and looked. He read the entry with lightning speed. When he finished, his face was stricken.
"Oh Dende..." His eyes widened in surprise. "Oh my Dende...Pan..."
"I know! And this was happening all under our nose and I didn't notice it. We're her parents!" Videl cried, anguished.
Gohan's ki rose. "I can't believe Pan likes Trunks! No wonder Trunks and Goten were acting so weird the other day, they wouldn't even look at each other. Do they know? And that Goten, how come he didn't tell me?"
Videl put her arm on his shoulder to steady him. "Gohan, calm down. I'm sure they were as surprised as we are."
"I'm going to kill him!"
"Stop. This isn't all their fault. Look at this!" She pointed to the paragraph and read aloud, "I really stick out like a sore thumb. She wrote that! She feels out of place and can you believe what they call her in high school? No wonder!"
"Vid, what are we going to do?" he said, wringing his hands. "I'm such a failure, I don't even know my own daughter anymore..."
He stood up. "I'm going over to the Briefs' house right now."
"Oh Gohan, don't disrupt them, they can't do anything about it either. And don't even THINK about beating up Trunks, he can't help that Pan liked him," Videl pleaded. "We have to listen to Vegeta, we have to wait till she comes back."
He reread those words again. "She's depressed Videl..." he whispered, looking sadly into Videl's face, which was, if not more, equally as distressed as his own. "And we didn't even see it."
She slid her hands into his. "I know...I know."
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Pan gulped. "We're in the alternate timeline? Wha...What're we doing here?"
"Listen, I used a technique called Instant Transmission to get us here, except that not only can it transfer you from place to place it also can travel through time. That's how we're here. The reason that we're here is, is that the Isagi-jin tracked your energy release. I didn't expect it to be so powerful, so after you were knocked out I transported us here. It's the safest place I know. Earth is now android-free, and not many people are alive, so that means no witnesses OR distractions. And the Isagi-jin won't think right away to look in the alternate timeline," Megami explained quickly. "They can't find us here, at least not for awhile."
Pan looked at her warily then glanced behind her cautiously. "You sure? I don't think I want to die just yet, I'm not prepared yet. There's still so much more for me to learn. So you're positive they won't kill me?"
Megami shot her a look. "Of course I'm sure. I'd bet my life on it. Now let's get training, we have lots to do."
"Hai." Pan lowered into a fighting position and waiting for Megami to attack, but finally made the first move with a elegant spinning kick and flipped her hips until the other leg kicked and then spun and began punching in the part that was caught off-guard. Megami blocked them all easily with swift movements with her right arm.
"Nice job Pan. Turn SSJ2 and show me what you can really do," she instructed, getting in a nice hit of her own.
"Hai," Pan replied again, raising her ki until it peaked to reach SSJ2. She began to throw kicks and punches at an accelerated pace, while blocking every hit Megami threw at her. What was surprising was that Megami didn't need to even raise her ki to block her attacks and even though Pan was giving it her all, Megami wasn't even breaking a sweat. Frustrated, she began to hit wildly, catching her offguard, nearly missing a ki blast but it was brushed away using a swift movement with her right hand.
*She's not even using both hands to fight! One hand and she's not even moving her legs! What the hell?* Pan thought, dodging a single-handed ki blast.
"Concentrate," Megami said, "Don't distract yourself. Be alert at all times or else you will be defeated. That's all it takes, you know, one little slip-up and the battle's over and they've won." She proceeded to repeat Pan's moves and pointed out little mistakes.
"See here," she commented, moving her hips just a teeny bit, "You need to adjust your torso so you don't flip off balance when you're kicking at your opponent. If you plant both legs so your gravity is in the center, you'll never to able to be knocked off because you have a stronger base. But of course, when you're sparring in the air, you won't have to worry about that. Remember, you always need to have a strong defense, if not stronger. Got that?"
"Right," Pan agreed, moving her own hips and mimicking the moves slowly. She nodded her head and heard a low rumbling in her abdomen. "Guess you know what that means, huh?" she grinned.
"Well, can't fight on an empty stomach, we've actually gone about two days without food..." Megami paused. "But we can't steal food, that would only draw attention to us. I guess we'd have to earn it ourselves."
"Earn money for food? Don't you carry some minerals that make us eternally full or something?" Pan joked.
"I do actually, but I left it at home," she replied, looking completely serious. Pan looked at her oddly. There was such a thing?
"Just kidding." Megami had traces of a smile on the corners of her lips.
*She has such a dry sense of humor, just like Vegeta-san,* Pan thought. "That wasn't funny."
Megami just chuckled and waved her hand carelessly. "Saiyan humor," she said, winking.
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(Author's Note: Time supposedly travels differently between the two alternate timelines, so it's still the same day where we left off in Mirai Trunks' time, okay?)
Mirai Trunks crossed his legs and began to meditate. He couldn't get his mind off the disturbing revelation earlier that morning and figured that by meditating he could clear his mind from any anxiety. He never learned properly how to, but by watching his mother he could get a small glimpse of it.
His mother meant the world to him, she was all that was left after the androids came and destroyed everything that was precious to him. He didn't know if he could go on without her in his life if she had been killed by the androids. He shuddered. Even though they were gone, he never was able to shake off that particular "what-if". And he had good reasons. His sensei and mentor, Gohan, died at their mercilessly bloody hands. He was all too glad to kill them off. That way he could avenge the death of his father and his sensei. Two of the most important people in his life.
He never knew his father too well, and even going back in time was pretty depressing. He was nothing like the father Trunks had imagined. He was more like a stone with the hardest barrier. But then again, he never had much of a father figure throughout most of his life, so he didn't know what he was expecting. Perhaps someone more like Gohan? Yes, Gohan meant a lot to him, almost as much as his mother. Gohan was like a second father to him. He respected and held him in high regard. But Present Vegeta? Not exactly very Gohan-like, that was for sure.
"There's more to your father than meets the eye," Bulma had said when Trunks had told her the story after his return. But she had said it with such sadness and a longing so deep, even her eyes showed it. Bulma must have been able to see the true side Vegeta hid. Trunks could sense that he was always hiding SOMETHING, but it never really showed. Only a few glimpses that were soon erased with an arrogant "humph" from Vegeta.
Trunks closed his eyes. His mother must've loved his father very much, even though they had bickered mercilessly from what he saw in the past. He sighed. Of all the people he had loved so dearly, only his mother was left. What could he do to make her happy? He knew he couldn't bring Vegeta back, even if the Dragonballs still existed, of which he highly doubted.
His father. He had only met him those few times, and what short times they were. He didn't know exactly what he expected of him, he had lived much of his life trying to deal with the fact that he wasn't there anymore. He died at the hands of the enemy. But it was not in vain, for Vegeta's death had been avenged.
*Are you proud of me father? I know you're watching somewhere up there.* The corners of his mouth slanted just the tiniest bit upward at the thought.
He thought of the past, of Cell and the long, hard-fought battle. He missed his friends terribly and wondered greatly at how they must've changed now. He wished that he could go see them again, but the time machine had been destroyed after his last journey to the past. He didn't want to, but it had to have been done. He couldn't go back and forth between the two worlds, he'd only disrupt the other.
He relaxed his shoulders and took a deep breath. His mind wandered towards the woman in his dream. He could never see her face quite clearly, but was always blurry and her expression was always misty-eyed. Even so, he knew she was breathtakingly beautiful, perhaps even more so than his mother. That mysterious girl...was SHE the threat to Earth?
*She couldn't be. She's far too pure, I could sense it from her energy. Compared to that of the hollow dark man or woman or whoever who tried to attack me anyway, that was pure darkness,* he thought. *But that's about all I can remember. I am never able to recall the details or exactly what happens. Just flashes and sudden images.*
He sighed and fell back on the grass. It was no use.
Bulma watched her son as he laid there on the grass with the most excruciating expression on his usually emotionless face. She glanced away sadly. Trunks looked so much like his father it was almost difficult to bear seeing her precious Vegeta's face everytime he looked at her. He looked so much like his father, his warrior-like facade, his expressions, even his voice and the way he handled things. He was more like him that she would even admit.
*Too bad you didn't see him grow up to be such a fine young man,* she thought, slightly upset.
She could feel something was missing in Trunks' life, but never could ever be able to figure that one out. He needed something, something that even she could not provide for him. Trunks need something to fill that empty hole in his life. She shrugged it off she prepared twelve-decker chicken sandwiches. But then it hit her.
Perhaps he needed...someone.
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Author's Note:
Okay, so how did you like that? I know I know, it took me a super duper long time to update, but I was extremely busy with school work, homework, projects, practice, stuff like that. I promise during this four day weekend I might get another chapter out (most likely I will!) because I just got this great new idea. No, I didn't get any writer's blocks so don't worry about little old me! Just keep those reviews coming and you got yourself a great new chapter! I promise! Review please, I want to know what you think so far! And it's going to take awhile before the romance between Mirai Trunks and Pan actually starts. Don't flame, just remember I'm going to make the wait well worth it! I know I've said that a lot, but I promise promise!
Okay, I've had some people waiting and waiting for the romance between Pan and Mirai Trunks and all I have to say is this: THE FANFICTION DESCRIPTION SAYS ACTION/ADVENTURE as well as ROMANCE, and I don't want this fic to turn out all sappy and unoriginal and not-much-plot like, no offense, I'm not talking about any fic in particular, if you prefer those kinds of fics, that's okay, but I'm taking my time because I enjoy having a little suspense and fighting in stories too, and if you don't want to wait a couple chapters, that's fine with me if you don't want the end I promise that I'll make the wait well worth it! But I sincerely hope that you won't mind and just go along with the fic. Thanks to all my reviewers, I love y'all! *pastes a cheesy smile on her face* Okay...
Since not *many* of you voted for shorter fics and shorter time or longer fics and longer time, I'm just going to see what happens, whether I'm in a good mood or a bad mood...Enjoy this chapter anyway, it gets a lot darker, more mysterious like!
And blah blah...I don't own DB/Z/GT, you know the drill...
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Revenge of the Saiyan Heart - Chapter Four
Megami sensed his presence. She had known him for so many years, they had grown up together, comforted each other, and even...loved each other. She knew him as well as she knew the back of her own hand, or the structure of the old Isagi-jin palace where she had been enslaved with him. Yes, she was captured with him when they were only mere children. They were separated when he was roughly grouped with other savage men, trained to be royal guards to their mysterious master. She remembered how she spent her last day with him, wrapped up in chains with whip marks on her back. They held each other and she knew she would never, ever, ever see him again and that was the first night she had cried. They were so close, and now they were so far apart. That was the day when she realized that he meant more to her than just a dear friend. She loved him. And it had hit her like a sword slicing swiftly through her heart in her sleep. She loved him, even though they were just mere children. Love was a strange sort of phenomenon, something even her mother could not explain to her.
She now cursed herself for her vulnerability. If it wasn't for the fact that she craved for him so passionately and hungrily she wouldn't have to be where she was now. At least she was alive, but perhaps only by a mere string. Her only strong asset to guarantee the preservation of her life was Pan now and once her training was complete, Megami knew that both of them would die eventually by the hand of her betrayer. She understood Pan's feelings completely as she too, had felt that way. She knew altogether too well the feeling of loneliness. But it was her duty. And now that Pan was with her, she endangered both their lives.
*That's why a warrior must always be alone,* she said to herself. *I guess it's the price one must pay for being powerful. It's our fate, a most unchangable one. It is not in our control.*
He was drawing nearer and nearer. She shuddered slightly. His ki was so cold, not like the warm energy that used to make fuzzy feelings surge into her blood. He was changed completely and she had to admit that now. He was not the Kiyoran Seiju, proud son of the advisor to King Vegeta, as he used to be. She often wondered if he still had the ability to care, to feel, or to love within him. Being brainwashed totally by the Isagi-jin at a young age of eleven was hard to break and it was hard to tap into his mind. He had been trained too well by his master.
Her sensitive hearing could pick up the swish sound his long cape made, his clicking shoes that echoed through the halls in the walls in the small palace of this forsaken planet. She could hear his breathing as he stopped behind her. Oh, he was so close...
"Ami-chan..." he whispered, grabbing her hand. "I've missed you..."
She closed her eyes and relished the feeling of her old nickname. She wasn't going to succumb to this, she wasn't! She forced herself out of his grasp and took a few cautious steps away.
"Don't Seiju...don't do this to me, leave me alone," she said, trying to free her voice from all the emotion that she wanted to pour over his head.
"Why?" he asked simply. That little question made her heartbeat run faster until it pounded literally against her chest. He grabbed her behind her back and snaked his arms around her waist. Why was this killing her? She melted unwillingly into his arms.
"How did you find me?" she mumbled, defeated, unconsciously sliding her hands around his neck and rested her head on his armored upperbody. After all this time he was STILL taller than her by at least six inches.
"I know you too well, Ami, you can't hide from me," he replied, resting his chin on her head. This was pure bliss for him, to be holding the one he loved. But it was forbidden for the both of them, especially when there was a mission to accomplish. He had an ulterior motive.
"I know what you want," Megami said calmly. Of course she knew. It was obvious. Why else would he come when it was forbidden to even see each other? He had to have been sent from his master.
"Well, I guess in that case I won't have to bother asking you. Tell me where she is," he demanded.
*Well, so much for that,* she thought sadly, but regained her composure.
"At this rate, I don't know," she lied. "She could be anywhere, I don't have a single clue. Do you think I can control that kind of power? She is much stronger than me, even untrained, though she doesn't know it yet."
"You used Instant Transmission to conceal her whereabouts, didn't you?" Seiju let go of her and stared at her coldly. His mask had slipped back on his face. It was like nothing ever happened between the two. That was habitual, more or less. His training always got the best of him.
"So what if I did?" she retorted, putting her hands on her waist defensively. "What, now I can't use what power I've got left after what you and your fucking master did to me?"
Something hard struck her cheek and sent chills of pain through her body. He had slapped her and now she found herself sprawling on the ground.
"You will respect my master, as she is yours too," he replied coldly, staring down at her. It pained him to do this to her, but did he have any choice? He had a master to serve. He shoved these thoughts aside and focused on the girl in front of him.
"She is NOT my master, she will never be," Megami said forcefully. "I'm not doing this because I want to Seiju, it's my mother's last request. I honor her."
"You are a stupid fool, as is your mother. If she wasn't so foolish and stupid, she would still be here today."
"You killed her Seiju. I will never be able to forgive you for that."
"Forgive me already. Just think. If you join forces with me and my master, we'll have everything we'd ever hope for. We would be feared, we'd rule all of the universe, all four quadrants. All you have to do is beg for forgiveness to my master and most important of all," he paused. Then added hesitantly, "We'd be together. We wouldn't have to live like this."
"I'd rather grovel to a pile of dead flies than to join with your master," she spat. "I hate her. I hate you."
"No you don't Ami-chan. You love me. I know it."
"No, you see, that's where you are wrong. I loved the young man you used to be. I loved Kiyoran Seiju...I do not love you. You are not him. I love my Kiyo, not the cold, angry, greedy, weak Seiju I see in front of me who will slap a woman. I will always love Kiyo," she whispered, looking straight into his icy steel-colored eyes. "Not you."
The words ripped him apart as she placed two fingers on her forehead and disappeared. Her impact of her words lingered in the air even though she was already gone.
"Not you..." the words echoed in the halls.
************************************************************
Everything was so...blurry. She groaned and tried to get up, but something in her body just wouldn't let her. She couldn't move when she tried to turn her head away. She squinted and barely made out a green figure above her. She tried to pry open her lips, which felt stiff and glued, but to no avail. She couldn't move, and as hard as she tried to force her eyes open wider, they just wouldn't. She felt so helpless, laying there.
"How are you feeling?" Megami asked, leaning over Pan with a concerned expression on her face. She was kneeling down beside her with several odd-shaped chunks of crystal crushed to a powder in her hand. She mixed the fine grains with water from a small jug that hung from her neck and applied the ointment carefully on Pan's face. "Here, this might make you feel better."
It felt good. It was like pouring ice water after boiling dry skin. Its soothing qualities flowed through her and she felt relieved. Pan sat up gingerly and flexed her fingers.
"A lot better now, thanks. What's that stuff?" She pointed to the powder. "It works just like a senzu bean, except you don't eat it."
"Oh, that's perhaps because this is one of the minerals that a senzu bean is made out of, except this is raw material. It should work a little bit faster, and it's water soluble and it dissolves into your skin. It also regenerates energy if you wear a chunk around your neck."
Megami pulled a necklace with a large, roughly cut clean crystal pendant from her neck and put it around Pan's.
"Use it wisely. There's not a lot of it left in the universe, it's extremely rare. It's an old saiyan recipe, my mother taught me it. Just add clean, pure or distilled water and it should work. The more purer, the better it works."
Pan fingered it lightly. The huge chunk wasn't heavy at all. "Thanks a lot Megami. I really appreciate it."
She just nodded and stood back up. "So, how are you REALLY feeling? Did you have any sort of...revelation? Do you remember anything at all?"
"I..I don't know what happened. Everything...just went black..." Pan rubbed her head. It was throbbing. Hard. Then it hit her. She had been knocked out cold. "I don't think it was anything actually, I just...it kinda felt more like a dream, except it was all black and it was me talking."
Megami nodded again, and said, "Go on."
"And I don't remember exactly what I said...it just kinda blurted out, like it was me, but it wasn't ME talking. And I don't even recall what I was saying, I think something about loneliness and being a female warrior. And not allowed to love or to feel any emotions at all. It was so cold!" She shivered.
"I see. Well, I suppose you do know what that means, don't you?" Megami asked.
She shook her head no in response. "No, I don't understand."
"It means that you are slowly letting your warrior side take over. By releasing your emotions like that, your mind will take over your heart. You let loose an extreme amount of power which was triggered by your emotions. I had to use Instant Transmission to transport you just so the Isagi-jin wouldn't find you. Did you feel that power?"
"Yeah, I did...why did I black out?" she asked curiously. It still was a little numb, but she sat up.
"Oh...well...that's just probably nothing, you probably weren't used to your power yet." She shot Pan a look that told her not to question the situation further. "Get up. We need to start training again, but there's maybe one little detail you need to know."
"What is it?" Pan asked, getting up slowly, adjusting her bandanna and tying a warrior's knot on her hair, which was surprisingly waist-length now. She began to stretch her muscles.
"We're on Earth in the Mirai timeline."
************************************************************
Videl searched Pan's room as she began cleaning up, but it was crystal clean already, so she just sat on the bed, looking around. She hadn't been in there for years, Pan always locked her room whenever she was in it. Heck, she even installed a set of locks in the back of the door. Although it was always easy for her and Gohan to break the doors, they always felt that Pan needed a sense of privacy, being in her teenage years. She was a good kid too, reports cards were sent home with straight A's and she wasn't the type to do drugs or smoke. So they trusted her and let her stay home alone a lot. But now she was gone...what had gone wrong?
Gohan and Videl were busy, busy people, but they had always taken the time to talk with their one and only daughter. She still was, in a sense, a precious darling baby, even though she was at the age of seventeen. She wiped her tears away as she remembered that Pan was in danger, and that no one could protect her, even if they wanted to. She had truly grown up in more ways than expected. What was surprising was how Videl and Gohan could've seen her each and every day and not suspect anything. During the past four years after her adventure with her beloved grandfather, Pan had changed with anyone noticing it. It was a very, very gradual change, but for Videl to now reflect on the changes in retrospect, there was a dramatic amount. She was more quiet, always deep in thought, didn't talk too much. She stayed away from socials at Bulma's and actually never went to proms, school dances or anything. Was Pan a social outcast? Was there a side of her that no one knew? Videl never wondered about it.
Videl propped up Pan's pillow. Suddenly, she noticed a small, leather-bound bookshelf hidden behind it. It wasn't there before. Curious, she took a bobby pin out from her hair and picked at the lock. It snapped open easily. A small orange diary fell out and Videl picked it up. It was Pan's diary.
*Since when did Pan keep a diary?* Videl wondered. *Hmm...I know I shouldn't, but maybe there's something in here that led to why she ran away.*
She flipped back a few pages till she read the most current entry:
Dear Diary,
You know, I think someone up there really hates me. Maybe Dende has something against me or maybe holds a grudge against me for being a stowaway on that Dragonball quest with my chibi grandpa and Trunks, but honestly, must he make my life such a living hell? I mean, here I am, Little She-man Pan Son, voted "Most Likely to Undergo Transexual Operations." Isn't that bad enough to be voted that three times in high school and it's also published in my high school yearbook, which everyone sees (hey, and I'm betting this senior year I'm going to get voted again) but then I have to deal with my social life...
Or rather the lack of it. I went to the mall today, not to shop of course, you know how much I hate shopping! I went to the mall to check out the new food court that's opened...hey don't look at me like that diary, I'm a saiyan, I'm supposed to love food. Not so surprisingly Uncle Goten and Bra were there. I swear the both of them like each other A LOT, I can tell by noticing. I don't talk much anymore, I've told you about all that remember? Anyway, you know how Goten is with food. And Bra, she's trying to be all ladylike, but yeah, I totally saw her drool at the sight of the extra extra EXTRA large onion rings that Goten bought for her. (Guess what she's drooling about? Goten or the onion rings? I'll leave that for you to decide) You know that spaghetti scene with Lady and the Tramp? They relived that whole scene, except with onion rings. Ew, talk about bad breath. Why not curly fries? They work much better.
But I digress. Trunks and Marron were there too. Is it just me or am I, like, invisible? They all sat at the same table, couple with couple like it was a double date. How come Bra never tells me her plans anymore? I tried to talk to her about that last time but she just went on and on about some dude named Takashi. Whatever...anyway, I was sitting across from them. I waved, but they didn't even see me. I practically had to scream. Not worth it, so I left. I took a nice, long walk...you know that secluded place way on the outskirts of town where Daddy used to train Goten? Well, I went there to train again today. Yeah, yeah, I know, I train there everyday. I think I'm getting a lot stronger though, I almost went beyond SSJ2. It's a really weird thing. I wish I could shove it in their faces that I'm just as good as the guys. I'd love to see their faces when I beat their butts to...never mind. One day, when I decide that it's the right time, I'm going to reveal myself. I don't know when just quite yet, but I have a feeling it's going to be soon. Guess I'm going to have to bide my time.
You know, I really like those training grounds. What are they called? Mount Paozu or something? Anyway, every time I'm there I can feel like Goku is there with me as well. I miss him so much...once I thought of going to him, committing suicide, but then it would be selfish. And I think of Mom, think of Dad. I can't do that to them. They're all I have left, other than Chi Chi. I wish Grandpa was here though, I wouldn't have to be so lonely. At least I'll live for those who really do care about me. Unlike Goten, Bra, Marron or...Trunks.
The sound of his voice makes me tremor...I've been obsessed with him for too long. I really should give up on him, he's going out with Marron. It doesn't help that Marron is one of my best friends. Well, used to be anyway...now that Goten and Bra and that Trunks and Marron and Marron and Bra and Trunks and Goten seem to fit together than I fit with them. Who am I supposed to hang out with? I have no one. I really stick out like a sore thumb. I wish I had a different personality, I think I'm way too controversial. I hate my life. Okay, I'm pathetic, I know. I chase after unreasonable goals. I like someone who is totally way over the hill. At least for me anyway. So tell me something I don't know! I wish Grandpa was here. At least I'll know that someone understands me.
Lots of Love, If I have any left,
Son Pan.
Videl gasped and quickly glanced at the date of the entry. Two days before she had disappeared. Is this how Pan really felt? How come she didn't notice all this before? Pan liked Trunks?
"GOHAN!!!" she yelled from inside her bedroom. "Come look at this!"
Gohan rushed up to the bedroom. "What is it Videl?" he asked.
She thrusted the diary in his face. Gohan put on his reading glasses and looked. He read the entry with lightning speed. When he finished, his face was stricken.
"Oh Dende..." His eyes widened in surprise. "Oh my Dende...Pan..."
"I know! And this was happening all under our nose and I didn't notice it. We're her parents!" Videl cried, anguished.
Gohan's ki rose. "I can't believe Pan likes Trunks! No wonder Trunks and Goten were acting so weird the other day, they wouldn't even look at each other. Do they know? And that Goten, how come he didn't tell me?"
Videl put her arm on his shoulder to steady him. "Gohan, calm down. I'm sure they were as surprised as we are."
"I'm going to kill him!"
"Stop. This isn't all their fault. Look at this!" She pointed to the paragraph and read aloud, "I really stick out like a sore thumb. She wrote that! She feels out of place and can you believe what they call her in high school? No wonder!"
"Vid, what are we going to do?" he said, wringing his hands. "I'm such a failure, I don't even know my own daughter anymore..."
He stood up. "I'm going over to the Briefs' house right now."
"Oh Gohan, don't disrupt them, they can't do anything about it either. And don't even THINK about beating up Trunks, he can't help that Pan liked him," Videl pleaded. "We have to listen to Vegeta, we have to wait till she comes back."
He reread those words again. "She's depressed Videl..." he whispered, looking sadly into Videl's face, which was, if not more, equally as distressed as his own. "And we didn't even see it."
She slid her hands into his. "I know...I know."
************************************************************
Pan gulped. "We're in the alternate timeline? Wha...What're we doing here?"
"Listen, I used a technique called Instant Transmission to get us here, except that not only can it transfer you from place to place it also can travel through time. That's how we're here. The reason that we're here is, is that the Isagi-jin tracked your energy release. I didn't expect it to be so powerful, so after you were knocked out I transported us here. It's the safest place I know. Earth is now android-free, and not many people are alive, so that means no witnesses OR distractions. And the Isagi-jin won't think right away to look in the alternate timeline," Megami explained quickly. "They can't find us here, at least not for awhile."
Pan looked at her warily then glanced behind her cautiously. "You sure? I don't think I want to die just yet, I'm not prepared yet. There's still so much more for me to learn. So you're positive they won't kill me?"
Megami shot her a look. "Of course I'm sure. I'd bet my life on it. Now let's get training, we have lots to do."
"Hai." Pan lowered into a fighting position and waiting for Megami to attack, but finally made the first move with a elegant spinning kick and flipped her hips until the other leg kicked and then spun and began punching in the part that was caught off-guard. Megami blocked them all easily with swift movements with her right arm.
"Nice job Pan. Turn SSJ2 and show me what you can really do," she instructed, getting in a nice hit of her own.
"Hai," Pan replied again, raising her ki until it peaked to reach SSJ2. She began to throw kicks and punches at an accelerated pace, while blocking every hit Megami threw at her. What was surprising was that Megami didn't need to even raise her ki to block her attacks and even though Pan was giving it her all, Megami wasn't even breaking a sweat. Frustrated, she began to hit wildly, catching her offguard, nearly missing a ki blast but it was brushed away using a swift movement with her right hand.
*She's not even using both hands to fight! One hand and she's not even moving her legs! What the hell?* Pan thought, dodging a single-handed ki blast.
"Concentrate," Megami said, "Don't distract yourself. Be alert at all times or else you will be defeated. That's all it takes, you know, one little slip-up and the battle's over and they've won." She proceeded to repeat Pan's moves and pointed out little mistakes.
"See here," she commented, moving her hips just a teeny bit, "You need to adjust your torso so you don't flip off balance when you're kicking at your opponent. If you plant both legs so your gravity is in the center, you'll never to able to be knocked off because you have a stronger base. But of course, when you're sparring in the air, you won't have to worry about that. Remember, you always need to have a strong defense, if not stronger. Got that?"
"Right," Pan agreed, moving her own hips and mimicking the moves slowly. She nodded her head and heard a low rumbling in her abdomen. "Guess you know what that means, huh?" she grinned.
"Well, can't fight on an empty stomach, we've actually gone about two days without food..." Megami paused. "But we can't steal food, that would only draw attention to us. I guess we'd have to earn it ourselves."
"Earn money for food? Don't you carry some minerals that make us eternally full or something?" Pan joked.
"I do actually, but I left it at home," she replied, looking completely serious. Pan looked at her oddly. There was such a thing?
"Just kidding." Megami had traces of a smile on the corners of her lips.
*She has such a dry sense of humor, just like Vegeta-san,* Pan thought. "That wasn't funny."
Megami just chuckled and waved her hand carelessly. "Saiyan humor," she said, winking.
************************************************************
(Author's Note: Time supposedly travels differently between the two alternate timelines, so it's still the same day where we left off in Mirai Trunks' time, okay?)
Mirai Trunks crossed his legs and began to meditate. He couldn't get his mind off the disturbing revelation earlier that morning and figured that by meditating he could clear his mind from any anxiety. He never learned properly how to, but by watching his mother he could get a small glimpse of it.
His mother meant the world to him, she was all that was left after the androids came and destroyed everything that was precious to him. He didn't know if he could go on without her in his life if she had been killed by the androids. He shuddered. Even though they were gone, he never was able to shake off that particular "what-if". And he had good reasons. His sensei and mentor, Gohan, died at their mercilessly bloody hands. He was all too glad to kill them off. That way he could avenge the death of his father and his sensei. Two of the most important people in his life.
He never knew his father too well, and even going back in time was pretty depressing. He was nothing like the father Trunks had imagined. He was more like a stone with the hardest barrier. But then again, he never had much of a father figure throughout most of his life, so he didn't know what he was expecting. Perhaps someone more like Gohan? Yes, Gohan meant a lot to him, almost as much as his mother. Gohan was like a second father to him. He respected and held him in high regard. But Present Vegeta? Not exactly very Gohan-like, that was for sure.
"There's more to your father than meets the eye," Bulma had said when Trunks had told her the story after his return. But she had said it with such sadness and a longing so deep, even her eyes showed it. Bulma must have been able to see the true side Vegeta hid. Trunks could sense that he was always hiding SOMETHING, but it never really showed. Only a few glimpses that were soon erased with an arrogant "humph" from Vegeta.
Trunks closed his eyes. His mother must've loved his father very much, even though they had bickered mercilessly from what he saw in the past. He sighed. Of all the people he had loved so dearly, only his mother was left. What could he do to make her happy? He knew he couldn't bring Vegeta back, even if the Dragonballs still existed, of which he highly doubted.
His father. He had only met him those few times, and what short times they were. He didn't know exactly what he expected of him, he had lived much of his life trying to deal with the fact that he wasn't there anymore. He died at the hands of the enemy. But it was not in vain, for Vegeta's death had been avenged.
*Are you proud of me father? I know you're watching somewhere up there.* The corners of his mouth slanted just the tiniest bit upward at the thought.
He thought of the past, of Cell and the long, hard-fought battle. He missed his friends terribly and wondered greatly at how they must've changed now. He wished that he could go see them again, but the time machine had been destroyed after his last journey to the past. He didn't want to, but it had to have been done. He couldn't go back and forth between the two worlds, he'd only disrupt the other.
He relaxed his shoulders and took a deep breath. His mind wandered towards the woman in his dream. He could never see her face quite clearly, but was always blurry and her expression was always misty-eyed. Even so, he knew she was breathtakingly beautiful, perhaps even more so than his mother. That mysterious girl...was SHE the threat to Earth?
*She couldn't be. She's far too pure, I could sense it from her energy. Compared to that of the hollow dark man or woman or whoever who tried to attack me anyway, that was pure darkness,* he thought. *But that's about all I can remember. I am never able to recall the details or exactly what happens. Just flashes and sudden images.*
He sighed and fell back on the grass. It was no use.
Bulma watched her son as he laid there on the grass with the most excruciating expression on his usually emotionless face. She glanced away sadly. Trunks looked so much like his father it was almost difficult to bear seeing her precious Vegeta's face everytime he looked at her. He looked so much like his father, his warrior-like facade, his expressions, even his voice and the way he handled things. He was more like him that she would even admit.
*Too bad you didn't see him grow up to be such a fine young man,* she thought, slightly upset.
She could feel something was missing in Trunks' life, but never could ever be able to figure that one out. He needed something, something that even she could not provide for him. Trunks need something to fill that empty hole in his life. She shrugged it off she prepared twelve-decker chicken sandwiches. But then it hit her.
Perhaps he needed...someone.
************************************************************
Author's Note:
Okay, so how did you like that? I know I know, it took me a super duper long time to update, but I was extremely busy with school work, homework, projects, practice, stuff like that. I promise during this four day weekend I might get another chapter out (most likely I will!) because I just got this great new idea. No, I didn't get any writer's blocks so don't worry about little old me! Just keep those reviews coming and you got yourself a great new chapter! I promise! Review please, I want to know what you think so far! And it's going to take awhile before the romance between Mirai Trunks and Pan actually starts. Don't flame, just remember I'm going to make the wait well worth it! I know I've said that a lot, but I promise promise!