This chapter's only 11 pages, as opposed to the usual 14, so that kind of disappoints me. And there's not too much humor in it, but I did add more of Xavier than originally planned, by special request. This chapter's kind of sad too, I'm warning you right now. So don't get too angry at me in your reviews. Oh, yeah, what happened to my fortieth review, Autumn? What's up with that? Bitch, you need to review more often, I mean, it's not like you don't read it. I mean, God, I can't believe you! Stupid whore.... haha, just kidding, I love you Autumn! But you still better review damn it...

Special Thanks to The Pimps Who Reviewed:
Netty
Mii-chan
Matt
pan-chan16k
blue-angel1204
dolphinskickbutt
pan86
Brandon B
ills
sammy
Ashee- Again, thanks for both reviews!

My Definition of "Pimp": The slang equivalent of "cool", "tight", or "of utmost importance".

Disclaimer: If I had one wish, I'd wish to be Akira Toriyama so I can get rich off of his brilliant idea. (Well maybe not, but you get my point, right?) But all I have are the plot, and two original characters, one of which is hated very much so, and of that I'm proud.


Chapter 6

Pyra ran as fast as she could down the many streets to Capsule Corp., with occasional glances over her shoulder to see if her "assailant" was around. But every time she looked around, she saw no one, which confused her, since the exact words of the person were, "I want to see you suffer". To her, those words meant death. Tortured death. So where was this freak who was tormenting her?

Not paying attention to where she was going, she tripped over something and fell onto the pavement (A/N: Didn't see that coming, did ya?). So now not only did she have food caked up on her body and clothes, but she had scrapes and scratches on her bare knees and elbows. Luckily, she had fallen right in front of Capsule Corp., so she ran to the door, only to run into Trunks, who was on his way out.

"Trunks!" She panted as she hugged him for dear life.

Trunks looked down at her with a confused expression. He felt her ki rushing towards him so he went outside to meet her. He also felt her fright through her ki and wondered what the hell had her so scared. "What's the matter, Pyra?"

Pyra, now finally catching her breath, started screaming frantically while she flailed her arms wildly. "Everything was going crazy! My TV was blaring and my garbage disposal started freaking out and it scared me!" She buried her face into his chest and started to cry then.

Trunks narrowed his eyes, really confused now. It was then that he noticed the shape her clothes were in. They were all out of place and she had what looked to be like food caked in her hair and all over her clothes. And what she just said made him wonder about her sanity. - Garbage disposals freaking out? What the hell...- He just soothed the sobbing girl in his arms, but his head jerked upward when he felt a familiar ki approaching.

~*~

Pan and Xavier were still laughing about the torture they put Pyra through when Pan suddenly stopped a few blocks away from her house with a worried frown plastered across her features.

"What's up, Pan?" Xavier asked.

"Pyra..." Pan muttered. "I think... I sense her..." Pan concentrated hard on the ki that she felt, and it was indeed Pyra's. "Shit! She's at Trunks' house!" She reached into her pocket and pulled out the face mask, then ki blasted it. She also took off the black shirt she was wearing, knowing that she had a red one on underneath, and ki blasted it as well.

"What are you doing?" Xavier asked his raven-haired friend.

"I don't want to appear to be too obvious, ya know?" Pan answered. "You should probably go. I'll talk to you tomorrow or something."

"Ok," Xavier agreed, but before he left, he added, "Aren't you worried Pyra and Trunks are going to automatically suspect you?"

Pan smirked. "I've grown up with Trunks, I've known him all my life. When you've been around a person for 18 years, you know how to handle him. Trust me, I can get out of trouble easily when it comes to Trunks."

Xavier smiled. "Alright then, I'll see you later."

~*~

Trunks looked around, thinking he sensed Pan nearby, and someone else with her that he didn't care to check out too thoroughly. Now he was really confused, wondering what the hell Pan could be doing out at this time of night. Then, another thought crossed his mind. What if what Pyra was ranting about had something to do with Pan? Maybe she was playing a cruel joke on her as revenge for taking up so much of his time? Could be...

A few seconds later, the lady in question came strolling down the street. She couldn't help but smile when she saw the sobbing redhead in Trunks' arms, and she hoped no one saw it.

"Pan?" Trunks asked, even though it was obvious that it was Pan by her ki.

"Hmm?" She pretended that she didn't know it was him. "Oh. Hi, Trunks.... Pyra."

"It was her!" Pyra screamed, pointing at the 18 year old in the next yard.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Pan asked, trying to be as confused and innocent as she could.

"You broke into my house and did something to all my stuff and you were the one who scared the hell out of me! It was you! I know it was you!"

Pan cocked her head to the side. "Um... no, I'm afraid you're mistaken."

"Mistaken my ass!" Pyra was now not as distraught as she was before, apparently.

"Hey," Trunks put his hand on Pyra's shoulder. "Just because you two aren't on the best of terms doesn't mean that she did that to you." Pan smiled triumphantly, but it faded when he said, "Wait a minute... just exactly where were you tonight?"

"With Xavier," Pan answered, smiling sweetly at him. At least it wasn't a lie.

Trunks nodded. - That explains the other ki I felt, but I could've sworn she fired some ki blasts or something, I felt her ki flare.... I'll have to ask her when Pyra's away.- He looked down at the redhead that was still clinging to him, but glaring daggers at Pan, who continued to blink and stare at her in confusion. "Pyra, just what exactly happened tonight?"

Pyra looked up at him and started screaming frantically again at the memory. "It was horrible! My garbage disposal attacked me and the house almost caught on fire and the ceiling fan and TV were on and my baseball bat got taken away! It scared me!"

Trunks tried his best to sooth the poor, hysterical girl in his arms, to no avail. He was starting to wonder about her sanity a lot more, but something had obviously happened to bring her this way. Something that Trunks was sure Pan had something to do with, but the evidence wasn't exactly there. He put his thoughts aside as he tried to tell Pyra to slow down and speak slowly, while Pan decided it would be a good time to exit.

A week later...
By this time, Gohan had been on Earth for a little over 2 months, and it was really starting to get to him. Trunks was still not admitting his feelings, and him and Pan still weren't on fairly good terms. They at least had an occasional, "hello" or a sparring match, but it always ended up in another argument when Trunks accused her of causing Pyra's insanity. Yes, Pyra practically went insane after her "ordeal", or so everyone thought, and was admitted into a mental hospital (A/N: Hehehe, how do you like that one?). I mean really, wouldn't you think someone was insane if they were talking about garbage disposals attacking and strange figures disappearing and reappearing within seconds?

Anyway, Gohan was beyond frustrated and actually thought of threatening Trunks to tell Pan how he feels, but he knew he couldn't do that, the Kais wouldn't let him. All he could do was badger and badger him, but somehow, it didn't seem to be getting to him lately. He just shrugged it off and went to do something to occupy his time. Gohan often wondered if it had something to do with Pyra's absence, but he didn't seem affected by that either. For one, he didn't even go see her in the mental hospital. Two, when a new lab assistant was hired, he didn't object or even suggest that she just be a temporary replacement until Pyra recovered. It made him wonder just what the hell was going on in his head.

Well, what was going on in his head was the dilemma he was faced with before Pyra: What to do about his new feelings for Pan. Sure, he knew that the grown up thing to do would be to just admit it, to stop acting like a boy just going through puberty who was still embarrassed to talk to girls, but for some reason, he just couldn't. There was like some sort of hold on him whenever he had the chance to tell her, the words would never come, or it would be one of those times where he'd dismiss his feelings altogether. But towards the end of week, he made a decision. He was going to stop being so stupid. He was obviously in love with her, there was no denying it. Now the question was, was he ever going to tell her? That was yet to be determined.

They were currently sitting in the living room of the Briefs home, the ladies chatting and excluding Trunks as usual, which left his mind to wander to something he didn't even know he remembered.

Flashback

"...I really like you Trunks... I might even... love you..."

End Flashback

What he thought to be Pan's voice rang over and over in his head. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn't heard Pan ask him to hand her the remote. She blinked and asked him again, but all she got in return was a blank look as he stared into to space. - Great, he's freaking out again.-

"You ok, Trunks?" She asked, a little concerned. She'd barely shown any emotion but anger the whole week, let alone concern.

"Huh?" Trunks snapped out his thoughts and jerked his head towards her.

"I said are you ok?" Pan repeated, putting her hand on his shoulder. "You were out of it for a good five minutes."

"Oh... sorry," He muttered. He stared at her as she shrugged turned her attention to the TV, wondering if what he just envisioned was just his imagination or an actual memory. It felt so real... but in the end he decided it was foolish and, noticing that their mothers had left the room, he decided to bring up something else, "Pan, can I ask you something?"

Pan turned around to face him with a confused look. "It depends on what it is."

He hesitated for just a fraction of a second, not really wanting to face her wrath when he asked her this, but he needed a different answer than what he'd been getting. "Was it really you who did that to Pyra?" He was, of course, referring to her night of torture. "I won't get mad, I promise. I just want to know."

Pan blinked a few times, wondering if she should tell him the truth. It would be a lot easier, she was practically going crazy inside for not being able to tell him. After all, he was her best friend and she always told him everything. Sighing, she decided to go with her familiar approach. "Why do you keep asking me this, Trunks? Is it so hard to believe that I actually might be civil once in awhile? That I finally realized that it's time to be an adult?" - Did I just say that? Son Pan, an... ADULT? Please...-

Trunks also sighed, defeated. "I guess I should have more faith in you."

Pan blinked. - It worked? Damn, even at 18 I still have my childish innocence.- "Yes, you should have more faith in me." She pretended to be insulted and saddened. "I'm disappointed in you Trunks. How could you think of me, little Panny-chan, like that?" She pretended to hold back tears as she turned away from him and gave a little sniff for good measure.

Trunks immediately pulled her into a hug as she "cried". She was very convincing, especially to Trunks. "I'm sorry, Panny-chan. Don't cry."

Pan stifled a snicker as she smiled evilly over his shoulder for a second, then returned to her crying act. - This is way too easy.-

Gohan, who was always observing any kind of moment between the two younger people, shook his head with a smile on his face. - That kid deserves an award for that performance. My daughter's so manipulative... and sneaky. I'm so proud.-

Pan stopped her little performance and looked up at Trunks with a "sad" smile. He smiled back, the first smile that they exchanged in a long time. Suddenly, both of them felt their hearts feel as if they had completely melted and that the temperature rose drastically. She pulled away from him a little and turned away, so that he wouldn't see the red on his face. He was grateful for the action, for his own blush needed concealing. Gohan raised an interested eyebrow at this.

"Pan?" Trunks asked, once his blush subsided.

She turned around, her own blush leaving the premises. "Yeah?"

"Uh... I... uh....," Suddenly Trunks became the stuttering 12 year old he thought he left behind when puberty was over. "I just wanted to uh..." Her words, or what he thought were her words, rang over and over in his mind like an annoying siren. He wanted to tell her the same thing, but he felt like something was holding his brain in a vise grip, so that speech and any intelligent thoughts were temporarily out of order. "Pan... I.... do you want to go spar?"

Gohan, who had been on the edge of his seat, fell over Anime-style. "Damn it, Trunks! What's wrong with you? Why can't you just tell her?"

Once Pan nodded her answer, Trunks glared at Gohan as he got up and headed out of the door, followed by his younger opponent, who had been hoping for a confession of sorts. Instead, she got a sparring match, which was still something she enjoyed, but not something she particularly wanted to happen at the moment. She just stifled an annoyed sigh, and put her hopes and dreams of any possible get-together in the back of her mind, totally convincing herself that it would never happen at this rate.

The Next Day...
"Hey, Videl," Trunks said with a smile as he walked into the Son house. Only Videl didn't seem to be anywhere in sight. He looked around the kitchen and the other rooms, still no sight of Videl. But as he walked through the hallway, he stopped in front of Pan's room, hearing voices. When one of them wasn't of the person he was looking for, he was about to turn around, but he felt Xavier's ki, and decided to be a little nosey as he pushed down his own ki, so as not to be detected by the other part-Saiyan.

~*~

"X-kun, you are too much," Pan laughed as Xavier put on one of the dresses Bulma had given her for her birthday, over his clothes, and modeled it in front of her mirror, striking poses.

"You don't think it makes my butt look big?" Xavier said, sarcastically.

Pan laughed again. "Nope," She teased, and added with a flick of her wrist, "It's so you! I mean, it's your color and everything."

They both laughed as Xavier threw the dress to the side and sat on Pan's bed. They'd been having a good time since they ran into each other a few weeks before. They were both practically the same person. They weren't what was stereotypical of a girl or a guy, they both loved the same things, playing tricks on people, and since he was gay, they both had the same taste in guys. She could tell him everything, even some of the things she couldn't tell Trunks. But, her and Trunks would always have a special bond that was imperishable. Trunks said it to her himself when they made amends the day before, after she won yet another sparring match. And even though Xavier didn't like the way Trunks wrote Pan off for so long, he still was happy that they made up.

"Yeah," Pan said. "I'm happy too. It's a relief for him to be talking to me again. You don't know how much hell I go through without him in my life. I mean, he's always been there. Literally. Naturally it's hard for anyone to go without something they've been used to for their whole lives."

Xavier nodded. "Yeah, that's true. That's how I felt the first few months after my parents died. But later I found you, and it's been a roller coaster ride of pranks ever since."

Pan smiled. "It's nice to have an accomplice, isn't it? I don't think it would've been any fun scaring the hell out of Pyra without you."

"It wasn't as satisfying as I would have hoped. She didn't shit her pants or anything!"

Pan laughed. "But the look on her face was priceless. I'm surprised she didn't lose her bowels."

Xavier got up and imitated Pyra running around in the kitchen and her determination to beat Pan with the bat in her bedroom. "Get out of my house!" He shrieked, trying to sound as feminine as possible and mimic Pyra's voice as he continued to scream around the room, and much to Pan's amusement, he actually did sound like her.

"X-kun," She started as she held her aching stomach from so much laughing. "Don't ever change."

~*~

While the two friends were still laughing, obviously in good spirits, the lavender-haired son of a prince who was listening wasn't exactly thrilled. He was just the opposite. No, the more correct term would be beyond pissed. So pissed off that he would like nothing more than to kill them both. Not only had Pan lied to him, not once, but several times. And she even made him feel sorry for her. How dare she pout like that?! That right there was below the belt.

Trunks' ki rose as he got angry, more at himself for falling for it than anything else. He stormed into the room, startling both teens. Pan had felt the ki surge too late, and now by the look on his face, she knew the answer to the question she was asking herself. He had to have heard everything.

"You lied to me," Trunks' voice was low as he spoke the words through gritted teeth. It actually frightened Pan a little bit, she didn't think she'd ever seen him this angry. Well, maybe when she got mad at him and poked holes in all of his condoms a few years back...

"You heard?" Today the mistress of the obvious was Pan as she looked at Trunks, then Xavier, and back to Trunks, with very frightened eyes.

"Damn right I heard," Trunks answered as he walked over to Pan, making her back up into a wall. "How could you do this to me?"

"I'm guessing you heard?" Gohan said as he poked his head through the open window. He felt Trunks' ki skyrocket and he wondered what was going on.

"You knew about this?" Trunks asked, ignoring the strange looks he was receiving. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was not my business to tell," Gohan answered.

Trunks growled and Pan and Xavier stared at him with narrowed eyes, both forgetting their fright for a moment.

"You do know that you were just talking to air?" Xavier asked, earning another glare and growl from Trunks, which immediately shut him up. - It's a damn shame. So cute, but still, a lunatic. I guess it's true. All the good guys are taken, in some way, and the rest are handicapped.-

"Why did you do this, Pan?" Trunks demanded. When he didn't get an answer quick enough, he shouted his question this time, making Pan flinch from his tone of voice.

"Because," Pan muttered softly. Then, remembering that Trunks would never hurt her, under any circumstances, her courage came back. "Why do you think, Trunks? She insulted me, she had you chained to her all of the time, of course I wanted to get her back! Any person with half a brain would've done the same thing! She pissed me off, Trunks. When have you known me to 'turn the other cheek' when I'm being provoked? I just can't do it." She noticed him glare at Xavier again and she added, "And don't go blaming Xavier either. It was my idea, and I pushed him into it." She saw Xavier start to protest, to get his friend out of a little more trouble, but she shook her head. "No, X-kun, it was my fault. I'm an adult now. I should have known that there were other ways to settle our little dispute. But, that doesn't mean I'm not proud of what I did. I had to teach her a lesson. Yes, it was childish, I know-"

"Damn right it was childish," Trunks growled, interrupting her. "And I don't want to associate with children. Go to hell, Pan. And take your little friend with you. I don't ever want to see you again!" After shooting one last glare at Xavier, he fled through the open window, going right through the "ghost of Gohan".

Pan just blinked a few times in shock, and seemed to find the wall ahead of her very interesting as she did so. Xavier walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder, asking quietly, "Are you ok, Pan?"

She didn't respond. She just collapsed to the floor in uncontrollable tears, but luckily, Xavier caught her, and just let her cry on his shoulder, trying to tell her to calm down.

Gohan growled as he watched his daughter's pain. That was it. He had had enough.

~*~

Trunks was practically tearing his hair out as he sat in a corner in his room, when Gohan came in. Just by the look on his face, Trunks knew he was getting the tongue-lashing of his life. He was sure he was going to die when Gohan stormed over to him and yanked his arm, pulling him up to face him. It felt as if his arm was going to get ripped right out of the socket.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Gohan demanded, mentally debating on whether to choke Trunks or not. "She's bawling her eyes out in there!"

"I don't care!" Trunks shouted back. "She shouldn't have done that to Pyra! Not only did she lie to me, but she practically drove that girl to insanity!"

"Oh please, Trunks!" Gohan screamed. "She deserved it! She was a manipulative little bitch!"

"Which one? Pan or Pyra?"

At that, Trunks received another punch from Gohan from the insult, sending him back into the corner he had just been pulled from. Trunks glared at him, already pissed off, but that punch was really not needed.

Just as he was about to counterattack, Gohan said, "Forget it! I've had enough of this! You keep on being stubborn! Live your life knowing that you passed up someone special! See if I care!"

Trunks' eyes widened in surprise as Gohan completely vanished before him. He had never expected something that to happen. Now, not only did he lose his girlfriend, but he lost the only 2 people that were actually friends to him. His anger totally vanished as he leaned against the wall, and a tear streamed down his cheek as he sighed. If he thought life was hell before, now it seemed to only be beginning.

~*~

"Where is he?" The angry half-Saiyan stormed into the cafeteria of the Other World, knowing that his father would most likely be there, along with his mother. And sure enough, he was right. Both parents were eating, although it was probably Goku's fifth time that day by the looks of the horrified cooks who were watching. Of course Chichi didn't seem to notice, but when the cooks saw Gohan, they ran and hid anywhere they could find, shouting something that sounded like, "No more Saiyan appetites!"

Goku felt his son's power rise and quickly stopped eating, running over to Gohan and putting his hands on his shoulders. He'd been monitoring what was going on down on Earth for the past two months, when he wasn't eating that is, so he assumed Trunks had another argument with Pan. "Whoa, calm down, son. What's wrong?"

Gohan growled. "That boy is impossible! Did you see how he hurt my Panny-chan?"

Goku's eyes narrowed, a little angry and protective of his only grandchild, as was Gohan, and Chichi, who was now walking up to the two men, having heard what Gohan said. "What did he do now?"

Gohan took a deep breath to calm himself, and told his parents about what had happened, but afterward, he just wound up even more angry. "So that's why I need to know where The Supreme Kai is. Do you know where he is?"

Goku tilted his head and rubbed his chin as he thought. "The last time I saw him he was chatting with one of the other Kais.... I think." He saw the hopeful look on his son's face as he turned around, but he grabbed his arm, a thought suddenly occurring to him. "Wait, Gohan. I don't think it's going to do much good if you talk to him. He'll only tell you what he told you before. You can't make Trunks do anything, he has to choose for himself."

Gohan sighed. "I was afraid of that. But Dad, you should've seen her. She looked so heartbroken..."

Goku patted his son on the back. "I know, son. But everyone has to experience pain once in awhile. Trust me, if they're right for each other, they'll find each other eventually. Give them time."

"Not too much time," Chichi chimed in. "Trunks isn't getting any younger. And I don't care if I am dead, I want to have great-grandchildren, damn it!" She grabbed a frying pan from one of the cooks as he walked by and whacked Gohan upside the head with it.

"Ow, Mom!" He whined as he rubbed his head. "What was that for?"

"That was for not getting them together!" She screamed as she hit him again.

"Mom, did you not hear what Dad just got through explaining to me? I can't make Trunks do anything."

Chichi hit him again. "Nonsense! If my boy can help save the world, you damn sure can bring two people together." Goku tried to reason with Chichi, but she cut him off with a whack of her frying pan. "And that's for telling my boy that he can't do it! How dare you crush his hopes like that!" She continued to hit him over the head and yell at him some more, while he whimpered and looked pleadingly at his son, who was just happy to have escaped it himself.

Gohan sighed. "Now I remember the other reason why I went to Earth. These people are going to drive me nuts." That statement made him remember Pyra's current predicament and he smiled to himself, drowning out his parents' screams. "I wonder what she looks like in a straight jacket..."

*~*~*~*
Yeah well, not so much of a trip to the Other World like I said before, but I didn't lie, now did I? Sorry about this chapter too, it's kind of a disappointment compared to the other chapters. But I hope you'll be happy with the next one. Don't worry, it'll get better soon. And oh yeah... I have some things to ask of you to vote on and I'm going to put them in Caps since you don't seem to want to answer me any other time....:

1. DO YOU THINK I SHOULD CHANGE THE TITLE OR NOT? LET ME KNOW IN A REVIEW PLEASE?

2. DO YOU GUYS WANT ME TO END THIS WITH THEM FINALLY GETTING TOGETHER, OR DO YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE ON WITH IT? I HAVE A GOOD IDEA TO CONTINUE WITH.... BUT I WON'T UNLESS YOU PEOPLE LET ME KNOW.

SO TELL ME IN YOUR REVIEWS!!!! IF YOU DON'T LET ME KNOW... I JUST MIGHT STOP WRITING....

Next Chapter: Pan and Trunks suffer from depression, Trunks more severely because he feels so guilty. They're practically forced to make amends, but something else comes along to put a shift in that plan, along with some startling discoveries....