Chapter Five
Pan fidgeted nervously as she sat across the table from Bra.
They had gotten a lot of whistles as they walked to the fast food place. Though the blue-haired beauty had just kept going as if it happened all the time.
Well maybe it did . . . for her.
Pan nearly flinched as another catcall floated by them. This was a new experience for her, which was not surprising since she spent most of her time either with her Uncle Goten or in the wilderness with her Great Grandfather.
"So what do you feel like eating?" Bra smiled at her uncomfortable friend.
"Anything with meat and fries," Pan grumbled, almost wishing for a hole to crawl in and die.
Bra was amused, "Then I know just what you want."
She got up to order their food, leaving Pan to her thoughts. She sighed and rested her face in her hands, the catcalls had ceased as soon as Bra had left her.
Figures, Pan snorted, I probably look like a poor unfortunate orphan next to Bra.
"Hey doll."
Pan's eyes snapped up to find a blond man with beautiful hazel eyes smiling at her.
"Hey," Pan smiled in response.
The man's smile widened as he passed her a small piece of paper.
"Would you do me a big favor. . ."
"Sure," Pan shrugged helplessly.
" . . . and you give this to your friend?"
She barely stopped her face from falling but only just.
"Sure," Pan planted a fake smile on her face.
"You're all right kid," the man punched her arm lightly before walking away.
Pan's eyes narrowed and she felt her blood pump through her system as the need to pummel the man grew. The absolute nerve of that guy!
Bra made her presence known by clearing her throat.
Pan glared at her before the quarter saiyan could help it.
"Problem Pan?" Bra couldn't help but notice her friend's fluctuating power level.
Pan's lip curled as she shoved the number across the table.
"For you."
Bra lifted a brow as she settled back into her seat.
"You know, Pan, you could have just as many guys after you," Bra calmly ripped up the paper without looking at it.
"Yeah right," Pan scoffed lightly, "As if I could ever compete with the all-powerful-Ms. Briefs."
Bra's lips curved slightly, "As much as I would love to agree with that statement, it isn't quite true."
"Oh," Pan rolled her eyes, "How so?"
"You could compete with me easily. I am, in fact, surprised you haven't found a man to be madly in love with you," Bra remarked softly.
"Is that before or after I beat him up?" Pan shook her head, "Why don't you have a boyfriend?"
Bra looked at her friend with disbelief, "You do know my dad, right Pan? He may not care about what I wear but dating is a major no, no."
Pan's brow wrinkled, "Why? Even I can date."
Bra sighed and ran a hand through her hair.
"What were his exact words? Oh, yes. . . 'There is no way in hell Bra is going to the movies with a weakling!' Yeah, I think that was it."
"Weakling?"
Bra nodded sadly, "Power is a big deal to my dad."
"Oh," Pan turned the thought over in her head when a solution popped in her head.
"Hey Bra, why don't you go out with my Uncle Goten!"
Any and all emotion dropped from Bra's face as the idea entered her brain.
"I seriously hope your joking," Bra replied coldly.
Pan was stunned by Bra's response. "I'm not. What's wrong with my Uncle Goten?"
"Nothing, we just have . . . a history. So, talking about dates I was wondering how you would feel about going on a blind one?" Bra changed the subject.
A history? Pan thought to herself, letting it pass for now. Note to self: Ask Uncle Goten later.
"Me , go on a blind date?" Pan asked incredulously.
"Yeah, why not?" Bra grinned mischievously, "I think he's the perfect guy for you."
Pan was skeptical. Every date she had ever gone on had ended up in disaster, real or imaginary. So why would this one work out? Just because the mighty Bra said so? Pan didn't think so.
"I don't think so, Bra, I'll pass."
Bra pouted.
"Please Pan, I told him all about you and he's just dying to meet you. Just one little date, no harm in that."
Pan's lips twisted ruefully at her friend's pleading.
"You're going to keep bugging me until I agree, aren't you?"
"But of course," Bra nodded solemnly.
"Fine," Pan sighed wearily, "I'll go out with this guy but he had better not be some weirdo."
"Of course not," Bra smiled, tongue in cheek.
"Number 43!"
"That's us!" Bra motioned for Pan to get the food.
"Fine!" Pan snatched the receipt from the table.
"Number 44!"
**
17 and Zarah were grinning at each other for some reason or another when Zarah heard their number.
"Hold on," Zarah got to his feet, "I'll get the food."
17 nodded dismissively.
Zarah shook his head at his father, he would never get used to him. Glad they had called in the order instead of waiting.
"Number 44!"
"Coming," he mumbled to himself as he waited for the person in front of him to move.
Noticing the slight girl held two trays of food somewhat easily, Zarah stepped out of the way. Zarah frowned as he noticed her orange bandana and realized she was the same girl from earlier. A grin crossed his face as he saw recognition enter her eyes.
"Hungry?" Zarah dripped his eyes into her trays, "Or here with friends?"
"That's none of your business," Pan's eyes narrowed dangerously, "What the hell are you doing here?"
Zarah didn't answer her as he picked up his two trays, though only one of his was full of food since his dad didn't need nearly as much food as he did.
Zarah met her eyes again, and only become more amused when she only seemed angrier.
"A guy's got a eat," Zarah turned his back on her and headed back to his dad.
He chuckled as he heard her sputter after him.
17 raised his brows at his son's expression, "What's so funny?"
Zarah set the trays on the table before sitting down.
"I'll have to tell you what happened earlier today for you to understand," Zarah unwrapped one of his hamburgers.
"I have audio input, spill," 17 grabbed his soda.
**
Pan stomped back to their table.
"What's wrong, Pan?" Bra asked concerned.
Pan nearly slammed the trays on the table, "I'll tell you what's wrong! I ran into a jerk in line."
"A jerk?" Bra reached for her tray, the snack would hold her until dinner where she could get a decent meal.
"Yeah, I ran into him earlier in Capsule Corp." Pan grumbled as she started unwrapping her food.
"Capsule Corp." Bra frowned, "What happened?"
"I accidentally wandered into a restricted area--"
"Pan!" Bra was shocked, "Those are forbidden! Did you touch anything?"
"No," Pan was disgruntled, "Anyways, this guy got bent out of shape--"
"That's understandable," Bra looked at her friend disapprovingly, "The experiments in those rooms are very sensitive."
"Bra!"
"Sorry, go on."
"Anyway, he picks me up and throws me out of the room!" Pan almost smiled when she finally got her friend's sympathy.
"What?!" Bra's mouth fell open, "What did you do?"
"I almost hit the wall," Pan exclaimed, "The only reason I didn't march back in there was because Trunks and Uncle Goten found me."
"So Trunks took care of it?" Bra's brow relaxed.
"Kind of," Pan bit her lip, "He said Zarah would take care of it."
Bra frowned suddenly, "Wait . . . you just saw the jerk?"
"Yeah," Pan nodded.
"He was in one piece?"
"Yeah."
"Point him out to me," Bra demanded, deadly serious.
Pan glanced around the tables and spotted the culprit with another male at the far end of the lobby behind her.
"He over there!" Pan gestured.
Bra glanced over in the direction Pan had given her.
"How can he be in one piece if Zarah took care of him?" Bra mumbled to herself as she spotted her cousin.
"Pan?" Bra questioned lightly.
"Yeah?"
"What does this guy look like?"
"He had black hair and blue eyes," Pan took a sip of her soda.
Bra resettled in her seat as she came to a shocking conclusion. Her cousin had been physical with her friend. But why?
"Did this guy say anything to you?"
"Well, he said I looked like a woman named Videl," Pan frowned, "I asked him if he knew my mom and he threw me out of the room."
Oh, Bra took a sip from her soda, I see. Bra knew her cousin very well. He had made the connection from Videl to Gohan's wife to Gohan's child, which meant saiyan. Zarah probably didn't think twice about using force on Pan because it simply had been intended as a playful reprimand.
Bra tilted her head slightly as she realized Zarah hadn't been in contact with Gohan's family since the kidnapping incident with his sister. Pan hadn't even been born yet, so they had never met. Hell, Pan barely knew Sasoli and that was from Maron mentioning her once.
Besides, her cousins lived under different rules than the rest of them did. Her Aunt Ava was extremely strict about saiyan customs and traditions while her father was content to do what he pleased, the years of working under Frieza taking it's toll. Even Bardock, who had tried to impress saiyan custom on his grandchildren, had let the rules go lax unless a problem surfaced.
Bra let her gaze drift over her friend's face absently, Pan wasn't even a warrior . . . at least not right now.
"Do you know my cousin Zarah?" Bra questioned absently, though she was thoroughly intent on the answer.
"No, but everyone keeps bringing him up," Pan answered annoyed, "So anyway, did you see the jerk?"
Bra gave an abrupt nod, "Yes, I know him."
"You know this asshole?" Pan lifted a brow, "And he's still breathing?"
Bra's lip twitched with amusement, "You could say he knows my boundaries. I have never had a problem with him but Trunks on the other hand . . ."
"Doesn't like him either?" Pan took a sip of her soda.
"They don't get along," Bra tilted her head forwards in order to hide the sadness in her eyes though she allowed her voice to reveal nothing.
"So I guess Zarah didn't come through then," Pan growled lightly.
Bra almost growled back at her when it dawned on the Princess that the remark wasn't meant as a slight.
"Zarah always comes through," Bra glanced at her cousin discreetly not surprised when he met her eyes, "It's just a matter a time."
She saw the surprise in his eyes as well as the question. She lowered her eyelids and lifted an eyebrow. He acknowledged her inquiry with a subtle nod toward the soda dispenser.
Bra shifted her gaze to see her beloved Uncle 17 refilling his drink.
"Bra are you listening to me?" Pan pouted.
"Oh ... um, I must have zoned out for a minute," Bra refocused on the empty trays in front of her.
"Uh huh," Pan rolled her eyes, "I'll be right back, I am going to go the bathroom."
Bra nodded her comprehension and then motioned her cousin to come on over with a slight movement of her head.
**
"Come on dad," Zarah didn't let 17 retake his seat.
"Where are we going?" 17 just sipped his drink.
"Bra is here," Zarah grumbled as he brushed past his father.
"Bra?" 17 visibly perked up, "I haven't seen her in awhile."
"Hn."
17 smiled as he spotted the blue head, "Howdy ma'am. What's a pretty gal like you doin' in there parts?"
Bra returned his gesture helplessly, he always knew how to make her smile with his mock drawl.
"Why sir," Bra fluttered her eyelashes and answered in kind, "I was just rustlin' up some grub."
Zarah chuckled, "You've been sorely misled if you think this slop is food, miss."
"Then it's a good thang I have such fine gentlemen watching out for poor helpless little ol' me," Bra lifted a hand to her forehead for effect.
Both males laughed at that one, the daughter of Prince Vegeta helpless? There was a greater possibility of a Splavoid beating a Saiyan in battle.
"Did you blow me off to eat by yourself?" Zarah dropped his easy drawl.
"No, I am here with Pan," Bra shook her head at her cousin, "Honestly Zarah, did you have to throw her from the room?"
Zarah shrugged, "Why? Did I hurt her?"
"No-"
"Then it shouldn't matter, she's a saiyan." Zarah glanced at his watch, "Sorry dad, we'll have to cut this short."
17 nodded and watched his son leave.
'What are we going to do with him?" Bra asked her uncle softly.
"He's his mother's son," 17 shrugged lightly.
"He's never going to get married at this rate," Bra scoffed.
"You never know," 17 leaned a hip on the table, "Your dad seems to be getting along with your mom just fine."
"Are you suggesting we pick a random girl and force her to house Zarah?" An amused sparkle entered Bra's blue eyes.
"You're right Bra," 17 nodded gravely, "Too traditional."
End of Chapter Five