AN: Hey guys, sorry about the delay in the chapter ::grins sheepishly:: had to talk to my muse. Well, enjoy the chapter and thanks for the support!
Chapter Fourteen
Ava ignored her floored family with practiced ease and concentrated on the stunned saiyan in front of her.
"You will be an excellent mate."
"M-mate?! But this is just our first date! And don't you mean wife!" Pan shook her head to clear the shock, "I'm not even sure I like him."
"You do," Ava smiled, "Sasoli get the meat."
Sasoli nodded and left the table to do as bid.
"Mother," Zarah's lips were pulled back a little from his teeth, like he wanted to snarl at her but didn't dare.
"Zarah," Ava's expression was perfectly bland.
Pan watched spellbound, was her date going to defend her?
"You are not to force her into anything," Zarah was very careful to make sure his tone was respectful, "She does not know saiyan law."
Amusement entered Ava's eyes, "Neither did your father when he conquered me."
Zarah blinked and turned to his father with Pan.
Conquered? What does that mean? The quarter saiyan wondered as the android became aware that they were waiting for an explanation.
17 snapped to attention and stopped stacking the cups into a pyramid.
"Um," he smiled, "I thought she was a guy."
Zarah and Pan were horrified, though Zarah especially since he knew what that could entail.
"Oh no," 17 saw their weird looks, "I thought she was a guy dating her . . . It's a long story."
Ava chuckled as she glanced warmly at her mate, "And complicated."
**
"Let go of me," Bra tried to jerk away from Goten but he held firm.
"No," Goten winced as she glared at him, "This has gone on long enough."
Fire burned in her baby blues as thoughts of Pan vanished.
"Has it?"
Goten cringed slightly, "I was four and you were three."
Confusion filled her eyes for a moment, "Was I really that young when it happened . . ."
Goten nodded eagerly, happy he was getting through to her.
"No matter," Bra's eyes hardened, "You always refused to fight me, making up lame excuses to avoid it."
"Bra," Goten released her exasperatedly, "It's just not right to hit girls--"
"So I'm a weakling, is that it?!" Bra snapped crossing her arms.
"I didn't say that Bra," Goten smiled sheepishly, "I know you're stronger than Pan."
"Pan?" Bra's eyes widened in alarm.
She spun on her heel to go when Goten grabbed her arm again.
"Bra--"
"Goten! Your niece's life is at stake!"
"Goten?"
Goten automatically turned at the sound of Trunks' voice, his grip unconsciously loosening. Bra took advantage of his distraction and broke his grip.
"Wait, Bra!" Goten called after her.
"Goten, what's going on?" Trunks frowned at his friend, "Security called me saying you were harassing Bra. The only reason they didn't try to arrest you is because they recognized you."
"Trunks," Goten begged, "I'll explain later but I need to follow your sister right now, something about Pan."
"Pan?" Trunks received no answer as his friend took off into the air, "I guess he didn't come to kidnap me."
With a dejected sigh, Trunks returned to his work.
**
Sasoli entered the room, interrupting the rather disturbing conversation about parentage.
Ava gave her mate a hard look, she was still slightly peeved about his earlier antics with the meat.
17 just looked at her innocently as Sasoli served them.
Sasoli paused in front of Pan and regarded her critically before giving the quarter saiyan the smallest piece of meat.
Zarah immediately frowned at the bite sized portion.
"Um," Pan glanced at other large pieces of steak, "Can I have a bigger piece?"
"Oh, I guess I was mistaken," Sasoli shrugged and gave her a marginally bigger piece, "I didn't think you needed that much energy."
"Why would you think that?" Pan frowned.
"You're a fighter," Sasoli replied nonchalantly and patted Pan on the head as if she were a small child.
"Stop Sasoli," Zarah ordered angrily.
"Stop what?" She asked innocently as Pan fumed under her now still hand.
"You knowingly insult the both her and me with your actions, I will not have it."
"Maybe I would respect her more if she weren't a mere fighter," Sasoli started to absently stroke Pan's hair.
Pan grabbed the offending hand and twisted it away from her as she got to her feet. Pan was beyond pissed, into what most would call a Chichi rage as she faced Sasoli.
"Was that supposed to impress me?" Sasoli smiled amused.
Pan gasped as she was yanked forward by the very hand she had grabbed. Surprised, her grip loosened which allowed Sasoli to snatch Pan's hand. Using the momentum, Sasoli spun Pan so her arm was wrapped around the younger girl's throat.
"You're out of your league," Sasoli whispered into Pan's ear.
Zarah was up in a flash separating the two. Sasoli let go quickly enough as Pan got off the floor gasping.
"Sasoli," Zarah growled, "I warned--"
"Get out of my way!" Pan snarled and tried to leap past him but was caught around the middle, "Let me go!"
"No," Zarah glared at his sister, "Don't be foolish Pan--"
"Do I look like I need your help?" Pan snapped.
Zarah snorted and dropped her.
"Don't you?" The minute the words let his mouth he knew he had either made the biggest mistake in his life or the most clever.
Sasoli slipped out of Pan's line of sight.
Pan seethed with rage at his words, "Not to kick your ass!"
Zarah blinked at her for a moment, "Are you challenging me?"
"And if I am?"
"I accept."
"Then let's do it," Pan pushed her sleeve back and started towards him.
Ava appeared between them.
"I would appreciate it if you took the dispute outside."
"Forgive us," Zarah bowed and headed out.
The red mist cleared a bit from Pan's eyes at the interruption as Bra's words came back to her.
"Don't challenge him or let him challenge you to lunafair," Bra told her in a stern voice.
"Why haven't you followed?" Ava cocked her head curiously at the motionless girl, "Are you frightened?"
Pan's spine straightened and she threw her head in the air as she stomped from the cave. Son Pan was afraid of no one, least of all a cocky male saiyan. Besides, what was the worst that could happen?
Ava beamed at Sasoli, "Well done."
Sasoli bowed, "I am humbled by your approval."
Ava smiled at her daughter's exit and then she frowned at her mate.
"17? What are you doing?" Ava demanded, tapping her foot.
17 glanced up from his food and swallowed the meat in his mouth.
"I'm eating, isn't that what people do at a meal?" He asked sarcastically.
"17! Your son is about to become mated!"
"He is?"
Ava nodded sharply.
"Can I take my food?"
Another nod.
"Ok, let's go watch our son kick her butt."
**
Pan fidgeted nervously as Zarah seemed to loom in the distance. Why did she keep getting into these situations with him? Well, first things first . . .
"State your rules?" Pan demanded.
"Rules?" Zarah couldn't help the laughter that escaped him.
Sasoli's head snapped to the side as she noticed a familiar ki signature. A quick glance assured her no one else had felt it. Silently, the half-saiyan slipped away, there was no way she was going to let Bra ruin everything now.
Pan crossed her arms, she didn't understand why he was laughing at her, it was a perfectly legitimate question.
Zarah got a hold of himself with some effort, "Ok, two rules. First, no holding back, and two, no damaging the forest."
"Ok, agreed," Pan nodded.
"Oh, one more thing," Zarah watched her carefully with a serious expression, "I want to know if this is a lunafair?"
Pan frowned thoughtfully, "Depends, what does it mean?"
"Well," Zarah deliberately took his time explaining having seen her impatience, "if you win then I leave you alone . . . but if I win . . ."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Pan waved away his explanation.
Zarah's expression changed slowly as a positively devilish grin spread across his face. I tried to warn her, Bra, I really did.
"Then it is agreed," Zarah charged her.
**
Bra landed about ten yards away from the cave. She could have sworn she had felt them fighting here . . . Something was masking their energy signatures from her, making it difficult to track them down. They must be at the cave. Of course, they're at the cave! Where else would they be? Some genius you are!
"Bra, what brings you here?"
Bra twirled gracefully to confront the voice only to find the cause of all her woes, Sasoli.
"It's been so long since you decided to visit," the antagonizer smiled playfully.
It was her who masked their signals, Bra's eyes narrowed, it couldn't have been anyone else.
"Where are they?"
"Who?" Sasoli's expression became quizzical if a bit amused.
Bra was in front of Sasoli the next moment and lifted her off the ground. Sasoli just hung limply in Bra's grip.
"Don't play with me!" Bra shook her.
"I will not let you interfere," Sasoli's voice hardened, "Go home, Bra, or go through me."
"There at the cave aren't they!"
"Doesn't matter if they are, you will not make it that far."
This was the scene Goten flew into when he finally caught up with Bra. He looked at the two females nervously as they glared murder at each other.
"What's going on?" Goten gulped as both pairs of blue eyes swung in his direction.
It was in this moment that he learned a very valuable lesson, never get between two females when their fighting.
"Goten!" Bra released Sasoli almost unknowingly and they both stomped up to him screaming their displeasure.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Sasoli snarled, her tail lashing angrily behind her.
"You followed me?!" Bra growled.
"You were not invited--"
"What were you thinking Goten--"
"--into my mother's forest--"
"--if I needed your help I would have asked for it!"
"--the penalty is death!"
Goten backed away from them making helpless hand gestures.
"I . . . you said . . . Pan's life was at stake . . . I just wanted to help," Goten watched a curious transformation take place.
Before the two girls had been united as they rallied against him but now . . . Sasoli had quickly backed off a little as Bra's gaze narrowed at her.
"Let me pass," Bra growled dangerously at her cousin.
"No," Sasoli smirked.
Bra's fist came out of nowhere and stuck Sasoli's face.
Sasoli wiped her bloody mouth, "You've gotten stronger since our last fight."
Bra allowed a smug expression while Goten watched confused, "I wasn't going to stay weak forever."
"I see," Sasoli smiled, "But I've gotten stronger as well."
Goten could only stare as they started to fight on a level so vicious it was hard for him to watch. His only thought through all of this was, What's going on? Where's Pan? Well, that and ouch.
End of Chapter Fourteen