Note#1: The chapter might get confusing with the scene transitions because my italics suddenly couldn't get displayed in ff.net. Bear with me as I go through my trial-and-error method in rediscovering how to put the freakin' italics properly.
Note#2: The chapter was first uploaded with an invalid summary. Gomen! ^^ I had asked my online chatmate to upload the fics for me since the net speed god is not smiling at me. Dakedo, I forgot to tell her what summary to put. Anyway, just a clarification.
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"We sure caught a lot of fish today, eh?" Trunks asked cheerfully as he and the little Pan made their way home from the fishpond.
"Sleepy…" The girl's whisper tickled his ear. He turned his head towards the little girl he was carrying in a piggyback and grinned at her.
"Go to sleep, sweetie," he murmured. "You deserve it after the whole afternoon of fishing."
"Fish…tomorrow…" With that, her eyelids shut, and he could hear her soft snore. He felt himself smile tenderly at the angel he was carrying.
+++
Her dark eyes narrowed when she heard something land in the backyard of her Aunt Bulma's house.
"That must be him," she told herself, jumping up from her seat and heading for the yard.
Behind her, Marron stirred. "I wonder what Trunks looks like now. I mean, he was just a teenager when he left. He must look different now."
She shrugged as if she couldn't care less. "Well, I better go do what I went here for."
****
Trunks grinned blissfully when the capsule opened and he found the familiar backyard of his house. "Home sweet home," he sighed before jumping down. His grin widened. Ah! It felt good to have his feet back on solid lush green earth again!
He stretched lazily before noticing the steady gaze on him. He instinctively turned to the right and found himself gazing at a petite young girl with hair and eyes dark as the infinite black galaxy he had traveled. Her head was covered by an orange bandanna, and she was wearing an outfit a rock climber or a mountaineer was more likely to don. But most of all, her eyes were piercing right through him…HIM.
He stepped back involuntarily, confused. Now who was this kid? Why was she looking at him as if he caused the Great Flood Noah survived?
She placed her hands on her hips, eyeing him still. She was sure powerfully confident about herself, the way she played the staring game. Her gaze didn't waver, didn't blink. And whether he admit it or not, he was starting to sweat a little. What was it with her eyes that could make him feel guilty even of Hitler's birth?
Then she spoke. Slowly, deliberately, she spoke. "Welcome back, Uncle Trunks."
He blinked.
From behind the ebony-haired girl appeared the friendlier face of his Uncle Krillin's child, Marron. She beamed. "How are you, Trunks! My, how you've grown!"
He appraised his childhood friend's appearance. "Right back at you." His eyes twinkled. "I bet you can twirl Goten around your pinkie finger now."
She blushed. "Goten and I are friends…and Paris…"
"…is in France, if I may say so." He winked at her. "Besides, he wouldn't have to look too far for a lady love." He nodded. "Anyway…" He turned his attention once more to the young silent girl eyeing him, arms crossed smugly in front of her chest. "This is…?" he asked Marron.
"Your personal welcoming committee." With that, the girl launched towards him and drove hard on his jaw. Trunks, not expecting the attack, was thrown several distances away before he was able to regain his balance. He frowned, rubbing his cheek. "So what's that all about?" he hissed.
The girl shrugged. "I knew it. You forgot."
"Forgot what?"
The girl shrugged. "Baka." She started to walk back into the house.
His brows knitted in concern. "Hey, hey. Why are you acting like I'm some kind of a demon or something?" He caught up with the walking girl.
She eyed him sideways. "Uncle Goten is waiting for you at home."
"G-Goten?" He massaged his temple. "You didn't answer my question! Kid, look…"
He promptly received a kick on the face from her.
She blew on her bangs. "I'm fourteen, anything but a kid."
"Fourteen?" He eyed her stature in disbelief.
"You need my birth certificate?" she asked, an eyebrow cocked.
"Your name. I would appreciate your name."
She laughed hollowly. "You wouldn't." She turned her back on him and ambled back into the house.
Marron smiled uneasily. "Ah well…Pan is passing the puberty stage. You know that she doesn't mean to be nasty…'kay?"
"Pan?" His eyes widened. "M-My fian…Pan?!" His jaw dropped. Of course! Why didn't it occur to him that she called his best friend 'Uncle'. And he left her seven years ago, on her eighth birthday!
Memories suddenly washed all over him.
***
"I'm gonna be seven next week!" said Pan proudly as she and Trunks were building a birdhouse for her project in school.
"So will you be having a party?" he asked as he wiped a bead of sweat away.
"Of course I would!" she exclaimed. "Knowing Mama, she would throw a party," She groaned. "Although I would like it better if she just give me a flying dinosaur for a pet."
He chuckled. "How would you keep a flying dino for a pet? Don't you think your neighbors would complain?"
"Papa can beat them up!"
"Somehow, I can't imagine your father doing that,"
"Well, YOU would!" she said confidently.
He blinked, then pointed at himself.
She nodded vehemently. "You're pretty strong!"
"Why, thank you—"
"And very willing." She grinned. "You're nicer than Papa."
"Because I always let you get away with your stunts," he said dryly. "Or I cover up for you. Do you know that your Mama wants to strangle me every time she sees us together?"
"No prob. You can outrun her." Her eyes twinkled naughtily. "Mama's getting heavy."
***
"Trunks?" Marron's concerned voice broke his trance. "A-Are you alright? Should I call for a doctor to check you up? Maybe you're not used to Earth's atmosphere anymore…"
He laughed out loud. "Nonsense!" He draped a brotherly arm around the blonde. "Come on, let's go check on my buddy." He grinned. "I wonder what he looks like now. Is he still as naïve as he was before?"
Marron bit her lip, but chose not to say anything. Trunks would have to find things out for himself.
***
Trunks felt all the colors on his face disappear. "No…"
Goten chuckled weakly. "W-Why are you looking like you're looking at a ghost?"
The purple-haired man shook his head slowly. "G-Goten, w-what happened to you?" He sat on the bed where his best friend lay, looking seriously anemic and immobile.
"J-Just a bout of amnesia…nothing of national significance…" Goten sighed when he saw the incredulous look on his friend's face. "I'm fine, Trunks."
Trunks' fists clenched. This couldn't be happening! The last time that they saw each other, Son Goten was in the highest and most cheerful of spirits. Although Chichi didn't let her son go along with him in his galaxy journey, Goten promised to keep in touch. The promise though, didn't eventuate, for he was soon kept busy by the sights, sounds, and accompanying dangers of his travel, ergo, he had no chance to open his emails.
"We had been trying to get in touch with you for the longest of time." Pan materialized into the room, holding a can of Pepsi on her hand. She eyed him in disdain. "We never got an answer."
Goten shook his head slowly. "Ah, Pan, I told you, it's not really the sort of thing you should bother telling Trunks. People do get sick sometimes."
She placed her drink down. "Uncle Goten, you mean the whole world to me, and I can feel that your heart wants to see your best friend again, so I obliged." She nodded. "Excuse me. I have to cook."
Trunks' gaze followed the girl. "Boy, she sure is mad at me."
Goten sighed. "Sorry. Ever since her parents passed away,
she had been like that."
"WHAT?!" His eyes widened. "N-No way…Gohan and Videl…dead?!" Why didn't he
know?!
"Onii-chan is alive…withdrawn though. No one could talk to him ever since Videl-nee' san died some three years ago. I became her surrogate parent then. I couldn't bear having a young lady like her in the prime of her growth living with my onii-chan in his condition." Goten's eyes saddened. "But my move was too late. I guess she had already been affected by the situation, although in my opinion, she could still revert to her old sweet self."
"I see…" Pity overflowed within him. "Now I understand…"
"I feel guilty," Goten said sadly. "She has become more moody ever since I got sick."
"Of course she would. She cares for you so much," said Marron from the window, eyes shaking. "She's scared…she lost her parents already, and if she loses you as well, she would be devastated."
Goten laughed quietly. "She can never lose me. I have nowhere to go."
The woman smiled sadly. "Goten…"
Goten exhaled audibly. "Look, you guys. Trunks came home already, so this calls for a celebration."
Trunks forced a smile. "But how can we party when we know you won't be able to join us?"
"Oh man, it's only vertigo…and weakness…nothing bed rest couldn't cure." Son Goten grinned. "Let's start planning!"
***
Trunks was in the middle of his narration of his adventures in outer space when he received a text message from his mother.
"I wonder how she knew I was at home," he sighed.
Marron giggled. "Oh, mother's instincts. Her connection with NASA didn't hurt though."
"Well, better check on my Mom." He saluted at the two. "See you tomorrow!"
"'Kay!" agreed Goten, eyes twinkling.
He turned to the lady. "And would you go home already?"
She looked down, eyes elusive. "Um…maybe a little later." Her cheeks started to burn. "I-I mean…Mama and Papa knows I'm here…"
"Okaaaaay," he said, nodding.
"Cool! Then maybe you can start reading the part where you left off in the novel!" cried Goten excitedly, oblivious of the knowing glances his best friend was giving the blushing young woman.
"You read for him?" Trunks grinned.
"Y-Yeah…"
Goten laughed. "You should stay for her storytelling session. She's so good!"
"Maybe some other time." He waved to them before he left the room.
Upon his exit from the gates, he noticed Pan seated by the treetop, playing Gameboy.
He looked up at her, debating as to how to greet the indifferent girl.
"Staring is so impolite, you know," she suddenly said, not bothering to look up from her game.
He cleared his throat, marginally grateful for the break she gave him. "Yes, well, I was just concerned about your eyesight. It's already dark, and—"
"In our planet, we have this thing called 'backlights'." She was still not returning his gaze. "But having been away for seven years, I guess you still have lots of catching up to do with technology."
"To hell with technology!" He walked closer towards her. "I want to catch up with…" He coughed. "…with people."
Silence.
"Pan, I know you're upset because I left Earth without saying goodbye…and because I wasn't able to keep in touch," he began nervously. He watched her face for any reaction. None , so far. He continued. "And I really am sorry…that I wasn't able to be there for you when…when you were orphaned…"
Her eyes flashed, but seconds later, they were blank as paper again. "I do not need apologies," she said at last. "It doesn't really mean that much to me…I was just a kid then…" The sound of the familiar GAME OVER tune reverberated, signaling her motion. She got up and jumped down from the tree. "Excuse me."
"Pan, wait." He stepped in front of her, blocking her path. He slipped his hands into the pocket of his slacks. "I want to be your friend…again."
She cocked an eyebrow. "Goten' nii-chan and Marron' nee-san will do, thank you very much."
His seven years of isolation in space had not prepared himself for these kinds of confrontations. He sighed deeply, calming himself. "Look, what if we make a deal?"
She paused.
"I know that Goten's health worries you very much," he said slowly. "It worries me too."
She turned to him, eyeing him icily. "Oh, your worries should be very helpful."
He chose to ignore that. "And I have an idea…it will help your uncle."
"Oh really?"
He smiled when he saw curiosity starting to reveal itself on the girl's face. "Have you heard of the dragon balls?"
"Dragon balls?" she echoed.
"Legendary seven balls that when collected, could summon a genie-like creature in the form of a dragon, and could grant you three wishes." He crossed his arms in front of his chest. "We can use that to help Goten."
"W-Where are those…dragon balls?" she asked quietly.
He nodded. "That's for us to find out."
"Us?"
"If you agree to trust me, then we can start searching for the balls. They're scattered all over the universe, and we can find them through this thing my Mom invented." He showed her the good ole dragon radar.
She looked at the thing, then looked back at him. "You're bargaining at Uncle Goten's expense. Where is your decency?"
"Pan, we're going to save your uncle," he reminded her.
She paused, deliberating on his words. Finally, she nodded.
"Alright, we'll go get those dragon balls," she decided. She took the dragon radar from his grasp and examined it. "But this doesn't mean I trust you."
"I will wait." He smiled. Once more, he remembered what he promised Goten awhile ago.
That he would do everything in his power to get the old, sweet Pan back.
To be continued