Disclaimer: Nope, DBZ ain't mine, go figure?

The only reason I'm continuing this is because of my devoted reviewers.

Chapter 6

Sifting on a Night Mare

A horse, colored simply by the dark tinge of late night, nothing more than a shadow and yet you could reach out and touch the soft, gentle fur. This was the creature that floated along the clouds above the city so late that night. An animal of a simple mind, trained mostly on the thought of haunting a person and digging to find their greatest fear, and forcing it into their heads as they sleep. For what purpose did these horses serve? No one really knew. However, if one was talented with the mind of manipulation, one could possibly persuade such a creature to do one's bidding. And this is exactly what Bra had succeeded in doing.

 For perched atop this lovely animal was the young vampiress herself, eyes glowing a dark, rich crimson as they oft did when she was in a pleasurable state of mind, usually when she was scheming something. Always up for a challenge and a sore loser at heart, she had plans to defeat her brother. She of royal blood would never lose to such a disowned street rat, a traitor of her line.

A hand traced ginger fingers lightly along the horse's neck, and it replied with a soft, barely audible nicker. She leaned down and whispered something quietly in the perched ear, and the horse nodded at the order, and rounded a bit, pulling down through the clouds and heading towards Pan's house.

Though human ears could never hear a night mare, no one could ignore the horrid, sinister laugh that echoed from the vocals of such a beautiful woman, a dream like sound that could in itself leaving one with nightmares, no horse needed.

*****

"Tell me, young one…what is your greatest fear?"

The voice slid through her ears like winter liquid, an ice cold feeling that left a lukewarm sensation flowing through her body, and causing her to shiver.

"My greatest fear?"

"Yessss…." The answer slivered through her sanity, a serpent reaching her thoughts.

"Greatest fear…I fear nothing…."

"Oh come now, everyone is afraid of something, love…."

Something was probing her mind, but what was it?

"I…I don't know…."

"Relax, child, I will find it."

"W-Why? What do you….?"

"Shhh…calm yourself, youngling."

"No…that's…huh?"

"Yessss…. Very curious…this is what you are afraid of most? A silly human emotion, called love?"

"No, why would I be afraid of that?"

"You subconscious says otherwise…I see."

Her father was suddenly there, but why was he in this void? She hadn't even realized she was in a void. Here was nothingness all around her, black. Where was existence? Where was her apartment? And why was Gohan there?

"What a failure." He began, glaring at her behind his business glasses.

"Huh?" She was so confused.

"You are a horrible daughter, always have been. Why don't you go back and bother your mother for a change? I'm sick of looking after you, kid. I hate kids, I hate you. Just go away." His voice faded, as did his image.

"I…but…Dad!!!"

"Oh no, he's not leaving me with you." Her mother's voice was soon there, her picture also glaring down at her. "Stay the hell away from me. You're weak; you'll never be good enough. Fuck off."

"Mom!!" Tears were forming now, glittering around the dark irises of her sight, and soon spilling over.

"Pfff, you'll never be a good fighter. You'll never be one of the guys. You're just a little girl, leave the man's job to the man's, whore."

"Grandpa Goku? What? Where are you? Why are you doing this? Grandpa!!!"

She was broken, she was torn, and she had had enough. Her mind fell down into body wracking sobs as she mentally broke down.

A serpent snickered hauntingly, "I seeeee….You're not afraid of love in itself, but being loved and deceived, rejected…how pathetic!! And - …ohhh, what's this? Interesting…."

The next person she saw mesmerized her. Her eyes widened slowly at the figure before her, glaring, not even having to say anything, just turning and walking away. Her mouth fell open in surprise, her skin grew pale, and she uttered a small noise that could never be described with any other word than excruciating pain. She ceased to exist, her very being disappeared with her mind and floated into the void, engulfing, swallowing, dying….

****

Pan's eyes shot open as she sat up quickly in bed, blinking through tears that were flowing from her eyes and staring at her black wall, the room silent in the deep of night. Fingers reached up and touched the tears, her face contorted in confusion. She couldn't remember the dream at all.

*****

"Merf, that was quick." The aqua haired teen commented quietly as she saw the dark horse galloping soundlessly through the air towards her. She was sitting on top of the apartment building, legs crossed and leaning back on her hands.

The horse let out a snort, and pulled off onto the roof, resting next to the pale woman, "I had to pull her out of the dream; otherwise she would have been pulled into a coma."

"That traumatic?" A slim eyebrow cocked in question, head tilting to look at the horse beside her. The animal nodded slowly.

The creature explained in detail the recent events of Pan's dream.

"How curious…." The vampiress replied when he was finished, "Afraid of loving and being betrayed by that love. Huh."

"Even more curious is who she was most afraid of being betrayed by. A woman she barely knows."

"Really? Who?" She seemed devoid of interest as her thoughts were dragging her deeper into the night.

"You, milady."

Bra's eyes widened as she looked sharply at the horse, "M-Me?!"

He snickered, nodding.

"You'd better not be lying to me…."

"Oh come now, milady, what reason would I have to lie to one so much stronger than I?"

"Good point." She went silent, eyes going slowly out of focus as she considered this.

"Well, I must be off. I have others to visit. And don't worry about my payment, her fears were interesting, that is pay enough." He smirked at her nod, before rearing up and galloping off into the sky.

"Huh. Curious, very curious…." She drifted as fog slowly closed in around the young woman, and she was gone.