Ch 6: Shattered

Pan wandered through the meaningless rubble. She had to constantly remind herself that this used to be somebody's life. This had been someone's school, someone's street and someone's entire existence. The world simply seemed so alien now; it was far too foreign to even register as being real. She couldn't even comprehend how such devastation could have taken place in such a short span of time.

Pan's thoughts seemed to incessantly diverge to Trunks and once more she detested herself for the infatuation. Amid the obliteration of her home all she could think about was the man that had deserted her. In her first few hours on Earth, Pan matured more than she could have ever dreamed of from her life in the Room of Spirit and Time. She trained her eyes to become immune to the death that surrounded her. She wasn't even sure what she was looking for or where she was going. There wasn't really anything else to do though, so Pan walked and flew depending on her fatigue and mood.

After wandering for over five hours Pan noticed that the sun was casting its preliminary rays across the sky. This dull light gave her horizon a surreal aura. She silently wondered if daylight would bring out any survivors.

Pan had easily convinced herself that Trunks was still alive and had concocted numerous explanations as to why she could not sense his ki. There was something pricking at the back of her mind telling her that it was hopeless though. Trunks would have been fighting to the death, just as her father had. The reminder caused Pan to wince and twist her head: a knee-kick reflex. She should have been there...she should have fought alongside them. Her strength was definitely a force to be contended with now, but her pride had forced her into a retreat. She had been so childish. She had hoped to mature during her training, but now she realised that her mentality was no different.

"No wonder Trunks rejected me," she mused, "because I'm still little Panny."

The daylight did seem to rouse some life on the world though and it certainly did Pan's aching heart good to see it. As she struggled through the ruins several tired and dazed people mirrored her aimless meandering. Picking a young lady at random Pan tried to find out something about what had happened here. "Excuse me, can you tell me what happened?" The woman looked at Pan, obviously wondering how anyone could be oblivious to the dire situation. After a moment of uncomfortable scrutiny the woman simply burst out laughing and continued on through the rubble, her cackles echoing into the void sending shivers down Pan's spine.

The next person Pan came across was a very old man and Pan caught herself wondering how anyone of such age could have survived such devastation. Instead she repeated the troubling question. He looked at her and Pan saw the confusion swirling in his dark eyes. "Who knows?" he breathed. Then with a startling change the contemplative expression dropped from his face and he shrugged without commitment. "Apocalypse maybe."

Pan muttered thanks before resting on a large chunk of concrete nearby. She breathed heavily. The day had taken so much out of her. Unlike her training it was mental exhaustion alone that forced fatigue into her. She saw only one other person pass by that day – another young lady who was desperately searching through the remains for 'Makoto'. Pan did not have the courage to approach her. By then it was clear to her that those who were not killed by their injuries would soon be conquered by their own minds. Whatever had happened was an all consuming disaster...one that she should have prevented.

Later that night the regrets and confusion still ravaged Pan's thoughts. Images of her father kept creeping back to haunt her minds eye and her body was now covered in minor cuts, scrapes and bruises. She had been careless and found herself tripping due to lack of concentration. She would forgive herself for that today. There were too many other things to spend her guilt on.

Pan scoped out a small cave created from scrap metal and broken buildings. She cautiously eyed it, wondering how stable it was. Pan's engineering skills were virtually non-existent though and she found herself too nervous to take the chance. A silent eye passed to the sky and the dark clouds that loomed ominously there, but her thoughts returned to being crushed by several layers of concrete and metal in her sleep and she stretched out on a nearby dirt patch.

Sleep hung just out of reach. Whenever her heavy eyelids would begin to droop, another horrific mental photo would flash into vision and she would find herself awake again. It was only many hours later that the pain and exhaustion won and Pan drifted into a troubled sleep. Just before unconsciousness hit her she could have sworn her father was calling out to her.

The gentle rain fell delicately onto Pan's face causing her to twitch in her sleep. However, it would take more than that to rouse her from her long deserved rest. As if acting on this resolution the sky opened fire and rain began to pummel down onto the broken world.

The second that Pan awoke she had no memory of the events that had taken place over the last day and in that second there was feeling of peace. Unfortunately he rain acted as a perfect reality check and clips of the day washed through her once more. Pan peered into the impenetrable darkness, searching for shelter. Her eyes inevitably came to rest on the concrete cave. Resigned to her fate Pan crawled into the small hovel and huddled up, struggling to save any degree of remaining heat.

The rain showed no mercy and by daytime there was no sign of it even slowing down. In a way, Pan almost enjoyed the external manifestation of her mindset. Pan had nothing to do though and the day quickly faded into night. Minutes seemed to take hours, but hours seemed to slip from her so quickly. It seemed her entire mind was revolting against her while still torturing her with endless thoughts of the others...and Trunks.

That night Pan curled up in a small cave out of the city. She had decided that it would be too hard to stay amid the ruins of her old life. As she warmed her hands on the small fire she had built she wondered exactly what she would do now. She had to accept the fact that everyone she knew was dead, even if she couldn't believe it. What would become of her? How long could her sanity survive in such isolation? It was treacherous ground to tread and she found herself despairing at the thoughts so decided to settle down for the night. She nestled into the soft dirt and pulled her dirty jacket closer to her throat while watching the fire crackle and flicker through the darkness. "Oh Dad..." she whispered, almost in tears. Her father had always been there for her when she ended up in difficult situations, but it seemed that he, just like Trunks had abandoned her.

Pan.

Pan bolted upright and glared into the darkness. She could feel her remaining traces of sanity slipping through her fingers. "Dad?" she called out softly, berating herself for her foolishness all the while.

Yes, its me honey. I was lucky enough to come across King Kai and he let me talk to you. I've been trying to reach you for an age. Are you OK?

Pan stared into the fire that traced light across her disbelieving face. She sat silently for only a moment before a small smile crept across her lips. "I'm fine, but what's going on? What's happened here?" A long silence ensued and Pan grew nervous. "Dad?"

You don't know?

"No, of course not. How cou-" Pan stopped abruptly. Her father still didn't know that she had been in the Room of Spirit and Time. Pan quickly searched for an explanation and continued. "How could I Dad? I told you that I went for a holiday."

You left Earth?

Pan was beginning to feel guilty. Her father was contacting her from beyond death and she was feeding him baseless lies. There was only one alternative though and the truth definitely didn't seem so appealing. "Yeah."

I'm surprised you didn't sense it...you must have gone a fair way. I really don't know what it was. Something powerful. Something very powerful. The leader of it all came down to earth to speak with us demanding revenge on the one who had wronged them. Apparently Vegeta conquered their planet many years ago and they had been seeking his blood ever since. They wouldn't even fight us though. The ships just blew the planet to pieces. There was nothing any of us could do. I'm sorry honey, we did everything we could, but there was no convincing these people. They were fanatics.

"No, don't do that. I should have been there; I should be the one apologising to you, but lets not do that. Just, tell me one thing. Are the others there?"

Pan...listen...you're mother is here, but we don't know about Trunks. I was hoping you could tell me. You are the only one with any traceable amount of ki. There's been such a huge influx of people over here after the annihilation that it's absolutely impossible to find anyone though. I assumed that eventually all of the gang would head over to King Kai's place so I came here. Everyone except for Trunks is here now. Although his ki was not traceable I had assumed that he was still on Earth – either hiding or badly injured.

Pan realised that she had been holding her breath and let it out in a noisy gush. "I don't know. I haven't seen him." Pan messily wiped the tears from her eyes. "I miss you Dad. I don't know what to do. I...I...don't know." It felt good to have a truth uttered from her lips. Pan sat in the darkness for a few moments more, quietly sobbing as Gohan whispered comforting thoughts to her.

As if struck by lightening Pan bolted upright. "Dad, I'm going to get the Dragonballs. I'll wish you and everyone else back. I will. I'll go find them for you."

Pan, Dende is dead.

Pan shuddered at the inevitable image that wavered in her mind. "Earth isn't the only planet with Dragonballs."

You can't go planet skipping now.

"Why? What's keeping me here?"

Pan, just find Trunks first.

"I'm not a little kid any more." Pan quickly shut her mouth, knowing that she had to watch her mouth around such matters.

I never said that. Just find him...he could still be alive and need your help.

"Trunks is dead." To me, she silently finished.

You know for sure? Have you seen his body?

Pan barely paused. "Yes."

*

Everyone stared at Gohan. His face was stained with a most unusual expression.

"What is it?" Videl asked.

"I don't know. Pan told me that she hadn't seen Trunks, then told me that she knew he was dead." Gohan's brow creased in concentration, clearly confused.

"But she's going to get the blasted Dragonballs right?" Vegeta demanded impatiently.

All eyes locked on Vegeta out of duty, knowing they would never change him from his selfish ways.

Gohan sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I don't think she knows yet. There is more going on here than we are giving the situation credit for." He took in a deep breath. "And as always with her, Trunks is right in the middle of it."

***

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