Chapter Sixteen: Recognize Me
Trunks turned away as 'Gohan' paused to make another pit stop. How did he get pulled into doing this away? Trunks let out an irritable sigh hoping it was number one so he wouldn't have to pick it up.
"I don't know why mom would even care," Trunks muttered taking a quick glance towards 'Gohan's way. "This whole town couldn't careless if a dog pooped in these ruins. Most of them are dead."
Trunk tried not to think his dark thoughts and yet concentrate on Goten's secret identity. He certainly wasn't who he claimed to be. And whether or not he was super sayian was still blurry that now Trunks was sure he could fly. It seemed almost possible for Goten to be a certain Goku that Pan had claimed he was. But yet since they had arrived back home, Pan had strangely started calling him Goten again. And they even exchanged the occasional smile.
Pan never was that friendly to me, Trunks thought angrily. Does she know something I don't?
Suddenly, Trunks felt a hard yank on the harness as 'Gohan' began crying and pulling hard against the rope strung across his neck. The pup was whimpering something awful with its tail between its legs. Trunks rose an eyebrow at the small dog's attempt to escape his sayian owner. The dog somehow managed to break free from its bindings and run to the nearest alley way.
"Hey! Gohan! Where do you think you are going?" Trunks shouted chasing after the puppy with the rope clutched tightly in his hands.
Gohan stretched out on the beach as he watched the bright sun sink down the rough waves. He drew in a long breath as the tried to clear his head. He had to figure out how to get away from the rest of the group to destroy Bojack and his minions, and yet also get back to his own home. Gohan supposed he could fake his death. That would give him enough space to truly do as he needed. But he knew anymore death in Trunk's life would truly crush him. Gohan pounded his fist into the sand, he should have thought of faking his death sooner. If only he wasn't so concerned over Mirai Trunks.
"Eases your mind, doesn't it?" A voice from behind him sounded.
Gohan spun about quickly expecting the worst. He brought out his hand almost serving Pan's head off, halting a hair from her neck. Pan didn't even flinch, as if the spurt of wind that had brushed her hair across her face had been nature created.
Gohan lowered his hand slightly embarrassed and muttered his apologies softly. Pan cocked an eyebrow as if she thought it was strange to express regret for almost killing her. The silence between them was somewhat unnerving for Gohan as his canny eyes bore into hers.
"My family used to come to the beach all the time when I was younger." Pan smiled kindly, "I met all my Dad's friends here at a short family reunion. I was three years old. I met Trunks here. I found myself in peace here."
"I guess we have a lot in common," Gohan nodded finding himself staring at the sand that was rubbing hard against his hands.
"More than most," Pan agreed. "I didn't think so before… but now I am positive. You took good care of me."
"I?" Gohan blinked in confusion. "I took care of you?"
"Well, of course, you did," Pan snapped. "Who did you think would? You might have been busy but you always made those times we were together special."
"Woah…" Gohan cried suddenly jumping away from her. "Okay, Pan. Let's get this straight. I don't like you... in that way. You are kind of young."
"What are you talking about?" Pan hissed climbing to her feet.
"You are pretty, Pan. No offense. I'm just not ready yet," Gohan smiled sheepishly. "And I am a little young to have any infatuation yet either."
Pan blinked slightly and shook her head, "What are you talking about? Infatuation? I'm not in love with you."
"You… Oh… Heh. My mistake." Gohan blushed rubbed the back of his neck.
Pan stared in confusion at the boy in front of her and took his hand in her own. She smiled lightly at his soft touch against her own hand. There could be no inaccuracy in her discovery.
"But I know you," Pan smiled softly squeezing his hand softly.
Gohan was blushing a bright crimson now, too afraid to pull back his hand, "Is this another thing about Goku? Because I reassure you, I am not him. Please no more games, okay?"
Pan smiled softly as tears filled her eyes, "I missed you so much, Gohan."
Gohan stood in shock as his mouth hung open in the eerie silence. Gohan pulled away from her unable to think of anything to say anything witty to cause her to disregard her guess. She had finally guessed him, and he didn't even have time to think of a way to defend himself. All he could sputter was, "How?"
"Of course I could recognize you," Pan smirked. "Son Gohan… You are a terrible liar. I have my mom's cunning. And soon, Trunks will catch on too. I am surprised he hasn't already guessed his mentor."
"Does anyone else know?"
"Bulma is catching on," Pan smiled lightly. "She found your fighting gi in the drier. It took a bit of convincing but she almost believes you are Gohan now."
"Does Trunks-"
"I think it would be easier for him if you told him," Pan smiled cocking her head to the side slightly. "You aren't exactly what I imagined you to be like as a kid."
"What did you expect?"
"Well… something more like my father," Pan said vaguely snickering as she eyed him up and down, "You're really cute as a kid."
"But I don't think I look anything like Yajirobe..."
"What?" Pan blinked. He clearly still had no idea who he was. No wonder he was so cold and less protective over her as the original Gohan.
"Yajirobe? That fat hog?"
"Come on. That's no way to talk about your father," Gohan frowned.
"Heaven forbid that obese rat ever being related to me!" Pan cried with an air of Vegeta in her tone.
"Then who's your father? Did Vegeta had an affair?"
"No!" Pan snarled, "How could you think up that result and yet not know the truth! You're a child prodigy for Kame's sake!"
"Then who is your father?" Gohan asked completely stumped. "Do I know him? Yamacha?"
"Argh! My Lord, Gohan!" Pan screamed, "How could you be so dense?!"
"Who is it then?"
"YOU OKAY?!" Pan shrieked her answer echoing over the crashing waves. "YOU'RE MY FATHER!
Gohan stood in disbelief for the second time that hour. He was a father… of the very girl before him. It didn't seem possible. It couldn't be possible. Him. Son Gohan. A father? There was no way… Especially, the father of the very girl who had tried to kill him several times now. It couldn't be true…
"Yes… You're my father," Pan hissed softly. "Surprised?"
Pan broke down into a fit of tears without sign of ceasing. Seemingly, the fact that her own father didn't recognize her crushed her completely. Gohan couldn't blame her. He would hate himself too, if his father had returned from death not recognizing him. She must have been expecting a grand reunion with her father's other form. Some appearance of the loving father that had cherished her deeply.
"I guess he is really dead then," Pan muttered darkly.
"Pan… I'm so sorry," Gohan began trying to comfort her.
But she pulled away, her face that had held such care for him earlier creased with fury,
"Stay away from me!" She hissed, "I don't exist to you! So you shouldn't care!"
"Please… Pan, I didn't know!" Gohan cried as she turned away from him.
"I was stupid for thinking my father was back," Pan snarled. "I was wrong. It was only his empty shell."
Gohan found those words strike his heart with such force it felt as though he had the wind knocked out of his lungs. He fell to his knees helplessly as his future daughter shot out into the distance with no indication of return.
Trunks ran into the alley after the slapdash puppy. Shortly after he entered the passageway, his senses screamed out danger. But too late he turned having a piece of scented cloth shoved forcefully over his mouth and nose. One deep breath of the toxic air, Trunks found his vision spinning and his mind numbing. His mind's last minutes at instinct signaled his body's ki to lift as a cry of help his lungs could not endure. With that he collapsed, out before he hit the ground.
"Trunks…" Pan hissed softly sensing the rise and fall in ki. "I'm coming…"
She turned her direction of flight towards the cry of help. Little did she know of what she was getting herself into…
Gohan slunk back to Capsule Corp feeling very disheartened. He wasn't looking forward to Bulma's questions about his other world and such. But as he neared the building a certain chill rushed through his veins. A terrible dark ki entering the broken down building where Trunks' mom stayed unbeknownst. Fearing for Bulma's life, Gohan rushed towards the building missing the rise and fall of ki that was only a couple feet away from his position…
"So it begins." Zangya smirked as she watched Gohan rush into Capsule Corp with a limp Trunks held by her one arm, "Run little hero. Run as fast as you can."
To Be Continued…
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