A/N: For those who haven't had the chance to see Dragonball GT and haven't
read anything about it on the web, there are a few important things that
you need to know while reading this story. First, I haven't seen most of
GT, so if there are any mistakes, I would appreciate it if those of you
that have seen it would let me know. Second, Goku and the dragonballs are
gone. And Third, Piccolo is in HFIL (I think he had to be stuck there so
Goku could get out, but I'm not sure why Goku was there). Hopefully this
will keep everything clear for everyone.
Chapter 25
"Alright class, remember that your essays on the historical ramifications of Dante's "Divine Comedy" are due on Monday. Enjoy your weekend," Mr. Hikaru said as the bell rang.
~Great,~ Pan thought, ~now I have to write an essay on a completely pointless and boring subject in addition to preparing for the approaching Apocalypse. Mom and dad should have just let me stay home and train.~
Zori and Pan were walking to PE. The blond girl was uncharacteristically quiet and kept glancing at Pan out of the corner of her eye. Eventually Pan stopped walking and looked at her.
"What?" she asked, feeling slightly annoyed.
"Well, I was, uh, just... you know, wondering if... if you were doing okay, you know?" Zori stammered, lowering her eyes.
Pan stared at her for a while, trying to think of the right answer to the question. Her first impulse was to just say yes and get to class, but she knew that Zori wouldn't buy that. The two had been friends for far too long to be fooled by hallow lies. Finally Pan simply said, "No, I'm not."
"You want to talk about it?"
"Now? We'll be late to class."
"So?" Zori's bright red lips spread into a small smile. "Just get your grandpa to send Mr. Rarer an autographed photo and he'll forget the whole thing. Besides, you hate PE. Come on, we'll go grab a cup of coffee and be back in time for our next class." Pan nodded and the two walked out of the school building and down the street to the local StarBucks.
In no time they were sitting on a big, comfy couch, sipping their large lattes. They sat in silence for several minutes until Zori finally said, "Do you want to talk about the tournament? Cause if you don't that's okay, but, you know, it might make you feel better."
"You sound like my dad," Pan muttered, taking another sip of her drink.
"Well, that's good. Your dad is pretty much the smartest person I know, so I'll take that as a compliment," Zori replied with a smile.
"You already know what happened, it's been in all the papers. It's practically the only thing the news talked about for three straight days."
"I know what the reporters are saying. I know that Akira was killed after he won the tournament, but I don't want to know the facts about what happened. I want to know how you're feeling, I just want you to talk and get it all off your chest."
"Alright, you want to know how I feel? How's this: Imagine you spent about the last four or five years feeling ugly and unwanted. Thinking that you were too much of a freak to ever find someone who cares about you, some one that wants to be with you... that wants to kiss you. Then one day, this mysterious, good-looking guy walks into your life and for the first time ever he doesn't just want to hook up with your gorgeous best friend. He actually seems interested in you. Then you find out that the two of you have a ton in common. He tells you that he is interested in you and that he cares for you. You get to have your first ever kiss and you think, 'I've found someone I could be with for a week, or a year, or maybe even the rest of my life.' And then, just a couple of hours later you watch that man get murdered right in front of your eyes, because he's protecting you, because you were too weak and got in the way."
Zori sat in stunned silence as Pan spoke, she had known that Akira had been special to Pan, but she hadn't realized just how deep it went. By the time Pan finished, the two of them had tears running down their faces. Zori put her arm around her grieving friend.
The two girls did not make it back to school for their next class, nor any others the rest of the day.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------
When Akira and King Kai materialized in HFIL, a tall green man wearing a white turban and cape greeted them.
"Akira, I'd like you to meet Piccolo. Piccolo, this is Akira."
Akira stepped forward and shook the tall man's hand. "Nice to meet you Piccolo," he said cheerfully.
Piccolo did not smile, but his deep voice was pleasant enough, "It's nice to meet you as well Akira." Then he turned to King Kai and asked, "Are you sure it's wise to bring a boy here, I was under the impression that you were bringing a powerful fighter like Olibu."
King Kai chuckled, "Trust me Piccolo, I brought a fighter with more than enough strength."
The Namek looked at Akira again and shrugged. "Well, if you say so," then he pointed back behind him, "The last I saw them they were headed in this direction." The three men began walking.
Up ahead, Akira could feel several immense powers. A few were nearly as strong as Gohan, others were closer to Pan's level, and the rest were quite a bit lower. As Akira, Piccolo, and King Kai rounded the corner they saw several figures beating on some large demons in workout clothes.
King Kai pointed to a small group that was separate from the attacking group; "There's Cell, Frieza, and King Cold. Every few years they and a few of their cronies break out and run amuck until some one comes and sticks them back in line. Today, your mission is to round them all up and get them back in their cells by yourself."
Akira watched the villains for a moment then nodded and began a leisurely stroll towards them.
Chapter 25
"Alright class, remember that your essays on the historical ramifications of Dante's "Divine Comedy" are due on Monday. Enjoy your weekend," Mr. Hikaru said as the bell rang.
~Great,~ Pan thought, ~now I have to write an essay on a completely pointless and boring subject in addition to preparing for the approaching Apocalypse. Mom and dad should have just let me stay home and train.~
Zori and Pan were walking to PE. The blond girl was uncharacteristically quiet and kept glancing at Pan out of the corner of her eye. Eventually Pan stopped walking and looked at her.
"What?" she asked, feeling slightly annoyed.
"Well, I was, uh, just... you know, wondering if... if you were doing okay, you know?" Zori stammered, lowering her eyes.
Pan stared at her for a while, trying to think of the right answer to the question. Her first impulse was to just say yes and get to class, but she knew that Zori wouldn't buy that. The two had been friends for far too long to be fooled by hallow lies. Finally Pan simply said, "No, I'm not."
"You want to talk about it?"
"Now? We'll be late to class."
"So?" Zori's bright red lips spread into a small smile. "Just get your grandpa to send Mr. Rarer an autographed photo and he'll forget the whole thing. Besides, you hate PE. Come on, we'll go grab a cup of coffee and be back in time for our next class." Pan nodded and the two walked out of the school building and down the street to the local StarBucks.
In no time they were sitting on a big, comfy couch, sipping their large lattes. They sat in silence for several minutes until Zori finally said, "Do you want to talk about the tournament? Cause if you don't that's okay, but, you know, it might make you feel better."
"You sound like my dad," Pan muttered, taking another sip of her drink.
"Well, that's good. Your dad is pretty much the smartest person I know, so I'll take that as a compliment," Zori replied with a smile.
"You already know what happened, it's been in all the papers. It's practically the only thing the news talked about for three straight days."
"I know what the reporters are saying. I know that Akira was killed after he won the tournament, but I don't want to know the facts about what happened. I want to know how you're feeling, I just want you to talk and get it all off your chest."
"Alright, you want to know how I feel? How's this: Imagine you spent about the last four or five years feeling ugly and unwanted. Thinking that you were too much of a freak to ever find someone who cares about you, some one that wants to be with you... that wants to kiss you. Then one day, this mysterious, good-looking guy walks into your life and for the first time ever he doesn't just want to hook up with your gorgeous best friend. He actually seems interested in you. Then you find out that the two of you have a ton in common. He tells you that he is interested in you and that he cares for you. You get to have your first ever kiss and you think, 'I've found someone I could be with for a week, or a year, or maybe even the rest of my life.' And then, just a couple of hours later you watch that man get murdered right in front of your eyes, because he's protecting you, because you were too weak and got in the way."
Zori sat in stunned silence as Pan spoke, she had known that Akira had been special to Pan, but she hadn't realized just how deep it went. By the time Pan finished, the two of them had tears running down their faces. Zori put her arm around her grieving friend.
The two girls did not make it back to school for their next class, nor any others the rest of the day.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------
When Akira and King Kai materialized in HFIL, a tall green man wearing a white turban and cape greeted them.
"Akira, I'd like you to meet Piccolo. Piccolo, this is Akira."
Akira stepped forward and shook the tall man's hand. "Nice to meet you Piccolo," he said cheerfully.
Piccolo did not smile, but his deep voice was pleasant enough, "It's nice to meet you as well Akira." Then he turned to King Kai and asked, "Are you sure it's wise to bring a boy here, I was under the impression that you were bringing a powerful fighter like Olibu."
King Kai chuckled, "Trust me Piccolo, I brought a fighter with more than enough strength."
The Namek looked at Akira again and shrugged. "Well, if you say so," then he pointed back behind him, "The last I saw them they were headed in this direction." The three men began walking.
Up ahead, Akira could feel several immense powers. A few were nearly as strong as Gohan, others were closer to Pan's level, and the rest were quite a bit lower. As Akira, Piccolo, and King Kai rounded the corner they saw several figures beating on some large demons in workout clothes.
King Kai pointed to a small group that was separate from the attacking group; "There's Cell, Frieza, and King Cold. Every few years they and a few of their cronies break out and run amuck until some one comes and sticks them back in line. Today, your mission is to round them all up and get them back in their cells by yourself."
Akira watched the villains for a moment then nodded and began a leisurely stroll towards them.