AN: First off I wanna give a big Yevips to Starlight. I feel honored that you put my story on your faves list *sniff* Thank you * dabbs tears* Continuing on B/V and G/V don't despair! Stick with it and you shall be most graciously rewarded. Finally things are starting to speed up! (At least in my humble opinion) Piccolo fans be on the look out the surly green giant will appear in the next two three chapter, I think. And evil villain fans give a hearty Muwahahahahahahha! as the dastardly despot deviously makes his appearance! (I'm in a real good mood today! Not even that moody answering machine can take me down!)
Cool Boogie!-Mizuko
Number Next!
Chapter 6- Brother of Mine
Pan woke early in the morning with a shock, not recognizing her surroundings. She relaxed, remembering where she was and seeing Trunks sprawled out next to her. At least his wound was healing okay; she hoped there wasn't an infection. Not that she care or anything. She blushed remembering her dream for last night, it was nice, about Trunks being nice and gentlemanly sweet and caring, like how he was right now; when he was asleep. Or when he spoke of his mother.
'He'd never act like that, awake.' Pan snorted, she stood careful not to disturb his majesty; it was to good a morning to deal with him just yet. Their conversation last night and then that dream... A streak of red crossed her face. It was embarrassing just think about dreaming about him. She noted the drastic change in light form when she fell asleep, the sky was a steadily lightening blue and more light seemed to becoming from one part of the sky. Pan cocked her head confused at this, 'maybe it's a planet thing... I wonder if I can see where all that light is coming from.' With that decided see climbed the tree she had been sleeping next to.
'It's beautiful.' Soft morning blues were fending of the navy blue of night, accompanied by purples and pinks as well, it was a magnificent sight, 'Duh! This must be what they call...sun-rise. My first sunrise. The stars look so different planet-side.'
She sat in silence for a while thinking to herself and enjoy the beauty of Old Earth's sunrise. 'I wonder if that conversation we had yesterday will change anything...' She looked down through the braches of the tree only to find him gazing up at her, a shiver ran down her spine on sight of those disarming ice blue eyes
'Well, maybe.'
"Morning kirei na ko, I was wondering when you'd get tried of staring into space. I was going to let you stay up there till you blinded your self looking at the sun, but if your ready to go now, I am." He added snidely
'Then again, maybe not.'
"Don't call me that, are you deaf? How many times must I tell you that?!" She bit back, 'If only I could strange him...'
"I can hear you, loud and irritating. Let's go already!"
He said impatiently as she picked her way down through the branches, both knowing very well she could have just jumped from the top if she had choose to. She noticed that she'd have to watch where she stepped planet ground wasn't like the man- made floors of ships; she wondered if all planet dweller had to walk around with their eyes on the ground in front of them.
"Did you sleep well Utsukushii?"
"Ahh...yeah...I guess so." She blushed remembering her dream.
"Ah looks like someone was had a nice dream last night." He leered suggestively, a small smirk on his face for who knows what reason. She grit her teeth silence, 'just a few more days and I won't have to put up with this guy.'
"Was yours truly in it?"
She glared at him outraged, "Ha! Anything with you in it wouldn't have been a 'nice' dream. Someone would have to have a very low standard of 'nice'" She huffed storming away from him, not sure where she was supposed to be heading but just wanting to get away from him. Pan heard him follow her, much to her chagrin, "Well if it wasn't a 'nice' dream, then perhaps it was a 'naughty' dream. Can't get any lower than that." He purred behind her, she stop completely red, from both anger and embarrassment. In a second she was lunging at him her fist aimed and ready, she made blind swing at his jaw. He was expectant of this reaction and caught her fist millimeters from what would have been another painful collision to his head. Perhaps a few more knocks to it would clear out dust in there.
"What's this thing you have with punching my jaw?"
"Well I figure if I break it, I won't have to listen to it."
"You could a least try something different, I'm not that stupid."
"Oh you mean like this." She swept his leg out from under him bring him to the ground. She would have been standing above him gloating right now, if it had not been for one minor miscalculation; he still had a firm grip on her fist. So both came crashing down on the forest floor, 'this sounds like some cliché, really, really bad one.' She groaned rolling off his chest, very firm muscular chest, she subconsciously noted. She lay there for a moment wishing she could just stay there resting peacefully, not dealing with jerko. She looked to see if Trunks was okay and caught him gazing at her again with that penetrating stare, he was completely serious for a brief second Pan thought she saw something a kin to admiration, before that infernal smug look of his came back as he propped himself up on an elbow, "Although I don't mind you jumping me all the time, and see all red you get; we do have somewhere to be and I wouldn't want whoever's waiting for us to think you were doing not 'nice' things to you poor defenseless escort, now would you?"
"Don't think so much of yourself," she snarled, not missing the innuendo. As much as it disgusted her she was intrigued at the same time. 'It doesn't help any that he has to be handsome now does it?'
"Stupid. Stupid trip. Stupid ship. Stupid war. Stupid me. Stupid you. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!"
He looked at her with an, are you crazy look, "Got that out of your system?" he asked teasingly, but genuinely concerned.
"Yeah let's go."
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"So how long can you stay?" he asked sliding into the kitchen and stealing a kiss as he reached for an apple from the fruit bowl.
"Two weeks." she purred, embracing her love from behind, running her fingers along his well kept abs.
"Really?" he asked turning to face her, that trademark Son grin spreading over Goten's youthful face. Bra nodded smiling; he was just like a child in a candy store, "Yup!"
The grin on his face turned into a tender smile, "I missed you, love." he told her kissing her forehead. She was going to have to get rid of the armor she was wearing, she thought as he hugged her tighter.
"I missed you too." she kissed him fully on the lips, wrapping her arms round his neck. He responded passionately deepening the kiss running his hand through her aqua-blue hair.
"I hope I won't still be sleeping in the guest bedroom," she chirped slyly when they let up for air. Goten stiffened, looking at her like a dear caught in headlights.
As much as a flirting Casanova he was such a shy sweetheart. They had known each other for an entire year and he was convinced for some reason that he hurt her or scare her away if they were intimate with each other. That had been sweet the first six months, then it got frustrating, now she was a woman determined to get that silly notion out of his head. "Bra." he groaned pulling back, he took a bite out the apple he'd picked up, "Your brother will be here in less than a week." He said trying to change the subject to avoid the old argument.
"By the end of the week then." she stated boldly, taking off her armor leaving her in only skin-tight blue spandex. She nearly giggled as his eyes nearly popped out of his skull. "I mean it Goten." she declared, sauntering off to her 'temporary' room, "Even if I have to tie you to the bed!" She heard him give a fearful yelp as she exited the kitchen, 'hey that's not a bad idea.' she laughed to her self, wishing she could have seen the look on his face.
In the kitchen Goten stared in bewilderment after Bra. She sounded like she really meant it this time. What was he thinking ever getting involved with that family? One sibling had no love what so ever and never wanted to talk about it or anything remotely close to it, the other wanted to knock him over the head with a club and drag him off to her cave; not that the idea wasn't appealing. But he after what she said, the hybrid feared she would do something drastic, that determined gleam in her pretty blue eyes gave him the chills. Yes, what had he been thinking?
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Member Reenye bowed before him. "How are those pathetic monkey anyways?"
"They have not suspected a thing my lord. Soon they will bring the brats and we can being our take over."
A slight frown marred his features, "Tell me my good Member, why aren't they here now?" his tone growing sharp with displeasure.
Reenye stumbled over his answer, not expecting him to take notice of the minor discrepancy in the original plan. Do they think him a fool? When ruling an empire one cannot over look minor details
"It seems that the saiya-jin brats have disappeared a few weeks before we began to implement the plan."
"Is that so? Please tell me that this is a mere coincidence."
"It is a most unfortunate one at that. We have no idea why the Prince of Beijita-sei took off so suddenly or the Son child but Menneth believes that she maybe at a station in the Sol system with a relative who live there."
He interest was pique now. "A relative? How so?"
"Son Gohan's brother himself. The ex-general Son Goten."
"Hmmm well it doesn't matter which one as long as the person is close to the lead Hitohi monkey. If you can't find his daughter, kidnap his brother instead. AS for the little prince-ling-
"T'kal ran into him after his last meeting with Reenye."
"Where was this? And why wasn't I informed?"
"In the Sol system. He was too strong to take head on, my Lord
"I'll have some more competent take care of him later then. Take the princess instead."
"She is on Zion as well." Reenye was quick to elaborate, "She was sent on one of the search teams by King Vegeta to look for his missing son."
"This sounds like too much of a coincidence. Get T'kal over there, right now and Menneth too. I think someone may be on to us. Ah well it doesn't matter in the end."
"But sir, who will-
"I have other people to do my work those two fools are of no great importance. Leave me."
"Yes my lord."
The Neg'Vah left quickly but without rush. He was an idiot.
Consulate Member Reenye let out a relived breath once out of that...that thing's sight. Once again he question his decision to join up with such a character to spare his planet, while gaining control of it himself. He shook off the moment of doubt, he would control Ewajima and those despicable barbarians and their little human friends would be wiped out of existence.
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Gohan paced nervously back and forth in his quarters waiting for any word of his missing daughter. It was not usual for Pan to go off for a day or two to get away from the constant buzz of mobile colony life. But she had been gone for the better part of three weeks on and her father had gone form being angry and frustrated to just plain worried.
As head of the Hitohi Empire he didn't get to spend as much time as he like with his only child not since...
And Pan was so much like her mother...Gohan stop his pace to look out the large window into space, the twinkling of far off stars reminded him of his wife's eyes.
Pan was out there somewhere, and he was running out of ideas of where to look, all the mobile space colonies had been thoroughly checked, the farthest reaches in Hitohi territory, he even went so far as to call in some favors with old chums on New Earth, which was under the wing of the Saiya-jin Empire; a bold and dangerous move. As a leader he could not risk Vegeta finding any weakness to exploit in any way. As a father he would never forgive himself if any thing happen to Pan. A knock at the door interrupted Gohan's thoughts, anxiously running a hand though his mid-night colored hair he answered it.
"Come in."
Admiral Menneth came in, one of his most trusted commanders; though he was rarely seen, mainly on frontline missions and commanding strike teams. A trust worthy man, a skilled strategist as well. He was dressed in the standard orange and red uniform. Adimral Menneth saluted, right hand to forehead.
Gohan acknowledged him with a short nod, "Any news on my daughter."
"Only news was she was last seen at the Neutral Station 821 sector 963 but boarded and unregistered transport with an unknown destination. Unfortunately that was weeks ago."
"It sounds like she doesn't want to be found. She could be anywhere by now," he sighed mentally 'What could make her take off without saying anything? Or who?
"Admiral, I want you to take a search crew to Zion."
"Sir?" he looked mildly surprised more so then usual for some reason.
"My brother still resides there as far as I know."
The older man's eyes widen a bit in surprise, "G-General Goten?"
A light frown marred Gohan's face. Even years after Goten had turned away form the Hitohi; the younger sibling still inspired awe in his troops rivaling that of their fathers even. But Goten believed that they could put a stop to the fighting between the two colossal empires and end the uneasiness between saiya-jin and the Neg'Vah. A very nice idea, but Goten just wouldn't understand that even if they were to try and co-exist peacefully with the Saiya-jin empire, Vegeta would use it to his advantage and wipe the Hitohi out completely if not Vegeta than the Neg'Vah. Their enemies were ruthless and uncaring opponents, and Goten, as brilliant a tactic, strategist and fighter as he was, was young and idealistic; not realistic. He couldn't come to terms with the fact that thing wouldn't change, that the two sides might never see eye to eye.
"You are dismissed."
Menneth saluted, "Sir I'm sure wherever Miss Son happens to be, she is taking good care of herself." And with that he left. Gohan looked around his room, it was large and spacious but mainly for the purpose of working out when ever he was free to do so. Other than that there was a bed, a connecting bathroom and his diligently organized desk. Sitting at his desk he turned on the portable vid-phone.
He hadn't spoke to Goten in a while and they normally avoided speaking, and he was loath to call his younger sibling. But maybe Pan went to visit Goten or had at least stopped by. After two rings Goten's upper torso popped up on the screen, the ready smile and laughing eyes died down to a more serious expression upon seeing his face. A expression Gohan knew too well he saw it almost every morning in the mirror, the uncanny family resemblance didn't help either. He noted the Goten look a bit worn out and wasn't wearing a shirt either; he had more than likely been sleeping.
"Gohan."
"Goten."
"How are you?"
"Still working on a more peaceful solution. And you?"
"Still trying to figure out why my little brother won't open his eyes to the real world and get his head out of the clouds."
It was and old argument one that never failed to come up when ever the Son brothers conversed. Before their 'conversation' could turn down their usual route, a feminine hand slid down Goten chest. A voice said something Gohan's vid-phone was unable to pick up nor was the face on screen.
"No it's just my brother, this won't take long." Goten said with a lop sided grin to the other person, Gohan snorted mentally, 'Some things never change.' The lady gone, Goten turn his attention back to Gohan, grin still present. "Unlike some people I'd rather look for more peaceful solutions it's a lot more... 'rewarding', but I doubt you called just hear that old tune again, and I know you didn't call to check in on your little brother either," Goten stated bluntly.
"What makes you say that?" Gohan asked, neither missed the sarcasm.
Goten laughed, "I might not live in the hubbub of the universe, but I keep up."
"Oh?" He was curious to know how Goten managed to do that, he had given up his military power when he resigned, then again Goten was very resourceful.
"I figured you call about Pan sooner or later." Gohan didn't bother to hide the light shock and annoyance that was written on his face. Only the personnel Gohan had personally sent were suppose to know Pan was actually missing.
"How di-"
"With all the up grades in security in your sector and several other, including this one, I would have been an idiot not to know something was up. Besides I have my sources." The younger man said cryptically.
"Have you seen her? Do you know where she is now?"
"You just missed her...And by the look on your face I can tell you probably just sent someone or here to thoroughly check Zion as we speak. Well I can't lie to you I don't know exactly where she is right now, and I can't tell you where she's going, but she is well and safe." Gohan nodded relief washing over him.
"I made sure she was in good hand before she left." That spoiled the moment of relief. "What do you mean 'good hands'?" He asked scowling. Goten chuckled nervously, "You don't think I would let Pan go off with out someone to watch her and keep her out of trouble, did you? Don't worry he's a good friend of mine."
The light scowl became an even darker frown, "He?! You sent my 19 year old daughter into space al by her self with some guy?!"
"I trust him. You seem to forget that Pan is also my niece, I won't let her go with a total stranger, if it makes you feel any better I've know this 'guy' for more than a decade, jeez that makes me sound old, and he is an honorable guy he wouldn't hurt her, I'm sure of it."
"How honorable?"
"Way more than I am." Goten grinned wolfishly, reminding him that Goten was quite the ladies man; that was a good thing, But still...
Goten's confidence in his friend did not impress the worried father at all. But the younger man gave one more try to keep Gohan from suspicious about his 'friend'. "I'm sure she'll be home in a few weeks. Besides if worst comes to worst Pan can more than easily defend her self. Is she at an elite level yet?"
Gohan let a light smile touch his lips, "Not yet but she'd very close I'm sure she will very soon." He said with pride in his voice. For a moment the to brother forgot about their problems with each other and talked like they use to when they were younger; like brothers.
"Yes she is very strong I felt her ki while she was here it's risen so much since the last time I saw her I almost didn't realize it was her. She's got the temper too."
"Yeah" he chuckled, "boy, does she ever. She defiantly got it for her mother."
"When she came, I was surprise, the way they fought, like cats and dogs; I thought she would transform right there and then."
"They?"
"Pan likes my friends just about as much as you like the idea of her being alone with a guy out in space, see? No worries! ...You know, it's getting really late. I got to go. Later." Goten quickly cut his end of the transmission. Gohan felt like he should further inspect the matter but let it slid... for now. Pan was safe and well and that was all that mattered, for now. Shutting off the vid-phone he thought about Pan and Goten's nameless, 'honorable' friend. 'Goten said he'd known him over a decade, that means he would have to have known him before he resigned...no before he even joined the Hitohi army.' Thinking back to that time Goten didn't have many friends he did have to really good buddies, Ernest and Zukin, both joined the military same time as his little brother. They were also part of the reason Goten resign, he got tired of losing friends and people to the war.
'Who could he be talking about? There's no way Goten could know someone for that long and me not know about it, could there?'
Frustrated Gohan got ready for bed taking a quick shower doing a few stretches before going to bed, his mind still pondering on the words off the younger sibling. 'No worries' he says they 'fight like cats and dogs' he says, like that's any reassurance," he groused mentally thinking of how well he and Videl did not get along when they first met. Gohan hoped that was not a trait Pan had picked up. No matter how 'honorable' Goten said his friend was.
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Quotes of the day:
Don't compromise yourself; you're all you've got.
-Janis Joplin
From the reviewers:
My one regret in life is that I'm not someone else-Unknown
Muchas gracias a inca-dove para tu respusta!
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This is Mizuko's answering machine again. Don't look at me.
I've got nothing to say to you. Just leave your review after the stupid beep.