AN: Yevips! Sorry for the tardiness. *bows repeatedly* Summer makes my brain turn to absolute mush. But anywho, I finally worked things out with that strange answering machine of mine (hopefully) it won't get all weird on you readers… at least I the think…On a more serious note all the review just seemed to stop. FFN's repair problems noted and taken into consideration but after receiving no response (so far) on the last chapter I'm debating whether or not to continue posting.
- Mizuko
Down! Set! Hike!
Chapter 8-What Comes Around…
She'd heard every word and kept silent. Her heart was pounding so loudly as she feared he word hear it. Only after Trunks had turned away did she open her eyes. She watched him watching the colorful sunrise of Earth. A zillion question speed through for brain yet her mind was blank at the same time, 'was that why he was always so harsh and abrasive with her one minute and than scorning her the next? Because he liked her?'
It was one thing to dream about such things but when they actually start to happen...
That was a little scary. 'We both have good reasons for not saying anything along those line.' Pan respect him for that, for the sake of others that depended on him, he'd kept his personal feelings to himself. There was more to Trunks Briefs Vegeta than the eye could see. Pan felt awful for teasing him earlier. If she didn't say anything than he wouldn't and they'd both avoid the whole mess that came along with it.
"Take a picture it lasts longer." he said suddenly without turning around. 'He IS still a baka though.' she wonder if he meant half of what he actually said when he teased her.
"I figured if I just stayed asleep a little while longer I wouldn't have to deal with you just yet." she growled sitting up.
"Well you don't need any more beauty sleep Utsukushii, You'll just get lazy."
'Arrrg!!!' she wanted to scream. 'Isn't there a limit to how early you can start to grind ones nerves?'
"Come on let's go. We ARE flying today," he said hovering a few feet off the ground.
"No, we ARE NOT." She snapped back defiantly, rising to her feet. How dare he just order her around like that? Like he was some sort of king. Well he was a prince. But still! That arrogant pompous jerk thought he could tell her what to do? She turned and began walking towards her grandfather's ki. 'As If. Ha I should-'
Halfway through the middle of her silent triad he coolly turned around and scooped her up in his arms.
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!? PUT ME DOWN! KISAMA!!" She screamed kicking and punching in his arms. He didn't even flinch under her barrage. Then she realized that there was now quite a substantial distance between her and the ground below her and she yelped and latched onto his neck with a death grip, burying her face into his lavender hair.
"Utsukushii there's nothing to be scared of." he assured her chuckling softly in her ear. She shivered as his warm breath tickled her neck. "I won't drop you."
"THIS is not funny." she hissed not releasing the death grip.
"Why didn't you tell me you couldn't fly? I would have saved us some time. You are so stubborn Utsukushii. Now, if you could so kindly tell me which direction..."
She loosened her hold just a minute to point without looking in the direction of her grandfather's ki.
"Thank you kirei na onna no ko," he said blasting off in the path set.
Her heart hammered away as she tried not to think about would happen to her body if he accidentally dropped her at the speed she felt like they were going.
"Don't' call me that! Umm...could you please slow down a little?"
"What? I am I going to fast for you?"
"No, we're pretty close. We'll pass it at this speed." She mumbled still hiding her face in the crook of his neck
The ride was actually quite nice and comfortable. Warm too. But Pan hated feeling like a helpless little girl who couldn't do anything.
"Why don't we make a deal." Trunks purred like velvet chocolate in her ear. She nodded numbly, glad he didn't use this voice all the time; it made her insides turn to mush. "I'll teach you how to fly, if you teach me how to sense people without using a device." Oh was the all? He sounded ready to suggest something illicitly pleasurable.
"I know I'll regret this later. Alright, deal. Stop and land right here."
"You can look now Pan." She looked around as his feet gently touched the ground, subconsciously noting that he'd called her Pan. "Thanks Trunks!" She wiggled out of his grasp like a little kid. She could see her grandfather standing in front of a quaint little house within seeing distance. She sprinted to him, beaming.
"Grandpa! Grandpa!" she felt like she was four years old again, racing to meet her grandfather when he cam to visit. She nearly bowled him over before he could wrap her up in a great big Son bear hug.
"Pan-chan!" he swung her around a few times she squealed all the while. When he finally set her down he stood back and had a good look at her.
"Gosh look just like your mother and your grandmother too." He said wistfully, the sadness in the remark permeated the proud smile on his face. He still looked like the day she'd last seen him. Wild hair, friendly face, a ready Son smile, and that same old orange gi.
"Well how've ya been? It's been so long." Goku laughed, he tilted his head to one side, "Who your friend?"
'Oh I nearly forgot about Trunks.'
She turned to see he was standing a respectable distance behind her, but close enough to hear clearly, an amused look on his face.
"Is he your boyfriend?" Trunks laughed as her face turn a cherry red.
"Wha? No!" she shook her head vigorously.
"Oh. Is he your mate or husband then?" She turned a shade of deep mauve as Trunks continued to snicker. Still laughing, Trunks introduced himself. "I'm Trunks, a friend of Goten's. I was asked to escort Pan here."
"Oh. Is she still getting into trouble?"
"Grandpa!"
"Well she couldn't have been to much trouble, for the Prince of Beijita-sei."
"How did you-"
"I remember you when you were just a baby your mother was a good friend of mine. Oh yes she used to tell me stories about you." Trunks eye widen in embarrassment, "What kind of stories?" he asked slowly, giving her a glare as she was the one snickering now.
"Lots of them!" he exclaimed cheerfully, "Have ya eaten yet? I can sit and tell ya both some stories about each other before we go!" They both shared a pained expression, Pan wondered if he was doing this on purpose. What was it with older relatives and embarrassing stories? Jeez was it some sort of universal conspiracy against the younger generation to take the down a peg or two by using people who remembered when you ran from your parents butt naked because you didn't want to wear your diaper? Her thoughts were halted as a young man with cedar brown skin and light sea-green hair. Stepped out of the house and began walking toward them.
"Oh I almost forgot; I've got a new friend I think you should meet."
His clothes were strange, like ancient Greek robes and his eyes were the fiercest blood-red or were they a reddish brown. His face though young and handsome looked as if it wore no other expression but the serious one he display now. He didn't seem inclined to speak, but observe. 'What species is this?' Then the hybrid notice the pair of white wings that were folded in behind in.
"You look like an angle!" she blurted.
******************
T'kal snarled at he shut off the com; Reenye was getting on his nerves. He was a saiya-jin warrior, not a pick up service. He could run all over the galaxy a still be expected to keep tabs on Vegeta. He looked around making sure that no one was in the hall as he made his way to Zion security room. From there he would find out where Princess Bra was staying. There was only one guard. 'Fools.' With the speed and precision of a trained warrior the guard was rendered unconscious before he knew what hit him. Bra would not be stupid enough to take a room under her real name. T'kal had little patience, even less for guessing games. The room was fairly large one wall lined with cabinet of records the opposite of it was live camera monitors and the far wall across from the door held the camera files.
T'kal sliding into the empty room, and went to the cabinet in which the camera files were stored. Princess Bra had been here over a week now, blue hair was easy to spot; he would have no problems finding her. The system of filing Zion used was impeccable. By date, hour, and by section of the station. After fifteen minutes he'd found where she was stay. As a fighter not much surprised him, but it was shocking to see the young princess of a Beijita-sei given such a...passionate welcome in the doorway of a young man's residence, who she was obviously was staying.
After twenty more minutes of checking the room files, he found the young man to be none other than Son Goten. 'I always thought he was older.' Pause.... 'This is rich.' he thought with a chuckle. He would love to see the look on Vegeta's face when he found out about this little affair, and he would find out. Oh well it made his job all the easier he could take both in one swoop. He turned on his scouter to the two-way line he shared with Menneth, who was scouting the station.
"Admiral are you there?"
"...I can hear you just fine, no need to shout."
"I've found her. And the General as well. It seems the two are having a little affair."
".......Are you serious?!"
"This is no time for gossip, human. Meet me at level 2 entrance to hall 9 and don't let them see you!" Switching his scouter off, T'kal prepared to leave; making sure everything was as it had been. By chance he glanced at the live camera screens. Level 2 halls 9 was completely empt-
Out of nowhere two people just- appeared! One was a Neg'Vah or so he guessed, why one was here on Zion was beyond him. They were normally so reclusive. The other was a face very high-ranking saiya-jin and human alike worth his salt would know.
"Menneth! Menneth answer me, human."
"What do you want now, saiya-jin?"
"Don't go into that hall or near it's entrance. The Ambassador is at Son Goten's quarters!"
"....Are you sure?"
"Yes.
"This screws up alot, Reenye is not going to be happy. Even worse so will Lord Frieza..... I have an idea. Get back to the ship and get ready for departure. They are going to leave this place sometime and when they do we'll be ready for them. Doesn't matter how strong they are we'll be on a level playing field with Reenye's ship."
"For once you have a good idea, admiral. Oh keep an eye out for the Prince and Son Pan I have a feeling they be around here somewhere..
"These people popping up in the same place is no coincidence, something is definitely going on."
**********************
Marron shook her head seeing her father all excited about being called to Beijita-sei. He was quickly packing his things for what looked to be a long stay. He was one of the strongest human around true but anyone excited to go to a planet full of saiya-jin was just crazy. Not that she had a thing against saiya-jin. Good friends of hers were saiya-jin one was even little a little brother to her. But there was such a thing as to many saiya-jin at one time.
"Father why are you going there in the first place? I didn't hear of any invitation from Beijita-sei"
Krillin Chestnut brushed his graying hair out of the way to look at his daughter. "We are going, your friend Goten gave me a call said his father would be there as well. He's got something planned I know it," the short president of New Earth stated confidently.
"WE?" Marron hiked a blonde brow. At 27 she looked at just like her mother, literally. They were mistaken for as sisters from time to time and in a few years Marron would look the older of the two. They had the same baby blue eye and blonde shoulder length hair, nimble fingers and long legs. The only major difference was Marron's rounder face and her white lab coat that was like a second skin to her. That and the fact that her mother would never age physically.
"Yes dear, I think you should get out more you can stay in that lab all the time, it's not good for you." He stated in the protective but annoying tone fathers tend to use.
"Father, I'm old enough now to make my own decisions."
She told him thought she doubted he would listen.
"And as your father I'm old enough to know when your obsessing over life's riddles too long, a little break won't hurt."
She was going to regret hear that, she knew it.
"Is mother coming too?"
"Naah someone has to stay and hold down the fort."
"That's not fair."
"Neither was that. Come on Marron, you can bring some of your stuff with you if you want but you really should get more. Your gonna spend your whole life in that lab of yours." She sigh exasperated as she left her parent's room, she have to start packing now.
Her room was in a different wing then her parents it wasn't a long walk, but they was separated by a long glass hallway where you could see the gardens on either side. Opening the door to the glass hall Marron was surprised by the warmth. It must have been well into the 80's today and her white lab coat was already making her sweaty in the sudden temperature change. She normally worked long hours in the lab till well past nightfall.
She laughed 'I'm going to forget what the sun looks like one of these days. Maybe dad is right. A little time off won't hurt.' She thought pausing to look at the gardens the flowers were in full bloom. 'It's that time of year already?'
"Miss Marron!"
The blonde turned to see a young man half running towards her with a n excited expression on his face. Chip was one of her lab assistants; he was always bursting with energy. Curiosity and enthusiasm were a constant companion to the green eyed, red head.
"Chip. What's the hurry?"
"The tissue samples you order have arrived, and we're ready to test the formula." He talked quickly shuffling from foot to foot.
"Got some bad new, I have to go on a trip with my father. I'm afraid it'll have to wait," Poor Chip's whole body sagged and his shoulders slumped looking for all the world as if his dog had just died.
"How long till you get back?"
"Not that long. Just have Dip put the samples in the proper storage." She replied with her usually indifferent tone. Chip straightened a bit but still looked a bit down. Chip confused her with his apparent lack of control in showing his emotions.
"Okay Miss Marron… I'll see you later than…I guess." He walked off at a decidedly slower paste than he arrived.
Why did he insist on calling her Miss all the time? 'Perhaps to constantly remind me of my single state as my parents are hell bent on doing too. Are they right?' She shook her head, already she was thinking strange things and they hadn't even left New Earth yet.
********************
Naav stared strangely at the new saiya-jin, which had arrived. A fledgling could have sensed the positive emotions flooding off of the ambassador and his granddaughter. This was the reason the Neg'Vah were recluse and kept to themselves. Strong emotion that emanated from people could drive a person to insanity if exposed to negative emotions for long periods of time. One reason that the Neg'Vah disliked the saiya-jin was because they seemed to more often then not give off aggressive feelings. Though joy was a nice thing to feel it was just as strong as the uncertainty coming from the young man.
Naav was almost overwhelmed; society -his society- had adapted to fit their empathic abilities. Training emotions away at young ages till it became habit not to show or experience even. It both saved and hampered his race.
Imagine you be able to feel someone else's emotions, whatever they were at the time. Happy. Mad. Depressed. Regretful. Anything. Now imagine being in a room with five other people. Ten. Twenty. Just think what it would be like to walk down a busy street. His race could have died out eons ago from stark raving madness.
The female stared at him openly, "You look like an angle!" she blurted ripping him out of his thoughts.
Naav raised an eyebrow. "Angle?" What was that? She pointed to a his white arching wings, "Yeah your wings. I'm sorry. My name's Pan.What are you?" He felt nothing but curiosity, lots of it and genuinely so.
"This is Naav from Ewajima. Wow this is going to take awhile to explain everything. I'm sure Goten will want to hear it as well why don't we go to Zion first."
"Where is your ship?" he asked. The pod was too small for four people. It was too small for him; he shuddered just thinking about getting back into that tight confinement again. The one named Pan looked at her feet, "I...aah well-
"We crashed it." The one with lavender hair stated firmly.
Goku nodded "I figured as much. Oh, well my way is quicker. Let's go." Goku grabbed his arm again and Pan grabbed a hold of her grandfather's shoulder the grabbed a hold other the other saiya-jin, who looked as surprise as Naav felt.
It was like the first time except the group ended up in large place, with many different ships, very desolate and empty minus the repair robots scurrying from ship to ship.
"TH- this is Zion's docking bay? How'd we get here so quickly?" The odd colored saiya-jin asked. 'I'd like to know too.' Naav's red eyes narrowed slightly.
Goku smiled, "It's a technique called instantaneous transmission. Which allows me to teleport to any place with a familiar or high ki. Trunks, Pan I hope you don't mind but Naav can't exactly waltz through a large crowd. I can lock onto Goten's ki better from here see ya there!
'Not again.' The Neg'Vah thought as Goku already had a hold on him.
*****************
Trunks blinked as the ambassador and the sea green haired Neg'Vah disappeared.
"Well, that was... quick."
"Yeah."
"Let's hurry, I don't want to run into anybody looking for us."
Without further adieu they walked quickly through the throng of aliens ever present on Zion. Trunks kept one eye on Pan and the other of the on the security squads stationed at every other hall. It was almost annoying to him at least how they spent all that time getting to the ambassador just to be whisked back to Zion in a matter of seconds. One the one hand that was a good thing, the faster he got back to Beijita-sei the faster he's be able to free his mother from her life sparing prison. But that also meant he would have to say good-bye to the girl who had unwittingly wormed her way into his heart. A pain squeezed his chest at the mere thought of never seeing her again. Which would more than likely be the case. It would be better that way, he told himself. He quit scanning the crowd to look at the unique girl in front of him, only to catch her in the act of turning her head back to the path in front of her.
"See something you like?" he teased seeing the sides of her face turn red.
"Yeah right. Actually I noticed there is something odd about you, I mean beside the obvious hair and eye, but I can't put finger on it."
'???' He shrugged and grinned. "Tell me when you figure it-
She suddenly stopped almost causing him to run her over. He stepped around her to see what had caused her to stop so suddenly. She was glaring at or with another woman who had also stopped in front of them.
'Saika,' his mind hissed, 'so much for not running into anybody. They look like they've met.' He noted crossing his arms over his white armor. The saiya-jin woman's eyes widen when she noticed him standing beside Pan.
"Your Majesty?" she asked seemingly not quite sure what to do, then she regained her composure. "The king demands that you return home with me immediately."
*************
Quote of the day:
Many of life's failure's are people who didn't realize how close to success they were when they gave up.
-Unknown
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Mizuko's answering Machine:
Okay Mizuko threatened me with the beep… She thinks I'm scaring off readers. Muwahahahhahahah *coughs*
Well now I have a different job I get to ask all the ridiculous questions this chapter leaves hanging.
*ahem* How does Trunks know Saika? What is Marron's role in all this? Will Trunks and Pan ever reveal their true feelings?
That sound to much like a soap opera…
Leave a review at the sound of the beep. *grumble stupid beep grumble grumble*