Survival
Goku and Pan had made it a rule never to venture outside their isolated home, even if they kept their power levels down. But Goku would go hunting every weekend and they did keep a garden in a small clearing in that part of the forest. And yet they didn't know that the Tuffle planet was gone and that things had returned to normal. Goku never paid attention to the power levels of his sons, Trunks or Vegeta.
But this year, Goku and Pan made an exception. They went outside their little house and trained. For a good few hours they forgot about everything. And it felt glorious. But, this didn't last. Goku sensed a power level heading their way. He panicked and rushed Pan into the house to hide. When they heard the knock on the door, they feared they'd soon be dead.
The door opened and there stood Trunks. Pan could see him from where she was hiding. Watching him carefully, she noticed that he seemed different from the last time she saw him.
"Pan? Goku? Are you here?" Trunks called out. He didn't want to have imagined those power levels. He couldn't fail now.
"Who are you?" a female voice said.
"I'm Trunks Briefs. I'm looking for Son Pan and Son Goku." He replied.
"I didn't ask you anything else!" the voice snapped. Trunks winced. Then he saw a beautiful, dark haired woman step into the light of the room. He searched her aura and found traces of Gohan. It had to be her.
"Pan?" his voice broke. The lump in his throat was too big to get around. The woman looked scared, real scared. "It's really me, Pan. The Trunks you knew before Bebi happened. Vegeta found a way to get rid of Bebi and the Tuffle planet. We've all been looking for you two for years! I"- he was cut off by the attack from behind. Goku was here, too. He felt his chest tighten. But it wasn't because Goku attacked him.
"Why should we believe you? As far as we know you could be tricking us." Goku said, flatly.
"Look at the sky. The Tuffle planet isn't there anymore. Just our moon." Trunks croaked. While they went outside, Trunks sat on the floor and contemplated his situation. He shouldn't have expected them to believe him so soon. Believing that he was still evil gave him the assumption that they lived in fear all these years of being found. The tears returned and he didn't fight them. He heard their footsteps come back into the house.
"The planet was in the Earth's orbit, it could be on the other side of Earth. Do you have any other proof?" Goku asked calmly. Trunks dug into his pocket and took out a capsule. It opened to reveal a video tape. Of everyone at one of Bulma's New Year's Eve parties. The date was shown to be four years after Bebi was destroyed. Everyone seemed normal and well. Champagne galore and many resolutions were made that they'd find Pan and Goku before the next year.
When the tape ended, Trunks merely capsuled it and put it back in his pocket. Pan wiped the tears from her eyes. "Grandpa?" she said. Goku looked at her. "Yes, Pan?" he responded. "We should go see them..." she suggested.
Trunks blocked out the conversation. It would be rather unfair of him, as well as the rest of the gang, to expect anything more than estrangement. Even innocent minded Goku was cynical. Gone was the optimism he once had for everyone, whether they be evil or good. Then Trunks thought about what the reunion would be like. He couldn't imagine laughter or smiles.
"What do you guys think would be best for you?" trunks asked grimly. They looked surprised he had asked. Goku spoke first.
"I suppose a short visit wouldn't hurt. You guys could come visit us sometimes." Pan looked shocked that Goku didn't want to see his wife or sons. Trunks looked furious.
"Goku, you need to reunite yourself with your family. They suffered the most when they recovered and found out you were gone. Despite the eight- year estrangement, I think you should put your family first. Not just Pan. But ChiChi, Gohan and Goten. They need you right now. And I'll be damned if I let another day go by where ChiChi cries herself to sleep at night!" Trunks raged. He knew it was rude and unreasonable, but he no longer cared. ChiChi tried to look strong and capable but he knew she was crumbling inside. All the saiyans could hear her cry at night.
Gou looked shocked but resigned.
"I think we should go to them and be a family again." Pan said.
"I agree. It's up to you, Goku. I'm willing to give you a day to come to Capsule Corp. I'm leaving now to tell everyone at home that you're alive. If you don't come after 24 hours, we'll come here. We all miss you and are scared to death that we may never have a future with you two. We've lived with the guilt and you have lived with the fear. We all deserve to be together so that we can live in happiness. We'll be waiting for your arrival. Goodnight." Trunks told them, flatly. He turned to walk out.
"Trunks, wait!" Pan exclaimed. Trunks halted. "Yes?" he replied. "I'm coming with you. We have a lot of catching up to do!" she said, excitement in her voice. Trunks gave a small smile and walked out with Pan close behind. Goku watched as they took off into the air.
Goku and Pan had made it a rule never to venture outside their isolated home, even if they kept their power levels down. But Goku would go hunting every weekend and they did keep a garden in a small clearing in that part of the forest. And yet they didn't know that the Tuffle planet was gone and that things had returned to normal. Goku never paid attention to the power levels of his sons, Trunks or Vegeta.
But this year, Goku and Pan made an exception. They went outside their little house and trained. For a good few hours they forgot about everything. And it felt glorious. But, this didn't last. Goku sensed a power level heading their way. He panicked and rushed Pan into the house to hide. When they heard the knock on the door, they feared they'd soon be dead.
The door opened and there stood Trunks. Pan could see him from where she was hiding. Watching him carefully, she noticed that he seemed different from the last time she saw him.
"Pan? Goku? Are you here?" Trunks called out. He didn't want to have imagined those power levels. He couldn't fail now.
"Who are you?" a female voice said.
"I'm Trunks Briefs. I'm looking for Son Pan and Son Goku." He replied.
"I didn't ask you anything else!" the voice snapped. Trunks winced. Then he saw a beautiful, dark haired woman step into the light of the room. He searched her aura and found traces of Gohan. It had to be her.
"Pan?" his voice broke. The lump in his throat was too big to get around. The woman looked scared, real scared. "It's really me, Pan. The Trunks you knew before Bebi happened. Vegeta found a way to get rid of Bebi and the Tuffle planet. We've all been looking for you two for years! I"- he was cut off by the attack from behind. Goku was here, too. He felt his chest tighten. But it wasn't because Goku attacked him.
"Why should we believe you? As far as we know you could be tricking us." Goku said, flatly.
"Look at the sky. The Tuffle planet isn't there anymore. Just our moon." Trunks croaked. While they went outside, Trunks sat on the floor and contemplated his situation. He shouldn't have expected them to believe him so soon. Believing that he was still evil gave him the assumption that they lived in fear all these years of being found. The tears returned and he didn't fight them. He heard their footsteps come back into the house.
"The planet was in the Earth's orbit, it could be on the other side of Earth. Do you have any other proof?" Goku asked calmly. Trunks dug into his pocket and took out a capsule. It opened to reveal a video tape. Of everyone at one of Bulma's New Year's Eve parties. The date was shown to be four years after Bebi was destroyed. Everyone seemed normal and well. Champagne galore and many resolutions were made that they'd find Pan and Goku before the next year.
When the tape ended, Trunks merely capsuled it and put it back in his pocket. Pan wiped the tears from her eyes. "Grandpa?" she said. Goku looked at her. "Yes, Pan?" he responded. "We should go see them..." she suggested.
Trunks blocked out the conversation. It would be rather unfair of him, as well as the rest of the gang, to expect anything more than estrangement. Even innocent minded Goku was cynical. Gone was the optimism he once had for everyone, whether they be evil or good. Then Trunks thought about what the reunion would be like. He couldn't imagine laughter or smiles.
"What do you guys think would be best for you?" trunks asked grimly. They looked surprised he had asked. Goku spoke first.
"I suppose a short visit wouldn't hurt. You guys could come visit us sometimes." Pan looked shocked that Goku didn't want to see his wife or sons. Trunks looked furious.
"Goku, you need to reunite yourself with your family. They suffered the most when they recovered and found out you were gone. Despite the eight- year estrangement, I think you should put your family first. Not just Pan. But ChiChi, Gohan and Goten. They need you right now. And I'll be damned if I let another day go by where ChiChi cries herself to sleep at night!" Trunks raged. He knew it was rude and unreasonable, but he no longer cared. ChiChi tried to look strong and capable but he knew she was crumbling inside. All the saiyans could hear her cry at night.
Gou looked shocked but resigned.
"I think we should go to them and be a family again." Pan said.
"I agree. It's up to you, Goku. I'm willing to give you a day to come to Capsule Corp. I'm leaving now to tell everyone at home that you're alive. If you don't come after 24 hours, we'll come here. We all miss you and are scared to death that we may never have a future with you two. We've lived with the guilt and you have lived with the fear. We all deserve to be together so that we can live in happiness. We'll be waiting for your arrival. Goodnight." Trunks told them, flatly. He turned to walk out.
"Trunks, wait!" Pan exclaimed. Trunks halted. "Yes?" he replied. "I'm coming with you. We have a lot of catching up to do!" she said, excitement in her voice. Trunks gave a small smile and walked out with Pan close behind. Goku watched as they took off into the air.