Time, like a steam, flowed onward. Years trickled by for the man without a past. The young man was taught with alarming speed and progression the way of a shadow warrior, walk like a shadow, move like a shadow, become like a shadow; silently, quickly, deadly...
Trunks wasn't the only one who changed; after all, time doesn't stop for any one. After a year the police searches for the missing VP of Capsules Corp. became less and less frequent gradually coming to a complete halt. Bra was now the Vice President of CC. Marron accepted the fact that her fiancé wasn't coming back and moved on. She eventually settled down and married.
Trunks wasn't talked about much, as if it were some unspoken taboo to mention him, especially around Bulma, who'd burst into tears at the slightest mention of her lost child. The Sons, Briefs and Krillin's family still kept on the look out for Trunks Vegeta Briefs but hope of his return was dwindling smaller and small each day. Only Vegeta and Pan kept actively searching for him.
As for Trunks himself his memories came to him less and less eventually they stopped; leaving his past as much a mystery as his future.
Seito watched Toran and Matsuri in the near by forest from in front of the house. The occasional flash of lavender signaled Matsuri was on his tail again, literally. They had been mildly surprised to find one day he'd just woken up with the furry brown tail. Toran blamed it on the Mali seasoning. Riiiight. The younger man walked without much balance for a while. Matsuri had suggested cutting it off, but Toran quite vehemently opposed learning how to control his movement with a tail. For some odd reason the thing seem to make him stronger, if possible.
Seito shook his head, 'That boy is one great mystery after another. If he ever gets his memories back I'm sure he'll have quite the story to tell us. '
He spotted another flash of lavender followed by the forest green colored hair that was his families trait. It was obvious that Matsuri was chasing Toran, who was only a few lengths ahead of the girl.
Matsuri was supposed to find Toran, and Toran's mission was to not get caught.
NOT for Toran to tease Matsuri with his speed, staying only arms length before disappearing again. Seito himself was hard pressed to follow Toran's movement even with his vantage point a ways away from the two.
The boy was amazing he'd learned at an astonishingly rapid rate, a mere five years after Toran had unexpectedly joined him and his daughter, Toran knew every thing Seito had to teach. And now he was making sport of Matsuri
He watched his daughter frustrated look for Toran again. Seito chuckled 'Oh well better let them have their fun for now.'
He looked at the letter his twin bother, Tosei had sent requesting his help.
He sighed he was to old to do that kind of thing anymore. He watched Toran get the drop on Matsuri yet again, she was hopping mad now her anger was getting the better of her normally good judgment.
Those two could be quite a team, but they were so completive with each other he couldn't see why either. This was the perfect thing to teach them some teamwork with his brother's supervision of course.
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"What?!"
"Sataan City." Puzzled (now silver-flecked) blue eyes frowned at the named.
"But why?!" Shock gray eyes pleaded.
"Is that far?" Toran muttered more to himself than his sensei.
"Father?!" Matsuri demanded an explanation.
"Please, hush for a moment and let me explain, your uncle Tosei needs my help on a case of his, but I'm too old to go trampizing up and down this mountain, so I'm sending you two instead. You both have done so well I have nothing more to teach either of you, but you need to work on your teamwork skills, my bother can do that even better than I can. Don't worry you can come back as soon as the case is closed or 4 months which ever comes first. Any questions?"
Silence.
"Good a plane will arrive within a week, start packing."
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Pan barreled into the chiefs office, not caring a bit if she was out of line or not, he had no right! It was their case and she didn't need anyone else's help. No matter how good they were.
"What's the meaning of this?!" she asked dropping a file of papers on the chiefs desk, her eyes a blaze with indignation.
The chief flick a cool gray eye down at the papers, "What's it look like Lt? The district officials are starting to get edging and the mayor's already breathing down my neck." he replied not backing down a bit.
Ever since Trunks disappeared 5 years ago, she start working with the police in search of her friend. Even thought the police stopped looking ages ago she decided to become an officer and help protect the city in a less embarrassing and public way then her parents had when they were young. She handled missing persons cases in the hopes that she would, on day, find her friend. Anyways. This last case had been especially difficult for the her and her partner, Gabriel Jacob Emmanuel the third (Or Gabe for short).
A train of disappearances had started, with out leaving any evidence or clues if the victims had almost nothing in common except that there was little or nothing about any of them and they all seemed to have moved from the mountains north of Sataan city. Some of them were semi public figures others were average Joes, 8 had disappeared as of yesterday when another one simply vanish in the middle of the night.
Pan glared back at the chief, "We don't need more help there are enough people as it is." She felt a gentle hand rest on her shoulder, trying to calm her down. She felt some of her anger leave, just a little.
"Pan calm down, I know we can get the job done." Gabe told her, "It's nothing personal, it's just more people are disappearing we need to work faster."
"You knew about this?!" She felt betrayed, how could he not tell her?
Chief Tosei cleared his throat, " We knew how you'd react. Be happy your not getting reassigned. Your new partners will arrive later today. Be back by noon." He stated dismissing her.
Pan turned and stormed out of the precinct ignoring the looks from her coleags.
"She's such a loose cannon these days." Gabe muttered apologetically to the chief, who nodded. "That's exactly why your her partner, you make sure she doesn't go blasting into every thing in her path. Have any idea why she so ticked all week."
"Yeah a friend of her disappeared a few years back, the Briefs kid, what's his name? ...Trunks. I think he disappeared around this time she always gets moody around this time..."
"I understand, go calm her down and bring her back." the old chief sighed scratching his head of dark gray hair.
"Yessir."
Elsewhere...
Pan continued to fume while walking aimlessly down the busy shopping district of Sataan city. Her feet move without her taking her where they wished, head was a million miles away.
"I can't believe those two ganged up on me!"
Cause they know you can take on one by himself a small voice told her.
"Yeah well..." she sighed her anger was quickly evaporating as she thought about the situation logically. Being outside helped clear her head and it was such a nice day very, blue skies, bright sunshine it had just rained this morning and everything smelled fresh and new as well as the vivid green around her it was the beginning of spring and every thing was vibrant with colors. Incidentally her feet had taken her to the park.
She sat down on the driest bench she could find, a lot calmer then when she had stormed out of the precinct. 'I shouldn't have blown up at them like that.'
She was angry, they thought she couldn't find these missing people, if any thing she was the last people to want to give up looking, she didn't want any one to end up like... like Trunks. No one's family and friends should have go though that kind of pain.
She watched the kids playing, family outings, and couples strolling in the park to get her mind off that particular subject, it would only succeed in depressing herself, she stood up again feeling a restless need to moving about again. She walked down one of the quieter trails. She still went out weekly, almost ritually to look for him no high nor hair of him since the day he left not even a ki reading. Pan shook her head 'now is not the time, you have to focus on the case. It's ten forty-five, perhaps I should start heading back.'
"I'm not lost!" She heard a particularly loud argument some where ahead of her. 'Can't they keep it down this is a public park' her police instincts kicking in; if they got any louder... That voice sounded familiar. Her instincts pushed her to see who was talking if only for curiosities sake.
"Leave it to a guy to never admit when he's lost." an unfamiliar female voice huffed.
"Your the one that insisted we try a short cut." Pan froze. She knew that voice! It had to be him! Speeding up just a little bit more she came back to the bench she had been at before, in front stood a slightly flustered looking woman and HIM.
He was wearing black pants and a black shirt, as was his companion.
His hair was a little longer than she was used to but there was no mistaking that voice, that face, those eyes. She could barely breathe. "T-Trunks?" in came out choked and barely audible even to her ears.
Pan felt tears well up in her eyes, "Trunks! Trunks your back!"
That was definitely audible.
Toran barely had time to prepare himself for the assault as a young woman barreled straight at him at speeds that seems almost inhumane. She ran straight into him hugging him furiously, crying and laughing at the same time, "Your back! Your home! Your really here." she cried holding him as if he'd disappeared at second glance. Just as quickly as she'd appeared her laughter turned into sobs. Her soft body shuddered in his reluctant embrace.
He was quiet bewildered and surprised, not quiet sure what to do the petite dark haired woman now sobbing into his chest. It pulled his heartstrings to hear the girl cry like that. Who is she? What is she to me? ..
Toran look desperately to Matsuri, who was no help, she had the same dumbfounded expression he was probably wearing.
The girl suddenly pulled herself together and stepped back, "I' m sorry Trunks it's just that it's been so long since you left." Is that my name? Trunks? She looked up at him with stunning dark eyes, although still slightly watery they were very beautiful, she was beautiful. She was wearing light blue jeans and a brown leather jacket. There was something about her... Toran was positive he had seen her face before, but as always he couldn't remember.
"Where have you been? I missed you. And so has everybody else. It's been five years."
Her voice still slightly choked up, Toran felt bad for what he had to say next.
"Who are you?" he demanded gently but firmly. She blinked trying to cover up a fleeting look of hurt.
"Trunks, w what do you mean? It's me Pan. You've known me your entire life!" she was starting to panic or sounded about to, she looked him directly into his blue eyes, searching for the painful truth.
"You don't remember me or Goten, your parents, your sister, or Marron?" It was more of a statement than a question. He opened his mouth but nothing came out.
The girl, Pan, looked at her feet not knowing what say, she looked ready to cry again. Pan felt like a knife had gone straight through her heart. The pain of losing some one was one thing, but the pain of a dear friend looking at you like a total stranger, like you had never existed to them.... She could look into his handsome blue eye and there was no recognition. None.
Luckily Matsuri stepped in, "I'm sorry." she said sincerely "He has amnesia, my name is Matsuri, he's been staying with my family for the past five years." shaking hands with the distraught girl.
Pan smile sadly though grateful at Matsuri's friendly gesture. "I guess since you don't remember me, it's like a first introduction, I'm Pan Son, nice to meet you." There was a brief but awkward silence. "I couldn't help but overhear your predicament, I live here and I be happy to help you find where ever it is your looking for." She offered smiling a little but it didn't seem to reach her eyes, "As long as you tell me what you've been up to these last five years. Is she your girlfriend?"
"What?! Him?! NO!" Matsuri screeched, shaking her forest green head in horror.
Toran finally got his voice function properly he smiled, "Thanks, it nice to know I'm that horrible." Pan chuckled at the two's antics.
To Pan he said, "We'd appreciate it if you'd help us find Lambert street." She looked slightly surprised.
"Hey, what do you know? I was heading there myself."
"Good we'd hate to trouble you."
"It's no trouble" she smiled infectiously, something about that smile made him feel at ease. But...Her smile...it was so sad...His chest constricted at the complete sadness she was obviously trying to hide behind a smile. He smiled back. Matsuri was grinning like a Cheshire cat for some reason he would find out why later though as Pan started to speak again
"So tell me, if you don't mind, what have you been up to these past five years...
Half an hour later...
Toran groaned as Matsuri finished another slightly humiliating tale. It would have been funny. If it weren't about him. She really didn't need to tell Pan about how'd tripped over his own two feet once and rolled half way down the mountain. Really, she didn't.
"Really Matsuri you don't have to..."
"Oh but really, I insist." The two girls ahead of him shared a look, before starting laugh. Scary.
Pan suddenly stopped "This is Lambert street. Anything else?"
"Where's the police station?" Pan's eyes hiked up in surprise, "You two aren't in any trouble are you?"
Toran shook his head. "N-no we're going to see Matsuri's uncle he works there."
She chuckled at his nervousness, "It's alright, I work here too." She lend them inside of the building they'd stopped in front of.
The place looked fairly busy lots of people moving hurriedly from place to place. "What's your uncle's name?"
"Otera."
"Are you serious?!" Matsuri nodded with conviction. "Ok right this way." Dark haired girl in front led the way, falling oddly silent in thought. Toran studied Pan, quietly as they followed her. On the way there she had been quite easy to get a long with, very easy to talk to. Her smile was contagious and her laughter was music. She covered her emotions well.
He wondered what his relationship was to her, she said they were friends but he could help wonder if they were ever...the way she felt when she hugged him. He needed to talk to her later about...his past, without Matsuri tagging along. As Toran looked over her again, not that his eyes were looking at much else, he noticed, she carried no guns, as he suspected most police did, nor did she wear a uniform. Maybe she'd been off or something.
"This is it." Pan said almost sadly, Matsuri nodded and knock.
"Come in."
Matsuri went in ahead. Trunks hung back for a moment, "Pan could I talk with you later, alone." He blushed," I mean to, to talk my past!" he stumbled over his words.
She nodded "Have the rest of the day off, so when ever you get done talking to the chief I'll be in the first office down the hall to your left." She waved for a moment not quite sure how to say goodbye, obviously it was hard for her. He could see the pain she was trying to cover up with her smile. She waved, "Later Trunks!"
"See you Panny."
Pan sat down into her chair and let out a deep breath. Trunks is alive and well that's good, but he doesn't remember anything. Why does it hurt so much? I should be happy he's alive...but the way he looked at me at first, I am a stranger to him. Funny he still calls me Panny. He's changed a lot. Did he have to be so nice too, I can't believe he was actually nervous talking to me that's never happened before.' She rested her head back closing her eyes, seeing his intense blue ones in her mind. Some old feeling started to bring it's self back from its sleep. She frowned, 'I'm not going to open that can of worms, he has a fiancée already or did anyways, He won't ever treat you as more than a friend so don't even go there again.'
It's ironic he comes back and can't remember a darn thing. Not me, not his fiancée, not his family-' Pan jerked up in her seat "Oh shoot I completely forgot! Bulma will be so happy!" She laid her hand on the phone, but a knock at the door stopped her.
"Yes?"
Gabe whirled in a dopey grin on his face and a glazed over look in his brown eyes. "Oh Pan! I just saw an angel!" She rolled her eyes, "another one that's the fifth one this month! Any more angels and I'll start thinking you've died n' gone to heaven already."
Gabe ignored her sarcasm, " But this one's special!"
"So were the others."
He continued excitedly, not even hearing her.
"She's new here and I asked if she wanted me to show her around and she said yes!" Pan giggled as her friend nearly jumped for joy. Gabe was such a romantic, he did every thing the whole nine yards from flowers to candy for the ones he deemed to be 'angels', unfortunately as romantic as he was he wasn't the best at picking the right angels, more often then not leaving him broken hearted.
"I hope this one works out for you," she said sincerely. Gabe tilted his head, "What up with you Pan? You seem a little different today. First you blow up this morning then you come back all sad and down. Is something wrong?"
"No nothing." She smiled for him, "I'm okay."
"If you say so Pan. I'm outta here See you tomorrow Pan."
"Bye." She slumped back in her chair thinking of what Trunks might ask her but found it hard to concentrate on anything besides those cool blues eyes of his. Even his eyes looked slightly different. Sighing she laying back in her chair again and closing her eyes. Perhaps a quick nap would clear her head.