AN: Enjoy
Pan looked at the information on the missing people for the seventh billion times. Good thing it was Saturday she could stop wracking her brain for a bit while at her parent's house. They had invited her again, she didn't have the heart to say no. Although she suspected in was to keep her from going to search for Trunks like she normally did on weekends; well at least be before he came back that is. Trunks was...'Pan concentrate on your work first then you can daydream.'
Last night's kidnapping had shade some more light on the case. She cleared her desk and got out a fresh sheet of paper.
She started jotting down a list of similarities.
First things first, victims were all abducted at night. All have moved from the Blue Mountain Range in the last two decades. No signs of struggle in the houses of the missing persons with families present.... hmm there's got to be something else. Pan bit her lip, thinking hard. Wait! The sword marks! Was that last victim the only one with experience sword fighting? Not that many city people know how to use those things; it would certainly narrow down the search for potential victims. The maybe we could catch this kidnapper in the act.
She got on the computer and ran a search for anybody who matched those specifications.
A list of names appeared on the screen.
Himeji Ram
Age: Unknown
Birthplace: Blue Mt R
Height: Unknown
Weight: 205lb
Occupation: Claims examiner
Cela Bryan
Age: 30
Birthplace: Blue Mt R
Height: 5"9"
Weight: 207
Occupation: Legal attorney
The list had ten to fifteen more names on it but only one caught her eye...
Tosei Otera
Age: Unknown
Birthplace: Blue Mt R
Height: Unknown
Weight: Unknown
Occupation: Law enforcement....
"So, they may come after Tosei too."
Pan whirled around, ready to fight, and found her brown eyes staring directly into Trunks' cool blue ones. He was right over her shoulder and she hadn't even heard him coming.
"Ahh! Trunks don't scare me like that! Ever! I could of hurt you or something." She let out in one breath.
He looked at her with those calm eyes then did something that she hadn't seen since he'd came back. He smirked.
Not a friendly lopsided smile, mind you. It was borderline evil in description.
'If he wasn't Vegeta's son you'd think he was the devil himself. '
It made her feel a shiver run the length of her spine and back. Did he have to look so damn sexy too? If it wasn't a crime, it should be. He was wearing all black again, she noticed neither he nor Matsuri wore anything else but black, strange, but he certainly looked good in it.
"What are you smirking at?" She asked a little nervous at his proximity, all she had to do was tilt her head up a bit....
"Would you like to spar sometime?" he asked, the cocky smirk on his growing wider. She shivered feeling his warm breathe on the back of her neck.
"Oh, so you do have that arrogant streak in you after all." She grinned up at him, "What makes you think you can beat me? I'm far stronger than you are."
"Now who's the cocky one?" he replied boldly, "Don't be so quick to judge an opponent. Besides, I enjoy a challenge." That evil little smirk of his turned back into the cute shy smile he normally gave her.
"How bout sometime this afternoon? If you up for, of course..." She challenged.
"I'm there." He oozed confidence. Saiya-jin to the very last drop.
He absently moved a strand of lavender out of his face, "So are these potential victims?" He asked pointing at her research on the computer.
"That's right."
"Is there a certain order they're being kidnapped in?"
"Not one that I can see. They've been completely random; don't know who will be next. I can't believe Chief is potential victim."
'Come to think of it he's never spoken of his past, I didn't even know he had family till now. '
Maybe there was something in Tosei's past that could help.
"We need to talk to him ASAP. But first I want you to run a second search." Pan wondered what he was on to. Intelligence ran in his family, she'd long figured out it was best not to second-guess a Brief unless it was in the gravity room.
"Use the same parameters as your first only narrow it down to those who had something to do with weapons, mainly swords or knives or other traditional weapons."
She typed in the specifications, shaving off about ten or so leave five or six. Tosei was still on it.
"Good idea, now why did I think of that?" She asked standing and stretching, "Where's Matsuri and Gabe?"
Trunks milled over to the door but didn't leave.
"They went to look at the older crime scenes, to look for anymore clues we may have missed."
"They seem to be getting along okay." she commented absently gathering some papers. I'll just have to drop these off on my way out
"Pan?" He said quietly, running a hand through he lavender locks. She looked up a bit worried; Trunks had always called her Panny, even before he vanished. He was the only one who still called by that old nickname.
"I never got chance to ask you how you felt about us being partners." He said looking at the floor, "If I make you uncomfortable or anything-"
He was cut off when she gave him a friendly hug.
"Trunks you're so sweet," she laughed as he turn three shades of red,
"Even if you can't remember me, it's good to have you back alive and well. I've known you since before I could walk, and I've always felt comfortable around you. If anything I should be asking you if I make you uncomfortable." He shook his head, "I'm just glad we can still be friends, Trunks." She said sincerely, putting down the stack of papers she'd picked up to hug him. For a moment something unreadable crossed his face, then he smiled, blue eyes sparkling, "Toran."
"?"
"Toran. Call me Toran. I feel like I'm impersonating someone. I can just imagine the names I might have been called...
Pan smiled understandingly then grinned wickedly, "they weren't that bad, Underwear Boy." she winked, "Let's go. I need to drop these off with the secretary, and then we'll go see Tosei. Alright?"
"Sound like a plan to me." he opened her door and did a mock bow "Ladies first." he said adding a dramatic sweeping motion with his hand.
As luck would have Tosei had left just minute before they arrived at his office, said he had something to do.
"What do we do now?"
"I'm starving! Let go get something to eat!"
"Somehow I had a feeling you say that."
After eating lunch, they went for a walk in the park. The same one they'd met in almost a week early. It was a nice day blue skies, bright sun, but rain clouds could be seen in the distance. They walked in companionable silence; just enjoy the other's company.
"Trunks-I mean Toran, tell me, do you remember anything at all?" Pan asked him out of the blue.
"Yeah nothing more than a flash or two, nothing I could make sense of either." he remembered the time he had picked up the sword for the first time. "Why do you want to know?" asked looking at her quizzically. She wasn't looking at him though she was looking at a small deserted playground they were passing. He had that feeling of deja vu, just looking at it.
She stopped walking. "Were you doing anything specific at the time you received these flashes?"
"Now that you mention it. Yeah." He remembered when Seito had first started to train him; he'd remembered exactly how to position himself.
"Some people when they lose their memories, they may never get it back but if you got some back then that means you can remember more. You just need something to trigger it."
In a second Pan had grabbed hold of his hand and began tugging him toward the playground. Toran held back startled by her gesture, her hand was tiny and warm. It felt strange and nice to hold.
"Come on Tr- Toran! I wanna see if I can help you bring back you memories!"
"You'd do that for me?" 'Why? Why do you want to help?'
"OF COURSE!!" she seem a little upset about that one but then shrugged. Pan stopped them in front of the playground; she waved her free hand at the empty playground.
"When we were little, we use to come here you, my uncle, your little sister and me, we'd come and play here.
Flash
"Come on Trunks! Push me on the merry-go-round, pleaeeeeeeeese." A blue haired girl asked, with an adorable pouting expression that only a five year old could pull off.
A considerably younger Trunks groaned, 'don't they ever run out of energy? We've been here for three hours.'
"Aaw, why can't you get Goten to do it?" whined to 11 year old. The pint-sized kid pulled on his leg, "Cause he said he pushed us on the swing so you have to push us on the merry-go-round!"
"Go tell him I said he should do the pushing and I'll do the pulling."
The girl seemed to deliberate for a moment before scampering off.
At the same time another little girl came up to him she looked like a mini Pan with short hair covered by and orange bandana.
"Trunks! Trunks!" she came barrel over to him nearly knocking him off his feet.
She jumped up and down excitedly, "Guess what! Guess what!"
"What is it, Panny?"
"I knocked out Goten!" she squealed with pride, an ear-to-ear smile on her face.
"No, you're kidding!" Trunks replied laughing, 'Man I'll never let him live this down, I can't believe he got knock out by little Pan, again!'
Unfortunately the 'little' Pan, thought the older boy was laughing at her.
"I did! I'm not kidding." She did an impression of the Vegeta Glare-O'-death. It looked incredibly cute on her, instead of making her out to be the tough warrior girl look she was trying to achieve. It made him laugh all the harder.
She looked really mad now, but he failed to see the danger, the look on her face, made it impossible to take her seriously.
He was laughing so hard, by then he could see the punch he had coming.
Flash
He came out of his trance. Toran looked around, they hadn't moved an inch.
Pan was staring quizzically at him.
"Are you okay?" she asked tentatively. He blinked, that little girl had been the same woman that stood before him now. She was cute then, but now she was absolutely lovely. Her comforting hand was still incased in his own.
"You gave me a black eye!" he pouted indignantly crossing his arms.
Pan looked puzzled then she laughed, "You didn't take me seriously!"
"Humph!" was his only reply as he tried to unsuccessfully fight a smile off his face. "Your father was so upset that you were injured by a six year old girl, he made you train with him for a month." She reminisced with a laugh.
He couldn't keep his eyes off her. She was so happy, her smile was as brilliant; he wanted make her smile like this all the time.
She looked at him with those deep brown eyes, pools of chocolate like sirens they called. The smell of her shampoo and the fact that she was standing so close made him feel light head. He couldn't think straight near his Panny.
Her lips look as inviting as... He slowly leaned in toward her.
'So close...' he though, their lips hovered near each other, pausing for a second then-
"Mommy! Mommy!" Look what I can do!"
Some kid went running past the pair to show off his jungle gym skills to his mommy. The two stepped back a respectable distance away from each other. Toran didn't know whether to thank the stupid brat, or scream at him for interrupting the would-be-kiss.
'Get a hold of yourself, Toran'
A moment of awkward silence ensued
"And you were his age when you punched me too." He commented dry glaring at the kid. Pan grinned at his indignation, breaking the awkwardness between them.
"How much do you remember now?"
"Not anything big just being here in this park with you, and another little girl; she had the strangest hair color too..."
"You should talk! Was it blue? Then it was probably your little sister Bra."
He made a face, "Does every one in my family have strangle hair?"
Pan nodded laughing at the face he made.
"Yup, it's either the color or the style." She stated as they began to leave the park
"Don't forget, you still owe me a spar!"
"Oh I haven't forgotten. I'll beat you, you know." She stated cheekily, ho snorted
"I'll just have to give you another back eye to make you believe me."
"We'll see who gives who a black eye, I have a favor to return." he surprised a smirk. He didn't know where the sinister expression came from but it felt good. He shook his head the girl was driving him nuts.
"Aright you and me right now, follow me." A gleam of excited anticipation twinkled in her eyes. He looked for ward to fighting her in the same manner.
'Man what is wrong with you, one moment you want to kiss the living day lights out of her the next you want to try and punch her lights out.'
Must be one of those alien things.
Pan led Toran to a secluded area of the park, still a bit wobbly from the near kiss. It was insane! She had felt her self lose all reason in a heartbeat, she couldn't think, couldn't focus; well not anything besides him. And he hadn't even kissed her; she'd probably turn into a puddle of goo at his feet if he did.
She wonder what would have happed if that kid hadn't interrupted.
She'd be a puddle of goo right now.
An incredibly happy puddle at that.
But should she really be thinking of him this way? What if-? Trunks interrupted her wandering mind.
"We're going to fight here?" Trunks asked looking at the trees and flowers surrounding them.
"No silly, it's too nice here. I came here so we could fly without being seen taking off."
"Fly??"
Oh shoot I completely forgot to ask if he could fly. He must not remember how. How am I...?
"Never mind then just grab on to me and hold on tight!"
She landed in the forest a few miles out of the city, with very dazed, wide-eyed Trunks.
"That was... awesome." he commented for lack of a better word.
Toran let go his legs a bit shaky from the experience.
"I'll teach you, if you don't' remember first." she offered letting go of him. She shivered from the sudden lack of body heat, it had been nice him holding onto her the way there.
Despite herself she took off her brown jacket leave her in just her red t-shirt and blue jeans. It wasn't her fighting gi but she could still kick his but in her attire.
Toran like wise removed his jacket setting it next to hers
His black t-shirt had no sleeves and she could she he hadn't been slacking in his training with the chief's brother. His muscles moved like liquid steel as he began to stretch. Pan followed his example prepping her muscles I'll really have too watch my strength; I don't want to hurt him.
"Ready?" she asked not bothering to get into a stance; she wouldn't need to.
He looked at her cocky manner and smirked, "You bet."
It was the only thing she heard before she felt something whiz by her. A sting began to manifest itself in her arm. She looked down at it; a small impossibly thin line of blood began to trickle from a fresh cut. Nothing serious or deep it would be gone by morning but that wasn't what she was mad about, ' How did he do it, I'll get him soon enough." She didn't see him anywhere.
"Don't underestimate me Panny," he said in a low voice, a near whisper, right in her ear. She spun around to see him wear a smug look on his face. He was holding a sword in his hand, she hadn't known he'd even had one, nor had she heard him move.
She realized it must have taken a lot of skill for him to give her some thing as small as a paper cut and not really hurt her and fast too!
It was unsettling for Pan.
How'd he get so fast? I've got to really watch him. Well at least I'll get a challenge.' She thought as she charged at him. He nimbly dodged her advances, watching her every move. He suddenly stopped his defense and attacked her with vicious offense with his blade. She was hard pressed dodging his strikes, although it was thin and he only made small cuts, the size of paper cuts really, but they were very painful; her arm could attest to that.
He cornered her against a tree bringing his sword down in a powerful arc. She rolled at the last second, watching in awe as the tree spilt cleanly and completely in half and began to fall in two opposite directions. Bring her focus back to Trunks she punched him in the chest sending him flying into another tree.
She grinned wildly as he got back on his feet, a smirk on his face.
His blue eyes held a wicked, attractive gleam that she'd never seen him with before, as she matched his gaze not backing down from his silent challenge.
She rose her ki a bit more, "Your better than I thought. But don't get cocky."
Toran merely kept his smirk in place. They watched each other for a moment waiting for the other to make a move. Pan moved first, phasing out, and then back again behind him, delivering a 'light' blow to his side sending him into another tree. She made a note to not hit head lest she cause further damage.
Back at the tree
Toran was on his feet again, ignoring the pain in his side.
He looked up in time to see Pan ready to charge him again he dodged throwing a small round ball on the ground. Upon impact it cause a quick bright flash of light.
Pan shielded her eyes, Toran use the distraction to leap into the trees. He stayed silent as she recovered. He stayed motionless and silent as she eyed her near by surroundings looking around for him. He waited for her to turn around.
There was something really exhilarating about the whole thing much more exciting then training with Matsuri or Seito, perhaps it was because his opponent was a lot stronger than him; perhaps.
Whatever it was made his blood sing with anticipation as he waited for the dark haired beauty to turn away from the tree he was in.
Finally Pan moved and he pounced, rendering her helpless beneath him, or so he thought.
"I got you Panny" he purred a smug look on his face, her dark eyes flashed with indignation, "Not for long." with that she proceeded to throw him off her and pick her self back up.
They were at a stand off again. Challenging the other, blood racing.
Toran had never felt so alive. He smirked. He was definitely enjoying this. And by the wicked grin on her face, Pan was too.
Their match had lasted for a couple hours till the sun began to set.
It was very interesting to say the least.
Toran had million tricks up his sleeve, and he was fast too fast for her, but she had strength and stamina.
They ended with a draw, several scratches, a few smashed and leveled trees and a black eye for each of them.
Pan landed, with Trunks in arms, a little ways from Tosei's house.
They walked up the driveway and stopped at the door.
"That was fun Toran we'll have to do it again, maybe you can teach me a trick or two."
"Only if you promise to teach me how to get so strong," he said with a smile his shyness returning.
It was so strange he was the sweetest guy one moment but when he was fighting he was like a demon, or Vegeta spawn. Eerie.
"Your on." she turned to him conscious of how close they were.
"See you tomorrow?"
"Yeah..Tomorrow..."
Pan made the mistake of looking into his transfixing blue eyes, her feet seemed rooted to the ground. She felt her heart quicken and her mind slow to a halt. Boldly but shakily Toran moved closer to her. She felt drawn to him just like in the park she was powerless against him. She felt his hand caress her cheek gently, before tilting her head up at him, as he leaned down to cover her lips.
It was like bliss. His lips shyly brushing hers, making them tingle from the feel of it. Unsure of her response he began to back away.
Not wanting it to end she kissed back harder, unconsciously wrapping her arms around his neck, as his arms went around her waist, molding her body to his.
Her head was spinning and she couldn't concentrate on anything but him. His lips. His body. His touch. His taste. His smell. She leaned heavily into him feeling his tongue tease hers. His hands caressed the bare skin of her back beneath the edge of her shirt, setting her skin ablaze with the tantalizing trail left by his fingers.
They both ended the kiss at the same time, both red and breathless.
She smiled up at him, "Tomorrow?" she asked shyer the normal.
"Tomorrow." he confirmed not bothering to hide the dazed and stupid grin smacked on his face.
She turned to leave then turned back, quickly stealing a quick kiss before taking off right there, not caring if anyone saw, she was too giddy.