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Revised: Yes, I have revised this story as well. Also, there is some stuff added. And really, I had a funny way of going through this. I'd read it aloud, using different voices and that really helped me get things that I wanted but didn't know I wanted in.
Pan-
As I sit on the rock, I come to the conclusion that I am who I am and I am Pan. And that's good enough for me right now. A sharp wind bites through the air and I shiver. I never liked the cold. It reminds me of a time when I was younger, naive and didn't even know what snow was. Oh how part of me wishes I was still that little girl.
"Aren't you cold?" A guy's voice asks. I turn around and see a guy about my age, or at least he looks my age. He's dark skinned that or he has a very deep tan. There's a charge of something powerful about him. He's strong.
"Yeah, I left without thinking to grab a coat," I say. That's when I notice he isn't wearing a coat either, but for some reason, the cold doesn't seem to effect him as much. "Aren't you cold too?" I ask.
"No, I'm used to the weather. My master insisted that we train in all weathers and I have grown resistant to the cold," the mysterious boy replies. This has me intrigued.
"You know martial arts?" I say as a question.
"Yes," he answers very straight forward.
"My parents did but they never taught me," I say, a sense of longing in my voice.
"What's your name?" He asks.
"Pan, and yours?" I ask.
"Uub," is the answer I receive.
"Why are you out here?" I ask. I'm curious about this Uub guy. I feel like I've met him before, or at least seen him. Maybe he had a picture in a newspaper, or maybe, I knew him before the earthquake. That would make sense as I don't fully remember everything. I doubt I ever will.
" I don't know. I came out here for a walk, but I just kind of wandered," he admits. "What about you?"
"I ran away. I've run from so many things in my life that I don't know where the puzzle begins and where it finishes," I say.
"Tell me," he commands, sitting next to me. "Tell me about yourself and I'll tell you about me."
"I was born in Sea City eighteen years ago. I loved it in Sea City, but I hated the surface. People would pick on my friends and I just because we lived in the dome. But being one the surface saved my life in the earthquake. I don't know how, but I knew that my parents' were dead. I couldn't remember anything about myself. This charm bracelet on my wrist has my name on it and that's how I knew who I was, but that's all I knew. So I figured I could find my family."
I scoff now. How could a twelve year old who didn't even know if the name she called herself was really her name, go out into the would to find relatives she's never met, when she doesn't even know her last name?
"I was soon going to meet my relatives that were long lost. At the birthday party of a close friend, wandered into their house. Inside I saw a picture of a man I never thought I'd see again out of my memories. My father.
"Remember that friend who's party it was, well he told me that the guy was his older brother who had disappeared seventeen years earlier. I ran with the picture and my friend confronted me, asking why I stole the picture of my father, his brother. I told him that the man in the picture was my father. But as he comforted me, my best friend, who had a crush on my new found uncle took it the wrong way and ran. I found the long lost family I had searched for but within a month I ran away. Everything just bothered me. And a year later, here I am, finally letting myself cry," I tell him.
"Wow," said Uub, who seems in awe.
"So, tell me about you," I demand.
"A deal's a deal, though my story isn't nearly as good as yours," he tells. "I don't remember having parents. I don't remember anything before I remember meeting my master. I'm not even sure if there was a time before my master. He trained me, as I told you, but when I completed the training, I had nothing to do, so I've wandered. As I said before, it started out as a simple walk, but it's turned into more," he says. He seems happy thinking about his master. I wonder why.
"How long?" I ask.
"Huh?" He asks, not knowing what I'm talking about.
"How long have you been walking?" I ask again.
"Almost a year," he says after taking a moment to think. We sit in silence and I start to shiver. "Come, why don't we find somewhere to go that's not so cold?" He suggests. I nod and we walk to the next town.
"Two rooms please," Uub says as he puts down enough money for us to sleep in a hotel. I wonder where he got the money from. Also, I'm feeling a little guilty that I don't have the money to repay him.
"I'm sorry sir, but there's only one room let open. It has two beds, though," says the clerk.
"Well take it," I say. Uub looks at me, surprised. I shrug and say; "There are two beds."
The clerk hands me a key and we go to our room. I go in and look at the room.
"A dump," Uub's voice says. I nod my agreement. This room is a dump. I sit on one bed, and Uub sits on the other. "We'll stay here the night, then tomorrow we'll head over to see my master, okay?" He says, looking at me. I agree; we'll go and see his master.
Uub-
She's beautiful, Pan. Her story, it's too sad for someone so beautiful. She's an orphan of Sea City. I wanted to do something as she told me her story, but didn't. I could only tell my story as a part of our deal. I'm taking her to see my master. If anyone can help her get over her sorrow, it will be my master and his friends' and family.
And yet, there is something about her that you have to admire. She's an orphan of Sea City, only seventeen, maybe eighteen. She found a family she felt trapped in, at least, that's my guess since she ran away. I feel like the only way I can help her, help ease the pain is if I can try to help her. And, my master can cure any pain. I don't know why, but he has that power and I'm grateful for it at the moment.
Pan-
I wake to see the sun shining. I love the sun. It was a rare treat in Sea City, to see the sun. I just find displeasure in the rest of the surface world. Uub and I walk out of the hotel and suddenly, Uub, who was in front of me, disappears.
"Up here," his voice says from above. I look up and see Uub floating on air. I must have my jaw open because he laughs. "It's easier to fly," he says, picking me up. Suddenly, I'm skimming over the ocean, my home. I touch the water with my hands and delight in feeling it's warmth. One thing I learned when I lived in Sea City is that the ocean is alive. There are not four oceans a people like to think, but one. It's the same water. Suddenly, we leave the ocean, and I'm sad. I love the ocean. We're in a mountain area.
"Here we are, my master's home," Uub says. I feel like I've been here before. The area looks familiar, but I can't place where or why.
"Uub! Nice to see you again! Who's your friend?" Asks a man whom I can't see. Uub's taller than I am and he ended up between the man and me. I've heard the man's voice before. But like the area, I can't place where.
"Master, this is Pan, Pan; this is my master, Son Goku," Uub says proudly as he moves. Suddenly, I am visible.
"No, not you, go away!" I yell. It's just my luck that this is his master. Why can't I ever have a normal life? Why does my past seem determined to haunt me? I'm running, fast as light, if not faster.
"PAN! DON'T RUN!" His voice says. Footsteps crash as someone follows me. I don't know whom, but they're fast. I run, not sparing a glance backwards. I trip and fall. I can tell something's broken by the crack that split the air. The pain is immense and I let out a yell before passing out into blissful unconsciousness.
Uub-
Why did she run? I don't know, but I follow, my master not far behind. A loud crack then a yell erupt through the forest and suddenly Pan appears.
"Her leg, it's broken," my master says. He looks at the body of my friend, I guess that's how I've thought of Pan, with a look he reserves for only his wife and son, and rarely them. It's a look of compassion. He walks forward, picking Pan up and motions for me to follow as we go back to his home.
"How do you know Pan?" I ask. He doesn't speak. Telling me to sit down, he takes her body upstairs. He comes down moments later and sighs.
"It's complicated," my master says. "Pan is my granddaughter."
"Huh, but Goten doesn't have a daughter," I say, confused.
My noble master looks at the wall, the one with all the pictures and stops at one, pulling it off the wall. Standing behind me, he points to a boy who can't be more than twelve. "Gohan, my oldest son, she's his daughter. After something changed in him and the night I was allowed to come among the living, he ran away with his girlfriend. That was 18 years ago.
"But he looks only twelve in this picture," I say.
"That's because it was taken before I died, when he was eleven," my master says. "My granddaughter doesn't want to accept that her search is over."
Pan's Dream-
"Where am I?" I ask. I'm sitting on the ground of a small, green place that I've never seen before. Looking around, I see a small, yellow house. I walk over to it and knock on the door.
A short, blue thing with antennae opens it, and I see a monkey in the background. "Excuse me, but, where am I?" I ask it.
The thing looks at me and says follow me. I shrug, I have nothing better to do, and maybe, it'll have the answers I need. Opening another door, the thing tells me to go inside. It says that the answers I seek are on the other side.
I walk inside and hear the door close, encasing me in darkness. "Hello," I call out, my voice shaking. Suddenly, a light appears and I see my father.
"Papa," I whisper out. He embraces me and I see Mama coming. "Mama!" I yell, running over to hug her.
"Don't cry, Pan," my father tells me. Of course, this just makes more tears fall. "Don't cry," my father repeats, wiping the tears away.
"Pan, you need to accept that we are dead. We won't be coming back. Please, just accept that," my father tells me. And, just as quickly as all of this appears, it's gone and I'm left awake.
Pan-
My leg is on fire. It burns. I'm in a room I've slept in before. My father's room that he had when he grew up. Someone's humming something. It's that woman, my grandmother. And then, my name, which I've only known to be Pan, and Son added when I found my family the first time, comes to me.
"Son Pan Chichi," I say, voice hoarse.
"You say something sweetie?" Asks my grandmother.
"My name, it's Son Pan Chichi," I reply. She strokes my head and all is at peace. When I wake up again, my leg is healed. Going downstairs I find Uub and my family sitting at the table, eating.
"PAN!" Goten yells. Apparently, he hadn't known I was here.
"Not so loud please," I say. I sit down and they look at me. "What?" I ask.
"Nothing, it's just that, your actually not trying to run away, that's all," my grandmother said. Later on, I go outside and sit, feeling the sun on my back, and soaking it in. I want to go somewhere. No, not want I need to go somewhere. I know where I need to go. But I have no way of getting there. I need to return home, if not to just say my good byes to those who died. I realized that yesterday when I was with Uub, flying over the ocean.
"I need someone to take me a place far from here," I say at dinner.
"Where?" Asks Goten.
"Sea City," I say. The table goes quiet. "But I need to be alone when I go there."
"Is your heart pure?" Asks my grandfather.
"I have no idea," I answer truthfully.
"Dad, you're not thinking of Nimbus are you?" Goten asks.
"What's Nimbus?" I ask.
"Yes, I am. Pan, follow me," my grandfather says, getting up. "Oh Flying Nimbus!" He yells. Suddenly, a gold cloud comes and stops in front of him. "This is Nimbus," he says. He picks me up and sets me on the cloud. Luckily I don't fall. "Your heart is pure and good," he says. "Go," he commands. The cloud, with me on it, starts flying off, towards Sea City.
"Here, please, little cloud, take me down here," I ask when we each near where Sea City was. The cloud listens and I hop off. "Will you stay nearby?" I ask. the cloud doesn't reply, but I get the feeling it understands and will stay nearby like I asked. I walk into the town that resided outside of Sea City, the one where I was once picked on for not living on the surface.
"Hey, girly, come here," a voice says. I turn around. It's a guy.
"Why?" I ask, trying to keep the tremor from my voice.
"No girl goes around unprotected here unless she's looking for money, and with your looks I'll pay your price," he says. I start shaking. I know what he wants. And he'll take it by force. Grabbing my wrists with one hand, he plants his lips on my face. My first kiss to this jerk. No, this isn't my first kiss; I won't accept it as my first kiss.
"Get away!" I yell. I can do anything and he still has one hand free. Pushing me against a building in a dark alleyway, he starts groping my body. I know what's coming next. It never comes. Suddenly, my wrists are free and the guy is on the ground. A figure starts to pound on the body of the creep. When it was satisfied, the figure stopped, and spat on the body of the man. I knew the man was almost dead, but I didn't care. Stepping out into the moonlight that shone on the ocean, I stopped and looked at my rescuer.
"Thanks, Uub," I whisper. "But why did you follow me?" I ask.
"I don't know why," he answers. Suddenly, I get and idea and I grab Uub's hand, dragging him to the ocean.
"Look," I say, pointing down and out some fifty feet were there's a sudden drop. The lights from the rebuilt Sea City sparkle. "I plan on going down there," I tell him.
"I'll go with you," Uub says.
"No, that's something I need to do alone," I reply. Looking across the water, I notice something. "Look, straight across from here, see the lights?" I ask.
"Yes," Uub replies.
"That's Rock Harbor. I lived there once, for almost the entire year I ran from my family till I met you," I tell him. "I'm going to Sea City now, I'll be back soon," I say. I run, run to where the trains start and stop.
"Last boarding for Sea City for the night!" A guy who works for the trains yells. I board just in time. Sitting on a seat, I see that most people are asleep. As the train flies through the underwater tunnel, I sit and wonder what lies ahead. The trip takes half an hour but it's worth it.
I get off the train and feel a sense of deja vu hit me. I wander the streets; it's like an earthquake didn't hit the place. the only thing different is the black slab that I found. I see names I recognize. Mara, my parents, Jena, the boy I had a crush on, and many others.
"Why are you crying lady?" A small girl asks. "Is it the words on that?" She asks, pointing to the slab. "People always seem to get sad when they read it."
"Yes, it's this thing," I say.
"Delia! Honey where are you?" A woman's voice yells.
"Mommy!" The little girl yells back. A woman with short brown hair comes rushing towards us.
"Hello ma'am," I say, greeting the woman.
"Hello," she says back.
"Mommy, this lady was crying 'cuz of the thingy," the sweet little girl, Delia, says.
"Really? You lose someone in the quake?" She asks.
"Several. I grew up in the original Sea City," I say with a sad smile.
"I'm sorry, I lost several people that day too," the woman says. I look back at the slab and see a name that shouldn't be there. Mine.
"This name shouldn't be here," I say.
"Hmm, what'd you say?" Asks Delia's mother. I point to my name and say, "I'm alive, so why is my name listed?" The woman looks at me like I'm a ghost.
"Pan? Son Pan?" She asks.
"Yes," I respond.
"Mommy, I'm tired," Delia's voice says.
"Little Panny, come with us, please," the woman says.
"No one called me Panny but three people, Mara, and Jena, who died, and Alexi, who is alive," I say. "Alexi?" I ask. The woman nods her head and we hug. I spend the night with Alexi, but I return to the surface the next morning. I may love the ocean, but I've lived on the surface for so many years past. Plus, my family's there.
"Pan, you came back," Uub says.
"You doubted me, I've said my peace, and now, I just want to go home, wherever that maybe," I say, hopping onto Nimbus.
"I'm still on that walk, care to join me?" Uub asks. But I'm gone, flying in the air. If only my parents could see me now, I wonder what they'd say.
A/N: Yes, I added a scene in. I think that it makes more sense as to Pan's sudden change of heart. She is told by her parents to move on. And, come on, I had to return Pan to Sea City. She had too many unresolved issues with the place.
As to why I had her go off, I don't know, it just felt right. So did Uub asking her to join him on his walk, but I couldn't have her accept for some reason. Though, she doesn't really accept or decline.
I don't know if I'll make another to this little miniseries or not. It depends on how I'm feeling. I might get the inspiration to have the aftermath of Pan's acceptance.
I don't own anything but Sea City and really, I don't mind if anyone uses it as long as they don't write something that completely rips off the original idea. If you use the same plot but make the story your own, then I don't really care. In fact, I'd like to read how someone takes my idea and changes it into their own.