A/N: Last update of this story before I go on vacation. I probably won't have the next chapter out until I get back from holidays on the 7th October. So I hope you enjoy this chapter, and remember to overlook any spelling or grammar mistakes.
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I arrived at the Briefs house three days later at ten in the morning after taking the short flight to Capsule city along with my parents.
Capsule city was about a day's journey away from my home by land, and halfway between school and home. Plenty of the kids who attended school with me lived there and took the bus home each day, including Zara. I'd seen it thousands of times on my way to school, but was yet to pay it a proper visit.
"There it is!" Gohan called to me over the rush of the air in our ears. "Capsule corp., that giant building over there, do you see it, Pan?"
I didn't reply as we landed. This was not the first time I had been to Capsule corp. I had been here twice before, once for a barbeque and once again for an after party of Marron, Goten, Bra and Uub's double wedding four years ago. I hadn't been here since, however the large dome mansion hadn't changed in the coarse of four years at all, and everything still remained remarkably the same from the neatly cut pools of green lawn to the sun dancing in the large windows.
Gohan and Videl moved ahead of me as I lulled behind them, carrying two bags over my shoulders and gazing up to my new home for the next three months....away from Elijah and all that was to happen. According to my parents, it was a safe haven made to keep me 'emotionally healthy'. To make me forget what was happening to my family at this very moment. So far, it had failed to work.
As Gohan and Videl approached the front step, I stood behind them to admire the neatly trimmed pools of green lawn, rustling in the cool summer breeze. At home, the grass was long and wild, untamed and untouched by people and left to grow blissfully atop the mountains. But here, there was not a single strand of grass too long, nor a flower out of place along the hedges that surrounded the fence circling the property. It was almost artificial....unnatural.
"Pan?" Videl asked quietly, beckoning me to her from the doorstep. "Pan, sweetie, come on."
"I thought we agreed on no baby talk." I scowled, but refused to budge from the front path leading to the doorstep where both parents stood.
Gohan rung the doorbell and it was opened by a middle aged woman, wrinkled and touched by age yet still showing signs of once being elegant and beautiful. Her short teal hair shimmered in the sunlight, and her eyes glistened with a lost youth. The green dress she wore was made for a younger woman, designed in the latest and most fashionable style and clung to her slender frame. Yet it somehow didn't seem to fit with the kindly old face of a motherly figure.
"Gohan! Videl!" The woman exclaimed, pulling both my parents into a savage hug. "It's been far too long!"
"Good to see you too, Bulma." Gohan replied awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck in my grandfather's trademark style that he seemed to have inherited. "How've you been?"
"Better than you have, I'm sure." Bulma frowned sympathetically. "I'm so sorry about Elijah!"
"We all are." Videl replied sadly. "How's Trunks been holding up?"
It struck me as odd that Videl should be asking about Trunks at first. But I soon remembered that Trunks was Goten's best friend. I began to paw the grass with the toe of my sneaker, churning the grass and flipping it over to reveal patches of dirt beneath it, thankful that none seemed to be paying me any attention for the time being.
"Not too well." Bulma answered. "But no doubt its been much worse for Goten and Marron. Are you going up to the hospital later?"
Gohan nodded. "As soon as Pan is settled in."
All eyes turned to me, and I hurriedly pushed the grass back over the visible dirt clods embarrassedly before meeting their eyes. Bulma was smiling broadly from the doorframe, her delicate arms folded across her chest.
"Nice to see you, Pan!" She said cheerfully. I hadn't expected any human to be able to change from sadness to joy in such a short amount of time. Little did I know, I was yet to experience the full strength of Bulma's mood swings. "Welcome to Capsule corp."
"Hey." I said calmly, dusting my blue gloved hands on my already dusty cargo pants before stepping forward and holding it out to Bulma. She took it with a surprisingly firm grip, shaking it with her own.
"Why don't you all come inside and get something to eat?" Bulma asked, holding the door open even wider than it had been before. "You don't need to stand on our footpath for the next three months, you know, Pan."
"Right." I mumbled rather idiotically. Taking my bags in my hands once more and joining my parents on the doorstep.
"No, we better go actually. I promised Goten that I'd meet him up at the hospital as soon as I'd dropped Pan off." Gohan explained and Bulma nodded.
"He needs you up there." Bulma rested a hand on my father's shoulder comfortingly. "Send my love to the others, and don't worry about Pan. I promise to take good care of her."
"I know you will." Gohan smiled, bending slightly so that his eyes level was equal to mine. For a brief moment, I mentally cursed myself for being so short when most children my age were already equal to the height of their parents. He hugged me tightly, almost crushing me underneath his strong arms.
"Have fun, ok?" He almost pleaded, pecking me on the cheek. "Mum and I will pick you up after all this is over. Don't worry about Elijah, and try to take your mind of things."
"I will." I lied. I didn't see how I would be able to forget when Elijah was dying only a short distance away from me. I moved away from my father quickly, conscious of the fact that Bulma was watching this display of affection.
Videl stepped forward next, pulling me into a rib crushing hug. We said nothing, but I was certain that I saw tears staining her eyes when she finally loosened her hold on me and let me take in much needed air.
The they were gone, hurrying off down the pavement.
"Come inside." Bulma ordered once both my parents had disappeared from view. "Let's get you something to eat."
Capsule corp. looked even larger inside. The front hall actually reminded me of a hospital (which was ironic since I was meant to be coming here in order to take my mind off things) with pallid white walls and sapphire tiles, all cut into perfect shape and order. Several pictures lined the walls, and large, leafy pot plants were scattered and pressed up against the walls. Several doors led to other rooms and other corridors, and pictures hung on any bare space of wall left over.
I dumped my bags on the floor with a crash, and stared around the giant hall in awe. Even if I had been her twice before, Capsule corp. still managed to amaze me in comparison to my own home, which was made off wood and only two stories high. I may have seen most of the area before, but I was yet to fully explore the mansion house.
"Now, let me show you to your room." Bulma said cheerily. "I've put you in Bra's old room, just down the corridor from Trunks'. From what I remember, you and Trunks used to get on pretty well. He even babysat you for a time, didn't he?"
"Yeah." I said absent mindedly. Bulma opened a nearby door and started down a corridor, with me shuffling behind and carrying both bags. She twisted to make sure I was following her every now and then, as if she expected me to somehow disappear and get lost. With the size of the house, I wouldn't be surprised if this did happen. The longer the corridor seemed to stretch, the more I seemed to wonder if I'd be able to remember the way to my room again.
Bulma finally arrived at a large white double door and pushed it open to reveal a staircase leading to an upper story. After ascending two staircases, she took me down yet another corridor and finally to another set of white double doors. She swung them open, holding them for me as I stepped into the room that lay beyond.
The room was elaborately decorated, with a giant king sized bed. From what I'd heard of Bulma's daughter, Bra, she hadn't been much of a decorator in her younger years, so obviously Bulma had made some improvements. Everything (much to my disgust) had a pink tinge, from the colour of the walls and the carpet to the bedspread and matching curtains covering the large window. A small door off to the side led to a white tiled bathroom, and another led to a large closet that would be able to hold ten times the amount of clothing I had brought with me. A bookcase that stood to the side was stashed with unwanted books, and the huge desk was home to a high tech computer and a telephone.
I crossed the room and put both bags on the bed, becoming aware of how out of place they were in this unique pink haven. I must have looked even more so, in my cargos and loose fitting grey shirt, with my hair out and disheveled and a bandanna wrapped around my head. My sneakers were making scuff marks on the fluffy carpet, and the dirt on my gloves was rubbing off on the bed sheets. I quickly moved my bags over this to hide it from Bulma, who was leaning against the doorframe and watching me.
"I gave this room a big tidy up after Bra moved out. I always hoped that there would one day be another little girl who could occupy it, and perhaps one who actually had good fashion sense." Bulma scowled, catching the look of distaste that must have been evident on my face. "Don't you like it?"
I couldn't lie to her, but I couldn't meet her eyes either. I began to unzip my bag with shaking hands. "I-It really isn't my style."
"Ah, I see." Bulma sighed, eyeing me up and down as she came to realize just what my style was. "Well, why don't you unpack you things and then we can get something to eat. Hey, why don't we go shopping later!?"
"Err....I'm not really the shopping type." I mumbled, causing Bulma to sigh yet again. "Actually, I'm not really hungry either. Would it be alright with you if I just...rest for a while?"
"Sure." Bulma grinned. "Dinner is at seven. I'll have Trunks show you to the kitchen then. If you want anything, my work number is next to the phone. Call me in the lab and I'll be right over. You're welcome to use the computer as well, if you want."
"Thanks." I forced a smile as Bulma carefully shut the door. I waited until I had heard Bulma's footsteps fade away before I ran to the phone and dialed Zara's number.
"I'm here." I said, the moment Zara answered the phone. I had called her yesterday to tell her that I was going to stay at Capsule corp. in Capsule City with family friends. She had made me swear to call her the moment I arrived.
"How is everything?" Zara asked me worriedly. "The Briefs aren't stuck up sobs like my family, are they?"
"No...well, I've only met Bulma Briefs so far." I replied with a laugh. "Believe it or not, but she's actually worse than your mother."
"I suspected as much." Zara laughed in reply. "Not only are the Briefs rich, but they're also famous. No doubt they're a stuck up bunch of snobs. Now you know what I have to deal with every day. I still can't believe your family are friends with them."
"Oh Bulma isn't stuck up or anything." I defended. "She's just really....girly. I mean, everything in my room is pink for crying out loud! And she just asked me if I wanted to go shopping! Shopping! I would have thought that she would have been able to see from the sort of clothes I wear that I'm not that sort of person."
I had to pause while Zara recovered from a laughing fit. "Sounds like your summer is going to be as terrible as mine. But at least you don't have to worry about Elijah or anything like that."
"Hmm...." I mumbled, wishing that Zara hadn't brought that up. I was actually beginning to forget the reason why I was here for a moment...
"Sorry." Zara stuttered. "I didn't mean to-"
"It's alright." I interrupted. "Hey, since we're both suffering from summer boredom, why don't we meet up somewhere tomorrow."
"Sure. How about we meet outside the mall." Zara joked. "Hey don't worry, we don't actually have to go in the mall. Actually, there's a nearby car park that's pretty good for skating."
"All right." I shrugged. "My parents told Bulma that I'm allowed to hang out with you in the holidays, so she really can't stop me from going. Say we meet around nine?"
"I was thinking earlier." Zara said happily. "I can't wait to escape my parents. But nine's good for me."
"Cool." I grinned. "See you tomorrow, then."
"Okay." I moved to drop the phone, but she stopped me with an urgent tone. "Oh, and tell me what Trunks Briefs looks like. Apparently, he's meant to be pretty hot."
"I'll pretend you didn't say that." I scowled. "I'm not going to try and chat up my old babysitter, Zara. In fact, I'm not planning on chatting up anyone at all. I'll see you tomorrow."
I dropped the phone and lay down on the unusually soft bed, chuckling to myself until I drifted into a restless sleep.
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A/N: Last chapter until the 7th October because I'm going on holidays. I didn't actually get the time to edit this, so once again, please ignore all spelling and grammar mistakes.
Thanks for reading, please review!
