In Search of Amity

Period 16

Anytime she was learning or preparing for new subject, Pan would normally research as much as possible before hand, however training in the art of adaptation was according to Dende, expecting the unexpected.

"How much longer will this go on?" Pan inquired as sweat flickered down all areas of her body, walking around in her sauna like surroundings wearing shorts and a spaghetti strap tank-top with her breathing loud, Dende leaned against the wall raising his hand up covering a yawn leaving his lips. "At least another half hour, its only half the battle resisting the heat Pan, once you dehydrate is where the real work starts" he explained crossing his left foot over his right supporting his weight with his upper back against the wall.

Pan exhaled through sweaty lips then placed her hands on her hips. "Next time we train tell me what im in for before i agree to do it" she uttered irritated, Dende lifted his eyebrow ridges slightly stepping away from the wall "even if i did, you wouldn't have had a choice" he smiled squinting his eyes. Pan stopped pacing to look at him "How do you know i not already dehydrated, im dying for a drink about now and i smell like a months unwashed socks" she stressed throwing her head back and her hands by her sides.

Her patient trainer observed her condition rotating his gaze from her head and down to her feet "Your still sweating, your still standing also speaking clearly so as it says in the book of logic, your fine" He concluded closing his eyes, hoping she wouldn't find something else to complain about. "Thats bullshit, not logic" She protested. Dende Slowly cracked open one eye "My regime, my fucking book" he added. Pan rolled her eyes, this was going to be a very boring session and here she thought Dende would be a little more interesting to work with.

Dende leaned back against the wall "Remember this simulates a desert environment, the heat and watery air are all part of the sensation you will feel, only difference between this and the real thing is this wont burn your skin" he lectured leaving Pan to raise her eyebrows in consideration that this may be a little too close to reality.

After another hour sweating it out Pan needed something to distract her from the situation, conversation seemed the best choice "So Dende, tell me a few things i don't know about you?" She prompted, watching him from her spot on the floor as his eyes turned to meet hers. Dende Blinked "I don't understand what you mean" he stated with a confused expression.

She didn't expect this to fly out his mouth, now having to pondered for a few seconds how to explain it to him "Well for instance your age, hobbies , achievements and such things ... example, one of my hobbies are collecting bandanas and my dad collects sashes that he wears on his gi, Bra loves shopping and Savarna loves Tai chi" she captivated as best she could the examples so could understand. Dende pouted his lip and looked at the floor considering an answer for her question.

Pan waited to hear his answer yet it seemed to take allot longer than it normally should, finally he looked up returned his attentions to her. "I dont have any" he stated blankly, Pan raised her eyebrows waiting to see if he was attempting a humor and frowned when she realised he was serious "You cant be serious, Dende thats just not possibly there has to be something you enjoy doing, meditating, gardening, sports..." Pan continued going through a list of several activities, as he listened none register true with him "Writing, listening to music, reading ..." One suddenly struck a cord to him "Wait stop, say those last three again" he asked pushing off from the wall.

Pan smiled "Writing... music... reading " she uttered clearly until Dendes hand raised up to stop her. "Reading.... yes ... i used to read allot" he revealed with a slow delivery, as though the memory had been robbed from him and he needed time to recognize it as his own. "Specifically Philosophy I spent much time in the lookout library before i left" he sighed and clearly introverting his attention to his thoughts.

Pan chuckled switching her sitting position. "You couldn't remember that, how could you have forgotten something so unforgettable" she asked smiling with a hint of alienation in her eyes.

Dende pressed his lips together wanting to forget why. "After i went to namek, i have not read a page since" he declared regretfully. crossing his arms back over his chest staring at the floor wishing he hadn't become engaged in this conversation, all that had come of it were memories slowly surfacing that he had wanted to forget. "Lets forget you asked and get back to what's important, sweat out the rest!" he snapped suddenly from his silence taking back his stone cold expression, Pan was taken aback by his sudden change but thought not to dispute it for now

Hours later after all had been relieved by their 'task masters' Pan, Bra and Savarna congregated together in the kitchen a short while before lights out, they reminisced about the days work along with many other things. "I miss everything already, when your there you think 'Naa ill be fine without all of this' but man when it comes to the crunch." Bra recollected turning the page of the only magazine on board sitting in her lap. Pan nodded in agreement for much of what she missed was at home too.

"To be honest i miss my mom, laugh all you like girls but i just don't feel free to talk about anything i need to up here, there are just men everywhere" she joked taking a drink from her water bottle, rocking back and forth on her backside where the floor wasn't as cold.

laughing along Savarna lay in bed covered in ice-packs that would soon need to be removed, Piccolo would be in soon so she and the others didn't have much girl time left. "i dont miss anything really, everything i could miss is here with me on the ship... including you two pains in the arses!" she pronounced making Bra and Pans mouthes hang open outraged.

"Watch your tongue girly or we will just have to tell Veggie that you need another lesson in manners" Pan nodded evilly with Bra supporting her all the way. "Oh yeah right you guys wouldn't dare" Savarna challenged sticking her tongue out at both of them, just as the conversation was beginning to get fun a green fleshed figure made an appearance in the doorway, waiting patiently for them to notice him, Pan was the first.

"Hi Piccolo" Pan and Bra said together, smiles plastered on their faces for they knew they were about to be kicked out. Piccolo took a step into the room, always feeling uncomfortable when females smiled in such ways. "Lights out, get going" he ordered indicating the door behind him with a tilt of his head, Pan and Bra sighed before each of them said their goodnights to Savarna gently grasping her outstretched hands and shaking them instead of hugging her. Hoping off the couch and floor they left the room past Piccolo without a word.

After their shoeless footsteps grew silent Piccolo walked fully into the room and to the side of the couch, Savarna looked up at him emotionlessly with her uncovered hand draped over the blanket and stomach. Piccolo said nothing as he kneeled down to one knee removing the worn ice packs wrapped in paper towel from her head and shoulders, gently flicking her hair out of the way when necessary.

Throughout the process neither said a word and Piccolos ignored her stares, Savarna couldn't look at him any longer and turned her head to face the small window above her to the stars as they drifted by, occasionally a planet may appear if you look for long enough but tonight wasn't one of those nights.

Piccolo finished his work and after stacking the packs and standing to his feet with them in his arms, he for but a second looked back at her to find her still facing away refusing to see him off. Walking to the doorway he closing the kitchen door with his free hand, when she heard the click of the handle closing she finally let go of her tenseness, allowing her lips to quiver and eyebrows knit up as she started sobbing silently, wishing she wasn't in such bodily pain so to be able to curl up into a ball beneath the blankets.

He had ignored her please to him that morning and she suffered the consequences of Vegetas methods, as though it were nothing to him sending her into the lions den "Some father you are..." she mumbled remorsefully, knowing well that she sounded immature but still wanting desperately to cry herself to sleep, closing her eyes and burying her face with the edge of her blanket she prayed tomorrow would bring better things.

Almost a month has passed, everyone had been switched with another trainer Savarna no longer paired with Vegeta, Pan no longer with Dende and Bra also moved off from Trunks. Now the pairings of trainer and student were different, Goku, Gohan and Goten had now become the new trainers for the next two month then the rotation ill go back to Dende, Trunks, Piccolo and Vegeta.

Pan trained with Goten, loving uncle that still believe blood was thicker than water and that included going easy on your niece even if Goku and Gohan disagreed, combat ki training was in the works and Pan was learning to enhance her already strong abilities further. "Now do it!" Goten ordered, standing opposite Pan with a purple energy wave lingering in his open palms pointed toward her, Pan had the same and on command she shouted out mightily, launching the ki attack at Goten with Goten also releasing his. The waves of luminous energy flew toward one another at great speed, a flash of light filled the room when they met struggling a tug a war against one another to push the other back the way it came.

Both saiyins teeth were bared and the focus unbreakable, thrusting their bodies forward with arms outstretched each felt themselves being pushed back by the others attacks, their feet slipping and the light in the room brightening. Pan knew Goten wasn't letting out his full potential but she was, she urged him to give more. "You can do better than that, think your going to hurt me or something do ya!!" She shouted as load as she could, her eyes squinting shut.

Goten smiled, "you couldn't take everything i had to give Panny, now are you going to give me more of yours or is it time you just gave in!" he shouted back, purposely provoking his young, beautiful and above all determine niece. Pan wouldn't have any of it upon hearing the challenge she clenched her teeth, planted her feet and pushed harder against the resistance, a low growl erupting through her teeth that ignited hidden power within.

"Thats more like it!" He smiling evilly, the energy she has fed was at its peek and Goten knew now he either had to add more of his own or let it go, there was only one choice, strategically twisting his feet Goten maneuvered the energy further to his left and in a leap of faith dove across the floor releasing his resistance. Pans ki ball pushed Goten's directly into the opposite wall exploding in a show of light and sparks, pushing so hard into her attack Pan fell forward hitting the floor on hands and knees, her green bandana came loose flying off into a random direction.

"WOO HOO, good going Panny!" Goten shouted leaping into the air before walking over to help her to her feet, her hair all sweaty it fell lose around her face and head making him laugh. "Man you need a shower after that one, you did good i mean real good at pushing your limit, im proud of you" he praised curing his arms around her shoulder.

Pan was too out of breath to speak but she smiled and nodded to him gratefully, slowly dragging herself to the door she could hardly keep her head up when a pair of brown and orange boots appeared in her path, looking up she found her green bandana dangling in front of her face, taking it she looked up to find Trunks, his now longer hair dangling around his jawbone.

"Thanks" she said breathlessly dimpling gently to him, she liked is hair much better at that length for some strange reason, wait, what in the world did i just say!! she cussed herself for becoming engaged in such thoughts. "Your welcome Pan" He responded smirking back at her before brushing past to talk to Goten, Pan found enough energy to walk quickly out the gravity chamber door and toward the shower.

"hey lucky you didn't put another hole in the wall man, my dad was mad about that last time" Trunks commented observing the large burn mark left on the wall and floor. Goten looked at the mark also then shrugged "im sure your dad will understand that one there, after-all he has blown up a few chambers himself so he should understand aye" Goten joked, trunks chuckled but wanted to get to why he was here.

"Listen can you get Gohan to train Bra in another room or something, i wanna train here for a few hours before my shift" Trunks explained adjusting the bottom hem of his sleeveless, navy, C.Corp jacket. Goten hummed to himself " well sure i can ask him no prob but i cant guarantee that he will agree. I gotta say your training allot lately man why don't you relax and call home or talk to your dad or the girls or anything other than pumping iron" He suggested, noticing Trunks deep focus with anything to do with his biceps lately and pretty much stopping all his other undertakings.

Trunk shook his head "Naa ill be fine, just talk to Gohan alright" He reminded, making it clear in his expression that it was his final word on the matter, Goten shrugged hauling his bag of equipment over his shoulder before leaving the chamber.

Thank-you for reading.