Well, well, well...it looks like I finally got another part done. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter too. Oh yeah, I think some people missed some of my earlier remarks...yes this story is based on Disney's Mulan. But the story has also been changed around a bit. I don't own any of the characters in this story, I don't own some of the story line...etc, etc, etc. You all get the point. Enjoy!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Siege And Assist
Part 16
By: Christina

There lay mechanical pieces of what used to be the great Freeza. "That bastard." Pan said powering down. Her pale make up had been worn off by her massive ki and you could see the normal bright glow of her skin in the moonlight. She knelt down to observe the damage done to the android.

The Prince couldn't help but stare at her. She was beautiful! "Who are you?" He asked absentmindedly. Pan looked up instantly with a face filled with regret. She realized now that she had been caught, exactly the opposite of what she really wanted.

"I'm really sorry your highness." Pan stood to bow.

"No, stand up." The Prince said looking at her. Pan stood tall and watched as he circled her and looked at her every aspect. "I know you."

"I…" Pan said biting her tongue. She didn't know if she was allowed to talk or not.

"Where do I know you from?" The Prince asked stopping in front of her.

"The doctor that visited your mother, I was his assistant." Pan admitted looking down shamefully.

"Why are you here?" The Prince asked.

"You have to understand Trunks…" Pan started.

"Your highness." The Prince said taking a step back.

"Please your highness, my father. He's not able to fight. He can't even walk let alone fight in a war." Pan pleaded.

The Prince looked at Pan. "No, I've seen you from somewhere else."

"Where your highness?" Pan questioned stepping her guard down.

"In my dreams." He murmured absentmindedly.

Pan was just about to query what he had said but was interrupted as nets came up around them. Pan and Trunks were instantly smashed together by the coming together of the nets.

"Sorry." Trunks said as he noticed his hand was resting on her bosom.

"It's okay." Pan blushed at the predicament they were in.

"Ugh, we need to get out." Trunks tried to break out of the nets that were already being lifted from the ground. "Where the hell are we going anyway?"

"Relax Prince Trunks, there is no way you can break these nets. They are Saiya-jin proof." A raspy voice interrupted.

"Freeza, that son of a bitch." The Prince said. He stopped his talking once he realized that him talking caused him to inhale a lot more than it would had he not been talking; his stomach was pushing in to Pan's bosom.

"Sorry." The Prince apologized again.

"Don't worry about that now, we have bigger problems." Pan stated worriedly looking around as she noticed that The Prince and her were not going to reach the ground any time soon.

*~*~*~*~*~*

The net was brought closer to the ship and they were taken in just as the ship left the atmosphere.

"Use the handcuffs on them." Freeza said as he met them on the dock. His soldiers handcuffed Pan and Trunks while they were still in the net.

"Ah, so nice of you to join us." Freeza said once they weren't a threat anymore.

"The feeling isn't mutual, trust me." Pan said between clenched teeth.

"Ah, it's you again. My dear, you must learn to hold your tongue or else I'm going to start treating you a little harsher," Freeza said nicely. He suddenly grabbed her neck in a tight grasp, "Is that understood?"

"Yes." Pan wheezed out as she was brought a foot into the air.

"Good." Freeza said setting her down nicely.

Pan wanted to mutter something else, but a shot was administered into her neck.

"What the hell was that?!" The Prince yelled after receiving one also.

"Those, my dear boy, are shots that will put all of your Saiya-jin traits at rest. What it basically means is, you are as powerful as the average human."

"Bastard." Pan said trying to step forward. She was instantly held back by two guards on either side.

"Remember my dear, you must behave." Freeza soothed as he grasped her face between his thumb and forefinger. "Take them to the holding room." Freeza waved to his soldiers. They all nodded their heads and took them to a room that was completely Saiya-jin proof. Although their Saiya-jin side had been suppressed, it was unknown how long it would stay.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"For a room they hold captives in, this is a really nice place." Pan said referring to the four-post bed that was lavishly decorated with rare silks from around the universe. This truly was a nice place. "This is nicer than my whole house." Pan murmured running a hand over all the nice fabrics around.

"Where do you live?" Trunks asked her sitting on the bed.

Pan looked at him surprised. And then she had a forlorn look in her eyes that missed something. "I live in South City."

"South City?" The Prince asked astonished. She was like a pure crystal that was surrounded by stone.

"Yes, South City." Pan said ashamed. It was known to everyone that the South City was the poorest of the poor.

"And your Uncle?"

Pan looked up this time. "Yes, he is also from South City. Are you implying anything?"

This time it was Trunks' turn to be amazed. "You have quite a mouth on you…"

Pan gulped in fear.

"…not that I mind though."

Pan looked at him again. She was going to pry further on this issue, but someone walked into the room. 'Why does someone always have to interrupt?'

"Lord Freeza wishes you to wear this. And if not, I have orders that I may put it on for you." The guard smirked.

Pan snorted in disgust and grabbed what he was holding. "I'd rather ask him than you to do it." Pan said nodding in Trunks' direction.

The guard left the two as Pan looked at the outfit. She gasped. "I can't wear this." Pan said to Trunks as she looked at him with a bewildered look.

"Why not? Can't be that bad." Trunks said, forgetting the tone she just passed on to him.

"Look at it!" Pan said holding it forward for him to see. Trunks scrutinized the outfit held out before him.

"Okay, I would like to retract my previous statement." He said eying the risqué outfit.

"Put it on sweetheart, or I'll come in there and do it myself." The guard chimed from outside, obviously eavesdropping on the conversation going on inside.

"This is an adult conversation; go find the children to play with." Pan wavered as she continued to look over her options. "Not much of a choice anymore." Pan said looking around for a place to change.

"I don't mind." The Prince said.

Pan looked up taken aback at what he had just said, but she saw that he had turned around and allowed her some privacy to change. 'Like a true gentleman.' Pan thought.

"Thank you."

"Yeah, no problem." The Prince dismissed.

"Okay, I'm done." Pan said with a hint of shame in her voice.

The Prince turned around. "Surely it can't be that bad…" His words droned in his throat as he realized just how racy her outfit really was.

She wore a black thong with see-through black lace that served as "pants" and also a black top that resembled a bikini top.

"The things I do to stay alive." Pan muttered as she went to the bed and folded her previous attire on.

"Aren't you a bit…umm, cold?" The Prince couldn't help but ask. There was barely anything covering the poor girl.

"Of course I am!" Pan outbursted. She suddenly realized just whom she was talking to, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

"Why'd you do it?"

"What? Wear this? Well between the option of having to have that bastard put it on for me and dying…" Pan blabbered on.

"No, why did you pretend to be a guy?" The Prince asked eager to hear her response.

"My father." Pan said modestly.

"Oh, and why?"

"His leg was severed in the last siege he was on. You could still see part of the bone and charred flesh." Pan squished her face in disgust.

"Why didn't he get pardoned for this siege?"

"One, he's too damn stubborn to not go on this. And two, the government wouldn't allow it. My father could be legless but they'd still require he go on it." Pan said.

"That's horrible." The Prince murmured to himself. Is this really the type of government his father ran and was this to be the governing system he was to inherit?

"Yeah well, you don't get many options." Pan said as she figured she was out of hot water.

"Why did you risk it? You knew you could have been killed."

"Because, I've trained with my uncle and grandfather; I knew I wouldn't die. And two, I'd rather die so I wouldn't have to see the pain everyone would have if my father were to die. Whether he wants to admit it or not, he's a very important commodity to the South City."

"Interesting." The Prince said as he sat down. "Why didn't you tell me?" He questioned as if he had been betrayed.

"If I told you, you wouldn't have gained as much respect for me as you did before." Pan reasoned.

"Wrong, I had respect for Itsu. You are a woman! You don't belong in the army; you could have disgraced our people!" The Prince said, allowing his pride to take over.

"I'm sorry, but the people of Vegetasai were the least of my problems! The people were obviously not taking care of my father when they didn't mind signing him up for the next siege. So excuse me for not sounding grateful, but I don't think I disgraced anyone! If anything, I upheld my family honor!" Pan yelled offended. Prince or not, he had attacked her family, and no one was allowed to do that. She would die protecting her family pride because that's all they had. They obviously weren't wealthy, but they had their values and beliefs.

"Explain that to my father." The Prince said turning suddenly cold. Pan shivered involuntarily as he had suddenly turned to ice.

'He was never like this in my dream.' Pan silently said. She looked away quickly before he could see the pain in her eyes. She had seen him in her dreams, and she knew that that wasn't a dream. She knew that deep down inside, he was that charming Prince she was falling for in her dream. She looked at him one more time in hopes of finding something in his eyes.

Just as she was about to speak, the door opened. The burly guard stepped into the room again and winked at Pan. This time, Pan didn't turn in disgust. She looked like a harem girl; she might as well act the part. She was going no where fast, so what was the point? Perhaps her family would have better luck without her anyway.

"It's dinner time my Prince and you; my delicious little treat." The guard said. Pan only nodded her consent and went out of the room.

The Prince looked after her. Had what he said really affected her? 'She did get me into this mess.' The Prince reasoned as he remembered running after her into the tent. He dismissed all his thoughts as he went to join Freeza for dinner. She was just a girl anyway, what could she possibly do?

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Ah, my dinner guests have arrived. Shoo Nappa." Freeza said to the large man.

Trunks' eyes widened as he saw the traitor at the side of the Icejin.

"Traitor." The Prince whispered to Nappa and he shoved him with his shoulder intentionally.

"Sit next to me my dear." Freeza said to Pan as he motioned a chair on his left. "And you over here 'Prince' Trunks." Freeza mocked motioning to the chair on his right.

Pan sat down and didn't look up. This was the most degrading thing she had ever done. She was always taught to believe that women were an equal to men in strength, but why did she feel so inferior at this moment?

"Dinner is served Lord Freeza." A gentleman bowed as Pan and Trunks were served their meal. Pan made eye contact with the Prince across from her, but angrily looked away because she didn't want to get sucked up into his gazes again.

"So tell me my precious, what part of Vegetasai are you from? I've met all first class and I've never seen you before."

"I'm from South City." Pan replied as she picked at the meat in front of her. There was no way in hell she was going to eat it. What if it was poisoned? She noticed that the Prince also had the same idea seeing that he hadn't yet consumed any of the meal in front of him either.

"South City?" The Lord questioned as he laughed.

Pan's face twisted into anger and she let her temper get the better of her. "Sometimes the poverty ridden sides of Vegetasai hold more pride for the planet than the Palace does."

Trunks' head shot up instantly upon hearing this. "Is that so?"

"Yes that is so." Pan said not twitching even though she knew she may very well be staring death in the eyes.

"Do tell." The Prince said leaning back in his chair, obviously amused by her preposition.

"Well, I just think that it's the poorer sides that show more respect for the planet because we are the foundation. Without us, there would be no commodities for Vegetasai to base it's trade on. For example, it is the 3rd class that is in charge of hoisting up precious oils needed. And it is also the 3rd class that produces a lot of the combat uniform used for sieges. I honestly believe that without the 3rd class, Vegetasai's economy would be nothing. The 1st class spits on us for what we do, but they don't realize just how important we really our. A strike would devastate Vegetasai, and everyone knows this."

"Quite a speech!" Lord Freeza announced pleased.

"It wasn't a speech, it was the truth." Pan said standing in her place. "I'm no longer hungry." She walked to the door where the guards stood. "Take me to my room."

The guards looked over at Lord Freeza and got his consent to let her leave.

"You know, she has a point." Lord Freeza said looking at Trunks.

"Point? She holds no point. She is a 3rd class girl that says more than she does." Trunks said continuing to pick at her food.

"Hmph, don't be too sure boy. I don't think you've really thought about what she said. I agree with her, it's a shame that you 1st class monkeys don't see that also."

"I wouldn't expect you to understand." Trunks said also standing in his place. He walked towards the door and was also taken back to the room.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"This is pointless." Pan said just as she finished changing in something a little more comfortable. She had persuaded the guard into giving her something that covered her up more. Of course they were tight and showed off her body, but it did hide a lot more than the other did.

The Prince was escorted into the room by 2 guards that held a set of blankets and pillows. They dropped it on the floor and left just as they came in, silently. Pan looked over at the pile and began to dissect everything into even piles.

"You can take the bed." Pan said to Trunks as she took a pillow and blanket to a spot on the floor. She lay on the ground and just thought about today.

"Nonsense." The Prince said as he went over and picked her up from the ground. Of course Pan was taken by surprise, but she loved the way it felt in his arms. "The bed is big enough for the both of us."

"If you insist on a 3rd class being in the same bed. I realize that now it's hard enough being in the same room, let alone the same bed." Pan murmured.

Trunks' eyes narrowed instantly. "Could you, for once, be just not difficult?! You always have something to say about your status, don't you?"

"You treat me like trash! You have no idea, but you're degrading me just by looking at me sometimes! If you treat me like 3rd class, then why shouldn't I act like it?" Pan yelled sitting up as she looked at him next to her.

"Look, I don't know why you have to act your status. It's not like there's a big difference anyway." The Prince said laying back.

Pan's eyes shot open in surprise. "What would you know about being a 3rd class?! You always sit on your damn high horse and you don't have to see what we go through everyday! Our city is covered with smog and the sky with pollution! Your Father's cape is valued more than the entire South City!" Pan exclaimed.

"I'm sure conditions aren't as bad as you make it out to be. My father would never do that." Trunks said astonished.

Pan laughed a sadistic laugh. "You have no idea do you? You've always been protected by daddy so you don't see what goes on. The average South City worker gets paid 4 pailings an hour (that's equivalent to 2 earth dollars). Now we wouldn't mind working for that much, but there are much more things to worry about. You 1st class decision makers keep raising the prices on food and other necessities making it harder and harder for us to be 3rd classers! I don't think you'd ever understand until you've lived the life I've lived."

"Tell me then." Trunks said showing the first sign of compassion he had shown her all night. Pan looked up instantly and couldn't help but get lost in his blues again.

"Do you really want to know or are you just asking so I'll calm down?"

"I want to know. I think I need to know."

"Everyday I wake up to, not the sun rising, but to the smog rising in the air. When that happens, we know the work day has begun. When my father isn't called into a siege, he works at the local factory where he is one of the many workers that makes 4 pailings an hour. He does back breaking labor everyday and still gets treated like dirt. My mother stays home and tries to do what she can there. She tried getting a normal job in a factory, but her being human doesn't really help. All Saiya-jin women are really strong and do almost as much labor as the males. My mother isn't anywhere near that strong, so she is forced to stay home. Same goes for my grandmother also. My grandfather also works in the factory with my father. He has worked there for the past 25 years, and still has yet to see a raise. He also goes on sieges just like all males. My uncle is a doctor at one of the local clinics. It sounds like a wonderfully wealthy position, but it isn't. He made the choice to work at the 3rd class clinic rather than for the 1st class hospitals. He has seen the kind of life we live, and he wants nothing more than to help. He makes 8 pailings an hour, but that goes to support everyone in my family. He's a very selfless man. And all the while, my family trains hard to help with the sieges. We are one of the strongest people on this planet, but we have yet to see any improvement." Pan finished. She looked in Trunks' eyes and saw remorse in them. "That's just my life and there are thousands more that live the same life I do. And then there are millions more that aren't as fortunate as I."

"That's horrible." Trunks said finally.

"Yeah it is, and that's life." Pan said laying down facing the other direction.

"I'm sorry." Trunks said out loud. Pan instantly sat up and looked at him shocked. This was the first time she had ever seen his guard down, just like she did in her dreams.

"It's okay, it's not your fault."

"Things will be different, I promise." He told her. Pan could only help but smile and look at him with gratitude.

"I didn't mean to yell at you earlier. I know it wasn't my place. You are still my Prince and I should treat you with respect no matter where we are."

"No, don't worry about that. I actually enjoy your opinionated tantrums." The Prince laughed.

"You do, do you?" Pan questioned mischievously.

"Yeah, I do." The Prince said in a deep voice. Pan looked in his deep blues and couldn't help but drown in them. Before she knew it, the Prince was leaning in to kiss her. His soft warm lips held her in a captive kiss. She closed her eyes and tilted her head. He pulled away leisurely just as Pan's eyes slowly came back to reality. "Good night." The Prince said as he turned the lights off.

"Yeah, good night." Pan said laying down still in a daze. Had that really just happened? A smile played on her lips as she faced the other direction the Prince wasn't in.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Pan was rudely awakened to someone forcibly pulling her to her feet. He placed a black covering over her head and began to lead her down a hall.

"Trunks!" She yelled in fear.

"Don't worry my dear, you're being taken to Lord Freeza."

"NO!" Pan yelled in a shrilled cry as she used her feet to hold her back.

"Pan!" She heard Trunks yell from the room.

"Trunks! Help me!" She yelled in fear. She felt so helpless right now, but she didn't see much of a choice.

Soon, his callings became less and less audible as she got farther and farther away from the room.

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Pan yelled trying to power up. Although there was still the toxin in her blood that prevented her Saiya-jin side from becoming evident, she had to try. "LET ME GO!!!" She screeched with venom as she powered up. She felt the toxin slowly wear off as she felt her power level increase dramatically. Soon, all her power was back. She powered up to Super Saiyajin 2 and soon the bag that covered her face disintegrated. "You should have listened to me earlier."

Within seconds, the guards were dead. She blindly ran back to the room Trunks was in and broke the door down with all her adrenaline running through her.

"Let's go!" She yelled to him. Trunks only got up and ran ahead of her trying to find a way out.

"How did you power up with the toxin still in you?" Trunks asked as Pan powered back down to normal.

"I don't know, adrenaline rush?"

"Could be it." Trunks said as he found the pod room. "There's only one left!"

"What's the problem? Can't be that small." Pan said observing what he was looking at.

"Well we don't have time for this. Let's go!" Trunks said sitting in the pod and pulling her down on him.

"This is a bad position." Pan said once she noticed that each of her leg was on either side of his body and she was facing him.

"Well we don't have much of a choice. It'll only be like this for a while anyway, Vegetasai can't be that far away." Trunks said as he hit the eject button. Soon, they were coasting the dark, empty space at a speed that was undetermined.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I hope we've all learned a valuable lesson...don't judge a book by it's cover. Well I hope you all enjoyed that. I'm trying to keep up with updating chapters now that I have a little more free time. Ja ne!

-Christina