Okay, so the last chapter was kind of depressing, wasn't it? Well, sorry to say, it just keeps getting worse for Pan. Don't get me wrong! It has a happy ending... Well, kind of... Oh, just read it!

Chapter 9: Not Much Time

Three days left... Trunks was gone... What could Pan do?

"Get Bra on your side; she's good at persuasion. It's up to you now."

Pan knew what had to be done. It was late afternoon when she entered her sister's room.

"Bra, I need to talk to you!" Pan rushed into her sister's room, only to find she wasn't there. "Bra?"

Pan began to search the castle, until she found Bra in the place she had least expected... The training room.

When Pan entered the room, she was immediately pinned to the ground by the artificial gravity. Bra had it set for 70 G's.

"Bra, what are you doing?!?" Bra also seemed to be trapped against the tile flooring, not able to move. Pan instantly powered up, and was able to crawl to the central panel, where she turned off the machine. She then fell to the floor, and powered down.

"What did you do that for?!?" Bra shouted. Pan sat up to see she was on her feet, staring wildly down at her, looking quite exhausted.

"You looked like you were having trouble... I wanted to help you..."

"If you want to help me, then get out!" Pan quickly stood up, and faced her sister. Bra seemed different, like it wasn't really her saying all those things.

"But... you couldn't move..."

"Look, I had everything under control until you walked in!" Bra stomped toward the door of the room.

"Bra... what were you doing anyway?"

Bra turned around and yelled, "For your information, I was training! Otou-san says I'm not strong enough to become Queen!" She fell to her knees, still exhausted from the 'training'. She then seemed to become herself again. "Oh, Pan... I'm so sorry... It's just that Trunks is gone, and now Otou-san expects me to be as strong as Vegeta! I never thought I would have to! I always thought that Trunks would become king, and then Vegeta, and then I would become a doctor long before I would be old enough to be Queen! Trunks leaving has affected all of us, Pan!" Bra buried her face in her hands and wept.

"I know..."

Pan let Bra calm down for a little while, then decided to ask her.

"Bra, listen to me. Do you remember the last thing Okaa-san wanted?"

She lifted her head, and nodded silently. "Yes, she wanted to name the baby... uh..."

"Goku."

"Yeah, that's it!"

"Yes, well before Trunks left, he came to my window. He told me he was going somewhere, but he didn't say where. He said it was now up to me to make sure Okaa-san's request was honored. He said it would be a good idea to get you to help me convince Otou-san because you're good at persuasion."

"Well, I guess that is true. But... Why didn't he come to my window too?"

"He was in a hurry. So what do you say? Will you..."

"Hey! What are you two doing in here?" Both girls spun around to find Prince Vegeta had just entered the room, and was now standing in the open doorway.

"We're just talking..." Bra began.

"Well talk somewhere else! Otou-san and I are going to train in here!"

"Where is Otou-san, then?" Bra questioned hotly.

"He's on his way. And if you know what's good for you, you'll shut up and get out of here now!"

"Hey, leave Onee-chan alone! You have no right to talk to us like that!" Pan shouted, getting to her feet.

"Oh, I believe I have all the authority in the world to boss you around, Pan, considering you're not really my sister." Vegeta smirked evilly.

Pan stared at him, mouth hanging wide open. "Who told you?" She asked quietly.

Vegeta grinned triumphantly. "Otou-san told me everything. I know you're not really our sister. I know Trunks just brought you in from the streets one day. I know you've been sneaking out to try and find your pathetic family. And I know about your plan to try and change Otou-san's mind about the baby's name." He slowly advanced toward them.

A very thin, familiar red aura began to form around him.

Flashbacks of Vegeta killing those innocent guards the day before played over and over again in Pan's mind. Such awesome power displayed from this young boy...

Pan somehow found herself summoning up the courage to continue talking. "Well, no matter what you do, Okaa-san's final request will be honored!"

SLAP!

A sharp pain seared through Pan's right cheek. A small yelp escaped her throat. She fell sideways to her hands and knees, gasping, staring at the floor in utter shock.

"You have no right to even breathe the same air we do! You're nothing to me!" The red aura faded away. Vegeta stomped out of the room. "And if you're not gone by the time Otou-san and I return, your face won't be the only thing with a nasty bruise tomorrow!"

Once he was gone, Bra rushed to Pan's side. "Oh, Pan! Are you all right?"

Pan looked up at her. "Yes, I'll be fine." Her eyes watered from the pain, and a red mark began to form on her right cheek.

"What was all that about anyway? I think Vegeta's finally lost it! All that power has gone to his head! The jerk..." Bra scowled at the empty doorway.

"No, Bra... He was right..." Pan whispered, trying to sit up. But it was very tough to, because she was shaking all over.

"Wha... what do you mean, sis?" Bra looked down at her curiously.

"I'm... I'm not really your sister..." Her voice trailed off. Bra shut her mouth, and stared down at Pan, whose eyes were welling up with tears as she stared at the floor. "I was brought here by Trunks when I was just an infant. If he hadn't, I wouldn't be alive today. He saved my life. Trunks only told me this a couple months ago, so the concept is still pretty new to me too."

"...I guess it makes sense..." Bra mumbled, her voice shaking. "You don't exactly look like any of us... But you're still like a sister to me, no matter what!"

Pan blinked away her tears, and sat up to gaze into Bra's eyes. "But... Vegeta said..."

"Oh, never mind what Vegeta said. That kid's a jerk! He doesn't know what he's saying, Pan." After all she had just heard, she still thought of Pan as part of the family... Pan wrapped her arms around Bra's waist, and hugged her tightly.

"Arigatô... thank you so much... Onee-chan..."

"Now what do you say we get out of here?" She helped Pan to her feet, and they walked upstairs together. They walked in silence past the enormous halls, up the grand spiral staircase, and through the large red hallway lined with paintings toward their rooms.

As they approached Pan's bedroom door, she suddenly remembered why she had gone to find Bra in the first place. "Bra, you'll help me convince Otou-san to name the baby Goku, won't you?"

"Of course, Pan. After all, you're my big sister." She winked, and continued down the hall to her own room. Pan smiled, and returned to the serene sanctuary of her bedroom, and locked the door.