It's been a long time, yes I am aware of that, thank you. My writing has been slowing down lately... or maybe I'm just being lazy.

Trunks: Yeah, she's lazy.

Sutsuki: (Quiet!) Either way, lucky you, I got around to posting again. Enjoy it.

Chapter 31: Winter's Arrival

"AAH!!! That hurt!!!" Pan grasped her throbbing shoulder where Piccolo's hard fist had landed. She stumbled backward in the vast, grassy field, trying not to fall to the ground in exhaustion. Her sore muscles ached uncontrollably, keeping her from giving her mentor everything she had.

"It hurts because you're barely defending yourself!" Piccolo shouted back. "Now let's try this again!" He launched himself at Pan at such a high rate of speed that he disappeared from sight.

(Don't rely on your eyes...) Pan thought to herself, and closed them. She stood still, listened, and waited...

Suddenly, she thrusted her elbow behind her, and it landed squarely in Piccolo's stomach. He stumbled back a few paces, clutching the spot of impact, and coughed up a tiny amount of purple blood.

"Good..." He grinned, wiping the blood from his lips. And then, "Again."

And so, training continued in that manner for a good three hours more, until Piccolo called a break for lunch. Once again, Pan allowed her eyes to drift to the skies, as they often did. She found herself trying to find shapes in the clouds as she munched on her rice cake. It seemed to be a very childish thing to do, but nonetheless amusing. She rolled backward and stretched out in the browning grass with a hand behind her head. The chilly noon air nipped at her exposed skin. Suddenly, something tiny and cold landed squarely on her nose... a snowflake. Pan smiled. She was well aware the beginning of winter was near, and was pleased that it had finally come. More snowflakes soon began falling, until a light flurry was in progress.

Piccolo also turned his attention to the sky as he noticed the snow.

"Heh... of course, you know that we're not going to stop training just because of a little snowfall." He reminded Pan. She glared at him from the safety of beyond his sightline. Of course... how could she forget? This completely drained her delight for the first snow's arrival. It simply meant she would have to train under harsher conditions. She groaned, and stuffed the last of her rice cake in her mouth.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Go away..." Bra mumbled miserably from the other side of her locked door.

"But sis, have you looked outside? It's snowing!" Came Prince Vegeta's excited voice. Bra sprang from her bed and gazed out her window. Indeed, the first snow of the season had come. She excitedly ran for her closet, and dug through it until she found her winter coat. She flung open the door, almost trampling a startled Prince Vegeta, and raced down the stairs toward the back door which led out to the garden.

"Oh... this is like some sort of fairytale!" Bra exclaimed in awe as she stepped out into the cold winter air. She extended her arms to the sky, and spun around in circles, welcoming the billions of tiny snowflakes. Her brother followed her out into the garden with his hands stuffed in the pockets of his dark blue jacket.

"Well, I see you're feeling better!" He laughed cheerfully. To keep her in this good mood, he decided against questioning her about the events of that morning in the training room. The two began to walk along the stone path toward the small wooden gazebo. They both glanced down to see the creek that ran underneath it was nearly frozen solid. They sat down on the same side of the gazebo and began talking. The subject of their conversation eventually led back to training.

"Why do you and Otou-san work so hard anyway?" Bra asked. "What motivation do you have that makes you train at your best each day?"

"Well, I'm not exactly sure what Otou-san's motivation is, but I'm very clear on mine. One day I want to become a Super Saiyan, just like him and Trunks!"

"But you're already really powerful! What will gaining more power achieve?" Bra inquired.

"Well, we have to keep up with Kakarot and his family, don't we? If we're not careful, they could become too powerful, and overthrow the kingdom or something!"

Bra knew better than to challenge his way of thinking. She knew he was simply repeating what their father had always taught them. There was no set limit to a Saiyan's power level, and the king feared all who threatened to become stronger than him. So he kept up his training, and also strengthened his children, who would one day inherit his throne.

"Hey, Onii-san..."

"Hmm?"

"Do you think I could become a Super Saiyan too?"

"Sure! It's a lot of work, but you can do anything if you put your mind to it!"

Bra smiled. "Then that's what I'll do." Feeling motivated, she stood up and clenched her fists excitedly. "Yeah!!! I'm going to be just as strong as you and Trunks and Otou-san! I can't wait... If I'm going to be queen, then I'm going to be the most powerful queen who ever lived!"

"Yeah... That's the spirit." Vegeta smiled.

"Onii-san..." Bra uttered as she sat down again.

"Yeah?"

"Arigatô..."

The prince could feel his cheeks redden.

"Hey, you want to go train some more now?" Bra asked.

"Sure!" Holding hands, the two siblings stood up and walked back into the castle.

(Okay... so that didn't go as well as I'd hoped, but at least she agreed to help me...) Keiko thought to herself. It had taken much pleading and provoking, but she had finally convinced her sister, Mitsuko, to take over her new job while she was on her special errand, though Keiko refused to reveal what it was.

The two sisters had now gone back to their daily chores, both needing some time alone to think things over. It was now early evening. Mitsuko was helping in the kitchen with the royal family's dinner. Keiko was busy tidying Bra's bedroom. She had just finished making the princess's bed when Bra staggered through the door, dripping in sweat and smiling from ear to ear.

"Man, I'm beat!" She announced, allowing herself to fall backwards onto her bed. Keiko scrunched up her nose at the sight of her hard work gone to waste. "Be a dear, and get me a glass of water, won't you?" The princess waved with her eyes closed. She hadn't even taken notice as to which maid in particular she was speaking to.

"...Of course, milady..." Keiko stuttered with a polite bow, and made her way toward the door.

"Wait a minute!" Bra sat up abruptly at the maid's reply. She had recognized that voice. "Hey, it's you again! It's Keiko, right?"

Keiko turned and nodded.

"How are things holding out for you?" Bra asked with a spark of interest. "You haven't told anyone about our little pact, right?"

"Not a soul outside of this room knows a thing." Keiko promised, although she knew this was only half true. Mitsuko knew something was going to happen, but she didn't have a clue what.

"Good, I'm relieved to hear that." Bra sighed. "Man, I just had the best time training with my brother, Vegeta! He and I haven't bonded like that in such a long time!"

Keiko smiled. "I'm glad to hear it."

"Yeah... Maybe he won't end up a total muscle-head after all. There's still some inner child left in him." She breathed. "Otou-san sure has a big influence on him. I like to think Vegeta's not entirely like him just yet."

Keiko said nothing. She simply smiled, happy that the princess was in a good mood again.

"Well, I bet I really stink... I'm going to go take a shower." Bra laughed. "Meet me in Goku's nursery in an hour. The time has come to carry out my plan." She winked slyly.

"Mmm!" Keiko nodded in enthusiasm.

Pan stared up at the cloud-covered sky, wondering how she could ever have anticipated the arrival of this first snowfall. It was only making her training more unbearable.

"Hey! Son Pan, what are you daydreaming about now?"

"Huh...?" She had been rudely awakened from her trance by her mentor, who was growing irritable with her lack of focus. "Gomen, Piccolo-sempai..." She apologized.

"Hmph..." He grunted. "What, are you getting bored?"

"Uh... No, I'm not! Really!" Pan stuttered. She knew she was in for it now. That gleaming look in her mentor's eyes told her the training was about to double in intensity. Piccolo just laughed.

"It seems to me that you're craving something bigger, am I right?"

Pan didn't know how to answer. It was like he read her mind. There was one thing she had hoped to get out of this training that had not yet been brought up.

"So, how about it? Do you think you're ready to become a Super Saiyan?"

Yes, he had definitely read her mind.

"P- Piccolo-sempai!"

He smirked malevolently, knowing he had hit the nail right on the head.

"That's what you've been training for, right? The biggest motivation you have for going through this harsh training is because you want to become a Super Saiyan... like Trunks. Am I right?"

"Y- Yeah..." Pan sighed in amazement.

"Well then, let's go. We're wasting precious daylight." Piccolo turned and blasted into the sky in the direction of the mountain that they climbed and trained on frequently. Pan energetically followed him as fast as she could, given her current energy level.

The two were soon hovering over the mountain's peak, searching for a good place to practice.

"There..." Piccolo pointed at a small clearing surrounded by thick pine trees. There they landed, and Piccolo began his teachings.

"I don't know much about the legendary Super Saiyan form, and can't possibly experience it for myself. But I know enough from watching Goku to tell you how it's done. To become a Super Saiyan, you must first become angry. If you harness your anger and make that your power, you can use it as a tool to obtain the Super Saiyan level."

"Okay! Let's do this!" Pan sprang into her fighting stance anxiously.

"No, Pan. I'm not going to make you angry enough just by fighting you. You have to think. Think of something terrible that you don't want to happen, and visualize it happening, right here, in front of your eyes. Let that be your motivation to make the transformation."

Pan thought for a moment. At first, nothing seemed to come to mind. But then an image came to her, and seemed to cloud her vision. It was as if she had been transported somewhere else. It took a moment for her to recognize where she was. But then it hit her that she was back in King Vegeta's palace. Someone else was there... no, there were two people. What were they doing? She could only see their shadows. They were moving around the dark room really fast... were they fighting? Yes, they're fighting... but why? And who were they? Suddenly, one of the two figures was knocked to the floor right in front of her. It was so dark; she could barely see who it was. Pan squinted her eyes to get a better look. It was a young man... she thought she recognized him somehow... but this one looked a bit older than the one she knew. The man was nearly dead... he just laid there, motionless... blood was everywhere... his eyes were tightly shut, his long lavender hair badly ruffled... Trunks!!! Pan rushed to his aid, but he did not respond to her frantic calls. Was he... A low cackling was heard behind her. Pan whirled around to come face to face with another young man, a frightening red aura engulfing his body. He hovered a few inches off the ground, staring down at the two and laughing maniacally. Pan could feel a hot rage burning up her insides. Why had he done this? What had Trunks done to him? Why?!? These questions blazed in her mind, only to be overridden by one thought playing itself over and over again... I must kill him... Pan screamed in anguish as she rushed blindly at her target. But just before she could reach him, she felt a pair of strong hands on her shoulders, shaking her out of her thoughts, and bringing her back to the real world.

"NO! I HAVE TO KILL HIM! TRUNKS! TRUNKS!!!"

"PAN! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

Pan's eyes shot open as the image of Prince Vegeta completely faded, leaving her dazed and breathing heavily in the cold wooded clearing.

"P- Piccolo..." She panted, looking up into the worried eyes of her mentor kneeling beside her. "Oh, Piccolo!!!" She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face into his chest, trembling madly. She was too badly shaken to cry.

"What happened, Pan?" He asked gently, placing a green hand on her head and caressing her hair.

"I'm... not... sure..." She stuttered, her voice shaking.

"You just blanked out. It was like you were looking at something that wasn't there. Your pupils had disappeared... You just started screaming, so I ran over to help you."

"I'm... sorry, Piccolo-sempai..."

"No, don't be." He pulled her away from him at arm's length. "Just tell me what you saw."

Pan stared at the snow-covered ground, not sure what to say. "I saw Trunks... he was beaten up pretty badly."

"By who?"

"... Vegeta." This last word cut Pan's voice short, and she collapsed in Piccolo's arms, terribly weakened by the abysmal premonition. The Namek sighed, and hoisted her over one shoulder. He decided they would break from training for the rest of the evening.

"Maybe you aren't as ready to transform as you thought. Let's take the rest of the night off." He muttered. A soft mumble escaped the young girl's lips. "What?" Piccolo stopped.

"I... I want to transform..." She repeated quietly. "I want to... be stronger..."

"Pan, you're too weak to continue training now."

"No... I want to try. Put me down, Piccolo."

"But-" He tried to protest. But it was no use. The girl's determination was too great to be denied. "Alright..." He lowered Pan to the ground, and calmly backed a few paces away from her.

Pan took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. She now had her motivation. That vision had given it to her. Like her other dreams, this one was also likely to come true. That was what she feared the most. Images of Trunks lying nearly dead on the floor flashed through her mind. She wouldn't let that happen. In her current state, she wouldn't be able to do much to help him. That was why she needed to transform into a Super Saiyan. She needed to get stronger in order to be able to prevent the vision from coming true.

Opening her eyes once again, Pan spread her legs shoulder-width apart, and clenched her fists. She concentrated her ki, trying to find and unlock that hidden power deep inside. Funny... this felt just like when Trunks had first taught her how to shoot ki.

She let out a sudden enraged cry, increasing her power level tremendously. Snow swirled up from the ground and flew all around her. Sparks of electricity began forming at her feet, and rose up. Her aura turned from white to golden, and became bigger and more intense. Her screaming continued, and amplified in volume.

(Incredible...) Piccolo thought to himself. (I didn't know she was this far along. She's giving this all she's got.)

Suddenly, the aura diminished to nothing, and the girl's screaming stopped. Pan stared into nothingness for a couple seconds, and then dropped to her knees breathing heavily.

"Right on time, Keiko!" Bra chimed as the young maid entered the dimly lit nursery. She was wearing a long, dark green cape. The baby prince was peacefully sleeping in his crib.

"Before I go through with this, Princess Bra, I feel I must know one thing." Keiko stated rather timidly.

"Sure, ask away." Bra shrugged.

"Well, I don't mean to sound suspicious, milady. But... what will come out of sneaking Prince Goku out of the castle?"

"Ahh... I was wondering when you would ask..." Bra sighed. "Well, I can't really give you a straight answer, but here goes. If Goku grows up living with the rebels on the other side of the mountains, he'll have the kind of life Trunks and Okaa-san would have wanted for him... and I am beginning to see why they did. Like Trunks said; he deserves better. Okaa-san wouldn't have wanted it this way." She gazed lovingly at her sleeping baby brother.

"Pardon me for being critical, Princess. But won't that anger your father?"

"Of course it will! That's the whole point. If provoked the right way, my father could be made to negotiate a truce with the rebels in order to get Goku back."

"But why would your father negotiate anything when he has the power to simply destroy the rebels?"

"That's where I come in." Bra smirked. "I'll make sure things go as planned. I've seen what kind of lives those people lead. I can't bear to just sit here and not do anything about it! I'm a princess! I should be able to do something! If Goku grows up living what I witnessed, he'll want to change it!" She looked to the ground, a bit sheepishly. "That way... I won't be alone in the fight..." She uttered softly, a gentle smile crossing her face.

"If you're sure, Princess." Keiko sighed.

Bra raised her head, and nodded. "We'd better get started."

"Yes, of course!" Keiko agreed, and softly lifted the baby from his crib. Grabbing a blue blanket to wrap him in, she hastily followed the princess down the maids' passageways until they reached the great hall. Bra peered around the corner to make sure the coast was clear, and then motioned for Keiko to follow. The two crept quickly to the back entrance, and out into the frost-covered garden illuminated with icy moonlight.

"Over there." Bra whispered, pointing to the tree next to the white stone wall. The leaves had long since dried out and fallen in preparation for winter. Bra hoisted herself onto a low branch, and told Keiko to give Goku to her. Keiko obeyed, and climbed up alongside her once her hands were free. So this alternation continued until they were both near the top. Keiko clambered onto the top of the wall, and laid down on her stomach to retrieve the baby. Bra had trouble balancing on the unsteady branch, and at the same time trying to lift Goku high enough for Keiko to reach.

"Careful..." Keiko eased softly. "Easy does it..."

Bra felt the branch beginning to crack under her weight. She squeezed her eyes shut, and stood as tall as possible. Then she felt the bundle in her hands being lifted away, and opened them again. She leaped up quickly, grabbing on to the edge of the wall. The baby firmly in one arm, Keiko used her free hand to reach down and help Bra up.

"Thanks..." Bra sighed with relief once she was safely on top of the wall. She gazed back at the castle. "Well, I guess there's no turning back now."

"I guess not..." Keiko agreed. They both peered over the other side of the wall, only to find nothing there to help them back down again.

"Great... now what?" Bra mumbled. Keiko scanned left and right for an alternate path.

"Hey, over there!" She said finally, pointing to a small shack that had been built right up against the wall a ways down to their left. "Could we use that?"

"I suppose it's worth a try." Bra shrugged, and helped the maid to her feet. The wall was about two feet thick, but nonetheless the girls were cautious walking along the top. Keiko went first, the sleeping baby nestled comfortably in her arms. Bra was right behind her, arms out in front of her body, ready to catch Keiko if she slipped. They made it to the quiet little shed without much trouble, and began devising how it was they were going to get down. Bra lowered herself carefully onto the slanted roof, and Keiko lowered the baby once again into the princess's arms. Once the black-haired maid was also off the wall, they both sidestepped carefully to the edge of the roof. Bra looked over the side to see a large woodpile right below them.

"It looks like our fortune is improving a bit." She told Keiko, pointing out the neatly stacked log pyramid. The pile was high enough that Keiko had no trouble climbing down to the bottom. But of course, the stack did not seem to want to hold, so Keiko grabbed Bra's free hand to help her down.

"Okay..." Bra breathed once on the ground again. "Do you think you can take it from here?"

"Sure, princess." She nodded, taking the sleeping bundle from Bra's arms. But the girl was almost hesitant.

"I'm really going to miss him..." She sighed. "Heh... but then again, he won't remember me at all now, will he?"

Keiko smiled weakly. She could not answer.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go on, make haste!" Bra hissed quietly, trying to put away these unsettling emotions. "Remember, take him to the one called Son Goku! He'll take care of you!" Keiko nodded, and hurried out into the deserted street, careful to stay in the shadow. Bra watched her disappear into the night, and then silently made her way back to the castle.