A/N: I wasn't planning on continuing with this story, but I figured since the two reviews I received wanted me to update, I'd write an epilogue. After this chapter though, this story will be done. I kinda want to focus on Trunks' and Goten's rekindling friendship, and maybe some TrunksxPan.
Pan
I woke up early Saturday morning and made my way downstairs hurriedly. My mom and dad were both already awake. Truthfully, I was really excited about the party today. I had met my parent's friends when I was younger, but it has been so long that I had forgotten most of them.
"Good morning Pan." My parents said simultaneously as I entered the living room.
"Good morning mom, morning dad." I responded. "When is everyone coming over?"
"About noon…it's been so long since I've seen everyone…even Piccolo…" My dad muttered the last part mostly to himself.
I couldn't wait for the party…but noon seemed to take forever to arrive…
Trunks
Thanks to school, I woke up earlier than I had wanted on a Saturday…but I had crawled out of bed anyways since we were going to the party at Gohan's today. When I got downstairs I wasn't surprised to see both my parents already up. I knew Bulla wasn't going to wake up for another hour or so.
"Good morning mom, dad." I nodded in my dad's direction, already sensing he wasn't too happy about this whole 'party' thing.
"Good morning Trunks." My mom responded happily.
"There is nothing good about this morning." My dad grunted and his scowl seemed to increase.
"Oh will you just lay off the grumpiness. You haven't see Goku for years. Maybe you could talk about…well…whatever you 'manly' warriors talk about." My mom rebuked, glaring at my more than grumpy father.
"I don't want to see or converse with Kakarot." He just about growled back.
I grabbed something to eat and quickly made my way out of the kitchen before I heard any more yelling. I knew that eventually my mom would convince him to come.
As I was walking back up to my room, I passed Bulla on the stairs.
"Oh Trunks! Did you hear about the party today?! I can't wait!" She told me excitedly.
"Yeah I know…by the way I suggest staying away from the kitchen for a while. Mom and dad are arguing again." I warned her.
"When are they not fighting…?" Bulla sighed then giggled. "Thanks for the warning." She smiled at me before heading downstairs, most likely to the living room.
Soon enough noon came and I had been right. My mother managed to convince my father to come…though he was still grumpy.
We arrived at Gohan's house shortly after 12. my mom knocked on the door and we heard a loud thump, some rustling, a few shouts, then the door opened wide to reveal Goku with a large grin plastered on his face.
"Bulma! Oh I haven't seen you in forever!" Goku said enthusiastically before giving his oldest friend a large bear hug.
"Yeah…I know. I've missed you too Goku…though I do want to breathe." She managed to choke out before Goku set her down and rubbed the back of his head apologetically.
"Bulma!" Gohan had made his way to the door to greet us.
Pan
I was walking downstairs when I heard my dad say Bulma. I quickly made my way to the door and saw Bulma, Vegeta (who looked like he didn't want to be here), Trunks and Bulla. When my grandpa finally moved to let them in I went over to Trunks.
"Hey Trunks." I smiled, glad to see him…and no, my crush on him had nothing to do with it.
"Hey Pan. Are you excited to see everyone again?" He smiled back at me and I…well I don't really need to tell you…do I? Sigh…I guess I do…I almost swooned…anyways…
"Yeah I am…I really don't remember many of them though…I remember a green man though." I giggled.
"Piccolo…yeah he is pretty strange. Don't let your dad hear though…he really likes Piccolo." He leaned in close and whispered the last sentence causing my face to turn red.
"Hey Trunks!" We both turned to see who had called out his name.
"Hey Goten! Where's your 'girlfriend'" Trunks said coldly, glaring slightly at his old friend.
Goten looked down at the ground in shame. I felt bad for him, for he had been talking almost non-stop all day about finally seeing his best friend again…then when he finally got to see him…Trunks didn't seem to happy to see him.
"Look Trunks…I'm really sorry. I was an idiot to every trade you for anything…I didn't even mean to ignore you…it's just…I'm sorry…" Goten said sincerely, glancing back up at Trunks.
Trunks
I listened as Goten poured out his heart in his apology. I wasn't mad at him at all…okay well maybe just a little, but that's beside the point.
I walked over to Goten, who shrunk slightly as I approached.
"Good, cause I was starting to miss my little shadow." I chuckled as I put my arm around his neck in camaraderie.
"Yeah…and I missed all the crazy situations you always got us in." Goten laughed back, putting his arm around my neck.
"Oh come on, knocking Mighty Mask out and stealing his clothes just to fight with the adults in the Budokai Tenkaichi wasn't that crazy." I laughed, remembering how shortly after 18 had found out it was us we had gone in search of the genie Majin Buu. Now that was a crazy situation…so was the whole fusion technique…but that's a whole new story.
"Yeah…totally not, and the fight with Abo and Cado wasn't crazy either." Goten said reminiscing all the crazy times we had together. Back then, we were nearly inseparable since Goten had been born.
"Or the 'party' with Bills." I added, thinking back to the strange purple cat looking god who had taken out Goku as a super saiyan three in one hit. Bills had then came to earth where my father had attempted to keep the god happy…until Bills slapped my mom…then my dad attacked him…but I digress.
"Now that we're older, we can do a lot more stuff that we couldn't when we were younger, right Trunks." Goten smiled his dorky smile.
"Right." I nodded.
"Oh that's right!" Goten exclaimed then narrowed his eyes almost suggestively, "When are you going to start dating my niece?" His question had thrown me off guard and I turned to look at him.
"What?" I said, blushing slightly…well more than slightly…
"When are you going to ask Pan out?" He said louder this time.
Pan
"When are you going to ask Pan out?" Uncle Goten asked Trunks…completely forgetting I was standing right next to Trunks apparently.
"Uhh…" Trunks glanced at me then turned back to Goten.
"HEY Pan! Trunks wants to know if you want to date him!" Goten said to me, obviously making it up…but how I wish that it was true…
"Well if Trunks wants to date me then fine, but he has to ask me himself." I retorted, loving the flustered look on Trunks' face.
"R…Really?" Trunks stuttered, looked down at the ground, then back up to me. "How's next Friday night sound?" He asked me, smiling.
"Oh…sounds great…but you know you don't have to go out with me just because Uncle Goten said that." I said, I really didn't want him to change his plans…but I also didn't want him to feel forced to take me out.
"I'm not going just because Goten said so…I've been trying to think of a way to ask you out for a while now…" Trunks said, blushing and rubbing the back of his head embarrassedly.
I tried to keep a calm exterior, but my insides were exploding with joy. I couldn't believe that after all this time, I finally got a real date with Trunks…the real Trunks.
The doorbell rang again so we all went to greet the arrivers.
"Hey Krillin, Eighteen, Maron! How've you been doing?" Trunks and Goten both went over to the short man, whom I vaguely remember as Krillin, the blonde icy eyed woman, and the pretty teenaged girl. I went over to say hi…but soon felt awkward around them.
Shortly afterwards, two green men came. The tall one I recognized as Piccolo…though I didn't really recognize the shorter one…Dende is what I heard the others call him…
Yamcha came next (though I can't really remember him), he had said that some guys named Tien and Chiaotzu couldn't make it, a few stragglers came later in the day, but I was talking mostly to Bulla, since I hadn't talked to her much lately.
As the evening started to set in, and we prepared for dinner, I couldn't help but think, if it wasn't for keeping a small secret that eventually brought Trunks and I together as friends, then this group may have never seen each other again. It's amazing how such close friends can break apart so easily, just because they no longer 'have time'. Even the closest of friends, such as Trunks and Goten, can be broken apart by a simple change of heart.
I hope that Trunks and I can stay close, and help our families become tighter in their friendship.
Who would have thought that keeping your last name a secret could have such a happy ending?
A/N: Alrighty…that's the end. I'm not sure I like the ending…but for not planning anything out and being completely stressed out due to school, I think I did relatively okay. I apologize for not updating sooner (especially for the people who are reading my other stories…)
Please review and tell me what you thought of the story as a whole. I'd appreciate reviews that had a deeper meaning than "Good Chapter/Story" or "I liked it". I've read a lot of those reviews…
Thanks and farewell-
~MellowDragon
