THE NEW YEARS DEBACLE
CHAPTER 3
'This is crazy,' Pan thought for the millionth time. A snowstorm had settled in and Pan was freezing to death. She was sure that when the search party came looking for her, they would find a Saiyan Icicle. Pan was only wearing a dress and back heels under her boyfriend's jacket. Her legs were bare to the icy wind. 'If I don't die of frostbite, I'll probably die of hypothermia,' She reasoned. The cold was chilling her to the bone, all she could concentrate on was 'Lift your left leg; take a step. Lift your right leg; take a step. Lift your left leg. . .'
The sun was beginning to set and Pan still wasn't anywhere near civilization. She didn't know how much more hiking over steep hills in a blizzard, she could take.
She would have loved to just take to the air and fly to the nearest mechanic's but she feared the fierce wind and blinding snow would steer her off course and get her lost. That's the last thing she needed. All she had to do was follow the road back to that town they'd passed. 'Lift your right leg; take a step. Lift your left leg; take a step. Lift your right leg. . .'
What was worse; her cell phone was too far out of range to call her parents and tell them where she was, they must be worried sick. Everyone at the party was probably have a great time, in the warm, enjoying the music and drink. . . And that stupid Trunks was sitting in her car, in the warm, drinking himself even stupider. Pan was so frustrated that she started kicking the snow out of her way.
Pan pulled Trunk's jacket closer around her, desperate for any warmth it might offer. If only a car would come along and give her a lift. She didn't care if it was a homicidal maniac who picked her up, as long as the heat in their car was working.
Just then, a squirrel crossed from the other side of the road and scampered towards her. It came to a stop right in front of her, causing her to stop her trudging through the snow. Pan squinted down at it through the wind and snow. It peered back up at her, hunger in its sad little eyes.
Pan's heart melted. She forgot all about the biting cold and squatted down to get a better look at the little fellow. "Are you hungry, little guy?" Pan said in a sweet baby voice, giving it a pat on the head. "You are just the cutest thing!" She continued to gush.
The squirrel clambered eagerly into her hand while Pan fished around in her pocket for something to feed him. She frowned when she couldn't find anything. "Sorry little fella. I can't give you anything," Pan said softly. The squirrel stared at her oddly for a moment, took one look at her wrist, and bit down.
Pan screamed as loud as she possibly could. She shook her arm desperately, trying to get it off but the squirrel's teeth were set firmly in her flesh. She started swinging her arm as she spun in circles, hoping the G-forces would pull it off. Her plan worked. The squirrel detached from her wrist and went sailing through the air. The squirrel then smacked into a nearby pine tree with a great 'crack!' and then slumped to the ground, followed by a helping of snow, which had previously been clinging to the tree.
"Oops," Pan said guiltily. Surely the little thing was dead now. "Either that squirrel was really hungry or someone slipped some goof balls into the local water supply."
Pan was amazed when the heap of snow that the squirrel was buried under start to quiver and then out burrowed the little squirrel himself, perfectly fine, as though nothing had happened. Pan sighed in relief but had to do a double take when she saw what the squirrel had in its teeth. Her gold watch.
Pan checked her wrist and saw that indeed her watch was gone and had been replaced with two large, bleeding tooth marks. "Hey! Give that back!" She cried, started to trudge through the snow towards it. There was an evil glint in the squirrel's eye, then it up and scampered skilfully away, across the deepening snow. "Why aren't you in hibernation you crazy thing!?" Pan screeched.
Pan was too slow in her black heels and the snow was holding her back. A cold wind blew across her bare legs, giving them a fair dusting of goose bumps and knocking her over into the snow. Pan felt like she was going to cry. She was freezing, she'd lost her expensive watch and there were killer squirrels out here.
She pulled herself back up to a standing position, knowing that sitting in the snow in a storm was a death wish; she could be buried alive. She was soaking wet by now, her teeth were chattering and one of her heels was broken. Pan looked for the squirrel, but she couldn't see very much at all in this weather. She sighed regretfully and limped back to the road. It couldn't be that far to the nearest garage, could it?
Marron started dancing more seductively as the DJ played a modern dance song. She'd been teasing a guy across the room that'd been staring at her for a while now. She would send glances his way and he would smile back at her while she danced away.
Finally he approached her. "Hey, I'm Greg," he said shyly. He was only a head above her height and had cropped brown hair.
"Hi," She answered. "I'm Marron." She and Greg walked off the dance floor and over to the bar, helping themselves to drinks. 'Okay Marron,' She said mentally. 'Let's put Project: 'Change Marron Into A Go-getting Young Minx' in action.'
"Greg," She said sweetly to get his attention. "Let's dispose of the pleasantries and skip right to what we both want. Want to get a room?"
Greg was surprised at her forwardness. "Uh. . . if you're sure." He scratched his head; surely there was a catch here somewhere.
Marron was about to grab his hand and head upstairs when her own mother popped out of nowhere and blocked her path. "Mom!" Marron said in surprise. "We. . . uh. . . were just heading for the buffet."
Eighteen didn't pay Greg or what her daughter had said, any attention. "Marron, so glad I found you! Look who I found," Eight said hurriedly. She turned and plucked from the crowd a middle-aged woman. "It's you're old Sunday School teacher, Mrs. Chaste. You remember her right?" Eighteen said with a smile. "You haven't seen her since you were five, Marron."
"Wonderful to see you," Mrs. Chaste said happily. "Why I remember the day that I came to visit your house and you'd just been for a swim in the ocean. You were only four at the time, but you were running around the yard, butt-naked, like there was no tomorrow!" She laughed merrily. "You always were a pure-hearted little thing!"
Marron blushed bright red as she heard Greg snicker behind her. "Uh . . . Mom, we were just on our way to . . ."
"Marron, Marron!" A boy-shaped blur dashed out of the crowd at lightning speed and attached itself it Marron's leg, causing her to stumble slightly.
"Tory . . ." Marron smiled vaguely. It was the little boy who Marron had volunteered to help learn how to read and write. He had been an orphan in West City until he'd been adopted into a wealthy family who happened to do business with Capsule Corp. Marron had an inkling that the little six-year- old had a crush on her.
"I haven't seen you in ages, Marron!" Tory cried. "Come with me, I'll show how well I can read!" He tried pulling her away by the hand.
"Uh. . . another time, Tory?" Marron asked quietly. All these people were killing the romance.
Tory looked heart broken. "Marron, you don't have anything more important to do, do you?"
"Well. . ."
"Aren't there more important things?" Tory pleaded. Marron could barely resist those eyes. "Like me?"
"Uh. . ."
"There you are kiddo!" Marron sighed; it was her Father. "I've been looking for you!"
"Hi Dad," Marron mumbled.
Greg looked like he was about to burst out laughing. Marron the sex kitten had been reduced to a simpering puppy.
"And how's my sweet little innocent angel?" Krillin asked.
Not only was Marron embarrassed to be called that in front of Greg, but also, her parents had officially killed her sex drive. How could she go through with the act now, knowing that everyone thought she was 'pure- hearted' and a 'sweet little innocent angel' "Fine, Dad," Marron answered.
"You were saying something Marron, weren't you?" Eighteen asked. "You said, 'we were just on our way to . . ."
Everyone looked at her questioningly. Marron froze.
"Yeah, Marron. Tell them where we were just on our way to." Greg piped up. He seemed to think all of this was quite funny.
Marron looked at them all. "I was just . . . on my way to . . . to . . ." Everyone paused.
" . . .the bathroom." Marron said quickly. And with that, she turned and charged upstairs in utter embarrassment, leaving Greg and everyone else behind.
Once Marron got to the bathroom, she double locked the door and set a chair against it for good measure. That was so embarrassing! She wasn't going to come out for a long time.
Goten had to find Bura. He hadn't seen her for hours, or Sven for that matter, he had to be sure that they weren't together in a closet somewhere. Goten had never felt so paranoid in his life.
"Goten! Goten!"
Goten's head swivelled around and looked amongst the crowd to see who had called him. Sven immediately came forth in a hurry and stopped in front of Goten, panting.
"Thank goodness I found you," Sven said in his heavily accented voice. "I just couldn't find an excuse to get away from them." He jerked a thumb behind him, motioning towards a throng of girls who were heading his way. "There you are Sven!" A ditsy girl giggled. "We thought we'd lost you!"
"Are you sure you don't have a girlfriend?" Another asked in an annoying high-pitched voice.
"That accent is so sexy, Sven!" A blond one gushed.
Sven groaned and Goten didn't blame him. These girls were so annoying and ditsy, they'd piss Pamela Anderson off. Goten decided to take pity on poor Sven.
"Ah, ladies, would you excuse us?" Goten smiled as he put an arm around Sven's shoulders and guided him away. "Boy-talk." He added.
The girls looked disappointed for a whole four seconds before they spotted another hunk in the crowd and dashed away to bother him.
"Thanks," Sven sighed.
"Sven, have you seen Bura?" Goten asked carefully.
Sven expression changed. "Uh. . . Goten, I need to tell you something."
"I don't have time," Goten said hurriedly. He wanted to make sure Bura wasn't hanging around any other blond guys. "Do you have any idea where she might be?"
"But I've noticed that things between you and Bura have become, shall we say. . . 'awk'. That is the right word, yes?" Sven asked. "Bura and I. . ."
"I think you mean 'awkward'." Goten corrected. "Look Sven, I'm only going to say this once, stay away from my girlfriend." Goten growled, suddenly very angry with him.
Sven was taken aback as Goten turned and walked angrily away. He hadn't known Goten very long, but Sven still hadn't known him to get as mad as that.
Goten grabbed a beer of the drinks bar and skulled half of it to calm his nerves before making his way up the stairs to the second level of Capsule Corp. Bura must be in her bedroom, that was the only place he hadn't looked. As he was walking along the passageway, a girl travelling at the speed of light hit him smack in the chest. She then fell backwards, sprawled out on the floor.
"Bura! There you are!" Goten smiled.
Bura shook her head of blue hair, trying to clear her mind, then looked up at her boyfriend. "Oh thank goodness!" She cried. "You hold him off while I go find my father!"
She jumped up and moved to pass him but Goten grabbed her arm. "What are you talking about?"
"Uub has gone nuts!" Was all she offered, trying to pry herself free of Goten's iron grip.
Goten didn't know what she was on about, but he had more important things to discuss with her. "We need to talk!"
Bura started to struggle. "Goten, let go!"
Goten was now trying to juggle the half full can of beer in one hand and keep hold of his girlfriend so he could talk to her in the other. Unfortunately, he misjudged her strength as she gave him a strong pull, toppling them both over, Goten landing on top of her.
"Get off!" She yelled and Goten complied.
"I'm sorry," Goten offered apologetically, but the damage had been done. Bura's shimmering blue party dress was soaked in half a can's worth of beer.
"Goten!" Bura accused. "This dress is dry-clean only!" She jumped up and tried to open the closest door, which was the bathroom door. Maybe there was some way to save the dress before it stained. The door was jammed.
"Open up!" Bura practically begged. "Who the heck takes so long in a BATHROOM!" She cried.
Marron, who was on the other side of that door, cowered in fear. She most definitely did not want to face Bura's wrath.
Bura turned to Goten, evil burning in her eyes. "I'm going to my room to change. You, on the other hand, are going to go find my father and tell him that Uub has lost it. Okay?"
Goten wasn't sure what to make of what she'd said, but nodded all the same. "Yes, ma'am."
"Good," Bura growled before disappearing into the maze of corridors on her way to her room.
New Years Eve, 8:13 pm, the Mount Pazou region . . .
Pan was losing the strength to even lift her head. 'Lift your left leg; take a step. Lift your right leg; take a step. Lift your left leg . . .'
BANG! Pan was so busy maintaining consciousness that she didn't even see that she was about to walk into something. He head connected painfully with a brick wall. "Ow," Pan mumbled, too tired to be mad. As she rubbed her head, she looked up at a sign that was hanging over a large doorway in front of her, 'Don's Motor Mechanics'.
Pan was so relieved that she nearly fell down and cried. It had been about six hours since she'd set out from the broken down car and she'd done it! She'd finally made it!
Glancing around in the thinning storm, she spotted a pay phone nearby. She eagerly hurried over, hoping to contact her parents, and inserted all the spare change she had. Picking up the receiver, she started to dial Capsule Corp's phone number when she realised something. The telephone cord had been severed.
Pan sighed and started banging her head against the phone box. She looked up when she heard a chattering noise. Not far away, Pan spotted a squirrel was eyeing her evilly.
"You!" Pan accused. "You did this! I know you did! You gnawed this phone cable in half!"
The squirrel nodded it head, surprising Pan to say the least. It was then that she caught a glimpse of something around it's neck. Her gold watch.
'How could he have possibly fastened that gold watch around his neck?' Pan wondered. 'Who does he think he is? A gold toting pimp!?'
Just then, the squirrel hissed at her crazily and leaped at her throat. Pan screamed as she tried to tear it away from her neck. She started scuffling with the small creature in the snow, both hissing and swiping at one another. Finally Pan got the upper hand and bit down on the squirrel's tail with all her might. The squirrel whimpered and ceased its struggle to stare at her with puppy-dog eyes.
"Uh-uh, that's not going to work," Pan reprimanded it. She tore of her gold watch from around the squirrel's neck and fastened it to her own wrist, holding the squirrel firmly in one hand all the time. "I'm going to teach you some manners!" Pan said menacingly. She wound her arm back and pitched the squirrel as far as she could. It landed with a 'thud' in the snow and didn't move.
Pan watched it for a moment to be sure it wouldn't get up. The whole experience with the squirrel was just a little to wild to be true. 'Perhaps I'm hallucinating?' Pan reasoned with herself.
"What's goin' on out 'ere?" A sleepy looking, half-dressed man said, poking his head out of the large door to Don's Motor Mechanics.
"THAT SQUIRREL IS TRYING TO KILL ME!" Was the first thing that came to Pan's lips.
"What? That squirrel there?" The man said motioning to the now awake squirrel that was hunting cutely through the snow for food.
"But he." Pan tried weakly.
"Can I 'elp you, ma'am?" The man asked.
Pan sighed. "My car's broken down. Do you have a tow truck or anything?" Pan pleaded. The man sighed to. It looked like he'd just settled down for the evening and now he had to get up again to tow a car in a cold storm.
"Ye'd better come in, ma'am."