Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z.
"Triple Threat 3: Escape from the Other World"
Chapter 6: "The Enemy Appears"
Pan froze and her blood ran cold. All she could do was stare at him at disbelief. No!
"Pan, what happened?" Videl asked cautiously, not sure if she wanted to know.
She didn't answer. In response to her silence, Bulma pushed past Pan and as soon as she got close enough, she knew why Pan couldn't move. The woman picked him up and rushed to the lab without a word or explanation.
"Bulma, wha-" Goku began.
"His heart stopped." Pan whispered, still staring at the couch where he had been laying. "H-He's going to die... because I'm too weak..." She clenched her fists, holding back her emotion.
"Pan, you're anything but weak!" Videl cried. "Bulma will take care of Trunks... We believe in what she can do and, if I have anything to say about it... I won't let him be taken away from you just yet. OK, Pan?" Not like Gohan was taken from me... She added quietly. When her daughter gave no response, she turned to look at Gohan. "Gohan how much stronger was Raditz?"
Gohan slowly moved his eyes from Pan to Videl. He shook his head. "I don't know. I wasn't able to sense his power level when he was with us."
"I thought it was just me. I knew I was out of practice, so I thought that was why I couldn't sense anything from him."
"But, remember, he's not the only we have to deal with."
Kayla became tense, staring at Gohan almost accusingly. "You mean there's someone else?"
"We don't know if it's him, Kayla." Videl quickly spoke up, "All we know was there was obviously someone higher up he was taking orders from."
"Are you all so inconsiderate?" Pan growled as she stood up and her eyes flashed with anger. "Trunks is in there dying and all you can talk about is the enemy!" Her energy flared and Videl was thrown back. Pan ran blindly into the nearest room, her mother's. on the right side of the hall.
Kayla caught Videl and helped her up. "You OK?"
"Yeah, I just forget sometimes that she's part saiyan." Videl smiled sorrowfully at the door as it slammed shut, the sound echoing through the tense atmosphere.
"She also has her stubborn qualities. It's obvious that she got something from both of her parents."
"Pan..." Videl whispered.
"The heart of the man she loves stopped." Kayla's voice was melancholy as she gazed down the hallway where Pan ran. "Of course she's worried. I'm sure you were the same way when you can back, saw me get killed and realized Gohan was already gone, too."
"So, they did tell you." Videl tried to smile, but couldn't. "Yeah, I was going to attack Gero myself, but Goku stopped me and told me Gohan wouldn't want me dead, too. That's when I saw him." Her eyes became distant at the memory, but she shook it away.
"And that's when your EDS started, right?"
"EDS?" Gohan asked.
"You mean you didn't tell him?" Kayla asked her half-sister in awe.
Videl sighed and shook her head. "No. I... never got that far. Raditz showed up with Pan and Trunks right after I told Gohan about Pan."
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Pan flung herself on her mother's bed and buried her face in the pillow. "She doesn't understand. She doesn't understand at all! She never loved anybody when she was younger! I've known Trunks all my life and... our friendship just grew. That's all." She couldn't stop the tears from coming.
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"Double Sunday!" Raditz yelled and two energy blasts soared through the air and exploded on the rough terrain in front of Capsule Corp. "That should drag them out."
Gohan ran ahead of the group when he heard the blast. Even Bulma made her way outside, curious as to who was attacking.
"Who is that?" Bulma asked as she stopped, gritting her teeth. He better not attack the lab. Trunks is in there!
"Raditz." Gohan muttered under his breath.
"What, the two lovebirds didn't come out to play?" Raditz smirked. "Light Bomb!"
"Watch out!" Gohan yelled and carried Videl away from the blast. The others were carried away as well.
"I'm about tired of you!" Raditz yelled and flew at Gohan in a rage.
Gohan threw Videl from his arms and blocked his flurry of punches with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Gohan!" Videl yelled.
"I'm fine. Get away from here." Gohan pushed him away with a burst of energy, not taking his eyes from him.
"Not a chance!" Videl retorted. "You're not dying alone this time."
"She's right. We're all going to help you." Kayla stepped up beside him with a nod and smile.
Goku, Goten and a begrudgingly Vegeta stepped up also.
Raditz flew back a frowned. "I can't do this alone. I need help." He raised his power level slightly, signaling something.
Seconds later, another figure appeared beside him. "Well, well, atleast you called me when she's here. Otherwise, I'd be angry." He glanced over at Raditz with narrowed eyes.
Kayla gritted her teeth, holding herself back. "I knew you'd show up eventually..."
Gero smiled. "You haven't changed a bit, have you, dear? Photon Wave!" He aimed the blast at Kayla.
Kayla vanished from the spot she was standing and reappeared behind Gero. "I'll show you something I learned in Other World." She grabbed his shoulders and flipped him over, sending him to the ground, with his face looking into the sky. Kayla raised her hands over her head, bringing her wrists together. A blast formed abover her wrists and she thrust her hands in front of her, sending the blast to him. "Halo Bomb!"
Gero smirked and kicked the blast toward the others.
"No!" Kayla gasped. "Gohan!"
"I've got it." He caught it with ease and threw it into the sky. He smiled. "Gero, you're outnumbered."
"That doesn't matter at all." He flew back into the air and prepared another blast. "Photon Wave!"
"I don't think so." A sharp voice said and Pan appeared to hold the blast back.
"So you came out."
"You actually think I'd sit back and watch as you kill everyone?" She grunted as she pushed it away.
Gero frowned and charged at her before she could react, but a shout from the air stopped him.
"Special Beam Cannon!"
So, how was it? Next chapter... "Memory of Sacrifice"
It gets much better. I believe that I've gotten much better at battle scenes since the last story.
