CHAPTER 8:
Dressed

When Trunks was seventeen, he thought it'd be hilarious to pull a prank during the annual Student Talent Show. This was hardly surprising to anyone; Trunks was always known for his antics.

Some of Trunks' favorite pranks included immersing the entire student parking structure with soap suds so everyone had to wade in bubbles to get to their cars; wrapping the gym equipment in cellophane wrap; and putting purple temporary hair dye in the gym shower shampoo and conditioner bottles. Almost all of his capers involved doing things clandestinely, behind the scenes. He always liked big shocker-reveals because he liked reaction shots. He may have been partly to blame for influencing how Bra got into doing reaction-shot videos for her career.

Goten was the best wingman in the world. He never asked questions, and he always thought that Trunks' ideas were uproariously funny. Goten gave Trunks a lot of confidence to be bold and express himself. And Trunks admitted, looking back on it, that his own wealth and stature may have helped to shield him from any threatening repercussions. Because Goten always was roped in with Trunks, he was also shielded whenever his mother started to threaten to use lawyers against the school… or at least, he was shielded that one time… when Trunks was seventeen, in the Student Talent Show…

At the time, Trunks and Goten worked for two weeks to choreograph a scripted martial arts demonstration for the audience. And then, right before they actually went on stage before their entire school, they changed their costumes and instead dressed in drag to re-enact the legendary battle of "Ms. Satin vs. Majin Boob" for shits and giggles. The wigs were especially funny.

Of course it was Trunks' idea, and it was controversial - they had to go to the principal's office and things escalated way out of hand. Lawyers were threatened, laws and politics were bombasted; and in the end, Trunks and Goten got off with a slap on the wrist - they only had to write formal letters of apology to the school for their unannounced and unapproved costume change.

But the entire audience thought their dramatically acted karate-showdown sketch was hilarious, and of course their dynamic and class-clown behavior made them both popular with the ladies.

Trunks hadn't thought about that memory in a while. Even when he had to wear a dress earlier in their space journey to acquire one of their first Dragon Balls, he never allowed himself to ruminate on that memory. It was about ten years ago. And… now that Trunks thought of it, he realized he had been a bit of a rascal.

Trunks grinned a bit as he pictured himself from back then - a haughty, brazen teenager who had anything he wanted, backed with the trust and loyalty of a best friend who would never betray him. He was on top of the world. He felt he could have had anything he wanted.

That was who he was at the time - the popular guy who did an unapproved drag show for the Student Talent Show as a prank.

He wondered if he, back then, could have ever imagined … that ten years later, he'd be wearing a dress again… to his own wedding.

Trunks turned his eyes away from the mirror, and then he looked down at his custom-tailored wedding gown.

For the last three hours, Trunks had been at the center of a dozen little pink people with long ears who picked and prodded at his body to fit and form a white iridescent cloth to drape over his form. Every few steps in the design process, the little moonlanders made a few cuts in the fabric, and then began to hand-weave pink threads into them, to shape to curves. Over time, the fabric skillful handiwork gradually took shape around him, unveiling an elaborate and symbolically rich gown with all its threads converging into a solitary red string that descended down his back.

Many hands had touched this gown. It reminded Trunks of the temple's fresco - of all the pink hands that reached out from the clouds toward the rings.

Around Trunks, a dozen little pink people still bustled about, finishing up the process, and cleaning up their stations. They spoke in their native tongue, and all of them seemed too shy to practice their Common with Trunks. However, they did enthusiastically attempt other means of communication, and it was fairly funny to watch. Many of the pink people dramatically used their hands in sign language gestures, accompanied by a series of clicks and musical tones to indicate their mood.

It was easier to understand them than Trunks would have thought - especially when they voiced disapproval. It reminded him of a "game over" honky sound in video games, and it elicited a high-pitched giggle sound from Trunks that he quickly learned got lost in translation. So, since the first set of a dozen game-over sounds that quacked him up, Trunks did his best to keep his mouth shut and to resist any movement. If he kept silent and still, then he could keep out of trouble. But the memory of all the disapproving alien songs twisted his lips into a reminiscent grin.

Even if Trunks wanted to move in the gown, it was difficult - it was snug and inflexible and stiff. He was standing on a pedestal in front of a mirror that was slightly shorter than his own height, but it gave him a full view of the outfit. Turning to his left, Trunks examined the intricate weaving pattern, which was reminiscent of the ornate designs that adorned the walls.

They were in a vaulted, well-lit room with a window that displayed a long placid rectangular reflection pool that was sunk into pink grass like a pond. The pool's base displayed a vibrant red color, covered with intricate coral formations that branched out in fractal zig-zags, reminiscent of lightning patterns.

Trunks looked at Goku, whose short body fit perfectly in a chair located to the bottom right of the window. He appeared fairly bored, kicking his extended legs against the floor, and munching on one of the red coral sticks. Beside Goku was a long table of different kinds of flat white cookies, grass jellies, red fruits and coral sticks, and a variety of infused mineral drinks, each pre-poured into tall, thin crystal rose-colored cups, and laid out in a paisley pattern on the table.

For some reason, Goku did not look happy. He hadn't spoken much, and Trunks could only assume that his concern was about the wedding. It would make sense.

"Hey Goku," Trunks wanted to break the ice, and gestured to himself with a smirk when Goku looked up, "Are you feeling the wedding jitters?"

"I don't know," Goku looked distraught. "I messed up!"

"Huh, what?" Trunks raised a brow, feeling concern. He wondered if Goku were changing his mind.

Goku looked hard at Trunks, and then his eyes softened to wetly appear to be on the verge of tears. "I forgot the camera."

"Huh?" Trunks was not sure he heard right.

Goku wailed, "I couldn't find it this morning. I didn't get any of this."

Trunks broke out into a chuckle, still amazed that Goku surprised him so often. It seemed silly to despair over something like a camera.

"Why are you so down about it?" Trunks bit his lip with a grin.

"Because Pan is getting married." Goku rubbed his eyes. "And Gohan can't be here. And Chi Chi isn't here."

Trunks noted that Goku forgot to mention Goten. He did his due diligence to stick up for his friend, "Yeah, and Goten too."

Goku nodded, wiping an eye that was never wet to begin with.

"Well," Trunks looked down, trying to think of a solution, but could only come back to the first question on his mind, "Why don't you just instant transmit to the ship to get it?"

Goku frowned at Trunks, "I tried before, but I couldn't do it. My body was too young."

"Too young?" Trunks was confused, "When was the last time you tried, Goku?"

Goku looked up, "Uhhh, when we started our trip a few weeks ago."

Trunks sighed. Trunks was tired of correcting Goku about how much time passed.

At some point, Trunks realized that Goku's inability to keep track of time was a Goku thing. And there was no way to change that. It's probably why Goku tended to vanish for years on end and failed to realize the impact on his family. However… it was not for Trunks to judge - just to observe. Goku was Goku.

"Goku, we started our trip over half a year ago." Trunks stated flatly, "You tried in mid-February, and it's September 27th today."

Goku seemed thoughtful.

"Why don't you try it again?" Trunks gestured to the window, "See if you can make it to the ship. The remote is in my jacket," Trunks tightly adjusted his arm to point to the folded denim on a chair on the other side of the snack table.

"Uh, okay!" Goku seemed to brighten at the idea, and walked to the chair. "Anything you want, while I'm there?"

Trunks tried to think of whatever he'd want from the ship.

He reflected on how he had spent the past three hours unable to touch any of the red coral or fruit for fear of staining his white gown. Trunks looked at the vegan snack options, and turned his eyes back to Goku, who was taking out the remote.

Trunks gave Goku a slightly pleading look, "Maybe a meat stick?"

Goku nodded, "Right!" and put his fingers to his forehead.

"Oh, and -" Trunks considered Pan, "... maybe a meat stick for Pan, too?"

Trunks mused slowly to himself, growing a bit of a proud smile. He harkened back to Pan's words from last night, in which she had demanded his commitment to being a better partner for her.

She surely would be proud of him putting in his effort for her. Everyone loved a good meat stick.

–––––––

At first, there was a mirror which showed her the scariest thing in the world.

Then -POOF-, Pan's vision was encompassed by two giant eyeballs, inches from her nose.

"Aaahh!" Pan screamed in surprise, and she took a step back. She felt her foot trip on loose strands, and fell backward on her rear with a -THUNK-.

Hot pink fabrics poofed up and around her in the low gravity, igniting her dress plumes like fireworks as they danced upward and fell around her. Pan felt like she was dressed in a neon cotton candy parachute.

"Noooooo! Grandpa!" Pan reached up her hands in anguish, "Nobody can see me like thiiissss!"

"Who's here?!" Goku quickly hopped backward into a fighting stance, knocking the mirror, which wobbled three times.

They each watched with bated breath as the standing mirror wobbled and wobbled… and then straightened to balance again.

As Pan let out a deep sigh, she felt another thread tear near her back. The little moonlanders needed to come back and fix it.

This was Pan's singular most embarrassing moment in her life.

Dresses were the worst. They literally objectified women! All kinds of companies back home built entire businesses around makeup and fashion marketed to women, and it all was so old fashioned. Pan had hoped upon going into space that she'd come across better fashion for females - stuff that fit good, and also was unisex, like Saiyan armor. Why couldn't she wear a suit? And why couldn't her dress be less tacky?

"This is the worst!" Pan clawed at her cheeks, "The worst! The worst!"

"Aww, Pan, it's not that bad. You should see what Trunks is wearing."

"Stooooooppppp!" Pan whined, still seated on the floor, and completely caught up in the pink pillow of her fabrics and her own emotional turmoil. "I'm going to diiiiiiieeeee."

"Oh don't be so upset, Pan!" Goku grinned. He then dug into his gi, "I got something for you!"

Pan perked up. She liked surprises.

She sniffed, "What?"

Goku held out his prize for her, "I brought you a meat stick!"

"I - aahhh - Oh!" Pan looked at what was in his hand. It was a simple processed meat stick from home, freshly unwrapped from the top. It had its familiar aroma of savory beef and a little spice.

Pan's stomach growled, and her eyes turned to the catered vegan foods on her snack table. Vegan was yuck.

Pan brightened, happy that her Grandpa had the intuition to think of her. "Okay!"

She wiped her right eye and sniffed. With a wide smile, she extended her right hand, where Goku presented the meat gift. She peeled back its wrapping further and took a big bite.

She grinned as she felt her energy restore, and all her negativity got swallowed away.

"You always know the right thing to get, Grandpa," Pan bit into the stick. "This hits the spot."

"It was Trunks' idea! And he helped me figure out how to get the camera!" Goku pulled out the silver camera with a wide grin.

"What?!" Pan scowled, her mood darkening. "Camera?!" Pan glowered, "Of course Trunks would!"

Oooouuuuu, the nerve of him! Pan was so mad.

She pointed to Goku with her meat stick, "Where did you find that camera? No - it doesn't even matter!" She stomped her foot, "You're not allowed to humor him! NO taking pictures of me, got that?!"

"What, why?!" Goku looked distraught.

Pan stood and strongly gestured with both hands down to the fabrics that she wore. "Grandpa, this dress is embarrassing!"

Pan was encased in various ribbons of neon pink fabric that poofed out from her hips and curves in multiple shades of pink. White hand-woven strings tied her pink ribbons to her figure and shaped the fit of the gown to her body. There was a red string that wove down her back, that connected to all the different white strings that held her gown together.

As Goku opened his mouth to reply, there was a -click- by the door, and the sound of it cracking open. A little whistle sound and throaty click came from behind it, and a meek high pitched voice spoke through the crack, "Oo… Miss?"

Pan felt a wave of dread course through her as another witness was about to come in to see her outfit. She had hoped to keep as few witnesses as possible.

Pan and Goku both turned to see the room's door open further, and a long pink ear poked through, followed by a little bald head and big white eyes with indigo pupils.

The little pink man from yesterday greeted them with a question, "Oo?"

Pan's features softened in realization.

"Oh, it's you." Pan gestured for the little man to come in.

The little pink man was the same moonlander who had greeted them in the foyer when they had arrived. He now stood there in a similar white robe, yet his body language trembled a little bit - he looked a little nervous. He shifted a bit, and brought his hands up to play with his stubby fingers.

Pan noticed how the moonlander twiddled his thumbs. "What's wrong?"

"Well," the man looked at her again. "I knoow you nay be familiar with Kikarroo custoom, for boonding. In case nay, I be here to tell."

"You want to tell me about what to expect?" Pan looked to the man and then to Goku. "Okay."

The man fully stepped into the room, and held his right hand out toward the door, which was still ajar. "I be Hikarroo," he gestured to the door, "This be my mate Rikarroo."

When Hikarroo spoke, his musical accent hiked up a musical note when he ended the vowels on each of the names.

"Oh no, how many people are there?!" Pan whined, realizing there were two more witnesses to the dress.

"OoooOO!" Rikarroo, spun into the room with a clockwise entrance dance. She also wore a white robe, and stopped to face Pan with big, wide lavender eyes and lilac lashes. She spoke in a musical tone of reverence, "OooooOOO, twoo thousand."

Pan thought she may have misheard or misunderstood, "What?"

Goku frowned, "Two thousand what?"

"One…" Rikarroo raised one stubby pink arm, then raised a second, "Twoo thousand!" She spun around again, with her long ears pointed behind her, as if to prove her point.

Pan scoffed. "I don't understand."

Hikarroo nodded, "Twoo thousand too witness, Ay!"

Pan's heart felt like it stopped. "What?"

"Alll of the toown is too coome to jooy. We celebrate with Kikarroo!"

"Are you serious right now?!" Pan suddenly realized that this was not a joke. "There are two thousand people out there?!

"Ay!" both of the little aliens chimed. Hikarroo nodded and spun, "And soo we are here to tell yoo what we will doo!"

"I'm going to diiiiiieeeeeee, this is so embarrassing," Pan whined, covering her face, "But… go on… Tell me what we have to do …"

"Ay…" Hikarroo shuffled into the center of the room with Rikarroo behind him.

And then they began to do a dance.

They slowly moved in circular motions, first clockwise, and then halfway through the dance, they shifted to rotate counterclockwise. And then they began to sing. "Twoo riiiiings, to wish for life! Twoo riiiings to bond the soouls…!"

They continued with their song, and Pan tried to hear past their heavy accents. She made a mental note of the lyrics:

Two rings to wish for life.
Two rings to bond the souls.
Two rings for guiding light.
Two rings unite your roles.

"Do you sing that to everyone who gets bonded here in the temple?" Pan crinkled her nose.

"Nay!" they danced in circles gleefully. "Each boond is unique!"

"And who came up with the song? Am I supposed to know what to do from that?" Pan cringed a bit, feeling lost, confused, embarrassed, and overwhelmed.

"When it be time foor the ring, it be time foor yoor wish! You proomise all your sooul!"

Pan thought about this for a minute and then her eyes widened as terror flashed in her eyes. "Are you saying I'm going to lose my soul?!"

The little aliens laughed like staccato notes. "Nay!" they danced, "Just protect!"

"Protect?" Pan blinked, thinking about what that particular word meant to her, and how it was slightly triggering. But then she felt a wave of empowerment and independence.

"I guess I can do that," Pan smirked, and then looked down at her dress and then to Goku with a growing smile that made light of the situation, "Somebody's gonna have to save Trunks' soul at some point."

Pan was going to laugh at her own joke, but then her thought was cut off by the two aliens.

"And thennnn!" the two pink moonlanders began to twirl again, "The reflection room!"

"Reflection room?" Pan raised an eyebrow and looked to the side, and then back to them. "What reflection room?" Nobody had previously mentioned what Pan should expect after the ritual. This was all new information to her.

Hikarroo nodded to her as if agreeing with an answer in his head. "The room foor reflection as yoo await yoor destiny!"

"Yes, yes," Pan waved her wrist, wanting to get to the point, "But what do we do?"

Rikarroo raised her hands up and spoke like little bells, "Yoo undress, and yoo reflect, until yoor destiny."

"What do you mean undress?" Pan's eyes widened and her face cringed even more. She did not like the sound of this at all.

"The cloth yoo wear must be shed. It is religion to be as bare as the seeds of creatioon."

Pan felt her face flush. "B-Bare?" And then realization hit her, "With Trunks?!"

They gave a musical yip! sound and twirled again with their arms up.

Pan felt she was going to die again. Pan was modest! She didn't want Trunks' wandering eyes all over her. Of course Bullhead would look at her. Of course Bullhead would tease.

She had purposely hidden that camera under Grandpa's pillow that morning so Grandpa would forget about it. And then Trunks undid everything by reminding him about it, and now Grandpa had his camera back.

This was going to be such a day to remember.

Trunks was already on his way to being a big pain in the butt. And she already didn't know what to fully expect for the ritual, other than two thousand witnesses.

But… there was one thing she did look forward to - that magical moment at the end of every wedding, and certainly her wedding…

… At least she was going to get her first kiss.

At least… she'd better….

… Because if Trunks didn't… OooOOOoouuuu, he wouldn't even know what's coming to him!

–––––––

–––––––

–A: 10/19/23–

–F: 7/23/24–