One month later...
"Kaio-Ken times five!" screamed Pan, igniting herself in the fiery red aura and rushing into battle.
Pan picked her target, a lanky Saiyan that was attacking Aideen from behind, and slammed a two-handed fist into him and knocked him to the ground before releasing her Kaio-Ken. Aideen gave her a brief nod before returning to the Saiyan's in front of her. Pan eyed their opponents, four Saiyans total, Odianna was on the other side of Haven with Aneurin dealing with a second attack.
She floated down to the ground, watching the lanky Saiyan pick himself up. She only spared him a moment to catch his breath before re-igniting her Kaio-Ken and rushing to him, barreling into him before clobbering him with a set of quick blows followed by a heavy gut punch. She grinned, watching the Saiyan spit blood. She had to admit, she was starting to like using fox style.
Pan swept his legs out from under him and grabbed his arm, swinging him overhead, and slamming him into the ground. She kicked the Saiyan into the air, cupped her hands together, and released a kamehameha wave that shot right through the Saiyan's chest. She relaxed her Kaio-Ken and watched him fall. She only flinched when he hit the ground and screamed before his ki faded away. She stared at the corpse silently before turning and rushing to rejoin the fight, not that Aideen needed her against trash this weak.
They cleaned up the rest of them in a minute and powered down, breathing with a little effort, Aideen glanced her way. "How you holding up?"
"Fine," replied Pan, "Scum like this barely makes me break a sweat."
Aideen frowned at her briefly before she started flying back towards Haven. "Lets go."
Pan flew behind her, brooding to herself. This last month had been... a learning experience. The first attack since she had learned about Terra's history happened two days later. It was another distraction attack, Odianna and Pan had left to engage Saiyans further from their sanctuary while Aideen and Aneurin had fought off a sneak attack at Haven. Since it the battle was outside of Haven where no one could get hurt, Odianna had kept one alive for Pan to kill...
"Huff, huff, huff," Pan panted with exhaustion.
"Here, catch!" shouted Odianna, kicking the last Saiyan towards her.
Pan surged forward and ignited the Kaio-Ken one last time, overhead smashing her opponent to the ground before releasing the aura. Odianna floated towards her, an amused look on her face. Odianna studied the Saiyan on the ground, and then aimed a hand at him before suddenly stopping. Slowly, she turned towards Pan, then pointed at the Saiyan on the ground.
"Kill him," Odianna ordered.
Pan flinched. "W-well..."
Odianna crossed her arms. "Well what? What are you waiting for?"
Pan slowly descended towards the ground, feeling a bit squeamish. The Saiyan groaned, rising to his feet as she neared. Immediately, Odianna was there and grabbed the Saiyan's arm, twisting it and locking him down. She looked at Pan, waiting patiently. Pan touched down and stared at the Saiyan, trying her best not to tremble. Odianna narrowed her eyes, Pan could see the anger and disgust growing in her eyes. If she didn't do this, she'd never gain Odianna's trust, and never prove herself to her and the others.
Slowly, Pan raised a hand into the air, weakly gathering ki in-front of it. She stood there, her arm trembling. She could feel Aideen and Aneurin heading towards them. She felt ashamed, thinking they too would see her struggling with what they could do so easily and readily. These... these Saiyans were awful people, they killed for their own amusement, had done awful things. She shouldn't... shouldn't have trouble doing this...
The other two touched down a ways a way and watched her silently. It made it even worse...
"Pan, I'm not going to say this again. Kill. The. Saiyan," ordered Odianna.
She had already killed one of them, even if it had been an accident. S-s-so... it shouldn't be hard to do it again...
"PAN!" Odianna roared at her.
Pan gave a yelp of surprise at her outburst and fired without thinking, putting a hole through the Saiyan's chest. Pan stood there, frozen, watching the Saiyan's life leave his body...
Pan scowled, feeling annoyed at the memory and her weakness. It... had hurt the first time, she could admit that, but the next time, she had done it with only a little bit of anger on Odianna's part, and it hadn't hurt as much. Then... the next time, the Saiyans had killed a few people, and Odianna hadn't even needed to order her to do it with how angry she had been. Later on, when her killing stopped a Saiyan from murdering someone before her eyes, she had felt so righteous about it. After that, it just started getting easier and easier, especially with her hatred of these scum growing.
She clenched her fists, the Saiyans had been ramping up their attacks, hitting multiple times per week on what Aneurin called 'soft targets'. Honorless bastards! They targeted the innocent so readily, and mocked them for trying to live a life without fighting. They were a perversion of everything a Saiyan could and should be. Though, at times, she couldn't help but wonder if she was wrong. Instead, were her and her family the perversions? Were Saiyans supposed to be warlike abominations?
Her answer came a moment later when Aideen suddenly cried out, "PAN! Watch out!"
So lost in her thoughts, Pan didn't react in time as a Saiyan came out of nowhere and smashed a leg up into her stomach and then two-handed smashed her towards the ground. She hit the ground hard, struggling not to collapse, anger flashing across her face at the surprise attack. She glanced up at her attacker, an older looking lean Saiyan male. Aideen rushed at him, her times twenty she always defaulted to burning bright. To Pan's surprise, the Saiyan ducked Aideen's attack and drove a knee up into her stomach before backhanding her away.
"Alright kiddos, which one of you is first?" asked the Saiyan, cracking his knuckles.
Pan frowned, this guy was strong. She glanced towards Haven, feeling Odianna and Aneurin still a ways away and still fighting. The moment Odianna detected that they were in danger she'd head over, but until then they were on their own.
"How about you kid? I heard you were the newest human fighter," said the Saiyan.
Pan rose to her feet and into the air, a grin on her face. "Oh, I wasn't aware I was making a name for myself among you bastards."
The Saiyan laughed. "Yeah, a name as the weakest human that can't even handle third class trash!"
Pan's face burned, she resisted the urge to lunge at him. "How do you even know anything about me?"
Pan watched Aideen position herself behind the Saiyan as they talked. "Oh, we know a lot about you trash, we were making bets the other day on which one of you four would die first."
Rather than take the bait, she merely smirked at him. "Guess you'll never find out."
"Kaio-ken times five!" shouted Pan.
"Kaio-Ken times twenty!" shouted Aideen.
They rushed him together and engaged in a flurry of blows that he dodged, blocked, and deflected. "You humans and your kaio-whatever, using false strength you don't really have and can't sustain!"
WHAM, the saiyan flipped himself up and over the two of them before booting Pan in the back of her head. She cried out and plummeted down, losing the Kaio-Ken and hitting the ground hard. She clutched her head, wincing painfully. Pan rose to her feet, eyeing the battle going on above her. This was going to get out of control real quick.
Pan clenched her fists and rapidly raised and lowered her ki three times, the universal GET OVER HERE sign for Odianna. The Saiyan glanced down at her with a smirk and to her surprise, repeated what she had just done. Immediately, she felt a huge power, definitely a super saiyan, appear and move to engage Odianna. Sweat rolled down Pan's face, this was planned...
The Saiyan backhanded Aideen away and caused her to drop her aura. She sagged a bit to the ground before shaking her head and recovering.
The Saiyan cracked his neck to the left, then cracked it to the right. "Its about time someone finally got around to wiping out your kind. No more screwin around and going after you all loner style. Were gonna peel you humans apart like an onion, one layer at a time."
The Saiyan surged down at Aideen and swung a heavy plow towards her head. "Die!"
"Times twenty-five!" roared Aideen, barely dodging out of the way before turning and booting the Saiyan's head. The Saiyan staggered a ways through the air before turning and massaging his head. He raised a finger and wagged it at Aideen. She took the initiative and rushed him.
Pan rose into the air, powering up to full strength as she did. She was useless in the general fight, she couldn't push her Kaio-Ken high enough to fight head on at their level. She'd have to time it just right to give Aideen the edge she needed to win.
The Saiyan swung a fist, smashing it into Aideen's shoulder. Aideen used the hit to spin herself around before smashing a leg into the Saiyan's head. The Saiyan staggered a bit, an annoyed look on his face. Aideen herself was breathing heavy, sustaining a twenty-five looked like it was draining her heavily. Pan frowned, feeling twitchy, she had to intervene soon, otherwise...
"TIMES THIRTY!" screamed Aideen with pain, surprising Pan.
Her aura exploded and she bum rushed the Saiyan, laying into him in a brutal barrage of blows. Blood flew out of the Saiyan's mouth as Aideen gut punched him hard and then smashed an open palm into his forehead. The Saiyan grunted in pain before throwing out his hands and unleashing a stream of ki blasts, forcing Aideen away. Pan watched with surprise as the Saiyan kept his distance, and kept throwing ki blasts to keep Aideen away...
Pan's eyes went wide. "Aideen! He's stalling!"
"I... know...!" huffed Aideen.
Shit, her power was plummeting, and a moment later, the Saiyan sent her body plummeting as well with a surprise rush and kick to her back. Aideen hit the ground hard, her aura fading, and laid there. Pan felt her ki drop, but not enough for to fear for her life, she might just be unconscious. The Saiyan slowly turned his head, giving Pan a grin. A bead of sweat rolled down Pan's forehead. Aideen was unconscious, and Pan was about to follow, if not be outright killed.
The Saiyan slowly floated towards her. "Any last word's kid?"
Pan gulped and thought furiously before an idea hit her, she waited until he was just infront of her before she glanced past him and shouted with fake relief, "Odianna!"
The Saiyan gave a start and turned his head. "Wha...?"
"TIMES TEN!" Pan yelled, breaking far more past the limit she should have.
She rushed forward and kicked between the Saiyan's legs with all her might. The Saiyan screamed in agony as Pan's leg connected with a crushing impact.
She smashed a leg up into his chin, flew above him as his head rose, and screamed, "FACE!" before shoving both her hands towards his eyes and unleashing ki blasts point blank.
The Saiyan clutched one hand between his legs, one hand over his eyes, screaming again.
Pan grinned before exhaustion hit her and she lost her Kaio-Ken. She couldn't bring out enough energy to stop herself from falling and hit the ground hard. She laid there, watching the Saiyan also lose control and fall to the ground. Unlike her, he landed on his feet, though, he did fall to a knee.
"You... little... bitch...," swore the Saiyan, moving his hands away and slowly rising to his feet.
Pan noted the burned tissue around his eyes as he swerved his head back and forth. She grinned weakly, she had managed to blind him.
"Where the hell are you!" roared the Saiyan.
The Saiyan huffed and huffed before he slowly calmed down. "Mmmm, I'll give you credit kid. Few are the ones who have ever done me in like that. This ain't nothing a healin tank wont fix though."
The Saiyan turned his head towards Pan, a wicked grin growing on his face. Pan breathed in and let it out, feeling frustrated. Damn Saiyan! She thought he'd be down for a least a few minutes after taking that hit. Maybe she should have tried to go in for the kill rather than blind him, as he could feel where she was. She felt around one last time, Odianna had killed the Super Saiyan and was heading their way, but she was still at least a minute out.
The Saiyan stood over her and aimed a hand down. "Sweet dreams ki-"
A red hand erupted through the Saiyan's chest, sending blood everyone. Pan looked at it, shocked, before looking behind the Saiyan and seeing Aideen standing there, breathing hard and with effort. Aideen removed her hand and kicked the Saiyan, knocking him to the ground. Aideen fell to her knees and lost her aura, using her hands to keep her somewhat upright.
"Y-you... wretched... humans... by... tomorrow night... none of you... will be left... alive...," gasped out the Saiyan, who laughed then manically before his ki dropped and he died.
Aideen fell onto her back, her chest rising and lowering with breath, before glancing over at Pan. "You... okay...?"
Pan nodded, sighting Odianna and Aneurin flying towards them. "Yeah... piece of cake... I guess Odianna was right... about fighting dirty."
Odianna landed between the two of them and scowled. "You two going to lay there all day?"
"A little... energy... would be nice," muttered Aideen.
Odianna held out a hand towards both of them and gifted them a bit of her strength. The two of them rose to their feet and wiped sweat from their foreheads.
Odianna nodded. "Lets head back."
"Wait!" said Pan, "The Saiyan said something before he died. He told us none of us would be left alive by tomorrow night."
Odianna frowned. "And? I don't care about the empty threats of dying Saiyans."
With that, she turned and took off, the three of them following.
Pan glanced over at Aideen. "Thanks by the way."
"For what?" asked Aideen.
"Saving me at the end, I was done for," said Pan sheepishly.
Aideen smiled at her and playfully jabbed, "Hell, someones gotta look out for you with all the trouble you get yourself into."
Pan flew over and shoved her. "Nuh uhh!"
Aideen shoved her back. "Yeah huh!"
"Children!" Aneurin called back.
The two of them giggled.
"I mean it though," Pan said faintly, "Thanks."
Aideen nodded. "I wouldn't let anything happen to you Pan."
Pan's face turned a little red with embarrassment before she faced down and picked up speed.
Aneurin crossed his arms and called ahead. "You sure it's empty?"
Odianna glanced back. "What's empty?"
"The threat, these attacks have been really well coordinated, and that last one looked like the Saiyan's were intentionally drawing the two of them away from you to pick them off," said Aneurin.
"They're idiots then, they should have sent the Super Saiyan instead of that oaf, Pan and Aideen would have been dead before I could blink," retorted Odianna.
Pan scowled. "We could have held on a little bit."
"I mean it Odianna, I have a bad feeling about all of this," said Aneurin.
The group came to a stop before Odianna turned to face him, looking irritated. "Why don't you ask your kai in the sky if he can see anything going on then? Don't waste my time with guesswork."
Aneurin nodded and looked up. "Hey! Prince Kai! You there?"
Sip
Odianna growled. "Stop drinking your stupid wine for one blasted second!"
"Someone's mood appears to be of a high quality today," came the voice of Prince Kai.
"Can you use check and see if anythings going on near Terra?" asked Aneurin.
"One moment, good sir," replied Prince Kai.
A minute later he spoke, "I detect nothing in the solar system."
Odianna nodded. "See? Like I said."
"What about outside the solar system?" asked Pan.
"Little miss, you are aware that 'outside the solar system' encompasses the entire universe, correct?" asked Prince Kai.
Pan scowled. "Okay, nearby solar systems."
There was nothing for a few minutes before a quiet reply came, "Oh... oh no..."
Odianna frowned. "What is it?"
"If I'm estimating right, a day and a half out, a mothership and at least a hundred attack pods heading your way," said Prince Kai with unease.
Pan's blood went cold, fear ripping up and down her spine. "They... were softening us up..."
"Son of a bitch," swore Odianna, "Back to Haven! NOW!"
They started flying back at top speed and landed at the center of the sanctuary, Odianna immediately began to shout orders. "Harvest whatever you can from the fields! Pack up supplies, and move towards the Lord's Palace! Scavengers! Go out and find as much food as you can! We have an Invasion force heading our way that will be here tomorrow!"
Pan watched as everyone burst into motion, looks of fear and determination on their faces.
Aideen stepped in-front of Pan and then knelt down, putting her hands on Pan's shoulders. "Go help them prepare, and when the attack hits, stay with them and watch over Haven while we go fight them."
"No! I'm going to help fight!" refused Pan.
"You're not strong enough yet!" countered Aideen.
Odianna frowned. "She's far stronger than the regular corps, she can take on second class saiyans, stall elites, and maybe distract a super saiyan."
Aideen stood, turned, and pointed a finger at her. "Don't you dare send her out there to die!"
Odianna glared at her. "Excuse me? It's our duty, your duty, to fight against the Saiyans. I will not coddle and hide her just because your feeling motherly all the sudden. I didn't do that to Aneurin, I didn't do it to you, I will not do it to her."
"She'll get killed!" said Aideen.
"Aideen...," Pan began.
"Don't you say a word," said Aideen.
Pan began to feel vexed, being treated like a child. She knew Aideen meant well, but she wanted to help, even... even if she died! It was frightening, but, if giving her life saved even one other person's, it would be worth it. She closed her eyes, which would probably happen... dammit... if only she was stronger, if only she had more time to train!
Pan opened her eyes. "Time... that's it!"
Aideen glanced at her. "What's it?"
"The time chamber! Send me into the time chamber and I'll get strong enough to help! To make a real difference!" shouted Pan with excitement.
Aideen stared at her silently.
Aneurin frowned. "The time chamber at eight years old? I don't know."
"I can handle it! My Grandpa told me about it before, I know what to expect!" Pan argued.
Odianna nodded. "Lets go then."
Aideen hesitated. "But..."
Pan took off, heading towards the chamber as Odianna shouted, "Change of plans! Someone start gathering food for a time chamber session!"
Thankfully, Odianna didn't baby her! Believed that Pan could handle it, knew she'd become strong enough to help save Haven, save humanity! Pan had begun to cherish Aideen, she had to admit she reminded her of her mom when she had her tomboy moments, but, she didn't need to be babied right now. She needed to get stronger at all costs. Odianna frustrated Pan at times, but she let Pan test her limits, didn't hold her back.
"Follow," said Odianna, landing at a hole in the bottom of the Lord's Palace.
They walked in and moved awkwardly through the lopsided halls. Having fallen on its side, the structure was a bit odd to navigate through. Finally, the came across a door that looked very familiar to Pan, she had seen her Grandpa and Vegeta sneak into it often enough to try and outdo the other to recognize it on sight.
Odianna turned to face her. "It's empty of food and water as of the moment. Wait a minute for someone to go in and stock it a little bit. We will continually bring in food periodically to restock you. The chamber doesn't work when its open, so the restockers will be quick. You will be on your own in there, none of us can go in to train with you or help you if you overdo your training. If you pass out to far from the resting area, the gravity will kill you. Even though you have two days time total, don't spend the entire day and a half before the invasion comes, you need to be out and ready to fight. One day, one year, no more, no less. Tread carefully during the last month, if you injure yourself badly with only a few days before you have to leave, you are useless to us."
Pan nodded. "Okay."
Odianna turned and started to walk away before Pan called out, "Odianna!"
She glance back. "What?"
"I... I won't let you down," said Pan.
Odianna stared at her wordlessly for a minute before she spoke quietly and then left, "I know you won't, just be careful in there."
Pan's face burned with pride at the words, the first nice thing Odianna had ever said to her! Pan waited impatiently until a small group came through carrying broken crates of food. Pan opened the door, waited for them to deposit the food, and then after they left, walked in and closed the door behind her.