"Pan! Pan! Wake up! Wake up! Lord Kojin is coming to the monastery!" shouted Bata with childlike glee.
Pan blinked a few times, rubbed her eyes, and sat up. "Huh?"
"Abbot Sawa received word that Lord Kojin is coming to the monastery!" shouted Bata again.
Pan smirked, her power up, her challenge last night, was being answered. "When will he be here?"
"Within the hour! Get up! Go take a bath! And get dressed!" Bata shouted.
"You can stop shouting you know," said Pan.
Bata scowled. "Oh you, you have no idea. It's such a treasure to be able to lay our unworthy eyes upon our Lord, its been so long..."
"You've met him before?" asked Pan.
Bata shook her head. "Met? No, I'm not worthy of his notice. I've seen him though, at a distance. Now scoot you! Go get ready!"
Pan obeyed, her smirk still plastered across her face, and took a quick bath. Afterwords, she once again slid her gi's on first, then hid them under her monastery robes. When she crushed this scumbag into the dirt, she'd be doing so in her gi's, not 'his' monastery's clothes.
The scene Pan walked out to after she stepped out of her room was utter chaos. Everyone, elites, averages, low classes, instructors, and even Abbot Sawa was scrambling to clean and prepare the monastery. Bata brought Pan a broom and a dust pan and began to help clean. Pan wiggled her nose in distaste, but decided to help clean to pass the time.
Thirty minutes later Pan felt something, a stirring in the distance. She frowned for a moment, stretching out her senses, feeling for ki. She could feel something, but, couldn't get a hint of power. She frowned for a moment, that was curious...
"Lord Kojin will be here within minutes!" Abbot Sawa's voice shouted, "Put away your cleaning supplies and come to the main courtyard immediately!"
Everyone scrambled to obey. Pan watched, feeling amused at the spectacle. She followed Bata to the main courtyard. It was after the main gate of the monastery, it had rows of flowers along a single stone path that lead to and split off towards the many monastery buildings.
To her surprise, everyone began to kneel down along the outsides of the path, bowing their heads. Abbot Sawa knelt down on the path itself, waiting. Bata grabbed Pan and forced her to kneel beside her in the far back of the right side of the path. Pan scowled, she didn't want to kneel before some alien scumbag, but, she'd wait for the right time to...
Woosh
The doors of the monastery flew open, and two figures strode in. One was the Lady Magistrate Pan had met when she was recovering. The other...
A chill went down Pan's spine all the sudden as she laid her eyes upon Lord Kojin, she couldn't understand why. He was as Bata had described. Tall and hugely muscular, teal skin, blue eyes, orange hair, baggy clothes. He had a permanent self conceited smirk on his face as he passed his gaze upon those gathered as he walked.
A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead. She couldn't get a feel of his power. He was completely, perfectly masked. But, he was still giving off a presence, an unnerving one. She frowned, her heartbeat starting to race. She couldn't detect anything about him, so why, why was she feeling so nervous?
Lord Kojin and the Lady Magistrate walked up to Abbot Sawa and stopped, Lord Kojin spoke with a powerful, commanding, deep voice, "Rise, my faithful abbot."
Abbot Sawa did as was bidden and rose to his feet. "You honor us with your presence, Lord Kojin. To what, do we owe the pleasure of your divine company?"
Pan resisted the urge to scowl at that kiss ass abbot, right now, she decided she didn't want to draw attention. She needed to try and gauge more about Kojin. She had a feeling there was far more to him than met the eye.
"I have come to personally inspect one who has recently come to reside within my monastery," said Lord Kojin.
Pan could have sworn aloud as a few nearby snuck a glance over at her. Of course he was looking for her, she HAD drawn him out after all.
Pan's face turned white when Lord Kojin casually glanced towards her, a smirk on his face. Their eyes met, and another chill went down Pan's spine. What was with this guy? Why in the world was he getting to her like this?
"Rise young Pan, you and your 'attendant' will follow me to the arena," ordered Lord Kojin.
Pan felt a lot of uncertainty and fear, both from Bata, and to her chagrin, herself. The two of them rose to their feet, navigated through the kneeling monastery denizens, and stood before Lord Kojin silently, their heads bowed.
Pan froze, going completely still, as Lord Kojin cupped her chin in his hand, raising and turning her face one way, and then the other, inspecting her. "Hmph."
He let go, turned, and started walking down the pathway. Pan felt a surge of anger at being dismissed so easily. She followed behind her, struggling to battle both her anger and her growing unease.
They arrived in the arena. Sawa motioned for them to stand at the center while Lord Kojin approached his throne and sat down. The Lady Magistrate stood next to him, her arms crossed.
"Sawa, Pan's 'attendant', stand aside," ordered Lord Kojin.
Pan narrowed her eyes, her anger winning the battle in her head at the second time he had talked to Bata like that. "Her name is Bata."
There were twin gasps from Bata and Abbot Sawa at her disrespect. The Lady Magistrate glared daggers at her, but, the only reaction that mattered to Pan was Kojins. He merely smiled a smug smile at her.
"Then, Sawa, and Bata, stand aside," ordered Lord Kojin.
The two quickly scrambled to heed his command. Kojin flickered his gaze briefly to Bata, and the girl froze, utterly petrified. He studied her, briefly, before returning his gaze to Pan. However, he merely stared at her, meeting her gaze, doing and saying nothing, as if he were waiting for something.
Pan stood there, uncertain, sweat rolling down her face. Why was he just staring at her? What did he want? Minutes ticked by slowly, and Pan began to have a hard time not trying to break his gaze and look away.
Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore. "What do you want?!"
There was a gasp again from Sawa and Bata.
The Lady Magistrate uncrossed her arms and glared at Pan. "Mind your tone with our Lord you fool girl!"
Lord Kojin merely smirked at Pan, ignoring everyone else's reactions. "I want you to show it to me. Show me your strength."
Pan quickly recalled the level she had shown before, powered up to it, and waited.
Lord Kojin waited a few moments before tapping his finger against his throne. "I'm still waiting."
Pan blinked a few times. "T-this is my full power."
Lord Kojin raised an eyebrow. "Is it?"
Pan lost a bit of color in he face.
"You are rather bold to lie to my face," said Lord Kojin calmly.
How... how did he know she was holding back?
The Lady Magistrate scowled. "Obey your Lord! Lest you want me to beat your power out of you."
Lord Kojin turned his head towards her, a smirk on his face. "If you attempted to challenge her, you would be the one beaten."
The Lady Magistrate gave him a surprised look. "M-m'lord?"
Lord Kojin turned back to Pan. "Well?"
Pan's mind was whirling. Okay, so, he knew she was holding back. He had really good senses, or, he was strong enough to completely outclass and discern her normal maximum power. She wanted to believe the first, but choose to accept the second. Her feelings up to this point forced her too believe he was somewhat strong. But still, she had the Kaio-Ken up her sleeve to make up any power difference between them.
However, a small voice in the back of her head wondered if she might need Super Saiyan to fight him.
Pan clenched her fists. No! The power of the Super Saiyan was what made Odianna want to kill her, what got her effectively banished from Terra by her escape.
"I'm waiting, do not make me wait long," warned Lord Kojin.
"P-pan! Please do what L-lord Kojin asks of you," begged Bata.
Kojin's eyes briefly flickered to her before returning to Pan. "You should listen to you 'attendant'."
Pan clenched her fists, okay that was strike three! "You want my full power? Fine, you'll get it. Ahhhhhhhhh!"
A blue aura ignited briefly around Pan as she powered up to her normal maximum power, causing the buildings around them to rattle. Sawa and Bata fell to the ground, staring at her in shock, even the Lady Magistrate was dumbstruck. However, Kojin merely looked amused.
"Impressive I suppose for a human, though, as a mutant, I expected more," said Kojin with disappointment.
Pan bristled at his dismissal of her strength, but choose to test the waters with a question that had been bugging her. "What do you mean by 'mutant'?"
"I have journeyed across the stars, little one, have visited countless worlds and peoples," explained Kojin, "On each world, there is generally at least one mutant, maybe a small group or family, perhaps a bloodline. Through some genetic mutation, these few have extraordinary power compared to the rest of their race."
Something about this seemed vaguely familiar. She recalled Vegeta once talking about Freeza and his father in such terms.
"Sometimes, they are just vastly stronger, other-times, they can... transform," said Lord Kojin.
Pan's eyes went wide. No way, there was no way he could know...
"Would you care to demonstrate?" asked Lord Kojin, "After all, I can still feel something lurking below the surface. You're doing very well to try and hide it."
Pan's nerves were starting to crack. T-this guy...
"There's no need to hide it, to fear the power, embrace it Pan, and show it to me," said Lord Kojin.
Pan decided she absolutely had to gauge his power before trying anything. It was more than apparent to her by now she had underestimated him. He hadn't shown a damn thing yet but insight into her abilities, she needed to know what she was up against.
Pan's hair and eyes turned red, her muscles slightly increased as she adopted her Mastered Kaio-Ken times ten state. Bata, Sawa, and the Lady Magistrate stood petrified and shocked by her times ten increase in strength. Pan could feel the shock of those nearby who felt her power. Judging by their reactions, they had never felt a power like hers before.
Did that mean then that she was stronger than Kojin with just the times ten? Or had no one alive experience Kojin's power? She desperately wanted to the know the answer.
Kojin himself was raptly studying Pan with interest. "I see."
He glanced slyly at Abbot Sawa. "I heard of your defiance to the Abbot..."
Pan crossed her arms. "I'm not going to apologize."
"I didn't say you should, after all, why should the concerns of the 'weak' bother you?" said Kojin with borderline glee, as if he had been looking for a reason to talk down his Abbot.
Sawa bowed his head, but said nothing. Pan however was livid. She didn't like Sawa at all, but, for Kojin to so easily disregard someone who held such faith in him was infuriating. That man's devotion meant nothing to Kojin. Sawa could take ki blast for him and Kojin would probably laugh.
"Though, on the other end of the spectrum, I'm curious why this 'Bata' interests you enough to show outrage at me merely calling her by her station, she's even weaker than the abbot is," mused Kojin.
Pan clenched her fists. "Whats wrong with you? Just because people are weak is no reason to talk down to them like that!"
Bata and Sawa looked at her, mortified.
Kojin briefly frowned at her. "Wrong with me? You would be wise to mind your tongue."
"Why don't you make me?" dared Pan.
"P-pan! Stop!" squeaked Bata.
Lord Kojin glanced at Bata again before he returned to smirk at Pan. "Ah, how I've missed seeing that arrogance on another's face. To see someone so sure of their strength and power."
Lord Kojin laughed before suddenly, his face contorted with wrath. "But, you are a fool if you think your pitiful power is anything before me."
There it was, Kojin wasn't impressed by the times ten Kaio-Ken. that meant he had to at least be twice, or three times as strong. Hopefully that was it...
"Still, you are to be commended for achieving such a state, and now, I wish to see what this power of yours is capable of. To that end, I think a sparing partner would do," said Lord Kojin with a sadistic grin.
"Bata," called Lord Kojin, "Please take to the ring."
Bata's face grew white with fear, and Pan's with outrage. Did he really expect her to fight Bata like this?
Bata shook as she bowed. "Y-yes L-lord K-kojin..."
She walked, she trembled to the other end of the arena.
"Now, please demonstrate your full power, Pan," ordered Lord Kojin.
Pan glared at her. "She wouldn't survive."
"And?" stated Lord Kojin.
Pan's face twisted in anger. "You... you want me to kill my friend?!"
Lord Kojin shrugged. "If she's too weak to survive a demonstration, then its her own fault. She wouldn't even be worthy of being one of my enforcers."
A gold bolt of energy sparked around Pan. For a brief moment, the rage of the Super Saiyan in Pan threatened to overtake her Kaio-Ken. It took everything to keep that beast caged.
Lord Kojin's eyebrows furrowed. "Hmm."
Pan glared at Kojin. "If you want to see my power, then fight me yourself!"
"Pan! Please, it's okay," said Bata weakly, tears forming in her eyes.
Pan looked at her in shock. "No! It's not okay!"
"J-just do it, don't defy him, please, don't throw your life away for me," begged Bata.
Pan refused to listen and turned to Kojin. "Why don't you send your lady Magistrate against me? She might at least live."
Lord Kojin gave her a perplexed look. "Why would I care if she lived?"
The Lady Magistrate flinched. "M-m'lord..."
Lord Kojin raised a hand and blew a hole through her chest. "The lives of the weak are meaningless things Pan."
Pan watched the Lady Magistrate hit the ground, dead. Pan felt cold, she hated that lady, but this... this was...
"The weak must give way to the strong, Pan, that you would consider defying me over someone as pitiful as your friend here is naive. I'll admit, I did favor this...," Kojin began.
He kicked the woman's corpse away. "...woman, but, I choose to sacrifice her to make you understand. Their lives are playthings to beings like us."
Pan's power was beginning to rise. She was outraged, she was so sick and tired and disgusted of this world. Especially of this man. He was just as bad as any of the villains Grandpa had told her about. Just as bad as the Saiyans plaguing Terra!
Lord Kojin smiled at her. "But, she can be replaced, as any of them can be. However, you Pan, are irreplaceable. You have such potential. I would favor you so, I could train you to become the second most powerful being in the universe, second only to me."
"You're... scum," Pan hissed, starting to lose control of her anger.
Lord Kojin looked like he was starting to grow annoyed. "If you refuse to bend a knee, then you will be punished."
He raised a hand, but instead of aiming it at Pan, he aimed it at Bata. "Perhaps the death of your friend here would help you see reason."
Pan lost it the moment ki began to form in Kojin's hand. "NO!"
She let loose a scream of rage as her mastered Kaio-Ken faded and the yellow light of a Super Saiyan replaced it. Her aura exploded, her hair spiked, and her eyes turned teal. She surged forward the moment the ki blast exploded from his hand and bated it away into the air moments before it could hit Bata.
Bata fell onto her back, shock on her face. "P-pan!?"
"You sick bastard!" Pan screamed at him, her mind numb with rage.
She rushed at him, funneling energy down her right arm and threw it at his face with all her might...
It hit...
And didn't budge his face an inch...
Pan's eyes went wide, a mortified expression crossing her face. The moment she had touched him, she felt it, his power, hiding beneath the surface. He was, bare minimum, as strong as a mastered Super Saiyan. She didn't have a chance in hell of beating him. She slowly floated backwards, fear wracking her body.
Lord Kojin stood up, wrath on his face. "You DARE strike me?"
He backhanded Pan across her face, sending her crashing to the floor a ways away. Pan hit and skidded a bit before slowly rising to her feet, her hand massaging her raw face, blood oozing out of her mouth and nose.
Lord Kojin grinned savagely. "Cunning, to hide a second transformation from me. Truly you are remarkable, but, it's pointless. Do you now understand how weak you are compared to me? Kneel, beg forgiveness from me, pledge yourself to me and my service, and I may yet show you mercy."
Pan stood still for only a moment. She registered his demand, but immediately discarded it. She was her Grandpa's granddaughter. She might not stand a chance against him, but she would NEVER submit, she would never back down. She narrowed her eyes, banished her fear, threw off the monastery robes, revealing her gi, and adopted her Grandpa's fighting stance.
The moment she did, Lord Kojin's eyes went wide with surprise and recognition. "That stance, those clothes..."
Lord Kojin's face grew furious. "What a waste. You're one of them, a descendant of those fool martial artists, aren't you? The ones who refused to kneel, even in the face of defeat."
He ground his teeth. "It's a shame really, but, I know the only thing that will end your defiance... is death."
Faster than Pan could follow, he surged forward and slammed a fist into her right rib-cage. Her eyes bulged as it crumpled, shattered, and tore apart the lung behind it. She screamed, blood erupting out of her mouth. He slammed a fist up into her chin, knocking her into the air.
She lost her Super Saiyan aura as she began to fall to the ground. Before she could hit it, Kojin caught her, grabbing her neck, grabbing a leg, and bringing her back down upon his knee. Pan lost all senses in her lower body as he crumpled her body in half, a kami awful snapping sound penetrating the air. He lifted her up, and tossed her limp body to the ground.
Pan laid there, twitching uncontrollably, pain, agonizing pain, rocketing through her.
Lord Kojin aimed a hand at her, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Goodbye Pan."
Grandpa... mom... dad...
Lord Kojin unleashed a blast of energy, and completely erased Pan from the face of the world.
Goku stopped walking all of the sudden, feeling a coldness enter his chest that he couldn't explain. He whirled around when a heart wrenching scream escaped Videl's lips.
The woman sank to her knees, screaming at the top of her lungs, "PAN! PAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"
Vegeta looked at her in confusion. "What is wrong with you, woman?"
Videl began to sob. "Pan's dead... shes dead... my daughter is dead... PAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"
Goku grew confused. "Videl, there's no way Pan's dead. Calm down a second, Pan's alive, right Gohan, tell her!"
Gohan said nothing, his face white and pale, his fists clenched.
Goku began to tremble. Pan couldn't be dead. She... she just couldn't be dead. He bowed his head, closing his eyes. She couldn't be dead, he could never forgive himself is she was, that she had died because of his one fool wish...