Pan's Birthday

Pan’s eighteenth birthday is tomorrow and she knows exactly what she wants. She’s known what she’s wanted it for the past 10 years, but had told no one not even her best friend Bra.

She had hinted at it once a couple of years ago and Bra had started laughing. It had taken months before she had stopped teasing Pan about it. So Pan had never mentioned it again, Bra probably still wouldn’t understand, even now. Or maybe she would, Pan grins. Her friend and Uncle Goten always seem to be bickering for no reason lately, but Pan thinks that maybe there's something else going on there too.

For the last week Pan had been doing some very un-Pan like things. Like reading fashion magazines and shopping. She’s also been watching the other girls at school when they freshened their make-up between classes.

She’d even gone out and bought a dress and high heels!

That had been just three days ago, and the shopping trip had almost turned disastrous. Messing up all of her careful preparations and blown the whole thing up in her face. Of all days, that was the one time she’d have to run into Uncle Goten and Trunks at the mall.

She’d just emerged from Bra’s favorite fashion boutique when Uncle Goten surprised her, as he pushed down on her head, saying, “Hey squirt, what’s up!” That was the one problem with being so short, no one seemed to take her seriously.

“I’m doing some shopping.” She’d replied coolly.

“So where’s the others?” Then he glanced around looking for Bra and Marrion.

“They’re not here, I’m alone.”

That’s when Trunks had walked up. She had felt her face flush and looked down rapidly hoping he hadn’t noticed.

Trunks had decided to take the day off. He’s been so busy lately at work that he hadn’t had a chance to see any of his friends. Being president of Capsule was tedious sometimes, with meetings, work luncheons and executive dinners. And if he wasn’t working, he was dodging predatory debutantes. It was a real drag being one of the most eligible bachelors in the world.

Now where did Goten get to? Oh there he is, who’s that he’s with?

It’s Gohan’s daughter! Trunks smiles and heads towards them, today‘s looking up.

She’s blushing! He wonders what the little minx is up to this time?

“Hey Trunks get this,” her uncle grins at his best friend, “Pan’s out shopping, all by herself!”

Pan had glared at Goten, “So what’s wrong with that, can’t a girl shop alone once in a while?” Goten raised his hand and scratched the back of his head, so reminiscent of grandpa Goku that Pan almost giggled through her mad. “I guess, but it’s so not like you.”

“Well I am almost eighteen maybe I decided to try something new!”

“Okay.., So what’d ya buy?”

“It’s none of your business!” Her eyes flashed with greenish sparks.

Goten backed away from her fierce glare, hands in front of him.

Pan’s temper was almost as bad as Vegeta’s sometimes and she certainly looked like she was about to explode.

Trunks just stood there, looking at her speculatively. With that strange half smile on his face he always seemed to have whenever he saw her.

Pan hated it when he saw her lose control. She always wanted to impress him, and make him proud of her.

Even if she didn’t exactly understand why.

Ever since that first tournament, until that day he’d only been Uncle Goten friend and Bra‘s big brother. Someone she knew but paid very little attention to. The tournament had been anticlimactic after grandpa Goku and Uub’s fight but continued anyway.

As luck would have it, Trunks was her opponent in her last match. She’d known he’d win it before they’d even started. After all, he was bigger and older and half-Saiyan. He and Uncle Goten were pretty evenly matched, half the time she suspected that they just took turns losing to please Trunks dad, Vegeta. While she was just five and only one-quarter Saiyan. But she had decided to give it all she had anyway ’cause that’s the way both her grandpas would do it.

So she had attacked him full force, they had met in the center of the floor, both blocking elbow to elbow, eye to eye.

And that’s when it happened.

A shock had shot through her, and she knew he had felt it too, because his eyes widened in surprise. It seems as if they were frozen there for hours, looking at each other but it had only been a few seconds. Suddenly he had grabbed her, wrapping his arms around her and trapping her in a bear hug against his chest. She had liked the way it made her feel.

He had grinned down at her, then had gently carried her over to the edge of the floor and set her firmly on the ground defeating her with a ring out. He’s smiled down at her and said, “Someday you’ll conquer me, Pan but not today.”

She had stood there looking up into his smiling blue eyes and felt like he had just given her the best present in the entire world, instead of defeating her.

Trunks was surprised to see Pan by herself at the mall. Usually the other two girls had to drag her kicking and screaming. Pan was not normally a girly girl. But Trunks liked her any way she was. He couldn’t help himself. He had even thought she was the cutest baby he’d ever seen, even before it happened. He’d been very surprised at the events during the tournament. His father had told all three boys about Saiyan Bonding when Gohan started noticing girls. He was careful to warn them to watch for the bonding sensation symptoms set off by the physical trigger of skin on skin contact. The electric-like shock and the merging of emotions as the pair's psyche’s matched.

It happened first with Goten and Bra when she was really, really little. The boys had been afraid to tell the Saiyan Prince at first, but when he was informed he only smiled, then said, “Even one of Kakarot’s brats is better that some weak earthling.”

Then it happened to Gohan with Videl. But Trunks waited and waited. As the years passed and he waited, he grew more and more reserved. By the time he reached 18 and it still hadn’t happened he started to think it might never happen.

He remembered the first time finally he really noticed Pan. It had been at her first martial arts competition. Even as little as she was at the time, she had been impressive. Her moves and tactics were proof enough to anyone who knew, that she was Saiyan to the core.

He had been a little disconcerted when they were matched up in the semi-finals. He had hoped to fight against Goten, Dad or maybe even Goku. But dad had been disqualified, Goku had taken off with that kid Uub and Goten had been matched against Mr. Buu. So he’d ended up fighting Pan.

Then it finally happened to him and with little Pan of all people. It had shook him up in more than one way. But it shocked Gohan and Vegeta even more. The funniest part of that was Gohan was more dismayed than Dad, but after Vegeta explained it, Goku‘s eldest got used to the idea and finally accepted that it was now inevitable.

So Pan’s father had made only one condition, Trunks would have to wait for Pan to make the first move or until her eighteenth birthday. After all, there was nothing anyone could do to change the bonding.

So Trunks had been waiting patiently ever since. He’s seen her grow-up through the years, from the adorable little scamp at the tournament, she’d changed into a belligerent, but cute kid. Determined to emulate her parents and Grandfathers. Then she’d changed into a teenaged tomboy, more interested in sparring with boys than dating them. Now it looks like she’s about to change again. But he knows whatever she does he’ll like it.

The fact was, that Trunks had been at the mall for a very special reason himself. He was picking up a very special birthday present for Pan’s eighteenth birthday, in four days. He can only hope that his long wait is almost over.

After the tournament, Pan had started watching Trunks whenever he came over to spar with her dad or Uncle. She had loved climbing up on Trunks lap and just sitting there whenever the two families visited but for some reason Daddy and Vegeta both frowned on that. So she had to be satisfied with what they would let her do with Trunks. Like big long affectionate hugs or pig-a-back rides or being carried around on Trunks shoulders. But as she got older they slowly stopped.

That’s when she started wheedling Uncle Goten into letting her tag along whenever he went to Capsule Corporation to spar with Trunks. She tell him and her parents it was so she could play with Bra, but it was really for the chance to see Trunks.

She and Bra would play for a while, but eventually Pan would convince her friend that it would be more fun to go watch the boys. It didn’t take much teasing, since Bra had a crush on Uncle Goten anyway.

Trunks would smile that same half smile whenever he saw them arrive. He seemed to understand the real reason she'd come, and try to spend a little time with her and Bra when they appeared.

It sure bugged the heck out of Uncle Goten, because the girls appearance always signaled the end of the training session.

Uncle Goten would start calling her a pest, then Trunks would respond that Bra was the real pest. Then the boys would start arguing about which girl was worst. But then Trunks would always win with the fact that he was stuck with Bra 24/7, while Goten only had to deal with Pan part of the time. That’s when they’d all start laughing and the bigger boys would end up taking the little girls out for some sort of treat, ice cream, pizza, hamburgers or something.

At some point, she never knew exactly when or how it happened, but just after she’d turned thirteen, she’d realized she was in love with Bra’s big brother.

After that, she knew exactly what she’d wanted the most in the world.

To marry Trunks.

After that happened Uncle Goten began complaining that Pan had become even more of a pest. But she’d even eventually managed to tag along with them one day when Trunks and Goten gone to get haircuts.

And that had turned out to be her luckiest day ever, she’d been able to swipe a lock of his lavender hair off the barbershop floor. She’d hid the stolen treasure in a special heart shaped locket, and the locket has been attached to the chain she’s worn ever since.

But Pan reflects, that first tournament was years ago, she doubted if Trunks even remembers it, with everything that had occurred since. But she was so glad it had happened the way it did. All those months in space with him, while they searched for the dragonballs. It had been heavenly, being so close to him, even with all the dangers and grandpa Goku along. She’d seen him in all his moods, she’d been devastated when she thought he had been killed by the robots.

And scared shitless when she they had returned home and she thought Bebe’ had taken him over for good.

Then the dragonballs had changed, and after all those battles, grandpa Goku had gone away with them.

But now life was back to normal, even if grandpa Goku is gone.

She suddenly looks at the clock, she’d better hurry her appointment at the hairdresser was in twenty minutes.

The next day found a strangely changed Pan. Her long straight hair was permed and curled, arranged softly about her face. Her garb was changed too, she had on a soft blouse that clung to her and a pair of tight shorts. It showed off the fact that she was no longer a little girl and very definitely a young woman. As she looked in the mirror appraising the changes, she thought, I may not be as pretty as Marron or as well endowed as Bra but at least I’m not flat or ugly.’

Her two friends had once teasingly told her that if Pan ever decided to change into a girl, she wouldn’t be lacking boyfriends. Pan glances at the mirror one last time before going downstairs, ‘I suppose they could be right but I still don’t see it.’

Pan had dated a bit herself, but only when the others were going in group somewhere. She wasn’t really interested in any of the boys her own age, there was only one person she was really interested in.

She’d only went along when there was a chance that Trunks would be around. And if he was, he’d look at her with that strange half smile on his face as usual. He'd just stand around and watch the other kids having fun in his usual reserved way but he would always manage to dance with her once or twice.

Pan loved the feel of Trunks arms about her, the sound of his pulse beat as her head lay on his shoulder. And that would make putting up with all the other boys and their foolishness dating nonsense's worthwhile.

Trunks had waited and watched, as she grew and changed. Whenever there was a chance she’d be out with the others he’d join the group. If Trunks had the opportunity, he’d even dance with her. It felt so good to be near her, to hold her in his arms, it made the long waiting bearable.

Pan had shed all her old clothes, the too big t-shirt, the ever present knapsack, the torn jeans even her sparring gloves were gone, as well as the clunky sneakers and socks. But the biggest difference was in her face. She had taken extra care and put on make-up for the very first time. Overnight she had turned from a rough tough tomboy, into a beautiful young lady. The only thing she’d retained was her precious locket, it was now suspended from a chain about her throat.

Her father Gohan was speechless when she came downstairs this morning. But mom had only smiled knowingly, saying, “It’s about time!”

“Pan you’re beautiful!” Says Gohan beaming at his transformed daughter.

She stops at the bottom step. “Really Papa?”

“Really, princess.” Then he’d walked over, taken her gallantly by the arm and led her to the breakfast table. She’d blushed, “Bra’s the princess not me.”

“Maybe, but remember your Great Grandpa is the Ox-King, which means your Grandma Chichi is a princess, and that makes you royal too.” He tells her with a smile. “Just like Bra and Trunks.”

Pan stops startled, “I never thought about it that way before.”

As they start eating, Videl says, “Your party at Capsule Corp. starts at seven. We’ll leave here around five so have everything ready to go by then.”

“It’s already, ready, Mom.” She finishes eating, “Some of the guys at Grandpa Satan’s gym asked me to come over for awhile. They want to give me a present, so I’m heading over there now, I’ll be back by four.”

“All right dear.” Her mother nods and Pan gives her dad a quick kiss before running out the door and leaping into the sky.

Trunks is in his office, staring at the papers on his desk. His executive assistant is droning on and on about profit margins and fiscal something or others. But the President of Capsule Corporation is not really listening. He’s senses something and glances out the window. There’s a familiar streak in the sky, heading towards Mr. Satan’s gym, he smiles a strange half smile.

Today’s her birthday, Mom’s planned the party carefully. Everyone will be there, Gohan has known for a while now and so has Dad. He reaches in his pocket to finger what’s nestled there. He can only hope, that tonight’s the night!

Later that day they arrive at Capsule Corp. Pan is nervous, she really doesn’t want to be seen by Trunks until the party. Fortunately he’s busy in another part of West City with company business so she gets in and up to Bra’s room without encountering him.

Bulma had smiled when she had seen the new version of Pan and even Vegeta’s lips had curved slightly, as he’d commented acidly, “It’s about time you started looking like a female.” But there’s an amused glint of approval in the Saiyan Prince’s eye. Bulma had glared at him but her glare had softened into a smile when she realized her truemate was just teasing the girl.

Pan and Vegeta had come to an understanding very early on. He liked her and she knew it but he never said so. Instead he insulted her.., a lot, but they were affectionate insults and very similar to how he acted with Bulma. Vegeta almost seems to accept her presence as if she were a member of the family.

Bra had been amazed in the change. “Pan! You’re absolutely gorgeous!”

“You really think so?” She had asked hesitantly.

“I’d be jealous if you weren’t my best friend.” Trunks sister leads the way as they carry up Pan’s things upstairs. “Marron and her parents are here already and so’s your grandmother Chichi and Goten.”

“Is Trunks around?” She’d asked shyly, blushing slightly.

“No, but he’ll be back in time for the party.” Bra hadn’t noticed.

Pan doesn’t know whether to be relieved or not. She can’t wait to see him but she’s afraid about how he’ll react when he sees how much she’s changed.

The three girls are giggling in Bra’s room when Trunks gets home. He’s tempted to burst in and surprise them, he hasn’t seen Pan in four days.

It troubles him when he can’t be near her. He misses not seeing her or getting a chance to touch her even if it’s only a casual brush of his hand against hers. But he’s waited for a long time and he can wait just a little longer. He’s determined to wait for her forever if he has to, but he hopes that tonight will put an end to his long vigil.

Finally the party starts, Pan has waited on tenterhooks for the last twenty minutes, fussing in the mirror, then pacing and fussing some more. Bra and Marron are having giggle fits because the normally cool collected Pan is so flustered.

“You’d think you were going out on you’re first date!” Exclaims Bra, “Instead of it just being your birthday party with friends and family!”

“Well it is my eighteenth and I’m just not used to wearing a dress!” Snaps Pan nervously.

Bra covers her mouth with her hand and giggles some more, “That’s for sure.” But seeing Pan’s look of dismay she reassures her. “But you look really great!”

Marron flutters around Pan. “You’re so lovely, I can hardly believe it’s you.”

Pan stares at her reflection in the mirror, “I don’t believe it either.”

A breathtaking young woman looks back at her, dressed in a form fitting blue silk sheath, high heels and an upswept hairdo. Elegant drop earrings and a matching necklace sparkle in the light, the locket chain is wrapped about her wrist like a fancy bracelet. She looks so mature, more like a model or a vid star than an eighteen year old world-class martial artist. All she can do is hope that he likes the changes.

Bulma finally comes up, and shoos the other two girls downstairs. It’s almost time for Pan to make her appearance. Her birthday celebration has been set-up as a formal coming out party for her. Grandpa Satan takes her arm just out of sight of the guests at the top of the staircase. Everyone is waiting below for her entrance into society.

“Baby doll, you’re beautiful.” Says Grandpa as lifts her hand and kisses the back of it. She hugs his arm, trembling just a little. She can almost hear her grandpa Goku’s voice echoing the sentiment.

This is it!

They start down the stairs. She scans the faces below that turn up in her direction,...There!

He looks so handsome dressed in a tuxedo. She notices with a twinge of jealousy that as usual he’s surrounded by several girls.

And why shouldn‘t he be, she thinks. He’s considered one of the most eligible bachelors in the world. President and heir to Capsule Corporation, a Prince in his own right, to those that know the whole truth.

He looks up at her in astonishment, suddenly his face lights up.

She smiles down at him hesitantly.

She’s so beautiful, he can’t believe his eyes. He’s watched her for so long now, growing up.

Changing from the little imp at her first tournament, into the rebellious little hellion but a staunch little fighter he fondly remembers from their voyage in space. Now she changed again, transformed from a warrior into an angelic vision of loveliness.

He’s waited such a long time for this day to come.

The child is gone, the woman he’s waited for has finally appeared.

Before anyone can move he’s pushed free of his groupies, reaching the foot of the stairs, before she and her grandpa can complete their descent.

Trunks claims her possessively from her grandfather’s arm.

Pan looks up into his face, his blue eyes are sparkling with excitement and the half smile she grown so used to, changes into a welcoming grin. He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a small box. Opening it he offers it to her.

She looks down and smiles, tears start in her eyes.

"Pan you’ve finally conquered me!” He says softly.

The ring sparkles as he places it on her hand.

“Marry me!”

She smiles up at him and nods shyly, this was exactly what she wanted, what she’s dreamed about almost her whole life. Trunks takes her in his arms.

He kisses her in front of them all, as their families and friends look on in approval and applaud.

The party begins in earnest.

Everyone gathers about the couple offering congratulations. Except Vegeta and Gohan, they’ve known what’s been coming for years.

Now there’s another subject to center their concern.

“Just when is your idiot brother going to marry Bra?” asks the Saiyan Prince crossly.

“Goten says he’s just waiting for her to tell him when she’s ready.” Responds Gohan.

“Well Bra acts like he’s never even proposed.”

“I guess I’ll talk him again.”

“You better, I’d like to get all this sentimental nonsense over with.” Growls Vegeta, his old evil grin appears momentarily, “Since it looks like Saiyan blood breeds true with Earthlings, if I can’t conquer Earth the quick and easy way. We’ll just do it the long slow hard way. The Earthlings will eventually all become Saiyans.”

Gohan just laughs at the Saiyan Prince’s joke.

Then he heads off to find his younger brother.

Gohan finds Goten watching Bra dancing with one of her numerous suitors.

“Vegeta wants to know why you two aren’t married yet.”

“I guess it’s because Bra’s not ready.” Answers his brother as he watches Vegeta’s daughter with hungry eyes.

“Well Vegeta says she acts like you two aren’t even engaged.”

“I know, sometimes I wonder about it. But when she asked me, she specifically said when we were older.” He shrugs, “And I told her then to let me know when she was ready. She hasn’t said anything about it since.”

“Well maybe you should talk to her about it.”

“I don’t want to rush her.” He looks up at his brother, “You wouldn’t let Trunks rush Pan.”

Gohan gets a uncomfortable look. “That was different, he’s so much older than she was when it happened.”

“Pan’s only two years younger than Bra!”

Gohan winces a little knowing his brother is right.

“Just talk to Bra, okay?”

“All right. I’ll try and catch her after she finishes dancing.”

At the end of the set, Bra is a little surprised when Goten walks up to her and pulls her away from her cluster of admirers.

“Let’s go see Trunks and Pan.”

As he leads her towards her brother and his niece, he says, “I want to talk to you in private afterwards.”

After congratulating the newly engaged couple, Goten takes Bra out into the garden.

Goten seems depressed, probably at the thought of losing his best buddy. But Bra’s too upset herself with him right now to feel sorry for him. She’s been certain he’s in love with her, for a long time now but he’s never said one word to her about even dating, let alone anything about marriage.

She’s tried everything she can think of to get a reaction out of him. Running around dating numerous other guys, flaunting her body in that miniscule red outfit. Nagging him about anything and everything but marriage and nothing seems to work. Why doesn’t he ever react. He doesn’t even to seem to get jealous.

Bra pulls her hand form his and turns to look crossly at Goku’s youngest son, “I thought I’d be married long before Pan!”

She so lovely when she’s angry, it tears at his heart. He’s wanted her for ages, “So why aren’t we?” He asks her dejectedly.

“You’re asking me that?” She stares at him.

“I've been waiting all this time for you to settle down and tell me when you’re ready to get married.” He looks at her in puzzlement.

“What in the world are you talking about?”

Goten looks at her, his heart suddenly apparent in his eyes, “Bra, a long while back you asked me to marry you when we got older. I told you sure, just let me know when you were ready. That was twelve years ago, I’ve been waiting for you to set the date ever since!”

She remembers it as clearly as he does, even if she‘d only been eight at the time. One of her schoolmates had been teasing her that day and said no one would ever want to be Bra’s husband because her dad was so mean looking. She had run home crying and bumped into Goten, when he had asked her what was wrong she’d sobbingly told him. He picked her up, cuddled her and told her that it was silly, anyone would be glad to marry someone as sweet and pretty as she was. That’s when she had gulpingly asked if him if he would marry her when she got older. He had smiled and said sure.

Now she just stares at him in astonishment, “You really meant what you said to me that day! When I got older I thought you’d forgotten all about it. That it had been a silly assurance given to a unhappy little girl. That you’d only said it then to make me stop crying.”

“I never forget or ever break a promise I’ve made to you, you know that.” He takes her in his arms.

She smiles up at him, that has been the one constant in their long relationship. Goten has always kept every promise.

She suddenly realizes that the only problem they’ve had has been one of her not remembering that single, simple fact.

“All this time I’ve been unhappy waiting for you to propose to me. While all along you’ve unhappy waiting for me to tell you I was ready.” She nestles into his arms, as they both giggle at their shared foolishness.

Then he looks into her eyes, “If that’s all it takes.” He grins at her. “Bra will you marry me?”

She throws her arms wide joyfully and then wraps them around Goten. “YES! Oh yes!”

Later that night as Pan lies in Trunks arms, the first stages of their bonding complete. He tells her, “I’ve waited a long time and I think I’ve loved you forever.”

She smiles, “I know I have.”

Bra and Goten are also finally together, lost in each other.

Goten takes her face in his hands, “You know how long I’ve wanted to do this.” He kisses her and their emotions merge.

“I’ve dreamed of it every night.” Is her softly murmured response.

Their bodies surge with shared sensations.

The Vegeta’s icy heart has finally melted, thawed by peace and security. The last of his vestiges of his anger soothed away by the love of Bulma and his family, along with the friendship of the remaining Z fighters. His burning rage has been quenched by the knowledge that the attempted extinction of his people has utterly failed.

The Prince of All Saiyans is triumphant in the renewal of his people, with the bonding and the mating of the last of the Saiyans. He knows that the offspring of these pairings will disperse and spread. Seeding and revitalizing Earth with Saiyan strength, but retaining their Human gentleness. He takes his truemate in his arms and as they look up into the starry night sky, he knows someday the Saiyan/Humans will rule the universe, but they will be a new and better race, one that blends the best virtues of both species. A strong warrior people whose belief is based in the preservation of life not conquest.

Goku looks down and smiles. His old rival and friend has finally found the true strength of a real Super Saiyan, a contented, happy heart.