Dragon Ball-GT - Pan's Innocence

Disclaimer: If it's not in my pocket, I don't own it.

8-10-14-updated Author's Note: Once again, a warning to any and all readers that are currently hoping this story continues. I have abandoned all projects on this account, meaning this story will NOT be continued, and ends abruptly with this chapter. I am only leaving this, and my other pending stories, here because I like to see how far I've come as a writer. I apologize for any frustrations this causes.

Chapter Thirty Four – Final Request

Inside the cockpit of one of the C.C. ships, Bulma tapped away at the keys on the terminal, and at the same time, discussed with Trunks about installing an energy shield on the ships, in hopes of preventing another pirate attack.

Elsewhere though, among the emptiness of the wasteland just outside the city, Pan sat on the ground, sighing and apparently dazed as she stared at nothing in particular. Meanwhile, a force of Trentore worked all around her, cleaning up the area of corpses where the bloody battle had been fought.

Throughout the entire celebration the night before, she hadn't once noticed that Troh-Rok was missing. It wasn't until the morning that she noticed Kezz helping to bury the troops that had given their lives for the war. It was then, with a grave face, that he broke the news to her; the mighty General had died.

Pan felt fine though, there was nothing wrong with her physically. The war had been won, Bulma and the others had managed to find them. Everything had worked itself out just great. But the sudden loss of a new friend was taking it's toll, and she guessed she was feeling something of depression, or perhaps she was just mourning him. Mainly, she was feeling guilty, because she hadn't noticed he was gone until now.

Whatever it was, she didn't feel like moving, or talking even. It was as though either function would require too much energy or effort.

This was something Bra was beginning to discover as she had been sitting next to her friend for a few minutes now. Bra tried to get Pan to talk by inquiring about everything that had happened up till now. But Pan wouldn't respond, she would merely look to her blue haired friend, almost teary eyed, and then turn away without a word.

After reaching the conclusion that she wasn't about to get Pan to open up, Bra headed back to the two ships, frowning. Her only answer to the problem was informing Trunks and their mother. Seeing as their father certainly wasn't around to do anything, he was off in no man's land training with Ledgic.

Bra scowled as she stepped up the ramp to the ship, Goten was just as useless. He was in town, stuffing his face with any food this planet had to offer. Useless, all of them useless. In fact, the only man around that wasn't an entire failure was in the cockpit that she had just entered. "Hey Trunks," Bra called, her voice bordering concerned.

Trunks turned his head from the terminal to regard his sister, his mind still focused on the formula on the screen. "What is it Sis? Is there a problem?"

"Well," Bra hesitated, wondering to herself if her concerns were even worth mentioning if it meant interrupting their work. "It's about Pan..."

Trunks stood upright, giving his sister his full attention, his work instantly discarded. "What's wrong with Pan?" Bulma even turned in her seat at that.

"N-nothing!" Bra blurted suddenly, knowing she had just caused a worry that she had meant to avoid. "I-I mean, I'm not sure." She sighed, deciding to just speak her mind. "She won't talk to me, she seems really out of it, you know?"

Trunks shared a look with his mother, most likely some sort of coded message passing between them. He nodded. "I'll go check on her."

Bulma nodded back and made a shooing motion to her son, returning to her work in an instant. "It's probably just PMS," she muttered offhandedly.

Trunks simply chuckled on his way out. "No, that was last week."

It was Bra's turn to share an odd look with her mother, the both of them bewildered for a moment before breaking out into explosive laughter.

As Trunks left the ship, he stood outside and looked about his surroundings, he could see that a countless number of Trentore were scattered around all over the former battle field, working and lifting dead Ralerphere. It took him a few seconds to locate the girl he had traveled all this way with. But there she was, sitting there, looking off into nothingness. Trunks shook his head, hands on hips as he sighed before approaching her.

"Hey Pan, what's wrong?" he asked aloud, but he really didn't need to, she knew he was there, she sensed him, heard him, felt him when he sat down beside her, his leg brushing hers. Still, she didn't respond, but merely sighed in a way Trunks couldn't exactly decipher. Whether it was a sign of sadness, exhaustion, or hopelessness, he couldn't be sure; either the answer didn't fit to her expression, or it didn't fit the situation. And without her assistance in the matter, it really was something like a puzzle for him to piece together. "Bra said you were feeling down. Are you feeling alright?"

He tipped his head to the side, attentively waiting for an answer as he placed a hand on her forehead. He couldn't help but smirk a second later when she swatted his hand away and replied with her trademark temper. "I feel just fine!"

"Ok, ok!" the half-Saiyan replied, his hands up defensively, dropping them only when Pan turned away again. "Are you gonna tell me what's bothering you then?"

Moments more elapsed and he still hadn't received an answer, but upon close examination of her features, Trunks thought to give her some time. She seemed solemn, and determined to find the right words before opening up to him.

When Pan finally looked as though she were about to say something, two Trentore workers passed by, ignoring the two human-Saiyans as they went hauling even more corpses to be added to the burn pile. "I thought the fighting was over, what's all that about?" one Trentore asked the other as he indicated countless flashes and sonic booms in the distance. The source of the commotion no doubt the effect of Vegeta and Ledgic's training.

"Who knows," replied the other Trentore. "Probably just outsiders conducting tests or something."

"Hmm, more like a couple of ego's that never take a day off," Trunks muttered, referring to his father and a certain fighter whose thirst for battle was never quenched.

"What are we doing?" Pan asked, completely neglecting to acknowledge the scene.

"Huh?" Obviously distracted by the interruption, Trunks blinked a few times, oblivious concerning what she had just said. "What do you mean? We're sitting together in the middle of a planet that we just saved."

"No," Pan said, eyebrows furrowed in mild frustration. "I mean, we're going home after this... aren't we?"

Trunks found himself blinking in bewilderment again. Why was she asking that like they had just went on vacation and the time had finally come to go home? For Pete's sake they had nearly died a number of times! Wasn't she ready to go home... like he was? "You don't... want to go home?"

Pan shook her head in answer. "We never finished what we set out for... I never got to make my wish."

Trunks sighed and massaged his forehead tiredly. "Well, mother did bring two ships just in case. So I guess we could keep going if you want- ugh!"

He hadn't even finished his sentence when Pan hugged and-or tackled him. "Yay! I was so sure you would say no."

Surprising, the force of it didn't knock him over and he returned the embrace. The moment hadn't lasted very long, when a slow thunder was heard from behind, they both turned to see Kezz approaching.

"Don't mean to hinder the courtship," Kezz coughed awkwardly and the couple in turn blushed. "But I have something important to discuss with you both."

After collecting themselves, Pan and Trunks stood to meet their friend, both chuckling nervously their apologies. "What is it Kezz?" Pan asked.

Kezz sighed deeply, his voice was ragged and worn as he explained; the role of leader suddenly being dropped on him was obviously taking its toll on him. "As a part of the former General's dying wish, he asked me to appoint the both of you an important responsibility." He paused, hesitant for reasons only he knew. "You should know, under any other circumstances I would have taken this responsibility on myself, but as a dying wish, this sort of thing must be carried out to the letter."

Now Pan and Trunks were becoming anxious. They glanced to each other, then back to Kezz, eyebrows furrowed with concern. "Kezz? What's wrong?"

Another sigh and Kezz looked as though he had decided to just get the situation over with. He made a gesture with a forepaw and it wasn't until now that Pan and Trunks noticed another Trentore, a nurse had accompanied Kezz from behind. And there was a bundle in her arms as she came forward.

"This is Troh-Rok's son," Kezz explained as the Trentore nurse handed the bundled baby Trentore over to Pan, as she had already been curious of the small creature. After that, Kezz dismissed the nurse and she took her leave as told, and that's when Trunks began to get nervous. "And he has entrusted the child to you both," Kezz finished, and that's when Trunks panicked.

"What!?" Trunks howled, his mind scrambled and his pulse hastened. "We can't take care of him!"

"Sure we can, look how small he is," Pan observed, making a cooing noise as the baby began sucking on her finger.

"Look how big he gets!" Trunks yelled, making an obvious gesture to Kezz as a perfect example of size.

"Aw, come on Trunks, just hold him once and you'll want to keep him too," Pan stated and offered the young Trentore to him.

"No, I'm not holding him, and we're not keeping him! Now give him back Pan!"

"No," Pan replied stubbornly and held the baby closer.

Trunks growled in frustration and how unreasonable she could get when she wanted something. "Pan, this isn't like a puppy. He's going to get huge, and he'll be as smart as Kezz!"

"Hmm, amusing," Kezz chuckled as he had sat back to watch the entire exchange.

Trunks threw his hands out, making a number of panicked gestures. "There's nothing amusing about this! Kezz, do something, be practical about this!"

"There's nothing I can do, this was a dying wish, it must be upheld under any circumstances," Kezz told them and gave his head a tilt. "Besides, as I see it, Pan-Son has already become attached. She makes a good mother." Kezz smiled, nodding his head as Pan replied with a grin.

Trunks smacked his forehead in frustration. Wonderful, encouraging Pan was like watering weeds, the bigger they got the bigger the problems. "I just, I don't think Pan is ready for this."

Kezz sighed once more, his face turning serious and sober before speaking. "Trunks, you need to see this as more than just a last request. This was a gift from Troh-Rok. In this way, he was hoping to teach you both something. Giving up your child is by far the highest honor and sacrifice on our planet, and I should think that it would be the highest honor and sacrifice in the universe."

For a long moment neither of them said anything and all that could be heard was the baby Trentore's squeaking in Pan's arms. "I guess you're right," Trunks admitted in a bit of a sulk as he shifted his feet and turned to her. "Pan, if this is really what you want, then I won't stop you. But he's you're responsibility, I'll only help you."

Pan nodded her head with a smile; she had gotten her way again. "Well then," Kezz said. "I suppose I should brief you on Trentorian parenthood."

Pan heard his words, but at this point she wasn't listening. Now she was so fixated on the creature in her arms that so resembled a puppy, as his horns hadn't yet started growing, and his teeth were no bigger than pebbles. His eyes were like that of the smallest yellow marbles she had ever seen.

"His name is Arai-Koe, but I'm told that the nurses just call him Rai," Kezz paused for a moment to be sure Pan had heard him before continuing. "As a Trentore, he will eat anything, even at his age, if you break the food into pieces he will eat it. Also, the physical growing process of a Trentore is rather slow, however, the mental process grows very rapidly... In fact, he may start to understand your words within the week, although his speech won't come for a few months yet."

Pan blinked blankly up at her large friend, to say the least the information went right over her head. "Are you gonna remember all that Trunks?"

"...Yeah, why?" Trunks questioned hesitantly, his arms crossed in something of a sulk.

"Because I won't," Pan answered simply, her attention instantly snapping back to Arai-Koe, when he whined for attention. "You are so cute!"

Trunks sighed in defeat, slowly applying a hand to his head in embarrassment. "That's Pan and baby animals for you."

"I can't believe we're actually saying goodbye Kezz," Pan cried, hugging one of the large beast's forelegs. "You're like a really big uncle to me."

Kezz smiled warmly down at her. "Aye, I've grown very attached to you as well Small one, but I'll see you again. Rai will want to come home to his own kind when he gets older. You'll need to bring him here when that time comes."

Pan nodded as the ships fired up behind her. It was time to leave, and her new friends were seeing her off. She moved from Kezz to Pheonere, a little white robot was perched on the Blainfirr's back. Teary eyed, Pan still found it in her to smile and shake her head amusedly. "You two really hit it off didn't you?"

"Big cat Giru's friend! Giru, Giru."

Pheonere smirked and bucked the robot off of him. "Get out of here, you talking tin can." As Giru hovered off into the ship, Pheonere regarded Pan sadly, an expression foreign to his features. "I hope I'm still here when you come back. I want to see you guys again."

Pan tried to force a smile, but she couldn't help the tears from running. With a cry, she hugged the fire-lion around the neck, and he complied in an attempt to hug her back with one forepaw. "You're gonna be the leader of everyone Phay, you just watch."

They both laughed and Pan wiped her eyes. "And I bet you think I'll actually master fire by then too."

"Yep!" Pan exclaimed, she closed her eyes and offered a wide grin. "I know you will, so you better train hard!"

As soon as Trunks had said his goodbyes to the duo, both him and Pan looked at each and then all around the area for one last companion that was nowhere in sight. "Hey, where's Ledgic?" Pan wondered aloud.

"Oh, he left awhile ago on the alien spaceship, said he didn't care for sappy scenes like this," Kezz supplied, almost disgusted. "To think, after all we've been through together, and he doesn't even bother to say a proper farewell."

"Oh well, that's Ledgic for you, he's a lot like my dad, so it's no skin off my back," Trunks said, waving the thought of the fighter away like the wind.

"Trunks, Pan, it's time to go!" Bulma called from one of the ships.

"Alright, we're coming mom," Trunks called and waved a final farewell as Pan stole one more hug from both of her new friends before running to catch up to him.

And as she stood on the ship's threshold to take one last look behind, Pan could only hope that these dear friends would still be here when she returned.

AN: Once again (in case you didn't get it the first two times I said it) I am no longer updating this story. I'm sorry to any and all if you were waiting patiently for it, but I have long since moved on to other fandoms. Gomenasai.