Chapter 4. Drive

Sometimes, I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear.

And I can't help but ask myself

How much I'll let the fear take the wheel and steer.

It's driven me before,

And it seems to have a vague,

Haunting mass appeal.

But lately I am beginning to find

That I should be the one behind the wheel.

Pan bounced down the stairs and made a mad dash towards the key rack. She had sat her alarm clock to the ungodly time of 5.30 in the morning because she wanted to drive over to Capsule Corporation. Despite the fact she really wasn’t a morning person the young woman felt oddly invigorated by the prospect of seeing the Briefs again. As she darted into the kitchen she smiled at her mother sitting at the kitchen table holding a plate of sandwiches up. ‘ You know Mom sometimes I really suspect you of being psychic ’ Videl just smiled ominously and answered ‘ You still have much to learn young one’ Pan laughed ‘ Yeah I know mother’s instinct right?’ Grabbing the plate filled with food she kissed her mother on the cheek and left.

The car’s engine growled aggressively as the young woman turned the key and drove towards the C&C Dome.

She briefly closed her eyes as she zoomed down the highway, her body swayed to the gentle tunes of her favourite music. It was one of the little habits she had picked up in college, every time she felt stressed or frustrated for whatever reason she would get up at 5.30 and take her small convertible out for a spin under the rising sun.

The highway towards Satan City was almost empty spare a couple of early morning birds. The engine purred as the young woman smiled mischievously ‘ Hmm nobody on the road yet, might as well enjoy myself while I can’ and with that the little speed devil found herself zooming down the highway with almost the speed of lightening.  Approaching the Satan city’s obviously busier centre she slowed down and turned towards the giant dome towering over half the town.

Just as the raven-haired woman neatly parked she noticed a young man casually walking over. Giggling like a little schoolgirl she stepped out and ran to meet him.

‘ Goten! What are you doing here so early?’ without awaiting a reaction she enthusiastically jumped and gather him in a bear hug for as far as she could manage. The young man staggered a bit ‘ Whoa Pan easy there’ He grinned ‘ What do you mean early, I am just going home’ Pan grinned as her uncle yawned. ‘Then I’ll leave you to go home in peace and sleep.’ Goten started to walk away but suddenly turned ‘ so you’re visiting the Briefs I take? Another extremely painful early morning spar? Have it your way Panny go and fight’ the uncle grinned sheepishly at the woman’s amazed expression. ‘‘ I would have thought for sure he would butt in as always. ’’ She shrugged and waved him goodbye before walking into the magnificent garden.

‘WOMAN where’s the brat hiding ’ Pan slightly winced at the volume. Despite the fact that she still stood outside of the building the conversation (read scream fest) came thru loud and clear. The door almost landed in her face when she tried to enter the building, reason being the angry prince stalking outside towards the gravitational training area or in short the Gravity room. Just as the prince disappeared from her eyesight another male entered it. The purple haired wonder looked like his last cookie had just been stolen from him.

Bulma beckoned here inside before she could try to save him from the impending doom. The blue haired woman gathered her in a hug and led her to the kitchen table. ‘Sit Pan, and you’re not thinking about going into that Gravity Room before you tell me all about what you have been up to ’ Bulma grinned as Pan cast a longing look outside and sighed. ‘ Well nothing much to tell really, you know…just the college thing and stuff’ she said squirming in her chair. The older woman just rolled her eyes. ‘ You know what Panny go and already pull your workout outfit on.’ Pan beamed and stormed to the bathroom. Leaving a slightly baffled Bulma behind. ‘ We can talk later, geez she really did miss sparring…’ She shrugged and continued repairs at the never-ending line at broken training gear.

Pan tied the orange bandanna around her head to contain her hair. She grinned as she looked in the mirror, some things never change. Gathering her courage Pan embarked the bathroom. The feared reaction came almost immediately. Bulma’s jaw dropped as she caught Pan in her eyesight. ‘Panny! You are wearing Spandex ’ The older woman raised an eyebrow ‘ why? Vegeta bullied you into it? Just because he thinks its normal to parade around in it….’ The young woman hastily cut her of ‘ No Bulma he didn’t but last time my normal training suit got in the way, you know…Oh Boy that sounds wrong… I mean it wasn’t comfortable and I kept getting caught on stuff…. ’ Blushing she fell silent. Bulma laughed ‘ Don’t worry it suits you well and I see some things never change ’ she said pointing at the bandanna. But I digress I really like the colour you chose. Black suits you and the bandanna is a nice touch.’ Pan cast another look outside, she could feel the Ki’s of the two men steadily rise. ‘ Uhm Bulma can I go?’ impatiently she leaned from one foot to the other. ‘ Yeah sure just give me a second and I’ll turn the gravity back to normal so you can train ’ Something inside Pan growled ‘‘ Weak again huh! You will never, I repeat never be able to become strong you will always remain the low and weak female you are.’’ She laid a hand on the other woman’s shoulder and whispered ‘ Don’t turn it down to much, I’ve got a little surprise’ Before Bulma could turn around Pan already closed the door behind her.

‘ Pick your jaws up already!’ She growled. ‘Brat what is it with you do you have a death wish. You should be as flat as a Pancake’ the prince looked like he had just seen water burn. Trunks scrambled on his feet rather ungraceful ‘ Panny what are you doing?’ he questioned trying his best not to drool at her new outfit. Completely ignoring him the woman cast her attention to the prince as he crossed his arms ‘ I see you took my advice about proper clothing.’ Pan grinned ‘ Right down to the boots’. Her boots resembled Vegeta’s except for the colour hers were just as black as the rest of her suit. ‘ But I digress, I came to ask for a spar’ The prince smirked ‘ you resemble your father child’ Pan attacked…

Trunks prepared him self for when he would need to step in. To his amazement the young woman did good, to good. His mouth went dry as he noticed the hardness in her face, where was the happy go lucky Pan he knew? He sighed and slowly powered up as Vegeta decided to end the game and powered up to Super saiyjijn.

A bloody smirk appeared on her face, throwing Vegeta of for the slightest of moments ‘ What is it didn’t think I’d make it this far?’ her blood boiled with anger as the prince powered down and decided to give her a more equal fight or so he thought.

Trunks nearly choked as Pan’s eyes started to glaze over and shimmer. A high-pitched scream ripped the suddenly arisen tension.

The purple haired wonder to powered up and decided to take a closer look. He couldn’t help but marvel at the sight in front of him. Pan had now completed the transformation; the former silky black hair stood up in the golden spikes and in her eyes glistened a soft green colour. Miraculously the bandanna had survived the sudden output of energy and was now bound around her wrist.

Pan crosses her arms and addressed the Prince ‘ Well what do you think? ’ Vegeta also crossed his arms and replied ‘ Impressive Brat, but tell me how did you manage to keep it a secret, it is clear that this is not the first time. You didn’t go into the hyperbolic time chamber did you?’ Pan grinned despite herself ‘ what are you worried for me? No I didn’t but there are more places to train, you want to know how I did it?’ Pan glanced over her shoulder ‘ You to Trunks I don’t feel like repeating myself ’ Pan didn’t power down as she started to explain.

‘Well its not that special, basically I did inherit some of my fathers brain contrary to popular belief. He had designed a shield to hide your Ki rises. Before I left I stumbled on his plans and decided to try my hand at them. My college life was mostly books then training. As for the last push its something called real life.’

Vegeta seemed to ponder something and remained silent, Trunks however was deeply disturbed by the dark look in her eyes as she mentioned the last push. He stormed outside after her when she didn’t answer his questions.

Pan turned around and faced him before she entered her car again. ‘ What’s wrong?’ she said smiling at him. ‘ What happened to you Pan?’ Trunks gave her the ^ worried older brother look^ She just smiled and answered ‘ Nothing Trunks, life happened. I grew up. Maybe I’m not the same person you knew, Hell I’m an adult not the child that came and take you away from work. ’ Pan couldn’t help but feel a tad guilty as he gave her a sad smile. ‘ I know Pan, you aren’t a little girl anymore’ he started to smirk ‘ you’re a real warrior now. To be honest I didn’t think you would be able to pull it of.’ Pan gave him a hug and whispered in his ear ‘ I told you I’m a big girl now ’

Her hips swayed as she walked back to her car. She didn’t change her clothing nor powered down. Jumping in the sleek convertible she slowly started to power down in order not to alert her family.

Gentle tunes filled the air as she took the wheel and steered away from Capsule Corporation. She looked in her mirror and smiled at herself ‘‘ and its still morning ’’

She didn’t doubt the fact that her father would be anxiously waiting for her; he always had this way of being able to track her Ki. She slapped herself, ‘‘ Damn I should have powered down before going outside again. Oh well I cant hide behind that shield forever, besides I should have been more careful with it. ’’ She looked at her wrist, the small device hadn’t survived her little spar with Vegeta.  

Pan turned the volume wide open as her favourite song started.

Chapter 5
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