Disclaimer: Story mine, characters not mine.
"You know, your darling daughter is back. The least you could do is wake up!" Pan half screamed out from frustration, the other half from sorrow.
It wasn't true, she didn't have her past back. Nothing could ever give her back her happy memories, nor the feeling of safety. All she had been given back was the reality of her present. Her slumbering father brought no comfort to her. It was all exactly like it had been before, except for the fact she could now dare to hope.
Her hands dug into her sides. The feeling of confused anger taking over her thoughts, as her face succumbed to tears.
She needed for him to tell her it was okay, she needed him to fix everything for her. But for all her yelling at him, he would not wake up.
He was with her now, but still nothing had changed.
Not Forgotten, Not Alone
Chapter Nine
Not Forgotten
Bra tapped her foot patiently on the walkway outside of Pan's small apartment complex. She had to remind herself to breath, or risk shooting a few choice words at her brother. True, she was worried about Pan too, but unlike her bother who seemed content to just run around looking for her, she knew a plan of action was needed.
And wasn't Trunks lucky that he just so happened to have a genius for a sister?
"Like I said, we should go back home and collect some data before jumping head first into a possible bad situation."
"And like I said Bra, we don't have the time for that! Pan's not home, or at work, so therefore something is wrong."
Big breaths, breathe in, then out. It was quickly becoming a mantra to her.
"You don't even know where he lives. What are you going to do? Just walk up to the nearest stranger you see and ask them if they happen to know where Sho Ochi just so happens to live? Yeah, no. Listen to the voice of reason here. If we go home now, we can find out where he lives and form a plan of action from there."
"I can find out where he lives by checking in a phone book. I don't have to ask people, and once I find out I can 'form a plan of action' on what to do next while I'm storming his complex. Simple, now lets go."
Bra's right eyebrow was starting to twitch noticeably.
"Alright Trunks, but please, lets head back first to check if Pan is there now, and if she isn't then we will immediately head over to Sho's place. Okay?"
Trunks rolled the options over in his mind. He knew it was probably the best idea to head back first, but the fear that at that very moment someone might be trying to hurt Pan made his blood boil. Then again, if he knew Pan, he probably wouldn't have needed to worry. She'd be too busy annoying everyone there for them to even think twice about hurting her.
Still . . .
"Fine Bra, lets do this your way. We'll head back and check to see if Pan is there, but if she isn't then you can't stop me from charging straight over to Sho's place to get her back."
A large breath of relief passed from her lips, "Finally."
Luck was a funny thing, relying on nothing yet everything at the same time. And when you mix two people, who both have barely any luck themselves, together, it turns out that you get very bad luck. Obviously, the concept of luck had never learned how to count, as they should have turned out with minimally good luck, not bad luck.
This alone was why Trunks had found himself seated on a plane, with Bra to his side, on their way to somewhere that was not even remotely close to where they lived. The fact that he was on his way to possibly save Pan from whatever trouble she was in, was the only reason he wasn't busy pulling out every single strand of hair his head had. That, and the fact that Bra was currently giving him a strange face.
"What?"
"Nothing, sorry."
"Right."
There was a stretch of silence in which Trunks was left to his own thoughts. That silence lasted for a maximum of three seconds before Bra spoke up again.
"Hey Trunks?"
Trunks shot his sister an annoyed look, "Yes Bra?"
Bra's eyes were currently locked with her hands, she had a question to ask her brother. But try as she might, it was just one of those things that you didn't ask while looking the person in the face, she couldn't. It wasn't that she was embarrassed for herself and the question she wanted to ask, it was more along the lines she already knew the answer. But she hoped, and she didn't want her brother to see her face when he told her what she already knew.
"Do you think . . . that maybe . . ."
"No Bra," Trunks's voice held steady, though the concern was not lost on Bra, "he's not still alive."
It was late night by the time the two siblings arrived at Ochi Manor. They were a little surprised, but not unpleasantly so, to find that the place had few guards laundering about. This they quickly realized was not because the man was overconfident, but instead because he had a state of the art security system installed into his house.
A very smug, almost sadistic smile crossed Trunks's face. Unfortunate for Mr. Ochi, it just so happened to be Capsule Corp.'s latest version.
"Psh, it's almost as if the bastard's inviting us in!"
There was a slight tap on his shoulder, but he ignored it.
"I mean really, does he think were all stupid? Or is he just so certain that the people Pan has currently just spent time working with would not come for her?"
The tapping came more forcefully, but still Trunks shoved it away.
A sudden thought came to Trunks then, "Or maybe, it's just a classic example of underestimating one's foes?"
This, Trunks was shortly to find was almost half-true. Which was why there were half a dozen men dressed in black suites quickly surrounding the two siblings. And those men had every intention of bringing the intruders to their boss. It was what they were paid to do.
Had Trunk's noticed that it was Bra who was tapping his shoulder to get his attention, then it could have been possible that they wouldn't have found themselves being dragged along to the "leader."
One cynical thought crossed Trunks's brain as his rear end met with another rock in the dirt, "Well, I guess this works too…"
She was done crying, her tears would not help her escape in the long run. Even through, technically, the place was her "home" she was still a prisoner. And the muscle men stationed outside the door seemed to make it a point to remind her every time they got.
Crying was something a little girl would do, and she was neither a girl nor little. She was a full grown woman with a good head on her shoulders, she was perfectly capable of finding a way out. All she needed to do was think of one.
Dark eyes gave the room another once over, memorizing every crack in the brick walls, every possible exit. The window proved useless, it was reinforced with steal bars; the door was just as useless with the two men outside.
So what? That left her with the only option of trying to pull a great escape and dig her way out? She briefly considered it, then thought better of the idea.
Just as a sigh of defeat passed her lips, the doors opened to reveal the silhouette of what she presumed was her adoptive father.
The man walked into the sparse room, a slight smirk playing mischievously on his lips. His eyes though were cold, as if even the fires of hell could not warm him. Short inky hair was combed neatly on his head, only a few strands were left to dangle freely in his face. As Pan's eyes roamed over him, she could see that time had not been kind to him. To all appearances he still looked the same in the gray suite he wore now, as he had five years ago. It was his face, she realized, that had really changed the most. He was frail now, not imposing.
"My dear, I have a proposition for you. Kindly hear me out." Even his voice had a hollow edge to it, though it was still tough and hard. She would find no kindness from him.
Pan sighed louder this time for good measure. She squared her shoulders, crossed her arms, and showed this man that she was not the same. However, "Well, I guess I'm listening."
A shiver ran down her spin at the sight of Sho Ochi's smile. But as she had taught herself to do, she buried her fears and uncertainty. She would not be afraid of this man. He would not scare her.
Tbc.
Fanfic by inca
Next time on Dragon Ball GT! He he!
Feelings get hurt, bad men get hurt, and an unexplained chapter comes!
Character Notes:
Pan: Will not break!
Trunks: Will learn to pay attention?
Bra: Will discover that keeping her nose out might be a good thing.
To my reviewers, who I cherish above all!
Because of the too long of wait for this chapter, I've opted to just put it up! Ill get back to you on the next chap . . . SORRY!