Wow this story is about two years old! Well I think it's high time I started finishing this! I had a lot of people waiting on this so I'm gonna keep my promise of re-writing! Hopefully I can clarify all my loop holes from the first draft. Thank you to everyone who reviewed! This is the story where Pan ends up in the Mirai timeline with no memory, in case you forgot.

I have two weeks left of my maternity leave so hopefully I can get a good portion of this done.

This is for my daughter Gwendolyn.

Story- Pan has always tried to fit in with the crowds. She dresses to impress and gets all her "morals in life" from the articles of magazines. She has a thing for Trunks but mostly because he is so desirable among the female species. Pan has always known the phrase "Outer beauty is only skin deep." And she is about to find out the true meaning behind it. So when her life takes unexpected turns, how will she live out the rest of her life based on her experiences?

Chapter One- Life is a Drag

"Go ahead, show us how 'grown up' you are Pan."

Pan tried to look casual in front of her so-called 'friends'. They were all waiting for her to, yet again, prove her friendship 'worthiness'. She didn't dare ask as to why it was always HER proving herself to THEM in fear that they'd just cast her aside altogether.

"What's the matter? Too 'good' to have a little fun?"

This wasn't high school. This was elementary and Pan was standing in front of the class trying to solve some difficult math problem while her peers looked on, ready to answer in her place should she prove incompetent.

She lifted the cigarette to her lips while someone shoved a lighter to her face faster than she would have liked. She saw Marron, Bra, and Cherry (the nickname for their 'exotic' American friend Charise), smile at each other. A couple of their boyfriends were there with them.

"Come on, just like we showed you, Pan."

Pan gave a little nod and took her first drag of her first cigarette.

They laughed hysterically as she coughed and sputtered when she should have been exhaling and winning their imminent respect and approval.

"Damnit!"

They each proceeded to smoke their own cigarettes while still giggling at Pan. Pan thought the damn thing was awful and couldn't understand why anyone would want to PAY for such a habit.

The only thing that seemed to answer that was the relaxed feeling she was starting to experience. But still, the rest of the effects were nauseating.

Marron finally spoke up and Pan braced herself for unknown. It was a toss up between praise and catty criticism.

"Well Pan it seems you're catching on."

Finally…some well-earned praise, well, what WOULD be considered 'praise' coming from the great Marron herself. Most people went out of their way to get that 'praise', no one more intensely than Pan. And Marron knew it, of course.

The group was sitting in one of the more hidden parts of the school campus, naturally, since they were smoking. Orange Star High School had grown since Son Gohan had been a student there. The world was much different; technology was now in every crack and corner of the school, as well as the rest of the city. Capsule Corp. had become somewhat of a monopoly in the entire country and even some surrounding countries. Of course, to avoid any lawsuits or legal problems, they bought stock in other companies to show they were 'supporting' the competition.

This 'minor factor' meant a great deal of pressure for the direct heir to it all, Trunks Brief. Of course his younger sister, Bra Brief, got some of that pressure as well, but not as much as her brother. Girls, and some of the more daring young gay men, constantly hit on him and tried for his attention. Of course, aside from the aspiring 'homos', as he called them, he didn't mind too much. What guy in his right mind would?

His mother, the heart of Capsule Corp herself, tried to put her children in a more 'exclusive' school where they would be surrounded by other young people who came from money, instead of the gold-digging "bourgeoisie", as she mildly put them. Bulma, Trunks mother, wasn't exactly 'old money' but she wasn't exactly 'new' either. She didn't look down on people with less income but she had come to see that having as much money as she did now seemed to attract all the wrong kinds of people. Greed was now a more prominent detail to Bulma and she wanted her kids to be away from the bulk of it. Of course she knew very well that rich people could be just as greedy, if not more.

Trunks and Bra had made the very good argument that they had to learn to 'deal' with people like that, not avoid them, in order to co-exist with the rest of the world. Reluctantly, Bulma let them go to public school. Bulma had wanted Trunks to have a distinguished education for when he became the CEO of Capsule Corp. But once again, he came up with the counter-argument that if went to a regular public school, he would be seen as 'one of the people'. A very good business tactic when their main investors were middle class.

He was thinking like a business man already.

So with all this in mind, naturally one of the best looking and the RICHEST guy in school would be dating the most popular girl right? Not exactly; Trunks, Bra, Marron, Goten (Pans uncle) and Pan had all grown up together, therefore, Marron was more like a cousin to Trunks than dating material. Of course, that didn't stop Marron from trying.

When the bell rang, they watched everyone slowly march back to their classes, while they naturally just took even more time to get moving. Apparently being late was 'fashionable', Pan knew it just drew more attention and that's why they did it. They were always finding ways to get attention and succeeding. It was like this art form that they created and perfected. The American girl, Cherry, had become fast friends with Marron and Bra and, indirectly, Pan. Marron and Bra wanted to know about all the American trends and start them at Orange Star. Cherry could be just as nasty as Marron and Bra but she had a more roundabout way of doing so. She also had a nicer side, and not just when a cute guy was around. She would show this side to Pan a little when Marron and Bra weren't around. But Pan could tell that Cherry wanted to be liked by Marron as much as Pan did, and respected that fact even when she was being catty with her.

Bra had finished her cigarette and was now flirting with her boy toy of the week (or possibly two weeks) while Marron ignored the guy pining for her attention while she chatted with Cherry. Cherry said she didn't date just 'anyone'. She had certain demands that had to be met and apparently only a few guys met them. Marron insisted that boys just came to her and she just learned to accept it. Pan was just kinda there, reveling in her relaxed feeling while constantly sipping her drink to get the taste out of her mouth. Marron looked at her digital designer watch, "Ok ladies, let's spray and stray!" That was Marrons 'slang' for spritzing body spray to mask the odor of smoke and slipping of to class.

Marron always came up with random terms like that, some were clever and some were lame, but who was gonna tell 'her' that?

Before they went their separate ways Marron spoke up. "Girls, its FRIDAY, the 'Sabbath', and there's gonna be a killer party tonight. I've arranged a small, 'surprise' for us. I'll call you all after school and we can meet at my house. Pan, let me know if your 'mommy and daddy' say its ok."

Pan gave a half smile and nodded. The other girl's parents seemingly let them do almost whatever they wanted. Pans parents were way stricter on her. She had to call when she got to her destination, call a few hours after that, and call when she was on her way home. Her friends always laughed and called her 'Chibi Panny'. Pan picked up on pretending she had to go to the bathroom and then called them from the restroom.

Pan wondered what the 'surprise' could be and if it would be anything like the last 'surprise'. Last time Marron somehow got her hands on a bottle of vodka. That was one of the other times Pan had to 'prove' herself. She was so grateful that she was spending the night at Bra's house that time or else she would have been shitfaced in front of her parents and in BIG trouble. She couldn't even remember most of that night. From all the knowing smiles she was getting from some of the other kids at school on Monday, she knew she didn't want to.

Trunks finally made it to his car in the school parking lot.

"Here's my number Trunks! Give me a ring sometime!"

He nodded.

"You have to come to our party tonight! It's gonna be the bomb!"

Another nod.

"Do you date younger women?"

He raised an eyebrow and stuttered something incomprehensible.

All he wanted to do was get in the damn car and speed away from all these maniacal females that he knew he was too nice to. When he finally did get in the car and start the engine, he had numerous names and numbers scribbled on his hands and arms.

What…the…HELL?

Why couldn't they leave him be? Of course the answer was OBVIOUS but he was starting to grow tired of his constant attention from girls that he would probably just sleep with. He kinda resented the way he let himself become somewhat of a 'playboy'. He didn't really have any complaints; he was, after all, a healthy teenage boy on the brink of manhood and imminent success and wealth. He knew lots of successful business men that had their own retinue of women. The burning question in the back of his mind was where did it all end? Did women just become objects to be selected whenever he chose?

Whatever. Right now he was young and carefree.

He drove home anxious to crash out on his bed for a little while, finish that god awful homework so he could have a care free weekend, and go to his friends' party with Goten. Goten was his lifelong friend that was more like the brother he never had. Gotens' older brother, Gohan, was like the BIG brother he never had. Gohan was also his little friend Pans dad. Pan was the pitifully adorable girl that followed Marron and his little sister Bra around. Poor thing, she really was a nice person, not at all like his sister and her friend 'Malibu Marron'. At one time, they all used to be somewhat closer. Of course, it was when they were all kids. That was when Pan had her little heart set on being a fighter like the men in her family (and extended family). Marron and Bra still played with dolls and were more like sisters, even with Pan.

Now they were caught up in a material world of rich vs. poor, glamorous vs. wannabes, pretty vs. ugly. Trunks thought it was all ridiculous even though he was a willing participant. He used his good looks and even his money to get his way more than once. Now it was more of an art for him.

He had different girls all the time. Some of his teachers could be 'persuaded' not to record his absences or tardiness. He never had to worry about grades because he was in the top 5 in the graduating class. He would never pay off anyone for a grade related issue. That would only come back to bite him in the ass. He couldn't have his intellectual reputation tainted in any way. That would only bring down the company. He was smart enough to know that much.

His mother had groomed him for the latter half of his life after he stopped fighting to become the CEO of Capsule Corp. Surprisingly he absorbed it like dying plants drinks water. He was definitely ready.

.

Pan hurried out of the school bus and ran the rest of the way home. She was dying to pick out her clothes for tonight. She spent all day wondering what Marrons surprise would be. She also wanted to get home to her journal and write. Writing was a way of expression for her. It helped her lay out her thoughts and think. When she was angry, nervous, upset, happy, she wrote. She didn't know what she'd do without it. If her parents had ever found it, she'd probably be grounded for life.

She walked into the house and made a mad dash for the stairs when her mothers' voice stopped her.

"Pan, get in here."

Shit, this couldn't be good. Her mom was too calm. Her dad wasn't home yet, thank God. She walked into the kitchen where her mom was drinking coffee. Her house was always immaculate, as was a trademark of the 'Son' family. Pan was a trained house keeper. Her room wasn't always too nice but hey, she was a teenager, she HAD to have SOME normalcy. The kitchen smelled like spices and herbs. Her mom, as well as Pan, was a regular 'gourmet chef'. Of course, her Grandma Chichi had a hand in this. The kitchen was a deep red with black and white tile. In the middle was an island with a built in sink and cutting board. Underneath were big aluminum pots and above it, hanging on an iron oval with hooks all around the sides, were smaller pans and skillets for easy access. The island itself was a cherry wood to match all the cabinets wrapped around the rest of the kitchen. Videl was sitting at the island on a tall thin stool that had black iron legs that looked like stilts and curled out a little at the bottom. The seat itself was a plastic red plush that seemed to glitter a little. There was also a little red plush on the back of the seat held up by more iron.

She looked up at Pan after taking a sip of her homemade latte. The faint clink of the cup returning to its matching saucer could be heard loud as a bell to Pan, who was waiting for her mother to tell her what she had done wrong.

"Pan…we got your report card today."

Shit, just that one sentence said it all. Pan instantly knew where this whole conversation was going. Now she was REALLY glad her dad wasn't home yet.

"Pan I don't understand. There are notes from almost ALL your teachers on here saying how you ALWAYS walk in late no matter what they tell you. It's like you're TRYING to be late! If that's not enough they say you never do your homework! You're incredibly intelligent IN the classroom but outside of it…nothing."

Pan didn't say anything; she knew she was guilty of all that stuff. Being 'fashionably' late, being too busy trying to impress Marron and the girls OUTSIDE of class. Pan began to realize how much time she was actually putting into that. But it was so worth it! Her mom just wouldn't understand that she was THIS CLOSE to being Marrons friend, her REAL friend, like Bra or Cherry. She worked so hard and she wasn't going to let this bring her down. She would just have to find a way to get her homework done in the cracks of her spare time.

"Are you listening to me? Pan you're smarter than the average person, you got that from your dad. But you have the grades of a below average student! What IS this Pan? These grades are going to help determine whether you make 10,000 a year or 70,000 a year! Really Pan you're so wrapped up in your clothes and your 'friends' and your STUFF that you're messing everything up for yourself!"

Pan got angry and defensive at her mother. "Whatever mom you don't understand my life! I work hard for what's important to 'me', it's MY life! I can still be successful even if my grades aren't that good. Did you even think that maybe I have more IMPORTANT things to worry about? You don't know what it's like to be in my high school! Orange Star is a different place now and 'I'm" the one who has to LIVE with it!"

Videl stood up from her chair, not liking her daughters' disrespectfulness. "Don't talk to ME like that young lady! I'm just doing my job as a parent and making sure my child is going in the right direction. And I DO understand your life better than you think. EVERYONE knows what your life is like. It's MARRONS life! You're spending all your time being her little lap dog so she'll MAYBE throw you a bone once in awhile but you're the only one whose gonna get burned! You can't spend the rest of your life trying to make her like you! People like that don't win in the end and I WONT let her take you down with her! But if you do…then that's YOUR loss and YOU have to live with it…alone."

Pan had tears in her eyes. How could her mother say all that to her? Didn't she care? Didn't she want her daughter to be happy? If she DID understand she'd try to HELP her not bring her down!

"I can't believe how cold you are! You don't care about my feelings or my life! So who CARES if I fail HIGH SCHOOL? It's not the end of the world! And once I graduate I'm leaving this stupid house!"

Videl shook her head with a sigh of defeat. "You do that then, but like I said, you'll swim in your struggles alone. I'm trying to help you NOW. That's REALLY caring, not like Marron or Bra. I just want you to have TRUE happiness…"

"I can do that by myself thanks."

Videl sat back down and rested her chin in her palm. "You can go now."

Pan just huffed angrily and stomped upstairs. This was the LAST thing she needed after a stressful day. She slammed the door to her room, dropped her backpack, and crouched over a particular floorboard in the corner of her room. She lifted it up and reached inside to grab her prized possession. She pulled a pen off her desk and sat on her bed. Her dresser was covered with various lipsticks, blushes, foundations, crèmes, eye pencils, lotions, earrings, bracelets, all the accessories a teenage girl could think of. Teen magazines were all over the place. Pan had posters of models, designer clothing, pop stars, and other things all over the walls. She had a full length mirror in one corner, a desk with papers and writing utensils splashed over it.

The most out of place object was a tall bookcase FULL of famous and indie literature. She had books on philosophy, fiction, science, history, art, memoirs, encyclopedias, theories, and various others. Even more surprisingly, she had read them all, some more than once or even twice. Pan had various paintings stuffed in her closet that she had done after studying Rembrandt, Dali, and even DaVinci. She even studied more modern artists from magazines, John John Jesse, Kathie Olivas, and Josh Clay. She even studied other languages, Latin, French, English, and naturally classical Japanese writing. Japanese history was among her favorites.

But she had stopped reading those a long time ago. She got caught up in Hurricane Marron and now the closest thing to literature she had was Seventeen Magazine. Sadly, she hardly noticed the transition most of the time.

She put her pen down on the first line and let her hand take over.

My mom is the most sadistic person EVER! She put me down because I want to have friends! Who doesn't want to have friends? I can always pick my grades back up, but she didn't have to INSULT my dignity! I can't believe how naïve she is sometimes! She ruined such a good day! Now I probably won't find out what Marrons surprise is! Oh no! The PARTY!!! Now I probably can't even go!! Damnit!! Why can't she understand that high school is more than stupid grades! She's messing up ALL my hard work over something so dumb! I can fix those grades in a snap! Oh yeah…today I smoked my first cigarette. Honestly, it wasn't very pleasant. It was lunch time and Cherry brought her pack of Camels. Marron and Bra have smoked before apparently. They all watched me while I smoked and they laughed when I coughed! I was so humiliated! I wonder if they coughed when THEY first smoked…who am I kidding they're good at EVERYTHING they do, they probably did it right. I hope I don't have to smoke another one anytime soon…although I doubt it. Oh well, I worked too hard to let some silly little sticks ruin it. I've GOT to get to that party! I can't let them call me Chibi Panny this time! I gotta show them that I've got guts of my own and that I don't let my 'parents' control me. Oh shit dads home.

Pan put her journal away and then listened intently. She listened through one of the pipes that went through her attic room. It wasn't crystal clear but it certainly helped. She heard her mom telling her dad the earlier conversation, her dad didn't sound too thrilled.

"She said what? Why would she say that, she knows all we care about is HER."

Videl sighed, "I don't know Gohan, she's a teenage girl with peer pressure issues. What can I say? She doesn't see the bigger picture. She's trying so hard to grow up that she's failing miserably. I don't know what to do anymore."

Pan hated that they were talking about her like that. How could they? They should be more sympathetic.

Pan heard footsteps on the stairs, heavy ones, they were her fathers. She braced herself for what would happen next, hopefully a stern scolding at the most.

There was a slight knock on her door. "Come in" was Pans response. Her dad stuck his head in the door, and very calmly said, "You're grounded until I see an improved report card."

And with that he left, closing the door behind him. Pan sat there in utter fury. How COULD they? She wouldn't get another report card for another six weeks! They couldn't DO this to her! She would miss out on all of Bras' slumber parties, Marrons surprises, and Cherry's exclusive get-togethers where they traded clothes and accessories. She had made SO much progress and sacrificed so much! No, they wouldn't ruin this for her. Someday they might understand but now, she had to help herself when her parents wouldn't.

Her cell phone ringer started playing, it was Marrons ringer. She answered with all the confidence she suddenly had. "Hey girl, what's going down tonight?" Marron laughed a little on the other end. "Well that depends, can you come?"

Pan had debated this moment a few seconds earlier. Would she tell her she wasn't allowed but was going to anyways and show that she was on 'her own terms' or would she say yes and act like her parents were finally recognizing her transition to young adulthood? To be safe in case her parents should ever be talking to Marron or the other girls, she went with plan A.

"I'm grounded but I'm meeting you guys anyways. Can one of you meet me down the road from my house?"

There was silence on the other end for a moment, a moment that seemed like forever to Pan. And finally, "Wow Pan, I'm actually impressed, looks like we finally taught you something! I'll pick you up 'myself', how's that?"

Now it was Pans turn to be silent. Marron never went out of her way for anyone but Bra and now sometimes Cherry. She was finally doing it. She was winning this drawn out battle. Maybe being grounded wouldn't be SO bad, maybe it was just what she needed.

"Perfect."

When she was SURE her parents were asleep, Pan slipped out her window, wishing she had learned to fly at some point, and managed to make her way down to the ground. She ran the short distance to where Marrons car was parked. Marron, Bra, and Cherry were cheering Pan on a little. "Go Pan! You finally grew up!" Pan was smiling ear to ear but she held a finger to her lips anyways. Her dad had impeccable hearing, and she didn't want EVERYTHING to be ruined so fast. She went to the opposite side of the car when Marron said to her, "You got shotgun Pan Chan."

Another small victory for Son Pan…this was it. This is what she'd tried so hard for. She said hello to the girls and noticed that they had already drank a few beers and were being silly. Pan had that sinking feeling she usually got when they were up to things they shouldn't be but she pushed it aside. Tonight was her night.

Wow, this story has changed A LOT from the original. This was the ice breaker chapter. The next one kinda dives into the thick of the plot and takes off from there. This story is centered on Pan but it pretty much has stories about everyone else that all kinda tie in together. Well…I really hope you guys keep reading this, this story has been on my mind since I started writing it two years ago. I have some people I owe to finish this. So please review or re-review! Thanks. Please tell what you think so far too.

Knives

(used to be Trunxchic)