Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ By the Full Moon's Light ❯ The Wedding ( Chapter 1 )

Trunks sighed softly as his mother adjusted his bow tie. He hated when she fussed, but this occasion was fuss-worthy. After all, it wasn't everyday that Gohan and Videl renewed their wedding vows after twenty years. The gang was all going to be there. Pan was coming home from college a week early, she'd already arranged to take her tests the previous week. Bra was actually taking time out of her busy social life to put in an appearance as well. He ran a hand through his long unruly lavender hair, hoping it would stay in place for a few hours. His mother called and he sighed again, no matter how old he was she still mothered him. In his thirties with a career of his own, she still treated him like a child.

He bounded down the stairs and out to the plane. His father sat with his arms crossed, pretending annoyance, though Trunks had learned long ago to see past the tough-guy exterior. Bra joined them in a dress that left little to the imagination. Trunks wondered why she even bothered getting dressed at all. The flight was pleasant in that it was short and he and Vegeta could ignore Bra's inane prattle for that length of time. They touched down and entered the newly decorated field where the ceremony was to begin.

His mother ran off to join the other bridesmaids while his father found a quiet corner to watch the whole event in stony silence. He and Bra took their seats and a few minutes later the ceremony began. The bridesmaids came first, led by Chichi and his mother, then 18 and finally Pan. Trunks suddenly felt his mouth go dry. It had been years, almost a whole decade since he'd seen her, and she was no longer the child he remembered. Then she was past him and he fixed his attention on Videl.

The ceremony was beautiful, filled with vows of love and affection. Bra was in tears by the end, and she wasn't the only one. Once it was over the reception began, she dashed off to renew her eye makeup and Trunks followed the flow of people to the dance floor and food tables. They had obviously planned on feeding several Saijins and the tables groaned with the weight of the food. Confused caterers had heaped large plates with triple and quadruple portions for certain guests.

Trunks found his name card at a table with Bra, Goten, and Pan. He sat down and waited for his sister, but Pan was the first to arrive, he rose and gave her a chaste hug. She flashed him a smile and took her seat. Trunks allowed his eyes to slip over her quickly before turning to his dinner. She was taller, almost as tall as his mother, and her hair was much longer. She'd twisted it into an intricate bun held by jewel capped pins that matched her dark blue gown. Her breasts filled her gown and strained slightly against the fabric. Bra arrived and his smile held just a little bit too much relief. He should not be thinking these things about Pan.

An hour later, when all the food in sight had been consumed, the band started and Videl and Gohan got up to dance. Trunks smiled as he watched them. He'd never seen a couple so openly in love. Oh his parents loved each other, and they had their own way of showing it, but he thought it would be nice to just once have a father smile at him and tell him he was a good son and not just a good fighter or a good warrior. A new song started and Bra dragged Goten onto the dance floor, leaving Trunks with Pan. She edged her chair closer.

"How have you been? It's been a while."

He nodded. "Eight years I think. I'm good, you?"

She shrugged. "Well enough. Tell me, the university in South City, it's a good one, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, it's just that, going to school here…"

"You're living in your father's shadow."

She nodded and smiled at his understanding. Gohan was the head of the Physics department and a major driving force in the scientific community. "So you want to finish up school in South City?"

"I think I can talk mom into it. Dad will be upset though. He was looking forward to having me as a student next year."

Trunks frowned, he could have sworn she had just finished her senior year. "What's your major?"

"It's actually a little complex. I'm double majoring in Physics and Biology with a minor in Organic Chemistry. My main field of study is the effects of deep space travel on living tissues, with a major emphasis on radiation. I've been trying to duplicate the pods Vegeta and Nappa used to get here with only minor success."

"You should ask my mom to help. She'll probably think it's a wonderful project."

Pan shook her head. "This is going to be my life's work, not a pet project. I want to make deep space travel viable for humans, not just us."

"Then you had better dedicate some time to weapons systems." He frowned slightly. "How do you plan on duplicating the stasis sleep?"

"A combination of drug induced slumber and sub-freezing temperatures. I've already managed to work that part out, I even have blueprints for the system, but I've yet to build it."

Trunks shook his head in wonder. "Do you think I could persuade you to work for Capsule Corp.? We're always looking for bright new scientists, and we'll give you the funding to do this. It would have to take a secondary role for a while, but you would get free rein and a team of experts to help you." Pan blinked in surprise. Did he just offer her a job? "The pay is only 100,000 a year as a start, but it goes up yearly and that doesn't count bonuses and paid vacation time, you get a week each year. We have a roll-over plan so you can accumulate paid vacation over the years. We have the best medical coverage of any other developmental technology firm, and even our own hospital and staff."

Pan laughed, holding up her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, I'll think about it. For now though, I need to finish school."

Trunks spotted his mother and placed a hand on her arm. "One moment, I'll be right back."

He rose and dashed off. Pan reached over and touched the spot on her arm where he'd touched her. Her stomach did a little summersault and she bit her lip gently. She shouldn't react to Trunks like this. She'd always been attracted to him, ever since high school, but she'd written it off as girlish fantasies. But now here they were, talking like two normal adults, and she was getting this slightly warm feeling every time he smiled at her. She hoped he hadn't noticed anything to give her away. Trunks returned, a grin set on his face.

"It's all set." He said as he pulled her to her feet and led her out on the dance floor.

"What is?"

He placed a hand at her waist and the other in his hand as he led her through the opening steps. "You'll go to South City to finish school, and stay with us while you do. Mom said it was alright. In fact she seemed rather excited at the idea of another inventor in the house. Bra isn't good for much but shopping."

She laughed and he dipped her. When they came up she found he'd moved a fraction closer. "Thank you, now all I have to do is tell my parents."

"It won't be that hard, I think Gohan will understand. He's had to live in his father's shadow for a long time too."

Suddenly Pan's eyes went wide. "Oh my gosh! I get to train with you and Vegeta!"

Her smile seemed to make her face glow and Trunks was momentarily lost for words. "Tr…train with us?"

She nodded. "I'm sick of beating Goten to a bloody pulp. You and Vegeta ought to be much more challenging."

Trunks almost choked on his own tongue. "I think challenging is a bit of an understatement. Goten stopped training seriously years ago, dad and I use the gravity chamber every day as a warm-up."

She gave his hand a light squeeze. "Thank you so much, Trunks."

"Hey, what are friends for?"

He thought for a moment her smile flickered, but then it returned to its full brilliance and they turned the topic to far less important subjects. By the end of the evening he'd spent almost six strait hours with her and never once been bored or annoyed. Videl and Gohan went to bed, leaving the clean up to the caterers. Bulma had left both her children with capsules to get them home and left with Vegeta, knowing the Saijin Prince's opinion of such gatherings.