Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Retaliation; the Trouble Inside ❯ Hot Pursuit ( Chapter 1 )

Retaliation/Betrayal

Note: This was based on a dream I recently had about Pan and Trunks. Oddly enough, it morphed into some strange diabolical thing that puts Trunks in an OOC role. However, it is not Trunks/Pan though it might seem to be. My apologies for what I am about to put them through though. It is just an experiment. It is based on GT, but I do not fully accept Goku turning into a kid permanently and all. In this, Goku found a way to turn back into his original age with one of Bulma's inventions.

 

 

By StarbearerTM

 

Pan drew in great breaths, and then let herself touch down on the beach. She had flown to the extent of her abilities but still could not shake her pursuer. Just why a once friend had turned possessive she could not tell. Angry at herself for being weak, Pan martial led her last bit of strength to stagger up the shoreline.

 

She had now landed on a quasi-familiar island. In the sense that she had not been here for years, and the one who knew it best was her grandfather. She had just turned seventeen, and it seemed like that earned every available bachelor a crack at her. Few men paralleled her strength or held her interest.

 

Except for the man who hotly chased her across the world and halfway again in his mad desire. For at least a week he had gazed at her lustfully, something she both enjoyed and worried about. Granted it was the same look Goten gave Bra, but there was a difference. She was not interested in Trunks in 'that way'. Meaning a sexual relationship. After all, he was 'taken'. All the outward signs indicated he favored Marron. Considering all the time they spent with each other and the fact he had invited her to many social functions his current behavior baffled her.

 

They had attempted a sparring session. Something about Trunks struck her as odd. What had begun as an innocent spar had morphed into a serious fight. It was soon all she could do to keep him from pushing her to the floor, whispering things into her ear about how much she 'stirred his blood'. She had retaliated with a hard punch to his face, and blasted off. However, what was far more disturbing was the odd evil cackle he gave, licking blood off his lips like a hungry tiger.

 

Was it he in that azure stare or a man possessed? A cold shiver crossed down her spine when she remembered the last time he had given her such a look. When Baby had ensnared him body and soul. Yet Baby was destroyed, decimated by her Grandfather's times ten kamehameha. No way could any of the Tuffles have survived such a catastrophe.

 

"Dammit, Trunks what the HELL has come over you?” Pan gasped.

 

If Marron found out what he was up to, there would be hell to pay. Specifically from 18, who was convinced that Trunks and her daughter were well on their way to going steady. Not to mention hell to pay from her father when he found out what Trunks had tried to do.

 

"It's not him, it's just not him," she coughed.

 

Striding along the shore, she glanced into the jungles that rimmed the sizeable island. It was off the coast of the midcontinent, thousands of miles from her home province, but she hoped someone there could help her shake some sense into trunks. Someone close to her age, only a two-year age gap separating them.

 

Ki probes extended, telling her that a varying spark was further up the strip of sand. Pan dropped within mere feet of the source itself. Tanned skin blistered with sheen of oily sweat. A dark Mohawk of hair fluttered in the breeze while its owner practiced a series of warm-ups. Orange gi clad his slender and hard muscular body. As he turned the sigil of Son swiveled into Pan's view. She emitted a choked gasp.

 

"Help me," she croaked, ashamed of herself for uttering such words. She was the granddaughter of Goku and Hercule, champions of the world. Even Hercule had trained her, alongside of her father for many years. All moves she had used on her pursuer amounted to naught when he transformed. She cursed the lack of ability to ascend. Bra had the potential locked away. She had achieved it when pushed to the wall in a duel with Marron at a martial arts championship.

 

"You're only one quarter blood, Panny," Trunks had rasped. "So sorry you can't ascend."

 

"Dammit what's gotten into you, Trunks?" she retaliated, blocking his hand that shot out. She peppered him with a rapid series of punches. Pan would not meekly surrender. She would go down fighting hard. Yet bruised and battered, she knew she was at the end of her rope.

 

Instantly the martial artist spun around, his eyes landing on the stumbling figure. "What the... Pan!" he exclaimed, shooting forwards. She pitched into his outstretched arms, laying her head against his chest.

 

"I... made it," she croaked.

 

"Pan, are you hurt, what happened? Tell me!” Uub demanded voice thick with concern and surprise.

 

Just what was she doing here of all places? He had taken an extended break from training with Goku, so his mentor could spend much needed time with his family. Besides, they needed him to return and help support them with his prize money he had recently earned. Mr. Satan had given him the financial backing to promote him as a fighter. He had opened his own dojo in his home village, drawing interested students for miles around.

 

Despite the fact, they had not seen each other in the better part of the year, his protectiveness, and concern wrapped her as securely as his strong arms. She leaned heavily on him, trying to find the words to express her experience. "It's... he's gone crazy, Uub. I could not stop him. He's not himself... he's chased me halfway around Chikyuu!"

 

"Who, Pan?” Uub queried, lightly rubbing her back. "You're a mess!"

 

"I fought him as hard as I could. But I can't... trans... form," she started. The next moment she went limp from exhaustion.

 

Uub gently bent at the waist, swinging his other arm to slide beneath her knees. Straightening up he carried Pan love-cradle style towards his village. She would heal quickly, but the medicines of his tribal elders would assist this process greatly. There was no telling how severe things were. Nevertheless, his own ki sense told him that she was badly damaged. No bones were broken, from his senses flooding over hers.

 

Another spark of ki flashed across his perceptions like a beacon. He received the echoes, forming an image of its owner. Rocketing through at subsonic speeds towards the island, Uub realized. The ki was not human or Saiyan. Demi Saiyan, more like. Specifically with a blue, tinge increasing in magnitude on the far horizon. His already dark eyes blackened to midnight depths watching the star increase to the size of a tiny figure, and then blow up to human size. Finally, it came to a dead stop, hovering just above the beach at an altitude of twenty feet. Blue eyes intently watched Uub standing there, one foot planted in the direction of the village but his body still half turned to the second unexpected though this time unwelcome visitor.

 

“Trunks,” he gritted.

 

“Pan there you are! Uub, what a surprise! You found her!” he answered, drifting down to touch his sneakered feet to the sand ruffling in waves from his energy signature. To Uub it felt malevolent; overtop a sense of arrogant pride that Trunks normally kept under wraps.

 

“I don't know what your problem is, but if you did this to her, you'll answer to ME!” were the first words out of the young protégée of Goku's mouth.

 

“Now why would I want to hurt Panny? I was trying to help her! She struck out at me, going crazy… I'm worried sick, as is her father and mother…” Trunks began.

 

“Why don't I believe you, Trunks?" Uub responded, stepping backwards. One hand raised with the flattened palm pointed towards trunks. His entire body curled forwards, minimizing the profile yet still holding Pan close with his other arm.

 

“She's very disturbed. Not been acting herself lately. It's all I can do not to have her attack me whenever I'm around her…” Trunks continued, not listening completely to Uub, and cutting over his words with an increase in his vocal volume.

 

“I wonder why THAT is? You think I'm stupid, Trunks? Pan wouldn't run scared from you unless YOU were the problem, not her!” Uub accused. “Something's wrong with you, and I don't know what, but you'd better stay away till I know!”

 

“Is that any way to treat a friend who only…”

 

“Save it,” Uub cut him off. "You're not acting yourself! Something's WRONG… you're… just crawling with evil!"

 

“I see she's somehow convinced YOU that I'm the problem. But since you want to act all macho about this, I guess I will have to take you on. Too bad. For your sake you'd better set the girl down…” Trunks started.

 

“No way, Trunks. I'm not letting her out of my sight.”

 

“You really want to risk Panny's life in a fight? You're the one who's endangering her, and you've got the balls to accuse me?” Trunks laughed. The peculiar peel of mirth had that suspicious tinge. Apparently, Trunks was wasting no time because the golden aura exploded around him flaring his hair up to twin points.

 

Uub easily glided out of the way of the blue blast trained right at him. He was glad Pan was still so small because it made it easier to protect her and fight. He could not risk setting her aside, and fighting carrying her was a dire decision. Yet he had faced greater challenges and Goku's training automatically overrode any doubts. Trunks becoming Super Saiyan also told him how desperate the Saiyan seemed to get his hands on Pan.

 

“You're possessed by Baby! Or someone else! That has to be it! The Trunks I know wouldn't just power up,” Uub panted. Several spheres of energy pelted Trunks, and then Uub suddenly zipped out of the next blast headed his way. He quickly slammed Trunks in the back with a kick, and dodged the resulting hand that reached out to snatch Pan.

 

“How could I be that monster? Goku destroyed him. You were there yourself fighting my father. Or are you blind?” Trunks taunted. Fending him off with his feet and one hand, he returned the volley of rapid-fire punches. Instinct told him that Trunks was trying to find the exact time to force him to drop Pan, or reach out and grab her. He did not want her dead, but Uub shuddered to think just WHY he was acting like this.

 

A solid punch slammed into Uub's jaw, sending him backwards. His arms still hugged Pan tightly, and his feet shot out as he angled his body to impact with the beach. At the last second of falling, he somersaulted in midair, and then rocketed headlong towards Trunks. Quickly Trunks slashed his hands before his face, and then generated a burning ball of yellow energy tinged with crimson.

 

“Burning attack!” he shouted. Uub moved just a hair to the side, letting the sphere shoot past him. Still he kept his eyes glued to Trunks, wondering what the person was trying to pull with such an obvious attack.

 

“He wants me to drop Pan. I know it,” he mumbled. Quickly he flipped pan up in the air, and saw Trunks eyes widen. It only took a moment for Trunks to phase out and then close the gap to within ten feet.

 

“HYAAAH!” he shouted, ki crackling around his fist. It slammed into Trunks solar plexus with a sickening thud. Then he continued with a sharp fist to Trunks back, knocking him down. The Super Saiyan recovered only inches from crashing into the ocean. By that time, Uub had snatched Pan from a deadly fall. Twisting her around he locked her body to his, so her back was facing out and her legs dangled. His arm wrapped around her waist, cradling her close. Pink tinged blasts fired in rapid succession, some hitting and others knocked away by Trunks.

 

“Enough of this!” Trunks growled. Appearing close, he suddenly curled his body around and a blue tinged wave of fire exploded from his body into a thin sphere outwards. Uub twisted himself around, feeling the impact slamming into him and knocking him forwards. His body spasmed a bit, but he kept a death grip on Pan. Fortunately, his body absorbed the worst of it, leaving her barely harmed.

 

Then another blast of energy slammed into his shoulder, then his leg. Each time he shifted his position, curling himself around Pan instead of fighting back. Trunks frowned, wondering what the enhanced human had on his mind. Protecting pan was foremost and he could not understand why the idiot would not just surrender.

 

“Give it up! You cannot dodge me and save pan at the same time! Do you want her dead?” Trunks yelled.

 

“I won't let you hurt her!” Uub answered, just managing to pull out of a fall and land feet first on the beach. The blasts so far had not hit any parts of the village, but he felt torn between luring Trunks away and settling it here. His next blast answered Trunks and he phased away, materializing at a safe distance. Soon he dwindled to a small pink point. He prayed that Trunks was more intent on following him then taking out his wrath on a town. Luckily, he sensed Trunks in hot pursuit, and gave himself a small smile. While he could hold Trunks off, he knew it was only a matter of time before Pan got hurt in the process. He needed someone who could protect her while he settled this, or find someone who could knock some sense into Trunks. His streaking pink trail carried him towards Goku's home.

 

Trunks burned hotter with golden energies. With a loud “HAHH!” he chanced firing an energy beam when he saw Uub drop out of subsonic speed. It caught him off guard, and Trunks watched to see him twist in agony. As he phased towards Uub, he punched him in the jaw and grabbed hold of Pan with one hand.

 

“Sorry, but this is gone on far enough!”

 

Pan writhed, blinking slowly as she looked up at Trunks. Her whole body convulsed in fear and she saw Uub plummeting towards the forest below. Angrily she squirmed and managed to muster enough energy to slam Trunks in the gut and then kick herself free. “Dammit!” Trunks cursed.

 

“Get AWAY from me whoever you are! You'd better get the hell out of Trunks, you parasite or else you'll be sorry!” she yelled, and then felt her energy petering out.

 

“Pan you can't escape from me!” he said. Barely had she maintained her altitude, secretly watching as Uub managed to stop himself from crashing into a nasty crater. He hovered low in the trees, a finger to his lips.

 

“Trunks, I don't know WHAT or who's gotten into you, but I'm SICK of this! You won't hurt me again! What is WRONG with you?” again she yelled.

 

“I have to have you Pan. You're in my blood…” he gasped, his hands extended like a man possessed.

 

“You're wrong! This isn't you! The Trunks I know would never force himself on ANYONE! Besides, you're in love with Marron!”

 

“She doesn't have what I need. You're a Saiyan. One of the last females on Earth,” he panted.

 

“You're not going to come anywhere NEAR her till I find out what the hell's going on, Trunks!” shouted someone from behind. Trunks barely managed to look before he saw Gohan blurring into view behind him. A fast punch to the face followed another to the chest. Trunks turned his attention to an enraged Gohan who glistened with identical super Saiyan energies.

 

“Gohan, don't fight me…” Trunks gasped.

 

“You're not yourself! I heard from Goten and Bra how screwy you've been! Pushing people away, scaring your own sister and your best friend! And hurting Marron's feelings. However, when Pan first told me you tried to attack her... I didn't believe her. Now I felt her ki and yours close together, flaring! Care to explain that?" Gohan heaved.

 

"I was trying to stop her from hurting herself!" Trunks protested, swinging a wild punch at Gohan. He easily deflected it, his own teal eyes burning with hurt and betrayal.

 

"He hurt Pan! He had to have! And he was chasing her like a… a wild beast!" came Uub's voice from below. Gracefully the young hero held a semi conscious Pan in his arms.

 

“Gohan… we're friends… I would never…” Trunks coughed up blood as he peered up into Gohan's stern frown.

 

“Then explain WHY she's scared to go near you? Why you're attacking Uub like a crazed maniac and WHY I felt her ki and yours flaring. Who are you REALLY?” shouted Gohan. Instinct told him to keep his friend off balance, and only bluff, but he fought against his own outrage as a father and loyalty to a lifelong friend. The Trunks he knew would never do this, so what could have possibly possessed him.

 

Fortunately, they were not alone for Goten materialized nearby, along with Bra who had been hanging around his neck. She had difficulty flying and she let out a shirked to see what Gohan was doing. “Trunks!”

 

“Stay away from them, Bra!” Goten warned, grabbing her arm. “He's not himself!”

 

“I can't believe… Trunks! Gohan don't hurt him! Something's possessed him! My brother would never… he's gone crazy!" Bra yelled, reaching out towards him.

 

"Even you turn against me, dear sister!" Trunks shot her a hurt glare.

 

"Trunks, you need help! Tell us what's going on!" Goten shouted, using most of his strength to stop Bra from interposing herself between her friend and her brother. All they needed now was Bra sliding into the conflict and getting hurt.

 

“I'm trying NOT to! Are you going to stop bullshitting me and tell me whom you are? You're NOT Trunks... and if you ARE, he's NOT in control here!” Gohan repeatedly shouted. Fists flew, and he could tell from the pained look on Trunks face that the fists flying towards him were halfhearted. Gohan met him blow for blow, not attacking but blocking.

 

"Gohan… help me… I can't fight it… I'm sorry… tell Pan I didn't mean to! I…” Trunks groaned, pressing his hands to his head. He uttered a loud scream, and shot backwards, writhing.

Suddenly Trunks energy seemed to drain from his body, and his gold aura faded to his lavender self. Gohan caught him around the waist as he dropped earthwards. Ki had flared to a dangerously low level.

 

"Trunks!" a half dozen voices chorused.

 

“Is he okay?” asked Goten. Whirling around, Gohan drifted towards where Bra and Goten hovered, along with Uub. Pan rubbed her eyes, blinking at her uncle and best friends.

 

“Oh my Kami are you okay?” Bra yelped, pushing away from Goten and managing to fly on her own. Seeing the nasty bruises on her friend's face, she bit her lip.

 

"B... bra… I'll live… but I feel like I've been smashed to bits," Pan confessed wearily. "He wouldn't stop. But it was like he was fighting… and the more I fought back, the more HE fought back…"

 

"Dammit I wish I could have helped you! Why didn't you call your dad or uncle for help?" Bra hissed at her friend.

 

"Because Dad didn't believe me… and Uncle Goten thought I was just making something up because he thought I was jealous of Trunks and Marron…."

 

"Enough all of you! Listen to me! Tell me, what happened leading up to this, and why didn't anyone SAY anything?” Gohan demanded.

 

"I did Dad, but you wouldn't listen, remember!" Pan cried out, tears brimming in her eyes. Uub's own eyes widened in surprise, and he felt the urge to embrace her shaking body. Carefully he did so, giving her reassurance in his solid grip on her that he would not let her fall.

 

"Pan, I'm sorry I didn't believe you…" Gohan immediately apologized, flying towards them both. "Please you must forgive me. I wish there were some way I could make it up to you, sweetheart. Marron told me everything… well Videl and me. And I just knew once I felt your ki and his that I had to act!"

 

"It's my fault too, big Brother," Goten confessed, hanging his head in guilt. "If it wasn't for what Bra told me I wouldn't have believed it either."

 

Bra confessed, "I mean he tried to actually hit me that one time, and I blocked it, and then let him have it with a full rant. And he backed off. He'd NEVER try to hit me. If he did, Daddy would knock him into next week!"

 

"Where is your father, Bra?" Uub joined the interrogation.

 

"He was training with Goku," explained Bra. "That's what he told me."

 

"For a whole two weeks in that ki chamber… that your mom built… which is sealed from any outside ki flares," Goten sheepishly contributed.

 

“Not a good time for it. Bra, you had better call your mom. I don't know just what's going on, but I want him as far from Pan as possible,” Gohan grimly announced, shifting Trunks onto his shoulders in a firefighter carry.

 

“His energy doesn't feel weird anymore,” Uub said quietly. Gohan nodded and said nothing more.

 

"I don't know… I only hope Mom can get hold of Dad, and he comes back soon," Bra agreed, her face twisted with sorry.

 

“I'd better fly him back to capsule. You two had better come along. Is she okay, Uub?” asked Gohan, staring over his shoulder.

 

“Daddy,” murmured Pan, before passing out again.

 

“She's all right. Should I take her home?” asked Uub.

 

“I'll just go with you to Capsule,” Bra said, glancing guiltily towards Pan.

 

Goten nodded, gently extending his hand to grasp hers. She allowed him to pull her along as Gohan blasted off towards West City. He gave Uub a nod of thanks as he left. Goten did as well, and Bra forlornly looked towards Pan. Was it a case of 'Saiyan desires' gone amok or something else? On the other hand, was another Baby incident on the horizon? Uub shuddered to think. Trunks would not give himself over to something unless forced against his will. Something was DEFINITELY far worse, and Trunks was the tip of the iceberg.