NOTE: Rated PG-13 for mild violence and adult language.

       Marron and Goten's wedding was a pleasant, family and friends affair that went off without a hitch, except for the rain.
       It rained through the morning and the whole ceremony. As the couple kissed, the pattering sound of the rain-drops hitting the large, white and yellow-striped tent ceased. The wedding party looked around in amazement and laughed as the sun came out. They all walked into the sunshine as chamber music lilted through the little valley under Mount Paozu.
       Everyone formed a reception line and greeted the new Mr. and Mrs. Son. They beamed and shook hands and exchanged hugs with their guests: the Briefs-Vegetas, Jinzouningen, Sons, and their many friends.
       Trunks shook his best friend's hand.
       "What the heck is that!?" Goten laughed and pulled him into a bear hug. "Thanks so much for being here! I know how much marriage scares you!"
       "Scares me!?" Trunks sweat a little and gasped for air.
       "It must," Marron giggled. "You're a year older than Goten, aren't you?"
       "Well.. that is..." Trunks was released from the hug and tried to make a hasty retreat.
       "Aw, don't worry, Trunks!" Goten slapped him on the back. "Getting married didn't hurt a bit!"
       He pretended to laugh and inched away. 'Afraid to get married. Yuh,' he thought as he got a glass of wine and a linen napkin and walked away from the busy tent. He found a set of chairs under a tree a few yards from the action, toweled one off with the napkin and flopped down. He watched the happy couple through the throng. Trunks raised his glass and gave a silent toast. "Bye, Goten. It was nice knowin' ya," he scoffed and people-watched from his distant post. His vapid date flitted around his mother, vying for her attention, hoping to get in good with her for whatever evil long-term plans she had. He shuddered and prayed she didn't see him under the shade of the trees. "Happens every year now. I lose another friend to..." he stopped short. A strikingly beautiful young woman appeared out of the crowd and was making her way over to him. He straightened up and ran a hand through his hair.

       "Yo! Trunks!" she called out and waved as she got nearer.
       "Wha...?" his mouth hung open.
       She laughed. "Whaddaya doing? Falling asleep? Sheesh. What the hell's happened to you?" she joked, came to a stop a foot from him, put her hands on her hips and looked down on him.
       He blinked rapidly. "Pan-chan?"
       "Oh, Trunks. Please. I'm in college now. Call me Pan."
       "Oh! Sorry." He stood up and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Wow. Long time no see! How have you been?"
       "Pretty good." She looked to the chair across from his and made a face at how damp it was. "What, have you become anti-social in your old age?"
       He took the napkin and wiped it down for her. "Old age!?"
       "Yeah, what are you like 40?"
       Trunks almost fell, but used the arm of the chair to steady himself. "I'm 37!"
       She laughed. "I'm just pullin' your chain! Who cares! We're Saiyajin anyway. Numbers don't matter.
       She crossed her legs and sat back comfortably. Pan Son was dressed in a light blue, knee-length, sleeveless dress. Her hair was up and away from her face. The two old friends talked about what they had been doing in the near decade that had passed since the Grand Tour. She asked about Capsule and how he liked being CEO. He asked her how school was going.
       "I think I'm gonna drop out."
       "Why?" he asked, kind of shocked that Gohan's daughter would think such a thing.
       "Well, my grades kinda suck. And besides, all I ever wanted to do was take over my Jiichan's dojo."
       "And what? Train fighters?"
       She nodded and sipped her glass of wine. "Not like I have to work. I just want to."
       Trunks smiled a bit at this. He knew how she felt. Capsule Corp. could very well run itself and he could just sit back and reap the profits, but what good would he be? He always needed to be doing something. Although it was a high-stress job, he liked keeping busy, ever how much it infuriated his father.
       Trunks sighed inwardly and went quiet for a moment. Pan looked at him funny.
       "What's got you down?" she asked. "This is a wedding, you know, the happiest day of Uncle Goten's life or whatever."
       "Yeah..." he mumbled, still staring far off. Just through the other side of the tent he could see them: the happy couple. They were perfect. He was hardly paying attention to Pan anymore. Annoyed, she was about to say something to this effect when his date came over to visit.
       "Trunks-sama?" she asked. "Do you need anything?" Everything about this woman was perfect, except for her utter lack of a brain.
       "Nope. I'm ok. Thanks."
       "Oh, I'm sorry," she covered her mouth. "I've interrupted you."
       Trunks opened his own mouth to say it was all right, but Pan cut him off.
       "Yeah well, we WERE trying to have a conversation here, so, if you don't mind?" Pan stared at her. Trunks' mouth continued to hang open. His date lost the staring contest and looked to him for support. All he could do was stutter and shrug. She bowed politely, shot Pan the look of death (which Pan shot right back at her) and left them in peace.
       Trunks tried unsuccessfully to hide his laughter.
       Pan sneered and hooked her thumb at the retreating bimbo. "Where'd you pick that one up, Toys R Us?"
       "Ha hahaha.. something like that." He sighed. How refreshing. He didn't have to act proper or restrained at all around Pan. She knew him for what he was: a half-breed alien with a long, strange history of saving the world from certain destruction who enjoyed flying without the use of an aircar. She cocked her head to the side and rested her chin in her palm. Trunks couldn't help but notice the curve of her cleavage as she leaned over.
       "What?" he asked, innocently.
       "How bout you and me go get a pizza some time?"
       Trunks gripped the chair to prevent himself from face vaulting. "Pizza? What like.. out in public!?"
       Pan sat up and folded her arms. "You don't want to be seen with me, is that it?" she frowned.
       "NO! I mean. Yes, I mean... Shit.. I mean I can't go anywhere these days. The paparazzi find me. I have to fly straight out of the office or home in order to avoid them recently. It's ridiculous."
       "I see..." she replied. Her face still obviously showing her offense.
       "Pan-cha.. Pan.." he stuttered. "I'm the world's most eligible bachelor. These photographers hound me at every restaurant and movie and play I go to. Do you really want to be on the cover of People magazine?"
       Pan's eyes glittered momentarily. "Ok, that may be a drag to you, but hell. If that's your only reason for not going out on a date with me, that's pretty pathetic!"
       "That's not what I meant! I mean.. shitshitshit. I'd like to... go on a date with you. I just wanted you to be forewarned."
       Pan smirked. "Ok then." She stood up. "I live in room 5, dorm 13 at Orange Star U. Pick me up Saturday at 7."
       Trunks blinked. "Um... sure!" He too stood, and saw just how much taller she had gotten since the last time he had seen her. 'She must be 20 now,' he thought. 'I am so old.'
       She turned and sauntered like a victorious lion back to the reception. Trunks laughed lightly to himself. "What the hell, why not," he whispered, shook his head and rejoined the party.

       Videl refreshed Marron's champagne flute and watched her almost trip over her huge wedding dress as she giggled and ran back to her new husband. She smiled and looked for her own. Gohan was making conversation with God. Videl strolled up and laced her arm through his. This surprised him.
       "Oh, do you need something?" Gohan asked, thinking she was going for his coat pocket.
       "No..." Videl retracted her arm. "Just... saying hi!" she tried to cover. Dende and Gohan's conversation resumed and quickly bored her. Videl found an empty table and sat down. She watched the younger people dance the electric slide and rested her chin in her hand. 'I'm looking at two people who are going to make mad, passionate love tonight,' she thought as she observed the couple. 'And what will we be doing?'
       An all too familiar image came to mind of her husband, propped up in bed, his glasses sitting on his nose reading a thick academic text book in his button down pajamas. She would try to watch the late show for a while, then fall asleep with the television on. Gohan would put his book down after a while, turn off the TV, kiss her on the cheek and go to sleep as well.
       'Hnnnn...' Videl groaned

       Bulma socialized. She was very good at doing that. She had gotten even better in the last ten years or so. More galas, more benefits, more conventions, more seminars kept her busy and in contact with thousands of employees and business associates all over the globe. As her children took the reigns of the running of Capsule Corp., she took on the role of mascot. And she was brilliant; like a diplomat, only financial rather than political, though at times it was that as well. She smoothed over rocky ground between the governments of the world and her father's corporation with a her pleasant demeanor and perfected schmoozing skills. She was well liked and gifted and very happy to still be useful.
       But looking out at the joy that emanated from Goten and Marron, her heart felt cold. Her husband was noticeably absent. In truth, she had no idea where he might be, but told everyone he was on a training mission.
       Bulma last saw Vegeta six months ago. They had crossed paths in the house. She was packing to go on another trip and was on the phone with her pharmacy. They made eye contact briefly before he went in to the bathroom for a shower. Bulma quickly finished refilling her prescription, zipped up her bags and was in the car before he emerged.
       There was something about the way he looked at her. He also never said a word to her anymore. It began slowly, and by the time Bulma realized things had gotten so bad, she began to act the same way. Though when she looked at him, her eyes were tinged with hurt. Vegeta's eyes held a dull sort of sadness Bulma could not begin to comprehend. But she had an idea, and it made her morose to think of it.
       She shook her head and asked Eighteen to repeat what she had just said, siting her failing sense of hearing as the cause for her distraction.

       Bra was drunk, but hiding it well. She danced like a maniac when sober so her antics went unnoticed. She was 22 years old. She had just gotten out of college months ago, earning a masters in bio-engineering in only 4 years. Immediately following graduation she was instated as the new research and development department head; a job she had wanted since she could remember. Work was always interesting, exciting and new. She loved to create and watch Capsule grow. She loved working with her family. She still lived at home and had no intention of leaving any time soon.
       Bra too noticed that her father, although he had been invited, was absent. She was reminded of this as she watched Chi-chi and Bulma laugh about something together. She drank down another glass of champagne and rejoined her friends on the dance floor.
       "So!" Pan shouted over the music. "We should all go out some time!"
       "Yeah! That would be great!" Marron slurred. "We gotta get Bra a date, though!"
       "Marron..." Bra blushed.
       "Come on, when's the last time you had some?"
       "MARRON!"
       Pan bent double with laughing at Bra's red face. Marron was dead serious.
       "You need a maaaaan!" She put her arm around her friend.
       "Hate to tell ya, you got the last good one!"
       "Awwwwwwww..." Marron pouted. "Don't be sad! When I get back from my *hiccup* honeymoon we'll fix ya up. You'll see!"
       Bra grumbled something about low IQ's, but let the subject slide. Marron soon forgot about it and continued to dance.

       Mrs. Son watched the new Mrs. Son with a perpetual tear in her eye. Her last boy was finally married. When Gohan had gotten married it was like a dream come true. When Pan was born, she became a grandmother. How Goku had doted on her! But Goten, he was such a flirt. There had been many girlfriends. So many Chi-chi could hardly keep their names straight. None of them were the catch Videl had been. But Marron was an excellent choice. Her family's closeness to her own made Chi-chi very happy. They wouldn't have to hide anything like they would surely have to do from a 'normal' set of in-laws. Krillin, Eighteen and Marron had seen it all and stood by them in many battles to save the Earth.
       Krillin and Goku had been friends almost as long as Chi-chi had known him. 'Oh, won't it be wonderful?' Chi-chi thought. "When Goku comes home again, he'll be so surprised and pleased!'
       Goku had been dead this time for more than 10 years; the longest time he had ever been away. But every time somehow, he came back. Chi-chi had not heard what Vegeta told Pan that day so many years ago. That this was it. Goku had given his life to save the Earth one last time. He was absorbed into Shenlong, and disappeared into the ages. He would never return.
       Chi-chi still smiled as she and Gohan, Videl and Pan headed home that night. The image of her husband's surprise at seeing Goten married clouded her thoughts.

       As usual, Krillin began to fall asleep around 9 that evening. He had another slice of wedding cake and a glass of milk, said goodnight to his wife and went to bed.
       Eighteen had made the guest room her bedroom several years ago when Krillin's snoring had gotten to be too much. It was right across the hall and next to her daughter's now vacant room. Eighteen took her book in with her and sat up in bed, reading. She was incredibly happy for Marron, and pleased she found a reliable man to spend the rest of her life with. Eighteen stared at the ceiling. 'Till death do us part...' she thought.
       When the priest had made them say that at her own wedding, Eighteen had gone along with it. She was in love and wasn't thinking any morbid thoughts about the eventual death of her partner. Not like the ones which haunted her now.
       Krillin was 70 years old. Eighteen was, as an android, a teenager forever. She sat and listened to her husband snore and a tear came to her eye.
       His breathing was far from rhythmic. Occasionally he would roll over and the sound would stop, but only for a moment then it would roar back into life like a sports car shifting gears. Eighteen sighed in the temporary silence and tried to read her book.
       A few minutes went by. There was no sound. She furrowed her brows and looked at the clock. She couldn't remember how long it had been since Krillin last snored. She jumped out of bed and tip-toed quickly into the bedroom.
       "Krillin?" she asked, leaning in the door frame. There was no sound. She ran to him and shook his shoulders. "Krillin!?!"
       "Huh? WHAT!? WHAT!?" he screamed, startled. "Is the house on fire!?"
       She let him go and sat on the bed. "I... I didn't hear..."
       Krillin turned on the light and looked at his wife. He took her thin, perfect hands in his. "I see."
       Eighteen pursed her lips. "I just... get so scared sometimes."
       He pulled her towards him and she lay down with her head against his chest. Her android senses could hear his heart struggling against his age.
       "I don't want to be without you."
       "I know, I don't want to lose you either," he began.
       "No! Krillin. You won't. YOU'RE going to die, YOU'RE going to leave ME! And I'll just keep going. Then Marron and Goten will die and their kids and their grand kids will die and I'll still be alive!" the android cried.
       Krillin stroked her hair. "I'm sorry, Eighteen. I tired to wish you human all those years ago. If only that had worked."

       That evening, for the first time in years, Eighteen slept next to her husband.

       Goten finally started to fall asleep sometime around dawn with his new wife wrapped tightly around him. He bowed his head into her blond hair and sighed happily.
       "Goten?" Marron asked.
       "Mmm?" he silently prayed that she wouldn't ask him to go at it again. He was exhausted.
       "How many kids do you want to have?"
       "I really hadn't thought about it yet..."
       "I wanna have lots. Is that ok?"
       He laughed a little. "Sure, Marron. As many as you can handle."
       She made a happy sound and wiggled with anticipation. "Oh good."
       "Now go to sleep."
       "Mmkay."
       The sky was already beginning to lighten with the start of the new day.

       Bra rarely left the Capsule grounds other than to go shopping or maybe out with Pan and her brother. She was very dedicated to her job and her family. When her mother was away, she ran the house, programmed the cleaning-bots, fed her brother from time to time and ever so occasionally, her father.
       Vegeta came and went as he pleased. Trunks had given up on him a long time ago, but Bra still pined for the man she called Papa. He had been very close to her when she was a child, but had drifted away from the whole family. It made Trunks mad, Bulma apathetic and Bra deeply sad. Every time she tried to talk to Vegeta, he'd hardly say a word in response and try to leave the area at his earliest convenience. She wondered if he was disappointed that she and her brother had never taken up martial arts.
       Trunks had yelled at her once for saying something to that effect. "This is EARTH!" he shouted. "We're EARTHLINGS not Saiyans. We have jobs and families. It's not about war and pride anymore. If he'd just realized that and stop acting like a big baby Mom wouldn't..." he stopped himself and apologized to his sister. She knew what he meant. Their mother was getting on. Her heart was bad. She took medicine every day. Since Bulma had begun to visibly grow older, Vegeta had become this way. His behavior wasn't helping her heart any.
       Bra sighed and put down her work. She needed a break and to get out of the house. She took her car into the city.

       In a little sidewalk cafe, Bra sat and sipped a laté. She watched people as they passed by. A young woman who looked like Marron reminded her of the last blind date her friend had set her up on. The young man was smart, well educated and bred but dull as toast. Bra shook his hand when they said goodnight.
       She laughed a bit at this as she remembered the story. Maybe instead of intellectuals, what she needed was a fire fighter, or a construction worker. An image of the Village People popped in to her head. "No. Maybe not." Her eyes caught sight of a well-muscled young man on a bicycle coming up the street. He wore a helmet and tight-fitting, colorful spandex. "Or maybe I need a bike courier!" He was about her age, maybe older, dark-skinned and good looking. His face bore a contented smile. He wove through traffic easily and rounded the corner out of her sight.
       "Shit! I gotta catch him!" Bra cried, leapt over tables and bounded down the block. When she turned the corner, he was gone.
       "Shhhhhit," she cursed. "Ah well. Such is my life. He was probably just a student trying to make a few extra bucks... Who am I kidding!? With that body, he's probably FLAMING!" she laughed out loud to herself.

       As she headed back to her car, Bra spied a street vendor selling ices.
       "Ooh yay! One bright spot in my otherwise el sucko afternoon." She ordered a cherry ice and turned to go to her car. She bumped into someone.
       "Oh, Sorry ma'am!" a voice apologized.
       "MA'AM! I'm only 23!" she shouted. "Oh my god..."
       Standing in front of her with a sheepish look on his face was the buff bike courier.
       "I'm so sorry!" he apologized again. "I call ever lady Ma'am, Ma'am."
       "Well..." she scrambled to make conversation. "Call me Miss! I mean, call me Bra!" she smiled.
       "Bra Briefs?" he asked.
       'Oh great, here we go...' Bra thought. 'He's gonna think 'oh goodie! money!' and my hopes for a normal relationship will once again be dashed to smithereens!'
       "Wow. Last time I saw you, you were just a kid!"
       There was something familiar about this young man. They way he smiled, or the weird, southern accent... She knew him.. but from where?
        "Doncha remember me? I'm Uubu!"
       "Uubu!" Bra shouted. "That's it! Oh my God HI!" Relieved she struck up a conversation. Somehow, she managed to get him to ask her to dinner. Bra stayed out all night, coming home the next morning to work a very happy girl.

       It was relatively cool for a late May afternoon. A pleasant breeze blew through the open windows of the banquet hall on the 12th floor of the Satan Arms Hotel. Mr. Satan laughed heartily and handed bottles of champagne out to everyone he saw. He camped it up for the reporters.
       "You know my Pan-chan is a lot smarter than her old Grampa! Ha ha! I knew she'd make it through school. Me, I only ever had a 10th grade education, but ya don't need smarts when yer the strongest man in the world, yeah!"
       "You must be very proud, Mr. Satan. What does Pan plan to do next?"
       "I'm more than proud! Especially since she'll be taking over as head trainer at the Satan Dojo here in town! My student's are gonna get a break, I'm retiring, haha!"
       The press was allowed to take photographs and shoot video of the celebration going on inside for only a few minutes, before being escorted from the building by Satan's top martial arts students.
       All of Pan's family and friends, the same people who had attended her uncle Goten's wedding two years prior, were gathered to celebrate her graduation this day; everyone but God who was previously engaged. Many toasts were made in her honor. Pan's face was red, but not because she was embarrassed. She wrung her napkin in her hands.
       Between toasts, Pan Son stood up and clinked her own glass with a fork. When everyone was quiet, she began, "Thank you all so much for supporting me these past few years. Without ya I don't think I coulda made it!" There was a round of applause. "As I begin this new chapter of my life and take over for Grampa Satan... I don't want to go it alone..." Pan looked down to her right. Trunks smiled up at her. "Trunks..." she swallowed deep. Several people gasped. "Will you marry me?"
       Chi-chi fainted. Pan laughed nervously. Trunks looked completely astounded. It was clear they hadn't discussed marriage prior to this moment. He opened his mouth, but it took him a couple seconds to reply. "Sure!" he laughed and stood up. The couple hugged and kissed. Everyone got to their feet and cheered.

       On the other side of town in a large department store, a young woman licked an ice cream cone, oblivious to a group of leering salesmen. She read the price tags on some stereos and sighed. She only had enough money to make rent this month. The ice cream had been an indulgence. To her right was a bank of televisions. The local news channel AHO was playing on over 50 large, high-definition monitors. The sound was piped through the store to enhance the effect of their enormity.
       The AHO news anchor bubbled on about the weather then turned to a woman at his right. She ran down the top society stories. A piece of footage showed a party. The young woman took another lick of her ice cream and stepped closer to the wall of sets.
       "...This afternoon at a graduation party for Mr. Satan's granddaughter, Pan Son. It seems just after this footage was shot Ms. Son, 22, asked the world's most eligible bachelor, Trunks Briefs to marry her! The answer... YES!" The camera panned across the room and lingered in slow motion on Pan and Trunks. Just to their left, Goten and Marron fussed over their baby son, who was pulling the strings to a bunch of balloons.
       The young woman's ice cream fell out of her hand. She blinked at the televisions. "Go... ten?" she asked quietly. "You never called..." Her eyes glazed over.
       "Uh, Miss. You just dropped your ice cream..." a salesman pointed to the floor. She continued to stare at the sets, even though the picture had changed.
       "You... Never... Called," she repeated, coldly. A low hum was heard. One by one the monitors exploded from left to right. Salesmen and customers ducked for cover. She stood right where she was. The showroom suddenly became very cold. "You forgot me!" she shouted. The power went out and the windows that looked out on the street buckled and shattered into millions of 'shatter-proof' fragments. A harsh wind rushed in and blew papers and glass all around. People ran for their lives. Some were picked up and hurled at the walls.
       Still the young woman stood where she was. A voice whispered in her ear.
       "He abandoned you."
       "Yes."
       "You love him and he forgot you!"
       "Yes!"
       "He must pay!"
       "YES!" she screamed and reached her arms out, welcoming the evil spirit which courted her. Her red hair turned blue. Her skin turned white. Her eyes turned silver. Her simple skirt and shirt became an intricate, white gown that seemed to glisten with a million diamonds. She laughed lightly and turned away from the smoking televisions.
       "Now they will ALL pay!"
       A salesman clung to his register. "Hey! Who do you think you are, messing up our store?!"
       She smiled cruelly and walked slowly towards him. "I am the Snow Queen and I'll do as I please, Pig." She reached out with her index finger and stroked his cheek. The man cried out briefly before he was completely encased in ice.
       The Snow Queen then summoned the bits of broken glass to her. They swirled around her in tighter and tighter circles. This she mixed with ice and magic until it was thin, flat and reflective. The mirror's frame was made of the magic ice as well. She looked up, blew a hole in the ceiling with a wave of her hand and levitated through it. Once she reached the top of the building, the Snow Queen glowered over Satan City.
       "After hundreds of years I am free again! This time I shall have them all. All men's hearts will be mine!" she laughed and raised the mirror over her head. When she brought it crashing down at her feet, the mirror exploded into countless particles, too small to be seen individually. When they dispersed, the Snow Queen grinned and raised her hands again. This time, ice crept up the walls of the building, trapping everyone inside. She began to erect a temple to herself.

*
       Trunks kissed Pan again and looked into her deep, brown eyes. "So, how soon do you want to do this?"
       She shrugged. "I dunno. Whenever you're ready?"
       "Now?"
       She laughed. 'How bout next year."
       "Next year!"
       "Yeah. Give you a chance to get out of it." Pan jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow.
       "Hey, we've been together for what, two years now? What's another year?"
       "Exactly. May next year it is." She leaned in to kiss him again. Trunks grimaced and pulled back.
       "Uh, I got something in my eye."
       "A likely story..." Pan folded her arms.
       Trunks rubbed at his right eye. "Damn it. What the hell is this? It hurts like a bitch!"
       "Lemme see." He raised his eyelid and showed her. "I don't see anything..."
       He stopped fidgeting and shook his head. Trunks stood up and left the banquet table.
       "Gonna go get some water?" Pan asked. He kept walking. "Trunks?" Goten joined him. Pan looked around. Krillin and Gohan pushed away from their seats and did the same thing. "Mom!" Pan shouted.
       Videl looked lost, but when she saw the others, she nodded her head. "Something's wrong."

MORE TO COME

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