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Pan flew until she found him, sitting alone on a hillside overlooking West City. The view was spectacular. The sun was setting on the far side of town and the orange and pink hues made the sky look like it was ablaze. Little lights were beginning to turn on one by one in the city, resembling little earthbound stars.
“Leave me alone.” Trunks hadn’t even turned around. Pan hadn’t been masking her energy or muffling her footsteps in any way, so she wasn’t surprised that he knew she was there. His sullenness was dutifully ignored, however, as she finished her approach and sat next to him on the grass.
“Don’t be such a sourpuss,” she teased. She tried not to let her amusement show too plainly on her face at his indignant reaction.
“I am not a sourpuss,” he said, face red.
“Could have fooled me,” she countered, “you are so like Trunks.”
Her comment made him fall silent again, confirming her suspicions.
“Look, I don’t know why you followed me out here, but if you’re going to try to convince me that Pan and I are meant to be or something, you might as well leave,” he said after a moment.
Pan shook her head. “On the contrary.”
Trunks whipped his head around to look at her. “What do you mean?”
“Look, just because Trunks and I fell in love, does not mean you and Pan will too.”
Trunks looked at a loss for words, so she continued.
“You know the nature versus nurture thing?” Trunks nodded. “Well I think both sides are wrong. We are not completely made from our genetics or our upbringing, rather both of those factors influence who we are.
“Take you and Trunks for example. You have a lot in common from what I’ve seen. You’re both headstrong and stubborn, fiercely protective of what you love, and smart to a fault.” She smiled. “But you didn’t grow up in a world of turmoil and war the way Trunks did. And he didn’t have Vegeta to raise him. Your circumstances are completely different, and you’re different because of it. The same is true of me and Pan. Just because Trunks and I fell in love doesn’t mean you two will.”
She fell silent, letting him digest this. He looked thoughtful, all anger and indignation gone from his posture.
“So...you don’t think Pan is the one for me?” he asked tentatively.
“Did I say that?” she said, “how the hell would I know? I don’t know either of you very well. All I’m trying to say is that you shouldn’t pursue her or feel any pressure to pursue her because you feel obligated or fated towards her now that you know a version of yourselves from a different timeline ended up together. In fact, I can’t think of anything worse you could possibly do to her.”
“What do you mean there’s nothing worse I could do to her, I can think of plenty -” Pan cut him off before he could finish.
“Being with her for any other reason than choosing to be with her of your own free will is cruel to her. And it would be cruel to you.” Trunks still looked confused. “Look, Trunks and I chose each other. We choose each other every day. There are days when he is impossible and we fight or we wonder if being together is the right thing, but every time we will always choose each other. Because we love each other. If you and Pan are going to be together - and I’m not saying you should be - but if you are, you have to choose each other. Get it?”
And from the dawning comprehension on his face, she knew that he did. Silence stretched between them as they watched the orange hues in the sky deepen to a luxurious purple with the setting sun. After a while, Trunks broke the silence.
“Thanks, Pan. For coming after me. I know I didn’t react in the best way.”
Pan laughed. “Anytime. And if it makes you feel any better, Pan stormed off too.”
This made him start. “She did?”
“Of course she did! Can you imagine if a future version of yourself came back in time and told you that you married your much older best friend?”
Trunks smiled. “Funnily enough I can imagine what that feels like very vividly.”
Pan stood and stretched. “It helps you know.”
Trunks looked up at her, confused. “What?”
“To empathize with other people.”
With a final smile at him, she jumped into the air and flew away, leaving him sitting there to contemplate her words long after the sun had descended out of sight.