Dragon Ball: Strive

Pan and Piccolo stood side by side, their attention fixed on the live footage displaying on the screen before them. The gravity chamber was alive with the intense energy of Gohan and Ronnie, who were deeply engrossed in their training.

"Wow...papa's strength is amazing!"

Pan watched with wide eyes, her gaze then shifted to Ronnie, and she couldn't help but express her awe-

"Look at Ronnie, mister Piccolo! The gravity is like 500 times heavier, and she's handling it like it's nothing!"

Pan exclaimed, her voice tinged with both surprise and respect.

"Ronnie has clearly gone through rigorous training to reach this level. Her father taught her well,"

Piccolo nodded, his expression showing a mix of pride and contemplation. He commented, his voice steady and reflective-

"Even Gohan took some time to adapt to training under such extreme conditions. But Ronnie is managing it at such a young age."

"Mister Piccolo, there's something I don't understand,"

Pan's face then clouded with confusion as she remembered something else:

"Why doesn't Ronnie seem happy at all if she doesn't have to go? The cat-looking person said they were listening to her decision."

"..."

Piccolo sighed, understanding the complexity of the situation. He turned to Pan, choosing his words carefully:

"It's complicated, Pan, and sometimes hard to put into language, especially for someone as young as you. But remember, people don't always mean what they say, like Beerus."

Piccolo paused:

"When Beerus spoke to us, it might have seemed like he was giving Ronnie a choice. However, you can think about the reason why Kibito Kai brought him up."

"Hmm..."

Pan crossed her arms together and frowned slightly, however, after a short moment, she didn't seem to find an answer from her young head:

"I don't know. Can you tell me, please?"

"It wasn't just a casual mention; it was a warning...or counsel, signalling that Ronnie must return to her timeline."

As Piccolo explained, Pan's eyes widened in surprise as she digested his words.

"So, it means Ronnie doesn't trust Beerus to 'respect' her decision?"

"Exactly,"

Piccolo affirmed:

"The only way to ensure her safety and the safety of everyone else is for her to return to her timeline. Ronnie understands that she can't rely on what might essentially be an empty promise from Beerus. He's watching her all along. That's why she didn't seem happy. For her, parting ways with us permanently is the only solution."

"*Gasp*"

Pan looked back at the screen, her eyes tracing the movements of Ronnie and Gohan with understanding and empathy. It was a tough lesson on the complexities of adulthood and the burdens of responsibility, even for someone as powerful as Ronnie.

"Hey Piccolo, Pan."

Goten approached the two and waved at them.

Pan: "Uncle Goten!"

Piccolo: "When were you here?"

"Welp, got off school earlier today, so I thought I'd hang out for some time here before going home."