"Unnatural Causes"
While watching his best friend sleep, eight-year-old Trunks Briefs deduced three things: Goten was paler, Goten was smaller, and Goten was dying. This disturbed him greatly. In his eight years, Trunks had had more experience with loss than many adults, and also, unlike most adults, had seen people he knew return from the dead. So he shouldn't be scared, right? He had to be tough, like his dad, to help Goten through this and then assist in gathering the Dragonballs to bring him back. Right. That's what he would do.
With his plan of action set, Trunks was beginning to relax a little when his mother entered the hospital side room.
"Hey, Mom." he greeted her, "Where're Goten's parents? They haven't showed up all day!" "Oh..." the blue-haired woman replied, "...just... making a few phone calls. Telling family and friends that now might be a good time to visit Goten."
"You mean before he...y'know...dies, right?" Trunks replied, and frowned in confusion at the shocked look on Bulma's face.
"Y-yes, son. I have to say... I didn't think you had realised he's going to..." "Oh, don't be afraid to say it, Mom. It's not that big a deal, we can bring him back. When are we going to start looking for the Dragonballs anyway? Are we going to wait until after he's gone? 'Cause that seems kinda dumb, the earlier we get them, the earlier we can wish him back!"
The sudden despair on his mother's face frightened Trunks.
"What? What is it? Tell me what's wrong!"
"Trunks... there are some wishes that cannot be granted. Exceptions to the dragon's abilities. If a person dies of natural causes - that means things like old age or illness, like poor Goten - they cannot be revived. Trunks... he isn't going to come back."
The young Saiyan was hugely relieved that his father was not present as he began to sob from pure shock at what he had just been told.
"NO, NO! Th-that can't be right! That's just STUPID and W-WRONG! What sort of super magical dragon can only revive people who d-died in an accident or were killed? That's what you mean, right? Well, it's WRONG. I won't believe it!" he managed to force out, trying in vain to hold back his tears.
"I'm so sorry, son...but it's true." Bulma whispered, tears glistening in her own eyes. "Getting angry won't change a thing... I'm afraid nothing can be done at this point."
Knowing her son had inherited Vegeta's stubborn pride, she left him to vent his anguish in private.
After a few minutes, Trunks managed to contain his emotions and wiped the tears from his face. He wouldn't just sit here and let his friend die - die without a change of revival at that! No. He was the son a Saiyan prince and one of the smartest humans in the world! Even if said human had said there was nothing he could do, he wouldn't give up. He was going to save his friend no matter what it took. And he knew right then exactly what it was going to take.
He was startled from his thoughts as Goten began to stir, moaning gently. The older boy's heart began to race. He forced himself to speak, though every fibre of his being was screaming 'NO! Don't do this!': "Goten...hey."
"Hey...Trunks" a quiet voice answered.
"Goten, do you trust me?"
A gentle frown was directed at him. "Of course I do, you're my best friend."
"Then I need you to do exactly what I tell you, okay? G-goten, lie still and close your eyes. Relax, like you're going to sleep. And - and don't move, no matter what you hear, feel or sense, got it?"
With an innocent, unknowing, confused but trusting look, the dark-haired boy obeyed, soon looking, with his pale complexion, like he had already passed away.
His older friend lifted up a trembling hand with a whispered 'Sorry..' and with his eyes shut tight released the largest energy blast he could muster. A large explosion, a faint cry, silence. Then the beeping began, a frantic chorus emerging from the surviving machines attached to Goten, the machines that could no longer help him, a sound that his best friend knew he would never forget as he began to faint, overwhelmed by guilt, fear and the strangest hint of relief.
AN: Sorry for the poorly written angst, but this is an idea I couldn't get out of my head . I've read several fics in which a character dies of illness and cannot be revived due to dying of natural causes, and I have always wondered why they allowed them to die that way. Obviously, Trunks' solution would be an unimaginably difficult thing to do, but perhaps it would be worth it in the end. I don't know, you can make your own judgement on that!
