The air felt so...free.
That was the first thing that Trunks would think about once he returned from the Room of Spirit and Time. In his first reemergence, if he hadn't had to fight Cell immediately after, Trunks was sure that he would have spent hours just appreciating the vastness of the world, the comfort of the lower gravity and moderate temperature.
It had been two hours since he arrived from his second year of training, and he was still feeling the effects of acclimatisation.
After a year of the oppressive atmosphere that time-squeezing room provided, the normal world was such a relief. It lifted his spirits, made him feel like he was able to do anything, knowing nothing was restraining him anymore.
But Trunks knew it wasn't enough.
There were 6 days until the Cell Games, and no one was prepared.
He could tell just by reading everyone's faces. 10 days, that was what the monster had given them, expecting a miraculous increase in strength like the first time they had trained. But no matter how many times they returned to the Room of Spirit and Time...they had plateaued. It all came back to the same dilemma - the dilemma that had kept him awake at night, tossing and turning, in the desolate ruin that was his world.
How can you truly surpass a Super Saiyan?
Trunks thought that he had achieved it. His father, too. In that first, productive year, previous limitations seemed to fall away like water. They had found ways of getting stronger, again and again. Suddenly, there was no limit to what they were capable of.
But seeing Goku and Gohan emerging, so relaxed, so confident in their abilities, their power overwhelming, made Trunks realise that they had been going about increasing their power the wrong way.
In his return to the solitary room, he had tried training like Goku had been - attempting to stay in his Super Saiyan state as long as possible, trying to accustom himself to the anger, cooling it. But without Goku's proper assistance, Trunks was sure he hadn't achieved the same benefits. He didn't feel significantly stronger.
"You were a fool. What good is a transformation that only gives you brute strength?"
That was what Cell had told him, that last failure of a battle. And those words made him realise...he had been a fool, for not realising his forms' massive weakness.
His father had realised the limitations it provided, but he had been blind to those issues. Why? Why hadn't he realised?
Trunks knew the answer, deep-down. He had been too naive, too simple, too unaccustomed to fighting opponents even stronger than the Androids. He had been pushed into the deep end, and he didn't know how to swim.
If only he had known. If only he had been more experienced. If only he had managed to train efficiently, like Goku and Gohan had. Perhaps it would have been enough to stop Cell from absorbing #18. Perhaps it would have put both his power and speed even above the now-complete Cell, and the Cell Games wouldn't have had to occur at all.
But at the end of that day, he failed. And now everyone was waiting for the rematch.
A gaggle of children's voices echoed from the other side of the lookout. After a year of isolation, Trunks was confused as to who they belonged to, until the origin of the sounds came bounding from behind a corner.
The young Namekian is Dende, Trunks thought. He was just brought here as the new god of the Earth, to replace the Dragon Balls. This planet has them now, because of him.
And the blond-haired boy is the young Gohan, still a Super Saiyan as part of his training.
Seeing Gohan's hair almost confused Trunks. Goku had left over a day ago to search for the Dragon Balls. No one would put it against Gohan if he had decided to slack off on their training regiment and return to his normal black-haired state. It would surely be a relief for him.
"Trunks!"
Gohan had noticed him, and ran over to him eagerly.
"Piccolo said you were going to come out today! I was going to wait for you to come out, but I didn't remember what time you went in!"
"Gohan and I were talking about games," said Dende timidly. "I didn't know about all the games you have on Earth. The ones with the cards, I've never seen before."
Trunks smiled. Hearing the two boys talk, you could have almost forgotten that the planet and all its inhabitants were in imminent danger.
His attention moved to Gohan. It had been the first time in a year, and...now that he thought about it, the first time in a long while that he saw the boy not under the wing of someone else. And Gohan was just the person he wanted to talk to.
"Gohan?" he asked.
Gohan snapped to attention. "Huh?"
"If it's alright with you," he said, firmly, seriously. "...I'd like to talk to you in private."
"Oh...okay." Giving his sympathies to Dende, he walked over the edge of the Lookout.
"Actually," said Trunks, "I was thinking about going...down. There were some hills down in that direction-" he pointed south "-that I thought would be good."
With the Namekians' hearing, Trunks didn't trust Piccolo...or Dende, in honesty...to not eavesdrop on them.
It wasn't that the message was only meant for Gohan's ears. It was just that he felt he could speak freer if he knew he wasn't in danger of being overheard.
Gohan agreed, and the two of them flew down towards the hills.
"So...what did you want to talk to me about?" Gohan, sitting on the hill, his cape scrunched under him, was looking at Trunks with wide eyes.
Trunks began. "Well, first of all...your father's plan...do you have any idea what it might be?"
Gohan frowned. "Everyone keeps asking me me that, but I don't know."
"But you were there training with him for almost a whole year," Trunks protested. "Surely you must have some idea of what his strategy is."
Gohan shook his head. "I was with him the whole time, and he never showed me anything that he said would help."
"No secret techniques?" Trunks pressed on. "No strategies? No transformations?"
"No."
"Could it be that your father is hiding something from you?"
Trunks was desperately trying to grab onto that glimmer of hope, that Son Goku had the power to defeat Cell from the start.
"I don't know how he could have," Gohan answered. "We were always training together. He wouldn't be able to get stronger without me knowing. Unless..."
"-Unless?"
"...maybe, when I was sleeping? I wouldn't be able to sense him then. Maybe at night, when I was asleep, he was training on his own. Maybe that's why he's so sure we can win."
"Yes!" exclaimed Trunks. "That must be it! That makes sense!"
But Gohan was still frowning. "I don't know," he said. "If my father had been getting stronger on his own, why wouldn't he tell me about it? When we were in the Room, he said that he wanted me to be even stronger than him. So then...why would he hold back on me?"
"He wanted you to be stronger than him?" Trunks was astonished. It sounded like a ridiculous prospect. Gohan's power at such a young age couldn't be denied, but having him surpass the Son Goku sounded like a fantasy.
Gohan simply shrugged. "It was a long time ago when he said it. He probably forgot."
"Or maybe..." Trunks mind started racing.
"Huh?"
Trunks brushed it off. "It's nothing. Don't worry."
If Gohan really had managed to surpass his father in strength, Goku would have mentioned it. And Gohan himself would have surely realised it. The fact that Goku was remaining silent was clear testament in the faith of his own abilities, and nothing else.
"Well...how was your training, Trunks?" Gohan asked, cheering up. "Did you get any stronger?"
"I did get stronger," Trunks answered. "But I know it wasn't enough."
"Oh."
"I had reached the point where, even if I could get stronger, I have no idea how I would go about it. There was no way I could push my body any harder than in the Room of Spirit and Time. And I didn't make any major breakthroughs."
"You could try be a Super Saiyan all the time," Gohan suggested naively. "Like us."
"For 6 days?" Trunks chuckled darkly. "I doubt it'd help at this point."
He didn't want to tell Gohan the truth - that he had tried training as a Super Saiyan as long as possible, but hadn't achieved the same boons Goku and Gohan had.
Everything seemed to be so easy for them - Goku and Gohan. They were in control. They had plans. They could train much more efficiently. What made them so different? What made them...better?
Is this what my father thinks, every time he saw Goku surpass him? Trunks thought. Is this his...jealousy?
But looking at Gohan's innocent face, it was hard to remain jealous at him for long. The child hadn't intended to surpass him. Even now, he wasn't trying to show off his power. He was just sitting, remaining as a Super Saiyan like it was the most comfortable experience in the world, consciously suppressing his true strength.
"Trunks?"
Trunks was brought back to reality with the sound of his name.
"Yes?"
"Uh...Why are you here?" Gohan's eyes were wide.
"Pardon?"
"Why are you still here?" Gohan repeated, more firmly. "You can go back to your time whenever you want, right? Do you still have your time machine?"
"Of course." It was currently secure in its capsule, in his old clothes up on the Lookout. Every day, he checked to make sure it was still there, as he always did. It was the only one of its kind.
"So..." Gohan hesitated. "Why don't you go back to your time? Then, if Cell destroys the planet, you'd be safe."
The boy's reasoning was perfect in its simplicity. Go back, so you can survive. You have more to do, and you need to be alive for that. For your own time. You can't afford to be killed by Cell. But that meant...
"You think I'd run away?" Trunks exclaimed, outraged. "And leave you to face Cell alone? I'd never do that to all of you! I'm not a coward!"
Gohan visibly flinched at Trunks' expression. "I'm sorry," the boy apologised. "I didn't mean it like that. And I didn't think you would run away. It's just...I don't even know you."
I don't even know you.
Gohan's simple words echoed through Trunks' brain, wounding him all the while.
Gohan - the man he had admired, the man he looked up to, his inspiration for getting stronger, even now, was sitting right in front of him. An shy, innocent little boy, unable to understand just how much they had gone through together.
It was painful, being forgotten. Trunks knew he wasn't actually forgotten - it was just that the events that tied the two of them together hadn't happened yet, and probably never would - but it hurt all the same.
"I can't leave you all to face Cell by yourselves," Trunks said. "I might not be as powerful as Goku, but that doesn't mean I can't help. It's the same with everyone here. And besides..."
Trunks hesitated, but continued. "I have a plan, too."
"You do?" asked Gohan, suddenly excited.
Trunks nodded. "And actually...I might need your help, if possible."
He breathed in, casually reciting the words he had practiced.
"Can you keep a secret, Gohan?"
"I-" Gohan hesitated. "I think so."
"Because I've got a plan, and I think it might work, but...we have to keep it a secret. Especially from my father, and probably your father, as well. It won't work if they know about it. Can you promise me that, Gohan? Can you promise me that you won't tell anyone about this plan if I tell it to you?"
Something in Gohan's eyes lit up. The idea of being let in a secret was almost...exciting. "OK. I promise I won't tell anyone."
Trunks sighed in relief. He had been concerned about that. This plan, the plan he had been working on...it all depended on secrecy. The moment Vegeta or Goku found out about it, they'd do anything in their power to prevent it from coming into fruition. Now confident Gohan, the last fighter he relied on, wouldn't spill the secret, he began to explain.
"My plan is that...after Cell has fought a few opponents, once he's weakened from those fights...everyone has to attack him at once. All of us, at the same time. I know how powerful Cell is, but even he must get tired eventually. When that happens, if we all fight him together, if we use all our power...it might be enough to destroy him for good."
Gohan paused, taking the plan in. He seemed to agree. The logic made sense in his mind. But he sill frowned.
"But...why can't Vegeta know about this?"
Trunks shook his head. "My father would never agree to a plan like this. You know what he's like. He's too...prideful. For him, it'd be like cheating. Cell said the fights were strictly one-on-one. If we all attack at once, we'd be breaking those rules. And he wouldn't want to win like that."
"Oh." And then Gohan quietly added, "I don't think my father would want to win like that, either."
"Exactly," said Trunks. "That's why they can't know. I've told Piccolo about the plan, and I'm sure he'll help. The others will also try and contribute as much as they can, but...it's really up to us in the end. You and I, we're stronger than them by far. You know it's the truth. If we team up, when Cell isn't expecting it...I'm sure it'll work."
Gohan nodded, more confidently.
"Really, it'd make sense for us to finish it," Trunks suddenly added, understanding. His mind was racing a million miles an hour. "Cell is the strongest opponent you all have faced so far. He's made up of the genetic makeup of your father, my father, Piccolo and probably countless others...but I don't think he has our DNA. The two of us have an advantage. He's not made of us, so he doesn't know us. He doesn't know what we'll do."
"But..." Gohan was thinking. "If I have to fight Cell beforehand, will I still have to fight in your plan?"
"Yes," Trunks answered. "If that happens, and Cell beats you, you have to do your best to survive and get a Senzu. After that, Cell won't be paying attention to you. You lost, so what possible reason would you have to come back to fight? That's how we'll take him by surprise."
"So all I have to do is not let Cell kill me."
When those words were spoken aloud, Gohan went pale with realisation. He shivered.
"I don't want to die," he said softly. "Even if we have the Dragon Balls...I don't want to die."
Trunks wanted to comfort him, to reassure him, you'll be okay. You'll survive, but he knew first-hand that things didn't always turn out well for the other Saiyan child.
"Gohan..."
Gohan's head snapped back up to attention. "Huh?"
It felt like time had stopped. Seeing Gohan in front of him, peaceful, Trunks realised it would probably be the last chance the two of them would have together, alone, before the Games started. Before the final fight, and perhaps before one of them would leave for good.
He had to explain at least a little bit to the younger Gohan about what he'd be like.
"I'm sure you know this," Trunks started. "But...I knew you in my future."
Gohan nodded. "You told me. You said that I was a Super Saiyan in your time, but...the Androids killed me."
The way Gohan said it, so casually, so innocently, devoid of any sense of pain or comprehension, almost made Trunks angry.
"You were my mentor, you know," he told Gohan, wanting him to understand. "You taught me everything I knew about how to fight."
Which, now I'm realising, isn't much, he thought sheepishly. But he continued.
"I know you won't understand how strange it is, to see you...alive again, and happy. In my time, I don't think you were ever happy."
"Because of the Androids?" Gohan was wide-eyed, curious.
"It was partially that," Trunks agreed. "But now I'm realising...it was something more than that. I think the problem was...the life you had wasn't the life that you wanted."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you want to be a scholar, don't you?" Trunks asked.
Gohan blanched. Trunks had spoken the hidden truth, the truth that was never meant to be uttered aloud. "I do, but right now-"
"Piccolo told me about it," Trunks continued. "When I heard that, I was so surprised. In my time, you never told me anything about that. But it explains so much. You never wanted to fight, did you?"
Gohan frowned. "I had to fight. Just like I have to fight Cell with all of you."
"And in my time, you had to fight, too," Trunks mused out loud. "You had to fight, or else the Androids would kill whoever they wanted with no repercussions. But...I'm only now understanding that you didn't want to keep fighting. Even back then, when you were training me...was it because you thought I could be your successor? That once I became a Super Saiyan, once I became strong enough on my own, you could finally give up?"
It was a truth he had been thinking about these past few years. Especially after he had seen the younger Gohan - his shy nature, and his insecurities. The boy seemed the person least suited to fighting all his life. Perhaps that was why he had failed.
That made Gohan upset. "I wouldn't give up!" he exclaimed "Don't say that! Even if you were also fighting, that wouldn't make me stop! It could have been like my father and I, when we were training. He made me into a Super Saiyan first, and then we trained together, and we got stronger that way!"
Trunks paused. He didn't think about it that way. When he was training with his father in the Room of Spirit and Time, they never tried doing it together.
Gohan suddenly stood up. "Maybe your world is really hard," he continued, passionate. "Maybe I had to keep fighting, even if I didn't want to. But if everyone was still in danger, I'd never give up! Because I would be the only one who could save them!"
There was silence.
Trunks stared at Gohan, intently. It was amazing just how quickly the 10-year-old boy had started sounding like the 22-year-old adult.
Gohan blinked, surprised at the sudden attention he was getting.
"What? What did I say?"
Trunks started to smile. "It's nothing, Gohan. Don't worry. Just...remember what I said. About my plan. And about keeping it a secret. OK?"
"...ok."
And with that, Gohan flew off, back up above the clouds, his white cape trailing behind him.
Trunks watched him disappear.
In the moment of crossroads, where the fate of them and their planet was still uncertain, there was only one thought in Trunks's mind.
He didn't regret what he did. And he didn't regret these moments.