Disclaimer: Dragonball Z is not mine. It belongs to Akira Toriyama and
a bunch of other people that I am too lazy to look up. Sadly, I am not
part of the chosen few, and I'm not pretending to be. C'mon, be nice. Don't
sue the insane girl.
"Hey, Okaasan, I'm home...why're you lookin' at me so funny?" Trunks asks
me as he walks through the Capsule Corp. door.
"Hm?" I question, not really paying attention. "There's not really any
reason... you've just grown so fast..."
"Aw, 'kaasan, don't get all sappy on me or nothin'. I've been this big
for about a year now, and you haven't been lookin' at me like that."
"I suppose you're right," I answer my son."Why don't you go get cleaned
up for dinner. I'll start making it soon."
"K." He walks out, and I'm left all alone again. He reminds me so much
of his father sometimes. Too much, actually. Practically every time I look
at him I see another resemblance. I sigh and head up to the attic as I
have repeatedly for the past 17 years.
Up in the attic I head straight for an unlabeled cardboard box. The tape
that once held it shut is ripped, as it had been ever since I first taped
it up. Opening the box reveals a few seemingly insignificant items: a red
piece of glass, a pink shirt that says "Bad Man" on it, yellow slacks...
I can suddenly feel hot tears threatening to pour down my face. I make
no move to stop them; why break the cycle?
"Dammit..." I mutter,"Why did you have to be so stubborn? Why did you have
to leave me behind?" The tears make good of their threat. I quickly wipe
the tears off my face before they have a chance to fall on the contents
of the box. "Why...oh, Vegeta..."
Unbidden, a memory springs to mind...
"I told you, I'm going to train!"
"Train, train, train! That's all you ever do! What about me? What about Trunks?"
"Listen, onna, don't tell me what to do!!"
"Excuse me?! This is my house, you know!!"
"Don't bother me!!"
"I...Vegeta! Listen to me!!"
>SLAM
The door had already slammed in my face. "Why, you..." I muttered.
Trunks never really knew his father. I suppose, in the beginning, he thought it was normal for him to have no father. Then Gohan began visiting us, and he was always talking about his father. Suddenly, Trunks began asking me, "Where's 'tousan?" or "Gohan-san had a 'tousan. How come I don't?"
At first I never answered. How could I tell my only son, my only reason for living, that Otousan has gone away and he's never coming back? Eventuallly, he wouldn't take no for an answer, and I gently told him that his father was dead. It wasn't so much of a surprise to him. By then, he'd practically figured it out and was waiting for confirmation. I remember thinking that it would have surprised the innnocent Trunks that I knew. I had to come to terms with the fact that Trunks was no longer innocent like that, even though I wanted him to be.
He was so innocent when he was little. When Trunks said goodbye to his father, he must have thought that it was just a game. I, too, viewed it as some sort of game, and never worried much about it. The day Vegeta left was the same way...
"Bye-aye, Da-da!"
I set him down in his cradle and straightened. I found Vegeta staring at me silently.
"I guess I'll..." My voice cracked in the middle of my sentence. "I mean...look, just take care of yourself, OK?" I said roughly.
"Dammit, woman, don't go getting all emotional on me!"
"Don't 'dammit, woman' me! Vegeta, you've seen how strong they are! They've destroyed entire cities in almost no time flat!!"
"That's no reason to break down!"
"Yes, it is!!!" He looks at me surprisedly, not expecting that outburst of emotion. "Vegeta, I know we haven't been on the best of terms lately. I'm not even sure we've ever been on the best of terms. But have you ever thought that maybe I don't want you to die?!?!?!"
"..." For the first time I knew, he was seemingly at a loss for words. "Bulma, say...say goodbye to Trunks for me. All right?" I nodded.
"And...and..."
"What?" I'm not gonna cry I'm not gonna cryI'mnotgonnacryImnotgonnacry...
He looked me straight in the eyes for the first time in a long time. Neither of us said a word. Then suddenly, he leaned over and kissed me. I was surprised at first; he had never kissed me on the lips before. But the shock wore off, and I eventually kissed him right back. Right after he broke the kiss, I began to cry.
"Wha-what is it now?" he stuttered. I didn't answer him, just reached out and hugged him. He slowly put his arms around me.
"..." I couldn't think of anything to say. Finally we let go of each other. He straightened and looked at me.
"Listen, Bulma..." he said roughly,"I..I just want you to remember me...all right?"
I nodded silently, tears flowing down my face.
He leaned down and kissed me again. Then, before I knew it, he had taken flight and was gone...
But for right now, all I can do is wait. Wait for the day when I will pass on, and he and I will meet again. I must wait, and honor his last wish.
I just want you to remember me, all right?
Ever so slowly, I close the lid of the cardboard box. Then I stand and equally slowly wipe the tears from my eyes. I say my goodbyes to Vegeta's memories for now. This will be the last time I ever think of him by myself. Tonight, I am going to tell Trunks the whole truth about his father. Then, and only then, can I be sure that I honored Vegeta's last wish.
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