You are the Future
Disclaimer: I've taken some liberties with the Mirai Trunks storyline, as well as in the timeline that Cell originally came from—although there isn't much known about that one. The dominant part of this story, set in the Mirai timeline, takes place before the events in the History of Trunks movie. I don't own DBZ.
Dedicated to animeangel088. Thank you for the prompt! Beta-read by the awesome Ada_Kensington.
*
It was a an intolerably hot evening in late summer, the kind that leaves the air with enough moisture and heat where it feels more like a suffocating smog than it does the fresh outdoors. The sky was bleak and dark, with grey clouds smothering the unseen stars. Any light that may have been emitted from the glowing moon was covered up by a thick, hazy fog. It was on such an evening that Trunks found himself sitting on top of a grassy hill, staring at the never-ending sky. His eyes were focused above, as he tried to see beyond the sky into a world that was not a living hell, a designation of his own world. His world was engulfed in terror and chaos, seized by the horrific enigma of a creature so powerful it extinguished life with unimaginable power and cruelty: the creature known as Cell. He watched defenseless humans crumble; their life grotesquely sucked up by Cell's piercing tail, leaving their flesh as discarded as unwanted clothes. He watched his family, friends, and fellow Z-Warriors destroyed by this being of unmatched strength.
He was the only warrior remaining, along with his mother. His master, the one who taught him how to become Super Saiyan, and spent hours with him as his mentor, was cruelly taken away from him days ago. The only other person to whom he could relate was killed by Cell. As he thought of Gohan, one of the strongest warriors, being defeated by that monster, burning hatred filled his body. The more he thought of Gohan, and the void that his death left in his heart, the more pain he felt inside. Tears welled up in his eyes and streamed down his face.
The only thing that gave Trunks hope was his mother's time machine. It would give him a chance to save not his own world, as it was beyond saving, but one like his. He could bring light to a world before it was plagued by darkness. That was the only thing that kept him going. He smiled sadly at the realization that this would allow him to see his family and friends who were killed by Cell. He would see a world that was not drowned in blood and darkness. He would get to see Gohan again.
Trunks stood up from the hilltop and walked down in the direction of his mother's secret lab. After walking for a few minutes he reached his desired location. There lay the time machine, a creation that would allow Trunks to bring something to a distant world that his no longer had—a future. He ran his fingers down the silvery metal, pausing slightly on the word "hope," written by his mother. That word alone stirred up dormant emotions within Trunks' despondent demeanor.
He opened the door, preparing to get in, but paused midway. Trunks turned slowly, and he faced the destroyer-of-life, smirking into his eyes. Trunks murmured the name of his master, the one he longed to see, as darkness overtook him. His final words died on his lips, as Cell swiftly ended his existence. Cell smiled in approval as he kicked Trunks' corpse to the side and climbed into his time machine.
**
In another Time, yet the same place, Trunks sat on top of a mossy hill staring at the desolate world around him. His world was plagued by blood and massacre, leaving everyone at the mercy of beings so powerful they were unrivaled, even by the Z-Warriors. People were their puppets, their form of amusement. They were created by the infamous Dr. Gero, who sought revenge on Goku, yet their callous humor and independent taste for violence led them to turn on their own creator. Known as Androids 17 and 18, they lived for the fun of killing and creating terror. One by one Trunks watched his family and friends killed by the Androids, leaving himself and Master Gohan as the only two warriors left. Bulma and Chi Chi remained as well, bringing him solace.
Trunks continued to stare at the stars above him, basking in their glowing light. He was still covered in sweat from his intense training with Gohan that ended over an hour ago. He formed his hands into fists as he recalled yet another day of training that ended before him becoming Super Saiyan. He wanted more than anything to attain the next level. His contribution to fighting the Androids with Gohan would increase significantly if he did. He wouldn't be such a burden on him in battle, needing his constant protection. Yet Trunks found that there was another more selfish reason that Trunks wanted to become Super Saiyan. He didn't want to disappoint Gohan. Trunks found it was more for impressing Gohan, showing him that he wasn't just a child anymore that drove Trunks to train harder. Even more than killing the Androids and protecting the lives of the remaining people forced to live in the hellhole created by their destruction.
Trunks lay down on his back, feeling quite lonely, as he contemplated his existence. He told himself he needed time alone, away from everyone, to think. Not that there really was an "everyone" to be alone from. He expected Gohan had other things to do besides train him, and the fact that said training will be futile if he couldn't become Super Saiyan made Trunks hate himself even more. He wanted to prove himself to Gohan—and in more ways than one. That was why he told Gohan he needed to clear his head after training. He didn't want to be more of a burden than he felt he already was to Gohan.
Gohan, who had gone to visit his mother and Bulma alone once he finished his training with Trunks flew down to the hill Trunks sat on. "Did I tell you how impressed I was with your training today, Trunks?" He smiled as he looked down at Trunks' exacerbated expression. Trunks didn't expect Gohan to check up on him. He scowled at how childish he felt.
"Thanks for the compliment Gohan-sensei, but you and I both know I should have attained Super Saiyan by now." Trunks frowned, his eyes filled with despair." "I'm of no use to you like this. How can we defeat the Androids if my weakness leads you to protect me instead of focusing only on them in battle? Why can't I do it? I'm not good enough…" 'Look at me', he thought. 'I'm a mess. I shouldn't let Gohan see me like this.' Trunks averted his eyes, ashamed that he allowed himself to talk so childishly to Gohan.
Gohan sat down next to Trunks and stared at his profile for a moment. Gohan smiled and then lightly grabbed Trunks' chin, forcing him to look directly into his eyes. Gohan gazed directly at him with such intensity that Trunks blushed slightly. 'This is why I exist,' he thought as he took in Gohan's presence. 'This is why I continue to live in such a damned world, for Gohan.'
"You," said Gohan, placing his hand on top of Trunks' head, "are not a burden to me or to anyone. Without you the Androids will never be stopped, and that goes for whether you are a Super Saiyan or not. You can turn Super Saiyan tomorrow, the day after, or many months from now—it doesn't matter— but I need you Trunks."
Trunks smiled as he stared up at his Master, a true warrior, one that would defeat the Androids at all costs. Gohan smiled back at him and added in an amused tone: "If you're done sulking Trunks and have finished wallowing in self-pity I can take you out for some ramen. With all of that training you must be starving and something tells me you didn't take time to eat after you left. Although you seem to vigorously disagree, I think you are making tremendous progress in your training." Trunks fought off the blush that was rising to his cheeks at the words of his Master. Gohan stood up, brushed off the grass from his pants, and extended his arm to help his disciple up. "Now," said Gohan, "let's get something to eat. I don't know about you, but I'm starving!"
Trunks' stomach gurgled, as if consenting to Gohan's statement. "Sure," Trunks said, standing up as he took Gohan's hand, somewhat embarrassed for his childish behavior. "Food would be great."
*
Elsewhere, as Gohan and Trunks were enjoying a few moments of peace, Androids 17 and 18 were creating their own forms of amusement. Android 18, much to the dismay of Android 17, wanted to go on what she termed a 'dead-or-alive bargain hunt' for fashionable clothing. Instead of just blowing up all of the stores in the mall that the two Androids now occupied, like 17 wanted, she decided to make a fashion trip out of it first.
The second the Androids had made their appearance, the occupants of the mall ran screaming in every direction. "Don't let the clothing store workers leave the mall," 18 said in a smooth tone that sent chills down every person's spine who had the unfortunate luck to run right past her. Every now and then she shot an energy beam at random people fleeing the mall, making the shiny floors a canvas for pools of blood. "I need them for a new game I just came up with. It'll make things interesting." Android 17 rolled his eyes, but consented after hearing her mention the word "game."
The new "game" involved Android 18 dragging Android 17 to every clothing store in the mall, and if the store had clothes she wanted, she would let the owner keep his life—or so she said. If the next store she went to had better clothes, or had cheaper prices—not that she was going to pay them anyway—she would simply go back and kill the previous store workers. 17 found this game much too boring, because it involved him sitting for hours as 18 tried on a never-ending array of odd costumes and clothing.
"Can't we just blow this place up already?" 17 said, shaking his head. "I like games as much as the next psychotic Android, but this is getting ridiculous.
"Not until I've obtained all the clothes I want," she said frowning.
"I'll give you 10 minutes before I go insane from boredom and I blow every store up, including the clothes." 17 made a mock gesture of a blast.
"Do it and you're dead," 18 shot back.
"You wish." 17 said with a smirk playing across his face.
"Fine." 18 stalked off to find as many clothes as she possibly could in 10 minutes.
After her 10 minutes of furiously looking for good buys, she stormed back to 17 with her arms folded over her chest. "This mall sucks. Blow it to fucking smithereens for all I care."
"With pleasure," replied 17, clearly amused.
The two Androids floated up through the glass ceiling, hovering above the building, and 17 formed a large ki blast in his palm. He raised his hand in position, but paused mid-way.
"What is the problem 17?" 18 asked perplexed. "Change your mind?" she added in a patronizing tone.
"No. I just figured since you had your fun with the clothing stores, I think I should have a turn now. I'm getting tired of pulling the limbs off of weaklings and blowing up random buildings that even a natural tornado could shred apart. Where's the challenge? I want to test my skills against an opponent that takes actual effort. Here's what I suggest. Let's destroy this building and everyone in the vicinity in such an obvious way that is sure to attract the attention of those brats Gohan and Trunks. Then we'll have some real fun!"
"That would be fun," 18 said smiling conspiratorially. "Let's do it."
*
Not too far from the position 17 and 18 occupied, Trunks and Gohan were finishing up their ramen dinner.
Trunks stared absent mindedly at Gohan, as he slurped up the last of his noodles with his wooden chopsticks. 'I will become Super Saiyan at any cost,' he thought. 'I have to stop being a burden to him. I've got to prove to Gohan I'm not a child anymore. I want to be more than just his disciple.' "Gohan-sensei… I—" Trunks started, but was cut off as the entire ramen house shook in the devastating blast 17 shot miles away near the mall.
Gohan scowled. "Androids," he muttered, his voice laced with hatred. "Guess our break's over, Trunks. Let's go!"
"Right," Trunks replied, obediently, following Gohan in haste.
Trunks and Gohan touched down in what was now a giant crater. Scattered through the crater were half-buried clothes, purses, wallets, and body parts. Gohan looked at 17, disgusted. His eyes burned with hatred as he stared at the smirking Androids.
"So you've decided to join us Gohan," 17 said with amusement. "Trunks," he said, regarding Trunks. "I see you've brought your pupil-in-training." He smiled at Trunks. "Think you'll become Super Saiyan today?"
Trunks grimaced in reply.
"Not amused, are you, kid?" Android 18 added with a smile.
Trunks and Gohan got in fighting stance. The four engaged in heated battle. Gohan fought furiously against the Androids, with Trunks covering Gohan. After minutes of continuous battle, with Trunks starting to lose his own advantage against the Androids, Gohan began to fight both the Androids offensively and protect Trunks from his overwhelming disadvantage against the two in battle. Gohan and the Androids took to the air, still fighting, as Trunks was left on the ground to catch his breath. 'Pathetic', Trunks thought in self-hatred. 'I'm worthless. I can't even help Gohan in battle. What's wrong with me?'
"Aww," 18 said suddenly, breaking away from the fight and popping down next to Trunks. Trunks took up stance, breathing heavily from exhaustion. Gohan was locked in fierce combat with 17, and couldn't afford to turn away to help Trunks. The two drifted in battle a few miles away from Trunks.
"What a sad boy you are." 18 smiled with clear insincerity, addressing Trunks. "You clearly adore your master, don't you?" Her smile turned into a wicked grin. "Or is there something more in your feelings towards him? I may be an Android, but I'm still a woman. It's easier for us to see through these things." She let out a cold, chilling laugh. "Too bad you're such a weakling. Your master sees you as nothing more than a little protégée in need of constant protection, almost like a baby, being coddled into thinking he actually serves a purpose in helping him defeat us." She leaned in close, her lips resting against his ears. Trunks shivered as she traced the edges of his ears with her tongue, nibbling lightly against his earlobes. "I bet you wish Gohan would do this to you." Trunks was frozen in fear and shock as 18 let her mouth travel down the side of his neck. Her hands traveled slowly down his chest, past his hips, and rested inside his thighs. "Too bad you'll never have him," she whispered.
Gohan, who was now in a position to look down at Trunks, saw him standing frozen next to 18, with her face leering against Trunks. "Trunks!" he shouted. "I have to protect Trunks," he said quietly to himself. "I can't lose him too!"
Gohan risked turning his back on 17 as he flew to Trunks and tried to land a blow on 18. Just as quickly as she appeared, she flew with inhuman speed away from Trunks before Gohan reached her. She got behind Gohan, and in a double formation with 17, hit a direct ki blast against his arm. Blood poured from his arm as he yelled in pain. "I've had enough fun for today," 18 said, addressing 17 while she peered down at Trunks. "Let's go."
"That was fun," 17 said, looking at Gohan, as he stood glaring at him with his hand gripping at his shoulder. "We'll have to do this again soon." With that remark, the two Androids disappeared.
"Are you hurt Trunks?" Gohan asked, wincing in pain.
"You're the one who's hurt!" Trunks cried. "I really am of no use to you or anyone." As childish as it seemed, Trunks couldn't let Gohan see him cry. He flew off with his heart racing. The words of 18 echoed in his head, incessantly, like poison eating away at him. He knew Gohan would be okay, but it could have been worse. 'I'm going to be the one who gets him killed. He's always protecting me and I'm never able to protect him.'
"Trunks, wait!" Gohan called, but Trunks was already too far off for his words to reach. His body ached from the previous battle and he was in no condition to chase after Trunks. Sighing, Gohan sat down on the ground. He then crossed his legs in a meditative position, as he replayed the days' events in his head. 'Trunks', he thought. 'I'm sorry you have to live each day in a never-ending nightmare. If no one else, I hope you escape this damned world the Androids created. You are the future, Trunks. You may think you're a hindrance, but without you there is no future. Without you, I have no future.'
As Gohan sat meditating, lost in his thoughts, he heard a faint cry coming under the rubble of the destroyed buildings the Androids created. Gohan stood up slowly, his wound still stinging, and walked towards the muffled shrieking. He began picking up cement blocks and hollowed bricks away from the dirt, finding, to his horror, that someone had survived the Android attack and was buried beneath. 'A girl!' Gohan, as quickly as possible with one arm, threw the rest of the broken bits of metal and iron away from the entombed girl. 'What a girl,' Gohan thought, when he realized that despite being covered in blood had at some point during the attack on the building she was in, dug a shallow pit when she realized the building would cave in on her. "Are you okay, Miss?" Gohan asked intensely, as he held her in his arms. Her hair was chestnut brown and what once appeared to be loose pig-tails that framed her face was now partially burned off from the aftermath of the Androids' attack. Dried clumps of blood stained her skin and caked on her hair.
"Those Androids are strong, all right," the girl murmured, coughing up blood. She paused, and then attempted to smirk, her face cringing in pain. "Tried fighting them…but didn't last long."
"Why?" Was all Gohan could say, dumb-founded at the girl's veracity. She seemed to have the tenacity of a fighter, yet he didn't know her. 'Who is this girl?' He thought.
"The name's Videl," she said eyeing Gohan as he still cradled her protectively. "Thanks for rescuing me, but you can let go now."
"Oh, right." Gohan said, and not understanding why, felt he needed to fight off a blush that was creeping across his face.
"Let me take you back to my place Videl and get your wounds cleaned up." Without waiting for an answer he started flying towards his house.
"Whooah, wait a second. You can fly?!"
"I can," was all Gohan said.
"That's pretty cool. Maybe one day you can teach me?" Gohan didn't answer as he continued to soar through the clouds towards his house.
He stopped mid-way, realizing that he had some extra senzu beans at Trunks' place. "Change of plans. We're going to my disciple's house. He has some medicine that will heal your wounds faster."
"Fine by me," Videl replied, trying to smile, despite the flinching pain it caused in her bruised facial muscles. "Thanks."
"Of course," Gohan replied smiling.
*
The two reached Trunks' place in no time. "We'll be safe from the Androids in this place," Gohan said, putting Videl down softly on one of the sofas. He walked over to a small blue knapsack lying on a nearby coffee table and began rummaging through it until he found the pouch he was looking for. "Here, take this." He handed Videl a senzu bean. "It's a special kind of medicine. It will have you healed in no time. See?" He took another one out and placed it in his mouth to show her it wasn't some kind of trick, but she didn't seem suspicious. She took the tiny bean right out of his hands and popped it in her mouth without fear. "Now the beans will heal both of us," Gohan said. 'If only I brought some with me before battling the Androids,' he thought.
"Thanks…um—" Videl paused, realizing she didn't know her savior's name.
"—Gohan." The two smiled at each other.
Just then Trunks walked up to the front door about to enter his house, having run off earlier before further humiliating himself in front of Gohan, only to pause at the window to see his master sitting on the sofa next to some strange woman. He halted at the door, observing what was going on, rather than going into the house. Before he decided to walk inside and ask who she was, his eyes trailed to his master's bloodied arm, then to the girl's brutal condition. 'Great,' he thought, self-loathingly, 'another person brutally harmed by those damned Androids, who I'm sure wouldn't have been harmed if I wasn't such a child.'
Trunks continued to observe said girl, who was clearly fatally wounded, wrap bandages around his master. Something he should have been doing. Trunks felt a sharp pain in his chest as he watched her gently rub her arm up and around Gohan's muscular shoulders. His heart ached as he realized not only was he the one who caused Gohan's injury, but due to an even more childish act of running off afterwards, Gohan met someone who was now tending to his wounds. Trunks felt a dizzying array of thoughts whirl around his brain, bringing waves of feelings he didn't quite understand. Suddenly, like a bolt of lighting, the taunts of Android 18 flashed across his mind. 'I don't know why, but I need to get out of here. I feel like I'm going to be sick.' Trunks backed out of cement pathway leading to his house and left before Gohan even knew he was there.
*
Trunks stood outside, alone, staring up at the sky. He needed time to put his muddled thoughts into something coherent so he could understand why he reacted the way he did. Trunks thought about the seemingly endless day, from his failed training, to bonding with Gohan on the mossy hill, dinner at the ramen house, the battle with the Androids, his encounter with Android 18, and coming home to see his master with some random girl covered in bruises. It was almost daybreak now. The sun, slowly rising on the distant horizon, seemed to melt against the deep red background that was painted across the sky. It looked like the sun was bleeding itself dry before it can shine in the sky again. Trunks said with a sigh, "this world really is damned."
Trunks walked aimlessly for a few minutes, before finding an adequate place to sit. This time, though, he knew Gohan wouldn't be joining him in his loneliness. "What am I going to do?" he mumbled quietly to no one in particular. "Gohan is my master. I should be tending to his wounds, not her." Trunks still didn't know who that girl was, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered; not in this world. Images of the last battle, in particular his conversation with the female Android that ended with his master getting hurt, flashed through his mind again. He thought of the way he felt when 18 touched him, caressed his skin. He closed his eyes and replaced her cold, thin hands with warm and strong hands filled with life; her blond hair changed into spiky black hair; the female body clothed in a rather odd cowgirl outfit became a male body dressed in an orange gi. Trunks imagined Gohan's face so it filled his mind and let his voice envelop every part of his being. He moaned softly to himself as his body shook with pleasure.
Trunks stood up from his position on the hill; he wiped himself off and ran his fingers through the loose purple strands of hair blowing gently in the newly formed breeze. He looked up at the sky again. The burning red glow created by the setting sun was now replaced with the blackness of nighttime. For all the darkness that seemed to go on forever, Trunks saw one single star that seemed to radiate in the perpetual abyss that was the sky. "Gohan is my star," he said softly to himself. "This is the world we live in, whether we like it or not. Yet for all the darkness that the Androids created, Gohan makes it all worth living for." He knew what he had to do. He had to be with Gohan.
*
"So what happened to your apprentice, the one you were telling me about?" Videl said, turning her face towards Gohan's on the couch. The two were seated on the same couch that Trunks last saw them on, but their positions were less formal. Videl's body was pressed up against Gohan's, her head resting on his shoulders. Gohan, who found his heart raced every time she spoke to him, had grown somewhat attached to her in the last few hours that they spent together since he rescued her. He had one arm wrapped casually around her as they sat comfortably. "I'm not sure," Gohan replied to Videl's question, moving his arm from her back to rub awkwardly behind his head. "After the Androids left he ran off. I assumed he would come back home…" He trailed off, as feelings of anxiety began to resonate in his mind.
"You should probably go look for him," Videl said, a sad smile appearing on her face. "I can see you mean a lot to each other, and despite the fact that he ran off from you like that, I'm sure he doesn't want to be alone. Go find him." She picked herself off the couch, but not before kissing Gohan softly on the lips. "Thank you," she whispered softly in his ears.
Gohan blushed and smiled at Videl. Videl then got her things and walked out the door. Gohan brushed a finger to his lips and sighed softly. 'Where are you Trunks? You shouldn't have run off like that. Now I have to go look for you,' Gohan thought to himself.
As it turned out, Trunks had reached his home not too long ago. He arrived minutes prior, but instead of going inside first, he peaked into the window again to see if "she" was still there. He looked in the window just in time to see Videl getting up from Gohan's arms and kissing him on the lips. His face had flushed with resentment and jealousy. He crawled to hide in one of the nearby bushes as Videl walked out of his house. Now that he saw her leave, he burst through the door. Gohan, who was so mentally preoccupied with figuring out Trunks' odd behavior didn't even sense him coming, and instinctively jumped into fighting position when he heard someone enter.
"Trunks!" Gohan said, relieved, standing up from the couch. "So you've finally decided to come home. Where were you? Why did you run off like that? Do you know how worried I've been?"
Trunks smiled, deviously. "You didn't look overly worried to me, snuggling up with that girl just now on my couch!" His tone turned dangerous, yet laced with burning lust, as he advanced towards a very confused Gohan. "Any thoughts you had of me seemed to be quelled by her lips. Well, I can fix that."
"Trunks, you have no idea what you're talking about. I found her buried under some collapsed building that the Androids blew up after you left. She left so I could go and find—"
Trunks was now standing directly in front of Gohan, gazing intently into his eyes. "No explanations, please," Trunks said softly, placing one finger over Gohan's lips. Trunks moved his finger lightly over his lips, and then let them trail slowly down his chin to his neck. He caressed his skin softly.
"What are you…?" was all Gohan managed to say before Trunks pushed Gohan on the couch and crushed his lips to his. He straddled his knees over Gohan's lap and pinned Gohan's arms to each side with his own. Leaning his body forward, Trunks brushed his lips against Gohan's ears and then traced over them with his tongue. Trunks' lips continued downward as they pressed against Gohan's neck, opening and closing slowly to nibble against the tender skin. He moved his body up and down against Gohan all the while, eliciting a soft moan from his Master.
"You are mine, Gohan," Trunks said, as he pulled away from Gohan. "No one but me can have you: not the Androids, not that girl—only me."
Trunks smiled sincerely at Gohan. Tears began to form in his eyes that threatened to drop, a default reaction from all of the stored up feelings Trunks had buried deep within him. The dizzying array of emotions began to overtake him and tears slowly dripped from his aqua-colored eyes. He tried to look away, but Gohan lightly grabbed his chin and turned his face towards him. Gohan lifted his hand and brushed his fingertip against Trunks' cheek. "I'm not going anywhere, Trunks." He smiled back at Trunks. Trunks felt his heart melt at that one simple movement. "We will be together no matter what, in this world and in the infinite number of worlds out there. You are the future, Trunks, and together you and I will make a difference."
Trunks wrapped his arms around Gohan's neck, burying his face against his uninjured shoulder. "This world sucks, but you and I will protect it. I'll do my best to become Super Saiyan and we'll defeat the Androids together." He lifted his head and looked Gohan directly in the eyes. "Between the two of us, we'll create a new future, one worth living for."
Gohan wrapped his arms around Trunks. "That we will, Trunks."