Chapter 1: Picking Up The Pieces
It was another clear, beautiful day on the Kai Planet. The Kai Temple stood as a monolith in itself in the endless green plains of the planet. Inside, the Supreme Kai had retired to his own personal chambers in the Northern Wing.
"My lord," a servant said lowly, as he pushed open a large, creaking door into Shin's quarters. "My lord, there is a group of guardians on tour today. It is customary that you give the tour details to such honored guests."
"Yes," Shin answered without turning around. "Yes, I will be there momentarily."
"Yes, my lord," his servant answered and left.
Shin concentrated hard. Somewhere distant, he could sense another conflict rising in the universe. It was hard to tell what was causing it, but he was sure with time, the problem would certainly present itself. However, strangely enough, he could not sense Trunks' presence on Earth. He decided he would meditate on it later, and left his room.
"Honorable guests," Shin welcomed as he arrived in the Great Hall. "I am the Supreme Kai, and I welcome you all here today to this sacred temple. You are all very privileged to be here today, and I'm sure you will thoroughly enjoy your visit. This tour of all the sacred relics and epic conflicts throughout the universe should prove both enlightening and exciting. With the help of the other Kais I have brought together a sacred memorial for all those who have fought throughout the millennia in the name of good. I trust you will all enjoy, and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask."
The Supreme Kai led his small army of guardians from various realms around the temple, explaining artifacts and details of hundreds of historical occurrences throughout the history of time. With a question here and a question there, Shin was more than happy to entertain, as he took a keen amount of pride in his abode and passion for history. After a well-rounded trip, the Supreme Kai and his guests approached the last point of interest on the tour.
"Now if you'll all follow me through this door," Shin began, "I'll show you an amazing artifact."
They all followed the Supreme Kai's lead through the small door and gathered around an altar dedicated to the Z Sword. With them all in, the Supreme Kai closed the door, and moved around the room, his eyes never leaving his audience as he spoke.
"This, my friends," he explained, "is a most amazing treasure. This is the legendary Z Sword, the sword of the Kais. Long ago it was forged to wage war on the forces of evil, specifically, the monster called Majin Buu. Only a hero worthy of carrying the sword may wield it, and to one with an evil heart, its very touch will burn their flesh. Actually, my friends, it was used in the battle against Majin Buu quite recently. I had the honor and privilege of witnessing the battle firsthand. A warrior from the planet Earth wielded the sword in the battle and vanquished the monster Majin Buu, in an epic battle on his home planet. The entire universe may be in debt to that hero, and his story will surely be retold throughout the centuries here on the Kai Planet."
Shin paused for a moment to gleam at his audience, but noticed they all bore very confused and concerned looks. After a second of mind reading, the Supreme Kai looked behind him to find an empty altar.
Millions of miles away from Earth, a small spacecraft floated silently through the deep reaches of space. Of course it wasn't a tiny ship either. A sleek vessel, it was designed to crew as many as twelve occupants. Twin thrusters powered the vessel, and it had three-and-a-half levels within it. The lowest of course was the engine room, with a small living quarter there. Next up was the actual living quarters complete with a kitchen and large opening for living space. Above that was the navigation deck, however far less spacious. A ladder from the navigation room led up to the cockpit. But at the moment, the ship was in autopilot. The living space on the main floor had been converted into a training center, and the navigation room was a mess. Charts and maps lay scattered around the room. The main navigational computer of the ship was headed to a particular galaxy, but had no specific destination within it.
Alone at a table, Trunks sat, head down, sleeping over his open journal. It had been days since he had slept. His hair was still long, as he never cut it before leaving Earth. In his left hand, he held a small rope necklace with a pocket at the end that kept his shell. Rather than his usual clothing, he had selected the modified Saiyan armor his mother had made to carry with him. The new armor was black, with the chest plate a gray and black color. His gloves and boots had been changed to a more tactical looking black, and his left shoulder and right thigh bore pocket attachments. Additionally his new skin suit offered more protection with the emplacement of elbow and kneepads. He had done his best to use his journal to log the events of his search. It read:
"It's been over a month now since I left Earth. Of course, simply preparing for the depth of this trip took weeks. After the vision I had of Shell, I returned the settings on the time machine to what they were the last time I used it. Risky as it was, I didn't tell my mother. But it was a success, and I managed to send myself back to the past I never had. After a half-of-a-day's search, I had managed to find Goku. It seemed my friends from the past had also just finished battling Majin Buu, and I found Goku high atop Kami's Lookout training with a small boy. I couldn't stay long, so my conversation was short, as usual. But he did manage to reveal the general location of the planet that I was looking for. With that accomplished, I wished him well in his training and returned to my time to finish the work on this spaceship. I worked for three days nonstop. But my perseverance paid off.
Leon insisted he come along with me, but I told him he had to stay and guard Earth while I was gone. With the city still under reconstruction, the local gang lords still thrived on the chaos. I knew that with Leon there, he would be more than adequate to deal with them. Knowing that Earth would be safe while I was away made my departure more bearable. Of course, the hardest part about setting off was still attempting to comfort my mother. You would think she would have learned to cope with it by now, but it seems like every time I embark on something she becomes uneasy.
Solitude in space creates a promising opportunity for training. However, it is difficult, or properly impossible, to expand the outermost reaches of my strength within the confines of this ship. So training is conducted to the best of my ability without causing harm to the ship. Possibly my two best results of the confined training is that I learned to control my transformation into a Super Saiyan 2, giving me an amazing boost in controlled power now, and the other being my constant connection with the Z Sword. The Supreme Kai was right. The more time I've spent with it, the more it has boosted more innate abilities; with a price, of course. It would seem that nothing in the universe comes without a catch. My sleep this past month has been far more than restless. Constant nightmares of Shell's death, and others across the galaxies screaming out in pain have haunted every moment of my sleep. I have come to the point of being able to rest much more easily when I am awake. I do miss Shell though. Ever since my last vision of her, there has been nothing. Even this shell that she left me has made no subtle remark to let me know that I'm going the right way. And with the navigational computer looking for a galaxy but not knowing which planet within it is our destination, I'm literally flying more blindly than I ever have in my life. It seems like…"
The journal entry ended mid-sentence. Trunks had collapsed in exhaustion before he could complete his last thought. Suddenly a beeping noise awoke Trunks from his sleep. At first he sighed and turned his face to his other forearm on the desk, but then he slowly got up and looked at the large computer screen.
"Incoming transmission," the automated voice announced.
Trunks fastened his necklace around his neck and stretched his arms over his head. "Accept and play transmission," Trunks ordered.
The screen flickered and changed modes and began to play.
"Trunks," Bulma said over the intercom, "how are you, sweetheart? I know it will be several hours before you receive this transmission, but I just wanted you to know that I love you and am thinking about you, son. Leon and I are just fine, and Leon has been very careful in his efforts to help the local law enforcement handle the crime around the city. Though just between you and me, sweetie, he really is getting annoyed with it. He says it's too much publicity," she said with a smile and laugh.
"Better him than me," Trunks chuckled to himself.
"But other than that, we're doing fine back at home," she continued. "Now, son, don't do like you usually do, and when this transmission ends walk off and find something else to do, and then send me one back whenever you feel like it, because you won't remember and then I'll be stuck down here wondering if you're okay or not, and if that happens you'll get it when you get back home, young man, you understand?"
Trunks smiled to himself.
"I'm sorry, honey," she apologized. "I don't mean to be impatient, I just worry about you. But I know you can take care of yourself, so please if you have time just send me a message back so I can see you again. Look forward to hearing from you, Trunks. I love you. Bye, son."
The screen flickered and changed modes back to the navigation screen.
"I love you too, Mom," Trunks said softly. He stood silently for a moment taking in her entire transmission. "NavCom, record transmission," Trunks commanded aloud.
The screen changed modes instantly and readied to record a transmission.
"Record," Trunks said and then paused. "Hi, Mom. Got your transmission just a moment ago. I don't know how I could be doing anything other than fine up here, because there's really nothing to do accept wait. I've been training a little bit, but I can't really do much without endangering the ship, so it has been pretty boring. I don't really have much to tell right now, so just know that I am well, and I'll send word as soon as I find something. I love you, bye, Mom."
Trunks walked forward and pushed a key on the keyboard, ending the transmission recording. With a few more key strokes, he had the recording well on its way back to Earth.
"It's about time I found you!" the Supreme Kai's voice echoed through Trunks' brain.
Trunks turned around quickly, surveying the room.
"How dare you take the Z Sword without at least letting me know?" Shin reprimanded. "Do you have any idea what important uses it serves now?"
"A shiny pedestal decoration for touring dead people?" Trunks asked sarcastically. "Where are you anyway?" he asked looking around the room.
"A shiny decora–!? Have you no respect? And you're looking in the wrong place anyway; I'm not on your ship. I'm on the Kai Planet talking to you telepathically," Shin explained.
"Oh," Trunks replied, "well, that makes more sense. I was in a hurry and didn't have time to track you down inside that big temple and ask you. Besides I might need it, and since you're the Supreme Kai, I figured you'd sense it was missing before I left with it. When did you notice it was missing anyway? I've been away from Earth for over a month now."
"That's beside the point," the Supreme Kai answered, avoiding the question about when he had noticed it missing. He sighed and then said, "Look I don't mind you taking it with you just be careful with it, and do let me know when you're going to take it in the future so we don't just up and find it missing at an inopportune time, okay?"
"Okay, okay, I promise," Trunks replied coolly. He could feel the Supreme Kai's partial embarrassment, and couldn't help but ask. "You weren't giving a tour when you found it missing were you?"
"No," Shin answered swiftly.
"That's good," Trunks said with a smile. "Say, Supreme Kai, are you going to be very busy for the next couple of weeks?"
"Trunks, I live in a temple and give tours to dead people," he replied rhetorically.
"Yeah," Trunks said, still grinning.
"Think you'll need help?" Shin asked seriously.
"No," Trunks replied quickly. "I was just wondering in case for some reason I needed to get…"
"This is about Shell isn't it?" Shin interrupted.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Trunks replied grimly.
"You know, Trunks," Shin replied aggravated, "you're not the only one in the universe who can read peoples' thoughts."
"Can we leave Shell out of this?" Trunks asked.
"Do you think there are any Namekians left?" Shin asked while ignoring Trunks' question.
Trunks was silent for a moment. "I… I don't know. Goku told me that after Frieza destroyed Namek, he took all the residents to a planet that resembled their old one. He told me what side of the universe to start looking in but didn't know exactly how to get there by spaceship. Based on what he told me, it's in one of three places. I'm on my way to the first galaxy now; hopefully there won't be many planets in it. I don't want to be out here for any longer than I have to."
"And after you find New Namek, then what?" Shin inquired.
"I'll find a local and persuade him to help me get the Dragon Balls," Trunks answered.
"And if they refuse?" the Supreme Kai continued.
"Maybe they won't," Trunks replied with a straight face.
Shin was silent for a moment, coming to terms with what Earth's hero had just uttered. "Do you know what Frieza's downfall was?" he asked.
"Me," Trunks answered quickly.
The Supreme Kai could sense the change that had come over his friend. "Pride, Trunks," he corrected. "Frieza fell because of his overconfident pride. Be careful, my friend, that you do not fall victim to his fate."
"Pride isn't my problem," Trunks argued.
"Your guilt?" Shin questioned.
"…Yes," the half-Saiyan replied.
"So you will ask for no help in your quest?" Shin asked softly.
"It's my fault," Trunks argued again. "It's not Leon's. It's not yours. It's mine. This is my journey. I don't want to talk about this anymore."
"Very well," the Kai agreed. "You have my blessings on your journey, my friend. But I ask you to please remember that when all hope seems lost, you do have friends, and you may need their help. If you need mine, you know where to find me."
Trunks looked around the room again and lowered his head. Tears lightly swelled in his eyes. With a sniff, he wiped them away and walked back to where his journal lay open on the table. He picked up a pen and finished the entry with:
"…the whole universe is against me."