Goodbye For Now, My Friend

Trunks laughed as he sped ahead of Goten, slipping just out of his friend's reach. The lavender-haired youth jumped up and hopped from treetop to treetop, looking back occasionally to see if Goten was still following. He still was. Trunks hopped down into a clearing, and started sprinting as soon as his feet touched the ground. When he saw the black-haired boy land, Trunks slowed down a little so Goten could catch up. Just as Goten was about to tag Trunks, Trunks sped up again, well out of his reach.

Goten, tired of being "it", decided to change that. His black hair began to stand on end as it turned gold, and his black eyes became a greenish hue. Light swirled around his body, and his sped increased as he charged at Trunks.

Trunks sensed Goten's increase in power and looked behind to see a golden swirl of light charging toward him like a comet. Trunks copied Goten as he transformed into a Super Saiyan and sped away from the attack.

Goten continued to follow Trunks as he flew upwards into the air. Goten lifted his hand up and was about to send an attack, but Trunks phased out of sight.

The boy paused, placing his hand at his side. Where did he go? were his only thoughts, as he looked around for his Saiyan companion. Unaware, Trunks phased back right behind him, and only felt the impact of Trunks' fist colliding into his head. He fell rapidly towards the ground, but at the last minute, used his surrounding energy as a cushion, to avoid heavy impact.

Goten looked up at Trunks, and saw his friend with his arms folded across his chest, and a smirk on his face, an imitation of his father, Vegeta. "What'd you do that for, Trunks?" the seven-year-old asked angrily. "I thought we were playin' tag."

Trunks' smirk shifted into a Vegeta-like scowl. "You know very well that if one of us decides to go Super Saiyan, all other games are over. We agreed that if one of us decides to transform, we start playing this game."

Goten rubbed the back of his head. "I don't remember agreeing to that," he argued.

The eight-year-old landed in front of his friend. "Of course you don't," he said. "We agreed to that a few years ago. I'm not surprised. You never were good at remembering things."

"Yeah. My mom said that I take after my dad, 'cause he's not very good at remembering things either."

"My dad said pretty much the same thing. I don't think my dad likes your dad very much."

Goten stood up, dusting himself off. "Gohan said it's because my dad beat your dad sometime ago, before you and I were born."

Trunks scoffed, turning his head slightly away. "I don't believe that at all."

"It's true," Goten said. "Gohan said that Dad was able to beat Vegeta, and that Dad became a Super Saiyan before Vegeta, and that's why your dad doesn't like my dad."

Trunks smirked. "Be that as it may," he said, "I can still beat you in everything."

Goten looked annoyed. "No you can't, Trunks."

"Sure I can. I beat you in the tournament, didn't I?"

"You cheated!"

"I did not. I beat you then, and I can beat you now."

"You turned Super Saiyan, and you fired a cheap shot. That's how you won."

Trunks powered up, his energy swirling around him like a golden tornado. "Really?" he asked harshly. "Let's see if you're right."

Goten powered up, bring his energy as high as it can go. The two stood still, locked in a classic stare down, waiting for the other to make the first move. Suddenly, Trunks phased out of his sight, leaving a bewildered Goten opened for an attack. Goten tried to sense Trunks' presence, and aimed a punch to his left side. His fist went right through what he thought was Trunks. Instead, it was just an afterimage.

Goten ducked just in time, as Trunks aimed a kick to his head. The lavender-haired youth landed several feet in front of Goten, but quickly pivoted and charged at the younger boy. Goten barely had time to block Trunks' fist before it made contact with his face. The son of Vegeta brought his knee up into Goten's stomach, and the younger boy doubled over in pain. Trunks jumped up in the air as he fell forward, just barely able to stay on his hands and knees.

Goten turned his head to look at Trunks floating in the air, fury etched on his face. He used his hands to spring up into the air, turning his body to face the other boy. This time, Trunks charged, bring his fist up to ram into Goten's torso. The younger boy phased out of sight, but Trunks stayed in the position as if he were frozen. He phased out when Goten tried to hit him in the back with his elbow a split second later. The son of Son Goku phased out again when Trunks aimed a kick for his head.

When Goten aimed a punch at Trunks, he simply blocked and flew farther away from the younger boy. Goten powered up more, then fired a ki blast at Trunks. Surprised, the eight-year-old countered it with one of his own.

When the dust cleared, the lavender-haired youth glared at Goten. "What was that?" Trunks yelled. "You know we aren't supposed to use ki blast anymore. Not since we almost blew up your house a few months ago."

Goten smirked. "What's the matter, Trunks?" he asked. "Afraid to?"

"No," Trunks said defendantly. "It's just that your dad said we shouldn't use ki blasts around your house unless it's serious."

Goten lowered his head a little. "Well," he said darkly, "time to get serious." Trunks moved back a bit. He wasn't sure what Goten was going to do now that he was getting angrier.

In a flash, Trunks and Goten were locked in serious combat. To the human eye, there was nothing in the sky but two balls of light, circling around each other, clashing into one another, then spread out again, circling. The two demi-Saiyans fists crashed into

their faces before the boys flew back. They both flew back, then each of them fired a ki blast, expecting the balls of energy to collide with each other. To their surprise, the blasts were deflected and ricochet back towards them, a third beam heading straight upward. The boys flew downwards to avoid being hit by their own attacks.

Trunks and Goten landed on the ground, were Goku waited for them patiently.

"I thought I told you two that you weren't supposed to use ki blasts unless it was something important," Goku said.

"Don't look at me," Trunks said. "It was Goten's idea this time, I swear."

Goku looked at his youngest son. "Goten?"

Goten looked at the ground angrily. "It was nothing. I just got a little carried away, that's all."

Goku looked at his son skeptically, not believing the younger boy's lie at all. He looked at Goten, then at Trunks, and back at Goten. Shaking his head, he bent down to look at Goten eye to eye. "The problem won't go away if you don't talk about it Goten," Goku said softly. "Have you said anything to him about it?"

Goten scoffed. "Like he'll listen." Trunks looked up, wonder exactly who the two Sons were talking about.

Goku shrugged. "Never know 'til you try, Goten. Give it a shot." Then he stood up and flew off.

Trunks looked at Goten. "Who was your dad talking about?" he asked his younger companion.

Goten didn't look directly at Trunks. "You."

"Me? What about me?"

"I started using ki attacks because I was getting mad at you."

"Why?"

"You kept saying how you were better than me at stuff, and I was getting tired of it. I guess I just wanted you to stop."

Trunks sighed. "Then why didn't you just tell me to stop?"

"'Cuz you never listen."

"Sorry Goten. Maybe I got carried away with the boasting."

Goten nodded. He looked up. "Yeah, but you're right on some points. I still can never beat you."

"Yeah, but you try hard enough." He held out his hand to Goten. "Friends?"

Goten took hold of Trunks' hand. "Friends."

TBC