Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z.
Should've Know Better
"Kaasan!"
I look up from my work at my son's shout, expecting to see him beaten into a bloody pulp again. As he enters the room, I'm surprised to see that he hasn't got a scratch on him! What good luck had Trunks stumbled upon this time to avoid a beating from the androids?
Trunks collapses in a chair nearby and says very quietly, "They're gone kaasan."
Gone? Dammit! They got away again!
"Hmph. Well I'm sure you'll get them next time, dear." I say, taking a long sip of tea. "So tell me. How many people did those bastards kill this time?"
Trunks looks at me quizzically before repeating his words again, very slowly this time so I don't miss the message.
"They're…gone, okaasan. Gone. Forever."
I pause and look over my cup, raising my eyebrows.
"They're…what?"
"They're dead, okaasan. Juuhachigou and Juunanagou are dead." He explains. From the look in his eyes and the tone in his voice, I know he isn't joking. "I killed them. They're gone."
There is an unnerving silence between the two of us, which is shattered by the sound of my cup against crashing to the floor.
"Okaasan?" Trunks asks, waving a hand in front of my face. "Are you all right?"
"Dead…?" I whisper, staring at him in shock.
Dead were the terrors that Earth had known for the past eighteen years? Dead were the androids that killed the Z senshi? Dead were the monsters that killed Vegeta?
No way.
I look at Trunks again, tears clouding my eyes. Gone was my scared little boy, the rebellious teenager who wouldn't obey my words of caution. Gone was the helpless young man I had supported through everything.
This was what I had been hoping for, ever since that terrible day when the androids came into our lives. This was the future I saw for the child I held in my arms after I buried his father. This was what I had wanted my son to do.
"Trunks, you're sure…?" I ask, although I know the answer already.
He gently grabs my hand, places a piece of cloth into the palm, and then forces it closed.
"Look."
My hands tremble as I slowly reopen my hand. Placed inside are the Red Ribbon Army symbols, those that were on jacket of Juuhachigou and the shirt of Juunanagou.
"You know that neither of them would hold still long enough for me to rip those off before. Right before I killed them, I tore the symbol off." Trunks explains softly. "For proof. And I wanted you to have a piece of them. They took everything way from us and Earth."
"Trunks, I…" I stutter, tears already streaming silently down my cheeks.
"Hey, you don't have to say anything, okaasan," He says, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "It's going to all right. The nightmare's over…for good."
I look at him, eyes shinning with pride and cheeks glistening with tears.
"Trunks…you did it!" I laugh. I launch myself across the table and embrace him tightly, taking him by surprise. "My son! He's freed Earth at last! I knew you could do it, Trunks-kun! Always!"
Trunks hugs me back, but says nothing. I think that he's still recoving from the shock of the androids' defeat.
My son conquered the evil that plagued Earth for eighteen years! He freed us all! Who could ask for anything more from their child?
There can't be one person in the universe that is prouder than me at the moment!
Correction.
There should be at least one person that's as proud as me. And if he's not, I'll hunt him down in Other World when I die and make him realize that he has the best son alive!
In Other World…
Kakarrot and I stop our light sparring and look up at Kaio-sama's call. The blue excuse for a god is running at us, looking rather flustered. The last time he looked this excited was when he told Kakarrot and the other idiots that I had been released from Hell for 'good behavior' ten years ago.
"The…androids!" He pants, his words catching all of our attention immediately.
"What about them, Kaio-sama?" Gohan asks earnestly, as we all crowd around him. "Who did they kill now?"
"Enma Daiou…has…just…" he says, trying regain the little composure he usually has. "…has…just…"
"Calm down, Kaio-sama!" Kakarrot exclaims, trying to be comforting by smacking him hard on the back. All the idiot accomplishes was knocking Kaio-sama over.
"They got Trunks, didn't they?" Scar Face suggests.
"I certainly hope not," I growl, glaring at him.
How dare he even suggest that my son could be killed by those tin cans!
"No!" Kaio-sama said. He paused, just to keep us in suspense longer. "The androids are dead!"
A wave of shock passes through all of us. There is a long, shocked silence before I clear my throat and ask in a husk whisper, "Who?"
Kaio-sama grins impishly at us and exclaims in pure joy, "Your son did! Trunks Vegeta Briefs defeated the androids single handedly!"
My jaw drops like a thousand pound weight and I stare blankly at Kaio-sama. That announcement has to be one of the most shocking I have ever heard.
My son defeated the androids? How the hell…?
Most of the others seem share in my shock, except for Gohan.
He shook his head knowingly and said, "I knew it!"
"How'd he kill them, Kaio-sama?" Kakarrot asks. "Did he catch him by surprise or something? I mean if Gohan or Vegeta couldn't get 'em…"
"Kakarrot, you know very well that we saiya-jins don't 'surprise' our opponents." I clarify, finally finding my voice. "We use stealth."
"Yeah, that's true," he agrees, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "So how'd he do it then? There's no way he could've improved that much in a year. 'Member the last time we watched him fight? Nearly got himself killed!"
Kakarrot's right, naturally.
The Old Witch had very happily 'lent'(the Namek and myself took it by force) us her crystal ball after we found out that the boy was fighting the androids by himself. I was appalled by his performance. That is the last time I ever let Kakarrot spawn train my son.
"Actually, Trunks outclassed them in every way." Kaio-sama explains. "He was faster, more agile, and stronger than them. Killed them both in less than ten minutes! It was the best performance I've seen in a long time. And Enma Daiou was the happiest I've seen him in a long time. Sent them straight to hell without question."
"Knew those bastards were going to get what was coming to them," Baldly chuckles. "Never mess with a saiya-jin. They'll always come back with a vengeance, especially if they're part of Vegeta's blood line!" Baldy does have a point. Though I did not raise the brat, he still has many of my qualities. My will to fight, my courage, my ignorance...hell, Gohan even says he has my nose. Yet, he has things that I will never possess. Like his great strength, his selflessness, and his willingness to help others.
"Let's go fellas!" Kaio-sama yells. "There's going to be a huge party at Grand Kaio-sama's tonight!"
"All right!!" Kakarrot adds, excited. They all turn and start walking away, leaving me in my solitude for just a moment.
'Hmph. Well boy, you may have been trained by Kakarrot spawn, you may have your mother's god damned looks, but you've proved your worth to me. I may never admit it to your face, but,' A rare smile graces my lips, but only for a second of course. 'I'm proud of you, Trunks, my son. More than you'll ever know…'
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