For those who may not remember or want to re-connect with this timeline, Defenders of The Future is the story returning here.


Return to The Past

Nearly 10 years in the past, the Z-Fighters were on the hunt. It was the time of the Androids and they had just recovered from getting beaten up by Android 17 and 18. Vegeta had just flown off to somewhere after suffering a humiliating defeat by Android 18. The only ones left were Krillin, Tien, Piccolo and the Future Trunks. They were about to head off to where they had planned to go when they suddenly sensed something.

Krillin: "Oh, great... What now?"

The four of them flew up to get a better look. Above the steep cliff with a mass of thorny cactus vines covering the ground below for miles, a portal opened.

Trunks: "What now?"

Piccolo: "I don't know, but get ready!"

A few miles away, Vegeta suddenly sensed the same new signal. He looked back in confusion.

Vegeta: "... That's where Piccolo and the others are..."

Changing plans, the saiyan prince headed back as quickly as he could. As the Z-Fighters looked on at the portal, a man suddenly ran out of it. It was Rohku and he was running hard and fast all the way to the edge of the cliff! He peered down the long cliffside and then at the thorny cactus plants that consumed the earth below it.

Tien: "Who in the hell is that?"

Piccolo: "Better question is, where did he come from?"

Piccolo's question was soon answered. Rohku looked back at the portal just as a roar rang out. The Z-Fighters were all shocked and surprised when Vegeta came running out of the portal with an angry roar! When only a few feet were in-between them, Rohku jumped down the cliff! He tumbled all the way down with the saiyan hot on his tail! Rohku crashed through the thorny vines that covered the ground for miles and quickly glanced up.

Rohku: "Catch ya later, monkey boy! Ha-ha-ha!"

And he slinked off through the thorns. Vegeta was still chasing him when he suddenly saw the thorns.

Lieutenant Vegeta: "Whoa!"

Vegeta suddenly put on the breaks! He clawed the rock as he slid to a stop just at the edge.

Lieutenant Vegeta: "Phew! That would have hur-"

Toushiro: "VEGETA!"

Vegeta didn't have time to move or even look back before Toushiro crashed into him! A second later and Levi crashed into the young captain followed by Eren! The saiyan lieutenant was sent flying into the cactus vines and disappeared from view. The whole area went quiet for a while.

Toushiro: "... Vegeta?..."

Suddenly, the mighty saiyan leaped up into the air with a scream like no other! Toushiro and Eren just started laughing like a hyena while Levi helped Vegeta crawl out onto the rock, completely covered in thorns! But even Levi, who's normally stern and seemingly emotionless, couldn't help but snicker at the sight of Vegeta! Every part of him was covered in thorns! From the tip of his nose, to the end of his tail and all along his body, arms and legs! Just walking was horribly painful for him, but Toushiro was having the time of his life.

Toushiro: "HAHA-HAHA-HA-HEH-HEH-HEH-HAAA!"

Lieutenant Vegeta: "Laugh it up- ow! Laugh it up- ah!"

The Z-Fighters of this timeline all just watched in utter disbelief as the new Vegeta sat down and started picking the thorns off as painlessly as he could. When Toushiro finally got control of himself again, he looked out at the horizon and saw Rohku running off.

Toushiro: "Hey! There he goes!"

Lieutenant Vegeta: "OW! So go get him, CAPTAIN!"

Toushiro: "There ain't no way I'm goin' in there... What you want me comin' out lookin' like you, cactus butt!?"

Levi- being the smart one at the moment- stood off to the side while pulling Eren back with him, staying as far away from Vegeta as he could. For good reason... He was well armed! Vegeta had a mouth full of thorns and he just spat them out at the child prodigy! Toushiro just jumped up to dodge them. Although they're the most inseparable of friends, there are always those moments between the 13 year old Soul Reaper Captain and the 51 year old Prince of All Saiyans.

Toushiro: "Hey! You nearly hit me!"

Lieutenant Vegeta: "That was the point!"

Levi: "Calm down, Vegeta. Right now we need you in a rational state of mind."

Eren: "Yeah. You're the only one who really knows what's going on."

Vegeta huffed. They were right. And Rohku has gained too much of a lead to track him down now. But that didn't mean he couldn't let out some steam. At that very moment, the other Vegeta arrived and saw the whole thing. The older Vegeta turned around and yelled out his anger as he swiped his hand across a huge bolder!

Lieutenant Vegeta: "RAGH! When I get my hands on Rohku, I'll wring that scrawny neck of his until his head pops off!"

As the saiyan panted, Eren just looked at the bolder. There weren't any scratches or anything.

Eren: "I think you missed, Vegeta."

Levi: "Give it a sec."

The Z-Fighters all watched and waited. A second later and the bolder split in two.

Eren: "Oh..."

Toushiro: "Better?"

Lieutenant Vegeta: "A little."

The saiyan prince turned around and looked up. Eren, Levi and Toushiro did the same and saw the Z-Fighters of this world coming down to see them. Our Vegeta instantly knew where in time they were.

Lieutenant Vegeta: "Freakin' deja vu."

As the Z-Fighters joined them, there was a surprise in store for our small group.

Krillin: "Huh? Hey! I recognize you!"

Krillin was pointing at Toushiro. The young captain was a little surprised. Piccolo too recognized the youth and his Vegeta.

Piccolo: "You two were the ones who fought Frieza for a glowing orb he had."

It took Vegeta only a moment to realize what they meant. The Noble Time Traits. The very first trait that they found was in the hands of Frieza, and to get it, Vegeta had to beat up the tyrant pretty well. This timeline the same one, just further on.

Toushiro: "Is this a good thing, Vegeta?"

Lieutenant Vegeta: "For us, it is. It means we don't have to explain too much."

Krillin: "It's great to see you again! We never got a chance to thank you! If you hadn't shown up, we'd've been in some serious trouble!"

Toushiro: "Glad we could help."

Tien: "So what WAS all that just now?"

Lieutenant Vegeta: "I'll tell you, but first..."

The older Vegeta looked up and shouted to his counterpart.

Lieutenant Vegeta: "You might wanna come down here and listen too!"

The Z-Fighters all looked up and saw their Vegeta coming down.

Krillin: "Vegeta? I thought you had gone off to somewhere?!"

Vegeta: "I was until I sensed these guys."

The younger Vegeta also recognized the young captain.

Vegeta: "You're that ice wielding kid..."

Toushiro: "And you're still the same arrogant, hot-headed version of this man here next to me."

Vegeta: "Why you insolent little-"

Just before he could finish, the younger Vegeta was stopped cold by his future self when the saiyan lieutenant held a single finger under his throat. Of course he was scared. They just witnessed this Vegeta slice a bolder with his pinky! Toushiro, doing the smart thing, stood right next to his second lieutenant.

Lieutenant Vegeta: "If you so much as touch even one hair on this boy, I will beat your ass into the ground so fast and hard that you won't have time to even THINK the word 'ouch'. Same goes for those two over there. If anyone endangers them, they'll have to deal with ME... Got it?"

Toushiro grinned and laughed at the same time. Everyone could hear the younger Vegeta gulp. However, when his older self removed his hand and began to walk away, Vegeta instantly did something he would soon regret.

Vegeta: "Hmph... Coward."

The saiyan lieutenant stopped and took a deep breath. A second later and a firm punch to the face let the younger Vegeta know just who he was dealing with.

Vegeta: "Ah! Son of a..."

As his younger self tended to his sore nose, our Vegeta just turned around and faced Toushiro.

Lieutenant Vegeta: "NOW I feel better."

Toushiro just started laughing along with Krillin, Eren, Trunks, Levi, Piccolo and Tien joining in.

Krillin: "I already like this Vegeta! Since you know him, you already know us too, right?"

Toushiro: "Yeah. My name's Toushiro Hitsugaya. (Points to Eren and Levi) These two are new to... THIS in general, but they know who you guys are too. This is Eren Yeager and Levi."

Krillin and Tien were the first to greet Eren and Levi, assuring them that they'll get used to the strangeness that often followed them. Toushiro then noticed the young man with lavender hair. He knew that this was the Trunks from the future. But that's all he knew.

Toushiro: "Oh great... Now I have to deal with an adult Trunks."

Vegeta knew that Toushiro and the Trunks of their timeline did not get along well. He often had to brake up fights between them. But he had something sad to tell the young captain.

Lieutenant Vegeta: "Go easy on this Trunks."

Toushiro: "Why?"

Lieutenant Vegeta: "Because this Trunks grew up without his father."

And Toushiro watched in silence as Vegeta walked off to explain to Piccolo and the others their situation. Toushiro then glanced at Future Trunks. It actually hurt him to hear that this Trunks grew up without his father... Without Vegeta.