It didn't feel right.
It left him with a twisted feeling in his gut.
Right now, Son Gohan was playing delivery boy while Trunks briefs fought the androids alone.
It had taken a lot of convincing from Trunks, and even Bulma, for him to let this happen.
As far as they could tell, Seventeen and Eighteen were under the impression he was dead. His best guess to explain it was that his heart had probably stopped, possibly for a few minutes, making his ki untraceable. By some unknown miracle, it had started again by the time Trunks found him.
Bulma had decided that this was great, because she could force Gohan into helping her with his time machine while Trunks fought the androids. Of course she didn't want her son fighting them. But she did want a way to finish her time machine sooner.
He wasn't too much help as far as design went, his schooling had been put on a permanent hold years ago,but Gohan had other jobs. He would get sent on long trips to collect pieces they needed. He would use Bulma's blueprints and actually put the machine together. He could work so much faster than the aging scientist. The machine she hadn't anticipated finishing for another three years was now nearly complete.
He worked on it with her for the last six months. He had to see what injuries the androids had given Trunks each time he went to fight them alone.
It made Gohan feel sick.
Trunks still hadn't ascended, and fighting the androids alone without that extra power was hard. Gohan remembered what it was like for the first three years he fought them alone. Putting Trunks through the same thing was harder every time he left.
It would be different soon. After they built the time machine, and made a world that would be safe, they would come home and beat the androids together. If they stayed in the past for a while, they could even train where it was safe, where they wouldn't be noticed, and come back stronger.
Once they came back, the only way Trunks would fight alone would be if Gohan were really dead.
"I think just a few more finishing touches will leave it ready for it's Maiden Voyage, don't you think?" Bulme spoke with a certain amount of pride. This thing was her baby, and they had to make so many sacrifices to see it was built.
"Yeah, it's almost there. We could power through maybe, have it done by morning."
She smiled. "I want to do the last bits myself, but I'll get it done before dinner Mind getting it started while I work?"
"Sure." They never asked Bulma to prepare meals unless they were very, very simple. Like sandwich assembly simple. Gohan was no cook, but her could make rice and stir fry without burning anything. He stopped on his way out, and smiled at Bulma. "I can feel his ki, he's on his way home."
Bulma smiled more, focus coming back to her eyes. She always got so lost in thought when she stared at the time machine. "Good. I was hoping we could all eat together tonight. It'll be nice to do before you go on your trip."
"Yeah. I'll get it started."
He went to the kitchen, and he practically wore a smile himself. This was Trunks' last fight alone, and he was okay.
And they would soon both get a short break from the hardships of their world, it was hard not to be eager.
He was going to see his father. It was hard to guess just how he'd react upon seeing him. It's been nearly fourteen years since his father's passing, and missing him still hurt.
Gohan started by putting rice on, before grabbing whatever he could to chop up for his stir fry. Nothing they had was particularly great. Food was hard to come by. Feeding two Saiyans became increasingly difficult. The two were never full after a meal.
"Mom's making you cook again?" Trunks made it home, and it looked like he really was in decent condition. The androids must have gotten bored quickly today.
"I don't mind."
Trunks was silent now, not wanting to say anything about the thing they didn't mention.
The kid always felt bad watching Gohan having to adjust in simple tasks to make up for the loss of his arm. No matter how strong the remaining arm was, some things were just harder to do without two.
Apparently it didn't matter how many times Gohan told the younger half-saiyan to get over it.
"My mom tried to teach me more about cooking you know. I didn't pick up much... but it helps me feel a little closer to her." He smiled at Trunks with his care-free happy face, the look his father had always worn. "So I kinda even enjoy it. Besides, it's not like you want your mom cooking instead of me, right?"
"Right." Trunks relented, giving him a small defeated smile. It was no secret Gohan could tell when Trunks was feeling guilty.
"We're probably going to leave after dinner tonight. You're up to it, right?" Gohan looked up from dicing to see Trunks' face better.
"Tonight? Really, it's done?!" Yep, the excitement was there. They were all ready to go make a better world.
"Your mom is doing final touches now. But hey Trunks, don't forget-"
"Meeting my father isn't going to be how I would want it to be. I can't tell him or my mom who I am, or I won't be born there. I know! You've both said it about a million times Gohan."
"We just don't want you to get your hopes up. Vegeta was a really tough guy, he-"
"He doesn't like to talk. He doesn't like new people. He won't even like my mom and no one there will like him. I know." He finished the speech that admittedly, Gohan and Bulma may have made too many times.
"Stop cutting me off." Gohan mumbled, acting more annoyed than he was. "You know why we keep bringing this up Trunks."
"I can handle it Gohan, really. My hopes are the opposite of up. But whatever kind of jerk he is, I'm still going to meet him. I want to do that, no matter how bad it will probably go."
"Okay, if you're sure Trunks. If you want to talk after, don't hesitate."
"I won't Gohan. That goes both ways. After you see your parents."
"Oh, I don't know if I should go see Mom. She'll have a complete meltdown when she sees me. And if I told her I never became a scholar? My hearing might never recover from that."
"If you don't, you'll wish you had when you come back." Trunks leaned against the wall of the kitchen, knowing better than to offer to help in preparing dinner.
"Maybe. But she doesn't have to know how I turned out. She wouldn't want to. My mom gave up fighting with me about it, but... It was really hard for her."
"I get it. Whatever you decide..."
It was true, he missed his mother. He wanted to see her too, but she really would be happier not knowing.
"You have all your Capsules, right? The whole stache, just in case?"
"Yeah Mom, right here." Trunks held up and waved the small Capsule Case. For the FIFTH time. Over worried much?"
"A mother can never be too scared for her baby."
"Mother!"
He was blushing now, looking at Gohan, and back to her and again and again.
She pulled him into a fierce hug then, catching him by surprise. She didn't say anything, and the hug just sorta lingered without letting up. "Be safe Trunks."
"You know I will be. And we'll be back soon. You'll see us in the morning."
"I know. You're right." She still didn't let go.
"Um, the sooner we go," Gohan interrupted meekly, "the sooner we get back, right?"
"You're right." Bulma tightened her hug for a moment, and kissed her son's forehead. "I love you Trunks. "
"I love you too Mom." Trunks blushed a little. He hated acting emotional in front of his mentor. He also knew if he tried too hard to avoid this his mother would only make it worse.
"You keeps those capsules on you, got it. Don't leave them in the time machine."
"Yeah, okay." Trunks climbed into the back seat. "I don't see what the big deal is."
Bulma looked at Gohan now. "Say hi to your dad for me, okay?"
"Sure. He'll like that." Gohan used his father's Son Smile, and gave Bulma a small hug. "Trunks will be fine, don't worry."
"I know. Now get going you guys." Bulma put on a smile and stepped back as Gohan got into the time machine. She watched the glass dome close to a tight seal, and she waved at her boys. She kept the smile on her face, because she could cry when they were gone. She was going to miss them both so much.
She kept her eyes on her son as the machine powered up, and he waved to her. She waved back with her smile. She wanted him to remember her with a smile, because it would be the last time he saw her.
The time machine blinked into a new time, and location. They were outdoors, in the daylight, and in the middle mountains. Gohan had set the coordinates to be near his childhood home, three days after Goku had come home from Yardrat. This way his father will have already defeated Frieza and his father, and everyone will have settled back home.
Gohan wanted a chance to talk to his father alone. Honestly, Gohan preferred to let his father explain things to his friends later. And this way, he didn't have to worry about how much the group trusted him, because when his dad gave them the news, they would trust Dad.
The ship settled into the grassy mountain valley. It was a small spot, not too visible thanks to surrounding trees. The pod glass doors opened, and Gohan and Trunks jumped out.
"It worked." Gohan smiled. "I can sense my dad." He turned to face the direction his father was in. As he saw it, they had two options. Gohan was going to flare his ki to get his father to come out to him, away from the family home. Not a good option since that would likely catch attention people like Vegeta and Piccolo. He wasn't ready for them yet. So the other option was walking to the house. That was dangerous because he still didn't really want his mother to know about him, and he really wasn't sure how he would handle a younger version of himself.
He closed his eyes a moment, feeling the breeze and listening to the sounds of the mountain. He'd really missed this, after living in the cities over the years.
He could try to just avoid talking to his mother. Maybe she wouldn't recognize him. Her Gohan would be there, in the house. Why would she suspect anything?
"You want to come?"
"Nah, I'm going to tell my father about all of this in person too." Trunks smirked, and it was always strange to see so much of Vegeta in him.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea Trunks."
"I'll be fine Gohan. My father is one person who is not likely to help in this fight just because your dad says he should. I can handle him."
"Well neither of you are Super Saiyan. I guess you can go ahead. Just really, really make sure you don't tell him who you are."
"I won't. I'll meet you here in a few hours." Trunks turned to the time machine, and pressed the button to capsulize it. They both flinched and jumped back as the entire bottom half of the time machine blew up.