Note: If you haven't seen the "new" episodes (Majin Buu saga), this chaper might make no sense to you. So I'll try to explain a bit.
King Kai (or North Kai/North Kaio) is god of the northern galaxy. There are three other Kais, each with their own galaxy to rule. Above them is the Grand Kai (the Master Roshi look-alike with the funky music). Above him is the Supreme Kai, (he's called Shin in the US, but that comes from Kaioshin, his title). He's god of the eastern universe (bigger than a galaxy). All of the other Kaioshin were killed by Majin Buu. So basically Kai/Kaio is a lower god (more likely to have contact with planet dwellers), and a Supreme Kai/Kaioshin is a higher god (which is probably why we don't see one until the later DBZ episodes, or maybe because there's only one left. And it IS weird, Shin being the East Kaioshin and ending up around the north universe). The distinction between them will become more important in this story.
Chapter 9: The Wish of Trunks
"Drop it, old man, or I drop you."
To be honest, the elderly man had never heard that type of language. But he got the distinct impression that the stranger wanted him to let go of the shiny, orange ball he was currently holding.
"Today, old man!" the stranger snapped.
The old man quickly dropped the ball on the ground.
The stranger glared at him. "Pick. It. Up."
The old man slowly bent over, grabbed the ball, and slowly bent back up. He held out the ball, the fear apparent in his eyes.
The stranger growled and snatched it from his hand. "That's better." Then he smirked and raised his hand. "Prepare to die."
"But...you said..."
"I lied." A ball of bright yellow energy formed in front of the stranger's hand.
"Vegeta!" shouted a voice from above.
The Saiyan prince scowled as Goku landed beside him. "What?"
The old man took advantage of the distraction and ran off as fast as he could.
"We're supposed to be collecting Dragonballs."
Vegeta showed him the two balls he'd found. "I am."
"There was no need to attack that old man, though."
"I wasn't going to kill him. I was just going to scare him."
"He looked scared enough."
Vegeta muttered something under his breath. "How many did you find?" he asked aloud.
"Three," Goku replied. "That leaves one each for Goten and Trunks to find."
"And just what are we going to wish for when he get them all?" Vegeta asked.
Goku shrugged. "I guess Dende wasn't too clear on that. All we have to do is think of a way to stop Cell. How hard could that be?"
"Wake up, Kakarott," Vegeta sneered. "He didn't have the power of Black Shenlong last time."
"True," Goku agreed. "But we hadn't reached the fourth stage of Super Saiyan last time, either."
* * * * *
"Hey, Trunks! Wait up!"
Trunks blinked and threw a glance over his shoulder. He could see Goten speeding towards him, a grin on his innocent face.
"I found one!" Goten held up a Dragonball and grinned wider.
"Good work, Goten. That means we've got them all."
"Yup!" Goten suddenly fell silent.
"What is it?" Trunks asked.
"Well...it's just that...you two seem so different."
"Us two who?"
"You and the other Trunks. The one I know."
"Well, we are different. Everyone but my mother was killed when I was just a kid. It took me months of training before I became a Super Saiyan. Your friend's childhood was a lot easier."
"Did my big brother really train you?" Goten asked.
Trunks smiled wistfully. "For a while, yeah. He was my best friend, and the last one the Androids killed."
"So...you're more like me, then," Goten reasoned.
Trunks glanced at his small companion. "Maybe. But you're stronger than I ever was, especially for someone so young."
"My big brother said I had good genes."
Trunks chuckled. "Well, that's one thing we agree on."
* * * * *
"How much longer?" Godock asked.
"Patience, my friend." The lead Cell opened his eyes, the 1-Star Black Star shining along with them. "In less than an hour, we will be at full strength. Then we'll see how strong the rest of your 'family' is."
"They are NOT my family," Godock growled. "They are weak."
"Yes, of course," the 2-Star Cell agreed. "You are greater than even Goku. We can sense that."
"Let them come." Godock laughed. "I'll show them the true power of a Super Saiyan. Then, once I have both the prodigies, the future of the Saiyan empire will be cast in stone. We will be unstoppable."
"I think," the 5-Star Cell said to one of his comrades, "that he talks too much."
The 4-Star Cell shook his head. "Never mind that. Just humor him until he returns to his own world. Then we can do whatever we want."
* * * * *
"I have a wish."
Goku, Vegeta, and Goten all looked at Trunks in something close to shock.
"You...do?" Goku asked.
"Yes," Trunks replied. "I've thought long and hard about our problem. But to pull this off, we'll have to do the same thing the Cells did, but on a greater scale. We'll need to give Shenlong enormous amounts of Super Saiyan energy."
"Just what exactly is this wish?" Vegeta asked.
"The only choice we have left, short of destroying this world. But the Black Stars will see to that, anyway."
"You're being very vague, Trunks," Goku pointed out. "I don't like that."
"I know. But if I told you, you might try to stop me. Just trust me when I say I'm not crazy or suicidal...though this wish might kill me."
"If you're that determined to contain Cell's evil...I'll help," Goku said.
"Me, too," Goten agreed.
Vegeta didn't say anything, but he nodded.
"Okay, then." Trunks took a deep breath. "Let's get this show on the road." He walked over to the seven Dragonballs. "Eternal Dragon...ARISE!"
* * * * *
"Are we going to die?"
It was a question 18 wasn't used to being asked, or answering. So she did her best. "Do you really think Trunks and the others would let that happen?"
"Well, they wouldn't LET it, but...these Cells...and Go...HIM," Bulma said, nodding at Godock. "They're just so powerful now. I don't know how strong Trunks is, but he wouldn't stand a chance alone. I'm just wondering at what point in time he got Goku and the others. If he got them just a year too early, they might not be strong enough to-"
"Believe in your son," 18 interrupted. "I do."
Bulma stared at her for a long moment, then nodded. Then she gasped.
18 turned, only slightly surprised to see the sky darkening again. "Looks like the Dragonballs are being used. Guess they've got a plan."
On the other side of Kami's Lookout, Godock frowned. "We should stop them."
"No need," 7-Star Cell said. "They only have the Earth Dragonballs. So they get one measly wish. We can't be stopped now."
Godock said nothing, but the frown didn't leave his face.
* * * * *
The coiled might of Shenlong didn't seem half as impressive to Trunks, now that he'd seen Black Shenlong from afar. Still, the dragon was a very welcome sight to his weary eyes. They'd seen enough destruction for two Saiyan lifetimes.
"Who has summoned me?" Shenlong asked in his rumbling voice.
"I have," Trunks said, swallowing noisily. "I think you know already."
Shenlong's eyes seemed to narrow. "It is not-"
"We can change that. Guys? Not maximum, but pretty close, okay?"
Not since Cell's wish had the Earth witnessed such devastation. One or two Super Saiyan transformations it could handle. But three of the mightiest Saiyans that had ever lived was something entirely different.
The ground seemed as if it would never stop shaking and splitting. Lighting rained down in great bolts, striking the earth's surface mercilessly.
Trunks stood in awe as Goku, Vegeta, and Goten completed their transformations, glowing with incredible energy. "Hope they don't accidentally kill Shenlong," was all he could think.
The three Super Saiyans fired energy beams directly into Shenlong. As before, the dragon began to swell. But still the power flowed into him, nearly tripling his entire mass. He looked more like Porunga of Namek by the time Trunks signaled for them to stop.
"Make...your..." Shenlong gasped, struggling to get the words out.
Trunks held up his hand. "No need. Save your strength. You'll need it."
At that, even Vegeta's eyes widened in shock.
"You're aware of the Kais that rule the galaxies?" Trunks asked.
Shenlong nodded slowly.
"And the Supreme Kais that rule...well, once ruled...the four universes?"
Again, Shenlong nodded.
"Now we face a threat that even endangers the last surviving Supreme Kai, so it is imperative that you grant this wish to the best of your ability."
Shenlong didn't nod, for he had guessed Trunks's wish. "It...can-"
"No. Not that. I would never be so foolish as to wish for that." Trunks smiled grimly. "My wish...is for you to add the power of a fallen Supreme Kai to my own."
Shenlong's face twisted for a moment, and it seemed he would again refuse to grant the wish. Instead, the mighty dragon asked one word.
"Which?"
Trunks smiled again and replied with one word.
"North."
"So...be...it." Shenlong's face twisted with great effort.
Trunks closed his eyes and went Super Saiyan, waiting.
"Dad...is Trunks gonna be stronger than us?" Goten asked quietly.
"I don't know," Goku replied. "But for the sake of this world, let's hope so."
* * * * *
In another galaxy entirely, a young man with a spirit millennia old opened his eyes.
His tall assistant nodded. "I feel it, too, sir."
The young man nodded slightly. "I never doubted that, Kibito."
"Shall we go?"
"Mmm." He shook his head. "No, not yet. For the first time that I can recall, perhaps tampering with the very structure of the universe might save lives instead of destroying them."
"But is the boy strong enough to contain both kinds of power?"
"We shall find out together, Kibito. If so, and he proves himself worthy of a Kaioshin's power, then it shall be as he has wished." The young man's face darkened. "If not, and the power drives him mad, we shall intervene."
"It could destroy him first," Kibito pointed out.
"Well, then. I suppose that would be easier for us, wouldn't it?"
Kibito frowned (even more than usual) and asked, "But couldn't he take the entire northern universe with him?"
"No, Kibito." The young man glanced up at him. "He WOULD. But the spirit of North Kaioshin resides in him now. I do think he would find another host before destroying what belongs to him."
"Are you...certain, though, sir?"
"No, I am not. But if the universe was destroyed, Cell would die along with it."
"...unless he escaped to another universe with the power of the Black Stars."
The young man frowned. He hadn't thought of that.
"Shall we go, sir?" Kibito asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yes," the young man replied. "I think we shall."
* * * * *
The birth of a god was not an unusual thing in any universe. Certain entities were needed to protect and maintain a semblance of structure.
Nor was the death of a god unusual, but certainly not a common occurrence. Nothing was eternal, nothing sacred enough to last forever. Gods had fallen since the beginning of time, and would continue to fall until time itself ended.
The rebirth of a god actually was quite common. Many gods were so devoted to something in their lives (duties, beings, or even the very will to survive) that they refused to let death confine them. Some went as far as to take over another's life so that their own could continue.
Although it was extremely rare for someone to ASK for a fall god's power. To be sure, there were cases when a power-hungry fiend would do it, but usually the evil in his or her heart conflicted directly with the god's power, resulting in a very tormenting death.
And then, there were cases when a hero, left with no alternative, asked for a god's power to save something significant: a people, a homeland, or even an entire universe. He didn't by any means think himself worthy or even capable of handling a god's power, no. Instead, he thought any incarnation of the god's essence would be better than allowing an evil force to reign.
To date, there had never been a case of a Super Saiyan adding a fallen god's power to his own.
Therefore, the results were, quite understandably, nothing short of astounding.
* * * * *
He wasn't dead. That was the most important thing at the moment.
Trunks cautiously opened one eye.
The ground had seen better days, he knew. But other than that, everything seemed to be...pretty much intact and normal.
Unless you counted the dark blue force field surrounding the entire planet.
Trunks didn't see it so much as he was aware of it.
It had been a long time since a Supreme Kai had existed in this universe, and never had one actually set foot on Earth. The planet needed time to adjust. Time itself needed time to adjust. So the Earth and everything in its immediate vicinity had been...trapped, so to speak. Frozen in time.
The Earth itself was still very much active, of course. But nothing that happened there would affect anything outside the force field.
Trunks saw that as a good thing. The year which Earth had left, thanks to Cell's wish, had been postphoned, for the moment. That was good.
He had no idea how long that moment would last. That was bad.
The Dragonballs were at his feet, solidified into seven round rocks. The wish had so drained them that they didn't have the power to spread to seven different locations on Earth. Maybe that was a good thing. At least they wouldn't need to be found the next time...if there was a next time.
"Trunks?" a voice whispered.
Goten, he realized after a second.
Slowly, Trunks turned to face Goku, Vegeta, and Goten.
They were still glowing with that golden, unearthly light. Their faces were almost frozen in shock as they took in his appearance.
Naturally, you couldn't just wish for a Supreme Kai's power without looking the part. Trunks was dressed in the traditional attire. The vest was very flexible. He could live with it...or die with it, as the case might soon be.
It was then that he noticed the sword in his hand. So much like his own, but...not. Long and regal, yet it fit his hand perfectly, as if he'd been born holding it. Well, he had, sort of. Reborn, anyway. It got confusing after that.
"Are you...okay?" Goku asked.
Trunks nodded slowly. "I think so."
"Your hair...it's white," Goten pointed out.
More tradition...at least, he thought so. He reached up, feeling the familiar stiff, spiky locks of a Super Saiyan hair style. Only white now, apparently.
"Do you feel...any stronger?"
The question had come from Vegeta.
Trunks glanced at his father...well, a version of his father. "I...can't say. Everything's kinda numb right now. I guess...we'll know pretty soon, won't we?"
* * * * *
Continued in Chapter 10: War of the Saiyans
Goku, Vegeta, and Goten try to take down Godock, only to find that Chibi Trunks isn't quite himself. (Can you say Majin? I knew you could...) Also, as Supreme Trunks (NOT his official name) begins the battle with Cell, he realizes that his wish will have great consequences on those closest to him.
Yes, I know my cliffhangers are absolutely hideous to readers. That's why I put this story under Suspense. Heh.
King Kai (or North Kai/North Kaio) is god of the northern galaxy. There are three other Kais, each with their own galaxy to rule. Above them is the Grand Kai (the Master Roshi look-alike with the funky music). Above him is the Supreme Kai, (he's called Shin in the US, but that comes from Kaioshin, his title). He's god of the eastern universe (bigger than a galaxy). All of the other Kaioshin were killed by Majin Buu. So basically Kai/Kaio is a lower god (more likely to have contact with planet dwellers), and a Supreme Kai/Kaioshin is a higher god (which is probably why we don't see one until the later DBZ episodes, or maybe because there's only one left. And it IS weird, Shin being the East Kaioshin and ending up around the north universe). The distinction between them will become more important in this story.
Chapter 9: The Wish of Trunks
"Drop it, old man, or I drop you."
To be honest, the elderly man had never heard that type of language. But he got the distinct impression that the stranger wanted him to let go of the shiny, orange ball he was currently holding.
"Today, old man!" the stranger snapped.
The old man quickly dropped the ball on the ground.
The stranger glared at him. "Pick. It. Up."
The old man slowly bent over, grabbed the ball, and slowly bent back up. He held out the ball, the fear apparent in his eyes.
The stranger growled and snatched it from his hand. "That's better." Then he smirked and raised his hand. "Prepare to die."
"But...you said..."
"I lied." A ball of bright yellow energy formed in front of the stranger's hand.
"Vegeta!" shouted a voice from above.
The Saiyan prince scowled as Goku landed beside him. "What?"
The old man took advantage of the distraction and ran off as fast as he could.
"We're supposed to be collecting Dragonballs."
Vegeta showed him the two balls he'd found. "I am."
"There was no need to attack that old man, though."
"I wasn't going to kill him. I was just going to scare him."
"He looked scared enough."
Vegeta muttered something under his breath. "How many did you find?" he asked aloud.
"Three," Goku replied. "That leaves one each for Goten and Trunks to find."
"And just what are we going to wish for when he get them all?" Vegeta asked.
Goku shrugged. "I guess Dende wasn't too clear on that. All we have to do is think of a way to stop Cell. How hard could that be?"
"Wake up, Kakarott," Vegeta sneered. "He didn't have the power of Black Shenlong last time."
"True," Goku agreed. "But we hadn't reached the fourth stage of Super Saiyan last time, either."
* * * * *
"Hey, Trunks! Wait up!"
Trunks blinked and threw a glance over his shoulder. He could see Goten speeding towards him, a grin on his innocent face.
"I found one!" Goten held up a Dragonball and grinned wider.
"Good work, Goten. That means we've got them all."
"Yup!" Goten suddenly fell silent.
"What is it?" Trunks asked.
"Well...it's just that...you two seem so different."
"Us two who?"
"You and the other Trunks. The one I know."
"Well, we are different. Everyone but my mother was killed when I was just a kid. It took me months of training before I became a Super Saiyan. Your friend's childhood was a lot easier."
"Did my big brother really train you?" Goten asked.
Trunks smiled wistfully. "For a while, yeah. He was my best friend, and the last one the Androids killed."
"So...you're more like me, then," Goten reasoned.
Trunks glanced at his small companion. "Maybe. But you're stronger than I ever was, especially for someone so young."
"My big brother said I had good genes."
Trunks chuckled. "Well, that's one thing we agree on."
* * * * *
"How much longer?" Godock asked.
"Patience, my friend." The lead Cell opened his eyes, the 1-Star Black Star shining along with them. "In less than an hour, we will be at full strength. Then we'll see how strong the rest of your 'family' is."
"They are NOT my family," Godock growled. "They are weak."
"Yes, of course," the 2-Star Cell agreed. "You are greater than even Goku. We can sense that."
"Let them come." Godock laughed. "I'll show them the true power of a Super Saiyan. Then, once I have both the prodigies, the future of the Saiyan empire will be cast in stone. We will be unstoppable."
"I think," the 5-Star Cell said to one of his comrades, "that he talks too much."
The 4-Star Cell shook his head. "Never mind that. Just humor him until he returns to his own world. Then we can do whatever we want."
* * * * *
"I have a wish."
Goku, Vegeta, and Goten all looked at Trunks in something close to shock.
"You...do?" Goku asked.
"Yes," Trunks replied. "I've thought long and hard about our problem. But to pull this off, we'll have to do the same thing the Cells did, but on a greater scale. We'll need to give Shenlong enormous amounts of Super Saiyan energy."
"Just what exactly is this wish?" Vegeta asked.
"The only choice we have left, short of destroying this world. But the Black Stars will see to that, anyway."
"You're being very vague, Trunks," Goku pointed out. "I don't like that."
"I know. But if I told you, you might try to stop me. Just trust me when I say I'm not crazy or suicidal...though this wish might kill me."
"If you're that determined to contain Cell's evil...I'll help," Goku said.
"Me, too," Goten agreed.
Vegeta didn't say anything, but he nodded.
"Okay, then." Trunks took a deep breath. "Let's get this show on the road." He walked over to the seven Dragonballs. "Eternal Dragon...ARISE!"
* * * * *
"Are we going to die?"
It was a question 18 wasn't used to being asked, or answering. So she did her best. "Do you really think Trunks and the others would let that happen?"
"Well, they wouldn't LET it, but...these Cells...and Go...HIM," Bulma said, nodding at Godock. "They're just so powerful now. I don't know how strong Trunks is, but he wouldn't stand a chance alone. I'm just wondering at what point in time he got Goku and the others. If he got them just a year too early, they might not be strong enough to-"
"Believe in your son," 18 interrupted. "I do."
Bulma stared at her for a long moment, then nodded. Then she gasped.
18 turned, only slightly surprised to see the sky darkening again. "Looks like the Dragonballs are being used. Guess they've got a plan."
On the other side of Kami's Lookout, Godock frowned. "We should stop them."
"No need," 7-Star Cell said. "They only have the Earth Dragonballs. So they get one measly wish. We can't be stopped now."
Godock said nothing, but the frown didn't leave his face.
* * * * *
The coiled might of Shenlong didn't seem half as impressive to Trunks, now that he'd seen Black Shenlong from afar. Still, the dragon was a very welcome sight to his weary eyes. They'd seen enough destruction for two Saiyan lifetimes.
"Who has summoned me?" Shenlong asked in his rumbling voice.
"I have," Trunks said, swallowing noisily. "I think you know already."
Shenlong's eyes seemed to narrow. "It is not-"
"We can change that. Guys? Not maximum, but pretty close, okay?"
Not since Cell's wish had the Earth witnessed such devastation. One or two Super Saiyan transformations it could handle. But three of the mightiest Saiyans that had ever lived was something entirely different.
The ground seemed as if it would never stop shaking and splitting. Lighting rained down in great bolts, striking the earth's surface mercilessly.
Trunks stood in awe as Goku, Vegeta, and Goten completed their transformations, glowing with incredible energy. "Hope they don't accidentally kill Shenlong," was all he could think.
The three Super Saiyans fired energy beams directly into Shenlong. As before, the dragon began to swell. But still the power flowed into him, nearly tripling his entire mass. He looked more like Porunga of Namek by the time Trunks signaled for them to stop.
"Make...your..." Shenlong gasped, struggling to get the words out.
Trunks held up his hand. "No need. Save your strength. You'll need it."
At that, even Vegeta's eyes widened in shock.
"You're aware of the Kais that rule the galaxies?" Trunks asked.
Shenlong nodded slowly.
"And the Supreme Kais that rule...well, once ruled...the four universes?"
Again, Shenlong nodded.
"Now we face a threat that even endangers the last surviving Supreme Kai, so it is imperative that you grant this wish to the best of your ability."
Shenlong didn't nod, for he had guessed Trunks's wish. "It...can-"
"No. Not that. I would never be so foolish as to wish for that." Trunks smiled grimly. "My wish...is for you to add the power of a fallen Supreme Kai to my own."
Shenlong's face twisted for a moment, and it seemed he would again refuse to grant the wish. Instead, the mighty dragon asked one word.
"Which?"
Trunks smiled again and replied with one word.
"North."
"So...be...it." Shenlong's face twisted with great effort.
Trunks closed his eyes and went Super Saiyan, waiting.
"Dad...is Trunks gonna be stronger than us?" Goten asked quietly.
"I don't know," Goku replied. "But for the sake of this world, let's hope so."
* * * * *
In another galaxy entirely, a young man with a spirit millennia old opened his eyes.
His tall assistant nodded. "I feel it, too, sir."
The young man nodded slightly. "I never doubted that, Kibito."
"Shall we go?"
"Mmm." He shook his head. "No, not yet. For the first time that I can recall, perhaps tampering with the very structure of the universe might save lives instead of destroying them."
"But is the boy strong enough to contain both kinds of power?"
"We shall find out together, Kibito. If so, and he proves himself worthy of a Kaioshin's power, then it shall be as he has wished." The young man's face darkened. "If not, and the power drives him mad, we shall intervene."
"It could destroy him first," Kibito pointed out.
"Well, then. I suppose that would be easier for us, wouldn't it?"
Kibito frowned (even more than usual) and asked, "But couldn't he take the entire northern universe with him?"
"No, Kibito." The young man glanced up at him. "He WOULD. But the spirit of North Kaioshin resides in him now. I do think he would find another host before destroying what belongs to him."
"Are you...certain, though, sir?"
"No, I am not. But if the universe was destroyed, Cell would die along with it."
"...unless he escaped to another universe with the power of the Black Stars."
The young man frowned. He hadn't thought of that.
"Shall we go, sir?" Kibito asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yes," the young man replied. "I think we shall."
* * * * *
The birth of a god was not an unusual thing in any universe. Certain entities were needed to protect and maintain a semblance of structure.
Nor was the death of a god unusual, but certainly not a common occurrence. Nothing was eternal, nothing sacred enough to last forever. Gods had fallen since the beginning of time, and would continue to fall until time itself ended.
The rebirth of a god actually was quite common. Many gods were so devoted to something in their lives (duties, beings, or even the very will to survive) that they refused to let death confine them. Some went as far as to take over another's life so that their own could continue.
Although it was extremely rare for someone to ASK for a fall god's power. To be sure, there were cases when a power-hungry fiend would do it, but usually the evil in his or her heart conflicted directly with the god's power, resulting in a very tormenting death.
And then, there were cases when a hero, left with no alternative, asked for a god's power to save something significant: a people, a homeland, or even an entire universe. He didn't by any means think himself worthy or even capable of handling a god's power, no. Instead, he thought any incarnation of the god's essence would be better than allowing an evil force to reign.
To date, there had never been a case of a Super Saiyan adding a fallen god's power to his own.
Therefore, the results were, quite understandably, nothing short of astounding.
* * * * *
He wasn't dead. That was the most important thing at the moment.
Trunks cautiously opened one eye.
The ground had seen better days, he knew. But other than that, everything seemed to be...pretty much intact and normal.
Unless you counted the dark blue force field surrounding the entire planet.
Trunks didn't see it so much as he was aware of it.
It had been a long time since a Supreme Kai had existed in this universe, and never had one actually set foot on Earth. The planet needed time to adjust. Time itself needed time to adjust. So the Earth and everything in its immediate vicinity had been...trapped, so to speak. Frozen in time.
The Earth itself was still very much active, of course. But nothing that happened there would affect anything outside the force field.
Trunks saw that as a good thing. The year which Earth had left, thanks to Cell's wish, had been postphoned, for the moment. That was good.
He had no idea how long that moment would last. That was bad.
The Dragonballs were at his feet, solidified into seven round rocks. The wish had so drained them that they didn't have the power to spread to seven different locations on Earth. Maybe that was a good thing. At least they wouldn't need to be found the next time...if there was a next time.
"Trunks?" a voice whispered.
Goten, he realized after a second.
Slowly, Trunks turned to face Goku, Vegeta, and Goten.
They were still glowing with that golden, unearthly light. Their faces were almost frozen in shock as they took in his appearance.
Naturally, you couldn't just wish for a Supreme Kai's power without looking the part. Trunks was dressed in the traditional attire. The vest was very flexible. He could live with it...or die with it, as the case might soon be.
It was then that he noticed the sword in his hand. So much like his own, but...not. Long and regal, yet it fit his hand perfectly, as if he'd been born holding it. Well, he had, sort of. Reborn, anyway. It got confusing after that.
"Are you...okay?" Goku asked.
Trunks nodded slowly. "I think so."
"Your hair...it's white," Goten pointed out.
More tradition...at least, he thought so. He reached up, feeling the familiar stiff, spiky locks of a Super Saiyan hair style. Only white now, apparently.
"Do you feel...any stronger?"
The question had come from Vegeta.
Trunks glanced at his father...well, a version of his father. "I...can't say. Everything's kinda numb right now. I guess...we'll know pretty soon, won't we?"
* * * * *
Continued in Chapter 10: War of the Saiyans
Goku, Vegeta, and Goten try to take down Godock, only to find that Chibi Trunks isn't quite himself. (Can you say Majin? I knew you could...) Also, as Supreme Trunks (NOT his official name) begins the battle with Cell, he realizes that his wish will have great consequences on those closest to him.
Yes, I know my cliffhangers are absolutely hideous to readers. That's why I put this story under Suspense. Heh.
