Disclaimer: Sasami, Washu, Tenchi, Tsunami, & Yugi belong to Pioneer. Trunks, Goku, Vegeta, & Gohan belong to Akira Toriyama. Hotaru/Saturn belongs to Naoko Takeuchi.
Note: I originally intended for Kid Stuff to just be one story, but I never knew it would get as popular as it did. So then I figured I'd do ten parts and stop there. Don't get mad, I may stretch it out to eleven or twelve to get the ending just the way I want it. Of course, that'll leave the door open to side stories for me to write, so I doubt we've seen the last of my toying with these kids...
For you Marvel fans (if there are any left), I'm finishing up a crossover with X-Man and...well, you'll have to wait and see. For the CardCaptor fans, I'm working on that, too!
Summary: Trunks loses his best friend and learns of his destiny.
Kid Stuff #9: Time Traveling 101
"Trunks, wake up!" a voice pleaded. "Please, wake up!"
The boy slowly opened his eyes. "Yugi, is that you?" he asked in surprise.
"Yes, but that's not-"
"What happened to you? You're so...different!"
Yugi paused. "What do you mean?"
"When we left, your hair was up, you were wearing that make-up, and you were a lot taller. Now your hair's down, the make-up's gone, and you're my size."
She looked down, as if noticing her new body for the first time. "This is what I looked like back on Jurai," she said quietly. "But...how?"
Trunks glanced around at their new surroundings. They seemed to be standing in a long hallway. He faintly remembered hugging Sasami goodbye before she, Gohan, and Hotaru traveled into the past. "We'd better get started. We should figure out where we are, and...Yugi? Are you listening?"
Yugi was staring at her reflection in one of the hallway's tall panels. She slowly pressed a trembling hand against her cheek, then burst into tears.
Trunks reached out to comfort her, but gasped in shock as his hand passed right through her arm.
Yugi turned to face him. "That's what I was trying to tell you. It started just after we got here. I keep fading, and I can't keep myself solid anymore. I don't know what to do."
"Maybe if you just focused-"
"No, I tried that already, believe me." Yugi shook her head sadly. "I'm really scared, Trunks."
Trunks tried to hold her hand, but to no avail. "Yugi, listen to me. You're my friend, and I'm not gonna let anything bad happen to you. You have to believe that!" As he spoke, Trunks reached up and pressed his hand against her cheek.
Yugi's eyes widened, and she quickly pressed her hand over his. "Trunks, how did you...?"
"It's the crystal," he whispered in awe, staring at the glowing shape hanging from his wrist. "The one Sasami gave me. Somehow, it's making you whole again."
"But for how long?" she asked quietly.
"Long enough, Yugi," he answered, smiling at her. "C'mon, we'd better get to work."
* * * * *
"Gohan, wake up! We've got to go, now!"
Gohan slowly opened his eyes and gasped.
"What?" Sasami asked.
"It's just...for a second, I thought you were...never mind." He shook his head and stood up.
"No, what?" she asked.
Gohan shook his head again. "Nothing. Where's Hotaru?"
Sasami went pale. "Well, there's bad news, really bad news, and horrible news."
"Okay. Bad news first," Gohan said.
"I don't think the time machine worked. We only ended up in Tenchi's backyard."
"Really bad news?"
"Somehow, during the trip over here, Hotaru jumped out."
"And the horrible news?"
"Um...she was Saturn when she jumped out."
"How do you know that?"
Sasami pointed to the large hole in the side of the time machine. "I'd say that's a sure sign. I just don't see why she would transform now, or why the time machine worked for Trunks & Yugi and not us."
Gohan looked around. "Maybe it DID work. I feel like I've lived this day before. Maybe whatever we're supposed to stop happened at Tenchi's house."
"Hey! What are you two doing over here?"
Gohan & Sasami both turned around to see Goku frowning down at them.
"The wedding's about to start, and you're not in position! Vegeta's going to kill ME if everything isn't perfect!"
"But Dad-" Gohan started to say.
Sasami cut him off. "Sorry, sir," she apologized. "Gohan and I were just looking for...um...Hotaru!"
"She's with the other bridesmaids," Goku replied, "and you should be, too! C'mon, move it already!"
Sasami quickly headed for the house, but something was bothering her. From the looks of things, they had arrived just before Vegeta & Washu's wedding. She remembered Pegasus saying that one of them had made the mistake, but what if the wedding WAS the mistake? Could she really bring herself to stop the union? What if it affected Trunks somehow, wherever he was?
Gohan was worried, too, but about something entirely different. If Saturn was back in control, where had she gone? A new thought occurred to him: Maybe she hadn't jumped out anywhere. Maybe she was here, with intentions to bring the wedding to a screeching halt. Anything was possible with that girl.
* * * * *
Yugi gripped Trunks's hand tightly as they ran down the hallway. She was very afraid that she might fade away for good the next time, and didn't want to be separated from him or the crystal for a second.
"I hear voices," he said suddenly, coming to a stop.
Soon, Yugi heard them as well, but neither was familiar.
"Soon, my dear brother," a woman said. "Soon, the Earth will be in range, and I shall coat it with a new kind a silence: servitude! The dead Earthlings shall rise to serve me and only me. I will make them pay for hurting you."
"Sakuya, I know you're in there!" a boy screamed. "Listen to me! You can't do this! Those people don't deserve this kind of cruelty! They were just trying to protect themselves! You're going too far!"
There was a heavy sigh. "Father was right. You've grown weak, Trunks."
Trunks's eyes widened. "What did she-"
Yugi clapped her hand over his mouth. "Shh! They might-"
"Hear you?" the woman asked as appeared behind them.
Yugi screamed and backed away, nearly knocking Trunks over in the process.
The tall woman drew the Silence Glaive out of thin air and pointed it at them. "I suggest you step inside on your own, before I have to force you with this."
Yugi & Trunks obediently entered the room and froze in their tracks.
Roughly a yard away was a hospital bed, but it had been propped up straight so the patient appeared as if he was standing. His eyes seemed to be cloudy, and long, red hair fell past his shoulders as he turned to look at them. His eyes widened and cleared for the first time in years. "You," he whispered.
"You're me," he and Trunks said at the same time.
"This just got a little too freaky," Yugi muttered.
"Silence, child!" the tall woman ordered. "So commands the Super Saiyan Sovereign!"
"Bet you can't say that three times fast."
The woman's eyes narrowed. "No, girl, and you will say nothing else!" With one quick motion, the blade of the Silence Glaive passed directly through Yugi's neck.
Trunks was still literally staring at himself when he heard her scream. He spun around, only to see the terrified look in Yugi's eyes as her body began to fade again. "NO!" he shouted. "What did you do to her?!"
"What needed to be done," the woman replied, starting towards him. "And you're next, boy!"
"Sakuya, DON'T!" the patient warned. "Don't hurt him!"
Trunks ran over to Yugi and tried to bring her back with the crystal, but it was too late. He could only watch in horror as her body slowly vanished from sight. The frightened look in her eyes was the last part of her that faded away. "YUGI!" Trunks screamed at the top of his lungs, tears running down his face.
"I see you'll need to be silenced as well," the woman said. "Hold still and I'll make it quick."
"You want silence?!" Trunks shrieked. "I'll give you silence!" As he turned to face her, the woman was tossed away by an invisible force. Her vision cleared in time to see Trunks hovering over her, his body surrounded by a golden, unearthly glow. Cold, piercing green eyes glared down at her. "I don't know what a sovereign is, but I do know what a Super Saiyan is. And if you really are one, you'd better transform fast, lady, because this is the only chance you're gonna get!"
* * * * *
The wedding turned out better than Sasami & Gohan thought it would. While they had found Hotaru, she was the one that belonged there, not the one they had traveled with. Gohan couldn't shake the feeling that somehow, she made the mistake, but he couldn't figure out exactly what it was. He would find out soon enough.
At the reception, Sasami quickly made her way through the guests. She was trying to find Washu, and hopefully, this younger version of her was still brilliant enough to repair the time machine. Gohan, however, kept an eye on Hotaru. He was always a few steps behind her, watching her every move. His dedication was about to pay off, but at the same time, his luck was about to run out.
It was just after Hotaru realized that Gohan (the past one) had either chosen Sasami or Sakura as his queen. To say the least, she was heartbroken. She'd thought that night they'd kissed had meant something to him, because it meant a great deal to her. Instead, he was probably still hopelessly in love with Sasami, or maybe Sakura.
She separated herself from the other guests and found a secluded spot near the ship Vegeta & Washu were using for their honeymoon. It wasn't long before Vegeta came around to comfort her.
Gohan figured the situation was pretty harmless, but as Vegeta slipped an arm around Hotaru's shoulders, Gohan heard a voice in the back of his head. He recognized it as Trunks, but as the one from the future, not the young boy he knew.
"Gohan, listen up! This is gonna sound crazy, but you can't let Hotaru get on that ship with Vegeta! Do whatever it takes to stop her, but DON'T LET HER GET ON THAT SHIP!"
Gohan looked up to see Hotaru walking up the ramp leading to the ship's door. "NO!" he shouted, rocketing forward. Hotaru turned around and gasped in surprise as Gohan grabbed her around the waist and pulled her from the ramp.
Vegeta, who was just inside the doorway, turned around. "What's your problem, kid? Haven't you done enough to that poor girl? Leave her alone!"
Gohan ignored Vegeta. "Hotaru, listen to me! I know you're upset, but don't-"
Hotaru slapped him soundly across the face. "Go away, Gohan! You've already proven you don't want me, so just leave me alone!"
"Hotaru, I never meant to hurt-"
"But you did, Gohan! I don't know what hurts more: the fact that you don't love me, or the fact that you're in love with someone that doesn't even love you back!"
Gohan paused, but pushed the oncoming thought away. "Hotaru, if you get on that ship, something terrible will happen! I can't explain it, but I know I'm right!"
Vegeta stomped down the ramp and shoved Gohan. "She said get lost, kid!"
Gohan spun around caught him with a quick punch to the jaw. "I can't do that, Vegeta."
Vegeta looked down at him in surprise, then growled and charged. "You'll pay for that!"
As the Saiyan Prince nearly knocked his head clean off his shoulders, Gohan was forced to agree.
* * * * *
Trunks closed his eyes, trying to remember what had just happened. It all came back to him when he spotted the woman lying a few feet away. She was the one that had taken Yugi away. Yugi was his best friend, and now she was gone, all because of this evil woman. She would have to pay for that. With a sinister gleam in his eyes, Trunks grabbed a tuft of her long hair and prepared to deliver the final blow.
"Don't do it, Trunks."
Trunks looked at the patient. "What?"
"Don't kill her. I know you think she's evil, but she's really just a little girl, like your friend."
"My friend is dead, in case you forgot," Trunks replied coldly.
"There's another reason. She's also my--and your--half sister."
Trunks released the woman and stared at her face. "Half?"
"There isn't enough time to explain it now. Just watch."
The woman's body glowed with a violet light, then slowly shrank to the size of a little girl even younger than Trunks. There was a black triangle in the center of her forehead that reminded him of Sasami.
"Now do you see?" the patient asked. "She's just a scared kid that's been cursed with a power she can't control. Just like Hotaru once was."
Trunks looked at him. "You know Hotaru? Is she still alive?"
The patient frowned. "I knew Hotaru. She was like a second mother to me." He nodded toward the girl. "Sakuya is Hotaru's daughter. I've been taking care of her, or maybe it's the other way around. Anyway, all that power has done something to her head. She's different now, out of control when she takes that adult form. When I got hurt protecting her, she confined me to this bed. She's convinced I can't take care of myself anymore."
Trunks walked over to the bed and began undoing the thick straps around the patient's limbs. "Is she going to be okay?"
"I can take care of her. Always have, always will. I just hope she'll let me." He slowly got out of the bed and stretched. "Look, I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but I think you should know."
"What is it?" Trunks asked.
The patient kneeled and placed his hands on Trunks's shoulders. "Nothing's more important than family, kid. Still, you have to be prepared for the bad times. Nothing lasts forever, and that includes family. Treasure them all while you've got them, because one day they'll be gone. You got it?"
"Yeah." Trunks nodded solemnly. "Do you mind...if I leave something for Sakuya?"
The patient smiled. "Go ahead. I'll make sure she hangs onto it."
Trunks walked over to the little girl and drew the crystal out. "Sasami told me to give this to someone special. I would've given it to Yugi, but...she's gone now. I think you should keep it, Sakuya. For luck." He placed the crystal in her open hand and closed her fingers around it. "I know you probably won't remember me, but I hope this helps you get better like it helped Yugi."
* * * * *
Sasami wasn't sure what she expected to find. All she knew was that Gohan was a bloody mess, and Vegeta was making him bloodier by the second. And for some reason, Hotaru was standing by, letting it happen as if she was completely powerless to stop it.
It almost seemed as if Sasami was watching herself run to Vegeta and beat his head and shoulders, screaming for him to stop. She wasn't strong enough to make him feel it, especially since he was in Super Saiyan form. However, he did turn around long enough to smack her to the ground.
"Don't EVER put your hands on me, girl, or next time you won't be getting up!" he threatened.
Since she wasn't really hurt, Sasami did get up and repeated the process, only she added kicks and hair-pulling to her limited arsenal. This time, Vegeta gave her his full attention as he released Gohan and knocked her down with a hard slap. "Fine!" he shouted. "You want my attention, then you've got it! Let's see if Gohan taught you anything back at King Kai's school!"
In all honesty, the only thing Sasami had learned from King Kai is that Earth had some of the worst jokes in the universe. The only important thing she'd learned from Gohan is that love hurts sometimes. She hadn't really planned out what she'd do once she got Vegeta away from Gohan. Sasami was only concerned about one of her dearest friends, and one of the few boys she'd ever cared about deeply. Unfortunately, it was about to earn her a very painful experience. At least, so she thought.
Hotaru was the first one to see the golden glow. By the time she realized it was coming from Gohan, he was already beating Vegeta within an inch of his life. Though he wasn't anywhere close to Vegeta's power level, pure rage seemed to enhance all of his skills, if only for a few short moments. That was more than enough time to trash Vegeta. In less that two minutes, Vegeta was out cold, and Hotaru was searching desperately for a pulse. She found one, but it was very weak.
When Sasami finally came to, Gohan was leaning over her. Though his face was a bloody mess, most of his clothing had been burned away, and bruises covered two-thirds of his body, the first words out of his mouth were, "Are you okay?"
Sasami smiled up at him. "I'd tell you, but chances are you've got a concussion and would just forget anyway."
Gohan nodded. "Good point." Then his eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed into her arms.
"How disgustingly sweet."
Sasami gasped as she looked up. "Saturn?!"
"Yes." She frowned. "I assumed that by preventing the wedding of Vegeta and Washu, I would be able to convince a very lonely young Trunks to train harder, thus one day making him my prince. However, I suppose it is better that he remain the product of a broken home. It will make him a stronger fighter in the long run."
"Your...prince?" Sasami asked. "But I thought Gohan-"
"He is, and so is Trunks. The ancient prophecy said the Eternal Prince had to be the son of a Super Saiyan and a woman not of Earth's solar system." Saturn sighed loudly. "We should go. The others will begin to worry about us."
"Um...excuse me," Hotaru said quietly, "but what's going on?"
Saturn turned to her. "If you ever let Vegeta touch you again, I will personally return to kill you both."
Hotaru's eyes widened in fear. "O-Okay." She quickly ran off.
"What was that for?" Sasami asked as Saturn helped her carry Gohan back to the time machine.
Saturn shrugged and smiled mysteriously. "Just I bad feeling I suddenly had. I always trust my instincts."
* * * * *
"She'll be fine, kid," the young man said, noticing the look on the boy's face.
Trunks just shook his head. "It's not Sakuya I'm thinking about anymore," he said softly, staring at his bare wrist.
"I'm really sorry about her. I wish I could've done something to help."
"No, she was my friend. I can't believe that one of the last things I said to her was, 'I'm gonna protect you.' I let her down so easily."
There was a bright flash of light, and then the time machine materialized in front of them.
"Guess that's your ride, huh?" the young man asked.
"Yeah," Trunks muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Thanks for everything." He walked over to the time machine as the door cycled open. He took his seat in silence, not even noticing that Saturn was present instead of Hotaru, or that Gohan looked as if he'd been in a car accident.
Sasami hated to say anything, but she couldn't contain her curiosity. "Trunks?"
"What?" he asked quietly.
"Where's...Yugi?"
Trunks didn't say anything at first, and a solitary tear ran down his face. "Let's just go," he said finally.
Sasami nodded and started the time machine.
Trunks strapped himself in. Unable to hold back any longer, he finally broke down, allowing the tears to cascade down his face, though he never made a single sound to express his grief.
Saturn hesitantly reached over and placed her hand on his.
Trunks looked at the hand for a long moment, then took it in his own. Right now, he didn't care where the comfort came from, because he had a sinking feeling that he would never be truly happy again.
* * * * *
Tenchi tapped his fingers on the table absently. "So what you're saying is that Yugi...is dead?"
"That is the impression Trunks gave us," Saturn replied. "We cannot be sure until he agrees to tell someone exactly what happened, but he hasn't spoken in three days."
"I really feel sorry for that kid. He's got enough trouble just being Vegeta's son. And while I'm thinking about it, why is it that you're all kids again?"
"A side effect of the time traveling, I would assume. It was a calculated risk, which we all hoped for. Besides, our mission was successful, and you are married to Ayeka, are you not?"
"Well, yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?"
"That," Saturn said, "is a very long story. One that I think Washu would be able to explain to you in greater detail."
"One more thing," Tenchi added. "How come you're here instead of Hotaru?"
Saturn smiled. "Yes. Well, believe it or not, Hotaru actually summoned me this time. I suppose I shall find out why soon enough."
* * * * *
Washu gently stroked her son's red hair. "I know you're upset, baby," she whispered in his ear, "but you can't keep this silent thing up forever. It's almost been three days. You've gotta talk some time."
Trunks only blinked, never changing his position in his mother's lap.
"Honey, please," Washu pleaded, kissing his forehead. "Just say something. Anything! You're really starting to scare me!"
Trunks buried his head in her robe. "I loved her, Mama," he whispered. "She was my best friend, and I never told her that. I miss her so much."
"I know, sweetie." Washu rested her chin on his head. "You want me to make anything for you? Maybe a new friend to play with?"
"No," he muttered. "No one can take her place, Mama." Trunks sighed and closed his eyes. "I wish I'd never even asked her to come with me."
"You couldn't have known what was going to happen, darling. You should never blame yourself for that, Trunks. You hear me?"
"I'm a monster, just like Papa. Everyone I care about gets hurt."
"Trunks, stop it! It's not your fault!"
"It doesn't matter, Mama. She's gone, and I'll never see her again."
Neither of them noticed the woman standing directly behind them. "Forgive me, young Trunks," she whispered. " One so young should never have to suffer so much. I am extremely sorry for your loss, but you must wait just a little while longer."
* * * * *
Gohan stared at his broken arm, and for some reason, came to a very good conclusion. "I don't want a queen anymore."
Sasami looked up from bandaging the arm. "Huh?"
"I don't want a queen, and I don't need one. Forget the stupid prophecy. I'm not living the rest of my life by some wrinkled old paper that isn't even written in English. I only seem to end up getting hurt every time."
"Um...okay," Sasami said slowly. "Do you still want me to fluff your pillow?"
Gohan blinked in disbelief. "Don't you even care?"
"Of course I do, but it doesn't matter to me anymore, Gohan. I stopped caring about the prophecy a long time ago. I was just wondering when you would, too."
"So...you don't care who I end up with?"
"As long as you're happy, why should I? Besides, we both know we're gonna be friends no matter what you do. I try to focus on the more important things. Like helping Trunks get over Yugi, for example."
Gohan smiled. "You're really something special, Sasami."
"No, I'm not. It just seems that way because I have such good friends." Sasami finished with his arm. "Do you need anything else?"
A sly grin crossed his face. "A kiss to make it all better?"
Sasami stared at him for a moment. "I thought you said you didn't want a queen anymore."
He nodded. "That's what I said. I never said anything about a princess, though."
Sasami glared at him. "I hate you sometimes."
Gohan grinned again. "Is that a no on the kiss?"
She got up and headed for the door. "I'll decide after I check on Trunks."
"But that could take hours! What am I supposed to do until then?"
Sasami paused at the door and smiled. "You can start by contacting Reenie and Sakura. They should know what happened. I figure it'll take you at least a few hours to figure out how make a phone call across time."
* * * * *
Reenie slowly walked down the long hallway, wondering what might have been so important to call her back home. The message hadn't been very detailed, it just demanded that she return immediately with no questions asked. It was almost rude, which was really surprising. No one in Crystal Tokyo was ever rude, unless something was really wrong.
It wasn't until Reenie reached the throne room that she realized what had been so important. Sitting in the center of the room was a little girl with violet eyes and dark hair. There was a black triangle in the center of her forehead, and she was dressed as Sailor Saturn. She stood up as Reenie appeared.
"Hello! You must be Princess Reenie. "My name is Sakuya, and I was trying to reach my big brother, but I'm a little new at opening portals. Can you help me out?"
Reenie blinked. "Um...what's your big brother's name?"
"Maybe you've heard of him. His name is Trunks." Sakuya held up a small crystal. "I need to get this back to him and say thanks. Do you know where I can find him?"
Reenie thought for a moment. "Well...yes...but it's more like when you can find him..."
* * * * *
Trunks slowly opened his eyes a few minutes after two in the morning. He was surprised to find a glowing figure standing next to his bed. He couldn't tell right away, but he thought it looked like Sasami. "Sasami?" he asked, reaching for her.
"Not quite, Trunks," she replied, taking his hand. "I am Tsunami. I've come here to give you good news."
"What news?"
Tsunami smiled. "There's someone who'd like to say hello to you. Come on out, little one."
A small hand appeared behind Tsunami's kimono. Long, blonde hair and a pair of big, blue eyes soon followed it.
Trunks gasped in disbelief. "Yugi?" he whispered. "Is that...really you?"
Yugi slowly stepped out from behind Tsunami, but remained at her side, as if she was afraid of something. "Hi, Trunks," she said quietly, lowering her eyes to the floor.
"I should explain something to you, Trunks," Tsunami noted. "Yugi's new body is quite solid, but she can only come in physical contact with you now."
"Why is that?" Trunks asked.
Yugi blushed as Tsunami replied, "That was her only wish: to be able to touch you again. It is part of the reason why she will be your new guardian."
"You mean she's gonna protect me the way you protect Sasami?"
"Exactly. Yugi will be more of a guide, since you don't seem to need much protection. However, there is much I must first teach her before she can begin her duties." Tsunami gently squeezed Yugi's hand, then repeated the process with Trunks. "To make the bond complete, you will both need to join hands."
Trunks climbed out of bed and reached for Yugi's hand, but she shrank back, hiding behind Tsunami again. "I don't know if I can do this," she whispered. "What if something happens to him? I don't think I could stand it if I couldn't protect him."
"That doesn't matter to me," Trunks replied. "I'd rather die with you than live without you."
Tears formed in Yugi's eyes. "You really mean that, Trunks?"
"There's only one way to find out for sure." He held out his hand to her. "I don't wanna lose you a second time, Yugi. There's so much I still need to tell you."
Yugi took a deep breath, then walked over and took his hand.
Tsunami placed her hands on their foreheads. "With the power of Jurai, I link you as guardian and knight, forever bound by loyalty, trust, and honor. Let no force in the universe break this bond, not even death itself."
"Um...what's that last part mean?" Yugi asked nervously.
"That means that while one of you lives, the other cannot die. It is possible for both of you to perish at once, no matter how unlikely that is, so be very careful. You have a little time before I must take Yugi back to my realm."
Trunks gently squeezed Yugi's hand. "I really missed you."
"I-I missed y-you, too," she mumbled, blushing slightly. "What did you need to tell me?"
"These past three days, I've been miserable without you. I didn't realize how much you meant to me until you weren't there anymore. I've never felt this way about anyone before."
"Oh, Trunks," Yugi whispered. "That's so sweet..."
"There's more, though." He hesitated before going on. "I need to tell you this before you leave."
"What is it?"
With a sigh, Trunks slowly looked into her eyes. "You're my best friend, Yugi, and I...I love you."
For a moment, Yugi didn't move or speak.
"I'm afraid we must go now, little one," Tsunami interrupted.
Yugi cupped Trunks's face in her hands. "I love you, too," she said before gently pressing her lips to his.
His eyes widened in pure shock. He'd known Yugi had cared about him, but not to this degree. The kiss was simple and sweet, yet it was so different from the other kisses he'd gotten. Even Hotaru's seemed less meaningful by comparison. This kiss had something more to it, something he didn't recognize right away.
After a few short seconds, Yugi pulled back and stroked his cheek with her thumb. "Bye, Trunks," she whispered. "See you soon."
Trunks watched in silence as Yugi and Tsunami vanished in a bright flash of light. He slowly pressed two fingers to his lips, trying to figure out why Yugi had kissed him in the first place. The answer wouldn't come to him until the next day, but it would be more than worth the wait.
* * * * *
Sasami groaned and opened her eyes. The last thing she remembered was going to check on Trunks. Only she'd never gotten that far, which explained why she was lying in front of Washu's door. It didn't explain why she was on the floor, or why she felt so drained, but it was a start.
"I'm guessing you didn't check on Trunks," Gohan said, looking down at her.
Sasami glanced up. "No. Um...did you call Reenie and Sakura?"
"I talked to Sakura's father, and he said he'd tell her everything. Reenie's another story. By the way, do you know you're lying on the floor?"
"Yes. I was waiting for you to help me up."
"I don't know. You promised you'd give me an answer about that kiss last night, and you never did."
Sasami glared at him. "No one plans to pass out, Gohan. It was pretty unexpected. Besides, I can't move at all right now."
Gohan scooped her into his arms. "So I guess you don't feel like making breakfast?"
"Let's put it like this. If you keep talking about food, you're going to have it all over your shirt in a minute."
He winced. "Got it. Where should I dump...er, put you?"
Sasami frowned. "Very funny, Gohan. The couch will be fine."
Gohan started toward the couch, then stopped. "Wait. If you can't move, then I can pretty much do whatever I want with you, can't I?"
"Um...no!"
An evil grin appeared on his face. "Too late. Now, about that kiss..."
"Aren't you the one that once said if anything happened between us, it should happen naturally and not be forced?"
Gohan thought about that. "Yeah, but you could move then. Now you can't."
Sasami sighed. "Gohan, why are you so obsessed with kissing me?"
"Why are you so obsessed with NOT kissing me?" he countered. "It's not like we don't like each other. Unless you've had a sudden change of heart on me."
"No, nothing like that. It just seems like you've gotten a lot more aggressive about the whole thing."
"Maybe that's because you haven't. In fact, you haven't hugged me once this whole week."
Sasami rolled her eyes. "You're holding me right now. That counts in my book."
"Why are you being so negative?"
"Maybe I'm mad at you."
Gohan smirked. "And maybe you're cuter when you're mad."
Sasami blushed. "Be quiet! It's hard to stay mad when you say things like that!"
"Fine. I think you're the most beautiful girl in the universe."
"Stop it!"
Gohan chuckled. "And I think you'd make a wonderful wife."
Sasami froze. "What?"
The grin faded from Gohan's face. "Uh...nothing."
"No, wait! You said wi-"
"White! As in white...truffles...that polish...sandwiches..."
"That makes no sense. And now you're blushing."
"No I'm not!" Gohan insisted.
Sasami grinned. "Then how come you just said white truffles polish sandwiches?"
"I didn't mean...um...truffles?" he asked weakly.
"Face it, Gohan. You're in love with me. Again."
"I am not! I just...um..."
"You're blushing again."
Gohan glared at her. "Am not!"
Sasami gently brushed her fingers against his cheek. "You are now!" she giggled.
Gohan shook his head. "If I was really in love with you, I'd be kissing you instead of talking right now."
"Maybe we can change that," she said, looking into his eyes.
Before Gohan could answer, the door to Washu's lab opened, and the scientist stuck her head out. "Oh, it's just you two. I thought Ayeka & Ryoko were fighting from all the noise. Where's breakfast?"
Gohan quickly put Sasami down. "Um...Sasami wasn't feeling well, and there isn't any."
Washu sighed and walked into the kitchen. "It's just as well. Trunks only likes eggs when I cook them."
"Is he okay?" Sasami asked, sounding concerned.
"Actually, yes! When he got up this morning, there was a huge smile on his face, but the poor dear was so exhausted that I sent him back to bed. He should be awake soon."
"So he's not upset about Yugi anymore?" Gohan asked.
Washu shrugged as she pulled out a frying pan. "I didn't ask. All I know is that he's feeling better, and that's what matters."
* * * * *
"Are you sure you know what you're doing, Sakuya?" Reenie asked.
"Not really. Does it show?"
Reenie groaned and closed her eyes as they traveled through the time vortex. "This is the very last time I give anyone a crash course in time travel. Especially you!"
"Hey, I think I see something up ahead!" Sakuya said. "Is that where we get off?"
"I hope so!" Reenie replied. "Roll to the right...now!"
The girls were sucked out of the time vortex and crashed into a bed of soft grass.
"Did it work?" Sakuya asked hopefully, looking around. "Are we in the right time?"
Reenie shook away the stars. "I think so. This looks like Tenchi's house, but we'd better make sure." She walked up to the front door and rang the bell. "Hey, anybody in there?"
The door slowly slid away, and the girl standing there gasped in surprise. "Reenie?"
"'TARU!" Reenie cried, tackling her around the waist. "It's so good to see you again!"
Hotaru smiled and returned the hug. "It's good to see you, too, Reenie. Who's your friend?"
"Oh. Well, that's the hard part."
Before Reenie could explain any further, Hotaru was tackled again, but by Sakuya this time. "Mommy!" she cried, tears flowing down her face. "It's really you! I'd know your face anywhere!"
Hotaru looked at Reenie. "Um...what did she just call me?"
Reenie grinned weakly. "Well, that's the hard part I was talking about..."
* * * * *
Trunks walked through the lab with a smile on his face. He felt like a new person, and in a very important way, he was. He happened to be passing by the mass tank when something caught his eye. He paused and looked at his reflection. There was a strange symbol on his forehead. It seemed to be a blue triangle.
"Weird," he muttered, touching the symbol. "That's never been there before."
Several masses swam over to investigate, but soon lost interest and swam away.
"It's our bond," a familiar voice said.
Trunks looked over to see Yugi's reflection behind him. "Yugi!" he cried happily, grabbing her by the waist and spinning her around.
Yugi laughed and hugged him. "Easy, Trunks! I can still get air-sick, you know."
"What were you saying about this?" he asked, pointing to his forehead.
Yugi pressed a finger to his triangle. "It's the symbol of our bond. I've got one, too." She pulled the hair away from her face, revealing a green triangle on her forehead. "See? Nothing to worry about. Lots of people from Jurai have them."
"But I'm not from Jurai."
"Well, I am, and so is Tsunami. Besides, she told me that your destiny is to be a prince someday."
Trunks frowned. "I don't wanna be a prince. Not like him."
Yugi smiled. "Not a Saiyan prince, a Juraian prince. You're not related to the royal family by blood, but you've been adopted."
"I have?"
She nodded. "Sasami wasn't kidding when she called you her brother. Just look at it this way: she's your sister, and Tsunami is...well...a godmother or something."
"So what does that make you?" Trunks asked.
"Well...we can talk about that later," Yugi replied with a smile. "Right now, I think we should go upstairs and let everyone know I'm not dead."
"Good idea," he agreed. "But there's something I wanna know first. Why'd you kiss me last time?"
Yugi paused and looked into his eyes. "I...it just...felt right. I can't really explain it. Are you mad at me?"
"No, of course not! I was curious. I just didn't know you felt that way about me."
"Well, I do. Is that gonna be a problem?"
"Only if you got a problem with being really, really happy." Trunks took her by the hand. "C'mon, I want you to meet Mama. Well, again, anyway."
Yugi smiled and followed him to the door.
The End!
Okay, I think that went well. How about you? Comments are welcome (and encouraged, for that matter). Next time, Trunks meets the real Sakuya for the first time, and Tsunami drops by with more info. Plus, Hotaru finds out being a mother isn't always a good thing. As if that wasn't enough, Vegeta's back! I know it sounds like a lot, but there's still more! Gohan finally gets a date with Sasami, but you'll never believe what happens at the movies! (Just to warn you, some of this stuff might take two or three stories to happen, so don't get upset if it doesn't show up right away)
Note: I originally intended for Kid Stuff to just be one story, but I never knew it would get as popular as it did. So then I figured I'd do ten parts and stop there. Don't get mad, I may stretch it out to eleven or twelve to get the ending just the way I want it. Of course, that'll leave the door open to side stories for me to write, so I doubt we've seen the last of my toying with these kids...
For you Marvel fans (if there are any left), I'm finishing up a crossover with X-Man and...well, you'll have to wait and see. For the CardCaptor fans, I'm working on that, too!
Summary: Trunks loses his best friend and learns of his destiny.
Kid Stuff #9: Time Traveling 101
"Trunks, wake up!" a voice pleaded. "Please, wake up!"
The boy slowly opened his eyes. "Yugi, is that you?" he asked in surprise.
"Yes, but that's not-"
"What happened to you? You're so...different!"
Yugi paused. "What do you mean?"
"When we left, your hair was up, you were wearing that make-up, and you were a lot taller. Now your hair's down, the make-up's gone, and you're my size."
She looked down, as if noticing her new body for the first time. "This is what I looked like back on Jurai," she said quietly. "But...how?"
Trunks glanced around at their new surroundings. They seemed to be standing in a long hallway. He faintly remembered hugging Sasami goodbye before she, Gohan, and Hotaru traveled into the past. "We'd better get started. We should figure out where we are, and...Yugi? Are you listening?"
Yugi was staring at her reflection in one of the hallway's tall panels. She slowly pressed a trembling hand against her cheek, then burst into tears.
Trunks reached out to comfort her, but gasped in shock as his hand passed right through her arm.
Yugi turned to face him. "That's what I was trying to tell you. It started just after we got here. I keep fading, and I can't keep myself solid anymore. I don't know what to do."
"Maybe if you just focused-"
"No, I tried that already, believe me." Yugi shook her head sadly. "I'm really scared, Trunks."
Trunks tried to hold her hand, but to no avail. "Yugi, listen to me. You're my friend, and I'm not gonna let anything bad happen to you. You have to believe that!" As he spoke, Trunks reached up and pressed his hand against her cheek.
Yugi's eyes widened, and she quickly pressed her hand over his. "Trunks, how did you...?"
"It's the crystal," he whispered in awe, staring at the glowing shape hanging from his wrist. "The one Sasami gave me. Somehow, it's making you whole again."
"But for how long?" she asked quietly.
"Long enough, Yugi," he answered, smiling at her. "C'mon, we'd better get to work."
* * * * *
"Gohan, wake up! We've got to go, now!"
Gohan slowly opened his eyes and gasped.
"What?" Sasami asked.
"It's just...for a second, I thought you were...never mind." He shook his head and stood up.
"No, what?" she asked.
Gohan shook his head again. "Nothing. Where's Hotaru?"
Sasami went pale. "Well, there's bad news, really bad news, and horrible news."
"Okay. Bad news first," Gohan said.
"I don't think the time machine worked. We only ended up in Tenchi's backyard."
"Really bad news?"
"Somehow, during the trip over here, Hotaru jumped out."
"And the horrible news?"
"Um...she was Saturn when she jumped out."
"How do you know that?"
Sasami pointed to the large hole in the side of the time machine. "I'd say that's a sure sign. I just don't see why she would transform now, or why the time machine worked for Trunks & Yugi and not us."
Gohan looked around. "Maybe it DID work. I feel like I've lived this day before. Maybe whatever we're supposed to stop happened at Tenchi's house."
"Hey! What are you two doing over here?"
Gohan & Sasami both turned around to see Goku frowning down at them.
"The wedding's about to start, and you're not in position! Vegeta's going to kill ME if everything isn't perfect!"
"But Dad-" Gohan started to say.
Sasami cut him off. "Sorry, sir," she apologized. "Gohan and I were just looking for...um...Hotaru!"
"She's with the other bridesmaids," Goku replied, "and you should be, too! C'mon, move it already!"
Sasami quickly headed for the house, but something was bothering her. From the looks of things, they had arrived just before Vegeta & Washu's wedding. She remembered Pegasus saying that one of them had made the mistake, but what if the wedding WAS the mistake? Could she really bring herself to stop the union? What if it affected Trunks somehow, wherever he was?
Gohan was worried, too, but about something entirely different. If Saturn was back in control, where had she gone? A new thought occurred to him: Maybe she hadn't jumped out anywhere. Maybe she was here, with intentions to bring the wedding to a screeching halt. Anything was possible with that girl.
* * * * *
Yugi gripped Trunks's hand tightly as they ran down the hallway. She was very afraid that she might fade away for good the next time, and didn't want to be separated from him or the crystal for a second.
"I hear voices," he said suddenly, coming to a stop.
Soon, Yugi heard them as well, but neither was familiar.
"Soon, my dear brother," a woman said. "Soon, the Earth will be in range, and I shall coat it with a new kind a silence: servitude! The dead Earthlings shall rise to serve me and only me. I will make them pay for hurting you."
"Sakuya, I know you're in there!" a boy screamed. "Listen to me! You can't do this! Those people don't deserve this kind of cruelty! They were just trying to protect themselves! You're going too far!"
There was a heavy sigh. "Father was right. You've grown weak, Trunks."
Trunks's eyes widened. "What did she-"
Yugi clapped her hand over his mouth. "Shh! They might-"
"Hear you?" the woman asked as appeared behind them.
Yugi screamed and backed away, nearly knocking Trunks over in the process.
The tall woman drew the Silence Glaive out of thin air and pointed it at them. "I suggest you step inside on your own, before I have to force you with this."
Yugi & Trunks obediently entered the room and froze in their tracks.
Roughly a yard away was a hospital bed, but it had been propped up straight so the patient appeared as if he was standing. His eyes seemed to be cloudy, and long, red hair fell past his shoulders as he turned to look at them. His eyes widened and cleared for the first time in years. "You," he whispered.
"You're me," he and Trunks said at the same time.
"This just got a little too freaky," Yugi muttered.
"Silence, child!" the tall woman ordered. "So commands the Super Saiyan Sovereign!"
"Bet you can't say that three times fast."
The woman's eyes narrowed. "No, girl, and you will say nothing else!" With one quick motion, the blade of the Silence Glaive passed directly through Yugi's neck.
Trunks was still literally staring at himself when he heard her scream. He spun around, only to see the terrified look in Yugi's eyes as her body began to fade again. "NO!" he shouted. "What did you do to her?!"
"What needed to be done," the woman replied, starting towards him. "And you're next, boy!"
"Sakuya, DON'T!" the patient warned. "Don't hurt him!"
Trunks ran over to Yugi and tried to bring her back with the crystal, but it was too late. He could only watch in horror as her body slowly vanished from sight. The frightened look in her eyes was the last part of her that faded away. "YUGI!" Trunks screamed at the top of his lungs, tears running down his face.
"I see you'll need to be silenced as well," the woman said. "Hold still and I'll make it quick."
"You want silence?!" Trunks shrieked. "I'll give you silence!" As he turned to face her, the woman was tossed away by an invisible force. Her vision cleared in time to see Trunks hovering over her, his body surrounded by a golden, unearthly glow. Cold, piercing green eyes glared down at her. "I don't know what a sovereign is, but I do know what a Super Saiyan is. And if you really are one, you'd better transform fast, lady, because this is the only chance you're gonna get!"
* * * * *
The wedding turned out better than Sasami & Gohan thought it would. While they had found Hotaru, she was the one that belonged there, not the one they had traveled with. Gohan couldn't shake the feeling that somehow, she made the mistake, but he couldn't figure out exactly what it was. He would find out soon enough.
At the reception, Sasami quickly made her way through the guests. She was trying to find Washu, and hopefully, this younger version of her was still brilliant enough to repair the time machine. Gohan, however, kept an eye on Hotaru. He was always a few steps behind her, watching her every move. His dedication was about to pay off, but at the same time, his luck was about to run out.
It was just after Hotaru realized that Gohan (the past one) had either chosen Sasami or Sakura as his queen. To say the least, she was heartbroken. She'd thought that night they'd kissed had meant something to him, because it meant a great deal to her. Instead, he was probably still hopelessly in love with Sasami, or maybe Sakura.
She separated herself from the other guests and found a secluded spot near the ship Vegeta & Washu were using for their honeymoon. It wasn't long before Vegeta came around to comfort her.
Gohan figured the situation was pretty harmless, but as Vegeta slipped an arm around Hotaru's shoulders, Gohan heard a voice in the back of his head. He recognized it as Trunks, but as the one from the future, not the young boy he knew.
"Gohan, listen up! This is gonna sound crazy, but you can't let Hotaru get on that ship with Vegeta! Do whatever it takes to stop her, but DON'T LET HER GET ON THAT SHIP!"
Gohan looked up to see Hotaru walking up the ramp leading to the ship's door. "NO!" he shouted, rocketing forward. Hotaru turned around and gasped in surprise as Gohan grabbed her around the waist and pulled her from the ramp.
Vegeta, who was just inside the doorway, turned around. "What's your problem, kid? Haven't you done enough to that poor girl? Leave her alone!"
Gohan ignored Vegeta. "Hotaru, listen to me! I know you're upset, but don't-"
Hotaru slapped him soundly across the face. "Go away, Gohan! You've already proven you don't want me, so just leave me alone!"
"Hotaru, I never meant to hurt-"
"But you did, Gohan! I don't know what hurts more: the fact that you don't love me, or the fact that you're in love with someone that doesn't even love you back!"
Gohan paused, but pushed the oncoming thought away. "Hotaru, if you get on that ship, something terrible will happen! I can't explain it, but I know I'm right!"
Vegeta stomped down the ramp and shoved Gohan. "She said get lost, kid!"
Gohan spun around caught him with a quick punch to the jaw. "I can't do that, Vegeta."
Vegeta looked down at him in surprise, then growled and charged. "You'll pay for that!"
As the Saiyan Prince nearly knocked his head clean off his shoulders, Gohan was forced to agree.
* * * * *
Trunks closed his eyes, trying to remember what had just happened. It all came back to him when he spotted the woman lying a few feet away. She was the one that had taken Yugi away. Yugi was his best friend, and now she was gone, all because of this evil woman. She would have to pay for that. With a sinister gleam in his eyes, Trunks grabbed a tuft of her long hair and prepared to deliver the final blow.
"Don't do it, Trunks."
Trunks looked at the patient. "What?"
"Don't kill her. I know you think she's evil, but she's really just a little girl, like your friend."
"My friend is dead, in case you forgot," Trunks replied coldly.
"There's another reason. She's also my--and your--half sister."
Trunks released the woman and stared at her face. "Half?"
"There isn't enough time to explain it now. Just watch."
The woman's body glowed with a violet light, then slowly shrank to the size of a little girl even younger than Trunks. There was a black triangle in the center of her forehead that reminded him of Sasami.
"Now do you see?" the patient asked. "She's just a scared kid that's been cursed with a power she can't control. Just like Hotaru once was."
Trunks looked at him. "You know Hotaru? Is she still alive?"
The patient frowned. "I knew Hotaru. She was like a second mother to me." He nodded toward the girl. "Sakuya is Hotaru's daughter. I've been taking care of her, or maybe it's the other way around. Anyway, all that power has done something to her head. She's different now, out of control when she takes that adult form. When I got hurt protecting her, she confined me to this bed. She's convinced I can't take care of myself anymore."
Trunks walked over to the bed and began undoing the thick straps around the patient's limbs. "Is she going to be okay?"
"I can take care of her. Always have, always will. I just hope she'll let me." He slowly got out of the bed and stretched. "Look, I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but I think you should know."
"What is it?" Trunks asked.
The patient kneeled and placed his hands on Trunks's shoulders. "Nothing's more important than family, kid. Still, you have to be prepared for the bad times. Nothing lasts forever, and that includes family. Treasure them all while you've got them, because one day they'll be gone. You got it?"
"Yeah." Trunks nodded solemnly. "Do you mind...if I leave something for Sakuya?"
The patient smiled. "Go ahead. I'll make sure she hangs onto it."
Trunks walked over to the little girl and drew the crystal out. "Sasami told me to give this to someone special. I would've given it to Yugi, but...she's gone now. I think you should keep it, Sakuya. For luck." He placed the crystal in her open hand and closed her fingers around it. "I know you probably won't remember me, but I hope this helps you get better like it helped Yugi."
* * * * *
Sasami wasn't sure what she expected to find. All she knew was that Gohan was a bloody mess, and Vegeta was making him bloodier by the second. And for some reason, Hotaru was standing by, letting it happen as if she was completely powerless to stop it.
It almost seemed as if Sasami was watching herself run to Vegeta and beat his head and shoulders, screaming for him to stop. She wasn't strong enough to make him feel it, especially since he was in Super Saiyan form. However, he did turn around long enough to smack her to the ground.
"Don't EVER put your hands on me, girl, or next time you won't be getting up!" he threatened.
Since she wasn't really hurt, Sasami did get up and repeated the process, only she added kicks and hair-pulling to her limited arsenal. This time, Vegeta gave her his full attention as he released Gohan and knocked her down with a hard slap. "Fine!" he shouted. "You want my attention, then you've got it! Let's see if Gohan taught you anything back at King Kai's school!"
In all honesty, the only thing Sasami had learned from King Kai is that Earth had some of the worst jokes in the universe. The only important thing she'd learned from Gohan is that love hurts sometimes. She hadn't really planned out what she'd do once she got Vegeta away from Gohan. Sasami was only concerned about one of her dearest friends, and one of the few boys she'd ever cared about deeply. Unfortunately, it was about to earn her a very painful experience. At least, so she thought.
Hotaru was the first one to see the golden glow. By the time she realized it was coming from Gohan, he was already beating Vegeta within an inch of his life. Though he wasn't anywhere close to Vegeta's power level, pure rage seemed to enhance all of his skills, if only for a few short moments. That was more than enough time to trash Vegeta. In less that two minutes, Vegeta was out cold, and Hotaru was searching desperately for a pulse. She found one, but it was very weak.
When Sasami finally came to, Gohan was leaning over her. Though his face was a bloody mess, most of his clothing had been burned away, and bruises covered two-thirds of his body, the first words out of his mouth were, "Are you okay?"
Sasami smiled up at him. "I'd tell you, but chances are you've got a concussion and would just forget anyway."
Gohan nodded. "Good point." Then his eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed into her arms.
"How disgustingly sweet."
Sasami gasped as she looked up. "Saturn?!"
"Yes." She frowned. "I assumed that by preventing the wedding of Vegeta and Washu, I would be able to convince a very lonely young Trunks to train harder, thus one day making him my prince. However, I suppose it is better that he remain the product of a broken home. It will make him a stronger fighter in the long run."
"Your...prince?" Sasami asked. "But I thought Gohan-"
"He is, and so is Trunks. The ancient prophecy said the Eternal Prince had to be the son of a Super Saiyan and a woman not of Earth's solar system." Saturn sighed loudly. "We should go. The others will begin to worry about us."
"Um...excuse me," Hotaru said quietly, "but what's going on?"
Saturn turned to her. "If you ever let Vegeta touch you again, I will personally return to kill you both."
Hotaru's eyes widened in fear. "O-Okay." She quickly ran off.
"What was that for?" Sasami asked as Saturn helped her carry Gohan back to the time machine.
Saturn shrugged and smiled mysteriously. "Just I bad feeling I suddenly had. I always trust my instincts."
* * * * *
"She'll be fine, kid," the young man said, noticing the look on the boy's face.
Trunks just shook his head. "It's not Sakuya I'm thinking about anymore," he said softly, staring at his bare wrist.
"I'm really sorry about her. I wish I could've done something to help."
"No, she was my friend. I can't believe that one of the last things I said to her was, 'I'm gonna protect you.' I let her down so easily."
There was a bright flash of light, and then the time machine materialized in front of them.
"Guess that's your ride, huh?" the young man asked.
"Yeah," Trunks muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Thanks for everything." He walked over to the time machine as the door cycled open. He took his seat in silence, not even noticing that Saturn was present instead of Hotaru, or that Gohan looked as if he'd been in a car accident.
Sasami hated to say anything, but she couldn't contain her curiosity. "Trunks?"
"What?" he asked quietly.
"Where's...Yugi?"
Trunks didn't say anything at first, and a solitary tear ran down his face. "Let's just go," he said finally.
Sasami nodded and started the time machine.
Trunks strapped himself in. Unable to hold back any longer, he finally broke down, allowing the tears to cascade down his face, though he never made a single sound to express his grief.
Saturn hesitantly reached over and placed her hand on his.
Trunks looked at the hand for a long moment, then took it in his own. Right now, he didn't care where the comfort came from, because he had a sinking feeling that he would never be truly happy again.
* * * * *
Tenchi tapped his fingers on the table absently. "So what you're saying is that Yugi...is dead?"
"That is the impression Trunks gave us," Saturn replied. "We cannot be sure until he agrees to tell someone exactly what happened, but he hasn't spoken in three days."
"I really feel sorry for that kid. He's got enough trouble just being Vegeta's son. And while I'm thinking about it, why is it that you're all kids again?"
"A side effect of the time traveling, I would assume. It was a calculated risk, which we all hoped for. Besides, our mission was successful, and you are married to Ayeka, are you not?"
"Well, yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?"
"That," Saturn said, "is a very long story. One that I think Washu would be able to explain to you in greater detail."
"One more thing," Tenchi added. "How come you're here instead of Hotaru?"
Saturn smiled. "Yes. Well, believe it or not, Hotaru actually summoned me this time. I suppose I shall find out why soon enough."
* * * * *
Washu gently stroked her son's red hair. "I know you're upset, baby," she whispered in his ear, "but you can't keep this silent thing up forever. It's almost been three days. You've gotta talk some time."
Trunks only blinked, never changing his position in his mother's lap.
"Honey, please," Washu pleaded, kissing his forehead. "Just say something. Anything! You're really starting to scare me!"
Trunks buried his head in her robe. "I loved her, Mama," he whispered. "She was my best friend, and I never told her that. I miss her so much."
"I know, sweetie." Washu rested her chin on his head. "You want me to make anything for you? Maybe a new friend to play with?"
"No," he muttered. "No one can take her place, Mama." Trunks sighed and closed his eyes. "I wish I'd never even asked her to come with me."
"You couldn't have known what was going to happen, darling. You should never blame yourself for that, Trunks. You hear me?"
"I'm a monster, just like Papa. Everyone I care about gets hurt."
"Trunks, stop it! It's not your fault!"
"It doesn't matter, Mama. She's gone, and I'll never see her again."
Neither of them noticed the woman standing directly behind them. "Forgive me, young Trunks," she whispered. " One so young should never have to suffer so much. I am extremely sorry for your loss, but you must wait just a little while longer."
* * * * *
Gohan stared at his broken arm, and for some reason, came to a very good conclusion. "I don't want a queen anymore."
Sasami looked up from bandaging the arm. "Huh?"
"I don't want a queen, and I don't need one. Forget the stupid prophecy. I'm not living the rest of my life by some wrinkled old paper that isn't even written in English. I only seem to end up getting hurt every time."
"Um...okay," Sasami said slowly. "Do you still want me to fluff your pillow?"
Gohan blinked in disbelief. "Don't you even care?"
"Of course I do, but it doesn't matter to me anymore, Gohan. I stopped caring about the prophecy a long time ago. I was just wondering when you would, too."
"So...you don't care who I end up with?"
"As long as you're happy, why should I? Besides, we both know we're gonna be friends no matter what you do. I try to focus on the more important things. Like helping Trunks get over Yugi, for example."
Gohan smiled. "You're really something special, Sasami."
"No, I'm not. It just seems that way because I have such good friends." Sasami finished with his arm. "Do you need anything else?"
A sly grin crossed his face. "A kiss to make it all better?"
Sasami stared at him for a moment. "I thought you said you didn't want a queen anymore."
He nodded. "That's what I said. I never said anything about a princess, though."
Sasami glared at him. "I hate you sometimes."
Gohan grinned again. "Is that a no on the kiss?"
She got up and headed for the door. "I'll decide after I check on Trunks."
"But that could take hours! What am I supposed to do until then?"
Sasami paused at the door and smiled. "You can start by contacting Reenie and Sakura. They should know what happened. I figure it'll take you at least a few hours to figure out how make a phone call across time."
* * * * *
Reenie slowly walked down the long hallway, wondering what might have been so important to call her back home. The message hadn't been very detailed, it just demanded that she return immediately with no questions asked. It was almost rude, which was really surprising. No one in Crystal Tokyo was ever rude, unless something was really wrong.
It wasn't until Reenie reached the throne room that she realized what had been so important. Sitting in the center of the room was a little girl with violet eyes and dark hair. There was a black triangle in the center of her forehead, and she was dressed as Sailor Saturn. She stood up as Reenie appeared.
"Hello! You must be Princess Reenie. "My name is Sakuya, and I was trying to reach my big brother, but I'm a little new at opening portals. Can you help me out?"
Reenie blinked. "Um...what's your big brother's name?"
"Maybe you've heard of him. His name is Trunks." Sakuya held up a small crystal. "I need to get this back to him and say thanks. Do you know where I can find him?"
Reenie thought for a moment. "Well...yes...but it's more like when you can find him..."
* * * * *
Trunks slowly opened his eyes a few minutes after two in the morning. He was surprised to find a glowing figure standing next to his bed. He couldn't tell right away, but he thought it looked like Sasami. "Sasami?" he asked, reaching for her.
"Not quite, Trunks," she replied, taking his hand. "I am Tsunami. I've come here to give you good news."
"What news?"
Tsunami smiled. "There's someone who'd like to say hello to you. Come on out, little one."
A small hand appeared behind Tsunami's kimono. Long, blonde hair and a pair of big, blue eyes soon followed it.
Trunks gasped in disbelief. "Yugi?" he whispered. "Is that...really you?"
Yugi slowly stepped out from behind Tsunami, but remained at her side, as if she was afraid of something. "Hi, Trunks," she said quietly, lowering her eyes to the floor.
"I should explain something to you, Trunks," Tsunami noted. "Yugi's new body is quite solid, but she can only come in physical contact with you now."
"Why is that?" Trunks asked.
Yugi blushed as Tsunami replied, "That was her only wish: to be able to touch you again. It is part of the reason why she will be your new guardian."
"You mean she's gonna protect me the way you protect Sasami?"
"Exactly. Yugi will be more of a guide, since you don't seem to need much protection. However, there is much I must first teach her before she can begin her duties." Tsunami gently squeezed Yugi's hand, then repeated the process with Trunks. "To make the bond complete, you will both need to join hands."
Trunks climbed out of bed and reached for Yugi's hand, but she shrank back, hiding behind Tsunami again. "I don't know if I can do this," she whispered. "What if something happens to him? I don't think I could stand it if I couldn't protect him."
"That doesn't matter to me," Trunks replied. "I'd rather die with you than live without you."
Tears formed in Yugi's eyes. "You really mean that, Trunks?"
"There's only one way to find out for sure." He held out his hand to her. "I don't wanna lose you a second time, Yugi. There's so much I still need to tell you."
Yugi took a deep breath, then walked over and took his hand.
Tsunami placed her hands on their foreheads. "With the power of Jurai, I link you as guardian and knight, forever bound by loyalty, trust, and honor. Let no force in the universe break this bond, not even death itself."
"Um...what's that last part mean?" Yugi asked nervously.
"That means that while one of you lives, the other cannot die. It is possible for both of you to perish at once, no matter how unlikely that is, so be very careful. You have a little time before I must take Yugi back to my realm."
Trunks gently squeezed Yugi's hand. "I really missed you."
"I-I missed y-you, too," she mumbled, blushing slightly. "What did you need to tell me?"
"These past three days, I've been miserable without you. I didn't realize how much you meant to me until you weren't there anymore. I've never felt this way about anyone before."
"Oh, Trunks," Yugi whispered. "That's so sweet..."
"There's more, though." He hesitated before going on. "I need to tell you this before you leave."
"What is it?"
With a sigh, Trunks slowly looked into her eyes. "You're my best friend, Yugi, and I...I love you."
For a moment, Yugi didn't move or speak.
"I'm afraid we must go now, little one," Tsunami interrupted.
Yugi cupped Trunks's face in her hands. "I love you, too," she said before gently pressing her lips to his.
His eyes widened in pure shock. He'd known Yugi had cared about him, but not to this degree. The kiss was simple and sweet, yet it was so different from the other kisses he'd gotten. Even Hotaru's seemed less meaningful by comparison. This kiss had something more to it, something he didn't recognize right away.
After a few short seconds, Yugi pulled back and stroked his cheek with her thumb. "Bye, Trunks," she whispered. "See you soon."
Trunks watched in silence as Yugi and Tsunami vanished in a bright flash of light. He slowly pressed two fingers to his lips, trying to figure out why Yugi had kissed him in the first place. The answer wouldn't come to him until the next day, but it would be more than worth the wait.
* * * * *
Sasami groaned and opened her eyes. The last thing she remembered was going to check on Trunks. Only she'd never gotten that far, which explained why she was lying in front of Washu's door. It didn't explain why she was on the floor, or why she felt so drained, but it was a start.
"I'm guessing you didn't check on Trunks," Gohan said, looking down at her.
Sasami glanced up. "No. Um...did you call Reenie and Sakura?"
"I talked to Sakura's father, and he said he'd tell her everything. Reenie's another story. By the way, do you know you're lying on the floor?"
"Yes. I was waiting for you to help me up."
"I don't know. You promised you'd give me an answer about that kiss last night, and you never did."
Sasami glared at him. "No one plans to pass out, Gohan. It was pretty unexpected. Besides, I can't move at all right now."
Gohan scooped her into his arms. "So I guess you don't feel like making breakfast?"
"Let's put it like this. If you keep talking about food, you're going to have it all over your shirt in a minute."
He winced. "Got it. Where should I dump...er, put you?"
Sasami frowned. "Very funny, Gohan. The couch will be fine."
Gohan started toward the couch, then stopped. "Wait. If you can't move, then I can pretty much do whatever I want with you, can't I?"
"Um...no!"
An evil grin appeared on his face. "Too late. Now, about that kiss..."
"Aren't you the one that once said if anything happened between us, it should happen naturally and not be forced?"
Gohan thought about that. "Yeah, but you could move then. Now you can't."
Sasami sighed. "Gohan, why are you so obsessed with kissing me?"
"Why are you so obsessed with NOT kissing me?" he countered. "It's not like we don't like each other. Unless you've had a sudden change of heart on me."
"No, nothing like that. It just seems like you've gotten a lot more aggressive about the whole thing."
"Maybe that's because you haven't. In fact, you haven't hugged me once this whole week."
Sasami rolled her eyes. "You're holding me right now. That counts in my book."
"Why are you being so negative?"
"Maybe I'm mad at you."
Gohan smirked. "And maybe you're cuter when you're mad."
Sasami blushed. "Be quiet! It's hard to stay mad when you say things like that!"
"Fine. I think you're the most beautiful girl in the universe."
"Stop it!"
Gohan chuckled. "And I think you'd make a wonderful wife."
Sasami froze. "What?"
The grin faded from Gohan's face. "Uh...nothing."
"No, wait! You said wi-"
"White! As in white...truffles...that polish...sandwiches..."
"That makes no sense. And now you're blushing."
"No I'm not!" Gohan insisted.
Sasami grinned. "Then how come you just said white truffles polish sandwiches?"
"I didn't mean...um...truffles?" he asked weakly.
"Face it, Gohan. You're in love with me. Again."
"I am not! I just...um..."
"You're blushing again."
Gohan glared at her. "Am not!"
Sasami gently brushed her fingers against his cheek. "You are now!" she giggled.
Gohan shook his head. "If I was really in love with you, I'd be kissing you instead of talking right now."
"Maybe we can change that," she said, looking into his eyes.
Before Gohan could answer, the door to Washu's lab opened, and the scientist stuck her head out. "Oh, it's just you two. I thought Ayeka & Ryoko were fighting from all the noise. Where's breakfast?"
Gohan quickly put Sasami down. "Um...Sasami wasn't feeling well, and there isn't any."
Washu sighed and walked into the kitchen. "It's just as well. Trunks only likes eggs when I cook them."
"Is he okay?" Sasami asked, sounding concerned.
"Actually, yes! When he got up this morning, there was a huge smile on his face, but the poor dear was so exhausted that I sent him back to bed. He should be awake soon."
"So he's not upset about Yugi anymore?" Gohan asked.
Washu shrugged as she pulled out a frying pan. "I didn't ask. All I know is that he's feeling better, and that's what matters."
* * * * *
"Are you sure you know what you're doing, Sakuya?" Reenie asked.
"Not really. Does it show?"
Reenie groaned and closed her eyes as they traveled through the time vortex. "This is the very last time I give anyone a crash course in time travel. Especially you!"
"Hey, I think I see something up ahead!" Sakuya said. "Is that where we get off?"
"I hope so!" Reenie replied. "Roll to the right...now!"
The girls were sucked out of the time vortex and crashed into a bed of soft grass.
"Did it work?" Sakuya asked hopefully, looking around. "Are we in the right time?"
Reenie shook away the stars. "I think so. This looks like Tenchi's house, but we'd better make sure." She walked up to the front door and rang the bell. "Hey, anybody in there?"
The door slowly slid away, and the girl standing there gasped in surprise. "Reenie?"
"'TARU!" Reenie cried, tackling her around the waist. "It's so good to see you again!"
Hotaru smiled and returned the hug. "It's good to see you, too, Reenie. Who's your friend?"
"Oh. Well, that's the hard part."
Before Reenie could explain any further, Hotaru was tackled again, but by Sakuya this time. "Mommy!" she cried, tears flowing down her face. "It's really you! I'd know your face anywhere!"
Hotaru looked at Reenie. "Um...what did she just call me?"
Reenie grinned weakly. "Well, that's the hard part I was talking about..."
* * * * *
Trunks walked through the lab with a smile on his face. He felt like a new person, and in a very important way, he was. He happened to be passing by the mass tank when something caught his eye. He paused and looked at his reflection. There was a strange symbol on his forehead. It seemed to be a blue triangle.
"Weird," he muttered, touching the symbol. "That's never been there before."
Several masses swam over to investigate, but soon lost interest and swam away.
"It's our bond," a familiar voice said.
Trunks looked over to see Yugi's reflection behind him. "Yugi!" he cried happily, grabbing her by the waist and spinning her around.
Yugi laughed and hugged him. "Easy, Trunks! I can still get air-sick, you know."
"What were you saying about this?" he asked, pointing to his forehead.
Yugi pressed a finger to his triangle. "It's the symbol of our bond. I've got one, too." She pulled the hair away from her face, revealing a green triangle on her forehead. "See? Nothing to worry about. Lots of people from Jurai have them."
"But I'm not from Jurai."
"Well, I am, and so is Tsunami. Besides, she told me that your destiny is to be a prince someday."
Trunks frowned. "I don't wanna be a prince. Not like him."
Yugi smiled. "Not a Saiyan prince, a Juraian prince. You're not related to the royal family by blood, but you've been adopted."
"I have?"
She nodded. "Sasami wasn't kidding when she called you her brother. Just look at it this way: she's your sister, and Tsunami is...well...a godmother or something."
"So what does that make you?" Trunks asked.
"Well...we can talk about that later," Yugi replied with a smile. "Right now, I think we should go upstairs and let everyone know I'm not dead."
"Good idea," he agreed. "But there's something I wanna know first. Why'd you kiss me last time?"
Yugi paused and looked into his eyes. "I...it just...felt right. I can't really explain it. Are you mad at me?"
"No, of course not! I was curious. I just didn't know you felt that way about me."
"Well, I do. Is that gonna be a problem?"
"Only if you got a problem with being really, really happy." Trunks took her by the hand. "C'mon, I want you to meet Mama. Well, again, anyway."
Yugi smiled and followed him to the door.
The End!
Okay, I think that went well. How about you? Comments are welcome (and encouraged, for that matter). Next time, Trunks meets the real Sakuya for the first time, and Tsunami drops by with more info. Plus, Hotaru finds out being a mother isn't always a good thing. As if that wasn't enough, Vegeta's back! I know it sounds like a lot, but there's still more! Gohan finally gets a date with Sasami, but you'll never believe what happens at the movies! (Just to warn you, some of this stuff might take two or three stories to happen, so don't get upset if it doesn't show up right away)
