"Well," Trunks said, dragging the words out. "I guess I better head back home." He turned his pale gaze to the sky, taking in every minute he could get of this place. The whole thing seemed too wonderful to be true. Like a dream so good, one would wish that sleep was eternal.
"What? You want to leave? All ready?" Goku asked, tilting his head at the stranger from the future.
He sure isn't making this any easier on me, Trunks thought to himself. "It's not really a 'want' sort of thing. I belong there, not here. And I need to get back to Mom and tell her everything worked out all right. She's probably already worried sick," he said, trying to convince himself to go return to that nightmarish world. "I've already risked changing the future too much by meeting the others. I really should go before I risk them figuring out who I am."
Goku scratched his crazy black hair in deep thought. "Yeah, but," he said, "Couldn't you stay for a while? We'll give you a different name and say you're from the future, but not say more. And then you could program your time machine to go back to right after you left, so Bulma wouldn't be waiting any longer than she would have been anyway."
Trunks frowned and looked up at Goku. Is he actually wanting me to stay? It seemed like he was going through a lot of trouble to do so, but it was just hard for Trunks to believe. Never before had he had someone who really wanted him to be around besides Gohan. It was strange. Goku surely could not want to be around Trunks as much as he wanted to be around Goku. I mean, Trunks was only seventeen…just a boy compared to this legend. His eyes narrowed as he asked, "Why? Why do you want me to stay?"
Goku stopped scratching his head, though his eyes were still thoughtful as he looked at the young man. "Well, I want to help you beat these androids. To save the future in as much as it can be saved. And—" Goku stopped, blushing slightly.
Trunks raised an eyebrow, "And what?"
The older man looked slightly sheepish as he continued, "Well, it just that I really want to spar with someone at my own level and," he sighed before saying, "and you are the first person I have ever met that I felt I could depend on in that same way that everyone always seems to depend on me." Goku looked up at Trunks, saying, "I know it's kind of silly. I mean, I have a lot of people there for me. And they're great, but…"
Trunks gaped, not daring to believe what he was hearing, but utterly unable to deny it.
Goku continued, voice soft and thoughtful. "But ever since that day my brother returned to Earth and I died, it's as though something changed. As if I started to reach levels the others couldn't match and they sensed it too. I guess it really hit me when my best friend and previous equal, Krillin, stepped back and started to think I was everyone's only hope. And ever since then, I guess I have been."
A slight breeze ruffled the warrior's dark hair and Trunks nodded with his own plethora of experiences. He knew the change that Goku spoke of. For him it had been when Gohan had died. Before that time, he had been a strong kid, but still a kid. If he couldn't save the world, oh well, he wasn't the only one.
"I can tell that you understand what it's like. And it's often the scariest thing ever. I mean, what if you fail? Then who is there to save your loved ones." The dark eyes turned suddenly bright and he said, "Even though I plan on never failing them, it's a relief to be around someone else who really understands, you know."
Trunks nodded, smiling. Goku needed him to stay as much as he wanted to be there. Trunks needed hope and Goku needed understanding.
Hold on, Mom. I have two more lives I need to save. Goku's and my own. I know you'll understand. Who better to understand why Trunks needed to stay than the mother who hated how her son had to grow up in such a harsh world.
And Goku was right. Trunks could probably figure out how to reprogram the ship to arrive a few hours after he had left that time. Yes. And when he went back, he would finally be strong enough to beat the androids as well. "So," he said, returning from his own thoughts. "What should my name be? Got any ideas."
Goku groaned. "Awww man. You don't want my help with this one, trust me."
Trunks chuckled. "Okay, Goku. I'll trust you."