Chapter 10.
Trunks was weary at first. Would things be different now? How had he allowed that to happen at all? It wasn't that he regretted it. No, it was more like he was confused as to WHAT THE HELL HE HAD BEEN THINKING. In three days they would be landing on the planet that his father's brother lived on. If only he had know that before. Oh well, like his mother used to say, there was no use crying over split milk.
Trunks finished his breakfast and walked awkwardly out of the kitchen, Zion's soft chuckle following him as he went. Every step just served to remind him of what he had done, what they had done, and he was hard pressed to push it from his mind.
Well at least Zion was in a better mood. Always see the positive. If you didn't at least try, you'd go nuts. That was what had gotten him through the Android years. What the hell was going to get him through the Zion years and there were a life time left of those. If Zion chose to stay with him that was.
There was a large window with the thicker glass than that of Trunks' fist along one of the corridors. There was nothing out that window other than the vast recesses of space. It was mindboggling to think that there was actually life out there, plenty of it. Somewhere out there was a healing little blue planet that he called home. The Androids seemed so far away in comparison to what he had been through in the last year or so. Trunks sighed as he reflected on everything that had happened. Between time travelling and space travelling his life had changed in many ways. He had never really taken a step back to look at it all. Some of it had been amazing. While other parts he's rather have not gone through but given the choice he wouldn't change a thing. It was strange how life played out, the cards you were given weren't always what you wanted but it was what you got so you had to learn to sort through it and make the best of what you had. . .
Trunks shook his head to force the whole dealing with everything session aside. He was still trying to decide whether or not he should attempt to train when he heard Zion's casual, barely there footsteps coming towards him. Zion was suddenly behind him, appearing so fast Trunks couldn't even track his energy.
"You know I had never meant for the game to end the way it did." Zion breathed in his ear, "But I'm not sorry, nor does my opinion of you change."
They were both still facing the window and Trunks could very faintly see their reflection. Somehow in this reality Zion was taller than his past self. He stood almost a head taller than Trunks and was now leaning towards Trunks, almost in a protective way. His posture could almost be described as curling over Trunks, like trying to cover him, but it was almost.
"What is your opinion of me?" Trunks replied, curiosity getting the better of him.
"The silence is awkward." Zion stated instead, quietly yet it commanded attention, simple and effective, "I welcome it." he sighed leaning closer, his tone softer.
"The silence is oppressive." he continued leaning back and saying it louder, more like the first line, "I welcome it." This statement was said like a caress, an endearment to a lover.
"Like a wood to a fire, air to starving lungs, it feeds my body, my mind, my soul." This was said more elaborately yet it had an air of danger to it, even though no words were threatening. In fact Trunks thought them kind of melancholy.
"The silence is a void." So soft it could barely be heard. "I welcome it." Nearly shouted making the younger Sayian jump.
"My young brother, my young lover,
The silence is oppressive.
I welcome it." Zion finished sighing the word lover. He said the last line as though he were merely commenting on the weather.
"Poetry or riddles?" Trunks found himself asking.
"Either way you look at it, I still didn't answer your question did I?" Zion replied thoughtfully.
"I don't expect you will." Trunks said so softly he wasn't even sure Zion had heard him.
"If you must know the poem was how do you earthlings put it, an extended metaphor for my life." Zion said leaning away from Trunks entirely.
"So am I supposed to figure out the meaning of this poem or am I just supposed to strike it off as more Zion weirdness?" Trunks asked turning away from the window to look at the older Sayian.
"Do what you want, I personally don't give a damn." Zion said over his shoulder, having already started walking away even before Trunks had turned around.
Trunks woke up with a groan. The cause for his unwanted return to consciousness was the very uninvited sensation of a shaking ship. He looked across and saw that Zion wasn't in his bed. Trunks mumbled grumpily before simply rolling over and going back to sleep.
It didn't last long however as something cold and wet was thrown onto his head followed by an evil crackle.
"Rise and shine sleeping beauty, we have arrived." Zion announced in a sinfully cheerful voice.
Trunks aimlessly threw a pillow in the general direction Zion might have been in. The pillow flew back at him.
"Alright, alright. I'm getting up already." Trunks yelled in a grouchy tone.
Zion's chuckle could be heard from the other end of the hallway outside their bedroom. Trunks reluctantly got out of bed and headed to the shower. He kept it short, very short, in fear of Zion playing more tricks on him.
He went to the kitchen and grabbed a few things from the fridge before searching for Zion's energy. Zion was waiting by the door. He saw Trunks and smirked before opening the door and confidently walking out.
Trunks nearly dropped his food when he saw what they had landed on. The place was nearly a ruin. Everything looked completely destroyed. It had obviously once been a thriving and beautiful planet, that much Trunks could tell.
"Compliments of Frieza's hench men." Zion muttered looking around cautiously.
Trunks said nothing, but his anger rose considerably. It was like his planet all over again, not to mention the Cell games.
"How can there still be remnants of Frieza's army?" Trunks wondered out loud.
"You fail to realise the extent of his power. The Cold family didn't concur planets on hopes and dreams you know." Zion snorted in response starting to walk forward.
As he took steps little clouds of ash puffed into the air. Trunks also became aware of the odd silence that had settled over the planet. There was nothing. He tried to pay more attention to his hearing. At first there was nothing but then the faint sounds of manual labour reached his ears. Banging, grinding, drilling . . . even screams of pain.
Trunks hurried to catch up to Zion who was several meters ahead already. Trunks didn't dare look at anything other than the back of Zion's head. He was too afraid at what he might see. He really had enough of his own nightmare's to contend with, thank-you very much. He tried to block out the sounds that once he had heard, could not be ignored. They sounded too much like the past he had lost so much to. He had gained much more but still.
Trunks stopped when Zion did. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had to see it all eventually. He opened his eyes and stepped to the side and forward so that he stood next to his brother. Beings of many different races were scattered everywhere as far as Trunks could see. He looked back and saw that they had landed further down a hill, explaining why this had not been his first sight. The beings appeared to be in a large pit, very large. They also seemed to be mining for something but Trunks could not be entirely sure. One thing about them all was very clear. There were leaders and there were followers and the leader were none too kind. Screams of pain followed the crack of ever whip or blast of Ki. Trunks' teeth snapped together audibly when he saw that most wore the Sayian armour, however all were in various conditions, ranging from pathetic to overly extravagant.
Zion stepped off the edge of the pit and slide down the slope, grinning manically all the way down, and it was a steep slope. Trunks coughed as clouds of ash were blown into his face. He reluctantly followed his brother down into the hell hole. Alarms started to go off immediately making Trunks even more on edge than what he already was. He tensed up expecting an attack at any moment from anywhere. Just what was Zion planning on doing?
"You there! Stop where you are or face the consequences!" A commanding and arrogant voice yelled.
Zion's head tilted in his direction and he smirked in amusement.
"Oh? Really? What are you going to do if I don't?" Zion asked innocently but Trunks saw the glint of delightful danger in his eyes.
Zion took a step for dramatic effect. Trunks looked up and saw several guards aiming Ki blasts at them, ready to fire at a moment's notice. There were no power levels high enough to cause worry, but there were maybe three that would require a transformation. Maybe not even that much since Zion was so insanely powerful.
Zion laughed humourlessly and coldly, nothing like the light breathy chuckles he had shared with Trunks in the time that they had spent together. Trunks was still pretty sure that he wasn't supposed to hear to chuckles either but he did. Zion took another step and a warning blast of Ki hit the ground just in front of him, only serving to make Zion laugh more manically and insanely. Trunks was hit with a wave of anxiety that he couldn't explain. Just what had been unleashed in his brother?
There was no time to assess anything as suddenly Zion was attacking, using far too much force than what was really necessary. Trunks yelped as a hot sticky spray of blood coated him, starting at his waist and moving right up to his face. Trunks was scared stupid by the sight of his brother literally ripping the very limbs from the soldiers all the while laughing like he was having the time of his life. The screams of their pain pierced into Trunks like physical blows but he was too stunned to even cover his ears.
"I'd like to have had more fun with them but there was no time for that. Too bad." Zion grumbled.
Trunks found that he could do no more than gap stupidly at his brother in horror, a look that Zion didn't seem to even notice as he hummed cheerfully to himself. Without the screams it was suddenly eerily quiet. Trunks was breathing hard and fast trying to stop his raced and panicked thoughts. How had he been so stupid? Zion had managed to look so normal, tame even. When had he missed the homicidal tendencies? No wonder he had been chained up like he had.
Wait! That had to be the whole reason he was insane! Of course. It all made perfect sense now. He had been driven insane by Frieza's soldiers. Who wouldn't what with the whole being a practically unstoppable being that could do nothing about the torments threatening to crush and overwhelm you? Still that didn't help Trunks out in his current predicament.
Zion was now walking towards the heart of the pit, to what looked like a head quarters of some sort. Trunks hurried to catch up to his brother while trying in vain to wipe the blood from his face, succeeding only in smearing it around. He winced as the smell of it hit him and chose instead to breathe through his mouth.
"Honey I'm home!" Zion yelled upon entering the building before doubling over with intensely insane laughter, "Did you miss me?" he snarled at a shadowy corner.
Trunks thought his brother had lost it but then the inky darkness shifted to reveal what closely resembled to large pink and blue beach balls.
"Hay Trunks meet Abo and Cado. Brothers of course, I mean you don't get that kind of ugliness twice by chance. They and I get very well acquainted while I was growing up. Then they left a few years ago, saying something about unfinished business." Zion paused to laugh and Trunks wanted to run away with a metaphorical tail between his legs, "Did you really think I wouldn't come after you? I had to get free sometime and thanks to my brother over there I am and now it's time to make good on some old promises and believe me, I remember, every, single, one, of, them." Zion said, changing from manically cheerful to dangerously stoic.
Trunks started to back up in fear as he watch Zion slowly approach the two beach balls, each step measured, every expression either blank or cold determination.
"Find Tarble." Zion barked and Trunks didn't hesitate to obey, especially when he felt that power of Zion's rising to more than enough. He wasn't taking chances.
Trunks scrambled out of the building and started to ran away from it just as the shockwave of Zion's first attack swept his feet out from under him. He grunted and managed to catch himself before becoming acquainted with the floor. Trunks looked around and saw that he was being stared at by many, many pairs of eyes. To say it unnerved him would be the understatement of the year.
Trunks walked over to one of the odd looking beings, hoping against hope that it spoke English. The creature hastened to look down and started shaking. A small whimper escaped the creature when Trunks stopped.
"Hi. I don't know if you can understand me but I'm not going to hurt you, I'm just looking for someone." Trunks said as friendly as he could.
When no answer came but the whimpering stopped, Trunks continued.
"I'm not really sure what he looks like other than he has black hair and eyes and he looks like me but probably with a tail. Do you know anyone like that?"
Whispers broke out among them as they all exchanged fearful looks.
"Are you here to hurt him?" one tiny voice squeaked.
"No, I'm here to take him home." Trunks replied a little surprised by the question, "See he's my Uncle but I didn't know about him or where he was until recently."
"Then if you speak true we will lead you to him." The same squeaky voice said.
Trunks followed as he was led to what looked to be sleeping quarters. He was led through the appalling quarters and around to the back. He tried to ignore Zion's Ki signature and the sounds he could hear all too well. What he saw as he exited the quarters was enough to stop even his breathing. Hanging on a wooden X was the pitiful figure of a Sayian male. His hair, which was matted and dirty with both dirt and blood, was all Trunks could see of his head as it hung low, pointed towards the ground. Trunks wanted to vomit when he saw the thick pins that ran through the Sayians hands, forcing blood to run in rivers down his dirty and bruise riddled arms and body. All that covered him was a pathetic cloth over his privates. His tail, clearly broken hung limply behind him. Trunks wondered if he was even still alive.
He rushed over to the Sayian and lifted his head. Tarble looked so much like his father, apart from the hair and somehow that made it hurt more. Trunks winced as he pulled the pins out of Tarble's hands, catching him before he hit the ground. Relief flooded him when his eyelids fluttered and there was a groan of pain. Suddenly Tarble lashed out, screaming like a wild feral thing, attacking blindly and so weakly Trunks wanted to cry. Trunks did the only thing he could think of and embraced his struggling uncle, pulling him closer to his chest and starting to whisper to him.
"It's ohkay, Prince Tarble. I've got you. I won't let them hurt you anymore. I promise on my father's name I won't let them hurt you anymore. . . ."
He didn't know if the crazed Sayian could hear him or even understand him but the struggling became slower as his energy wore out. Trunks' grip loosened and he placed Tarble down gently. He then dug around in his pocket for the spare senzu beans he always kept with him. He gently wiggled one into Tarble's mouth and coaxed him into eating it.
"When he would not submit and tried to fight for our freedom they killed his mate and made an example out of him." The squeaky voice from earlier said sadly.
The tiny Sayian in front of Trunks was shivering now but at least his Ki was returning to him. Trunks took off his jacket and used it to cover the Sayian.
"Stay with him. I'll be right back." Trunks said to the tiny odd creature before phasing to the ship, going faster than he had thought himself capable of.
He hurried inside and grabbed his box of capsules. He then phased back to his uncle. He opened the box and picked out on capsule in particular. He popped it open and pulled out a new, clean set of Sayian armour. His past mother had given them to him and he had a few sets in various shapes and styles. Best part about them, one size fit all.
Tarble was waking up now, he looked around in confusion and fear but there was an ever present guilt. Trunks offered the clothes out the Sayian.
"That's Sayian armour but it's different, newer." Tarble muttered.
"That's because it's modelled after the Sayian armour but it was made by my mother who's an Earthling. My father is a Sayian." Trunks replied happy when Tarble took the clothing.
Trunks popped another capsule and a small house appeared but what he was really after was the bathroom. He dragged a surprised Tarble with his as he entered and went straight to the bathroom. He switched on and set the shower before he shoved Tarble inside, taking the set of armour away and placing it on top of the wash basket. From Tarble's sigh of content Trunks guessed he didn't mind the bossiness.
"You don't look like a Sayian." Tarble's voice floated to him over the spray of the water.
"My father used to say that too, said I looked and talked too much like my mother." Trunks replied with a laugh as he tried to wash the blood from his face.
"So who is your father?" Tarble asked curiously but Trunks could hear a definite deadness in his voice.
He didn't reply right away.
"Vegeta. Prince Vegeta. He's been dead for a long time now." Trunks said softly.
"I'd never thought he'd be dead before me." Tarble muttered, "Then again I never thought he'd have kids after Frieza destroyed the planet."
"Yeah well I wasn't exactly planned and as far as my father was concerned I wasn't welcome either but I was a male and a Sayian so he wasn't really complaining either. I think in an alternate universe he actually loves me but in this one he died before he got the chance." Trunks replied with a sad sigh.
Tarble stepped out of the shower just as Trunks was leaving the room. He waited while the other Sayian dressed. When he reappeared he looked so different from before it was hard to believe he was the same person.
"I haven't felt so good in a very long time." He said with a said sort of longing.
"I'm sorry." Trunks whispered and meant it.
"What for? You didn't do this to me." Tarble asked in surprise.
"If I had known I could have done something." Trunks replied balling his fists.
Tarble did not say anything to that and Trunks thought it best to see what Zion was up to. He gestured for Tarble to follow and left the small capsule house. He placed it back in its capsule form and then placed it back with the other capsules.
"Stay here." Trunks said to Tarble as he headed towards the building he had left Zion in.
He was just a few meters away when the side of the building exploded in a cloud of dust and rubble. Zion was kneeling in the centre of the rubble, each hand holding onto the head of Abo and Cado. Trunks swallowed when he saw the blood covering Zion and the insane look of bloodlust pleasure on his features. Abo and Cado didn't even appear to be alive anymore but that apparently meant little to nothing to Zion.
"Zion? I think that's enough don't you?" Trunks said cautiously.
Zion didn't even indicate that he had heard Trunks. He laughed that cold insane laugh again and began to once again pummel rip and tear at Abo and Cado. Trunks winced and squirmed with ever pop, squelch and rip trying to block it out.
Zion suddenly grew bored with his gruesome task and looked around him, staring through crazed eyes at the creatures surrounding him. There were enemies and innocents alike but would Zion be able to tell the difference?
Zion sprang to his feet and blood dripped from him with a steady, horrifying rhythm. Trunks watched and waited as Zion raised an arm and pointed it towards a group of beings. He smirked and a glow started to form in his palm.
Trunks' heart stuttered and he immediately ran forwards, grasping onto Zion's outstretched arm and trying to yank it down.
"Zion, please! You've got to stop! Snap out of it!" Trunks yelled in desperation.
Trunks didn't have any effect on his brother at all. He didn't even look like he noticed his presence. Trunks had to act fast because the Ki in Zion's palm was getting brighter with every passing second.
In desperation Trunks hovered in the air, clasped his hands on either side of Zion's blood smeared face and pressed his lips to his brothers.
There was a grunt of surprise and then a growl of approval before Zion's arms crushed Trunks to him, cracking and maybe snapping a few ribs. Trunks didn't stop though. Not even when Zion slammed him against the outer wall of the building. Zion had never acted so animalistic . . . so primal . . . so desperate . . . so needy. When Zion broke the kiss to lick up Trunks' neck making the poor boy shiver, Trunks wrapped his arms around his neck and whispered in his ear, "Enough Zion. They're gone. They won't ever hurt you again."
Zion seemed to freeze. A violet shudder racked up his spine before his silver ringed black eyes lifted to Trunks. He blinked and a heart wrenching sob ripped from his throat, seemingly from his very soul. As Zion cried for the first time in his life, starting the process of healing Trunks cried with him, supporting him as the older Sayian fell to his knees, clinging to Trunks like a helpless child.