Chapter Fourteen: To Be Lost In Time

"Father!"

Vegeta growled at the incoming purple haired teenager. "Get lost, boy! I've no need for your help. The Prince of All Saiyans doesn't need anyone!"

Trunks growled; how could his father say that when he was completely unable to stand? Was his father really so foolish, so arrogant, so completely unaffected by others? He didn't seem to care about anything except his own selfish pride! Is this what his mother had meant when she said he was a very proud man? Proud and a fool!

Trunks landed, despite his father's objections and eyed Eighteen. She was the same as far as he was concerned. She had the same cold eyes, the same dark smile. He had seen her so many times over his life that he would never forget that dark grin. It was the exact same look. He would never forget those eyes. He had stared into those eyes after Gohan had died.

No! Don't think on that, the teen berated himself. If he started to focus on his lost teacher than his focus was off the battle and when he was fighting against the Androids, all his attention was needed upon them. He had barely survived when he had charged them in a blind rage. He sometimes thought Gohan's spirit had saved him then too.

"Be with me now too, Gohan." he whispered, mainly to himself. Whether or not spirits could travel across dimensions he didn't know but he did know if there was a way for his mentor's spirit to be here, it would be. Gohan had never been one to give up, even in the dreariest of circumstances. His mother said he had inherited that from his father. Having now met the infamous Goku, Trunks believed it.

"Don't be a fool father." Trunks spat at the fallen Saiyan Prince. "Your damn pride'll just get you killed!"

"A Saiyan Prince will not be killed by two overgrown stupid robots."

"Robots?"

Trunks growled; he knew that voice too. He looked upward, "Seventeen."

The black haired Android landed in front of the purple haired hybrid. "Who else did you expect?"

"I should have known. You and your sister never play fair."

Seventeen took on a false hurt look. "Hear that sis? He says we don't play fair."

Eighteen tossed her blond hair back and gave Vegeta a hard kick to the groin. The impact of her blow rendered a half groan from the Saiyan Prince, followed by unconsciousness. Even Seventeen winced at that. He eyed his twin and posed his question, "Feeling a bit agitated, Eighteen?"

Scoffing, she rose and kicked her shoes as if to rid them of animal dung. "Consider it a favor to the world. One of these is annoying enough. Don't need him breeding. Two would be unbearable."

Despite his dislike of his father's attitude and downright arrogance, Trunks' own pride stung at that statement, followed by rage. He may not have acted much like his father but he knew he had his pride and anger from him. It was an annoyance and it had gotten him into trouble more times than he cared to remember. Gohan had even swatted him for it once.

Despite knowing this, he couldn't help it. He charged forward, drawing his sword out, swinging at Seventeen. The Android held up two fingers, catching it as easily as Goku had. "Nice sword…" he squeezed his fingers and the blade shattered. "Not very strong though."

Trunks stared at the severed blade a moment too long and found a fist being buried in his stomach, bringing him to his knees. His eyes clouded a bit and he fell onto his face. One blow…paralyzed with one blow! How could he have fallen…again? He'd fallen to these monsters one time too many. They'd taken so many lives, even Gohan's…

Wait…Gohan had told him so many times…not to rush into a battle. He had told him over and over and over again…

Trunks' Timeline: Nine Years Ago

"Gohan, I coulda done it…"

Nothing.

"C'mon Gohan. You know I'm stronger than I look."

Again nothing.

"I coulda taken 'em…"

"Shut up Trunks."

Stunned, the eight year old stared at his older friend, dumbfounded by the cold, ice cold, answer. "But Gohan…"

"Shut up Trunks!" The sixteen year old whirled around. "You think you're tough enough to beat them but you've got a ton of a ways to go. Don't fool yourself!"

Trunks blinked, "But you said I could do it…"

"One day Trunks…" He sighed. "One day, hopefully soon." He smiled sadly. "Better be soon. I'm tired."

Trunks didn't quite get the point of that. If Gohan was tired, why didn't he go home and go to bed? Mother said that a lot too but she always went back to work on whatever she was working on. If they were so tired why didn't they go to sleep? That woulda been the smart thing to do. But whenever they did get to sleep, they never did for a long time. Gohan only slept for two or three hours at a time, if even for that long. His mother always yelled at him for it. She said he was pushing himself too hard and sometimes Trunks thought that was true. He gave Trunks a little bit of training but only bits and pieces. He'd taught him to fly and how to do minor hand blasts but not much beyond that. It frustrated him but his Mother said not to push Gohan. He wondered why.

"You're tired? Mom'll let you sleep at our place."

Gohan eyed Trunks and there was such sadness to his eyes that Trunks almost felt tears well up himself. "not that kind of tired Trunks."

The child groaned in frustration. "Then what kind? There's only one kind!"

"No, there's another. You're thinking when you're sleepy, right?"

"Yeah…duh!"

"That's not the only kind. I don't really get that kind of tired anymore."

"Then…what kinda tired do you get?"

"Emotionally."

'Emotionally?"

"Yes…all this fighting…"

"But you love fighting!"

"I did once. I guess…we'll, I've always loved challenges. I loved sparing with Dadd--with my father. Mom would throw a fit but I adored it. I still love the sparring but the fighting, the struggling to avenge those I loved and being unable to…" he broke off but Trunks couldn't tell if it was because of his voice cracking due to his aging as his Mother said or due to emotion. "I loved all those people Trunks. They were near and dear to my heart, even your stubborn father."

Trunks eyed him, baffled and a bit stunned by this revelation. "They really meant a lot to you, huh Gohan?"

"They're my family Trunks."

Gohan paused, thinking a second, "Come with me, Trunks."

The purple haired boy followed his older friend out and into the air. They flew a good ways until they were over Mount Paouz. Gohan landed in a small clearing in the woods. Trunks was about to ask what this was all about when he caught sight of the stone markings lining the small patch of flowers and grass. Gohan walked past the few on the sides, which Trunks could make out the names of: Chaotzu, Tienshinhan, Yamcha. Near the center were three more. Two were forming a half circle. He read the name of Krillin on one and Piccolo on the other. Gohan paused briefly by those, laying a hand on each for a moment. The one in the very center he got to his knees in front of and bowed to his face, letting his nose touch the ground. Trunks could barely make out the name on that one because of the many flowers that decorated the mound…Goku.

"This is everyone's graves?"

"Yes…"

Trunks observed the kanji on the graves of Piccolo and Krillin especially, "The kanji's not exactly right."

"Of course it isn't Trunks." He rose to his knees and rested his forehead against the cold stone marker of his late father, "They were carved by an eight year old."

Head snapping up, Trunks stared, "You were my age?"

"Yes. My father died six months before the rest of them did."

"So…your father's kanji is perfect because-"

"My mother and I had it professionally done. That was before this world got thrown into a released Hell."

Trunks walked in and sat by him, "You really think there'll ever be a time when it'll be peaceful again?"

"I hope so. That's what I keep fighting for. That's what really keeps me going Trunks. That, you and your mother."

"Keeps you going?"

Gohan turned to his friend with such sad and desperate eyes, "You know how many times I've just wanted to lie there and let the Androids kill me?"

"You've thought that way!"

"Yes. More than I care to admit."

"But you're so strong!"

"Maybe but so far it hasn't beaten them. My heart hurts more each day Trunks. I miss them something bad." He turned and laid his eyes on his father's marker again, "especially Daddy…"

"So yer gonna give up?"

He smiled finally, "Naw. Not yet. I wouldn't be cruel enough and leave yer mother with just you."

"Hey…" Trunks paused, "hey Gohan?"

"Hmm?"

"What about my father?"

Gohan smiled, "He woulda shot me if I buried him in the same group as ours so I buried him a bit further away." He stood and walked about a half mile to the left to a smaller clearing where only one marker stood. "Right there."

Trunks walked over, eyeing the space. "No flowers?"

"No, your dad would kill me as soon as I got to the Otherworld myself for it if I gave him any."

Trunks smiled. "Mom says basically the same thing about him."

Silence followed.

"Say…Gohan?"

"yeah?"

"Why did you decide to take me here?"

"Because." Gohan turned and sat by Trunks. "Trunks, you're really strong. A lot stronger than most. Your father's blood definitely is in yer veins. But you're a lot like I was."

"Like you?"

"Yeah…impatient."

Trunks turned red, he couldn't deny that.

"I was always impatient. Mr. Piccolo was probably the ice breaker for me but Daddy took over from there." He smiled. "Daddy said all the time that I reminded him of him. Mr. Popo used to say that one thing everyone had to teach Daddy was patience and that I inherited that." He ruffled the purple boy's hair. "So do you. Must be a Saiyan trait."

"Probably." Trunks agreed. "That's why you brought me here? To show me why to be patient?"

"No, but I want you to understand the weight of what we're dealing with here. You're like my little brother Trunks. I don't want to lose you like I've lost everyone else. But if you want to stay alive long enough to get strong enough to defeat those Androids, you have to stay alive. And that doesn't involve charging into a battle."

"…right. I'll listen Gohan, I promise."

Gohan smiled and took to the air, pausing for a moment over the circle of graves. Trunks couldn't help but pity the look he saw cross his face. Gohan always looked so young when he got depressed. It was as if Trunks could still see the eight year old boy who had lost his father and friends. Right then, Trunks made himself a silent vow to never fail Gohan.

That brave soul had seen enough pain as it was.

Present

So this was how it ended? Trunks was going to die by the very hands he had sworn his dead mentor he would destroy.

TWACK

Trunks managed to sit up as Seventeen went flying backwards as did Eighteen, almost in unison. He looked up and smiled in relief,

"Piccolo, Tien, Yamcha."

Yamcha landed, smiling, "Who'd you expect?"

The answer was prevented by an irritated Eighteen saying, "These clothes were top of the line."

Yamcha's cheek cracked immediately upon the deliverance of a kick and his neck snapped upon connection with the ground. Yamcha, a powerful fighter in his own right, only spared death by a few inches. His shocked expression stared up at the Android in horror as he struggled to maintain breath. Trunks groaned, trying to get to his feet. No, this would not happen in this time line.

Get up, Trunks, he yelled at himself. You have to get up.

No use. His broken body refused to respond. He could only watch as Piccolo and Tien struggled to hold their own against the Androids. They had struggled against them before and now they were failing miserably still. Even with the motivation to save one they cared about (though Piccolo would loathe to admit it) they were not even making Seventeen lose that horrible smirk of his. Eighteen wasn't worried at all, just annoyed that her clothes had been torn. She considered them to be little more than the inconvenience of having to brush off one's self after falling in dirt or sand.

Sixteen never moved from his position a good ways behind them. He watched constantly but with never moving eyes. If he cared at all about any of this, it wasn't noticeable. In fact, all he seemed to do was let birds land on his arm and watch them. It was an odd sight. A killing machine designed for that sole purpose seeming to find delight in these winged creatures. The irony of it all.

"ARG!"

Piccolo cursed himself for letting out any sign of pain. He had been pounded before and he was not about to let the scene repeat itself but it seemed that fate had a different plan in store. Piccolo prided himself on his warrior skills but they were greatly outdone in this opponent. It was infuriating, especially one descended of a great warrior. While King Piccolo had been evil as could get and the Piccolo of now did not find pride in that heritage, he did find pride in the strength he had had. That strength was next to nothing against monsters.

"UGH!" Piccolo doubled over when a fist found its way into his stomach, cutting through the flesh and muscle, sending out a spurt of blood as it exited through his back. Seventeen's evil smirk never left his face and the teenager Android made a roundhouse kick without withdrawing his fist, sending Piccolo sailing into the hard cement below. Without giving him a chance to rise, he slammed his foot into the open wound, rendering a horrid screech through the Namek's clenched teeth.

Seventeen turned his sister, "These guys sure break easy for being so strong."

Eighteen ignored her sibling, focusing on Tien who had somehow divided into four. She merely yawned, not impressed at all. Tien was one of few words and charged her, throwing out his fists at all the speed he could manage. Coming from four Tiens, one would think that she would have been easily clobbered but she just backed up, not even attacking back, just dodging too and fro, with nary a bat of an eyelash at the danger.

She kept this up until Tien's energy was nearly wiped out, forcing him to move back into one person. As soon as that happened, she became a blur of color as she charged. Tien couldn't count the number of times he was struck in less than a minute, only that he had no means of counteracting nor blocking them. He was only grateful that Chaozu had remained behind. Blood flowed down his face and his vision swirled, all this accomplished in less than three minutes.

Eighteen fell Tien nearly unconscious, certainly beyond getting up and then looked out of the corner of her eye. "You might wanna hurry up and give them a senzu, runt."

Trunks blinked and forced himself to look in the direction her eyes turned.

Krillin, crouched behind the rest of them and now in full view of the Androids.

OOO

"It's ugly Daddy, whatever it is." Gohan walked around the shell casing for a bit. "It looks like a giant cockroach or something."

Goku was silent, pondering this, a little worried and slightly proud of how seriously his son was taking this discovery. "Well, I know there's nothing like that around here, Gohan."

"I know Daddy. I don't remember ever reading about it either and I'm sure this woulda come up in my textbooks by now if it was normal."

Goku was about to reply but was drawn away when he felt several kis suddenly drop, Vegeta and Trunks being among them. Gohan was immediately alert, having felt it too.

"Daddy, we gotta go help them!"

Goku snagged his son's arm. "No, I'll go. I don't need you in danger too, not until we know how to handle this. Daddy's got a plan, so trust it okay?"

"…okay."

"I want you to go and get your mother."

"…Okay" he acknowledged, already taking to the air.

"Come back to Kami's Lookout and we'll go from there, alright? Right now, make sure she's safe."

"Okay, Daddy. Yer not gonna get killed right?"

"Don't worry about me, little man."

Gohan nodded, eyed the creature once more as the two rose to the air together. Goku put a hand on Gohan's shoulder.

"One thing at a time, little man. First, we keep everyone safe and figure out how to handle these Androids…THEN we worry about whatever that was."

"Right." He nodded and set his sights towards Mount Paouz before taking off as fast as he could. He blinked, forcing twars of worry out of his eyes. He wanted to go after his father but he also didn't want his mother getting killed. Grandpa probably wasn't on Mount Paouz, at least he hoped not…

Wait! That other Android…had she gone after his mother? Was he running out of time? Was Mother already attacked?

He pushed himself forward even faster.

Goku himself focused on Vegeta's fading ki and vanished.

OOO

Krillin was shocked. Were…were these Androids going to let him give his friends the senzu Kami had insisted they take with them?

Seventeen smirked, "Well, are you deaf? My sister might change her mind you know."

Krillin stared at the but seeing the pools of blood spreading from his friends, he charged out, willing to take the risk.

"here, Piccolo, take it." He pushed the bean into the Namek's mouth before rushing to Tien, Yamcha and finally Trunks and Vegeta. He was reluctant to help Vegeta, given the Saiyan still insisted his sole goal in life was to kill them. However, like many of the others, Krillin was beginning to realize this was a simple act. He pushed the bean in but then turned, shocked to see the Androids walking off.

Sixteen eyed the other two in annoyance. "The birds flew away."

"Big deal," Seventeen scoffed, "That got boring real fast, let's track down this Goku character."

"Again?" Eighteen rolled her eyes, "yer not going to be satisfied are you?"

He grinned.

"Hey!"

The two turned to find the bald headed warrior calling after them, "What do you want with Goku? You don't even have a master anymore…."

He nearly lost his head when twin blasts cut over it. Seventeen replied, "We were never his servants or slaves."

"So why follow what he said? You don't have to destroy Goku!"

Seventeen grinned, "No one else ever has without some aid. We'll be the first to do it alone."

"It's fun." Eighteen added.

"Fun? It's fun to kill for no reason?"

Seventeen scoffed, "Why not?"

"You…"

Eighteen tossed her hair back, "You're lucky we're giving you a breather. Get stronger and we might have a little more fun next time." She gave him a peck on the forehead and walked off, her hips swinging, a fact Krillin did not miss. "See you."

The three took to the air and were gone just as Goku popped up behind Krillin, "Hey, is everyone alright?"

Vegeta had managed to get to his feet, recovering his wounded pride. "Hmph, no one asked for your help Kakkarot."

"When did you all get here?" He insisted, ignoring the Saiyan Prince for the moment. Piccolo replied,

"It was hard not to feel Vegeta's ki fall."

"I needed no help from you!"

Goku laughed, "Hey, Vegeta, you kinda needed it."

"A Saiyan Prince needs only training."

"Thought you'd say that. I figured you might wanna know that there's a place at Kami's where you can get a year's training in in a day."

No reply but Goku knew by ki he had Vegeta's attention. Tien and the others had directed their gazes as well but he was mainly focused on convincing Vegeta now that he knew how strong these Androids were and how much stronger they had to get. Trunks and Vegeta were some of their hope. The other laid in his little son, who he would discuss this with as soon as he returned. For now, Vegeta was the priority.

"Only catch is that two people have to train at once so I figured you and Trunks'd go in together. It's called the Hyberbolic Time Chamber"

The future purple haired Saiyan looked up, stunned but hopeful. A year…in a day…?

A snort, "If he's to learn to be of any use, it'll be from me. Show me the damn room, Kakarrot."

"Well, that was better than nothing," Trunks found himself muttering.

As for Goku, that silly grin reappeared and didn't vanish until much later.