The voices in my head (namely Emotional and Dark) told me to write something. Inspiration gave me... well, inspiration. It's too short, so consider it as some sort of filler chapter. Please review! I am really proud of this.
"Daddy?"
"Aren't you happy?" Vegeta stares down at the four year old on his lap. "Yes, I am."
"Then why aren't you smiling?" Trunks wriggles a little and settles down in a more comfortable position. "There's nothing to smile for." Vegeta replies. Trunks blinks. "But you said you were happy."
"I am. Compared to my life before, I am in heaven. Yes, i am happy." Trunks looks up at his father with his large blue eyes. "Your life before?" Vegeta leans back slightly and watches his child. "Do you want to hear a story?" Trunks nods eagerly, so Vegeta clears his throat and sighs.
"When I was slightly older than you, I was a soldier in Frieza's empire. I used to kill others - mothers, fathers, babies and "- Vegeta gulps, he could not imagine himself hurting Trunks in any manner -" children like you. And I used to enjoy it. I was a monster, and killing became a everyday task for me… It was-" "Only till you met mummy." Trunks interrupted. Vegeta looks down in astonishment.
"You don't kill people anymore. You're not like that." Trunks pouted stubbornly. "Trunks…" Vegeta warns. The child continues. "You changed." Vegeta sighs. "Some things don't change, brat." Trunks frowns stubbornly, "the good things don't."
Vegeta says nothing.
"Goten's brother says, Piccolo used to be evil. But then, he's… uh…" Trunks ponders for the right word, "ah! Un-evil now." Vegeta raises an eyebrow. "If he can change, so can you. And you did!" Trunks smiles triumphantly. "Mummy says you helped saved the world. You know what, when I grow up, I'm gonna help save the world too! Just like you did, Daddy!"
Vegeta manages a small chuckle. "Huh. Guess you're right." Trunks grins wider. "Come on! Goten's coming over soon. Then we have food!" The prince ruffles his son's hair. "Trunks! Goten's here!" Bulma's voice calls out. Trunks hops out from his father's lap to race away.
"Trunks?" The boy turns. "yeah Daddy?" Vegeta smiles. "Happy birthday." Trunks laughs and hugs his father, before joining Goten.
And then the androids came.
Trunks sat upright in his bed, sweating. "Man. Why did I dream of that?" It was his first night at one of the intact places at Capsule Corp. I haven't had nightmares for what-eight years? Well… I guess this place brings back memories.His room was trashed, so Trunks was bunking in a guest bedroom.
He sighed and turned in the bed, trying to sleep. The moment he closed his eyes, he saw blood and heard agonized screams. His eyes snapped open.
"I need a walk." Trunks said to no one.
Trunks kicked a pebble across the road and watched it roll away. He closed his eyes, enjoying the midnight breeze. Trunks sighed longingly, and stared up at the full moon overhead. It seemed so… beautiful. Like it was a lot closer than it should be. It made him feel free.
YYYYYYYYYY
She walked for a distance from her house, letting the wind play with her hair. The full moon was in front, casting a long shadow behind her.
When she turned the bend, she saw another shadow. She looked up, and their eyes met.
YYYYYYYYYY
"Trunks." 18 tilted her head. Trunks gazed at the silhouette of the android - if she was not deadly, she would have been beautiful. But she was a murderer. Trunks narrowed his eyes at her. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask the same of you. 18 retorted. They were face to face, enemies in the open, yet Trunks felt some sort of serene air around them. There would be no fighting today, something told 18, as she watched Trunks. He looks nice. a thought appeared out of nowhere. A thought she let linger inside her head.
"Was it you?"
18 said nothing. They both knew what Trunks was referring too. "You and 17?" 18 raised an eyebrow, which made Trunks shake his head. "Not 17. He wants me dead. It was just you, wasn't it?"
18 remained silent.
The duo stared at each other for a while. The more Trunks looked at her, the more… human 18 looked. "...tell me. It was you, wasn't it?"
She turned her head away.
"It was you, wasn't it? It was you who saved me! Tell me, why? Why did you do it?" Trunks walked up to her and stared deep into her eyes. He was a head shorter than 18. "I have to know." 18 sighed, but said nothing. Trunks felt hot, stinging tears. "It was you. Tell me. Look at me." 18 closed her eyes. "Look at me!" Trunks yelled. 18, shocked, turned at almost gasped.
Trunks stood in front of her, tears streaming down his face.
"It…You… you saved me." It was no longer a question. "Why, 18?" 18 couldn't reply. "Tell me. Tell me why!" "I-I can't" 18 wanted to look away, but found that she couldn't.
"Eighteen."
The way he said it, it was barely a whisper, but 18 heard it clearly. He said her name. Not 18, not a number. The way Trunks said it, it was a name. She felt her heart, for some reason, beat faster.
"If they can change so can you. You don't have to do this anymore. You don't want to."
Every fibre of her body wanted her to lunge and kill the child in front of her. But she knew she would not allow herself to. "I can't."
"You can! You can change!" Trunks grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. 18 gasped in shock, she did not resist. "Tell me! Why?!" 18's eyes widened.
"Change! Please! You don't have to kill anymore! You saved me! You did! You saved me, you can change! I believe you can!"
18 opened her mouth, but no sound came out. "Eighteen. Please..."
Then she realized. Their greatest enemy, her strongest opponent, was a boy. A boy whose family was forcefully taken from, a boy whose last friend was brutally murdered. He was not a trained fighter, he was not a experienced warrior. He was mature, but he was just a child. And staring at Trunks, 18 realized, it was all her fault.
She suddenly regained her bearing as shoved Trunks off. He landed on the ground. "I can't! No!" She yelled. "No... no." She shook her head violently and left, leaving Trunks sobbing, staring at her disappearing silhouette.
Something in her heart broke.