Trunks

"Father!?"

Vegeta thought he was hearing things. He was sure he heard a familiar voice.

Vegeta: "It can't be!?"

The saiyan turned around slowly to find a young man behind him, one he knew and knew well. The young man was slightly taller then Vegeta but not as muscular, and he was in his early 20's. He had on a black sleeveless shirt with a blue jacket, with the Capsule Corp logo on the left sleeve. He wore dark gold boots with black pants and a brown belt. His eyes were blue and black and his hair was a lavender color like his son Trunks'. On his back was a sword in it's case. The young man was smiling at Vegeta who couldn't seem to hold back his own smile.

Vegeta: "Well I'll be. It's been a while, hasn't it Trunks."

Vegeta was not confused. The young man was Trunks, from an alternate future and the same one who helped him and the others out during the whole android fiasco. Issun was confused but he did not say anything for fear that Vegeta would try and eat him again. Trunks walked up to his father while Vegeta just stood there. In the world where this Trunks was from, Vegeta, Goku and the rest of the Z Fighters were all dead. This Trunks never knew his father so every time he came back to the past in his time machine, he would be happy to see Vegeta. Trunks fell to his knees and hugged his four-legged father. Vegeta was stunned when he heard that Trunks crying. There was only one thing that could cause this, something must have happened in his world.

Vegeta: "Trunks what happened?"

Trunks let go of his father and wiped his eyes of there tears. Vegeta was right, something had happened in his time. He thought it best to move them to a more private and quiet place then next to the raging river. Trunks followed Vegeta to the Hitoshio Spring above Madame Fawn's cave. After a few minutes, Trunks had calmed down and was ready to talk.

Future Trunks: "Father, Mom sent me back to the past because she's dying."

Vegeta: "What?"

Future Trunks: "She didn't want me to stay there in the future since she thinks I'm still not really ready to be on my own yet. So she sent me here to live with you until I'm more than ready to live on my own."

Vegeta: "I'm... I'm sorry to hear that. I'd be more than willing to let you stay with me but I've got a bit of a crisis of my own right now."

Vegeta told Trunks everything on what was going on and what Vegeta needed to do. It became clear to Trunks that his father was on a very dangerous quest. But he then realized that his father said something that was surprising to him.

Future Trunks: "Wait Father. Did you say that Goku's alive?"

Vegeta: "Yes."

Trunks looked at his father in confusion.

Vegeta: "You don't want to know."

Trunks took his Father's word. There were some things he knew he didn't want to find out. Trunks looked up when he heard someone speak to him. It was Issun, and he had hopped off of Vegeta.

Issun: "That's a story even I don't know."

Future Trunks: "Wha'...Who?"

Vegeta: "Don't pay attention to him."

Trunks watched as Vegeta snapped his jaws closed around Issun.

Future Trunks: "Father!?"

Vegeta: (Muffled) "Give him a sec'."

Sure enough, Vegeta felt a pull on his tung and spat Issun out.

Issun: "What was that for!?"

Vegeta: "To remind you where you stand. If you want to stay with me Issun, remember who is stronger. As for you Trunks, I better take you to your mother in Kamiki Village."

Vegeta stood up and began to walk off to the tunnel which led to Shinshu Field. However Trunks stopped him.

Future Trunks: "Wait Father please!"

Trunks ran in front of his father. To Vegeta's surprise, Trunks was standing on all fours as well.

Vegeta: "When did...?"

Future Trunks: "I don't know. After I came back in time, I felt strange. Then when I got out of the time machine I landed like this."

Issun: "This must be a sign Geta."

Vegeta growled at Issun.

Future Trunks: "Father please, let me come with you! I can help you, I'll do whatever you want me to! I can fight along side you, look!"

Trunks reached for his sword and pulled it out. The last time Vegeta had seen that sword, it was busted but now it was fixed.

Future Trunks: "I fixed my sword and it's stronger than before! Plus I'm stronger too! Please! I can help, I want to help! I'll do anything you ask of me Dad, please let me come with you!"

Vegeta could see that there was no way he could change this Trunks' mind. Even if he took him to Kamiki there was a very, very strong chance that he would follow Vegeta anyway. The saiyan prince sighed as Trunks put his sword away. Even though he didn't look like he did, Vegeta loved his son very much. Both the present time one and this one from the future. He knew Trunks would be in grave danger if he came along, but if Vegeta told him to stay at Kamiki he knew this Trunks wouldn't stay and he would follow Vegeta from a distance where it could be too late for Vegeta to save him if he were attacked. No matter what Vegeta choose, Trunks would be in danger. He looked up at his son who was patiently waiting for his father to reply. Vegeta made his choice.

Vegeta: (sigh) "Only if you stay very close."

Issun: "WHAT!?"

Trunks could not believe what he had heard. Vegeta watched as he jumped around and yelled in excitement. If there was one thing Vegeta was sure of that Trunks had inherited from him, it was his stubbornness and love of adventures.

Vegeta: "Come on Trunks, I want to visit Kakarot before night fall."

Future Trunks: "Right."

Trunks ran down the path and caught up with Vegeta. As the future version of his son walked behind him, Vegeta sighed. How was he going to explain this to Goku. Bulma was going to be hard. The kid Trunks, even harder. Val... He didn't even want to go there.

Vegeta: "You know Trunks, we'll have to come up with a nickname for you or something. For when you're around your younger self, otherwise I'm going to get one hell of a headache."

Future Trunks: "Good point. Um... How about... Briefs?"

Vegeta: "Don't think so."

Future Trunks: "Mika?"

Vegeta: "Val has a daughter now... named Mika."

Future Trunks: "Trunk?"

Vegeta: "Too close to 'Trunks'."

Issun: "How about Geta?"

Vegeta: "Don't go there Issun."

Issun laughed at Vegeta's expression. All the while, Trunks thought of a nickname. Then he thought of one that really got a reaction out of his father. But not in a good way.

Future Trunks: "How about Coge?"

Vegeta: "NO! DON'T EVER SAY THAT NAME!"

Vegeta stood dead in his tracks and Trunks froze in his. The look on his fathers face was one he'd never seen from him. A look of fear. Trunks didn't know why his father reacted like that to the name Coge, but it was clear that something happened to Vegeta that involved that name.

Vegeta: "Please. Don't say that name again."

Future Trunks: "Yes sir."

At that moment, something on Vegeta caught Trunks' eye as his father started to move off. A scar on his chest. A big one and of reasonable depth. The scar wasn't there the last time he had seen his father, which was nearly 8 years ago. So Trunks figured that sometime in those 8 years, his father acquired that scar. He didn't want Vegeta to get upset again so Trunks figured he'd ask Goku, Gohan or the others what happened. As they walked through Shinshu Field, father and son decided that Radar was a good nickname seeing as Trunks was going to be just that. A radar to Vegeta. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Vegeta, Trunks and Issun arrived at Kamiki Village. By the time they entered the village, night had already taken the sky.

Future Trunks: "Sorry father. You said you wanted to be here before night fall. I guess I slowed you down."

Vegeta: "Don't beat yourself up about it. At least we're not in Shinshu Field right now."

Future Trunks: "Who names these places anyway?"

Vegeta: "I have no idea."

Issun: "Don't ask me."

Vegeta: "I'm not and keep your voices down! The last thing I want is for the whole village to be mad at me!"

Issun and Trunks hushed up right away. Looking around, Vegeta saw no point in looking for Goku right now so he laid down and went to sleep. Trunks laid down next to his father and went to sleep as well.

7 Hours Later...

Vegeta groaned as the sun shined on his face. He slowly opened his eyes, only to get a rude wake up call.

Mika: "Hi Uncle Vegeta!"

The saiyans head shot up in surprise. Trunks woke up when he heard his father startle.

Vegeta: "Mika... Please don't scare me like that."

Mika: "Sorry, heh heh."

Vegeta: "Is Kakarot up?"

Suddenly, an angry shout was heard. Vegeta recognized it instantly. It was Goku.

Mika: "What do you think?"

Vegeta looked at the little Saboron cub and then laughed.

Vegeta: "Oh you are definitely Val's daughter."

The little brown Saboron laughed at her uncles comment. Mika said good bye and ran down to the river where her mom was. Even after growing up with Val, Vegeta was still fascinated with the Saboron species. Both genders grew black manes that told their age. The only way one could tell male and female apart were their coloring. Val was gold while Mika was brown but they both had silver on the bellies, muzzles and paws. Males, like Mika's father Roki, had gold bellies, muzzles and paws. It was when Trunks spoke that broke him out of his trance and made him remember that he had a problem.

Future Trunks: "So that's Val's daughter. She's pretty cute, considering her mother is Val who has just as hot of a temper as you Father."

Vegeta: "And she's just as smart and feisty as her mother too. Now I want you to stay right next to me as we walk past her. That means you'll need to literally do what I do. I don't want to have to explain what you're doing here if I can help it. Lately Val's been more agitated then normal and I have no idea why. Got it 'Radar'?"

Future Trunks: "Got it 'Vegeta'."

Trunks walked next to Vegeta and copied his movement. As they neared the bridge, Vegeta almost jumped when Val shouted at him from the river.

Val: "You'll find Goku at the Konohana lookout deck."

Vegeta nodded to let her know he heard her. As they crossed the bridge, Trunks walked a little ahead of his father so he continued to stay out of Val's line on sight. Vegeta was impressed. Mushi's Mama had planted more turnips. Kushi was still hard at work in her fields. Mushi and Hayabusa were still playing and Mrs. Orange was still doing her laundry. There was no sign of Komuso anywhere as Vegeta and Trunks continued up to the Konohana lookout deck. As both father and son made it to the top of the stone stairway, they were greeted by an unusual scene. All of the saiyans friends and his family stood in a crowd, looking at something. In front of the crowd, Goku's voice could be heard very clearly.

Future Trunks: "Wonder what's going on?"

Vegeta: "One way to find out."

Vegeta walked up to the crowd and scanned them to find someone who had a good view of what was going on in front of them. Finally, he found someone who could fill him in.

Vegeta: "Oolong."

Oolong was a talking pig who was also one of Goku's first friends. The pig glanced behind him to find Vegeta and the Future Trunks standing there, looking confused.

Oolong: "Oh hey Vegeta... Trunks."

Future Trunks: "Uh my nickname is Radar. For when I'm around... You know."

Oolong: "Oh... I get ya."

Vegeta: "What's going on here?"

Oolong: "You're not going to believe this Vegeta, but Hercule finally did it."

Vegeta: "Did what?"

Just then Puar, the flying and talking cat friend of Yamcha, noticed Vegeta and Trunks as well. She and Oolong were the only ones aware that Vegeta and Future Trunks were standing right behind them.

Puar: "It's been awhile Trunks."

Oolong: "Quiet Puar! Call him Radar when OUR Trunks is around."

Puar: "Good idea. You won't believe what's going on, Vegeta!"

Vegeta: "I've heard, so what DID Satan do to Kakarot?"

Oolong: "Its not what Hercule did TO Goku, its what Hercule and these three boys that Sunrise brought did!"

Puar: "And Sunrise has yet to tell us why he brought them here."

Vegeta: "Would these 3 boys names happen to be Sasuke, Naruto and Gaara?"

Puar: "Yeah! How did you know?"

Vegeta: "Eeew... Uh... Sunrise bringing them here... was my doing. They're from a different world so I thought that maybe Bulma could help them. Ha ha uh... But I honestly didn't expect this."

Oolong: "Well you were right about Bulma being able to help them. She already made a machine and sent them home. But while she was building the machine, Naruto and Sasuke got into a 'I-Can-Do-This-Better-Then-You' argument with Hercule. Their yelling annoyed Gaara and he attacked them with some kind of special sand! The three of them dodged the sand and Hercule tried to throw his strongest punch at all three of them. Only he missed and hit Goku's face dead center. The fighting had made Goku angry, but when Hercule hit him... Well lets just say I've never seen Goku this mad before!"

Vegeta and Trunks looked at each other. Their timing couldn't have been more perfect since Vegeta was the only one strong enough to be of any real challenge to Goku, and gutsy enough too.

Vegeta: "Issun, you might want to relocate yourself somewhere other then my head."

Issun: "Back ok?"

Vegeta: "Perfect."

Issun hopped down from Vegeta's head and onto his back. The saiyan backed up a few steps and crouched down the front half of his body. He snarled with pleasure and smiled mischievously. It became obvious to Trunks what his father was up to and gave him plenty of room.

Vegeta: "Well I need to ask Kakarot about a few things anyway so let me through."

Oolong: "Thank goodness."

Puar: "Hey everybody, clear a path!"

Everyone turned around and very quickly moved aside. Goku and Hercule were both unaware of any of this.

Goku: "Do you think you can go one day without telling any of your lies!?"

Hercule: "Do you think you can go one day without bossing me around!?"

Before either of them could continue on, Goku caught sight of Vegeta in the corner of his eye at the last second. The saiyan prince had charged at his friend and lunged at Goku's arm with his teeth. Goku didn't have time to dodge before the other saiyans teeth clamped down on his arm. Throwing all of his weight to one side, Vegeta brought Goku to the ground. What happened next took everyone by surprise... Especially Vegeta.