Note: For those of you who made it through Trials of the Tree awesome, thanks for giving it a shot, I hope you liked it! For those of you who skipped it or are returning now after skipping it, that's fine too, I understood it would be a harder read, that's why I warned you. Hopefully welcome back. If you're here after skipping all of season one and the trials because you only care about shipping . . . um . . . hi, I guess.

Season Two

Episode One

'That Same Old Song'

The in-joke that Capsule Corporation's headquarters were starting to resemble a super villain's lair had been passed around the staff for months, and the reasons for it hadn't been lost on the young warrior as he walked through the hall from the cafeteria towards the elevator. The upper floors of the restored facility were the same as they'd ever been: a place for science and the Briefs family to oversee the world's most powerful corporation.

But the ever expanding subterranean levels were dedicated to a very different purpose. With wings for prisoners, training and target practice as well as some of the more delicate science projects, like the improved time machine Trunks had to admit that if he didn't personally know that he had no intention of taking over the world or holding the moon ransom he'd be concerned.

Not that there was a moon to hold ransom anymore anyway. Still he could understand why the King was assigning a platoon of Royal Guard to start providing "added security" but he wasn't entirely sure what they hoped to accomplish.

To put it simply if he wanted to rebel there wasn't a single person on the planet who could stop him. He held the fate of earth in his hands and pretty much his hands alone. That was the whole reason he'd come forward to start training more fighters six months ago.

He got into the waiting elevator with a sigh—from it, not him—and pressed the button for the bottom basement floor. He wanted to check up on everything before the King's soldiers arrived. Their commanding officer would probably want to tour the facilities and while Trunks didn't feel like he had anything to hide he still wanted to make sure everything looked presentable.

He folded his arms as the elevator descended to the final floor where the prisoners were kept.

Or prisoner. At least for the moment. If his guess was right Karuto would be working with his mother on locating New Namek with the ship's computer and Genora would be working on repairing their captured PTO Command Vessel along with his mother's top assistants Basil and Thyme.

Trunks was more than a little surprised and twice as suspicious at how easily two of the three alien invaders had simply submitted to his superior might. He understood that it was preferable to death but simply swapping sides felt too . . . well, alien.

Maybe that was why he liked Chillax a little bit better. Like Karuto he-she-who knew really, was the same race as Frieza, and probably the second strongest being on the planet. Unlike Karuto who was happy to be helpful Chillax kept to his cell and refused to answer most questions.

As the elevator doors opened Trunks walked out and down the line of cells. Each one had its own gravity control settings since the power between the three prisoners was pretty radical and keeping the strongest restrained without crushing the weakest to death had proven impossible.

Of course keeping Chillax restrained to a level that made him seem . . . well, human in terms of power had required one hundred times earth's gravity. Karuto had only required twenty and Genora five.

The Arcosian as Trunks had learned they were called was lying on a metal cot looking through the scouter that Trunks had managed to scrounge from the captured PTO command ship. It'd been part of Chillax's terms for not just blasting his way out of his cell.

It also meant that he was able to see just how strong Trunks' students were becoming, and part of Trunks hoped that would keep him in line in the future as well.

Chillax looked similar to Frieza's first form, which Trunks had never seen in person though there were images of it in the ship's computer. Chillax's coloration was different, where Frieza had had a purple dome on his head Chillax's was blue and his skin was a slightly lighter shade of blue as well. The Arcosian sat up when Trunks stood outside of his cell and pressed the button on the side of the scouter and smiled slightly with lips that Trunks had learned were just naturally black.

"Five today? You like that number, at least when you know you're being watched."

"You'd know better than me." Trunks told him. "I don't rely on numbers."

"It amazes me how you manage to live with anything that small." Chillax said and Trunks shrugged in response.

"I don't have any need to show off." Trunks said. They'd had this conversation before. He asked, "Do you feel like cooperating today?"

"I will continue not blowing up your planet." Chillax said.

"Good enough." Trunks nodded. "I'll probably be back later with someone else, be nice."

"Why?" Chillax asked.

"Why am I coming back or why should you be nice?"

Chillax shrugged, "Both I guess."

"We'll have a guest later, you need to . . . not make them think you need to be executed."

"Ah. What if I'd prefer death?"

"You'd have done something to make it happen by now." Trunks answered.

"Fair enough. But it's going to cost you."

"What?" Trunks laughed.

"I'll tell you when you get back." Chillax said and laid back down on his cot. Mission accomplished at least, Trunks turned and walked away. He got back into the elevator and pressed the button for the first basement floor. The training room.

Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z

Bulma stood behind the console as Karuto worked. The ship's computer had been connected to the Capsule Corporation's network and she could access its information from her own computer but the little Arcosian seemed to have an far easier time working from the on-ship consoles.

"These areas here are protected by the Galactic Patrol," Karuto was telling her, pointing out a region of space on the ship's view screen. "If you can find a way to contact them you can see if they know where New Namek is, at least if it's in their space."

"You've mentioned them a few times in the past," Bulma said, "how do they measure up to your own organization?"

"Eh they win about a third of the confrontations. At least now. Back when Cousin Frieza was around they never won a single one!"

Bulma nodded slowly, "So if we contact them they might just be willing to play ball if Trunks and the others agree to help them increase that win to loss ratio."

"No, not really. Not if they find out you've got a full blood Saiyan on your planet, or that Mister Trunks is half Saiyan."

"They don't like Saiyans?" Bulma asked.

"No one likes Saiyans." Karuto answered.

So no help there unless I give up plan Wolf Pack. Bulma thought. "Okay, so we want to fly under their radar and we won't have detailed information on Galactic Patrol sectors, do we at least know which ones are inhabited?"

"Um . . . Genora might?" Karuto admitted. "I never paid much attention to that. It didn't seem important to learn. But it's not as many as you'd think, at least not that are inhabited by civilized races. Lots of planets just have vicious wildlife."

Bulma sighed. "At this rate we'll need to ask them in the past."

"If you can do that why don't you?" Karuto asked.

"I would have if your cousin were less likely to blow us all up the moment Trunks is gone. It was a mistake giving him a scouter, he knows our every move and he's watching and waiting for his chance." Bulma told Karuto.

"Well at least he can't send a message with the scouter as long as the ship is jamming him." Karuto pointed out.

"Sure, but if we can find New Namek on our own it'd be better. It takes a while to recharge the machine, if we use it to go back in time and they can't tell us . . ."

"Sorry." Karuto sighed too. "But you know the problem is that if we knew where New Namek was we'd have already attacked it. If anything it's a good sign that we don't have many leads in the computer."

Bulma forced a smile, she'd already realized that ages ago but Karuto was just a little kid so she'd be gentle with him. "That's a good point, and most of these planets would take our ship months to reach them anyway."

"It bothers me that your technology is that good." Karuto admitted.

"Well we based this ship off of a Saiyan Space Pod . . . at least the original."

"Oh! Then it's just Arcosian technology . . . that's okay then." Karuto said happily.

"What about this ship?" Bulma asked, "Could it reach these places faster?"

"No, no way. It's actually a little slower than a battle pod, it's meant to move larger numbers of troops. It has bigger engines but they work harder. It's not as slow as a carrier though, that's why it'll take General Boreal's ship so long to reach us."

"So theoretically if we do find New Namek Trunks and the others could get there and back before your reinforcements arrive?"

"Yeah . . . except that'd be pretty stupid." Karuto said.

Bulma was surprised. "Really? Why?"

"The same reason you don't want to send Mister Trunks back in time: who would guard Chillax?" Karuto asked. "He's the second strongest creature on this planet you know, if Trunks left he could destroy everyone on this world."

Bulma had to laugh, "Good point. Well maybe by then we'll have other fighters strong enough to send to New Namek."

"Turles you mean?" Karuto asked.

"He's growing fast, isn't he?" Bulma smiled. She had to admit to feeling a little smug, they might have questioned her decision at first but so far Turles had been a major boon to their forces. In the months since they'd brought him from the past his power level had risen nearly three times its original thirty thousand. He wasn't as strong as Chillax yet but he was going to get there quickly.

He'd grown physically too, when he'd first arrived he was small, no larger than Karuto really but his Saiyan blood and Saiyan growth spurt was in full effect and after just a month he was already as tall as Trunks and likely to get even taller. His resemblance to Goku, apart from his darker skin tone and denser muscle mass, was just becoming more and more striking as well. Bulma wouldn't be surprised to learn they were related.

She'd thought that if she did send Trunks to the past to ask about New Namek she might ask if they knew who Turles was, but it had eventually dawned on Bulma that whoever or whatever Turles might have been in her own time-line's history she'd saved Goku and the others from the alternate time-line from ever facing him by plucking him from their past.

"It's frightening." Karuto said. "When he arrived we were comparable, now he could kill me with a flick of his wrist."

"Trunks wouldn't let him do that, you're a good guy." Bulma assured him. "But if he keeps getting stronger I could send Trunks to the past or to New Namek without any concern for Chillax. I definitely think Trunks would be a better negotiator than Turles in both instances."

"Then if we find New Namek and you leave Turles in charge of Earth I want to go with Trunks." Karuto said.

"Have you been having problems with Turles?" Bulma asked.

"No . . . but that makes me feel uneasy." Karuto said. "Turles is bothered by what Cousin Frieza did to his planet but not enough . . . I mean he acts like he doesn't care all the other Saiyans were killed, but I see him reading through the personnel files sometimes and he always seems angry when he does it."

Bulma said, "He's a warrior, he's keeping his feelings to himself. Maybe if you got to know him better he'd be more open with you about how the destruction of his planet makes him feel."

Karuto didn't have a visible mouth, his carapace came over his face like a sort of mask but his large eyes were very expressive and the expression he gave Bulma then was definitely a skeptical one, "Because having him be more open and honest about what he thinks about my cousin killing everyone he ever knew is going to be a good thing?"

Bulma smiled, "I see your point. All right, if and when Trunks goes I'll make sure he takes you with him."

"Thanks." Karuto said.

"But try not to be scared of Turles," Bulma added, "he's one of us. As far as I'm concerned you are too, you're helping us after all. I don't know how things are for your old team but on this team we don't hurt each other."

Karuto seemed to think about that for a while, then said, "I don't know if I want to be on a different team from my family. I didn't think about it, but I guess I really shouldn't help you . . . but it doesn't seem like what you're doing is wrong. You've been nice to me, I think my papa would spare you for that."

Bulma was a lot less sure about that. But she didn't let her doubt show.

Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z

The scientist and the young Arcosian weren't the only ones discussing the new Saiyan, the remnants of Trunks' students could barely stop talking about the alien, even during gravity training and sparring.

"Look, I'm not saying that rescuing more Saiyans is a bad idea . . . just an unnecessary one." Rhyce said as she took a swing to the left at Schip and a kick to the right at Kodva.

Her two teammates were polar opposites, Schip was scrawny and fairly short—about as tall as Rhyce herself—with dark brown skin and wild curly black hair. Kodva was muscular and taller with a shaved head and pale parchment-like skin.

Rhyce herself had shoulder-length gray hair and lighter brown skin a tone sort of in between the two of them.

Schip caught her punch and began to throw one of his own, but Kodva caught her kick and threw her forward into Schip, knocking them both to the ground.

"We haven't been given any reason to doubt them as allies." Kodva pointed out.

Schip shoved her off of him and Rhyce rolled to her feet.

The scrawny youth said, "Are you serious? Turles is like a used car salesman. I knew a dozen like him on the streets, they're nice to your face when you've got the upper hand but it's only because they're looking for a way to get one up on you."

Rhyce nodded in agreement, "He keeps his head down around Master Trunks but he's got no problem looking down his nose at us even though we've been here for months longer than him!"

With that Rhyce and Ship both leapt at Kodva and began throwing a flurry of blows that the older martial artist was able to catch or deflect with great difficulty, it was only when Rhyce finally managed to kick him onto his back—and then Schip breaking their brief alliance kicked her onto hers—that Kodva answered them as he rose to his feet.

"We've been training here longer, that's true," the former monk said, "but remember that Turles is a warrior from a race of warriors, he's spent his entire life being a fighter and having to make sure others didn't try to take him on. Looking down on others or bragging is probably just a normal way of keeping from having to take on lots of lesser opponents."

"Are you seriously going to say that we're lesser opponents?" Rhyce demanded. "We're all at least ten times stronger than we were when . . ."

"When the attack happened." Schip piped in when Rhyce trailed off.

It still bothered her to talk about the Arcosian invasion of Earth, the battle where they'd lost half their team, where she'd lost her older brother Gurein.

In truth they'd lost more than half their team because of the nature of Anavill's injury. The once cheerful baker turned Martial Artist powerhouse had been forced to give up training and despite Master Trunks' urging she'd left the compound too to return to her parents' home. According to Schip, who was the only one she'd still see she'd utterly given up on being a fighter and didn't want to believe that Master Trunks really could get her back the use of her legs.

Rhyce didn't want to believe that Master Trunks really could get her back her brother either, or anyone else they'd lost because for so long death just meant . . . well, the end. Afterlife maybe, but Rhyce had never thought too much about that.

But Trunks had told them he would teach them to fly and he'd done it, he'd told them he'd teach them to shoot energy blasts from their hands and he'd done it, he'd said he'd make them super heroes, so far Trunks had delivered on every promise he'd ever made to them so no matter how unrealistic anything he had to say might sound Rhyce couldn't stop herself from believing him.

But she supposed her situation was different from Anavill's.

The three remaining members of Blue Team had stopped training, instead just standing in the heavy gravity when the door to the training room opened and Master Trunks entered.

"How's everyone doing?" Trunks asked them.

Rhyce straightened up and said, "We're doing well sir!"

Trunks nodded, "All right well let's call it a day. The uh . . . the King's new military liaison will be here soon."

That sent another pang of sadness through Rhyce as she and the others remembered their team's former leader. Soda had been the King's previous military liaison to the Earth's Defense Force and after months of training and bonding with her her loss was felt keenly especially when they trained.

Kodva said, "We'll be showered and presentable, Master Trunks. I'm sure this meeting will go well."

Trunks nodded again, "Me too," he said, "we're doing great things here, you guys are doing great things here. The King understands that."

Rhyce smiled, she hoped Trunks was right. A new liaison might not be as understanding as Soda had been.

Maybe it was because there hadn't been an alien attack before but compared to how frequently officials were pestering them now Soda's hands-off and trusting approach towards Master Trunks and his training was almost as missed as she was.

Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z

Far across the vast black reaches of space two ships raced towards the planet Earth.

They weren't traveling together intentionally and they might not even have been aware of each other. One was a white sphere with a circular window at its front, the other was more of a oval shape and colored red and white with a bulging cockpit near its top.

They seemed to ignore each other, instead rushing towards the small once utterly insignificant little blue-green planet that had recently become so important to the galaxy.

The Frost Clan and their Planet Trade Organization had offered up a hefty bounty for the eradication of life on Earth, bounty hunters brave enough to risk the last known surviving Saiyan—even if he was just a half-breed—were on their way to try their luck. If they succeeded the bounty the Arcosians were willing to pay would mean they'd be set for life. If they failed . . . well they wouldn't have long to worry about it.

And though these two were only the first they were the vanguard of a vast armada of star ships burning their way towards earth, their occupants just some of the army of warriors eager to try their luck at a better life for themselves by exterminating the lives of others.

Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z

Trunks was fairly confident that they were ready for their guest until he finally got to the main hall and saw Turles waiting in full armor.

"What are you doing?" Trunks asked.

"You said to wait for the King's liaison." Turles said.

"But I said to dress nicely." Trunks reminded him. "We got you new clothes, didn't we?"

"Yes but I am a Saiyan warrior and this is a high ranking Earthling warrior. I plan to meet this military officer as a warrior would: armored. I'm surprised you're not wearing your armor, Prince Trunks."

Trunks shook his head, "I don't need it, and I told you not to call me Prince."

"Of course, Prince Trunks." Turles nodded. Trunks gave him a stern look and Turles corrected, "I mean, Trunks."

Trunks was actually really surprised by Turles, the young Saiyan was already about his size despite looking like a child when they'd found him in the past. It'd been three months now and Turles appeared to have regrown his tail and doubled in age, according to Mother and Karuto this was pretty normal of Saiyans but it was jarring for Trunks. He felt as if he himself should be older every time he saw Turles.

Still he understood the culture-shock must go both ways. "You can wear the armor, but try not to be too intimidating. This person represents an ally we want to keep."

Turles nodded, Trunks saw his other students emerging from the stairway that led to their sleeping quarters upstairs.

Though the EDF had started out sharing quarters Capsule Corp HQ had been expanded enough that everyone could have their own room, and even the fallen members of the team had quarters with their names on them. Even Anavill who refused to come back.

Trunks nodded to Kodva, Rhyce and Schip, all of them dressed in typical office attire as if they were pencil pushers instead of Capsule Corporation's mighty Defenders of Earth.

Three fighters, the survivors of his team. He wished Master Roshi were still with them.

Not that Master Roshi had succumbed to age in the past few months, but rather with the EDF properly trained the old Turtle Hermit had returned to his home for a while, claiming he'd be back before too long but it had already been weeks without word.

Trunks would have liked to have him around to help him greet the new liaison.

"Where's Basil and Thyme?" Schip asked.

Trunks wasn't sure, but if he had to hazard a guess he'd say his mother's two assistants were tinkering on the PTO control ship, their octopus-headed alien prisoner Genora along to make sure they didn't break it.

"They're probably working," Trunks said, "but don't worry. As long as we're here it should be fine."

He wasn't sure where his mother was either, she was probably looking for New Namek again. Trunks knew she was reluctant to use a fuel charge for the time machine just to go back in time and ask Goku for directions but with half of his team in the other world and one of them unable to continue training Trunks wasn't remotely above asking for directions to the place that might yield up a new Guardian to help them make new Dragon Balls.

"All right everyone, I think we're-" Trunks began until he heard his mother's voice over the building's PA.

"Trunks! Everyone, the ship's sensors are picking up high power levels approaching Earth!"

"How high?" Trunks asked, then blushed realizing that his mother couldn't hear him to answer him.

Turles who was wearing a red scouter along with his battle armor pressed a button and reported, "I'm not seeing them yet so at least they're not that close."

"There is one power level over one hundred thousand, and one over forty thousand." Bulma said over the PA, "Trunks they're coming in fast, you're going to need to take a Scouter and intercept."

Trunks didn't need a scouter to sense energy and he didn't like using them. The idea that battle power could or even should be relegated to a number was ridiculous, he wasn't going to let a number lull him into a false sense of security, any opponent could turn dangerous.

After all Captain Kalt hadn't been very powerful compared to Trunks but he'd done a lot of damage.

"They're splitting up." Bulma reported.

Trunks sighed, "Of course they are." He grumbled. This was just what Kalt had done sending his strongest warriors to distract Trunks in Yunzabit Heights while the rest of his crew attempted to attack the population of West City. Was this typical PTO tactics?

Well Trunks wouldn't fall for it again. Most of his students weren't dressed for battle so he told them, "All right, suit up and be ready to defend the city, Turles intercept the lower power level I'll handle the big guy."

"I'll bring you his head on a platter." Turles said with a smile, he glanced at Kodva, Rhyce and Schip and said, "You three, make yourselves useful and find me a platter."

"No, you three get into position to defend the city if anything gets past us." Trunks reminded them, even though he knew there was no chance of them going along with Turles' joke, "Turles, don't kill your opponent if you don't have to, I want to know who these people are and what they've come for, they might not be from the PTO."

Turles nodded, "All right, I'll try to bring the whole thing back breathing."

Trunks nodded and Rhyce handed him a Scouter she liked to carry around with her. He nodded gratefully and said, "I know they won't get past me, but if they do I know I can count on you three."

"Give 'em hell, Master." Schip nodded to him and Trunks nodded back.

The Earth's mightiest hero stepped out of the Capsule Corp. headquarters attaching the scouter to his left ear. He pressed the button to activate it, but he could see the two ships burning through the afternoon clouds like shooting stars.

He could see Turles already zooming away towards one of the ships, it seemed like it was heading for what used to be North City, he glowered at the slightly larger shape, it was heading for the ruins of South City. Yep, opposite directions. They're playing that same old song. Trunks thought and he sped off for the ruins.

To Be Continued . . .

On the Next Episode of Dragon Ball COED . . . Trunks and Turles meet their respective opponents, but even they won't be as intimidating as the King's new liaison.