Kage Kagami Part III-Peace At Last ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace at Last...
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"Vegeta! Can you find him? He has to be here somewhere!" Gohan said. There was no reply from the Prince, and he saw Vegeta kneeling over something. He knew what it was, but didn't want to believe it. Trunks lay there, limp and looking lifeless. Vegeta's face was terrible to see, the pain in his eyes too intimate for Gohan to bear.
"Trunks!!!" Vegeta yelled suddenly. He pulled his son up by his shirtfront and shook his limp body. "Open your eyes! I know you're still in there!" He snarled. The others slowly gathered, wondering if Vegeta was in denial or something; there wasn't any Chi coming from Trunks at all. Mirai stood over his father, and watched as Vegeta concentrated on Trunks face. Then they felt it, a tiny flicker of Chi: it was less than a normal humans' Chi, but it was there nonetheless. Vegeta growled curses in Saiya-go, but his relief was evident anyway.
"He's alive, but we have to get him back to the Tenka, he needs a Senzu bean, fast." Goten said. Vegeta looked up to the younger Son, and nodded.
"Can you take him? I need to talk to Mirai Trunks here." Goten nodded and picked up his friend, and took off, followed by Pan and Bra. Gohan and Vegeta stood and stared at Mirai Trunks. He stared back, glowering defiantly.
"Do you know who he was seeing here?" Vegeta said, even though he knew the answer. Mirai didn't speak, but shifted from one foot to the other.
Gohan watched the younger man, feeling confused. When Vegeta had burst into his house, trying to explain that Trunks was in trouble, he'd picked up something about some lover in Mirai world. Why wouldn't Mirai Trunks speak of this person?
"Trunks, I don't thinks he will be coming back here... Do you want to come and say goodbye?" Gohan said, and was astonished at the sadness in the younger mans face. Mirai Trunks turned away, and shrugged.
"I suppose I will stay here... Thanks anyway. I need to tell kaasan about this... there might be another visit if he isn't totally destroyed." He said tightly. Vegeta shifted his eyes to Gohan, and nodded to where the others had gone. Gohan bowed slightly, and said goodbye to Mirai Trunks, who waved absently. Still confused, Gohan concentrated on Dende, and felt the Kami bring him back to his own time.
"Isn't this great? You gonna bitch at me now?" Mirai said. Vegeta didn't reply, so he turned to see his father's puzzled eyes on him. "What?"
"I gotta say, I don't understand this, it's too weird even for me. Of course, you two aren't really the same person, are you? He's not the man you are, I made sure of that. I didn't want him to suffer like you did. But still... " Vegeta said carefully. Mirai winced a little. It was a strange thing, what he and Chibi had done, had felt for each other, he knew that. He looked full into his lost fathers eyes and tried to explain.
"You are right. He was so light, so happy; even when he was sad, he was not as dark, as wretched as I am. I lost everything; he got to keep it all. To be honest, I almost hated him at first. I hated you too, back in the Room of Spirit and Time, but just like then, I saw the good my sacrifices had made. He was happy, so my loss was made good, you know? And he fascinated mom, how unlike you he was, yet still your son, no doubting it." Mirai said, smiling gently. Vegeta nodded, and also thought for a moment before speaking.
"Not as much as you are. But as I said, I wanted him to be as different from you as he could be. Fighting is fun for him, not a desperate skill needed to survive. He can focus on Capsule Corp. for his mother and himself, and if he isn't the fighter I might have wanted my son to be, I remember you, and am satisfied." Vegeta said slowly. Mirai blushed with pleasure at this.
"But, you can't see each other any more. It's not good for either of you, I'm sure. I don't really care about either of you being yaoi, but you need to find new boyfriends, both of you." The Prince said, chuckling ruefully. Mirai shook his head.
"No, I don't like boys really. He's the only one, and it was so... " He stopped, unable to describe the attraction between them, the completeness they felt together. Sex had been more of a way to lose themselves in that completeness, not a perversion or even a pleasure. I was more like being with a look alike anyway, than a twin or oneself. Vegeta touched his mind for a moment and was amazed, and relieved to see that Mirai had been about to stop seeing Trunks soon anyway, fearful for his other selves mind and health.
"Well, I gotta go. Good luck, son. I don't think you should tell your mother about this, or our "visit", OK?" Vegeta said. Mirai nodded, his face falling into sadness so deep it was more like despair.
"Hai, Poppa. Tell him it's for the best, please." Vegeta nodded, and took off after Gohan.
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"He's got some!" Bra yelled, and she hopped up to the bowl of the Tenka, some Senzu beans in hand. She had to flirt like mad to get them from Karin, since she hadn't climbed the tower, but he'd relented when she explained about the shape Trunks was in. Goten hugged her and snatched them from her fingers.
"Come on!" They ran into the Room of Space and Time, where Trunks still lay, since they didn't want to move him. Gohan was bending over him, trying to give him enough energy to survive until the beans arrived; Bulma was holding his head in her lap, trying to remain calm. Videl stood by, waiting helplessly, unable to help her friends. There was a flash as Vegeta opened his eyes and jumped to his feet. He walked over to Bulma's side.
"What the... where are those Senzu beans?" He snapped as he realized that Trunks hadn't been treated yet. Goten burst into the room, and handed one of the beans to his brother. Gohan forced the bean down Trunks' throat, and made him swallow it. They all held their breath until Trunks yelled and leapt to his feet, dropping into a fighting stance. He blinked and looked about for Cell and Mirai.
"What the... Where am I?" He asked, relaxing. Bulma threw her arms around him, wailing in a rather Chi-Chi like fashion. He patted her back, and looked at his friends and family, understanding that he was back in his own time. He smiled at Pan, who was actually crying in her relief.
"Wow, all this for me? I'm flattered!" He chuckled. Gohan slapped his back and laughed too.
"We thought we'd lost you there. Man that was some Chi you showed us, you are your Fathers son, aren't you, Trunks?" He said. Trunks smiled smugly.
"Ha! Hey, Goten, just you wait until we spar again! I'll kick your tail!" He said. Goten shook his head.
"We'll see, I don't think you can do it again!" Trunks frowned, and Goten laughed at him. Bulma looked up from her weeping and shook him.
"You are so grounded!" She sobbed. Trunks gaped at her.
"Mom, I'm in my thirties! You can't ground me!" Bra, who lived on her own with Pan laughed at her brother.
"Wanna bet? You're still at home, right? It's HER home, you know! Ha, the only thirty year old grounded to his room!!!" She collapsed against Pan, who was recovering her composure, and laughing too. All of them, except for Bulma and Vegeta were laughing. Trunks was bright red.
"Mother, I am not going to be grounded, I am fine now, really. I need to talk to Pan alone for a while, if you don't mind." He tried to gather his dignity again, as they agreeably left, till only Vegeta and Pan remained with him. She looked at her feet, her laughter gone as she wondered what was going on.
"Trunks, I need to talk to you first. I don't think she wants to hear what I have to say." Vegeta said gruffly. Pan shook her head.
"I'm not leaving. I know that Trunks was seeing someone else, but... I want to know what's going on." She looked up, and they saw her grandfathers determined look in her face. She was very stubborn, and yet very vulnerable too. Trunks looked at his father and his girlfriend, and sighed.
"Go ahead, Poppa, it's alright." Vegeta grumbled, and stood taller.
"You can't go back. He said he doesn't want you to go back either. And if Dende lets you go, I'll kill him, Kami or not. I don't know what possessed you to get so involved in such a strange thing, but you need to end it now." He sounded just like his old imperious self, but neither of the young Saiyans were fooled. He was still worried about Trunks, still not convinced that he was "fine now". Trunks nodded and smiled wanly.
"I know. It was not meant to be. But it was great while it lasted. Is Mirai alright?" Vegeta nodded, and then frowned.
"Not really. He is in pain about this. He has lost too much in his life, and this wasn't a good thing for him to go through. And seeing Gohan and me was a shock. It will take time for him to get over it. It wasn't right for you to go in the first place." Both Trunks and Pan were stunned by these words. That Vegeta cared about his son was a known fact, although not spoken of by any of the group. That he cared about Mirai Trunks too shouldn't be surprising, but it was still strange.
"Now, I suppose we could ask Dende to have the Nameks wish for you, for all of us to forget this ever happened. It is probably for the best... " Vegeta said, in a commanding tone. Trunks shook his head violently.
"No, I won't agree to that! I'm not ashamed about this! And I don't care who knows about it, or what anyone thinks, not even you!" He was angry at the suggestion, and the shame it implied that he should feel. Pan came over to him.
"What happened, Trunks? What does Vegeta-san mean?" Trunks pulled her to him, and buried his face in her hair.
"I was in love, Pan, with you and with Mirai. But, I have to put him behind me. You deserve better, and if you'll let me, I'll try to be worthy of you. But I never want to forget what we had, him and I. Do you understand?" She blinked as tears trailed down her face.
"I... I don't know. You were in love with yourself?" She was baffled by the very possibility. Yet, she felt his love for her too. She hugged him back, and nodded. "Of course, I'll forgive you. Will you tell me about it one day?" Vegeta snorted, impatient as always with shows of emotion. They glared at him, and then laughed, easing the tension between them.
"Poppa, please don't make this wish. It would be wrong, for me and for Mirai." Vegeta sighed and turned to leave.
"Fine. Have it your way. But you must swear not to go there again. It wouldn't be fair to him. Do you promise?" Trunks looked down, and then agreed. He didn't want to just end it, but there wasn't much choice. They slowly left the room, and joined their families and friends to head home.
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In Mirai world, Mirai Trunks was sitting alone on the roof of Capsule Corp. He looked up into the night sky, and sighed. It was nice while it lasted, but he had to move on now. He smiled as he remembered how great Gohan and his father had looked, and the quick glimpses he'd seen of the sister he'd never had.
Maybe one day, he'd go to the other world. Maybe, he'd find something, some reason to go. But, for now, he just sat, and thought. As he watched the stars, he felt his pain ease. He was strong, and he'd get over this, just as he'd found peace about the loss of his mentor and his father all those years ago. Maybe his decision to end it, made before Chibi had arrived was helping him to adjust. What ever, he felt better than he had in a long time.
He looked down over New Hope City, glowing softly below him, and smiled more broadly. Maybe, there was a girl, a special girl, just waiting down there for him to find her.
He stood and raised his arms in the air, feeling the whole worlds Chi, and laughed.
Now, he had a whole future to live for. The time to mourn for the past was over.
"Goodbye, my other self! Good luck in your world. I think I can be happy at last in mine!"
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Authors last notes: Ok, I know this is one of the strangest fictions ever written, even by me! I am slightly baffled myself, but this is how it came out. I had a totally different idea at first, but it changed into what you just read by itself, and so I'm going to respect the story's wishes, and leave it as is.
And please, you Trunks fans, don't hurt me! I love Trunks, he's almost as complex as Vegeta is, and just as fascinating to me. From what I've gathered, the GT version of Trunks was sort of in love with himself, so I took it one step further! From self-absorption to true love of self in one BIG step! Ok, it was another self, but still!
I hope you enjoyed it anyway, Bai!

Kami-Sama, May 4, 2000 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~