Vengeance
A/N: Go me! Go me! Go me! I don't know why, but go me! Oh, yeah! I'm playing an RPG with no walkthrough or game guide or anything! It has NOTHING to do with this, but whatever.
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Prologue
The woman in the lab coat chuckled. She held up a beaker of purplish-green fluid and swirled it around experimentally. She smiled---it was the killer of killers, the pride of her race. She was the last surviving of a planet that was ravaged many, many years ago. But, the last of the killers would feel the pain of her race. She had a hard time coming across test subjects, but her efforts paid off. If any one of them touched an ounce of the fluid, they would die. She then let out a maniacal laugh. Soon, she thought, soon those fools will pay!
~~
Part one
" Eep!" Pan shrieked as Goten chased her. " You can't get me!" She stuck her tongue out at him and laughed.
" Oh, yes I can!" Goten jumped and tackled the eight-year-old quarter-Saiyan. Trunks was standing off to the side, rolling his eyes. " What are you looking at?"
" The very model of childishness. Why?" Trunks drawled, leaning against the wall in a very Vegeta-like fashion. Bra suddenly came outside, and Trunks groaned.
Bra put her hands on her hips and looked at Trunks. " Aren't you supposed to be at work?"
Trunks sighed. " It's called a holiday, Bra. Learn them, and know them well."
Bra looked confused for a minute, but then she shook it away. " I don't think Mom would be very happy to see you here slacking off, you slacker!" She declared. " Or Daddy, either. You're so lazy!"
" Bra…" Trunks gritted his teeth to control himself, and he let out a good, long sigh. " All you do is piddle your life away. I have to run a company. There is a distinct difference in our stress levels. Beyond that, I've got Father breathing down my neck all the time. So why don't you stick to things you know…whatever they are."
" Trunks Brief!" A voice suddenly exclaimed, and Trunks and Bra looked to see a very angry Bulma approaching. " Are you being mean to your sister again? What have I told you about that?"
" But…but…" Trunks stuttered while Bra sniggered behind a hand. Without warning, he exploded into Super Saiyan and took off. Bra and Bulma watched as his ki trail disappeared into the distance.
" Wow…how pretty!" Bra exclaimed. " Mommy, can I have blonde hair, too?"
" Only if you can become a Super Saiyan." Bulma replied. She sighed, closed her eyes, and rubbed her temples. This was happening more often lately, she had noticed. He would just explode and take off without warning or a word.
" Hey, Bulma? You want me to go after him?" Goten asked.
She opened her eyes. " Would you? Please? And try to get him to say what's bothering him, alright?"
" Oh, I can answer that." Goten began as he floated upwards. " His problem is Bra." With that, he took off.
Trunks was still Super Saiyan as he flew in angry circles. He was trash---that was it. His parents adored Bra. Even Vegeta. He felt like yesterday's news. Everything that Bra did was a revelation to them, and she would always be better than him. He was the product of a one-night stand. Bra was a child born into a lasting relationship. Yamcha had told him everything---Bulma somehow got Vegeta to sleep with her (or vice versa) and Vegeta had left the planet---not the country, the planet---immediately after learning about him. He had come back after the fight with Cell to stay with Bulma and him. Trunks was jolted out of his thoughts as he felt Goten coming up on him. He kicked up his speed. He didn't want to talk to anyone.
" Yo! Trunks! Hey!" Goten called. " Oh, come on, man! Don't be like this!" Goten groaned. " TRUNKS, IF YOU DON'T GET BACK HERE I'M GONNA GET YOUR DAD OUT HERE!"
Trunks stopped. Facing Vegeta's wrath was not his idea of a good time. " Goten…" Trunks muttered. " You don't understand. You're the youngest in your family. It rots being the oldest."
Goten crossed his arms and glared at Trunks. " At least you knew your father before you were seven! You know, you are like, blessed and you don't know it. At least your dad isn't so selfless that he forgets about his family to save the world! Having sister problems is nothing!"
Trunks realized his buddy was right. Sighing, he nodded. " Look, Goten, you are my God-given best friend, and thank you for that. But I need to be alone right now, okay?"
" Sure. Hey, I'm gonna head home. If you want to hook up with me later, you know where I live, dude." Goten smiled at Trunks in a reassuring way, and he mouthed out 'Fus-ion HA!' with a grin and headed home. Trunks shook his head and laughed…Gotenks. What a time that was. So long ago…
A rainstorm suddenly opened up above him. But, like Vegeta, he didn't mind the rain. He let it run over him, let the thunder boom through him. He sighed and sat down.
" Hello, boy. You seem…troubled." A female voice behind him rasped. He whirled around to see a woman in a cloak behind him. " Please, join me for a cup of tea, before you catch a cold."
Trunks concentrated for a second, and felt that she had low fighting power, no ki control, and was all around no threat to him. He nodded. " Thank you." He said as he walked with her to a small cottage nearby. He looked around---it seemed to be filled with artifacts that were not human. " These things…they're beautiful. Where did you get them?"
" They come from my home, which was ravaged by a group of tyrants many years ago. They're all I have left." She smiled sadly, but shook it off. She handed Trunks a glass, which he downed quickly.
" It's very good, and I'd have some more, but I better go home. No doubt my parents are worried." Trunks smiled. " I'd like to come back sometime. My name is Trunks Brief. Who are you?"
" My name is Tatsu. I'd love to see you again. You're such a well-mannered young man. Lovely company, really. I'm so alone here…" She smiled.
" Well, see you later, Tatsu." Trunks grinned as he went outside. He walked for a while, and then took off for home. He had a dull pain in the back of his head, but he ignored it. He decided it would be better if he didn't tell anyone about Tatsu, and he landed in Capsule Corp's yard.
" Trunks, where have you been? We've been worried sick about you!" Bulma exclaimed.
Bra crossed her arms. " Yeah, Mr. Attitude Problem! What did you go and take off like that for, huh?"
" To get away from you." Trunks replied.
Attack. Voices inside Trunks' head urged. Attack now, while Dad isn't right here…a simple twist of your arm on her scrawny neck and your problems would be solved. A thousand temptresses whispered in his head.
" No…" Trunks put his hand up to his face. " I can't kill her! No, I won't! Who are you…inside my head here…GET OUT!" He screamed and fell to his knees, screaming like a rabid animal. He was clawing at his head, his beautiful lavender hair tangling around his powerful hands (A/N: Am I obsessed or what? *grin*).
" Trunks, are you okay?" Bra asked. She looked genuinely worried as she watched him writhe like a fish out of water. " I didn't mean to get you this mad…"
" Honey…I knew you were stressed out…but I had no idea you were going insane!" Bulma exclaimed, and Trunks stopped moving. He just lay there, breathing raggedly.
" Big brother?" Bra asked, scared. She walked over to him and put a hand on his arm. He sprung up, his eyes glowing red. ( Kinda like 16's…you know, when he first woke up.) He hissed at Bra in a very animalistic way. He looked like a cat the way he was crouched on the ground, and he had fangs (A/N: Ooh, what happened to poor, poor Torankusu? *kisses Trunks' forehead* There, there…it'll be okay…) growing out of his mouth. He hissed again, and Bra screamed. Trunks glared at her for a second, then pounced on her. " AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! MOMMY! DAAAAAAAAAAAAADDYYYYYYYYYYY!" She screamed. Bulma ran inside. Bra's screams could still be heard as she ran off to the back of the house, where Vegeta was training in the Gravity Room.
She hit the safety button and heard the thud as Vegeta hit the roof. She opened the door, breathless. " Bra…Trunks…insane…" She breathed.
" What is it, woman?" Vegeta demanded.
" Bra…upset…Trunks…he…eyes glowing red…insane…like a tiger…pounced…Bra…attacked…like an animal…" Bulma heaved.
" Let me get this straight. Trunks attacked Bra?" Vegeta asked, and Bulma nodded. POOF! Like that, Vegeta was OUT OF THERE! He went into the yard to see Trunks batting Bra around (who was still screaming at the top of her lungs) like he was a kitten and she was a toy. " Trunks! What the hell are you doing?" Vegeta yelled. Trunks looked up from Bra, who took that opportunity to run to Bulma's side, sobbing. Trunks got back into the crouching position he was in before and he bared his teeth at Vegeta, and uttered a low, throaty growl, followed by a hiss.
For a second, Trunks' eyes stopped glowing. His real eyes looked desperately scared. " No…what…what's happening to me…?" But the red overtook his eyes again and he jumped Vegeta.
Now Bulma knew something was definitely wrong. Trunks held a great respect for his father and would never attack him so openly. Any attack would be subtle, if at all. But it seemed Trunks was gaining the upper hand. " Trunks, stop!" She screamed. Oh, yeah, like that's going to work! She cursed herself. But, to her shock and everyone's surprise, it did. Trunks let out a yelp and fell down, motionless.
" Mom? What happened to Trunks?" Bra asked. She didn't seem too badly hurt, but Vegeta was a different story. Trunks had managed to break his left arm.
" That…" Vegeta motioned to the body that would twitch and/or moan every once in a while, " was NOT my son. Something else…Trunks would not have attacked me." Vegeta looked at his son and thought long and hard. What could have caused Trunks to behave so strangely?
After a good ten minutes, Trunks got up. Bra and Bulma jumped and Vegeta got in combat form. Trunks opened his eyes, and they were blue. " What…Dad, what happened to your arm?" He asked.
" You mean…you don't know?" Bulma asked.
Trunks shook his head. " All I remember is hearing voices in my head telling me to kill Bra. But I wouldn't do it…and something inside my head knocked me out. What did I do?"
" You attacked Bra and myself like you were a rabid animal." Vegeta glared at him as he stood up and dusted himself off. " Why?"
Trunks shook his head. " I don't remember doing it. So I can't answer you."
Bra looked from her parents to her brother, confused. Then, suddenly, she ran up to Trunks and hugged him. " I'm sorry…I didn't mean to make you crazy! I'm glad you're okay!"
" It's not your fault, Bra…" Trunks reassured her. He put a hand on her head and ran his fingers through her hair. He then realized what Goten told him once before, a few weeks ago.
Yeah, you may say you hate Bra, but you don't. You'd die if anything happened to her.
You're right, buddy, as always…Trunks thought to himself, remembering what Goten said. " Hey, Bra?"
" What?"
" I'm sorry for attacking you."
" It's okay, big brother. I know you weren't yourself." She smiled, then pushed a fist lightly onto his stomach. " I'm tough, just like you and Daddy."
Trunks laughed. " Oh yeah?"
" Yeah!" Bra replied. She threw a small energy blast at him. He let it hit him, and he fell over in mock pain.
" Ooh…you got me, Bra!" Trunks let his tongue roll out of his mouth and he rolled his eyes back.
Bra giggled. " Get up, silly! I know that didn't hurt you!"
Bulma laughed lightly. Vegeta, however, was looking at his broken arm, and he shook his head. Bulma looked at him. " How's your arm?"
" How does it look?" Vegeta snapped back.
" Broken. But, you know it wasn't Trunks who did that. Trunks is playing with his sister. Something happened to him. Kind of like when Goku transformed into an Oozaru. He doesn't remember anything."
" How can you be sure?" Vegeta asked.
" Mother's intuition, Vegeta. There was about a two-second period when the red faded away, and he looked scared. Something's gotten to him, and I have no idea what it is." Bulma crossed her arms in an imitation of Vegeta, although it was not something she did purposely.
~~~ One week later…~~~
Bulma decided to take over Capsule Corporation for a week to allow Trunks more of a vacation than just the one day. She had reason to believe that stress was what caused him to attack Bra and Vegeta that day. How wrong she was…
" So, how's it going, Trunks?" Goku asked. He looked at the boy with a smile on his face. He had seen the same face twenty-one years ago, when Future Trunks had visited them for the first time. A major difference was that this Trunks didn't hold so many terrible shadows in his eyes. He was also a lot happier. If Goku was not…uh…dull, for lack of a better word…he would have considered writing his ideas down. But, this is why we call him (with the most love possible) 'Baka-rot'.
" I'm great! I need to take these vacations more often." Trunks exclaimed.
" I'm glad to hear that. How's Bra?" Goku asked.
" She's good. I never knew she could be so much fun."
" That's good. It's nice to see the two of you getting along so well." Goku then smiled. " How's Vegeta?"
" He's been kinda skittish of me since I broke his arm." Trunks confessed.
" You broke his arm?"
" Well, that's what everybody tells me. I don't remember doing it." Trunks grinned. " Whatever happened is over and done with. I'm moving on."
Attack. Attack. Come on, Trunks. He is your father's rival. It would put you back in your father's good graces if you got Kakarot out of his way…The voices again. Trunks stiffened.
" Trunks? Are you okay?" Goku asked.
" Goku, get away from me. Get as far away from me as you can get." Trunks commanded. He sounded like he was preoccupied.
" Why? Trunks, what's happening?" Goku asked. True to his nature, he did not leave.
But Trunks could answer him. His eyes were screwed shut and he was yelling. His teeth changed into fangs and when he opened his eyes, they were glowing red. (A/N: Dun-dun-DAAAA!) He growled at Goku, who backed away. Trunks then pounced Goku much in the same way he had pounced Vegeta. This was not a play-fight, like it was with Bra. Trunks was fighting like he meant it. He bit into Goku's hair (A/N: Eww…) and pulled him down to the ground by his head, almost snapping his neck in the process. He then shook his head, which actually lifted Goku off the ground and he waved like a flag.
Goku, being the Baka-rot that he is, refused to fight back. " Trunks! Stop this!" He commanded, but the demonic half-Saiyan paid him no mind. Goku used his Instant Transmission to get to Bulma's. " Trunks attacked me!" He yelled.
Bulma sighed. " I was afraid of this." She tossed a capsule to Goku. " Just throw this at him, and he'll be caged."
" Okay!" Goku gave her a grin and went back to where Trunks was. He still had not changed back. He bared his fangs at the peace-loving Saiyan and jumped. Goku threw the capsule and Trunks was locked in.
" RRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Trunks roared. He threw himself at the walls of the seemingly-glass cage. The cage shuddered, but did not break. Blood began to pour from his shoulder as he endlessly hurled himself at the side. Goku watched him, mesmerized. Getting a hold of himself, Goku teleported him to Capsule Corporation.
" Whoa…" Goten looked at his best friend, whom still hurling himself around. " You weren't kidding when you said he lost it, were you, Bra?"
Bra shook her head furiously. " Poor big brother is crazy! AND HE'S GONNA KILL HIMSELF!" She began sobbing. " MOMMY!" She cried, hanging onto her mother. Bulma, however, was looking sadly at her son. She then turned to Vegeta.
" You were schooled in history, weren't you?" Bulma asked.
Vegeta shook his head. " I was born during the siege of Freiza. I was taught only the bare minimum as far as academics go."
" Was your father?"
Again, Vegeta shook his head. " Only my mother. But she died the day I was born."
Bra looked thoughtfully. " That's why you're such a pooh-head! You never had a mommy to teach you how to be nice!" She walked over to Vegeta and patted his stomach, which was as high as she could reach. " Poor, poor Daddy." She smiled up at him. " It's okay. Me an' Mommy still love you. I'm not sure about Trunks, though." She looked questioningly at the caged that held her brother. She then turned away, tears brimming in her eyes.
A few moments passed, the only sound being Trunks' relentless roars and the bang sound of him hitting the cage. One might think he would have run out of energy—even caged lions give up eventually. But he was still going at it. A few seconds later, the roaring stopped and the banging began to sound much more like kicking.
" Hello? Can someone tell me why I'm in a box?" Trunks demanded. " Why am I locked in a box? Last thing I remember, I was telling Goku to get away from me. And now I'm in a box." He looked tired. " Why am I in a box?"
" You lost control again." Bra answered. " Are you okay now?" She turned to Bulma. "Mommy, can I let him out of the box?"
Bulma shook her head. " We're going to keep him in there until we find out why he keeps going animalistic."
" What does that mean?" Bra, Goten, and Goku all asked in unison.
" Until we figure out why he keeps flipping out."
" Oh." They all replied.
Vegeta looked at Trunks. " Boy, tell us exactly what happened on the day you attacked Bra and myself."
" Hmm…" Trunks looked thoughtful for a moment. " After Bra pissed me off, I was flying around. Goten and I talked for a minute, then he went home and it started to rain. I was just chilling in the rain, and suddenly this lady offers to take me in to her cabin to stay dry. I analyzed her and found her to be no threat. I drank a cup of tea and came home. The base of my head was hurting a little when I came home and the Bra got me mad again. Then a thousand temptresses were telling me to kill her. That's all I remember."
Vegeta looked thoughtful. " This woman…who was she?"
" Tatsu." Trunks replied.
" Tatsu? Isn't that kind of name in the naming pattern of the Tuff—" Vegeta looked scared. " Oh, my god. A survivor of the Saiyan's strike against the Tuffles. We thought we had annihilated them all…I mean, it was ancient history, but I doubt the ones who were killing them left enough to keep the race alive for over five thousand years…but they were scientists, so they might have…" Vegeta looked very angry, suddenly. " Kakarot, you come with me. We'll find this Tatsu woman and make her pay for what she has done to Trunks!" With that, Vegeta blasted off, right through the roof.
" I hate it when he does that." Bulma commented as Goku followed through the same hole. " Thank god for insurance."
" Yeah, just make sure you have your 'angry alien' premiums paid." Goten joked. He then took to the skies.
~~~
Will Vegeta, Goten, and Baka-rot…err…GOKU get to Tatsu? And will she tell them what's going on with Trunks? Read chapter 2 to find out!