Chapter II
The Past Comes to the Present
"Watch your step," Trunks said, leaping down from the capsule. Gokou landed softly next to him and looked into the distance.
Smoke rose lazily from the ruins of West City. The city's once glimmering skyline was now charred and broken down due to years of war and constant fires.
"It only gets worse," Trunks said, laying a hand on Gokou's shoulder. "Let's go." The two warriors lifted into the air and headed toward the city.
"Wait," Trunks said stopping mid flight. "Gohan isn't how you remember him. He's been at war with the Androids, ever since they first arrived. The constant fighting has made him hard and resentful."
Gokou gave a slight nod and turned his attention back to West City. The smoke that they had seen earlier could clearly be seen coming from an apartment complex that had been recently burned to the ground and was still smoldering. Scorched remains lay scattered around and not to mention, in the rubble. Gokou felt tears well up inside him at the site of all this death. He hadn't seen such senseless violence in a long time. It was an actual shock to his system, almost making him falter during flight.
Trunks' boots crunched softly as he landed near the complex. "I remember this happening," he said. "Gohan and I were training and he left, to help these innocent people." Trunks lowered his head, trying to remember the exact events that took place that day. "When he came back, he was very quiet and kept to himself until the next day, when we resumed training."
"Do you know where he is now?" Gokou asked, stepping toward the lavender haired saiya-jin.
"I think he went home, to spend time with his mom," Trunks said, realizing how seeing Gokou again might affect Gohan and Chichi. "Wait, you can't, not yet!"
But it was too late; Gokou had already taken to the air and was heading full tilt, for his old home. *Please be there, * he thought, almost out loud.
Taking to the sky, Trunks followed Gokou as fast as he could, but the older saiya-jin was leaving him behind. Turning into a Super Saiya-jin, Trunks caught up to him and stayed by his side from then on.
Gokou and Trunks could see a familiar clearing in the distance. Sensing his family nearby, Gokou sped up, leaving Trunks behind unable to catch the swift saiya-jin.
**************************************************************************** **********
"Mom, you wouldn't believe what I saw today," Gohan said, taking his usual seat next to his mother. He took an apple from the bowl of fruit in the center of the table.
"Oh Gohan, it's been so long since I've heard any good news, tell me something good that you did today." Chichi's words made Gohan feel a little better that she wasn't dwelling on the poor state that the world was in.
"Well, Trunks is in good health, so is Bulma," said the teenage saiya-jin. "I brought her flowers when I stopped by to train Trunks this morning. She said that they were beautiful and was planning on putting them on her kitchen table."
"That was really sweet of you Gohan," Chichi said, squeezing hand that was laid on the table.
"Thanks mom. What's for din…?" Gohan shifted noticeably in his seat. "…ner?" he finished.
"What is it Gohan?" Chichi asked in a worried tone, quickly turning around to face her son.
"I can feel Trunks, he's close, and he's stronger than before. But it's not just that, there's someone with him. It's so pure and…" Gohan stood. "And familiar," he finished. "I haven't felt anything like this in a long time Mom. Not since Dad and Piccolo were alive anyway." The room became silent, Gohan was trying to figure out whom this new energy belonged to and Chichi watched Gohan as he concentrated.
A knock on their front door startled the two, causing them to jump slightly. They both headed for the door. Gohan reached it first and was already turning the doorknob by the time Chichi joined him at his side. The door opened and Trunks was standing there, three years older than when Gohan had seen him earlier that day.
"What the…?" was all Gohan could muster as his gaze traveled from Trunks to the man standing next to him. Black hair was adorning this man's head and he wore a strange white and blue training gi. Gohan's eyes locked onto his long dead father's and fourteen years of longing and despair came crashing through. Tears welled up and burst from his eyes, completely soaking his face. "Father….!" Gohan said, collapsing to his knees.
The Past Comes to the Present
"Watch your step," Trunks said, leaping down from the capsule. Gokou landed softly next to him and looked into the distance.
Smoke rose lazily from the ruins of West City. The city's once glimmering skyline was now charred and broken down due to years of war and constant fires.
"It only gets worse," Trunks said, laying a hand on Gokou's shoulder. "Let's go." The two warriors lifted into the air and headed toward the city.
"Wait," Trunks said stopping mid flight. "Gohan isn't how you remember him. He's been at war with the Androids, ever since they first arrived. The constant fighting has made him hard and resentful."
Gokou gave a slight nod and turned his attention back to West City. The smoke that they had seen earlier could clearly be seen coming from an apartment complex that had been recently burned to the ground and was still smoldering. Scorched remains lay scattered around and not to mention, in the rubble. Gokou felt tears well up inside him at the site of all this death. He hadn't seen such senseless violence in a long time. It was an actual shock to his system, almost making him falter during flight.
Trunks' boots crunched softly as he landed near the complex. "I remember this happening," he said. "Gohan and I were training and he left, to help these innocent people." Trunks lowered his head, trying to remember the exact events that took place that day. "When he came back, he was very quiet and kept to himself until the next day, when we resumed training."
"Do you know where he is now?" Gokou asked, stepping toward the lavender haired saiya-jin.
"I think he went home, to spend time with his mom," Trunks said, realizing how seeing Gokou again might affect Gohan and Chichi. "Wait, you can't, not yet!"
But it was too late; Gokou had already taken to the air and was heading full tilt, for his old home. *Please be there, * he thought, almost out loud.
Taking to the sky, Trunks followed Gokou as fast as he could, but the older saiya-jin was leaving him behind. Turning into a Super Saiya-jin, Trunks caught up to him and stayed by his side from then on.
Gokou and Trunks could see a familiar clearing in the distance. Sensing his family nearby, Gokou sped up, leaving Trunks behind unable to catch the swift saiya-jin.
**************************************************************************** **********
"Mom, you wouldn't believe what I saw today," Gohan said, taking his usual seat next to his mother. He took an apple from the bowl of fruit in the center of the table.
"Oh Gohan, it's been so long since I've heard any good news, tell me something good that you did today." Chichi's words made Gohan feel a little better that she wasn't dwelling on the poor state that the world was in.
"Well, Trunks is in good health, so is Bulma," said the teenage saiya-jin. "I brought her flowers when I stopped by to train Trunks this morning. She said that they were beautiful and was planning on putting them on her kitchen table."
"That was really sweet of you Gohan," Chichi said, squeezing hand that was laid on the table.
"Thanks mom. What's for din…?" Gohan shifted noticeably in his seat. "…ner?" he finished.
"What is it Gohan?" Chichi asked in a worried tone, quickly turning around to face her son.
"I can feel Trunks, he's close, and he's stronger than before. But it's not just that, there's someone with him. It's so pure and…" Gohan stood. "And familiar," he finished. "I haven't felt anything like this in a long time Mom. Not since Dad and Piccolo were alive anyway." The room became silent, Gohan was trying to figure out whom this new energy belonged to and Chichi watched Gohan as he concentrated.
A knock on their front door startled the two, causing them to jump slightly. They both headed for the door. Gohan reached it first and was already turning the doorknob by the time Chichi joined him at his side. The door opened and Trunks was standing there, three years older than when Gohan had seen him earlier that day.
"What the…?" was all Gohan could muster as his gaze traveled from Trunks to the man standing next to him. Black hair was adorning this man's head and he wore a strange white and blue training gi. Gohan's eyes locked onto his long dead father's and fourteen years of longing and despair came crashing through. Tears welled up and burst from his eyes, completely soaking his face. "Father….!" Gohan said, collapsing to his knees.