Chapter 8 – A Look into the Past

A now unconscious Trunks has a flashback, one that takes place ten years ago. He is laying down looking at the sky near a cliff. He senses something, gets up and turns around; an energy wave is heading right toward him. With very little time to react, he puts up a force field, but only has time to focus energy in one hand. With a failed attempt to stop the power ray, it carries him off the cliff and smashes him deep into the side of a nearby mountain. Still trying to prevent the energy wave from killing him, he veers it upward. As it is being pushed up, the ki-wave goes through the mountain, causing the landscape to tumble downward, trapping him under the debris.

As the falling rubble starts to lessen, he slowly emerges from the wreckage, staining the rocks deep red. Trying to stand up, he suddenly becomes dizzy; his vision is blurred, his head feels like it's splitting open, his arms and legs grow heavy, and raw flesh from his now blood-soaked back is slashed open in several areas. The world rocks from side to side before it spins. After taking a few steps, he stumbles, falls, and looses consciousness.

When he opens his eyes, the boy finds himself lying under the blankets of a bed in a cabin. With the exception of two dimly lit candles – one next to the bed and another on the other side of the cabin, showing a silhouette of a person moving silently about – there is complete hushed darkness. A cheery voice, one of that belonging to a young girl, broke the stillness.

VOICE: Hey. Are you okay?

Trunks: I don't know. (tries to move, but feels a knife-like pain shoot throughout his entire body) Owww! Everything hurts when I try to move.

VOICE (just realizing something): Oops! I'm sorry. I forgot to give this to you.

A figure, one resembling a young girl, comes out of the darkness. Her waist-long dark hair radiates sapphire and her bright eyes glow a deep amethyst. Trunks immediately senses a strange power coming from within her; very different from ki, and very dark. In her hand, he notices a bowl of smashed up herbs.

GIRL (cheerily): These herbs cure even the deepest cuts!

Trunks (a little startled): …T-thanks.

The girl eases him up slowly and gently to a sitting position. Surprisingly, Trunks doesn't feel anything. First, she unwraps the blankets, which were used in place of gauze pads and bandages, from around his chest and back. She dabs a cloth into the mixture and begins to gently stroke along the gashes, many of which have almost completely healed somehow.

Trunks tries not to show any pain, but winces twice; once when she first applies the blend, and again when she presses the fabric too hard.

After pressing too hard, she unexpectedly stops and drops the bowl and cloth. She solemnly stands there, staring outside through the window. Trunks wonders what she is looking at and perceives the sun setting.

Trunks (to himself): Darn! The sun's setting! I can't go anywhere to hide! (notices the girl still standing and gazing into the sunset and sighs) She's going to have to see them. I hope she won't be scared of me.

At the same time, energy from within the two youths arises. Life from each candle blows out. The clashing impulses of energy waves emerging from them both at the same time inbounds a despondent tone, one that echoes throughout the mountainous range. Unknown to either child, something happens to each of them.

The power surge dies down. The girl relights one of the candles, the one next to the bed; the two youths stare at one another.

With Trunks, immense bright feathery wings have emerged followed by the broad, downy base on his back. The girl also has a pair of vast wings mounting from her, tearing the backside of her dress. Instead of wings similar to Trunks, hers are dark, part scaly and part velvety.

Silence sets in the slightly chilled air. After a few moments, Trunks says something.

Trunks (in a surprised whispered tone): …You...got wings…too?

GIRL (less surprised than Trunks): …Yeah. …I thought …you knew… (apologetically) I knew you had wings…

Trunks (slightly louder and sharply): How?!

GIRL: I could sense the same force in me coming from you. Couldn't you sense mine?

Trunks: I did sense something from you, but I didn't know what it was.

GIRL: You don't know how to sense wings do you?

Trunks (somewhat confused): I never really thought of it…

GIRL (in a helpful tone): Feel inside. After you know what your wings feel like on the inside, you can tell who else has wings without needing to see them.

Trunks: Thanks…umm…

GIRL (very apologetic): I'm really sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Zyxoiar.

Trunks (trying to pronounce the girl's name): Zy…

Zyxoiar: Zai–so–ii–ar.

Trunks (gets it): Zyxoiar. That's a strange name.

Zyxoiar: I didn't name me. What's yours?

Trunks: Mine's Trunks.

Zyxoiar: That's a stranger name.

Trunks (happily): Both our names may be strange, but no one else has them.

Zyxoiar (with a smile): That's true. Would you like another drink?

Trunks: Another?

Zyxoiar: Yeah. When I found you, you were a little sunburned. Not right now, though. You looked worse when I brought you here and thought you were dehydrated too so I gave you some water. So, you still want something?

Trunks: Okay.

Zyxoiar (claps her hands twice). A whirling noise can be heard in the darkness of the cabin. A robotic arm holding a glass comes into view. She takes the glass and looks in it.

Zyxoiar: No water? I'm gonna have to fix that.

She gets up and walks to the other side of the cabin. "It's too dark to see" she murmurs to herself. She snaps her fingers this time. A dim light hovers over the sink to guide her.

Zyxoiar: Impressive, huh? I modified everything in this cabin. Ioni brings me outdated equipment from work so I can do this. It's not much, but hey, I'm only ten.

Trunks: Ioni?

Zyxoiar: Yeah. He's my legal protector; I say he's my uncle. He's a lot like a real uncle, probably better, but he doesn't like to be called "Uncle". Says it's too formal to him.

She places the glass under a faucet. Water streams into the glass and stops when she removes the glass. She walks back to Trunks and give it to him.

Trunks: Thanks. Umm…Zy…

Zyxoiar: You can call me Zya. Zai-a.

Trunks: Okay. Zya, can I ask you a question?

Zyxoiar: Sure.

Trunks: I don't mean to sound so rude after your hospitality, but how did you get your wings?


(Zyxoiar)
I'm sorry, but I can't tell you much. I don't remember how I got them exactly. But since I sense that I can trust you, I will tell you what I do remember. Two years ago, Ioni went out somewhere. He told me that he would come back in a few hours. The hours became days. I didn't have to worry about food because there were always fruits that grew outside.

One night, the two androids attacked the cabin that we were living in at the time. I wasn't in it because I was out getting food. When I saw smoke coming from there, I ran the opposite way. I remember there being a cave not far from there so I could hide. When I got to the cave, I felt this feeling. It took control over my whole body and made me enter.

When I set foot inside, I felt myself falling. I didn't bother yelling because I knew no one could hear me. But then, I stopped falling. I knew I hit something hard and hot. I didn't know what was going on – I couldn't move any part of my body.

I was in that same spot, hoping for someone to find me. A long time passed. The place started to get hotter – I felt my skin burning and I couldn't even breathe. I thought I would die without anyone knowing it.

When, it started to get cooler. I don't know how, but I heard a comforting voice and could open my eyes. Darkness – that's all I could see. I didn't know what it meant. I could pick my hand up enough to touch it; the only words to describe it are cold, scaly, and velvety. Everything started to get lighter after I touched it. I could see where I was. There were trees all around me and between some of the branches I could see the sun setting.

I heard Ioni calling my name. He sounded scared. I wanted to go to him, but I was in too much pain.

Then I felt myself floating. I thought Ioni picked me up so I turned around. He wasn't there. Instead, I found myself staring at the same dark thing. It had a shape this time – two large wings! They were flapping and keeping me up.

Ioni was coming closer; I didn't know what to do. I didn't want him to see them. Ioni saw me. I thought he would run away. Instead, he smiled and hugged me.
(end Zyxoiar)


Trunks (taking it all in): …that story…sounds a lot like…mine.

Zyxoiar (curious): How so?

Trunks: Most of the same things happened to me!

Zyxoiar: Tell me what happened to you.

Trunks: I really don't like to talk about it.

Zyxoiar (pleading): Come on. It you said yours was like mine.

Trunks (hesitating while trying to look away from Zyxoiar): …well…I…uhh…

Trunks looks back at Zyxoiar. Her eyes catch his undivided attention. They stare deeply into his with more than merely innocent wonderment. Their dark, tender purple glow seems to be warm and inviting, yet daunting and convincing. Their gaze alone traps him under their spell, urging him to reveal his most esoteric secret. His eyes begin to lose their liveliness as he slowly hangs his head, ready to do anything Zyxoiar desires. An eternity of death-like stillness elapses. Something shatters the silence.


(Trunks)
I don't know exactly how I got my wings either, but I'll tell you this much. When I was eight, I went with my mother to get something in town. Out of nowhere, this huge crowd of people came screaming, pushing, and shoving. Neither of us had any idea that the androids were attacking just half a mile away. We tried to keep together, but during the chaos & confusion, I was torn away from her.

When I finally escaped from the crowd, she was nowhere to be found. Then, I felt something strange shooting through my body; some sort of feeling. This sensation wanted me to go into the building across from me. I tried to resist, but it just took over me…like a pestilence. I had to go in.

I entered a place that looked abandoned for decades. Then, I felt myself falling; I can't explain how or why.

No one heard my screams. I felt like I was falling forever – into the dark abyss.

Then, the falling ceased; I hit something hard and cold. I couldn't move. My arms and legs were paralyzed. My eyes wouldn't open.

And then, when I thought it couldn't get any worse, the intense bitter cold hit me. This wasn't like coldness that you felt outside. No. This cold was beyond bone chilling – this pierced through your soul.

I just laid there for…it must have been hours. I was cold, frightened, and could not move. I don't know why, but I couldn't even shiver to keep warm. That feeling is worse than death.

Much worse.

I could feel time slipping away from me slowly and every so often, part of my spirit was slipping farther and farther through me. I could hear my heart beating – it kept getting slower and slower. I couldn't do anything about it. But then, the cold began to subside; only a little, though – and very gradually.

Soon, I felt a little of my energy slowly returning, along with some strange warmth. I had no idea were it was coming from. The next thing I knew, I heard my mother's voice and immediately awoke wide-eyed and panic-stricken.

The first thing I saw was white – no real shapes. I somehow reached over to touch it; it felt soft, warm, and feathery. I thought I died, but then, the shade shifted to the sides and I saw the sun setting behind the buildings.

I realized I was in a small alley, only five minutes away from my house. The rest of the city was destroyed; there wasn't another living thing that could be seen. I heard Mother's voice again, calling for me. She sounded scared, probably to have found me dead. I tried to get up, but I couldn't do it on my own; my whole body was too greatly injured from the fall.

What happened next caught me completely off guard. I felt myself floating. "This couldn't be me doing this," I thought to myself; my power level was near zero. I thought my mother had found me and was picking me up. When I turned around, I saw no one. I looked all around me. Nothing. Yet, I was still floating.

At that moment, I noticed pieces of fabric on the ground – the same from my shirt. In its place, something had emerged from my back; WINGS! They were just flapping! Seeing them scared me half to death; something like that just appearing out of nowhere! It wasn't until after I stared at them for a while; they didn't seem frightening to me anymore. It felt like they had been with me my whole life for some reason. They were the purest and most beautiful things I'd ever seen in my entire life, even today.

Mother was coming closer; I could tell that her voice was getting louder. I tried to hide my wings, but I couldn't think how. I didn't want her to think that I was dead when she saw them.

With this thought, my wings let me down on the ground gently and somehow disappeared. It was like they had a mind of their own and knew exactly what I needed of them.

When my mom came, only seconds went by from when they disappeared. She ran over to me, crying. I was so overjoyed to see her I tried to get up; only to fall back down again. She picked me up and held me; all the way home. She didn't even think about how the back of my shirt got completely ripped apart or why I felt so cold.
(end Trunks)


Zyxoiar (startled at the difference of Trunks' tone and mannerism, but continues): You--you're right. And there're some differences.

Trunks snaps out of his daze and holds his head up after hearing Zyxoiar's voice, not remembering any of what he had said. He knows, however, that he has been influenced somehow into revealing the origin of his wings, be it charisma or mind-control. He continues to talk without letting it be known that something happened to him.

Trunks: Umm…differences?

Zyxoiar: Yeah. I think those differences also changed how our wings look like and probably what they do.

Trunks: Do yours try to help you out? You know, do things for you?

Zyxoiar (nods): Mm-hmm. They always look out for what's good for me. After Ioni saw me with them for the first time, he explained everything I needed to know about them. He told me how to use them and what they would do without me knowing. He also wanted me to recognize the energy they put out; but he said only others with wings can sense this and you're the first one with wings that I know of.
He also told me the only time an ordinary person can sense them is during sunset when they come out, but only for a second. After that, they can't sense either the wings or the person. I thought I was the only one with wings and that he was just saying some of that so I didn't feel alone…but then I met you. For a guy who doesn't have wings, he knows a lot about them.

Trunks: When does Ioni come back? I want to know if he could teach me how to use mine.

Zyxoiar: Sorry. He won't come back for a couple more days – his job keeps him away. Hah! A job during these times! He used to study medications ranging from herbs to narcotics so he could help victims. But he's been working on something else lately. I don't know what it is.
He keeps promising me that one day he'll come back and tell me that he found out how to "break" the androids and that he bought a house in the city for us. I never know what he means about how he would break them and I don't mind living here. It's nice and peaceful.

Trunks (cheerily): I live in the city… (horrifying images of the currently destroyed city flash through his mind and he continues somberly )… or what's left of it. At least the androids didn't attack there again. Is there anyone else who lives here with you?

Zyxoiar: No. My parents died when I was very young. The only one who could take care of me was Ioni.

Trunks (solemnly): I'm sorry to hear that. I also lost a parent. My father was killed in a battle with the androids when I was really young. (fantasizing) I bet he was really strong and fearless and fought bravely!

Zyxoiar: I bet he was too! Ioni is an okay fighter, but not as strong as Vegeta….

Trunks jumps out of bed without feeling any pain, grasps Zyxoiar by the arms, and asks her with a surprised yet intrigued tone.

Trunks: How did you know his name?

Zyxoiar (responses a surprisingly calm tone): I don't know. It's something that I could do all along. I can estimate anyone's power level – alive or dead – and guess their name from a blood relative. And when I got my wings, this thing got better…

Trunks (letting go of Zyxoiar): I wonder if I could do things like that…

Zyxoiar: You jumped out of bed without hurting…

Trunks: Yeah, but I didn't feel anything different. I think it was those herbs.

Zyxoiar: You don't have to always feel something.

Trunks: I still think it was the herbs.

Zyxoiar: There might be something else, but I don't know what you can do already.

Trunks (thinking): I was always fast…faster than normal…

Zyxoiar (claps her hands together once): Then that's it! You could fly a lot faster with your wings!

Trunks: Yeah! Hey, let's go outside and see!

Zyxoiar: Okay!

Trunks: Wait! Where's my shirt?

Zyxoiar: It's over there. (points to a chair with the remains of a tattered shirt stained with blood) I don't think you should wear it.

Trunks (nods): Yeah.


The two youths venture outside into the dark, still night. There is no other light except for the glimmer of the stars and a kerosene lamp in Zyxoiar's hand. The two head up the trial. Along the way, Zyxoiar notices Trunks being quiet as if heavy in thought and nudges him with her elbow.

Zyxoiar: What are you thinking about?

Trunks: You wouldn't understand.

Zyxoiar: What wouldn't I understand?

Trunks (sighs in exasperation): It's just that the androids are rampaging everywhere and there's nothing that you or I can do to stop them.

Zyxoiar: You worry way too much for someone your age. Hey, we'll stop them. I still want to pay them back for killing my parents.

Zyxoiar she playfully hits him on the arm, begins to run up the trail and then starts to fly. Trunks runs after her, trying to keep up.

Trunks: Zyxoiar, where are you going?

Zyxoiar: It's a game! You need something to forget the rest of the world! Come on! Try to keep up!

Zyxoiar leads Trunks up a trail to the edge of Egral Mountain, the tallest mountain of the region. No one could hear a soul scream from this altitude. The entire outline of the valley could be seen. The lush trees followed by never-ending plains and both tortuous rivers have yet to fall in the hands of the androids. The two stop at the mountain's broad cliff-side. Trunks looks over in awe.

Zyxoiar: I come here lots of times. It's nice here at night. (points below to the river on the far left) That's the Ice River. They call it that because at night, when the stars are out, it looks like ice – it gives a glittering effect to the lands near it like it was a source of light. The other river is called the Thirst River. You can drink straight from it without getting sick for some reason. That's were we get our water supply.

She stops talking and looks ahead at the clear sky before turning to Trunks.

Zyxoiar: The best way to see how fast you can really fly now is to fly to the next mountain range. (points to a place beyond normal eyesight) To get there, follow along Ice River.

Trunks (hesitates): …umm…okay…

Zyxoiar: What's wrong?

Trunks' face flushes.

Trunks: I-I…don't know…how to …

Zyxoiar: Fly using your wings, right?

Trunks: …yeah…

Zyxoiar (sympathetically): You don't know how to use them yet, do you?

Trunks: It wasn't like I had someone who knew everything about them.

Zyxoiar: That was uncalled for.

Trunks: Sorry.

Zyxoiar: It's okay. I'll show you. (points ahead) Look over there!

Zyxoiar takes both of her hands and pushes an unsuspecting Trunks over the cliff of Egral Mountain. Sensing Trunks being frightened and plunging downward rapidly, his wings spread out; Trunks stops falling and his wings begin to flap upwards. They take him up toward the top of the cliff and stay in place, continuously flapping.

Trunks (enraged with a very irritated tone in his voice): What the hell where you thinking?! You could've killed me!!

Zyxoiar (laughing happily): You're using your wings!

Trunks: ………

Zyxoiar: You see, when you fall unsuspectingly, it's hard to stop let alone fly back up. They sensed you were falling and something told them to flap. This is how I learned to fly with them.

Trunks: Can you not do that again?

Zyxoiar: That's the only way for beginners to learn. After the first time, you can use your wings willingly.

Trunks: How do I fly without them?

Zyxoiar: Just fly normally. They'll feel what you're trying to do and adjust. Okay, fly normally to that next mountain range as fast as you can. Then fly back here as fast as you can with your wings.

Trunks: How far is it from here to the next mountain range?

Zyxoiar: About 375 kilometers away.

Trunks: WHAT?!

Zyxoiar: It won't take you too long to go there. And if a trait of your wings is speed, then you should be back here sooner.

Trunks: …Okay. I'm going now.

Trunks turns around and sets off on his short journey of self-discovery.

Zyxoiar (waving and yelling after Trunks): I have faith in you!

Trunks is flying normally at his current top speed of 274 kilometers an hour. As he flies toward the next mountain range, he notices that his wings seem to glisten against the starry night sky, lighting the path for him. He gets to the next mountain range in no time.

Trunks: That was fast. All right, time to go back!

His wings spread out and with one powerful beat he finds himself being lunged far ahead. His wings beat a few times a minute, but the powerful thrusts got him back to Egral Mountain in only a quarter of the time it took him to travel to the other side. Zyxoiar, now sitting, sees him coming and stands up. Trunks slows down and lands where Zyxoiar was sitting falling to his knees.

Trunks (a little shaken): That…was…

Zyxoiar: Really really fast!!

Trunks: …yeah…Zyxoiar: The last time I traveled like that, it took me a few hours. You only took about an hour and a half – not even!

The two androids, 17 and 18, show up hovering high above the cliff where Trunks and Zyxoiar are.

#17: Now ain't…that…cute…

#18: Yeah…it's a shame. They're so young.

#17: Goodbye.

The two start to shoot an onslaught of ki-blasts toward Trunks and Zyxoiar. The first lands in between the two youths, injuring Trunks' left wing and Zyxoiar's right.

Zyxoiar (moaning in pain): My…wing…

Trunks (grasps Zyxoiar by the hand and starts to run): We gotta get out of here!

The two run from the blasts. The spheres of energy become increasingly more powerful. After a while of heart-pounding running, the two find sanctuary under a tree that has been uprooted.

Zyxoiar (out of breath): *Haa* Trunks?

Trunks (out of breath as well): *Haa* *haa* Yeah? *haa*

Zyxoiar: I don't think we will be able to stay together at this rate

Zyxoiar puts her right hand in a pocket, searching for something. She takes out a necklace. Hanging from a lace of silk is a small, golden object.

Zyxoiar: This is a pure golden medallion. It's of a heart with wings. On the right side, the wing looks like mine; on the other, the wing looks like yours. My mother gave this to me a long time ago. She told me about a myth that came with it.

"When split in two, thee and me are destined to be and shall meet once more." She wanted me to give this to someone who meant a lot to me. (breaks it into to equal halves) And that someone… (takes the half with the wing resembling one of hers and holds it out in front of Trunks) …is you.

Trunks (shocked and horror-struck): …me?! …I …can't take something…like that from you! We just met!

Zyxoiar: I want you to have it. (takes Trunks' left hand and places the half in it) I have these feelings, like we already know each other, like we're supposed to know each other, and I think you do too.

Trunks: I…don't know what…to say

Zyxoiar: Just say, "We will meet again."

Trunks: All right. We will meet again.

Zyxoiar abruptly leans closer to Trunks, pecks him on the cheek, and turns her burning face away. Trunks, now blushing as well, puts his free hand near his face and turns to her in wonderment.

Trunks: You…kissed me…

A stray ki-blast hits the tree where the two are hiding. A chasm where the tree was appears. Trunks falls backwards and lets go of Zyxoiar's hand.

Trunks: Zya! Zyxoiar!