Chapter 11 – Lost Ally

Zyxoiar's endless barrage of fighting tactics only drives Trunks out of a defensive position into an offensive one. He blocks one of her low kicks with one of his legs and executes a back fist punch, aiming for the jaw. She grabs his hand just before it hits her and then lets go. Trunks draws back his hand. The two combatants land on the ground.

Zyxoiar (nonchalantly): I knew I could get you to attack.

Trunks: Zyxoiar, what happened to you?! You never were like this when we were kids.

Zyxoiar: What happened to me doesn't deal with you. You should be more concerned about what'll happen to you. There's an old saying that goes something like this: "Darkness is inside even the purest of souls. If provoked to a certain degree of anguish and despair, it will emerge. The soul becomes lost, the bearer transforms into a demon found only in the depths of Hell."

Zyxoiar begins to laugh with a tone - a cold, loathsome tone.

Trunks: What are you laughing at?

Zyxoiar: That saying applies to you. You may not know it but I am slowly gaining control of your mind.

Trunks: What?

Zyxoiar: It's not that difficult to understand how. When I hit you back on the balcony, some of my blood permeated passed my skin and diffuse through yours. Those blood cells have been in your veins for quite some time now. They will remain dormant until I give the command.
When I do, they'll go strait to your brain and begin to interfere with what you see, how you act, and what you feel thus giving me complete control. You won't know what's happening to you or your body. And the best part – you will obey willingly.
Of course, I'm not going to tell you right now everything that you will experience whilst I take control; let it surprise you.

Trunks: There really is no hope for you…

Zyxoiar: Oh really? Take a good look around. It may be the last thing you remember.

In Trunks' mind, all of the surroundings – the land, the sea, the moon, and everyone around him – vanish. Nothing but darkness befalls about him.

Trunks: Is this your idea of …

Trunks stops short. Horrifying images of destruction and death plague his mind. He sees the debris of falling buildings and crumbling homes that once flourished with communities, belongings neglected, people running in fear for their lives. The victim shuts his eyes to the hideous recollection of what he had seen during his youth and clinches his head from pain.

Trunks: What …are you…doing?

More illustrations of terror and panic flood his mind and spiral around him. He sees tombstones of fighters: Goku, Piccolo, Krillen, Yamcha, Tien, Chaozu, and Vegeta; androids 17 and 18 blowing up people's hopes, dreams, and lives while heartlessly laughing.

When he thought the scenes couldn't get any more frightful, they do. Rain starts to fall. Blood starts to dissipate on the ground. A decaying body of a man in his early twenties starts to come into view.

Trunks: G-Gohan?

Across from Gohan lies another. It is of a woman in her late forties—early fifties barely holding onto life, trying to reach out to her only child.

Trunks: …M-Mother?! God…Not you too!!!

Both people who he cared about disappear. Another figure comes from the shadows – a younger version of Trunks. Trunks fixes his fearful eyes on his younger counterpart, watching as he yells out words of anger hatefully.

Young Trunks: You! Why didn't you save them? You knew nothing would change here but you still stayed! You let this happen to them! Where are you?!

He can't take it any longer and runs; running through the jungle of his mind and away from the torture of his past. He feels his legs beating hard on the ground, his arms clearing the path. His heart races at an even faster rate. He takes flight, trying to reach the taunting light above. He almost touches it.

So close…

The promising light transfigures into ominous darkness and surges into him. It floods his psyche, courses through his veins, leaks through his soul with its forbiddingly sinister murkiness. He feels himself falling, drowning in his world of misery and chaos.

---
Krillen: What's going on over there? Trunks looks like he's in pain but she's not doing anything. They're both just standing there.

Ioni: Zyxoiar must be trying to control his mind. All I remember seeing all those images of pain and suffering. Everything that I saw disgusted me. Then I found myself here.

Goku: Is there anything we can do to snap him out of it?

Ioni: I really do not know.

Gohan: He might be able to still hear us. If we try calling out to him, he might come to.

Krillen: It's worth a shot.

---
The images stop and complete darkness bestows upon Trunks once more. The flashbacks leave an intense emptiness that scars deep within. The drowning feeling reaches its climax. He can now feel his free will slipping away. Zyxoiar's voice echoes from every direction.

Zyxoiar: Don't you understand? All of this happened in your past; this senseless misery and torture. Even if you can change things for the future, these images of loneliness will haunt you every moment for the rest of your life…I can free you from these painful reminders…

Trunks opens his eyes, both sclera are now dark and death-like.

Zyxoiar (to herself): Good… you're mine.

---
Gohan: Trunks!! Try to snap out of it! She's trying to control you!!

Trunks lets go of his head, stands up right, and turns around to face the other fighters. To him, it's more of everlasting threatening, unilluminated space. Some kind of entity – his anger, his rage, his hate and everything else that has been held back since childhood – magnifies intensely and takes over his body.

Gohan: Trunks?

Zyxoiar: Yell all you like. He can't hear you. You're just wasting our time.

She walks up to Trunks and hits his arm with the back of her hand to get his attention. This alter ego in his body turns to her.

Zyxoiar: Go.

Trunks can see everything clearly now, but doesn't realize what he's doing nor can control his actions. This person whom has emerged from his subconscious, never exposed before, turns back to the fighters and begins to move his arms rapidly for a moment. He abruptly stops, extending his arms in front while forming a diamond shape with index fingers and thumbs touching. Unshaped energy starts to form in front of his palms - an energy ball emits itself out and hurls itself straight toward the fighters.

Aware of how weak this blast is, the warriors merely watch it zip pass them and hit the water, creating a rather large tidal wave. They turn around to see Trunks right above with another blaster ball in hand. He thrusts the attack in the middle of their circle, causing dust and sand to uplift. Breathing is near impossible. The warriors take to the sky to get into the clear.

When they look back, they survey Zyxoiar standing alone. A strangely eerily silent moment passes. Instantaneously, Chaozu, Krillen, Tien, and Yamcha each feel a hard blow to their abdomens and begin to plunge toward Earth. Goku and Gohan grab their fallen comrades and land.

Goku: Are you guys okay?

No one responds. Ioni examines them.

Ioni: At least they are breathing.

Zyxoiar begins to talk to Trunks telepathically.

Zyxoiar: Don't waste time on the weaker ones. Just go for the Saiyan in the orange. I want you to dispose of that cancer first.

Trunks stops moving and lands in front of the two. He raises his arm slowly and deliberately, pointing to Goku.

Trunks: You! I challenge you to wage warfare.

Goku: Trunks! You can't let her control you! You have to fight it!

Trunks round-kicks Goku in the back, comes around and catches him with a reinforced elbow strike to the stomach, then uses an axe kick to the back of the neck, pinning him down to the ground – all in one swift fluid motion, giving Goku no time at all to know what's going on. Goku pulls his head away from the hold and falls backwards. He gets up and jumps into the air. Trunks follows.

Goku: I guess there's nothing left to do than to fight you. And I will stop you anyway I can.

Trunks: Cease your garrulous palavering.

Goku (baffled): What?

Trunks charges straight at Goku, then vanishes. All the other fighters can do is watch the stray ki blasts, hear the deafening clashes of energy, and sense Goku's ki level rising. He reappears in front of Goku with the palm of his right hand open, out in front, and emits a wave of energy aimed for the chest. Goku blocks the attack with his arms crossed in front of him, but just barely.

He lifts his head to see what is happening, only to see blaster balls coming for him through the smoke. He jumps out of their path and into Trunks' trap. Trunks locks both hands together, heaves back his arms, and thrusts them downward, hitting Goku in the head with his fists, sending him plummeting back down to Earth and creating a crater.

Ioni proceeds to the crater in effort to help Goku. The fallen fighter looks at this new ally suspiciously. After sensing Ioni's intentions to be good, he reaches and is helped up. They each look around.

Goku: Where did he go?

Something strikes Goku hard in the back. He catches himself with his hands and flips back to his feet. Trunks appears with an onslaught of punches and kicks. Goku defends himself against the first few but is no match for Trunks' heightened speed and power and becomes quickly overtaken.

Watching an ally thrashing his father is too much for Gohan to handle. He jumps from the sidelines and flies to Goku's aid, kicking Trunks in the head, sending him plummeting into a nearby plateau. The victor leans down and grabs his father's hand.

Unaware to both, Trunks stops right before impact and darts back to ground zero. He comes back to the scene, putting himself between the two and breaking them apart. With the sleeve of his jacket, the former ally wipes the blood away from his lip and turns to Gohan.

Gohan: You really did change…

Trunks swipes Gohan up with his foot. Once in mid air, Gohan gets crushed in between Trunks' steel like elbow and rock-hard thigh then is kicked aside. Enraged, Piccolo attempts to take this new opponent, but also falls victim to a simple combination of a spin-kick and elbow strike.

Leaving a thrashed Piccolo behind, Trunks takes to the air again and hovers hundreds of feet off the ground upside down with his arms extended downward at the island. His wings spread out as he starts to focus all of his energy together. His body starts to radiate off some of that energy - the glow becoming increasingly more intense.

Trying not to use what little energy remained, Piccolo turns over to his back and sees the sight overhead.

Piccolo: Goku! He's right about you!

Everyone turns their attention upward. Goku tries to get up into a ready stance, increases his ki level to an unimaginable power and gets ready to release his wave.

Piccolo: Goku, what are you doing? You can't hold that attack back in your condition!

Goku: Forget about me! This island won't be able to take a hit like that!

Trunks releases his attack, projecting a single death beam rapidly descending toward Goku.

Goku: KAA MEE HAA MEE…HAAAAAA!

The two beams smash into each other halfway.

Zyxoiar (shouting to Trunks): Stop screwing around and finish him! (to Goku) And you shouldn't be holding back all that energy.

Trunks increases his energy output – his assault pushes Goku's further down.

Zyxoiar: What are you waiting for, Goku? You do want to save the earth, right?

Trunks' beam is now dangerously close to Earth.

Zyxoiar: Worlds need people like you to save them from people like me. Why aren't you saving this one?

Goku starts to increase his ki level which, in turn, greatly increases the size of his wave. Trunks' stays unaffected.

Goku (to himself): Why isn't anything happening?!

Gohan gathers all of his energy and struggles to get to his father. Zyxoiar spies his effort to help and disappears. The fighter slams right into her just as she reappears. Surprised, he loses balance and stumbles down. Something about her paralyzes him with fear. She grabs the front of his shirt and lifts him to her eye level.

Zyxoiar: It's okay, young one. It will all be over soon…

Zyxoiar lets Gohan sense her true power level.

Gohan: It's just like…Trunks'…

This spell Zyxoiar infects Gohan with lets him lose consciousness. Goku sees this event for a brief second and, for his son's sake, releases most of his energy into his trademark beam of total devastation.

The beam starts to overtake Trunks', but gives way. Another blast comes from the side. It enters the other beams' paths. All three waves swell into a gargantuan sphere that continuously grows – until the clashing powers create an explosion, one so massive that it could easily be seen from space.

When the smoke clears, three fighters can be seen; Goku, gasping for air in the position he stood in to form his attack; Trunks, still hovering up side down overhead, arms pointing downward, and Vegeta, holding out his arm out, aiming for the space in the middle of the two.

Goku: What kind of attack was that?!

Zyxoiar: That was Trunks' Finish Buster attack – improved by me so it's more powerful and can absorb energy from others and their assaults.

Trunks (crossing his arms): Is that how it is? Do you wish to join us?

Vegeta gets ready to launch his Final Flash attack at Trunks.

Goku: What are you doing? He's your son!

Vegeta (to himself): Damn shitty hell! He's too powerful! (to Goku) Kakkorot, you let him take your energy. Since you can't kill this asshole off, I will!

A quick, migraine-like shooting pain strikes through Trunks' head for a split second. The strength and force of the brief, yet powerful, sensation cripples him. He starts to drop down back to Earth clutching his head. Right before he meets the ground, his wings broaden and twist his body around, permitting him to crash to his feet. He collapses to his knees.

Trunks (weakly): Nooo…

Ioni: He is trying…to fight it…?

Piccolo: I hate to stand and watch, but what can we do?!

Vegeta (landing): He's so weak, letting someone like her take control of his mind and body. It's pathetic.

Piccolo: Vegeta, don't try--

Trunks cuts in, talking over Piccolo. His voice is still shaky.

Trunks: …F-Father?

All the other fighters stand shocked.

Goku: H-he can hear you?!

Trunks: …I'm sorry… She's…too powerful…

Vegeta stands stunned, realizing that his son cares deeply about him – even if it meant trying to keep him alive in this timeline. A timeline that would have no influence over the one his son, crouching in pain, comes from. Even with his mind controlled by a great evil power, his son still hears him.

Trunks: When I lose control…stop me…KILL ME!!

With very little time given to react, Vegeta responds to him.

Vegeta: You bastard! Of course she's too powerful; you're so weak! Did you really expect to win?!

With these words, the deep, profound emptiness from within Trunks begins to feed on him.

Goku: Vegeta, what the hell are you trying to do?! Push him to the point where he doesn't even care about being possessed?!

Vegeta (ignores Goku and continues): And you probably did. Anyone who thinks like that deserves to die! God damn it! Can't you do anything right?!

Trunks: Father…I tried…

Vegeta: You tried?! It doesn't seem like you tried at all! Even then, you would realize that you're only a fool for trying. I don't even know where you get this notion where you think you can make a difference. I should kill you off myself. Why did I even bother listening to you about coming here?!

Trunks (staggers as he stands up): But…

Zyxoiar (to herself): How is he able to stand on his own...

Vegeta: Don't get a word in, you don't deserve to! And where did you learn to fight?! Your form is the worst by far! There's no way you could survive the androids by yourself with your experience. You needed someone to bail you out every time you were close to death.

And what did you have to lose? Everything... including your master's life!

Trunks (almost at his breaking point): Father, please stop…

Goku: Vegeta, stop!

Vegeta (continues with the tirade): I don't want to what; tell you the truth?! I don't think of you as a son. You've done too many ill-planned things. You lost almost everything, all just because you weren't strong enough to handle some damn machines!

All of his grief accumulates and transforms into profound abhorrence toward Vegeta. Completely enraged by how his own father views him, Trunks loses control of himself again. He stands firm upright with hands at his sides, clenched fists, and stares at the direction of his father. Everything still appears as a dark, endless tunnel to him. He responds in a cold, morbid tone.

Trunks: All right. Since you don't think of me as a son, then I won't be your son. Since you claim that I've done so many ill-planned doings, then I shall put an end to that. However, before I do, it is best to be known that all I wished from you was nothing more than your acceptance and love, as I do you.

Trunks bends down into his defensive crouch and starts to raise his ki level. The waves start to pick up; the wind starts to wail.

Ioni: What does he mean?

Trunks starts to take on the physical appearance of a Super Saiyan; his hair starts to spike up and change to the golden color of only a Super Saiyan. His eyes stay ice blue and cruel, however.

Vegeta (smirking): Oh look. He's going to transform.

Ioni: What?! Did you not say he would lose control if transformed?

Vegeta: Making things more interesting.

The pupils of Trunks' eyes start to alter to their teal radiance; his wings spread out. As the scleras of his eyes begin to flash from black to white, each extra appendage also begins to flash from its already pure snow color to an even brighter tone. Now unable to control his own power, Trunks starts to scream. With this, he breaks Zyxoiar's hold.

His eyes turn white and pupil less. His muscles expand, ripping his jacket apart completely. Each and every feather incases itself in effulgence, blinding all. The light, in one fluid motion from crown to base, dims itself. The once blazing white feathers now take on a luxurious platinum manifestation that gradually turns to deep amber appearing in a marble-speckled pattern toward the tips.

Piccolo: His ki…I can sense it again…

Goku: It not just his…there's something else…

This other force accompanying Trunks' ki level revives all the fallen warriors, each who wake up to see an unimaginable display of power. All, aghast, see Trunks standing in his own golden radiance, now with the physical appearance and mentality of a Super Saiyan.

The incredible surge of power overwhelms Trunks. He loses control of himself and starts attacking whomever he runs into first – Vegeta.

The others race and put themselves in between the two, trying to prevent one from killing the other. Among the chaos, a fist thrusts itself into Trunks jaw. Trunks jumps out of the ring of fighters.

His teal pupils return, letting him see willingly again. He sees his father and the other warriors in front of him and stands up from his crouched defensive position.

Trunks: Father?

He turns around, just enough to see the new larger and spikier feathers of his wings gleaming with their strange new colors and notices that he, too, has transformed and is radiating the same color. He turns around to see Zyxoiar stunned, find out that her plan failed.

Trunks (to himself): What did she make me do?! They've never done this before… (he feels strangely comfortable with his new power and, with a renewed spirit to fight, faces Zyxoiar) I don't know which is worse, your sickening ability to kill innocent lives or your cold-blooded mind controlling tactics. I don't know what happened to you.
Maybe you're not the same person I knew as a true, pure-hearted friend when I was younger. But that's all different now. I see now that no matter whom you are, where you came from, I cannot let you continue your reign of terror. THIS HAS TO END NOW!!

Zyxoiar (to herself): He looks just like that kid from five years ago…