Gohan grinned in response to one of Videl's many jabs. The two had gone out into the wilderness to find some time to be alone, and they were loving every minute.
School was out for the summer, and they had already been out here for two weeks. They had borrowed a small capsule house from Bulma and had kept on the move, finding spot after spot filled with breathtaking beauty.
They spent their days training, and their evenings were filled with talk and laughter. Gohan had long since decided that he could spend the rest of his life quite content with this fierce young woman who had stolen his heart.
At this moment, they had taken a break from their training for a little romantic interlude beside a beautiful lake. A capsule full of garbage and a slightly rumpled cloth on the ground were the only remnants of their delicious picnic lunch, and now they were sitting on the edge of the bank, shoes off and feet in the water.
They were talking together, Videl's head rested on Gohan's shoulder, and one of his arms around her waist.
Everything seemed truly right in the world, and they fell off into a peaceful silence, fully content to sit and watch the sun sparkle over the water. Serenity and tranquility surrounded them, and they were simply two young people who were deeply in love. Gohan was positive that absolutely nothing could wreck his happiness at that blissful moment.
He was proven wrong with a bang, a crash, and the slight whooshing sound that accompanied the raising of the Time Machine's dome.
Gohan and Videl both spun to watch the other teen climb out, sorrow hanging over him like a dark cloud. Videl rose without a word and flew back towards their 'home', leaving the two men to face each other in silence.
"Trunks."
"Sensei."
The words were full of hidden meaning, and Gohan felt his heart wrench in sympathy for his friend. He reached out and pulled Trunks into a brotherly embrace, willing some little comfort into the boy. Without really realizing it, the two sank down to the grassy carpet, and sat silently for a moment.
Then Trunks began to tell his story, openly and without hiding his emotions. He talked about Jade, about the laughter the two had shared, and all the good times. The bad ones too. And then he had told Gohan about the day before.
The day his world ended.
Gohan listened to his story quietly, asking no questions, but he lifted part of the burden from Trunks's shoulders, and silently embraced it as his own.
When Trunks was finished talking, they were both silent.
After a while, Gohan began talking, voice low, yet reassuring. He spoke of his own sorrows, deeply buried behind his cheerful façade. The pain he had felt when his father had died, and hadn't come back. The pain when Videl had broken up with him, early in their relationship. His joy that they were back together.
He hadn't really meant to say it, but it came anyways and when he was done, when he looked into the eyes of his friend, he knew he'd done the right thing. For though there was still sorrow in his eyes, they held something more.
They held hope.
*
Hope.
The thought was fast and fleeting inside Jade's mind. No, there could be no hope for someone as wretched as she. Someone who so carelessly doomed the world to utter oblivion.
Ah yes, but oblivion would be a nice change. To be happily oblivious of the destruction and deaths that had been going on for three days now. To be able to forget that she was the one who had caused it.
She had long since given up hope that the Angels would kill her quickly. No, they would keep her alive as they destroyed the world around her. Tormenting her for her selfish stupidity.
She continued staring at the screen in front of her.
Hopeless.
Her eyes unfocused from the screen and slid behind it, to the picture of her, holding the brand new sword that Trunks had given her.
And trained her with.
Suddenly a new flame of hope kindled itself deep within her breast. She got up and walked over to her closet, her new determination melting the ice that had kept her motionless.
She pulled out her light blue gi, belting it tightly at her waist with her black sash. She had already been a black belt before she had met Trunks, and he had furthered her training with instructions on ki.
Thoughts of Trunks returned the chill in her heart, but it heartened her rather than hindered. She was driven, and now had a purpose.
She would die righting what she had caused.
She knew she would loose, that she was merely asking for death. But death by battle would be so much quicker than waiting, just waiting, knowing that at any minute They would come for her.
Her spirit was already dead. She was only speeding up the inevitable rejoinder of body and soul.
She tied back her hair in a high ponytail, pulled on soft-soled leather boots, and strapped her sword onto her back.
She would fight her Angels, and die trying. She walked out the door and took off into the sky, intent on her goal.
This one 's for you Trunks.