Author's Note: I don't know if this will be good news or bad news to you, but this fic is almost coming to an end. I actually planned to stretch it further than the supposed ending, but I think it would be better to leave the rest of the story as a mystery. Not that it will be too hard to figure out, as what will happen at that unrevealed story will be made known in the sequel of this little fic of mine, Renascimento. But I still have to work on editing it, though. *sweatdrops*

I would like to thank all those who reviewed, it was nice hearing from you. I'm glad you like this, although this is one of my older fics and at the moment, I have a bit of dislike towards the plotline and all. But I'm happy that you like it! As for what'll happen to Trunks... well... you'll have to wait and see. Although this chapter already holds the clues. =P

Crimson Tide
Chapter Nineteen: The Beginning of the End

Blue eyes, icy yet etched with sadness, gawked at the newcomer who trudged in the cozy haven, his face accented with bruises and his body decorated with wounds at various parts. If it wasn't for his dark cloak, it would have appeared as if he was a walking punching bag.

With one eyebrow raised, Trunks asked, "What mess have you gotten yourself in this time?"

The Hakaijin warlord stopped, turned to his apprentice, and replied coldly, "Open your senses and you will know. I'm sure it won't be too hard to figure out."

"It appears as if you just slaughtered the most powerful warriors in this planet --- from the tone of your voice and that smile you're wearing, that is."

"Oh I just did," Thanatos answered coolly. "I just did."

Trunks, who was not really paying attention to his master and was plainly challenging his temper, froze at those words. He turned to the warlord with a questioning look, but before he could open his mouth to clarify what he just heard, a significant power level died down like a child drowning in the depths of the ocean.

"No..."

"I don't know what you've been thinking about, but apparently, you've been too occupied with our thoughts that you isolated yourself---" his voice trailed off as he was lifted from the ground by his apprentice, who was glaring daggers at him. "Now, now, Trunks, what's the matter?"

"You killed my father. You said you will NOT harm anyone from my family!"

"I never promised," Thanatos replied with a calm expression. "And besides, he got in the way. He interfered. He did not mind his own business. He pledged allegiance to that idiot Goku. Most importantly, he accused me of brainwashing you. Such insult I cannot take. You came to me; nothing more, nothing less. And I was left with no choice. I had to kill him."

The ice in Trunks' eyes melted away, but fire replaced it. "WHY YOU---"

"If there's anyone who's supposed to be mad in the first place, it's me. Why? Because once again, you failed. I gave you your final mission. I ordered you to eliminate Goten Son. And yet, you were unable to do so. You ran away."

"I did not run away!" the demi-saiyajin objected.

"Say what you want, my apprentice. But it will not make a difference. Face it --- you failed, and you deserved to be punished for that failure."

He did not reply as he let go and averted his gaze towards the ground. Thanatos was right; he failed. "But... you shouldn't have killed my father... you shouldn't have..."

"My, getting soft, aren't we? I'm warning you, Trunks. Show up with a trace of that softness of yours, and I won't hesitate to eliminate the remaining members of your clan until you'll be alone, just like your best friend. Am I clear?"

Trunks swallowed, and then, he nodded, although it was in a reluctant fashion.

"Now, track down your target and kill him. Or is that too hard to do?" the warlord inquired with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. "Go, and do not fail me this time. I will be watching your every move, so be careful. Be very careful. And if I'm not satisfied... your loved ones will pay the price."

Trembling, he ran a hand over Vegeta's pale features, unwilling to accept the disappointing end that a man as honorable as him --- full of hope despite of the dark past he was once imprisoned in --- achieved. As Goten sunk further down to lift the older saiyajin into his arms, he heard Boxer's mournful cries from behind him.

Tears fell from his dark orbs as Boxer continued to wail, the words why, daddy and no echoing through the wilderness of sand and stone repeatedly. He opened his mouth to say something, but he found himself unable to. A painful lump crept up to his throat then and there, and it stopped him from saying what he wanted.

All he could do was cry.

He pulled his cold, lifeless body close to him. There was nothing he could do now, except to cry. He was gone. There was nothing he could do to bring him back.

Vegeta, the Saiyajin no Ouji, was dead.

"He didn't deserve to die... Not like this... Not yet..." Boxer wailed as he weakened and fell on both knees. He continued to sob, mourning the loss of someone he loved dearly, although it was evident that he was angry and frustrated.

And then, he got up and screamed, releasing all the pain he felt inside. Never had he felt so bad. Never in his entire life, not even at the death of his sister, Bra.

His father's death was just too much.

"It's all right, Boxer," Goten began as he finally regained enough of his composure to speak. "Just cry. I know how you feel. He... He was a very good man. Full of love, full of kindness. Although he never showed it openly. He understood me when everyone else didn't... He listened to me when everyone else wouldn't... And that, was the best thing he ever did for me. He was there. He was there, all the time. Waiting," the older warrior finished as he hung his head in silence.

Then, they heard moans.

Their ears immediately perked up as they attempted to track down where the voice originated, for they were unable to sense the owner's ki. It was too weak, too faint, but they knew that they must find the person behind it fast.

Goten suddenly froze, two emotions filling him to the brim. Urgency and fear. And all of a sudden, he felt pain. He placed his hands over his chest, his chest that ached terribly without warning. But there was more than just physical pain; there was... the pain of the heart.

It hit him.

"Otousan... No..."

He ran, suddenly knowing where his real father, Goku, lay. And it didn't take him long to get to the dying saiyajin. Without hesitation, Goten knelt down by his father's side, and examined the older man's condition.

Goku stirred.

Tears sprung to Goten's eyes, for seeing the other breathing was a great relief. "Thank Kami you're all right! I was so worried!"

On the other hand, Goku --- upon realizing that the young man who was by his side was Goten --- opened his eyes to look at the face of his youngest son, the son he had always loved, yet never had time for. He smiled weakly, but to the younger saiyajin's surprise, he averted his gaze. "No, Goten. I'm not all right. My... My time has come."

"No..." Goten blurted out in disbelief, and then, he shook his head, refusing to give in to what the other just said. "That's not true! You can't die! You can't leave me! There's still so many things we have to do --- so many things we have to do together! You can't go just yet! You're... You're the only family I have left!"

The older warrior closed his eyes.

"Otousan! Open your eyes! Don't do this to me!" Goten exclaimed in panic, taking his father into his arms as even more tears cascaded down his eyes. "Don't make things harder for me! Don't give up! I'm begging you! Please! Otousan, don't leave me!"

"My son..." the other whispered as he opened his eyes once more and reached out to touch the face of the young man who now had love and compassion for him. "I'm... sorry. I fought him as valiantly as I could. But... he was just... too strong. Vegeta and I... we tried. Very hard. But... our strength... was just not enough. I'm sorry if I have to leave this burden on your shoulders... but I don't have a choice. I'm sorry, my son. I did my best... but my best just wasn't good enough."

"No... I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for treating you the way I did. I'm sorry for being mean to you. I'm sorry for disrespecting you. It's all my fault. I misunderstood you. I denied the fact that you really loved me. I resented everything you did to put us back together. I should have given you the chance. If I did, then we would have patched things up sooner... and we would have been... happier," Goten paused to swallow, to get rid of the painful lump that crept up on his throat --- and when he finished doing so, he softly added, "Otousan."

Goku forced a smile despite of his condition. "Otousan..." he murmured as his muscles relaxed and his eyes slowly closed, as if in contemplation. "I never thought... I'd hear you... call me that... ever again. I'm happy... to hear that... my son."

He then opened his eyes once more and gripped Goten's hand. "I never... had anything against you. Even if... you spoke harshly towards me... I never hated you. I understood you... completely. It was my fault. I thought that... being a hero... being one of the Z-Senshi... being this planet's protector... was more important... than being a father. Because if I was... strong... then I would be able to... protect my family... you, your brother and your mother... who I love... very much. I'm... very sorry..."

"Please... don't leave me," Goten continued to beg. "I promise to make up for everything that I've done. I promise to be a better son, and I will do everything in my power to make you happy. Just... don't leave me. I... I love you so much. I never admitted it, because I was then too prideful to do so... but in reality, I love you. I really do."

"Say you forgive me."

Goten shook his head. "No, don't you---"

"Say it," his father insisted.

"I... I forgive you," he said wholeheartedly and without doubt. "I forgive you."

With that, the older man said, "I can finally rest in peace."

Goten's eyes flew wide open, and then he cried out, "NO! YOU CAN'T! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! YOU JUST CAN'T! DON'T DO THIS TO ME! PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU!"

"Be strong, Goten. Be strong. Just remember that I love you very much... my son."

And he breathed his last.

The young man's world fell apart right then and there as he stared at his father's lifeless body. All his barriers gave in, all the pillars of his emotions broke into pieces and scattered into oblivion. He laid Goku's body gently on the ground, and then he lifted his hands and stared at them. His hands were shaking. No, he was shaking --- quivering as he realized what had happened. And then, he cried. He screamed. He went berserk. He was told to be strong, but he was just unable to stop himself from breaking down.

He was now alone.

"What are you doing here?!" Boxer demanded with angry eyes as he clutched his father's inert body protectively close to him.

Before the demi-saiyajin could say anything more, Trunks whispered, "Dad..."

"You're here to show that you actually have love and compassion left in your ice-cold heart, then? Well, I appreciate your effort, but I suggest you tear off that mask you're wearing and get on with what you're supposed to do. Don't involve dad's death in your crazy schemes," the younger of the Briefs-Vegeta siblings snapped in the coldest tone he ever mustered.

"Boxer, you don't understand---"

"Really? I don't understand? No, Oniichan. You don't understand. You're closing your eyes to the truth. You're shutting yourself from what's obvious. Thanatos is only using you --- can't you see that?!"

Trunks was about to reply when he felt a hand grip his shoulder tightly. He spun around by reflex, only to be met by Goten's eyes that was burning with anger and the words hissed in an icy tone that was the complete opposite of his eyes, "You killed my father."

And before he could move a muscle, Goten punched him.

Trunks squinted an eye open as pain stung his face, and he saw Goten towering above him. Still furious, Goten took him by the collar of his fighting gi, and lifted him up, staring deep into his eyes. "What's wrong, Trunks? You were strong enough to knock me down before. Why are you now holding back?!"

"I don't want to fight you," came Trunks' weak reply.

Goten threw him back to the ground, and then, he put his foot over the latter's chest, pressing down without hesitation. "It will take more than this to make you pay for what you did to the people I loved --- because it was your fault that I lost them all!" he shot angrily as he pressed his foot on Trunks' chest even harder.

The other could only grimace in pain.

Then Goten started kicking his adversary, but to his surprise, his former best friend wasn't fighting back. "Don't be a coward and fight," he snapped in a huff. "Now is your chance to kill me, so take it! But why aren't you fighting back? What do you really want with me?"

"I need your help."

The demi-saiyajin stopped. "Help?" he began with an expression of disbelief. "You need help?! Stop fooling around, Trunks! I know what your real motives are. You're just trying to get my sympathy and compassion so I won't finish you off, and then you'll strike me from behind. I'm not falling for that trick. Think of a better one, maybe you have other ideas that might just work."

However, Trunks' sapphire eyes were utterly serious. "I'm not fooling around, Goten. Yes, I'm envious of you --- I was and I still am. You have everything while I have nothing. You're better than me in everything imaginable. And when Thanatos gave me the chance to kill you by offering me power like no other, I took the chance. But I was wrong in doing so. I'm now a prisoner. His prisoner."

Goten raised an eyebrow.

"He told me that once I'll be able complete my final mission, I'll be free. And that final mission is to kill you. But no, I'll never be free. Because that final mission of his will send me to my grave. Yes, I've become a lot more puissant thanks to him and the power he gave me, but you're still more powerful than me even at that development. Especially with anger as your springboard. And there's only one way for me to be free. That is---"

"To defeat Thanatos and finish him off?" the other inquired.

Trunks nodded. "That's precisely why I need your help. I can't beat him alone."

"I'll pass," Goten replied before he turned around to leave.

"Goten, PLEASE! I'm begging you!" the other exclaimed as he scrambled to his feet and attempted to catch up with the demi-saiyajin. "There's no other way!"

"There's no other way to what? Set you free? Why should I care about you? Why should I help you? Why should I help someone who put me in jeopardy in the first place?"

Trunks met the other's gaze without hesitation. "I know. I'm responsible for all the pain you are feeling. I'm responsible for all your suffering. I killed your family. I stole your wife. I framed you up. I betrayed you. But now, I deeply regret what I've done. I don't know what came to me and brought me into the madness, but I also don't know what brought me out of it either. It just happened," he explained. "I know that I cannot bring back the people who died in my hands, or in the hands of the demon who mislead me, but I do know that justice can be achieved."

"Justice. Mercy. Sympathy. Kindness. Compassion. Love. All those things. Did you even think about them, when you pledged allegiance to Thanatos?" Goten asked sternly, but he was answered by silence. "I take it your answer's a no."

The other hesitated, but then, he nodded. "You're right. I didn't think about them, because I was too occupied in attaining my revenge. In getting back at you. My pride took over my common sense, along with my anger and hate."

Then he went down on both knees, in front of Goten, and his younger brother, Boxer, who had been quiet all along. "Please, give me a chance. I need your help in defeating our common enemy. Alone, I am incapable of victory. But with your help, Goten --- and you too, Boxer --- we might just win." He paused to look at them with pleading eyes. "We're the only warriors left in this world. We're Earth's last and only line of defense. And we should not waste our time by arguing over these matters. We need to take action now. Please. I'm begging you. Put your trust in me, and fight by my side."

Boxer's eyes softened at his brother's words, for he actually felt sincerity and honesty behind those words. Before he could say something, however, the other warrior cut him off once again, his suspicion still apparent.

"Give me one good reason why I should trust you," Goten challenged.

Trunks met his gaze. "Because there's nobody else you can trust."