Trunks was on his bed, it was still in Rei's room.  She was asleep on her bed: the experience in her mind had left her exhausted and Trunks began to ponder his actions

[A man as cunning as Gendo will no doubt have had ways to see us a few minutes ago.  He will not take this lightly] Trunks knew Gendo's type: arrogant, but very smart

[I better go and get those pictures.  That old goat better not have looked at them] Trunks thought and got up, kissing Rei on the cheek as he left

As he walked, Trunks felt several Ki signatures following him, he assumed they were either gang members or Gendo's goons: either way he could handle them.  If they were gang members he could just draw his sword and that would be that, the Nerv men he may have to show off a bit of power to though.

"Okay, whoever you are, come out now.  This isn't Dick Tracy where you can tail a man in rubber soled shoes" Trunks got tired of the rustling and called their bluff

A few men in black suits came out from bushes and buildings, all scowling and muttering

"You are instructed to come to Nerv Headquarters with us" the main guard said

Trunks decided to play low for a change

"Okay.  Lead the way" he answered

The stunned security men approached him carefully and placed a blindfold over his face

"Oh you kinky thing, you" Trunks joked, making them all look nervous

After being led to a car and driven a few miles, Trunks was led into a building.  What the stooges that had him did not know was that he was sending out Ki waves like sonar pulses and was able to get a fair idea as to where he was.  Eventually they stopped and took the blindfold off

"Was it as good for you as it was for me?" Trunks couldn't help joking with them; it was funny

"Leave us!" a voice ordered

Trunks turned around to see the man he really wanted to kill: Gendo Ikari, he was standing in all his smug glory behind a huge wooden desk.  He looked the part of the evil genius but Trunks suspected he was only a pawn and someone else was moving the pieces around here.

"So we meet again", Gendo said

"Could you be anymore cliché?" Trunks groaned and sat down

"You are remarkably confident for a boy of your age in your position.  Idiot" Gendo said and smirked

[Call me another name old man and see me wipe that smile off your face real quick] Trunks prayed for Gendo to give him an excuse to kill the man.

"I don't how you got into my pilot's mind, but I don't really care.  Do it again and I will kill you, or her whichever is easiest" Gendo told Trunks flatly

"Really.  Your goons will need one hell of a boost if they want to kill her or me, especially me" Trunks retorted

"I have other means of execution at my disposal" Gendo bit back

"You are you telling me this, it's like you have Bond Villian-itas, telling the good guy his plan before trying to kill him or threatening to kill him.  Have you ever watched a movie?" Trunks was toying with him

"I have no time for insolent babble.  My point has been made" he paused and approached Trunks; he was tall for a teenager but Gendo was still bigger

"I will kill her or you, maybe even both of you, understand"

"Ha, understand me, human, I hold more power in my hand than you are capable of handling in your whole body" Trunks sneered

"And what of Rei, why train her if she cannot take the strain?  I know she is weak" Gendo relayed this to the agents in Rei's room: she had been awoken by them and was listening

"Because like me, Rei is unique, she holds a power that will rival mine if it is brought through" Trunks snapped

Gendo's eyes widened: he knew that this boy wasn't bluffing about his own power, but was he bluffing about Rei's?  Gendo was not certain about this.

"Don't lie to me boy.  I can smell a lie at fifty paces", Gendo snarled

"Well the stink must be yours pal, you haven't spoken truth since I walked in" Trunks retorted

"I think we are done" Trunks added and turned to leave

"No" Gendo threw an energy blast at him; Trunks just let it hit him and kept walking

"I'll allow that, only once, do it again, and I'll shoot back" Trunks warned

"Will you" Gendo said and shot again, Trunks dodged

[Fine, you want to call my bluff, it's your pain] he thought and phased behind Gendo and shot a finger width beam through his shoulder.

Gendo fell to the ground howling in pain, he'd felt worse but this really hurt and the suddenness of it made him scream louder than he really wanted to.

"That will heal over in a few days.  Remember, super powerful" Trunks mocked as he left the room.

************

A guard was more than happy to show him the exit and left him there and went away pretty quickly.  Trunks shrugged and continued on his way to the chemist for the photos.  He arrived at the chemist about fifteen minutes later

"Ah, young man.  I have that roll of film for you" the counter clerk said and handed Trunks a package of photos

"Thanks" Trunks said and began leafing through them

Most of them were of a dark room with some control panels and such, but soon the pictures turned nasty.  A sequence of photos showed Rei stripped naked by two big guards that gave Nappa a run for his money on the sheer beefiness of their bodies; inject her with something and put her in a glass tube, she was still struggling but not as badly.

Trunks was furious: how dare they do this to her, to anyone, small relief that nothing else happened, or he would level the whole Nerv building.  The next shot was of Rei, closer; her face was twisted in agony as Trunks could only guess what they were doing to her and after another few shots she was still.  Then he saw a man, a man he did not recognise at all but he instantly hated him.  Trunks checked the date on the photo: it was the day of the party, the one after which Rei began to act funny.

"Gendo" Trunks's voice was low and dangerous but he kept his cool and walked home

The old man watched Trunks go and chuckled with a great deal of happiness: he had seen many young men and young women come and go, they were likeable but none had even seemed to hold values that Trunks seemed to.  The old man had sensed Trunks was a throw back to the Knight of the Round Table in his attitudes.

"Strength.  Honour.  Valour.  Truth.  Peace.  Kindness.  United we stand, divided we fall" the old man recited the code of the Knights of the Round Table he read in a book

That and seeing his sword was a bit of a giveaway that he was a swordsman.

"Such a strange world we live in now" he mused and went back to his work

****************

Rei was twisting and turning in her sleep again, more nightmares of things she did not recognise or wish to even know existed.  She woke up and was again covered in sweat

[I have to do something about this] she decided and looked around her room, searching for an out of place mass.  She found him by the fridge drinking some water

"What is going on in my head?" she asked

"You are experiencing my memories.  It is an irritating part of the bonding process," Trunks explained and put his glass down.

"Why are they mainly so, violent?" Rei asked

"Because my past has been mainly that.  Fighting, fighting to protect those who cannot protect themselves or against an enemy they cannot beat" he said and sat down

"Have you and Goten, ever lost?" Rei was curious

Trunks smiled and walked over to Rei and looked her in the eyes so she would know he wasn't lying

"No"

*****************

Goten was on his own bed thinking about Asuka and the upcoming tournament: if he and Trunks fought, which was inevitable, then Trunks would insist on giving them a show and try and make him transform in front of everyone and, well, he figured enough people knew about them with out compounding it.

Still, he secretly enjoyed when Trunks goaded him into a full power fight: it felt good to get the lead out and really power up and just have fun.  He hated being constricted to small power levels

"I wonder what the Shin and Old Kai are doing now?" he wondered out of interest what his two teachers were doing

*****************

Shin was in the palace of Kaishin, named after the previous Supreme Kai and he was not happy: he had asked Goten and Trunks to be discreet and now seven people knew of their power, and five of them knew of their mission to Earth: that was not his idea of discreet.  Not to mention the ones that suspected them out of their odd behaviour

"I should have kept them here until Buu was nearer" Shin berated himself

"Shin, this is their doing and they will live with what happens on the planet until they are called into service" Old Kai was in the same room; in fact he seldom left Shin, they were good friends

Kibito came in and spoke

"Old Kai is right Shin, you must not trouble yourself with what they do; they have endured worse" Kibito reasoned

"Yes, that is what scares me" Shin voiced his concern

Old Kai suddenly knew what Shin really meant: those boys had seen a great deal of death and violence in their short lifetime and they knew that kind of thing took it's toll, and even Saiyens had breaking points, Old Kai knew this and so did Shin

"So you're wondering when the boys will break?" he asked finally

"Yes.  Imagine it; all that anger, hurt and pain all being released and turned to energy, and the emotional attachments they have made won't help at all" Shin explained

"What do you mean master?" Kibito wasn't following the whole thing

"I mean Kibito, if something happens to either of those girls, then Earth will feel the fury of the Sayiens and mercy will not be given" he explained further

"I am worried about Trunks most of all" Old Kai added

"Why is that?" Kibito was not at all on par today

"Well, Goten was always expressive, even after his family were gone, it's in his nature to show emotion.  Trunks on the other hand had Vegeta for a father and while that can be an advantage in some ways" he began

Kibito nodded, urging the Old Kai on

"It also made him very proud and like his father, was only very expressive in select company; his mother, father and sister, and with Goten to a lesser extent.  Otherwise, he has kept it all to himself and if he's been as affected as Goten, then Trunks is a very unstable powder keg waiting to go off" Old Kai finished

Shin snorted ruefully

"And then may we all have mercy upon Earth, because Trunks won't" he said

Later on, Old Kai went to watch Trunks from the viewer and began to observe his dreams

[This seems a nightmare] he said to himself as he watched the carnage play out in the young warrior's head

**************

Trunks was indeed having a nightmare:

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Majin Buu was fighting him and winning, on the battlefield lay the bodies of Earth's finest warriors: Asuka, Shinji and his friend Goten.  He himself was in Super Saiyen 3 and still being tossed around like a rag doll.  The Rei came to help him, he knew it was her but she was different: Rei's body glowed white and her hair was silver and a pair of great blue wings were on her back, the epitome of angelic power

"We fight together" she said and helped him up, Trunks nodded

The pair turned on Buu and attacked him, blasting and belting with all that they had, but it was all in vein.  He beat them down

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Old Kai was sure they were dead

"Oh dear" he said and put his head in his hands

Then something happened.  Old Kai felt a power spike, the likes of which he had never sensed.  He looked to the viewer and saw something incredible

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

The energies of Rei and Trunk's bodies had combined, much like a fusion while they were motionless on the ground.  The energy formed a being of light with great wings and the hair of a Super Saiyen 3.  Old Kai was nearly overwhelmed by the power he could feel, even though this being was a figment of someone's imagination.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Upon comparing it to Buu's power level from memory, it became clear that Buu was nothing to this fighter: he was the fusion of Saiyen and Angel created a being of such immense power that it could destroy the galaxy on a whim.

"Such a fighter would be a blessing against Buu" Old Kai said

The warrior was about to step into the light but then the dream stopped: Trunks had woken up

"Wait… The Prophecy!' Old Kai cried and ran to a room in the Palace of the Kai's where scrolls were kept.

After rifling through them he found it: a piece of torn parchment that showed a fused being of two of the System of 6, it had no name other than 'The Union'.  Old Kai wished he had the rest of the parchment for it may shed some more light on the subject.  However, the picture of the being on the parchment matched that of the one he saw in Trunks's dream

"Well, Buu, you may find your doom on the planet Earth after all" he mused and sniggered

*******************

Trunks got up and saw that he was still in Rei's apartment: a situation though appealing, was rather inappropriate given the circumstances of their relationship

[Better move back this afternoon] he decided

Trunks gently shook the pale girl awake as he went to get changed

"What time is it?" she asked, getting up.

"It's…" Trunks didn't finish

Rei obviously was used to living alone, she was sleeping nude.  Before he was going to get caught staring, Trunks spun around quickly

[Evil thoughts Trunks.  Bad] he silently berated himself, although he could almost hear his father saying 'Quite a show you got', and he could even hear his response 'Shut up, old man'

"Is something wrong?" a soft voice cut through Trunks's thoughts

"Um, you're nude" he choked, gulping also

"Am I unattractive, is that why you've turned around?" Rei asked, not sounding hurt, although Trunks could feel it in her Ki that she was

"No, it's definitely not that, you're incredibly beautiful but, I was raised in such a manner that has given me a kind of modesty in dealing with nude women, unless we're, well, you know, I make it my business to give her privacy" he explained, knowing full he sounded like a dork

"So you are simply being respectful of my privacy" Rei pressed to make sure she had the point

"Yes" Trunks said, thanking all that was holy that she understood

"Thank you.  When we change, the commanders are usually watching us" she told him out of interest

Rei blinked when she saw his muscles tense at the mention of the commanders, but she had a feeling that the emotion that radiated off him like heat, hatred, was directed at Gendo and not Fuyutski, still, she was flattered by the concern.

Trunks made a quick escape up to his place and allowed Rei her privacy.  As he went, Rei couldn't help but smile at him; she even let out a small chuckle

**************

He slammed the door to the apartment, shocking Goten who promptly stuck his head out of the kitchen

"What the hell's wrong with you?" he asked, and took note of Trunks's attire: scuffled clothes, and he was sweating

"Ah, a quickie before school hey" Goten teased

"Fuck you" Trunks shot back and went for a shower

"That will be Asuka's pleasure alone buddy" Goten was quick to respond

Trunks said nothing; as he turned on his shower, ice cold.  The urge to just take Rei right then and there was very strong, an irritating side effect of his Saiyen genes.  Goten just chuckled and awaited the arrival of his friend so they could leave for school.

"Ah young love" he playfully mocked his friend's condition

Before long, Trunks was done and they left for school.  The pair met Rei on the way and Trunks fell into step with her, making glances at her along with smiles.  Which, Goten noted with satisfaction, Rei replied in kind.  Before reaching the gates, Shinji, Hikari and Asuka met up with them: they looked excited

"Hey guys, what's up?" Goten asked

"Goten, ya dope.  It's the Tournament today" Asuka cried

"Damn" Goten, Trunks and Rei cursed in unison

"Hmmm" Shinji just made noises

"We better go back and get our Gis" Trunks said

"I'll go, Rei.  Do you want your's?" Goten asked

Rei nodded and Goten pressed his fingers to his forehead as his father taught him and used the Instant Transmission.  Making even Trunks rise an eyebrow

"I hate when he does that" Asuka said and sat to watch the preparations: this was going to be a Tournament to remember

How right she was.

Once Goten returned with the Gis, they all went to their respective places and awaited being calling to the arena to fight as their names were drawn:

Arena 1

Match 1:  Trunks v/s Akira

Match 2:  Asuka v/s Hikari

Match 3:  Rei v/s Toji

Match 4:  Shinji v/s Tai

Match 5:  Goten v/s Mari

Match 6:  Takato v/s Lee

Match 7:  Ryoko v/s Tetsuo

Match 8:  Kana v/s Keiko

After seeing whom they were fighting, the group of friends went to eat.  Trunks was a little worried about Rei fighting Toji: he seemed to scare her and although he knew Rei could use Toji for a mop if she wanted to, if he held a psychological edge, it might be enough to defeat her

"Rei, how do you feel about your first bout?" Trunks asked

"Apprehensive, but I am confident in my abilities", she answered

Rei gave Trunks a small smile, her lips barely curved at all

"I have you to thank for that" she said and went to change into her Gi, leaving Trunks slightly dumbstruck

"Okay" he said to himself

************

After all contestants were changed, the ring announcer, an old man who used to box in Vegas addressed the crowd

"All right young fighters, are you ready?" he asked

"YEAH" they all, except Rei, chorused

"Well then, lets get our first contestants into the ring" he said and called out Trunks and Akira

The ring was a large stone platform raised about a foot off the ground with stairs.  As he got on, Trunks analysed his competition.  Akira was a big kid: 6'1 with lean and well-sculpted muscles and an air of confidence around him, of course he stood no chance against Trunks, but Trunks felt it was good to see a person who knew that if they were beaten, they were beaten

"Okay lads, shake hands and move to your ends of the ring", the old boxer said

They shook hands

"Hold nothing back Trunks, I want a good fight" Akira said

"I'll do my best to accommodate you" Trunks replied

They exchanged bows in traditional form and went in the opposite direction until there was roughly 12 feet between them and took a ready stance.  Akira was a very distinct user of Shaolin Kung-Fu, but no one other than Goten recognised Trunks's style

"Fighters ready, begin" the announcer said and jumped from the ring

At first neither fighter moved but Akira went for a lightning strike at Trunks, but Trunks moved before he could hit him.  Then as quick as Akira could, he began to throw punches and kicks in all directions, but Trunks dodged every one of them

"This is boring" Goten whined and lay down on the bleachers

Goten wasn't the only one to think the fight was rather poor

"Grrr, stop moving and fight damn it" Akira said

"Okay" Trunks said and speed around behind Akira and kicked him in the bends of the knees, and as he fell, Trunks delivered a firm but non lethal strike to the head, knocking his opponent out

"Ah, winner by knock-out, Trunks" the referee said and had medics come and carry the unconscious Akira off the ring

Trunks slowly walked down the stairs and went to sit with his friends.  Everyone made a kind of circle around him as he walked, they all feared him now, not that he minded.  He sat down beside Rei

"Next match, Asuka Langley Soryu and Hikari Horaki" the announcer called.

Asuka and Hikari made their way down to the ring, as Trunks and Akira before them, they exchanged a handshake and bows, then they each took a stance and waited for the match to officially begin

"Begin!" the Ref said

Asuka and Hikari leapt at each other with gusto and their forearms connected, each of them unwilling to give an inch in the fight.  This pose continued for a bit until they jumped back and then began to build a small energy blast

"Ha!" Asuka yelled and threw hers

Hikari deflected it, jumped and threw her own in response and then tried to get behind Asuka to grab her, she succeeded

"Ready to give up, Asuka?" Hikari asked as she held Asuka in a restraining position

"Not on your life sweetie" Asuka mocked and jumped up, breaking the hold and landed behind Hikari, and quickly kicked her the back of the legs, making her fall down.

Not one to be easily beaten, Hikari turned the attack to her advantage and flipped onto her feet and the pair began exchanging punches again, at rate no one had ever seen before.  Trunks analysed what his friend had taught them

"You have taught them very well" he complimented

"Well when your father is Goku and your brother is Gohan, there isn't much you don't pick up" he replied a little smugly

The fight was still going well for either girl, all it would take on either side was one small mistake and then one would have the other where she wanted her.  It took nearly twenty minutes of rather spectacular (by human standards) fighting for it to happen: Asuka had Hikari near the edge of the ring and was going to knock her off, but one foot was incorrectly placed and Hikari swept Asuka off her feet with a trip, and before the other girl could right herself, Hikari jumped and planted a powerful kick in Asuka's back and sent her into the ground.

There was much cheering and clapping for both girls: they had fought long and hard, it was a great match

"Well let's hear it for both competitors for giving us a marvellous show of skill, determination and power" the announcer said, another mighty cheer rose from all assembled

Asuka and Hikari shook hands and went and sat down with their friends, they were dripping in sweat and were very tired

"Asuka, you…are…one hard…fighter", Hikari panted as the ever-thoughtful Shinji wiped her forehead with a wet towel

"You…aren't so bad…yourself" Asuka replied and told Goten it was a massage or his life tonight, and then asked for a towel

"Yes ma'am" he replied and went to fetch the requested item.

****************

The Referee got onto the stage again after tending to some results and the draw

"Okay, third match, Rei Ayanami and Toji Suzaharra" he announced

Rei stood and began to walk towards the ring, then she stopped and pecked Trunks on the cheek, but as quick as a flash; he got up, spun her around kissed her on the lips, in front of everyone

"Fight well, I know you have the power", he said

"I will" she promised and continued on her way to the ring, her apprehension lessened

Hikari and Goten smiled while Asuka and Shinji did their impressions of stunned mullets; as a smirking Trunks sat down to watch the fight.

[Grind the little bastard into dust] Trunks thought as the two met on the ring

This would be a good fight.

****************

Toji looked at Rei: she was a lot more relaxed for this fight than she was last time she entered a competition like this, and she seemed stronger

"Well, let's see if you can make it past the first round this time" Toji said

Rei said nothing and took her stance; the same kind that Trunks used.  Toji snorted and assumed a Karate position and awaited the Referee to say fight.

"Fight!" the ref cried

Toji moved first and went for a knee strike at the stomach, Rei blocked

"What?" Toji was confused: Rei never had the speed, let alone the power needed to block one of his moves.

His thoughts were interrupted by a very painful impact to the face from a fast moving object: Rei's fist.  Toji flew back and landed on his backside.  Most of the crowd gasped at the sight of a senior being beaten by a junior, Rei no less.

"You're training her certainly yielded positive results" Asuka noted: she'd never seen Rei move so fast

"Most of the credit must go to her, after all, I can only teach but she must implement the training" Trunks deferred the praise

Back in the arena, Rei was making short work of Toji, but he wasn't a champion for no reason.  Rei went in for a hammer blow with both her hands, leaving her open, in this instant, Toji discharged an energy wave, at a distance of less than 2 feet.  Rei was immersed in the energy.  People began to stand up and shout with panic, Trunks didn't though

"It'll take more than a piss weak shot like that to stop her" he said and waited for the dust to clear

When it did, Rei was still standing, her Gi had been a bit burnt but she was otherwise uninjured.  She lowered her arms that were in a defensive position and drew her hand back; and then began to gather energy in it.  It was dark purple and Goten recognised it instantly

"Gallic Gun, you taught her that move?" he asked

"Yes, I did" Trunks answered

Rei was still gathering energy in her hand while Toji analysed the attack: it seemed straight forward enough for him to either dodge or deflect.  And judging by what was going on with Rei, unless she hit him with this wave, then she was out of power and he could attack when she was tired.  So with that plot in mind, Toji got ready.

"Gallic Gun!" Rei cried and threw the ball

Toji dodged it easily; and while Rei was panting he raced forwards and knocked her down: they were near the edge of the ring, all Toji had to do was toe her in the ribs and she was out.  Rei smiled and waved her arm in a 'come hither' motion, Toji thought she was being silly, until the energy wave hit him and knocked him out of the ring and making Rei the winner of the match