Interlude: Fragments of Images

Nothing he had ever experienced could have prepared Trunks for what happened to him during his trip to the past. It was like his life was shattering like a mirror before his eyes, and the splinters were tearing his mind apart. Flashes of images, fragments of memories: they were dazzling around him and taking him on an emotional rollercoaster.

How had Future Trunks ever been able to go through this three times? The sheer pain and confusion he was feeling right now was enough to drive him insane, he seemed to be holding onto his sanity by only his fingernails, shuddering and crying in a puddle of blood, snot and tears.

No mind, human or Saiya-jin, was designed for time travel, especially not after a traumatic experience as Trunks had been through. He was struggling against it, trying to break free and to hide behind his mental barriers again, but the flashes and the memories kept coming, ravaging and leaving open wounds.

~The crater that had been Capsule Corp~

~Marron, gently wiping blood from his face, her other hand feeding him a sensu bean. Her soft blond hair is shining like a halo in the sunlight. She looks like an angel. "There are no dragonballs anymore." There is naked pain in her eyes, an ill expression on her face. She is so desperately trying to be strong. "And… it's just you and me now. Goten is dead. We… we're the only ones left."~

He whimpered.

~Bulma, scolding him for the muddy mess that used to be his clothes before his most recent sparring session with Goten. He turns away from her, hiding his laughter, because this is a weekly ritual, and he knows she's not that serious anyway~

~His father's voice coming from afar, smirking at him to get up and show his worth of his Saiya-jin heritage, while he is dizzily glazing at the floor tiles of the Gravity Room~

~His first kiss. She has long blond hair and has the sweetest smile. She is in his class, and Trunks feels warm with the feelings of the crush he has on her. She tastes even sweeter than she looks~

~He opens his window and takes off, his ki level low, so his parents will not notice he is not studying. He has exams tomorrow, but it's a beautiful night. Maybe Goten feels like sparring or hanging out? It's not as if Goten would be studying on a night like this~

"…Let me go. Let me sleep. I don't want to see this!"

~Marron's last kiss goodbye~

~That horrifying, gut wrenching feeling when they break out of their fusion and Trunks feels his oneness with Goten slip away – forever~

~The explosion at the horizon that killed his father and Goku~

~They are too late~

~"No... this can't be happening? Mom? Bra? Father?!!"

~"Goten is dead."~

~"Don't worry Marron… I'll make everything right again…"

~"We… we're the only ones left."~

~"I love you…"

"Kami, no," he cried. "Let me alone, I can't take this anymore!"

~Failure~

~Pain~

~Death~

~Loss~

~Just… let go. Let it all go… Mercy… Peace? Yes… let go…~

Trunks barely even noticed he was laughing insanely as he gave into his feelings and felt his mind blessedly blank out.