And We Shall Be Victorious

Moon Seeker

Book I

Chapter 9

Three Days Till The End, Three Days Of Terror – Kami Lookout

Both half-saiyins were flying at top speed toward Kami Lookout. Nothing stood in they way, and they stopped for nothing. If before they were wondering, now they didn't have any doubt: a new enemy was there, and it had already made many victims. At the speed they were going, it took them around one hour to reach Kami Lookout, but on they way there, they were the unfortunate spectator of the enemy handy work on top of Korin Tower. For a few second, Goten thought that a bunch of hungry animals were responsible for this, the extent of the carnage been so monstrous: body parts were laying everywhere and blood was covering everything. What was once a sanctuary was now just a poor imitation of a butchery.

After glancing at Trunks, they decided to get a better look, this is the last thing they wanted to do, but they didn't have any choice: they knew nothing about their new enemy, but at least they could see what he could do. So landing on the floor, they walked inside. This was the first time they actually went here, since it was always Krillin, Goku or Jarioby that toke care of the sensu bean. They didn't and couldn't really get very far, neither one of them wanting to walk on a piece of their friends' body.

"Trunks, there is nothing to see, they look like they have been half eat!" Goten turned toward Trunks but he had his eye fixed on something that was behind a table. From were they stood, he couldn't really tell what it was.

"Trunks what are you looking at?" he eyes was half-close in his effort to see what got Trunks interest. "What' that, it look like a ball" but even has he said it he had a bad feeling about it. He was going to get closer when Trunks hold his arm, looking at him, he saw his eye were wide open. His pupils were dilated so much that the only thing you could see what the blue of his eye and a little dot in the middle.

"There are here," whispered Trunks, his eyes getting so wide, Goten was sure it was going to fall off his head. And this time, the black of his pupils completely disappear. It looked like two pool of the purest water, two liquid sapphires. Damn he has beautiful eye. He would have said it aloud if he didn't know Trunks was scared shitless.

"Trunks! Stop looking at the ball, and tell me what's wrong" he took the older boy in his arm and held him close to him, but Trunks expression didn't waver.

"It not a ball Goten" he voice was so low he had to stretch his hear to heard him speak.

"It Tenshihan head, and its speaking to us"

@~~|~~@

I'm going to have nightmare over this one. Trunks was on the roof of his house and he had lowered his power level so that the other couldn't sense him. He needed some time to regain his wit before going to talk to them, however, right now, he was more sorry that he didn't accept Goten offer to get his mother and grand-father together so that they could all tell them what have been happened together.

Even after Dende, Mister Popo, and Goten talk to him, and the long flight toward his house, he could still hear the voice in his head. Talking, whispering, murmuring with his last breath, keeping his strength, his secret until someone would come, someone would arrive, someone would see what have been done to him, to them, then share his message to prevent that such action would never take place again.

Trunks was shaking to much that he couldn't control his ki any longer and let it increase, having has a result that Videl, Pan and Bra sensing him right away.

"Trunks! What are you doing on the roof! Come down now, mother is just wasting away with worry!"

Trunks sighted, he should have known better then to think that she would let him in peace. Taking in a big breath, he flew trough the kitchen window where everyone was. He wasn't in the room for one minute that he was already plagued with a thousand questions.

"Just shut the hell up!" everyone shut up, looking at him with surprise.

Bulma, quickly come back from her surprise "What do you mean jut shut up; you were supposed to see what up with the missing ki and you were gone for the entire day! And don't you dare talk to me in this tone and with such language!" she was doing all she could do not to start screaming. She just had to look at her son face to know that something had scare him, but there was no way he was going to say anything about it, not with everyone there.

Sighting and lowering his head, he sat down at the table "Look, I just came from Kami Lookout, and I have some bad news, but I can't say anything if you all keep asking question like that!" sighting again, he put his head on the table. He was waiting for the shout of indignation that he knew would come. However, strangely, he didn't hear anything. Raising his head, he saw all the look of sympathy in they eyes. I really must look like shit. Passing his hand in his hair, and straitening himself on his chair, he begin telling them what he saw, well, what they must know, leaving all the details to his father when he will come back.

Keeping his head down (he didn't want to look at they face when he tell them what he saw) he told them the truth as strait forward as he could, and beside, in the point where they were, baiting around the bushed really didn't make any sense. "Master Roshi Island, and Korin Tower are destroyed and everybody in it and the time machine came back but without father and the other, the people killing everybody must have come from the future, and took the machine to the present and that it" he raised his head to see they reaction. All he could see was blank stare.

He looked at them.

They looked at him.

This, cannot be good.

"WHAT!" everyone shouted at the same time.

Here we go; I just knew I should have gone with Goten!

Cringed at the loud noise he settle himself on the chair for what seemed to become a long time, and begin telling the long tale of the missing ki.

I don't fucking care! Next time, I'm going with father!

@~~|~~@

He was worried about Trunks. Even if he didn't say anything except 'let's go see Dende', he knew that he was still shook up about what happened. All of them tried to make him talk, but he didn't say a thing, just looked bored like hell. However, he saw trough his mask. I should have force him to come with me, at least he wouldn't have been alone with the other. Flying at top speed, he went to his house.

When he came, his mother and his grandfather were seated in the kitchens talking about something or other.

"Mother, you have to come with me to Bulma house, you too grand-pa"

"Young man, his that the way you come home, where were you? You could have at least call home, but nooo, probably to busy fighting with Trunks again, am I right?" she was standing with both hand on her hip, daring him with her eyes to find an excuse to his absence. He was just going to give up when King Ox take notice of what he said.

"What do you mean we have to go to Bulma house now, what have happened?" he put his hand on his daughter shoulder to calm her, sensing that whatever he was going to hear was not going to be good.

"People have being dying everywhere, and the time machine came back but no one is there." for a whole 5 seconds, Chichi just stood here, gaping at her son, that all it took for Goten to flee to his room to take whatever he may need, and for his father to tighten his hold on her. He had just the time to close the door when the screeching came. Taking the bag he made, he went by the window to the car and waited for them here, they were just no use talking to her until she calm down and by the sound of it, and she was nowhere near it.

Sitting in the car, he looked by the windows, until now he didn't think really about the implication of founding the ship empty. His mind just refuses to process the information. Now with nothing to do then to listen to his mother ranting, his mind begins to tell him what he should expect: That once again his father will die on him, and he basically feel nothing. To say the truth he was more worried about Vegeta and Piccolo then his own father and that was bothering the hell out of him. And let not even talk about Gohan… He didn't hate them, it just that, for some reason he couldn't bring him to fell worried about them. This is not right; I don't think it's normal that when a dangerous situation occurs, you are more worried for the well-being of the sworn rival of your father then the safety of say father. But then how can you worried after someone you barely knew? He knew more about Vegeta past then Goku! That was saying a lot considering that Vegeta never talking about his past to anybody, except to tell them that they were just commoner and that he was a prince.

He would have pondered more on this mystery, if his mother didn't choose this instant to come back to her sense and to come rushing to the car, and after that it was a long ride, listening her complaining about her husband, her children, and they respective 'friend', while his grandfather tried to console her.

Trunks I really need you now, please be all right.

@~~|~~@

I need you too Goten, hurry up, I'm waiting for you. After the announcement, he had passed the rest of the time explaining thing to everybody repeatedly. And that was before the panic phase that gain everybody a little while ago. Now they were in the 'find a plan' phase. Finally after many talk, his mother, his sister and he (with the three of them, there was not way the other could have say anything) they decided to send everybody that 'couldn't contributed any help' (short for useless) on Kami lookout. That means that Mr Satan, Mrs and Mr Brief, and King Ox (when he will arrive) will be sent away. Bra, Pan, Chichi will go with them to be sure that all was all right.

Well that what was supposed to happen, but as always, they were always some problem, in other word the girls refuse to be 'sent away'. In that why he was in the living room, battling with his sister under the worried glare of the other occupant (they have both powers up, not to full power but high enough that the surrounding area could suffer serious damage if they do duck it out), so when the other came, they arrival passed totally without notice.

When Goten saw Trunks and Bra, he just raised his Ki then flew into Trunks room. As usual, it was a total mess, very different then is own room, which was sparkling clean. He just loved Trunks room, probably because he passed more time his room then in his own. In fact, he passed so much time in Trunks room that Bulma   had put a small bed in it, a bed that he didn't use for a long time but not for the lack of staying here all night long.

 "Goten, are you awake" raising his head from his position on the bed he saw him standing in front of him.

"No" he tapped the other side of the bed. Smiling, Trunks came next to him, his head on his stomach. "Are you all right? How the talk with the other went" he passed his hand on the lavender hair. He just loved Trunks hair, it was so soft…totally different from his own, or all the other saiyins for that matter. Even Gohan hair was not like his.

"Yes and awful, this is time like that I wish father was there." Goten chuckle softly. If Vegeta was there, we would have already know who was the enemy, battle him at least one, find out a weakness along with his strong point, and train at least for a few day to beat it.

"Trunks what was that all about? You and Bra?"

"We have decided to send the other in Kami lookout, so that they will be safer here. But Bra just refuses to listen" Trunks sounded so frustrated, Goten looked down on his face, but he couldn't see anything with all his hair on his face.

"Trunks, what's the matter?"

"I want Bra, mama and all the other out of the way…I…I don't want them to get hurt…like the other."

"Oh Trunks" he hold Trunks closer to him. Of course, after what we saw on the tower, if something happen, I don't want them to get hurt as well. "You know maybe she will be safer with us, since we could watch over them."

"mmnn" after that, he knew it will be the only thing he will add. Kissing the top of his head, he waited until the others were all gone. After a while, just when he was going to fall asleep, he heard something that told him that his little nap would definitively have to wait.

"Goten! Goten!" maybe if I don't answers she will think that I have fallen asleep.

"Goten! Come now!" when he saw Trunks move is head, he push it back on his stomach. Grinning at him, he nodded his head; he too didn't want to deal with any of them. He loved is family to death, but right now he just wanted to pass some quiet moment with the love of his life. However, it was not to be.

"Goten I know you are awake! Come down here immediately! We must have a serious talk!"

Shit! "She can be such a pain in the ass sometime"

"Well Goten I think we better go downstairs before they came get us. That would have been a pain in the ass, and this time literally" Goten laughed out lout, it still puzzle him that he could take a punch in the face with no problem, but each time his mother punish him, its hurt like hell. "So? Race you down stair?" laughing, Trunks was out of the bed and out of the room in a matter of second.

"Hey! You cheated!" he yelled, but it was already too late, the only thing that was left for him was to power up and speeds up.

For a little while, laughter was heard amidst the packing of the others, reminding everybody, that whatever they age, and power, they were still two young boys at heart.

Kami, I only ask you one thing, and only one thing, and that his that you protect my little boy, both of them.

@~~|~~@

When Vegeta finally decided to take a short break, he discovers that he was not the only one up. It took only few second to determine who was still up and where he was. When he came in front of the room, he saw that the door was half-open. He hesitated a little bit but decided to enter. After all, I had better talk to the boy before he kills himself, the woman would never forgive me.

Opening the door, the sight that meets him was a strange one. Gohan was fast asleep on the bed, the only thing that could be see of him was a few strand of hair. As for Trunks, he was standing in front of the window, looking at the horizons. With his hair in a ponytail and his jacket, he looked like Bulma.

"Brat, what are you doing? Have you finished with the time machine?"

"Almost, two or three thing and we should be okay"

"When we will be able to go?"

"Tomorrow morning"

Vegeta frowned. Walking behind him, he stood next to him. The sky was red. "You better go to sleep, or you are going to fall" he looked at his face:  it was strained; it was evident that he didn't sleep for a long time.

"I can't sleep" leaning his face on the window he added "hadn't been able sleep for a long time." I hope she is safe.

"You are going to be useless to us if you fall asleep in the middle of a battle" he voice was harsh, normally Trunks should have reacted to it, but right now he didn't have the energy to pick a fight. His entire body was exhausted, is mind was exhausted, and he didn't know what to do about it. The fact that he was always in this state didn't help him get used to it.

"I would have been useless even at full power" he put his hand on the window; the glass was cold against his hand. She must be happy now, she his with everybody once more.

"What are you talking about? You better take a hold on yourself, you have thing to do" this time he face Trunks but he was still looking out the window. As if the film of his live was passing and he was waiting for something to show, as if he missed some important event and it was t his last chance to see it. Something was bothering him with the sky but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"I have nothing else to do, I had one purpose, and I fail, now…" he trailed off, his eyes totally unfocused. I wonder what she his doing what now…

"One purpose, what are you talking about, what purpose?"

"What I was born to do, protect them, bring them they world, they life, they peace" I bet she is with Chichi and Gohan. She misses them so much.

Vegeta didn't say a word. He just looked at him. He had his eye closes right now, his face pressed against the window. His word didn't make any sense, or more specifically, make sense but he just didn't understand them. Normally he would just have knocked him out and go to sleep, after all they had a huge day tomorrow and he had a lot of thing to do, but somewhat he couldn't do that. It had nothing to do with the fact that Trunks looked totally miserable. It was probably the combination of his state of mind (breaking point) and the word (to close to home, way to close…). Anyhow, instead of blasting him to sleep he tried to make him talk, trying to understands what he mean, what running trough his mind, and just trying to find out if he was sane enough or if he just way far gone for salvation. He had absolutely no intention of going to the past if the boy was insane.

"Who told you that?"

"I know what I must do. Nobody have to tell me. Well not anymore." I wonder what she will tell papa.

"Trunks, I don't understand what you are talking about, you are not making any sense"

"I wonder what it likes to go to sleep without any worry." She will have some really good story to tell them. And some not that good…

"What do you mean, sleep without worry? Worry about what!" Now Vegeta was beginning to get worried. Shit! I have to kill the brat: he lost it! The woman is not going to be happy…I wonder if I can turn it into in accident…

"I mean closing your eye with the certitude that you will open them in the same dimension, closing your eye with no worry for tomorrow. Closing your eye without worry somebody will get you in your sleep," I wonder if papa is going to believe mama when she will tell about me turning super saiyin.

Vegeta had already make is mind (push him out the time machine on the voyage, and told the woman he had fell from it) and was ready to answer him when it strike him. He had actually no idea what it was like to sleep in peace. He had never had a good night sleep in his life. Maybe in the time before Freeza may he have sleep a good four hours (but that was dubious considering how he was raised) without problem, but as for the period after him, that was out of the question.

There was no way anybody could sleep on Freeza sleep. The concept was just alien. And even when he was away, meaning gone to mission to destroyed another planet, sleep was out of the question since they could be hurt by angry inhabitant when the assignment take more then one day (people tended to get angry when you came to destroyed they planet).

Even when he was living on earth, peaceful sleep was out of the question. Between is natural dislike of the human walking freely around him, the fact that there was another saiyin that was as strong as him, and the various enemy treat, there was no way he could have sleep. The two ways he actually could relax was when he was in between mission in his time with Freeza or when he was out cold. But frankly, he didn't think that Trunks was speaking about that kind of rest.

"I wonder what its like to live in a peaceful world. Will you tell me?" I wonder if they see me now.

The question caught him unaware. It was the first direct question he had asked while he was there. Frowning, he was going to answers when he realise that he had no idea. Vegeta was a born warriors, he lived for blood and war. The word peace in the way the other took it had no meaning for him. For him there was a time where he was fighting and there was a time when he was training and that it. Fighting an enemy, and waiting for an enemy. He was definitively not the best one to talk about peace. Shit, Kakarotto should be the one answering those questions, well at least I know is not mad, just delusional.

"Look Trunks I am a saiyin and a warrior" then after a taught he added, "both by blood and by training, so that all this talk about peace and what not, are nothing for me" if he tell me that Kakarotto is a Saiyin too I push him out the window.

"What is a saiyin?" I wonder what they think is happening. I wonder if they are happy with what I did.

This time, Vegeta took his son by the shoulder and turn him around, what he saw make him relinquish is hold and let him regain his earlier position. His eyes were empty, totally void. There was more life outside then in his eye. Suddenly he finally knew what was bothering him with the view. The building was supposed to be underground but they could see the red sky. They could see outside.

Vegeta was confused and weary and as always when something was bothering him, he pushes it inside him to deal with it later. Not a good idea considering his slipping control, but it was the only thing he could do now, since the only one who could answers him was totally useless.

So after a brief pause, he decided to answer Trunks or more precisely ask him to clear it out, after all what do that mean 'what is a saiyin'? It was as stupid as to ask himself what he was!

"Brat, I know you are troubled but I don't think you are that far off, you are a saiyin, well watered to a certain degree but still we can't really be difficult in our situation" he looked at him, to be sure that he understand but the only thing he saw was a blank stare. He would never admit it but he was glad when the empty stare turn toward the window. For a few second the only noise that could be heard was Gohan moving in his sleep. Well in fact Vegeta new he had been listening, but he didn't care, as long as he keep shut up, it was all right with him.

"Look Trunks, sorry to tell you this but I think that you losing it. Guess you were not strong enough to survive after all"

"Vegeta! How could you!"

Vegeta sighted, so much for shutting up. It seemed that Gohan couldn't keep silent any longer. When Vegeta turned toward him, he was sitting in his bed, glaring at him. Vegeta looked at Trunks, but he was standing in the same position, it was obvious that he didn't hear Gohan comment because he went on talking as if they weren't interrupted.

"Survive…yes that it I suppose. Survive. I know how to survive. What I want to know is how to live. What I want you to tell me is what I am, so I can stop surviving and start living."  I wonder what they think about Krillin…After all, there is two Krillin now. And two Piccolo for that matter.

Both Gohan and Vegeta looked confused at Trunks, but before they could say anything, a beeper went off. "Well it seem that the computer is done doing the situation report, I have to go, bye" then smiling at them he left them. Both Vegeta and Gohan looked at each other, and then at the door. Then Gohan shook his head and looked sharply at Vegeta, who was still looking at the close door.

"Vegeta that was not very nice what you say earlier, it obvious that he's in a lot of pain" while he was speaking he came next to Vegeta. But the saiyin prince didn't say anything.

"Vegeta?" Gohan glanced at the man. He face was totally blank. Gohan was feeling nervous; it was the first time they talked since he saw him in his father arm. Even if he told his father that he didn't mind, the truth was it was bothering him a little bit. Also, they were something that wasn't sitting down with him at all. He was not sure about what he saw, but when he was flying toward the other, when he was looking behind, he could have sworn that he saw Goku restrain Vegeta against his mot…no! Against the Medusa, but he was not sure about that, and if it was truth, there was no way he would have see them together.

But what happened while I was flying toward the other, while I was unconscious? I really hope that it was nothing and that it will cause no problem when we get back. Mother never likes Vegeta that much, and if she saw them, so…friendly…blood is going to spill. Then there is Trunks, Bulma is not going to be happy she was…

"BRAT!"

"Ahhhhhhh!" Gohan fall on the floor. He had been so deep in trough that he didn't hear him call his name. Now Vegeta was looking down at him as if he was a mere insect.

Blushing furiously, he succeeds in sputtering some apology but he didn't seem convinced. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending who you were, that when his father decided to come into the room.

"Hey guy, Gohan what are you doing on the floor, are you guy decided to go training?" Goku was looking at them one after the other like a little kids waiting to go on a field strip.

"hum…Kakarotto, I think you are right, that will be a good idea, now come, with luck, we will be able to have a 24 hours sparring session" smirking at them he left the room, his head high, looking every inch the prince he always claimed to be. Sadly, for Gohan, laying on the floor, and Goku, looking clueless, they looked every inch the third class they prince claimed they were. In Vegeta head, all why well for a change.

For the next few hours, the only sound that was would be heard will be the sound of the three most powerful being on the galaxy sparring. And the increasing shout and swearing when Vegeta became a little bit 'zealous'…

Only a few hours until we came back, I hope you are safe guy, just wait for me, all will be all right, I swear. I swear.

@~~|~~@

After saying good bye to the other, Pan and Bra went to Bra room to have a girl talk, meaning they were going to talk about they respective father, as for the other they were in the kitchen, eating a 'small' collation. Both mothers were looking at they sons with a mixture of pride, worry, and frustration. Both half-saiyin were eating as if by anytime now they would be a shortage of food. Both women looked at each other; they just didn't know what to do. Both they husbands were stuck in the future; they didn't even knew if they were alive, many of their friends were missing or worst dead. Thing were definitely not looking good for them. Sighting, Chichi looked at her youngest son and his best friend. Watching them eat make her smile a little bit. Even if they were both considered adult, they acted like two children, two children that had enough power to destroy the entire world. Looking at them was looking like at younger version of Goku and Vegeta.

However, thinking about Vegeta put a frown on her face, Trunks looked a lot like is father and in the same time he didn't looked his father. In short, he had the blood of his father, running trough his vein but he had managed to stay away for his father most peculiar 'trait'.

There are such good friends together. At least I know that Goten have someone he can talk too. Even if the advice he gives are not the best. She could have count at least thousand 'brilliant' ideas of Trunks that have led both half-saiyin in a lot of trouble. As they grow up, she had wished that Trunks influence would decrease but sadly, it was not the case. Sighting again, she took a small bit from her plate.

I know that Trunks don't mean anything bad, but they pass to much time together, there is no way Goten is going to make new friend and meet a nice girl if he pass all his time with him. She knew it would be greatly difficult to separate the two of them. While they took a small break from eating, she looked at each of them.

Goten looked like Goku in everything. His hair, his smile, his mannerism, but somehow, Goten was a little bit quicker. He had an edge that Goku didn't have, well didn't have yet. Goten was not the totally innocent is father was at this age 'thank' to the constant presence of Vegeta and Trunks.

As for Trunks, he looked like Mirai-Trunks when he first came to the past. Actually, he even whore the same outfit: the boots, the pant, the tank top, the vest, down to the CC logo on the sleeve. The only thing that was different was his smile. He didn't have the same intensity, the same despair in him. He knew who he was, knew how strong he was, and had no difficulty sharing the knowledge with the other.

As she was looking at them, the more she begins concerned. The way they would finish each other sentence, the way they would touch each other. The way they would look in each other eye…I definitively need to separate those two, they are way to close to each other. I wonder why he don't have any girlfriend yet…and neither is Trunks…

@~~|~~@

When the Brief, King Ox, and Mister Satan arrive at Kami lookout, they saw that Mister Popo and Dende were waiting for them. After they were updated with the lasted new, they all went to the conference room to discuss the matter. As for Dende, he went to the edge of the platform to see the earth. He was worried, even if he didn't tell any of them. A dark mist was spreading over the earth but he could do anything about it. He had contacted King Kai to discuss the problem and he couldn't come up with any solution. Now he went to ask the other Kai some advice while he waited and watched. He had been surprise and joyful when he saw the ship reappears, but his joy was short lived when he didn't sense the regular Ki, he didn't sense anything. Then the door opened but nothing came out, except this dark cloud… Something was happening, something was killing people, and he didn't even know what! When Trunks came tell him that Korin and the other were dead he was surprise, he didn't even knew it. The only thing he could do was to tell people to flee when he saw the dark mist appear. It only appear when he was about to strike. Before that, there was no way he couldn't find it. It had nearly been late to save Gohan family. Thank Kami she understood the message.

Now looking carefully at the ground, he tried to guess the next target, to see where the dark mist will appears.

Unfortunately, the Medusa was closer to him then he thought.

Much more closer…

@~~|~~@

"Well that fast. Strange… I taught that we had at least one hour of daylight left"

"What do you mean dear?"

"Look it already dark outside"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course dear I am sure; from where I stand I can see the sun setting down"

"That impossible"

"Impossible! I can see it too you know, I am the champ, and I can tell when the sun is setting down from that very window!"

"You cannot see the sun setting down from that window"

"You know I can see it also, your husband and Mr. Satan is right. Look the sun is almost gone, and pretty fast if you ask me."

"I don't know if the sun is setting down or not, but I can tell you that you cannot see it, and certainly not from this window"

"And why is that dear?"

"Its simple, the window is facing the wrong direction"

They all looked at each other in confusion.

Then they understood.

Then they were no more.

I will do as you have commanded.

They shall all perish.

@~~|~~@~~|~~@