And We Shall Be Victorious

Moon Seeker

Chapter 10

Wondering

This morning, the sky was blue and clear, the birds were signing and chirping and the animals were waking up for a new day.  As for the trees, they were standing tall and proud and the flower were blooming. All was calm and quiet except for the sound Mother Nature providing food and shelter for every one on her children.

Yes, all were at peace until in various houses of the serene citizens the first scream of horror, terror, and misery was heard. All over the world, the handy work of the black mist were found.

And they didn't even leave they respective house yet.

@~~|~~@

Vegeta, Goku, and Gohan were resting on the ground after a little bit more then 20 hours of sparing. Bruised, bleeding, injured but happy. All the pent up rage (Vegeta), restlessness (Goku), and nervousness (Gohan) were finally gone and now they could face they new enemy with a clear head. Getting up, he looked at his father and Vegeta, both looked half dead but he knew that they were in top form. Each time they come back from a big fight, they always seemed stronger then before and now, the situation wasn't any different. During the fight, Gohan had tough for a while that Vegeta had use they special ability to become stronger after nearing death to boost up they power for the incoming fight, but decided against it. He didn't think that Vegeta would like to gain power that way, not after the Majin Buu incident. Well he thought so. Anyway, whether or not it was his goal, he couldn't have taken another way to achieved it.

They was not in inch of they body that was not bruised, Thank Kami they had some sensu bean all because of Vegeta paranoia or foresight depending on how you look at it.

This is the last time he was going to say anything about Vegeta paranoia, it had saved they life too many time for that. He would never become like Vegeta, but as long as he likes the job, he could have it.

Leaning on his arm, he looked at his two fighting partner. As always, looking at him brought his mind toward the saiyin prince.

He had changed a lot since he came here to destroy the earth. Not only physically but mentally, it had happen so gradually, he didn't even notice it before a long time. Actually, it came to him quite abruptly. He was 'sparring' with Vegeta when the thought of what he was doing hit him: 'He was sparring with Vegeta' and he was enjoying it! Of course, the enjoyment factor didn't last long since the shock was so brutal he lowered his guard and Vegeta decided that it was a good opportunity to teach him why it was important to always stay focus and how to take a good baiting while he was at it. However, while he was in bed, waiting for his broken ribs to heal, he realizes all the importance of this accident. Not the broken ribs but the sparring matches. After all, a few years earlier, his father was in the same position as him and he died. In fact, everybody who was in this position was dead, well except for Freeza that is. Freeza…

Frowning, he looked at him closely, both his father and Vegeta were laying on the ground, eye closed, relaxed, well his dad anyway. As for Vegeta, he was as tense as if Freeza was one mile away. He didn't seem to know the meaning of the word relaxes. Just by looking at him, he could see that he was aware of everything around him. Probably knew he was looking at him right now. In fact—

"Brat! Stop looking at me rights this instant!"

Knew it Turning his face away from the Prince he looked at his father. With his big grin, he was looking at the sky and the clouds. Looking at the blue sky… you would never believe that a few hours before, it was dark red. Distractly, he watched as his father keep dropping glance at Vegeta. Both of them had become pretty close, they were sparring almost everyday. They passed more time with each other then they own wife, then even him and Trunks…then Goten…

"Kakarotte, you will stop staring at me right now."

Goten…I know what you are feeling I'm not that clueless. I know how it feels like, but it not going to get better if you keep away from him. Father is trying his best…

He knew that he looked at Vegeta as an example. That was even more so while his father was teaching the boys the fusion technique. He didn't know what happened but he knew that after that, Vegeta had grow a few inch in they esteem and his father had dropped a few inch. And although he admired Vegeta in a way, he was not the most understand man around. He didn't seem to know that people were looking at his every action and one day he would hurt Goten even when he didn't mean it.

I don't understand how he became so much important in my life.

"Brat!"

It must be the way he react, the way he stand, he act as if he was the strongest of all of us, even trough father had beaten him again and again. Even if I could beat him up.

"Brat!"

But something is wrong. What did Piccolo say? Oh yeah, he was loosing control. What have happened lately? Well except the last battle. I mean Vegeta couldn't be that upset because 18, 17, and Marron are dead. He may have changed but not to the point of loosing control for people he couldn't even remember the name. I must talk to AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh!" Gohan was holding his burning face. Raising his head, he could see the curious gaze his father was giving him, and Vegeta back, a ki-ball in his left had.

"Next time, you will not ignore me," he said, not even lowering himself to look at them then left.

I was wrong, he didn't change one bit!

@~~|~~@

Damn! He just hated when that happened. There he was, in his bed, his lover in his arm, sleeping, blissfully unaware of the world around him and he had to go to the bathroom. He knew that he had to get up, only because if his sister saw them like that, he was sure that the entire city would know about Goten and he by the afternoon. Looking at his right, the only thing he could see from his lover was his mass of hair.

Look at him, is not even going to move until diner is ready. However, he had thing to do, so he give him a smile kiss on the mouth and went to the bathroom. Along the way though, something keeps bothering him, something was missing. What? He had no idea, but he pushed it behind his mind. As soon as he had finish is business tough, the impression came back full force and now he couldn't ignore it. What was missing? Since Goten was dead to the world and his mother was too out of it to be of any help he decided to go find the only one who could be of any help: The one who, although make him pass angry, piss him off regularly, keep monopolizing the attention of one of the two people that was important to him, always stand by him when the family name (not the brief one) was in danger and when the time was just too peaceful for then liking. Putting some pajama, he went to the one who, at this hour, he could talk to without having problem.

 He went to his sister room.

Walking to his sister's room he opened the door a little bit. Inside it was dark, but he knew that she was not sleeping.

"Bra" he whispered. Two seconds later, he heard her soft voice telling him to meet her in the guess room in two second. Without a word he went to the guess room. It was they usual meeting point when they have serious point to discuss, they truce ground. Sitting on the bed, he tried to find what was missing but he just couldn't pin point it. It seemed very obvious but he just couldn't figure it out.

I bet it something stupid.

"I hope you have a good reason why you call me that early" Turning around he could see his sister standing on the doorstep, wearing red pyjamas. He himself why wearing blue one. Not the most beautiful outfit considering they respective complexion and hair color, but as they mother always said, they were such a natural beauty that they looked good in anything. 

"Yes, I have a good reason but even if I didn't have any I still would have called you, we have thing to do before the return of father and the other" the fact that they father may well be dead never once crossed they mind. It was just not possible and so they didn't dwell on this impossibility.

"yeah I know, but first, let deal with the more important thing. You know when we were arguing I tough about something. There is a good chance that we don't have to do anything to him. I think he is well able to take care of thing himself."

Trunks frowned, take care of thing? did she have second trough he begin looking suspiciously at her baby sister  "Chiken out?"

 "How dare you!" hand on each hip she glared at her brother for the allusion. "I do not chicken out" raising her chin he went to the window, looking outside, "I  just happen to find a solution that not only serve our purpose to show dad that he just don't cut it, but also we will not be doing anything so that mother will not be mad at us. And we will be able to bet rid of this bother who seem determined to destroyed the world."

Trunks raised one eye. I suppose I shouldn't be surprise, she was always much better then me at this kind of thing. Frowning he crossed his arm but even then, they is no way she will be able to pull it off. I think she underestimated our adversary.

Smirking, Bura watched the diverse emotion traversing her older brother face "Doubting?" Walking toward the bed, she seated herself next to him "Our solution reside in three words and three words only."

"Shoot"

"Let. Him. Fight." Turning her head, she looked at the windows

As for Trunks, although his eyes were fixed on Bra, his mind was far away. 'Let him fight.' One: he's surely going to do something stupid. I mean, the last time he came he was just supposed to come and warned us but he ended creating two different timeline, bring a monster in our timeline and been killed in less then 10 days. Two: if he fails, it will not be our fault; mother will not be able to accuse us of anything. Three: he's a saiyin, so he will be able to help us defeat this monster… I don't believe it!

Coming out of his musing he begin laughing. "Bra you are a genius! I don't…Bra?" but she was looking distand. "Bra what up?" she was about to speak when Pan and Goten busted in the room.

"Trunks, Bra didn't you sense it, Kami Lookout is gone, we can't sense anything! Not grandpa, not your grandparent, no one!

Everybody looked at each other, horror dawning on them.

"Father! NOOOOOOO!!!!"

No. No… Kami, Dende, someone, anybody, Please, no…

@~~|~~@

Goku had left the other two to see what Trunks was doing, and beside he didn't want to stay around Vegeta, he was beginning to be restless and although he like his company, he didn't have the patience to deal with him right now. So after a little wave to the other, that was totally ignored, he left them.

As soon as he enters the lab, he was impressed by what he saw. The ship was huge, Looking at it with his eye wide open he walking around it. But then he frowned the ship remind me of something but I can't remember what. Stopping in his tract, he put his crossed his arm and put a hand under his ship. Eye half closed he started dwelling in the problem until a light chuckle make him raise is head in surprise. On top of the ship, looking down at him was a smiling Trunks.

"Something puzzling you Goku?" giving him his widest smile, he rejoined Trunks on the top of the ship.

"Nan, just wondering were a saw the ship, but couldn't remember, and you what ups, the ship look great" he was looking appraisal at the ship. He was really impressed by it. Kami know ship never was his thing.

"Thanks" jumping of the ship they landed next to it and Trunks give him a thump up "and it finish"

He looked at him amazed "No! It true?"

"Yes, totally finish" binding toward the floor he toke the small case that was at Goku feet, placing in it the last of the equipment.  "You guy just have to up on the ship and all done" he said not raising his head.

Bending his head on the right, he looked at Trunks with confusion in his eye. "You guy? You talk as if you are not coming with us"

"I'm not" he closes the case

"But I taught the earth will get destroyed" he was more confused then ever

"You have heard right" he pressed the small button that will put the metal case in its capsule

Rising from his scrunched state he looked the downfall face Goku was giving him "You have to come with us, everybody miss you" Dam he just look like a lost puppy. I just hate when someone use it against me.

Sighting he decided to try to explain this to Goku "I can't this is my world, and I will not abandon it."

"But I need you"

"You need me?" now it was his turn to look surprise. He needs me? What did father did this time? It sure can't be mom

"Of course, you are the one who know must about this new enemy. The last time you came, if it wasn't for you we would have been all dead"

"Yes, with my help it was only you"

"Yeah, and I didn't even thank you"

"Thank me?"

"Well yeah, you will not believe our many friend I made in the other dimension and the tournament I was in. and beside, if it wasn't for my dead I would never had make it to SJJ-3."

Trnnks looked surprise at Goku this is not possible, he can't really be serious "Goku you got to be kidding"

"No, Why?" Why can't he understand?

"Look forgets it, I'm sure the other will not miss me that much."

"Well I'm missed you"

"No, you will not miss me, you don't miss anybody Goku. You are like a free soul, nothing held you down here, nothing, and me in the contrary, I am bound to this place" forever. I have been born here, raised here, and I will die here. This is my future.

"I don't understand what you mean, of course I miss you" how can how forget him, Bulma will never let me forget.

Looking at the older man in front of him, he couldn't help but smile. That was just Goku. He was such a bright soul, even if he was just unconscious sometime "Goku I'm sure as soon as you left this room you will forget about me"

"That not true, well if you don't want to come because you are needed and missed just come to make me happy"

"Happy?"

Both were standing facing each other. Goku looking down on the shorter young man, one with a big smile although a little bit confuses the other with a serious expression but with a little smile playing on his lift.

"Yes, it will make me really happy if you came with us, I want you to meet my family and the other member of your family"

Then suddenly Trunks begin laughing. He just couldn't help it. Each time he saw Goku he was happy. He was a walking stress relief.

"Yes I will come for you; beside I just hate to see you sad"

"I'm never sad!"

"And I don't want to be the one who start it first. Look, go call the other and tell them to come here to prepare themselves. I have thing to do then I will come back"

"Were are you going"

"First of all, I have to change, then I have to find mother and tell her goodbye"

"Your mother? Bulma? I taught she's dead?"

 "She is, bye"

Leaving a perplexed and confuse Goku behind, he went to his room to change into something more suitable for time travel and worldwide battle for the universe. In other word, he went in search of a jacket and a hair band.

Behind the door, two black eyes following stared at Trunks back, and then come toward Goku.

I will come for you…

@~~|~~@

It was 1 km long and 3 km large and each cm was used. They were no path between them so that in order to reach the farthest you needed to walk on them. Some of the stone were falling down but no one cared. They had other thing to worry about. Some of them were not buried properly because of lack of time and lack of space. After all they were not built to take more then 20. Even tough some of them were in pieces, or not in they original state, it was definitively not a common sight. After all even if it was a cemetery, you don't except to see body part lying around.

Under the bright blue sky the cemetery looked much more gruesome then when they saw it under the rain. Maybe it was because you don't think about seeing something like that under such a beautiful day? Whatever the case, Gohan didn't like it.

The only reason Gohan was there was for Trunks.  A cemetery was the last place he wanted to see him not after what he saw the first time he saw them. Right now he was standing in the middle of it. Looking at a few tombs were the stone were still buried. He couldn't really see from were he was but it seemed that these few were taking care periodically. Not a good through…

Lowering his Ki he came as close as he dared and watched as Trunks took upon himself to bury…Bulma and Krillin with is own hand.

I wonder what his doing…his speaking but to who…is…is speaking…is speaking to them…

He was on his knees, finishing replacing the earth on the body he buried. He couldn't left them lying in the open like this. He knew that, where they were now, he really didn't matter for them, but for him, it held a great importance. It was a way to show that someone cared, someone actually remember them. Rising on his feet, he looked at his work. Now, sleeping next to the other Z fighter of his time, Krillin, Piccolo and Bulma grave was there.

He Smiled

Perfect

I'm sorry for what happened to you. Your cheerfulness and loyalty will be missed.

You want to know a secret? Mother once told me that from all the bad turn good friend of Goku you were her favourite. Well next to Piccolo, she did say that Green was her one time favourite color.

And I want to say thank you because even tough I'm grateful for the visit I know that you are probably the only one who came just to see me and not to battle another great evil.

As for you Piccolo, thank you for coming, Gohan have talked to me about you for a long time and after seeing you I know that everything was true. I would have liked to see you again. Your calm and your guidance I'm sure his going to be missed. I know you must be good if you have left such a good impression on mother.

Both of you, I'm sorry that I wasn't able to save you, and I'm even more sorry, because since you have died here, you will go to the other dimension of this timeline and not yours. But Piccolo I want you to be sure that you will be welcome by everybody with open house, and I can assure you Krillin that I will make sure that Marron know how you love her. I will try to see if there a possibility for you to be reunited with you daughter in the other dimension, but even if you cant, I will make sure that she know that her dad had died an hero.

Don't worry; having two Piccolo and two Krillin will be a good thing for other world. You quality and default will sure be useful over there.

Bye and thank you for all you help.

Opening is eye; his smiled down at the stone. He truly believes that they could hear him. He just knew it. Bye everybody, I'm going now, but I'm not going to forget you ever. Take care.

"Come closer Gohan. You can say goodbye to them if you want" Looking surprise, he looked at Trunks, but he was still looking down. He had without knowing it come closer and closer until he was just a few meter behind but all the while keeping his ki lower. But he guessed it was not enough.

"So everybody his there" he keep his voice low for some reason. As if any loud sound was now welcome.

"Yes" his eyes were fixed on the tombs.

"But I don't see mother You told me she was gone no?"

"Yes, she's gone but she is not there, I couldn't bring myself to bury her" not I couldn't be cause when I will, I will truly be alone.

"Since when was she dead"

"A little less then a year" 9 month, 2 weeks, 1 days, 3 hours Raising his sleeve he looked at his watch And 12 minute.

"Where is she?"

"…" gone.

Putting his hand on his shoulder he holds tightly on it "You can tell me" poor thing. Don't worry, I'm going to stand by you. "You can tell me you know. It's alright"

"In my room"

To say that Gohan was shocked would be an understatement. The only thing he could do was staring at him with horror. One year? She has been dead for one year in his room unknowingly to him, he begin shaking. The whole signification of what Trunks had just told him hit him in full force. As for the one concerned, he was finishing carving the stone

Kami…

@~~|~~@

Trunks and Gohan were playing with the control while Goku and Vegeta watched: Goku because he had never been good at this kind of thing and Vegeta because as he say the technology was too primitive for him. Both Goku and Vegeta could tell that they were tension between the two boys but as much as they wanted to know, they didn't want to interferes, simply because since it evolve Trunks and he was the one programming the spaceship, they didn't want to perturbed him. They have finally came to the conclusion that Trunks was just to instable right now, and to wait until there where in the past to talk to him. Or better yet, let Bulma deal with it.

But Trunks condition was not the only thing confusing Goku, when Trunks had left him Vegeta had come to him, looking murderous and mean. For the life of him he just didn't know what that was all about. He knew that it must have been on the conversation he had with Trunks but he just couldn't put this finger on it. He could remember what Vegeta told him

"I will be watched very closely." Watched what? He didn't have any idea but he only hope that it will not cause any problem between Trunks and Vegeta.

Looking at Vegeta leaning on the wall far away from them and Trunks hovering over the control he couldn't stop himself to draw some resemblance.

They looks a lot alike, even trough it obvious that Bulms have a great influence on him. They trait problem in the same way kill first, ask question later.. I'm sure that they going to be alright. Well if Vegeta don't kill me first. From where he stand he could feel Vegeta eye boring a hole trough him. Turning around he give him a big smile but he was meet with black eyes that were bordering on green.

"Heu, having a good day finally Vegeta?" He was grinning widely at him, his hand behind his head.

Gohan who had witness the entire thing could only sight. I predict very stressful day to come

"Okay, and don't forget hold on to something! The ride may be rough since the ship is not finish yet" Trunks was giving his last instruction to his passenger to the great annoyance of Vegeta.

"Brat! I was flying in space ship thousand time bigger then that and in worst condition when none of you were even born! I was commanding entire float when you were still a miserable cell in two different bodies! So stop this nonsense and start the damn thing before I send you to the past my own special way!!!"

"Vegeta stop yelling, he just want to be sure that everything is okay" turning toward a blushing Trunks he smile "you can go now!" Giving a big smile he pushed a button. For a whole 3 seconds everybody was holding to something when suddenly it happened.

The windshield started.

Everybody looked at Trunks

"heu…oops?"

The depart was retard since it took a while for Goku and Gohan to remove the dead grip Vegeta has his son throat.

@~~|~~@

Bulma was at the window, looking outside, her mind blank except for one though 'my parents are dead'. Far behind she could hear chichi crying. And farther still she could hear Videl sobbing but then nothing, probably fainted as for the kids nothing. As soon as he heard Videl awful cry she just knew something have happening and now she was right. But she couldn't cry, couldn't do anything. She knew that soon enough she will begin crying, sobbing, wailing, but for now nothing. Her parent …dead…the thought didn't seem real somehow. But she didn't have time to waste, she had thing to do, research to start she had to oh god, they dead! They are dead…

@~~|~~@

Chichi was on the floor, crying. Crying because of the pain, crying because of the lost. Since she was small her father had always been there for her, supporting her, protecting her. She always thought that he would be there forever. Always at her side: her son was kidnapped, her husband died, they both left her for month but her father always remains. But now, he was gone. He was gone, the first time in all her life when he was sent away from her, sent away to a safe place, he had to die, to left her. The last remain of her past was destroyed and they didn't even want to let her go there to see it from her own eye. He was gone, like her mother, like her husband, like her first child gone. Gone…after all this time she tough it would have been easy to accept the hurt but one again she found that she couldn't get use to it. They said all was going to be all right, they said that the dragon ball will make thing all right again, but she knew the truth, she knew it, even if he was revive the truth remain, he had die, her father had die, he was not immortal, he was a mortal just like anyone else, he had die, he was dead.

@~~|~~@

He was her childhood hero. Her only family, her biggest fan. He was the champ maybe not in power in even not in the eye of her husband and her daughter but in her hearth he was. And now he was gone. Well she was done crying. Who ever done this will definitively not go away with it. They were going to pay.

@~~|~~@

         There where not crying, not wailing, not sobbing. When they were younger they might have done it, but now they where feeling only one thing: Anger, vengeance. The 4 naïve innocent children had grown up. They had no more illusion, no greater dream. They knew what they have to do; they knew what was left to do. Tear will not bring them family back. They had one thing to do one thing they must do.

Vengeance

@~~|~~@

         The earth was crying. Her saviour, the last of her children had left. It was for him and him only that she keep on living, keep on giving him the blue sky, the fluffy cloud, keep on holding within her his dear loved on, but he had left.

She didn't hate him for that didn't hold it against him; she knew that he had done everything he could. Sacrifice everything for her, for her children; her hero, her champion.

Now that he was gone, she could let go, she could rest, she could leave. Casting a last glance toward the time machine she saw him built all those starless night, she breathed her last breath and in a flash of fire and dust she was gone.

Bye my son, my child from across the stars…

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