Do you hate him,
because he's pieces of you?
-Jewel, Pieces of You
***
Trunks had taken up an unhealthy obsession over the last few days, it seemed. Watching the green blip of the heart monitor over the top of his lap top well into the night; staring at himself sleeping.
For the last three days, he'd felt disconnected from reality. Sure, he'd heard the stories about his "other self" who had come back from the future to save the world since as far back as he could remember. But seriously, does anyone actually believe the bedtime stories their mom's told them once upon a time?
With this thought he noticed himself staring at, well, himself, and felt a now familiar, sick feeling writhing in his gut. Suddenly in a very bad mood, Trunks gathered up his laptop and a loose stack of papers and exited the hospital room.
As much as he dreaded facing that stranger, lying in that bed with his face, he wanted him to wake up and give him the answers he so desperately needed. He wanted him to wake up and get the hell out of his life.
***
"Trunks?! What the hell happened to your hair?!"
Any other time he would have laughed, but as he broke eye contact with himself and looked at the dark-haired girl that had made the comment, his body decided to remind him that he'd just been in a fight.
He also remembered the gaping hole in his chest from where he'd practically been impaled by Cell's tail and absorbed. Choking, he felt blood come to his lips and slide down his chin as his knees simultaneously cracked against the pavement. He was having trouble holding his head up, but realized that somehow his face had met the ground without his knowledge and he couldn't move anyway.
Knowing that this could be his end, that he'd never been hurt so seriously before (except for that time when he really did die), he felt strangely calm. His mom was dead anyway, so were his friends; there was nothing really left for him back home.
He could hear voices, but they sounded far, far away. He could hear Gohan, and he could hear his father, but he couldn't understand what they were saying. He lost consciousness before they were able to reach him.
***
On the fifth day, he finally woke up.
Trunks was thankfully in his office when his Mom stopped by to tell him their unexpected visitor had finally regained consciousness; he wasn't sure what he would have done if he'd woken up during one of his nightly visits.
He took more time than was probably necessary to shut down his computer and to put his work on hold, but he finally walked through the doors that separated the living quarters from the rest of Capsule Corporation and seated himself next to his father in the kitchen. His mother was already there, sitting at the table with the other Trunks, who was heavily bandaged and staring blankly into a cup of coffee which he had yet to touch.
The other Trunks spared him a quick glance, one that the older man returned coldly, and took it as a signal to begin his story. His voice was quiet and shook slightly, and he kept his eyes downcast as he spoke.
"I knew he was coming, I'd known for years and had been preparing for it. But somehow Cell managed to stay hidden while he absorbed person after person; in my world if a person goes missing there's not much you can do, since the androids destroyed everything. It's pretty much every man for himself.
"Cell was smart, he knew how strong I was somehow, and kept a low profile until he felt he was strong enough to face me." Trunks paused, lowering his eyes and hiding his face behind his hair. His short haired counterpart briefly noticed how tightly his fists were clenched in his lap, and how they trembled ever so slightly, "When Cell attacked, he'd already attained his perfect form. I wasn't home, and he killed Mom and took the time machine before I could get back. We fought, but he was quicker, stronger, and pretty soon he had me." Trunks's entire body shuddered at the memory, but he continued on relentlessly, reliving the memory in his mind, "He tired to absorb me. If I had had been a second slower, he would have, but I got away, somehow.
"I'm pretty sure he thought I was dead, that's the only reason I can think of to explain why he just left me there. I should've died, I think." Trunks blinked, coming out of his daydream-like state, and wiped at his eyes furiously with a shaky fist.
"Anyway, I'm not sure what happened after that. I somehow managed to stand up, and just when the time machine was lifting off I attacked. I think the machine was damaged, because I know Cell didn't mean to come into the future." He spared a quick glance at the other Trunks, but only paused for a moment, "I was caught within the reaction of the machine and got pulled through to this time also; all I remember is waking up and attacking Cell again. After that point you guys know more than I do."
The silence that hung in the air was so thick it was difficult to breath, and the younger Trunks seemed about to loose it. His whole body was visibly trembling now, but his face was still hidden by his light veil of hair. Wordlessly, Bulma rose from her chair and encircled his broad shoulders in a light hug.
"Your mom... I'm so sorry, Trunks." She whispered into his hair, barely loud enough for anyone else to hear. The older Trunks thought he saw a tear drop off the other boy's chin, but instead of feeling pity, that same, sick feeling began to build inside his stomach. If anything he felt... frustrated? Angry?
"I'm home!" Bra's voice startled everyone out of their sullen moods in an instant, and Trunks pulled away from Bulma quickly, an embarrassed blush spreading across his cheeks.
Bra, decked out in her red vinyl get-up, flounced into the kitchen with several shopping bags in hand. She noticed her father's cool stare on her first, then her brother's and mom's. For a moment it fazed her, but when she saw a second lavender-haired boy sitting at the kitchen table her perky demeanor was back in a moment.
"Oh you're awake! I was so scared that you were really hurt, you've been asleep for five days ya know." She rambled on, oblivious to the wide-open, shocked stare future Trunks was giving her.
"Who..."
"Oh that's right, I never introduced myself, did I? Well I'm Bra, you're younger sister, but you look a lot younger than Trunks... I mean the other Trunks... wow this is going to be confusing! Anyway you're probably still older than me..."
"Sister?!" Trunks looked between Bulma and Vegeta, eyes wide with suprise. Bulma smiled and nodded, while Vegeta remained silent. Bra was still talking in the background.
"This is too much." Trunks mumbled as he stood up and smiled the girl, although the action failed to reach his eyes, "It's nice to meet you, Bra- chan. I would like to talk some more, but I'm still worn out from my injuries." He said politely, dropping the smile and glancing around the room but refusing to meet anyone's eyes directly, "I'm going to go rest some more, excuse me." With that Trunks dragged his weary, bandaged body out of the room, all the while feeling the piercing glare of his older- self's eyes burning a hold through his back.
***
Just a quick note, Mirai Trunks is about 22, which is when Cell appears in his world to steal the time machine from him in the actual series. GT Trunks is about 28, but I have no clue what the ages for anyone else are (info. from the Temple O' Trunks).
Well, look at this I finally updated. Sorry to anyone who's actually been waiting around for this chapter, but ya know, real life happens. College takes up a ton of my time, and so do sports, but considering I waited about 2 years between writing chapters 1 and 2, I'd say this was pretty quick. I promise to try and get the next chapter out faster than 5 months next time, I swear!
And I hope everyone was able to keep track of which Trunks was which. Nicknaming one of them sounds stupid, and he can't really be called future Trunks anymore because he's from an entirely different timeline and is now from the past of that timeline and.... um, ok, I think I just lost everyone entirely, lol. Anyway, if you weren't able to keep track of who I was talking about let me know and I'll try and fix it. And if Bra was overly annoying, I've never seen GT, so I'm just depicting her how I think she would act.
Next chapter: Trunks vs. Trunks!
-Jewel, Pieces of You
***
Trunks had taken up an unhealthy obsession over the last few days, it seemed. Watching the green blip of the heart monitor over the top of his lap top well into the night; staring at himself sleeping.
For the last three days, he'd felt disconnected from reality. Sure, he'd heard the stories about his "other self" who had come back from the future to save the world since as far back as he could remember. But seriously, does anyone actually believe the bedtime stories their mom's told them once upon a time?
With this thought he noticed himself staring at, well, himself, and felt a now familiar, sick feeling writhing in his gut. Suddenly in a very bad mood, Trunks gathered up his laptop and a loose stack of papers and exited the hospital room.
As much as he dreaded facing that stranger, lying in that bed with his face, he wanted him to wake up and give him the answers he so desperately needed. He wanted him to wake up and get the hell out of his life.
***
"Trunks?! What the hell happened to your hair?!"
Any other time he would have laughed, but as he broke eye contact with himself and looked at the dark-haired girl that had made the comment, his body decided to remind him that he'd just been in a fight.
He also remembered the gaping hole in his chest from where he'd practically been impaled by Cell's tail and absorbed. Choking, he felt blood come to his lips and slide down his chin as his knees simultaneously cracked against the pavement. He was having trouble holding his head up, but realized that somehow his face had met the ground without his knowledge and he couldn't move anyway.
Knowing that this could be his end, that he'd never been hurt so seriously before (except for that time when he really did die), he felt strangely calm. His mom was dead anyway, so were his friends; there was nothing really left for him back home.
He could hear voices, but they sounded far, far away. He could hear Gohan, and he could hear his father, but he couldn't understand what they were saying. He lost consciousness before they were able to reach him.
***
On the fifth day, he finally woke up.
Trunks was thankfully in his office when his Mom stopped by to tell him their unexpected visitor had finally regained consciousness; he wasn't sure what he would have done if he'd woken up during one of his nightly visits.
He took more time than was probably necessary to shut down his computer and to put his work on hold, but he finally walked through the doors that separated the living quarters from the rest of Capsule Corporation and seated himself next to his father in the kitchen. His mother was already there, sitting at the table with the other Trunks, who was heavily bandaged and staring blankly into a cup of coffee which he had yet to touch.
The other Trunks spared him a quick glance, one that the older man returned coldly, and took it as a signal to begin his story. His voice was quiet and shook slightly, and he kept his eyes downcast as he spoke.
"I knew he was coming, I'd known for years and had been preparing for it. But somehow Cell managed to stay hidden while he absorbed person after person; in my world if a person goes missing there's not much you can do, since the androids destroyed everything. It's pretty much every man for himself.
"Cell was smart, he knew how strong I was somehow, and kept a low profile until he felt he was strong enough to face me." Trunks paused, lowering his eyes and hiding his face behind his hair. His short haired counterpart briefly noticed how tightly his fists were clenched in his lap, and how they trembled ever so slightly, "When Cell attacked, he'd already attained his perfect form. I wasn't home, and he killed Mom and took the time machine before I could get back. We fought, but he was quicker, stronger, and pretty soon he had me." Trunks's entire body shuddered at the memory, but he continued on relentlessly, reliving the memory in his mind, "He tired to absorb me. If I had had been a second slower, he would have, but I got away, somehow.
"I'm pretty sure he thought I was dead, that's the only reason I can think of to explain why he just left me there. I should've died, I think." Trunks blinked, coming out of his daydream-like state, and wiped at his eyes furiously with a shaky fist.
"Anyway, I'm not sure what happened after that. I somehow managed to stand up, and just when the time machine was lifting off I attacked. I think the machine was damaged, because I know Cell didn't mean to come into the future." He spared a quick glance at the other Trunks, but only paused for a moment, "I was caught within the reaction of the machine and got pulled through to this time also; all I remember is waking up and attacking Cell again. After that point you guys know more than I do."
The silence that hung in the air was so thick it was difficult to breath, and the younger Trunks seemed about to loose it. His whole body was visibly trembling now, but his face was still hidden by his light veil of hair. Wordlessly, Bulma rose from her chair and encircled his broad shoulders in a light hug.
"Your mom... I'm so sorry, Trunks." She whispered into his hair, barely loud enough for anyone else to hear. The older Trunks thought he saw a tear drop off the other boy's chin, but instead of feeling pity, that same, sick feeling began to build inside his stomach. If anything he felt... frustrated? Angry?
"I'm home!" Bra's voice startled everyone out of their sullen moods in an instant, and Trunks pulled away from Bulma quickly, an embarrassed blush spreading across his cheeks.
Bra, decked out in her red vinyl get-up, flounced into the kitchen with several shopping bags in hand. She noticed her father's cool stare on her first, then her brother's and mom's. For a moment it fazed her, but when she saw a second lavender-haired boy sitting at the kitchen table her perky demeanor was back in a moment.
"Oh you're awake! I was so scared that you were really hurt, you've been asleep for five days ya know." She rambled on, oblivious to the wide-open, shocked stare future Trunks was giving her.
"Who..."
"Oh that's right, I never introduced myself, did I? Well I'm Bra, you're younger sister, but you look a lot younger than Trunks... I mean the other Trunks... wow this is going to be confusing! Anyway you're probably still older than me..."
"Sister?!" Trunks looked between Bulma and Vegeta, eyes wide with suprise. Bulma smiled and nodded, while Vegeta remained silent. Bra was still talking in the background.
"This is too much." Trunks mumbled as he stood up and smiled the girl, although the action failed to reach his eyes, "It's nice to meet you, Bra- chan. I would like to talk some more, but I'm still worn out from my injuries." He said politely, dropping the smile and glancing around the room but refusing to meet anyone's eyes directly, "I'm going to go rest some more, excuse me." With that Trunks dragged his weary, bandaged body out of the room, all the while feeling the piercing glare of his older- self's eyes burning a hold through his back.
***
Just a quick note, Mirai Trunks is about 22, which is when Cell appears in his world to steal the time machine from him in the actual series. GT Trunks is about 28, but I have no clue what the ages for anyone else are (info. from the Temple O' Trunks).
Well, look at this I finally updated. Sorry to anyone who's actually been waiting around for this chapter, but ya know, real life happens. College takes up a ton of my time, and so do sports, but considering I waited about 2 years between writing chapters 1 and 2, I'd say this was pretty quick. I promise to try and get the next chapter out faster than 5 months next time, I swear!
And I hope everyone was able to keep track of which Trunks was which. Nicknaming one of them sounds stupid, and he can't really be called future Trunks anymore because he's from an entirely different timeline and is now from the past of that timeline and.... um, ok, I think I just lost everyone entirely, lol. Anyway, if you weren't able to keep track of who I was talking about let me know and I'll try and fix it. And if Bra was overly annoying, I've never seen GT, so I'm just depicting her how I think she would act.
Next chapter: Trunks vs. Trunks!
