Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z or any of it characters. I visit there from time to time, but that's about it. The plot for this fic, however, IS my idea; it can actually be written without the DBZ characters with some (make that a LOT of) tinkering, but what's the fun it that? I'm also not sure how many chapters there will be. I guess we'll find out together, heh? And I know it may not be the most original idea out there, but it got stuck in my head, and I had to put it down on paper...so to speak.

Author's Note: Okay, this is an AU fic, not a continuous one. Well, somewhat AU. It's another possibility as to what the Mirai no Trunks would have done when he returned home. So, here we go before I ruin things with MORE explanations. ^_^ Read and review, please.

EVERYBODY HURTS.....AT LEAST UNTIL THEY FIND SOMEONE.

CHAPTER ONE:

The Sun was shining, and the day was beautiful. The light glinted off of the Capsule Corporation building, and the sky was a rich blue.

It was turning into a tough thing for him to do; to turn back on his family and leave them for a dying world.

Well, he wasn't really turning his back, since it wasn't really his family. It just seemed that way to the lavender-haired young man as he climbed into the Time Machine. He looked back, and saw everyone gathered there to wish him well. He saw that even Vegeta, his father, had bothered to show his face for all of five minutes, before wandering off, muttering about "stupid brats" and such. The young man shook his head with a small smile as he began pressing buttons and hitting switches, programming in his destination and landing coordinates.

He was grateful to see everyone there as the vehicle began to lift up into the sky. He gave them all one last wave, and, with a tear rolling down his face, faded away – back to his own world, his own time.

It was still bright, and shining, when he faded back into view, only now the C.C building was nearly a gutted wreck, still capable of supporting Trunks and his mother, but still....

He sighed as he climbed out, dropped to the ground, and put the Time Machine back in its capsule. He was about to go inside to see if his mother was there, but then he heard a loud noise from not-so far off. It was in the ruins of West City.

His blue eyes narrowed, and he new that a reunion would have to wait for now.

He had BUSINESS to take care of.

"Dammit, 17, do you always have to blow EVERYTHING up?" Android 18 asked her brother as they walked through the ruins, rolling her eyes as he blew up yet another decrepit building with a finger beam. Her annoyance was beginning to show, as she found nothing of interest in this large, yet empty, ghost town.

"Well, I find it amusing," he answered with a small 'hmph' as they made their way towards the trashed Capsule Corp. building.

18 looked over at it and sighed. "Do you honestly think he's been hiding there?" she looked back over at 17, who decided to blow up yet another building. "...You know that's getting to be old."

"So what? I like it, and I personally could care less about your opinion," the young 'man' replied as he watched the debris fly through the air and smash through some other buildings. "Heh. Doesn't get much better than this, huh?" 18 was about to make yet another pointed remark about his sense of 'fun' when a familiar voice interrupted her.

"I hate to say it, but I agree with her; that IS getting old," Trunks said as he levitated above the ruined street before setting down. "And do are the two of you. It's about time I paid you two back for everyone you've killed." He watched them coldly, waiting to see which one would move first.

"You again? Well, I have to admit, things DID get kind of boring without you around to beat up," 17 smirked at him. 18 tried to so the same, but for some reason she couldn't; so she settled for a blank glare in his direction.

Trunks smirked back at him. "Well, things are different now; this time, YOU'LL be the one getting the life knocked out of you." He laughed softly, but it was still audible to 17, whose face creased with anger as he flew towards the demi-saiyajin, one fist raised up and out for what should've been a decapitating punch.

Instead, 17's fist hit the solid resistance of Trunks' face. As the android's eyes widened with shock, the other grabbed him around the wrist and slammed his knee into his stomach. 17's eyes went glassy as he began to zoom up into the air—

-Only to have Trunks' elbow slam into the small of his back. With a loud cry of pain, Android 17 smashed through the many floors of one of the abandoned buildings, each one falling in on him as he went through it and the next one, destroying their support columns. By the time he hit the basement, the entire building had caved in on the cyborg.

18 stared in shock at Trunks....who hadn't even bothered to go into his super saiyajin form; his hair was still lavender and covered his eyes from hers. 'Okay, THIS is definitely new,' she thought, as 17 began to dig his way out of the wreckage.

"Dammit; now I'm pissed!!" he growled as he flew up at Trunks, who swatted him away like a bug. The android pressed his attack, but Trunks either dodged them, or blocked them with a well-placed arm or leg. As 17 threw a punch at the young man's jaw, he dodged and brought his fist up hard, transforming into a super saiyajin as he did so.

17 looked at Trunks in shock, as a small trickle of blood ran from his mouth. 18's hand went to her mouth, as she suddenly felt sick. For the first time in her life, she felt SICK.

Trunks just frowned at 17 as he pulled his fist out of the Android's back and stomach, and let him fall to the asphalt below. The impact created a large crater, and the dying android looked up to see the demi-saiyajin's emerald/turquoise eyes locked on him, and his golden hair moving slightly with the wind.

Trunks made a series of rapid hand gestures, before stopping with thumb and forefingers of his open hands touching one another. There was a sudden surge of energy, and a ki ball formed.

"SAY GOODBYE, YOU MENACE!!" Trunks screamed as he fired at 17, and scored a direct hit, causing one large explosion...

....Which resulted in a secondary explosion as 17's cybernetics, including the bomb terminal in his chest, gave way to the massive energy Trunks had blasted him with.

'One down, one to go,' he thought to himself, looking down at the large hole he had made. 'Not to mention that freak Cell,' he added, looking in the general direction of South City, where Doctor Gero had hidden his lab, and ultimately lost his life.

Android 18 stared in shock and horror as her twin was destroyed by the boy they used to be able to beat down without any effort. Her pale blue eyes were beginning to become moist, and with a shock, she reached up and felt the tears there. She despised 17 for his behavior, but he was still her brother.

At least he WAS her brother; NOW he's nothing more than ash and rust, she thought to herself.

She looked up at Trunks, who was beginning to get lost in his thoughts, and made a decision.

One that would not only change her fate, but the fate of Trunks, and yes, even the world itself.

She ran.

She ran for her life, taking to the skies and hoping that she'd be able to outrace the saiyajin prince before he decided to come after her.

It took him about three minutes to realize that 18 had made a run for it, and he cursed himself for losing himself in his thoughts of the past, of his father, of the friends he had made....and the battles that they had fought together; both the victories and the loses. The things that had made him feel truly alive, truly important.

Brolli, Cell, and more androids than he thought was possible....the memories surged through him as he flew after Android 18, hell-bent on finishing what he had started.

'Don't worry, Master Gohan....I won't let your death be in vain; I can beat them now. I can make the Earth what it once was......and maybe then I can mourn you the way you were meant to be mourned,' he thought as he pushed aside his remembrances, and chased after the girl, a small smile on his face as he began to draw nearer and nearer.

Soon he could see the edge of her blue mini-skirt flapping in the howling wind, and her blonde locks pulled back over her shoulders by the speeds they were traveling at. For some odd reason, Trunks felt a light blush tint his cheeks as he began to trace the curves and contours of her body as he drew closer to her.

'What am I thinking?!' he thought, shaking his head seconds before he rammed into her, wrapping his arms around her slender waist and sending the both of them smashing into the ground below, digging a mighty furrow as they slid to a stop.

They stood then, both of them dirty and with torn clothes.

They glared at each other.

'This is it....' They both thought as one, as they rushed to the attack simultaneously.

TBC...........................

Author Note: So, what did you think? I know it was kinda short, but I have to save *something* for the second chapter, right? Trunks versus 18, with quite a few surprises at the end. Hope I surprise you all with the outcome; if not, hey, as long as you like it, I'm happy. ^_^