2 Guess Who's Back?
Kani: I know very little about the Z universe, so for anyone who cares, this story is set a little while after the Buu Saga, but before Bra would have been born (if her mother hadn't been killed). Oh and I also rewrote chapter 2.
Obsidian Blade: Thank you!!!!! Your fic (Dangerous Bond) is one of the best romance stories I've read.
Warrior of Silence: Wow...thanks. I'm not used to getting so much praise. ^_^ A Heart of Stone is great, too. ^_~ Trunks angst gets me every time.
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~In the Mirai universe~
A flash of lightning illuminates a tall, violet haired young man. In that split second it is seen that he is holding a sword. A broken sword.
The teenager's clothes are torn, his jacket is gone, and he is bleeding profusely in several places. Crimson mingles with rain, dripping onto the two motionless machine bodies on the ground below him.
He had finally destroyed the android twins, the defeat of which he should be proud. But instead of rejoicing in the fact that he had avenged his sensei, his fellow warriors, and all the innocent people who had gotten involved, the young man kneels in the mud of the abandoned graveyard. He's crying.
"Mom..." The word, barely audible, slips from his parched mouth. The teenager lays his broken sword on the wet gravestone and closes his eyes. "I did it." He shuts his eyes against further tears. "I killed them for you."
Yes. More than anyone else, he had done it to avenge his mother, whom the androids had murdered during their last slaughtering spree.
"I killed them for you, and Gohan-sensei, and all those other people...and the warriors of the past." His tone rises as thunder crashes around him. "I would have done it sooner but I couldn't. I thought the Super Saiyajin level alone could stop them...that I just needed more skill. But I realized I needed to reach the higher levels...to get more power...only after they killed you..."
The wind has begun to rise, carrying with it signs of the oncoming tempest. With tears still streaming from his eyes, the teenager retrieves his sword and turns away from the battleground. High above, he stops to look at the land below for one last time.
An odd battleground, it is. Ironic how the graveyard was the key to forcing up the reserves of the teenager's power.
And ironic...that he killed the androids on a dark day like this.
It was almost identical to the time, weather, and place where he had found his sensei's body...seemingly so long ago...
And then the young man flies away, calling upon his remaining power to push himself to his fastest.
He knows he is not to see this place again.
****
~Flashback of Chibi Trunks~
The graveyard is just as decayed and cold as the corpses buried within it. Everything in and around the cemetery seems to be in the same decrepit state; the same yet different shades of black, brown, and gray.
All of this Trunks apathetically observes as he watches his mother's coffin being lowered into the open grave. Tears rip at his eyes, like claws of some invisible beast trying to escape its cage.
Besides a whole bunch of workers from Capsule Corporation, the entire gang turned out for the funeral—even Piccolo—to pay their respects. After all, if it hadn't been for Bulma, the quest that brought them all together never would have been presumed...
But the person who naturally holds the violet haired boy's gaze was his father.
Vegeta stands a few meters away from the rest of the group, his arms crossed over his chest. Trunks would have gone to him, but something in the ouji's unreadable expression stops him. That was what bothers the boy most—the fact that, although he and his father share a bond, it is a very tattered one through which little could be sensed.
Trunks sighs. If he was more experienced in mental examination like Goku, the boy would have detected the smallest ache; the beginning of a massive agony kept well-hidden for years. At this moment though, he feels nothing through their link, which contradicted how he himself is feeling. His mind is full to overflowing.
An inexplicable yearning wells up inside the small warrior. He wishes Vegeta isn't as egotistical as he is. In spite of the fact that Trunks is used to the prince's arrogance, he still wishes he could hug his father just once. He wishes he could call the ouji "Tousan," like Goten did, instead of "Father." The boy wants to cry without his tousama telling him how weak he was acting. He wants to die and get to the after life, not caring whether Lord Enma sends him to heaven of hell.
But most of all, Trunks wants to learn who exactly this "Totoma Henshin" is.
Who is Totoma Henshin? Another Saiyajin? If so, how'd he survive when Freeza attacked Vegeta-sei? And why couldn't Trunks sense Totoma's chi? What does he want with Chikyuu-sei? Why did he come, anyway? And, most importantly, why the hell did he killed Bulma?!
Abruptly, the young hybrid sniffles, instinctively rubbing an arm across his eyes before he realizes he's crying. Trunks didn't wanted to—he even promised himself he wouldn't—but the tears still come. After a noiseless battle between him and his grief, the demi-Saiyajin finally allows himself to weep, but silently. He isn't in the mood to be yelled at for displaying a "weakness."
****
~Chibi Trunks POV~
The funeral was over, for which I was glad. I didn't think I could have borne crying another second. Father was leaving the graveyard, so I hurried after him; but I could barely see. It was hard to run and try not to cry at the same time.
"F-Father! W-wait for me!"
I was so stunned that I froze when he actually stopped and turned towards me. But his face emitted only disgust. "Hurry up, boy," he snapped.
I stepped forward once, twice, then followed him more slowly.
"Vegeta."
This time Father didn't stop until Goku-san appeared right in front of him.
"What do you want, Kakarotto?" he questioned tiredly.
The tall Saiyajin drew my father aside, speaking so softly that even I couldn't hear. I waited impatiently. All I wanted to do was to get home, go to sleep, and maybe forget what had happened in the past few days...
"You sure you want to do that, Vegeta?" I finally heard Goku say.
Father nodded slightly. "I have enough to worry about with my brother on Earth," he said quietly, although I sensed a fierce undertone through our link. He turned as if to go, but then I heard him speaking to me mentally.
//Brat.//
//Huh?// I blinked twice, stunned for the second time that day. Father rarely spoke to me telepathically, if he spoke to me at all. //Y-yes, Father?// I managed finally.
//You're going home with Kakarotto.//
//Wh-what? Why? I...wanna go home...with you...//
My father turned halfway towards me. //I know,// he replied. //But there are many things afoot that must be taken care of. And you will not be a part of it. You're staying with Kakarotto until it's all over.//
//B-but...Father...// No wonder he's talking through our link. He doesn't want me making a scene. Even so, I'm losing my grip. I know I'm going to cry again... //Papa...//
That did it. I had lapsed back into my old habit of calling him "Papa" yet again; something that had been deemed unacceptable quite a while ago. Father scowled. //His first brat will bring your things over later.//
//But...// I glanced towards Goku-san. Not hearing our mental conversation, he was awaiting my response. I turned back to my otousama. "I don't want to go," I whispered.
"Too bad." His voice was the cold, princely one he used when I was in trouble. The words only began to sink in when he took to the sky.
"Father!" Tears spilled over my shivering face. I was a pathetic sight, I knew it, but I was too broken inside to stop. "Father!" I started to run after Father's disappearing form, but a pair of strong arms pulled me back.
"Easy, Trunks-kun," I heard Goku say as he carried me to where the other Sons waited. "You're coming home with us."
No! I want to scream. No, no, no, no!! I have to help Father! He can't do this alone! He isn't the only one who wants revenge on this 'Henshin' guy! But all that came from my lips was a desiccated, "Iie..."
Goku-san handed me to Gohan, who put me in the backseat of their skycar before climbing in himself. Goten got in beside his brother and closed the door. Up front, Chi-Chi-san and Goku-san also got inside and sat down.
As we flew towards my best friend's mountain home, I drew my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them protectively. The car was quiet, for which I was glad, and I occupied myself by staring heatedly at the back of Chi-Chi-san's chair.
Shimatta...shimatta... I thought over and over. I knew I wasn't supposed to swear—Kaasan had told me not to do it—but sometimes I did it anyway. Besides, anyone who lived around someone as irate as Father did pick up the occasional curse.
Just thinking about Father made me angry. Why didn't he want me to help him? Was the person who had killed Kaasan that dangerous? Well...obviously. Otherwise, my dad wouldn't have left me with "Kakarotto and his demon spawn."
My jaw tightened as I remembered finding Kaasan dead. It seemed that whenever I thought about it, I wanted to go SSJ2, although I never did. But at the moment I didn't care. I clenched my fists and shut my eyes, allowing the rage I felt to consume me.
Suddenly, I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. Jumping slightly, I glanced up. Gohan was watching me. I must have been glaring, because he swiftly looked away. Goten shot me a pitying glance, but I ignored it.
I don't know why, Father, but something tells me that you won't be able to beat the "Henshin." And Goku-san won't either.
Lowering my head to my knees, I shut my eyes. The low hum of the skycar was very soothing, I had to admit. But before I dropped off, I made a promise.
With tears burning my eyes, I swore that I'd be the one to avenge Kaasan's death.
Little did I know what that promise was going to cost me.
****
When we got to the Sons' small home, I was told that I'd be sharing Goten's room. I nodded numbly before following the black haired demi-Saiyajin down the hall to his bedroom.
Goten-kun showed me the dark blue sleeping bag I would be sleeping in during my stay and some of his extra casual clothes I could wear until Gohan could bring mine over. When I didn't say anything, he looked me over cautiously.
"D-do you want to play video games after you change, Trunks-kun?" the boy said awkwardly. "I just got a couple of new ones, and..."
"Thanks, but no thanks, Goten-kun," I said raspily. "I want...to go back to sleep."
Even though he was only six years old, Goten took the cue. "Okay."
****
"Kyaaa!!" Fear-filled azure eyes snapped open as swiftly as I would allow. I was breathing hard, and found myself staring at the ceiling. Well, not exactly at the ceiling. Goku, Chi-Chi, Gohan, and Goten were all standing cautiously nearby, and their faces were extremely concerned.
I slowly moved myself into a sitting position, lifting a hand to my throbbing head and trying to forget what I had just dreamed.
No one spoke, not even after I regained control of my breathing. I wondered why, but realized after an uncomfortable moment that I was in Super Saiyajin Two mode. With a small gasp, I quickly powered down. It was only then that Goten felt safe to approach me.
"Are you all right, Trunks-kun?" he asked tentatively.
I swallowed hard and shook my head. Suddenly I felt a tear trickle down my face. I reached up to touch it, but then I remembered what I had dreamed that had caused me to go SSJ2 in the first place.
"Father," I whispered.
Goku and Gohan exchanged confused glances. Gohan spoke first. "What're you talking about, Trunks?"
The tears were falling for no obvious reason. I barely noticed them as I hurriedly explained my nightmare. "I saw...Father in my dream, and he was getting beat...bad!" I grit my teeth. "I-I don't know why...b-but I think he's hurt for real..." On a wild impulse, I jumped to my feet, glad that I had slept in one of Goten's gis instead of what I had worn to the funeral. "Could you take me back to Capsule Corp, Goku-san?"
Goku hesitated, and Chi-Chi intervened. "You should calm down, Trunks-kun," she said in a gentle but no-nonsense tone of voice. "It was just a dream, you know, and dreams don't come true..."
"No!" My power level shot back up, but stayed just below SSJ this time. "I sense that he's hurt...and for real! Seriously!"
Bewildered, Goten moved slowly away from me. Goku-san tilted his head, scowling abruptly.
"I think he's right," the Saiyajin said after a moment. "I can sense Vegeta's ki...but just barely."
Gohan frowned. "I can't...sense it at all."
"Do you see now?" I demanded, panicking unreasonably and forgetting the past lectures about "respecting my elders" I had received. "Please teleport me back to CC!" My tears were coming faster. "Please..."
"Okay, I'll take you there," Goku said, obviously to calm me down. He came over to me and put a hand on my shoulder, but before we could go, both Gohan and Goten stepped forward.
"I want to go, too!" they exclaimed together. Then Gohan blushed, realizing how childish he was acting. "We can come, can't we, Tousan?" he asked more calmly.
At Goku's nod, the two boys stood with us.
"What about me?" Chi-Chi demanded before her husband had a chance to transmit us.
"Uh...I think you should stay here, Mom," Gohan offered feebly.
"Y-yeah, we'll see you a bit later!" Goku added before we disappeared.
****
~In the Mirai universe~
"But why are you leaving, Trunks-sensei?" the gray haired boy demands angrily. "We need you here! How are we supposed to rebuild the Earth without you?"
The teenager referred to as "Trunks" smiles sadly. "Like I've told you the past eight times you've asked me, Yuichi, there is unfinished business in the past I must attend to."
"Why can't I go with you?" Yuichi mutters sulkily, although it's obvious he knows the answer. "Zhane and Nawel and Kinaji are better at giving orders than me; they can handle things here!"
Trunks nods imperceptibly at the mention of his other students' names. "Because you're required here to help," he answers as he takes a capsule from his pocket. "Remember, some of the people here need to be retrained in technology, and you've far surpassed me in that area."
"I know, but..." For some reason, Yuichi's blue eyes flood with tears. "I'm...I'm scared."
Trunks turns toward the boy in surprise. "You? Scared? You fought the androids without me once, and you're scared of staying here now that the world's safe?"
"But what if it isn't?" Yuichi retorts. "What if someone else comes up with another monster to terrorize us?"
"I made a promise to my mother," the purple haired teenager growls. "She wanted me to promise that I'd go back and help the senshi we knew in the alternate timeline." He grits his teeth. "I'm not going back on that promise, Yuichi."
The gray haired boy seems to understand. After all, he lost his family to the androids, too. "But Trunks-sensei?" he ventures as Trunks unencapsulizes his time machine.
The light haired sword carrier wafted into the air. "Yes?" he asks impatiently.
"Will we...see you again?"
Trunks considers this as he climbs inside the time machine. Then he shows his rare smile. "Hai," the teenager replies quietly. "But only when you really need my help." He raises a hand, forcing himself not to cry. "Goodbye, Yuichi."
The tears stream down Yuichi's young but scarred face as the time machine vanishes. He scrubs them away in annoyance before glancing up towards the sky.
"Goodbye, Trunks-sensei," he whispers to no one.
