Chapter 4: Services
Starlight walked inside the church. There were two caskets in the front by the altar. The casket doors were wide open. Starlight looked at Trunks. He was staring at her.
"Starlight?" He said quietly. Everyone was filing in. He walked closer to her and grabbed her hand. "I never ask you for anything but...please, be strong for me." He said gripping her hand. He looked at the caskets. He drew in a deep quivering breath as people came up to him and patted him on the back. Starlight began walking him to the front of the isle and sat him down in the front row. She sat down next to him and an aged Chichi. Chichi turned to Starlight, revealing her tear-stained face and her puffy red eyes. She was dabbing at the corners of her eyes with a wrinkled tissue.
"I'm sorry...I know she was your best friend..." Starlight said hugging her aged mother. Chichi thanked Starlight as music started playing and Goku walked down the aisle to the altar. He took a crumpled paper from his pocket and unfolded it.
"Today we are here to pay our respects to two of my best friends." He said. His voice cracked slightly and he cleared his throat. "Bulma had been my best friend ever since I accidentally killed my grandfather. We did everything together. I even remember when," He paused and smiled at Yamcha, "When I walked in on her and Yamcha kissing. I had no clue what they were doing. I thought Yamcha was trying to eat Bulma so I punched him." Everyone in the chapel laughed softly.
"Then there's Vegeta..." Goku said, getting a little bit more serious. "I know that not many people liked Vegeta. He could be rude, stubborn, arrogant, heck, he could even be rather violent." He said, Starlight smiled slightly at that notion. "But he was never EVER violent with Bulma. And I think that after a while he grew on everybody. Sometimes the fact that he was a prince from another planet made his head swell. But deep down he was a good guy. He..." Goku stopped with a distant look in his eyes. "He killed himself out of love and anger. The love that he and Bulma had was strong. Despite his attitude he was very good towards Bulma...he would have died for her, and in the end...he died to be with her." He said walking down and sitting next to Chichi. Trunks sighed a wavering sigh.
"My turn." He said, letting go of Starlight's hand and walking to the altar.
"Thank you all, very much, for coming here today. I know my parents, expecially my mom, would be glad to see you all here. The...um, the past year has been hard for me. I lost both of my grandparents within four months, and then I witnessed both of my parents die on the same day. My parents had a good relationship. Sure they would call each other names every now and then, but I knew that they loved each other. I remember all the stories my mom would tell me about my dad when I was little. She talked highly of him. I remember how happy she was when Starlight and I wished him back." He sighed as his eyes got cloudy. A single tear fell down his cheek. Starlight watched on with a heavy heart as her best friend endured the pain of a funeral.
"I know what people said about my father. That he was rude. That he was heartless. That he didn't care about anybody but himself. All of that is a lie. He was a great man. He loved my mother with all his heart. He was also a great father. He DID call me brat every now and then, but, after living through hell with the androids, one four letter word meant nothing at all. He loved me and I knew it." Trunks stopped again as more tears began falling down his cheeks.
"If I had, a chance to tell them both one more thing it would be..." He paused. "That," his voice got stronger, "I love both of them...with all of my heart. And if I could, I would sacrifice myself if it meant they could come back." He said sitting back down. He began crying softly to himself. The chapel was silent except for the sobbing of numerous people.
"I-I'm sorry. I need to be excused..." Trunks said standing up. He walked out the door.
"Trunks wait!" Starlight said walking out behind him. Everyone turned their heads but no one got up to follow them.
"Trunks..." Starlight said softly as he stopped in front of an enlarged up picture of his parents. His hands dangled at his sides. He dropped his head. Starlight placed her hands on his shoulders. She felt tears threatening her. She swallowed hard and moved in front of him. She stared him straight in the face.
"I can't do this Star." He said putting his arms around her and burying his head in her shoulder. He began crying. His tears were wetting her shoulder. She patted his back.
"Shhh. It's alright. It'll get better...I promise." She said, trying not to cry. "I promise you...It WILL get better." She said losing the fight against her tears. She began crying too. They unraveled themselves and caught each other's gaze. Trunks brushed the tears off of Starlight's face. She smiled and laughed nervously.
"Look at me." She said. "I was supposed to be strong for you and here I am crying hysterically." She said looking at the floor, somewhat embarassed. Trunks lifted her chin and kissed her forehead.
"You were a lot stronger than I was today. Thanks." He said looking at the doors to the chapel. "I'm going back. You can come back when you're ready." He said beginning to walk towards the doors. He drew in a deep breath. Starlight walked up to him and grabbed his hand.
"We're in this together. I won't let you do this alone." She said opening the doors. Krillin was walking down from the altar and everybody was getting out of their seats. Everyone must have already payed their respects. Trunks and Starlight walked over to the open caskets. Bulma looked so peaceful. Like an angel. Vegeta still sported his usual scowl. He wore a solid gold breast plate and black spandex. Only the best for a Saiyan prince. Trunks went to Bulma's casket first. He kissed his fingertips and brought them to her forehead.
"Goodbye forever mom...I love you." He said, brushing his hand on her cheek. He walked over to Vegeta. Again he kissed his fingertips and brought them to Vegeta's forehead. "Dad...I'm glad I got to sped some time with you. Rest in peace." He said kneeling in between both caskets and doing the sign of the cross. He walked back to Starlight and put his arms around her.
"I don't think I can go to the reception." He said solemnly. Starlight nodded. People began walking towards the door and Trunks saw his only opportunity.
"Uhh guys?" He said, projecting his voice. "Starlight....Umm this Starlight and I wont be going to the reception held in the party room of this building. I need to go home. I can't stay here any longer." He said. Everybody understood and said their goodbyes. Trunks didn't hesitate. He and Starlight left right after that announcement. They were standing in the parking lot as Starlight got ready to take off.
"I'll carry you." He said. Starlight stopped and looked at him, puzzled.
"I can fly. You don't need to-"
"I want to. Nowadays I don't know how long I have with anyone that I love." He said quietly. Starlight saw how much it must have meant to him and gave it.
"Alright..." She said wrapping her arms around his neck. He scooped her up in his arms and flew off. The flight wasn't long. Within ten minutes they arrived at the Capsule Corp. They walked inside the door just as it began raining. Trunks put Starlight down and began to walk off towards the stairs. Starlight walked after him.
"Trunks...Do you need to talk?" She asked. He walked up a few more stairs and then turned to look at her.
"Yes." He said quietly. "But, you need to sleep. You were up almost all last night and then this morning I found you already awake before me. I can sense the fatigue in your body. Get some sleep."
"Trunks...I'll be fine...I can sleep later. Trunks, I have all the time in the world for you. Forget about others for a while and think of yourself. You lost both your grandparents and your parents all in the same year. You need someone to talk to." She said. "I'll always be here for you." Trunks began walking down the stairs. He sat down on the couch in the living room.
All of a sudden Starlight saw a random psychic vision. She saw Trunks sitting on the couch. "I want to die...I want to die and be with my family." Then a yellow energy ball appeared in his hands and he looked up at her. "I love you." He said, then he shot himself in the chest. Starlight exited her vision and stared in horror at Trunks.
"I want to die...I want to die and be with my family." He said creating a glowing ball in the palm of his hand. Starlight's eyes widened. He looked up at her.
"TRUNKS NO!" She yelled grabbing his wrist. The beam shot off and hit her right shoulder. She fell to the floor, bleeding uncontrollably. Trunks dropped to the floor and picked her up in his arms.
"I am so sorry Starlight." He said looking at the exposed crushed bones that were left on her shoulder. She bit her lip hard. She needed to scream because it hurt so bad, but she didn't want Trunks to feel any worse.
"It's okay, just...get me a Senzu bean..." She said through girtted teeth. He got a look of terror.
"We-we don't have any more." He said looking at her shoulder again. He squeezed his eyes shut and turned away from her. She put her one good arm on his face.
"Trunks..." She said beginning to breathe hard, "Just take me to the medical wing. Bandage me up...It'll be okay." She said caressing his cheek. He nodded slightly and began flying up the numerous stairs. Starlight looked at him one last time and passed out.
Starlight walked inside the church. There were two caskets in the front by the altar. The casket doors were wide open. Starlight looked at Trunks. He was staring at her.
"Starlight?" He said quietly. Everyone was filing in. He walked closer to her and grabbed her hand. "I never ask you for anything but...please, be strong for me." He said gripping her hand. He looked at the caskets. He drew in a deep quivering breath as people came up to him and patted him on the back. Starlight began walking him to the front of the isle and sat him down in the front row. She sat down next to him and an aged Chichi. Chichi turned to Starlight, revealing her tear-stained face and her puffy red eyes. She was dabbing at the corners of her eyes with a wrinkled tissue.
"I'm sorry...I know she was your best friend..." Starlight said hugging her aged mother. Chichi thanked Starlight as music started playing and Goku walked down the aisle to the altar. He took a crumpled paper from his pocket and unfolded it.
"Today we are here to pay our respects to two of my best friends." He said. His voice cracked slightly and he cleared his throat. "Bulma had been my best friend ever since I accidentally killed my grandfather. We did everything together. I even remember when," He paused and smiled at Yamcha, "When I walked in on her and Yamcha kissing. I had no clue what they were doing. I thought Yamcha was trying to eat Bulma so I punched him." Everyone in the chapel laughed softly.
"Then there's Vegeta..." Goku said, getting a little bit more serious. "I know that not many people liked Vegeta. He could be rude, stubborn, arrogant, heck, he could even be rather violent." He said, Starlight smiled slightly at that notion. "But he was never EVER violent with Bulma. And I think that after a while he grew on everybody. Sometimes the fact that he was a prince from another planet made his head swell. But deep down he was a good guy. He..." Goku stopped with a distant look in his eyes. "He killed himself out of love and anger. The love that he and Bulma had was strong. Despite his attitude he was very good towards Bulma...he would have died for her, and in the end...he died to be with her." He said walking down and sitting next to Chichi. Trunks sighed a wavering sigh.
"My turn." He said, letting go of Starlight's hand and walking to the altar.
"Thank you all, very much, for coming here today. I know my parents, expecially my mom, would be glad to see you all here. The...um, the past year has been hard for me. I lost both of my grandparents within four months, and then I witnessed both of my parents die on the same day. My parents had a good relationship. Sure they would call each other names every now and then, but I knew that they loved each other. I remember all the stories my mom would tell me about my dad when I was little. She talked highly of him. I remember how happy she was when Starlight and I wished him back." He sighed as his eyes got cloudy. A single tear fell down his cheek. Starlight watched on with a heavy heart as her best friend endured the pain of a funeral.
"I know what people said about my father. That he was rude. That he was heartless. That he didn't care about anybody but himself. All of that is a lie. He was a great man. He loved my mother with all his heart. He was also a great father. He DID call me brat every now and then, but, after living through hell with the androids, one four letter word meant nothing at all. He loved me and I knew it." Trunks stopped again as more tears began falling down his cheeks.
"If I had, a chance to tell them both one more thing it would be..." He paused. "That," his voice got stronger, "I love both of them...with all of my heart. And if I could, I would sacrifice myself if it meant they could come back." He said sitting back down. He began crying softly to himself. The chapel was silent except for the sobbing of numerous people.
"I-I'm sorry. I need to be excused..." Trunks said standing up. He walked out the door.
"Trunks wait!" Starlight said walking out behind him. Everyone turned their heads but no one got up to follow them.
"Trunks..." Starlight said softly as he stopped in front of an enlarged up picture of his parents. His hands dangled at his sides. He dropped his head. Starlight placed her hands on his shoulders. She felt tears threatening her. She swallowed hard and moved in front of him. She stared him straight in the face.
"I can't do this Star." He said putting his arms around her and burying his head in her shoulder. He began crying. His tears were wetting her shoulder. She patted his back.
"Shhh. It's alright. It'll get better...I promise." She said, trying not to cry. "I promise you...It WILL get better." She said losing the fight against her tears. She began crying too. They unraveled themselves and caught each other's gaze. Trunks brushed the tears off of Starlight's face. She smiled and laughed nervously.
"Look at me." She said. "I was supposed to be strong for you and here I am crying hysterically." She said looking at the floor, somewhat embarassed. Trunks lifted her chin and kissed her forehead.
"You were a lot stronger than I was today. Thanks." He said looking at the doors to the chapel. "I'm going back. You can come back when you're ready." He said beginning to walk towards the doors. He drew in a deep breath. Starlight walked up to him and grabbed his hand.
"We're in this together. I won't let you do this alone." She said opening the doors. Krillin was walking down from the altar and everybody was getting out of their seats. Everyone must have already payed their respects. Trunks and Starlight walked over to the open caskets. Bulma looked so peaceful. Like an angel. Vegeta still sported his usual scowl. He wore a solid gold breast plate and black spandex. Only the best for a Saiyan prince. Trunks went to Bulma's casket first. He kissed his fingertips and brought them to her forehead.
"Goodbye forever mom...I love you." He said, brushing his hand on her cheek. He walked over to Vegeta. Again he kissed his fingertips and brought them to Vegeta's forehead. "Dad...I'm glad I got to sped some time with you. Rest in peace." He said kneeling in between both caskets and doing the sign of the cross. He walked back to Starlight and put his arms around her.
"I don't think I can go to the reception." He said solemnly. Starlight nodded. People began walking towards the door and Trunks saw his only opportunity.
"Uhh guys?" He said, projecting his voice. "Starlight....Umm this Starlight and I wont be going to the reception held in the party room of this building. I need to go home. I can't stay here any longer." He said. Everybody understood and said their goodbyes. Trunks didn't hesitate. He and Starlight left right after that announcement. They were standing in the parking lot as Starlight got ready to take off.
"I'll carry you." He said. Starlight stopped and looked at him, puzzled.
"I can fly. You don't need to-"
"I want to. Nowadays I don't know how long I have with anyone that I love." He said quietly. Starlight saw how much it must have meant to him and gave it.
"Alright..." She said wrapping her arms around his neck. He scooped her up in his arms and flew off. The flight wasn't long. Within ten minutes they arrived at the Capsule Corp. They walked inside the door just as it began raining. Trunks put Starlight down and began to walk off towards the stairs. Starlight walked after him.
"Trunks...Do you need to talk?" She asked. He walked up a few more stairs and then turned to look at her.
"Yes." He said quietly. "But, you need to sleep. You were up almost all last night and then this morning I found you already awake before me. I can sense the fatigue in your body. Get some sleep."
"Trunks...I'll be fine...I can sleep later. Trunks, I have all the time in the world for you. Forget about others for a while and think of yourself. You lost both your grandparents and your parents all in the same year. You need someone to talk to." She said. "I'll always be here for you." Trunks began walking down the stairs. He sat down on the couch in the living room.
All of a sudden Starlight saw a random psychic vision. She saw Trunks sitting on the couch. "I want to die...I want to die and be with my family." Then a yellow energy ball appeared in his hands and he looked up at her. "I love you." He said, then he shot himself in the chest. Starlight exited her vision and stared in horror at Trunks.
"I want to die...I want to die and be with my family." He said creating a glowing ball in the palm of his hand. Starlight's eyes widened. He looked up at her.
"TRUNKS NO!" She yelled grabbing his wrist. The beam shot off and hit her right shoulder. She fell to the floor, bleeding uncontrollably. Trunks dropped to the floor and picked her up in his arms.
"I am so sorry Starlight." He said looking at the exposed crushed bones that were left on her shoulder. She bit her lip hard. She needed to scream because it hurt so bad, but she didn't want Trunks to feel any worse.
"It's okay, just...get me a Senzu bean..." She said through girtted teeth. He got a look of terror.
"We-we don't have any more." He said looking at her shoulder again. He squeezed his eyes shut and turned away from her. She put her one good arm on his face.
"Trunks..." She said beginning to breathe hard, "Just take me to the medical wing. Bandage me up...It'll be okay." She said caressing his cheek. He nodded slightly and began flying up the numerous stairs. Starlight looked at him one last time and passed out.
