A small warning for this chapter, it is a sharp diversion from the normal happy cantor of things and is instead dark, angsty, dramatic and violent…
Chapter 7: Tensions rise, Chibis fall, true friendship never dies
Trunks sat, leaning against a tree deep in thought. He was only slightly grateful to Goten for getting them out inside Otousan's 'rules' but was pissed at his choice location. He wasn't sure what Ki Goten had locked onto, but it was clear that there were few people here in whatever tropical jungle they were in. It was so damn infuriating. Goten is such an idiot! Trunks thought. He didn't ever wait to grab any of our stuff and now we are stuck out here in these stupid orange suits! He looked over at Goten who was examining an apple that he evidently pulled out of thin air. "Hey Goten, where did you get that?" Goten responded quickly saying: "I brought it with me, you want half of it Trunks-kun?" Ignoring his gracious offer, Trunks turned away and watched a few birds wheel over some distant trees. 'Cruuuuuuch!' came the sound of Goten biting into the apple. There was a short pause and Trunks cringed noticeably at the sound of a second 'Cruuuuuunch!' For some strange reason the sound of someone eating an apple grated on the older chibi's nerves and he couldn't stand the noise. "Goten!" Trunks called out. "I told you not to eat those things; you know I hate the sound!" Goten looked hurt for the second time that day and said: "I'm hungry, I can't help it!" There quickly came a third crunch and Trunks turned to Goten arm outstretched. Have some applesauce then! Trunks thought as he effectively if a bit sloppily blasted the apple out of Goten's hand causing his younger brother to jump back.
For a small moment in time, perhaps a few seconds or maybe up to a full minute nobody moved. The animals in the area were silenced and the tree behind Goten bore a noticeable black spot, still smoking a bit. Then Goten stood up and walked up to Trunks, who now had his arms indifferently crossed. "Hey Trunks-kun, I was eating that!" Goten said with a slight hitch of anger in his voice. "Oh shut up Goten, I told you not to eat that thing but you were hungry. You could have tried figuring out a way to get us the hell out of here!" Trunks retorted. "And whatever you do, stop wining like a little baby!" Goten turned cross and folded his arms like Trunks looking incredibly irate and fuming on the inside, a sharp diversion from his usual cute expression. Again there came a pause, a bit longer this time and then Goten turned to Trunks and Trunks turned to Goten. They locked eyes and each could tell exactly what the other was thinking. A mere millisecond later the trees for miles around bent and many others burst into flame as the sheer force of two super Saiya-jin chibis flashed into full power. The fight was like one of their sparring matches, but again this would be to an untrained eye, it was obvious that this time neither boy cared shit for the safety of the other. The force of each blow sent a wave of energy across the area and blasts flew about scorching the ground and digging massive craters. The whole of the planet seemed to tremble at the display and still both were still going, yellow auras conflicting harshly with their orange prison outfits, which were already beginning to tear for the stress. The electricity of both boys crackled about stunningly as they locked fists and began to kick each other in an almost sick mirror image of Goku and Vegeta's fight of a few years back. "Take it back Goten!" Trunks said with ire in his voice. "You first Trunks-kun!" Goten shouted back with equal fire. The fight rolled forth and suddenly it appeared that Goten was taking the upper hand. He sent a blast at Trunks and the older boy dodged. Goten phased out of the way of Trunks' return fire and jumped behind Trunks and put him in a strangle hold. But Trunks could didn't give up, sending a blast to Goten's stomach and, easily blocking a fist with his tail, gained the advantage. Goten tried to keep up his guard but Trunks found a hole and began to pummel Goten's exposed middle with deadly Ki charged blows. Goten spit up a mess of blood and it began to run down his chin. "That's enough Trunks-kun, you win..." Goten started but Trunks quieted him with a right cross to the jaw and threw Goten into the face of a nearby cliff. He sent a foot into Goten's stomach and the look in his fiery green eyes could send a grown man cowering for cover. Goten spit up more blood and it began to stain the cloth on his chest. Trunks gave a smirk of victory and grabbed Goten's arm, throwing him into the ground. Goten tried to stand up but fell back to the ground, exhausted and badly hurt. Unable to sustain the transformation and dropped back to his normal power level and his hair became black again, Ki fluctuating in pain. Trunks landed next to him and Goten managed to stand up and looked again into his malevolent, shimmering, jade colored eyes. Trunks picked up his brother by a spike of his hair, delivered a series of punches, and let Goten fall to his feet before sending a knee into his gut and then twisting around to smash his elbow into the back of Goten's head. The younger chibi screamed out in pain, but Trunks took no notice of the damage he was causing. Goten fell again but before the force of gravity could let him hit the dirt, Trunks pirouetted on one foot behind Goten and crashed the sharp point of his elbow into the critical nerve center in his cervical spine. The blow sent shock waves through Goten's brain, initiating a chain reaction effectively shutting of communication between his brain and body. With a muffled thump, Goten fell to the ground in a heap at the feet of his once trusted friend; knocked unconscious.
The birds in the remaining trees were calling out in distress at the sheer horror of the end of the fight. The only other sound was Trunks' Ki still blasting about and the occasional bolt of lightning cutting the air around him. Goten's tail twitched slightly and then lay still as Trunks pushed Goten's limp form with the toe of his boot. Firmly convinced that he had won, Trunks allowed himself to power down, his hair falling down towards his head and darkening to purple. He blinked his eyes and when they opened they had gone back to blue, a beautiful mesmerizing clear blue that the young child at his feet had all but fallen in love with; the child that could very well be dead. Trunks looked back in indifference at Goten and then walked away through the smoking ruins of the tropical vegetation, unsure at where to go next. His eyes chanced to the spot where it had all started, the tree where Goten had been eating the apple. He passed over the area but then looked back quickly as something shiny caught his eye. He walked back over brushing some debris from his hair. He pushed aside the branch lying on the spot of shiny something and recognized it instantly. It was a capsule. He looked at it in confusion, he didn't know where Goten had gotten it, but it was certain that it could have come from nowhere else. He turned it over in his hand and as quickly as his anger toward Goten came, it left again. He had been mad at Goten for being so stupid, for bringing him to this dammed jungle in the middle of nowhere and he had never bothered to ask why. He suddenly realized that he had blamed Goten for a large portion of the trouble they had gotten into when, in fact, some of it had been his. He thought in a flash that Goten liked quiet places and may very well have brought them here because it was secluded. His face softened greatly and he pressed the button to activate the capsule and threw it into the clearing to see what it contained. There was a light 'Poof!' and a cloud of dust which rapidly subsided revealing a small pile of cloth like objects. Trunks began to sort through the stuff revealing a sleeping bag and a small blanket as well as most of the zenni and Trunks' Gi and a small bit of foodstuffs; all the important stuff for their survival. He was appalled, here he had been worried that Goten was stupid and his little brother had thought to bring all the essentials. Trunks had to admit that he might not have thought that far ahead if he had swayed Goten toward blasting their way out. He picked up his Gi and looked it over; indeed it was the one that he had been wearing before they were stripped and put in prison outfits. Trunks noticed something and saw that Goten's Gi was right under his own and he picked it up and turned it over, seeing a small blood stain from a match a while back and with a start he was pulled back to the moment.
Trunks stood up and dropped the Gi, what the hell had he done?! I could have killed him! I hope he's, no I can't think like that! Goten? The birds that had been silent again for a while in the fading light all flew away as Trunks' voice pierced the calm of the jungle. "GOTEN!" he screamed breaking into a sprint toward his spiky haired companion and trusted brother. He tripped on a branch and fell to the ground, tearing the thin orange fabric and scraping his knees. He got up ignoring the pain and kept running, calling Goten's name out over and over and begging the entire world to not let him die. He reached him and knelt down close, feeling for a sign that Goten was still alive. He felt for his Ki and felt close to nothing. Remembering something that Yonk had taught him a long time ago and he felt Goten's neck for a pulse, he felt something but wasn't absolutely sure. He grabbed him by his shoulders and lightly shook him pleading with Goten to come alive looking at the blood still streaming from Goten's mouth. The thoughts were exploding in his head: Goten! No, you can't die! I swore I wouldn't ever let nothing happen to you! Goten? Please wake up, please wake up! I promised you, I PROMISED YOU! You can't leave me, 'Tousan would kill me if he knew and I-he-you can't die Goten! I won't let you! I'm so sorry Goten, I'm sorry I ever...I ever even laughed at you and I swear I will...I won't ever call you names because you-I won't do it Goten, but you have to not die on me Goten, you can't leave me alone! You can't...I would...NO you are not going to...I won't let you...I-you-we...GOTEN! Abruptly Trunks put Goten down and grabbed his hand squeezing it tight and trying to will himself to take Goten's place for all the pain he had caused to him. He remembered something and flew at top speed to the pile of clothes, tossing them aside as he looked for the belt for his Gi. Oh Kami, please let 'um be here, I'll do ANYTHING! His hand closed around the familiar feel of his belt and he yanked it out of the pile, the worn brown oilcloth sack hanging off and swinging in the air. Trunks grabbed it and untied the knot pulling out a single senzu bean and rushed back to Goten. He grabbed the prostrate body and carefully pried open Goten's jaw, pushing the bean to the back of his throat and holding him close. He pushed it down a little further and watched carefully as the natural swallowing reflex brought it down to Goten's stomach, without his help. The tense seconds passed by and Trunks cradled Goten in his arms, small body racked with sobs. It'll be okay Goten, I promise.
Presently there was a stir, then another and then another. Trunks pushed away the desire to cheer out loud as it became increasingly apparent that Goten was going to make it. A small whining sound came from Goten as he shifted uncomfortably in Trunks' arms and his tail began to lash about like normal. "T-T-Trunks...-kun?" Goten said weakly, his eyes cracking open. Despite his lingering pain in his body and heart, there was still no other face he wanted more to wake up to after nearly dying. Trunks pulled Goten closer and let himself go, sobbing loudly and burying his face into Goten's spiky hair, inhaling his soft scent and thanking whoever had let him see Goten alive again. Goten could feel that Trunks was in enough agony as it was and stayed silent as he slowly started to return to normal from the miracles of senzu. Trunks suddenly burst into frantic apologies of all shape and form begging forgiveness from the one person that he loved more than any other in the whole universe. Goten stroked the back of Trunks' head softly as the mature comforting presence and shoulder to cry on that was commonly Trunks' role. He shushed Trunks and held him close. After a time Trunks regained control but still did not separate himself from Goten. The twilit sky grew ever darker and the first of the stars began to twinkle up above and still Trunks wouldn't remove his arms, wanting the moment to last forever. He had learned a painful lesson and wanted never again to hurt him, it wasn't worth it; he even decided that he would go a little easier on him during their sparring and let him win once in a while. Goten pulled Trunks toward a small rock and propped himself up on the smooth face, letting his older brother sit down next to him. Their friendship had been tried and strained and after it all no words were needed as Trunks kept his arm tightly around Goten's neck, feeling the pulse of life indicant of the life he almost took. All had been forgiven. The last of the sunlight finally faded and the small boys still sat, together again in the darkness with nobody but each other to feel close to. There was no need for anything else, no matter what there would always be Trunks and there would always be Goten, and nothing in the world would ever come in between them.
That chapter scared me a bit, even I didn't know if Goten was going to be okay for a while there. I suppose I could end the story right there, but…nah! There is still much to tell! Please review, thanks!