Chapter Three: Capsule Corp

Gohan hovered down, with Trunks on his back, behind a old drug store alley. It was littered with trash and rocks from when the store blew up. Gohan's chocolate brown eyes scanned the alley for someplace to set Trunks down. He finally spotted a small card board box. Gohan decided it would be better than the ground. Gohan walked over not even sagging a little by Trunks' weight.

He leaned back and lay Trunks carefully down supporting Trunks' neck carefully. Gohan pulled away looked Trunks over. Trunks was in terrible shape. He had cuts and scratches all up his arms and legs. He was drenched to the bone by the heavy rain about them. Gohan was lucky that being Super Sayian was one way to repel the nasty cold the rain could give. The was a light boom of distant thunder. Lighting cracked over head illuminating Trunks' face. He was laying there near death… holding on to life in this crazy whacked out world.

"So you are future Trunks' past self," Gohan muttered to himself. "Man, your life stunk."

Gohan looked up at the sky expecting to see someone following them. Vegeta… Krillen… Piccolo. Someone had to be worrying about Trunks. Wondering where he was.

"You said that… That everyone was dead in your time except for you, your mom and me." Gohan whispered looking up at the sky. "Then where am I? Was I already dead in this timeline?"

Gohan shook his head sadly and muttered, "I shouldn't have let you out of my sight, Trunks. I guess I am irresponsible in this timeline."

Gohan pulled out of his belt a small purple pouch. He emptied out into his hand two green senzu beans. He smiled, "One for you. One for me. Just enough."

Gohan was just about to swallow his own share when he stopped.

"I dun think I really need this…" Gohan put the last senzu back into his bag. "No use wasting something this valuable."

Gohan bent down and slipped the senzu into Trunks' mouth before he could have second thoughts.

"Okay Trunks. Chew that right up and soon you'll feel like a million bucks."

Gohan's eyes widened after he realized…

"Shoot. Then he'll start asking questions again. No… I dun want him and his mom to know who I am. They have to fight the androids on their own like I have to fight the pirates on my own."

Gohan slunk into the shadows of the alleyway. Just as predicted Trunks swallowed. Almost as soon as he did his eyes snapped open. He sat up in surprise looking all around him. Luckily, Gohan couldn't be seen in the dark hiding place he had taken refuge in.

Trunks flexed his fingers and hands looking at them in puzzlement. He could of sworn that he was a goner. He stretched his arms and legs slowly making sure he was alright when a sudden thought stuck him. His surroundings had changed… Trunks did have this happen to him before. When Gohan had given him the last senzu bean-

Thinking about Gohan, made Trunks flinch. He looked down at his palms concentrating around him for a source of energy. Someone had to have helped him. Maybe someone with a Senzu bean. That was the only thing that insured his speedy recovery… or was it speedy? It felt like it. He was in pain and suddenly not feeling a scratch anymore…

"Hey! Is there somebody there?" Trunks called out.

Gohan closed his eyes regretting deeply what he would have to do to save this timeline. Gohan zapped out of the shadows behind Trunks. Before Trunks could so much move a muscle, Gohan hit Trunks roughly in the back of the neck. Trunks' eyes went blank as he fell to the ground unconscious. Gohan stood trembling on the spot. He looked down at Trunks' fallen body and muttered, "Man, I am so evil. Trunks, I am so sorry. But I had to…"

Gohan shook his head sadly and groaned, "I bet my self in this time would have never done that to you."


Gohan landed in front of a beaten up version of capsule corp. He hoped against hope that this is where Trunks lived… cause he lived there in his own dimension. Gohan gave the door three sharp taps. There was a scuffle from behind the door as if someone was in a hurry to answer it. Gohan let out a small smile and suddenly realized he was still Super Sayian. Immediately he powered down.

Bulma rushed to the front door tripping over her own feet in her haste. She had been so worried for Trunks. She had heard about some new villains attacking the town that the androids had struck killing any survivors. Her heart pounded as she yanked the door opened. She was greeted by a flash of light and a wave of dust. She shielded her eyes and coughed, "What's going on?"

"S-sorry Miss," A small voice answered her own.

Bulma looked down at the small boy on the door step. He had dark chocolate eyes and jet black hair. She blinked several times and let out a strangled gasp…

"Goku…" She whispered after recovering from shock.

The boy cocked his head to one side looking confused by her assumption. It was then that she spotted Trunks' body draped over the child's shoulder.

"Trunks!" She cried, "My baby!"

At first Gohan thought he had gotten the wrong house. The lady who answered looked fairly old and fragile by years. Her weak gasp with his father's name startled Gohan. He didn't think he looked that much like his dad. He tried to look as clueless as possible. If this was Bulma then she should notice anytime now the boy that he carried. He was right cause once Bulma noticed Trunks she ushered them inside. She looked outside behind them as if checking if anyone was following them. She took Trunks from Gohan and laid Trunks in his bed. After she tended to Trunks, she turned to Gohan and began sputtering her gratitude.

"I can't thank you enough for saving Trunks," Bulma began. "I'm sorry. I didn't catch your name…"

Gohan knew that telling his real name would ruin everything. He quickly came up with the first thing that popped into his head, "Goten."

"Goten… That's unusual," Bulma said thoughtfully. "Your name is a lot like Gok- Not that you are…I mean you look like him but…"

Bulma trailed off looking out the window, "You can understand how I am. Remembering old friends and family… But he is dead now…"

Gohan nodded although not having the faintest idea how that would feel. To lose everyone. Each day more people die… The person you met last week in the super market is probably the next topic in church to pray for a peaceful rest. Gohan couldn't picture a world that horrible. No wonder Trunks was such a worry wart.

"So did you just find my son?"

"Uh yeah," Gohan sighed. "He was in pretty bad shape when I found him. But I was able to nurse him up most of the way. I noticed the symbol on his shirt so I took him here."

"That was very wise of you, Goten," Bulma smiled. "But how could you get this far? I mean, where did you find him?"

"I found him… just outside… uh… where the androids were attacking. I used my hover motorcycle to get here."

"A hover motorcycle?! In these parts? What model?"

"A g483," Gohan muttered recalling that being Krillen's dream to get.

"Ah, I see. That model's really out of date. Yeah it's understandable. Considering these times… Darn those Androids…"

Gohan looked at Bulma with a look of sincere pity. She had to get up each day worrying if she and her son would survive another day. And to top that off, Trunks kept going off to fight leaving Bulma to fret. Gohan looked down at the ground ashamed to have grown accustom to the life he lived. And he thought it was bad to live without his father. What about Bulma and Trunks? They had it really bad…

"Your parents must be worried sick about you," Bulma sighed bringing Gohan out of his memories. "You should go home to them."

Gohan swallowed hard. His face twisted into a mix of worry and fear. What could he tell her? Thinking about his Mom right now made him heartsick. She was home with Goten right now, probably worrying about him. He lowered his gaze to the ground. What about his mom in this time? Was she dead like the others?

"Oh! I didn't realize!" Bulma gasped taking his distressed face as a look of sadness. "You can stay with us. Our house is always welcome to anyone but the androids."

She laughed at her own little joke and walked into the kitchen.

"You want something to drink or eat, Goten?" She asked. "You looked famished."

"Yes please," Gohan murmured weakly watching Trunks' sleeping form guiltily.

Bulma sat in a chair next to her son. She brushed back Trunks' bangs and gently sponged his forehead. Trunks winced and finally his heavy eyelids opened, "Mom?"

"Oh Trunks…"

"Mom, Gohan's dead," Trunks said weakly, "I- I couldn't save him."

"Goha- Trunks… Don't blame yourself. We'll find his body tomorrow… Tonight I want you to heal."

"Mom… How did you find me?"

"I didn't. Goten did."

"Goten?"

Gohan walked into the room sipping lightly from his soda. When he walked in he immediately headed back into the kitchen flushing with embarrassment.

"Sorry. Mom and son moment. Didn't mean to interrupt." He muttered hastily.

"You!" Trunks gawked. "H-How did you-"

Gohan turned and smiled at Trunks, "What do you mean?"

"I…I thought you… But you couldn't be… Then how did I… How did you know my name?"

"I really have no clue what you are talking about," Gohan blushed.

"I told him, honey."

"No, I mean before!"

"What? What do you mean before?" Gohan smiled innocently.

Miraculously, Trunks couldn't answer. He just sat there his mouth opening and closing but no words came out. Finally he said, "I guess it was a dream…"

To Be Continued…
Please read and review!

I love this story!