Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ. That should be enough for everyone.
Shinzon – New Existence
Chapter 9: Injured Heart
Trunks woke up to a brilliant ray of sunshine shining through his window. It was a non-school day and he felt happy. He'd be able to go over to Goten's… maybe. He really wanted to cheer his buddy up and knew just how to do it too. He got dressed from his pajamas into his regular attire and headed downstairs to breakfast, where his mother was currently cooking it.
Bulma turned and gave her son a smile. "Good morning, Trunks."
"Morning, mom," Trunks replied, and he took his seat on the chair around the table. "Is dad coming for breakfast?"
"Afraid not, Trunks," she replied, not taking her eyes off the stove. "He's in the gravity room again."
"Oh… Can I go over to Goten's?" With those words Bulma whipped around with a sharp gleam in her eye.
"You know how terrible they're doing Trunks, and besides, you're still hurt from whoever attacked you… My poor baby…" She muttered at the end and turned back to flip the pancakes.
"But mom…"
"Trunks, we'll see about it later, okay, sweetie?"
"Alright…" Trunks mumbled and he set his head on his hands.
---
Gohan was again musing. Musing over his dad's predicament, musing over everything that was happening at the moment. Everything was going too fast, way too fast for him to keep up. He was smart, he'd take credit for that, but that's brains, not emotional status. His dad was in the department of depression and he was thinking only Goten and he could help their father out of it. How, he wasn't certain but he'd find the way, most definitely.
Gohan glanced to his left side on the bed, and found Goten starting to stir from his slumber. It was about time; he needed to get up. The longer they let their father sink into this hopeless feeling, the worse it would be to drag him out. Goku was already moping so much he hardly got out of bed, and now… That question he had asked… It scared Gohan out of his wits…
Flashback
Goku retracted his head slowly from the fridge and gave Gohan a look, a look that altogether had no meaning and yet retained some kind of meaning. His mouth opened and he spoke in a whisper, "Do you trust me?"
End Flashback
That question had haunted Gohan even now. His father asked him a really personal question and expected him to answer it. To answer it! How could he do that? How could his father ask such a question? Gohan shook his head. That wasn't what he needed to think about at the moment. He needed to come up with a plan to cheer his father up. Everyone's lives might depend on it.
Next to him, Goten gave a shiver.
---
Siena was outside the window looking in on the boy in his room, playing his game contraption while staring at the television in front of him. He was a bit strange to her, but no matter. It wasn't as if she even needed to know what that thing he was playing was called. She had to complete her mission. The one she had started but couldn't finish. If she didn't, Reina was sure to kill her. But she couldn't help but feel sympathetic for him. He was just a boy. A helpless child and she was going to slaughter him…
The boy turned to look out the window. Siena was hidden invisibly, of course, but that still did not stop Trunks from turning off his game system and walking over to the window, opening it and looking out.
---
Trunks opened the window, and glanced out. Something had drawn him over to it, and now he was wondering what could be so special out here to make him stop while he was playing his Fighter Champions game. He found nothing unusual outside and stuck his head out just to make sure. Nope, not a thing. Trunks shrugged his shoulders and shut the window. Or he would have, if they didn't suddenly open by themselves.
"Weird," murmured Trunks to himself and he tried to close them again. The same exact thing happened and Trunks decided to give up on it, walking back over to turn on his game.
---
Siena stepped inside the open window and snuck close to the boy, knife in hand. She just had to stab him… One quick slit… And it would all be over…
But she found her knees weak and her steady hand no longer steady. She couldn't kill him. No, no she couldn't. Not now that she thought of it… But her master ordered her to. She couldn't betray her master… Her life depended on it… And then she felt another feeling she had not felt for a long time. It was… a humane feeling. Love. She had a love for the boy – for him to be safe and alive. She wouldn't kill him.
The knife fell loosely from her hands and clattered to the ground. The noise made Trunks stop his game and turn his head – staring right at Siena.
---
Gohan came downstairs, Goten following quietly behind him, rubbing the sleep from his sleepy eyes. Gohan led him to the living room and stood at the doorway, looking over at his father on the couch. Goku was currently lying down, his eyes closed and seemingly relaxed – but Gohan knew better. He cleared his throat to see if he could get a reaction from his father.
Goku opened his eyes, but did not otherwise move. Gohan shifted his weight. Things suddenly got awkward. Goten walked over from Gohan's side and stood in front of his dad, looking down at him. "Daddy?" He whispered quietly.
The reaction he got was instant. Goku spun his head around to face his youngest son and he lightly smiled. But the smile did not reach his eyes, which were cold and emotionless. Goten took a step closer and knelt down on his knees so that his head was level with his father's. "Dad…" Goten began his sentence.
Gohan watched from afar, wondering if what his brother was doing was going to work. The innocence of a child usually redeemed anything, but in this instance… he wasn't too sure.
Goten held out his hand towards his father. "… I love you." Goku looked down from Goten's eyes to his hand and back again. Many seconds passed slowly and then Goku sat up, staring at Goten. Gohan watched with abated breath. Goku slowly extended his own hand out, and clasped Goten's in a firm grip. Goten smiled brightly and hugged his father tight. To him, his dad was back.
Gohan nodded his head and let a small grin creep up. Maybe his brother had done it finally. He might have finally overcome their father's depression. But just over the horizon lurked predestine evil.
---
Trunks blinked once as his face turned serious and he stood up. "What are you doing in my room?" He half-accused her. Siena slowly backed up, afraid to say anything. Trunks continued to walk towards her, an angry look plastered on his face. "I asked you what you were doing in my room!"
Siena shook from fear and disappeared instantly, fear of Reina and the boy. Trunks snorted and slowly picked up the knife, examining it. Red blood stained the tip. "Weird. Maybe mom could look at this." He turned off his game and proceeded downstairs.
---
Reina hissed. For one, the hero's sons had gotten him partly out of his depression. For another, her… creation dared to disobey her and did it. But now was time for reconciliation. A crystal appeared in her hand and she squeezed hard, hard enough for it to expose black blood coming from her palm. The crystal soon shattered and she could hear the echo of a girl screaming, her life suddenly ending. The crystal's pieces slowly decayed on the floor, leaving no trace of them being there.
Reina casually looked back up into her crystal ball. "I guess it's time to call her. Risika…" She called and the teen in black appeared, bowing.
"Yes, mistress?"
"You know exactly what to do." Risika nodded her head once and vanished.