Won the Battle, Losing the War

Disclaimers: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the characters. If I did Great Sayaman wouldn't exist. Yes. ~bows to her applauses~

Author's Note: At long last I have finally given a update to you fans who are actually wanting more in this story. When I get to the point of the Alternate Ending, I will put A1 or A2 before the chapter title. Just so you know where is starts. ^^ On with the story!

Trunks labored the other form of himself forth with little difficulty. His mind was growing dark with dread as they continued though. The acrimonious silence that hung in the evening air was growing ever so unnerving. Trunks bit down hard on his bottom lip thinking painfully of their parents' fate. That Fortune Teller had spoke of Gohan and himself being the only ones to survive. And the haunting image of his father laying in his own blood nailed him cold in the heart.

"Baka." Trunks snapped under his breath, "How much longer is it?"

"Not much further." Gohan answered glumly, "Don't fret, Mirai Trunks. We'll get there in time to save your father."

Trunks cocked his eyebrow at Gohan's stately words,

                "But not yours?"

Videl cast Gohan a questioning stare as he flinched. Gohan turned ever so slightly with his eyes focused at his feet,

                "My mother and father… Goku and Chichi… They died at least a half an hour ago."

Trunks' eyes narrowed somewhat at that statement as Videl let out a audible gasp of shock. Trunks couldn't blame her. He had his suspicions but he couldn't believe he was correct. Chichi and Goku were gone? Goku even? Then what were they to do about the fusion? Who would do the fusion with Gohan now? Or would he even want anyone with him any longer?

                "What else are you hiding, Gohan?" Trunks asked colder then he intended, "Anything else we should know?"

                "Hai." Gohan muttered guilty, "Watch out for your father, Trunks. He's not exactly right at the moment."

                "Nani?" Trunks retorted, "What do you mean?"

Gohan didn't speak another word. Instead he turned and trudged onward down the path. Trunks caught the hint that that was all he was to get from the teenager. Trunks slowly began to question Gohan's own judgment seeing on how he seemed completely bewildered and overpowered in his own thoughts. Videl clung tight to Gohan's hand as if she were an anchor to keep him in the port of this world. He certainly was distressed…

                'He just lost both his parents, baka.' Trunks thought angrily to himself, 'Of course he isn't acting like himself.'

Gohan only had Goten left, Trunks realized abruptly. His whole purpose at the moment was to reach his brother… Gohan was torn from running and slaughtering the man whom had just killed his parents, rushing to Goten's arms, or saving Trunk's father. Undoubtedly, all of these were not possible in one turn but if Gohan had his self control in check he might be able to obtain all his goals.

"Up ahead." Gohan hissed suddenly, "Look."

Videl squinted through the hazy sunset spotting the dark figure blocking their path. Trunks could see him too… his vision gave more clues to it's identity but he was still just as befuddled.

"Who is it?" Videl questioned aloud for Trunks.

"I… I'm not sure." Gohan answered numbly, "I think… It's Vegeta-sama."

"It is!" Mirai Trunks laughed.

Videl was just able to take the unconscious boy from Trunks' arms as he raced off to greet his father. Gohan stood firm glaring at the coming figure…

                "No…" Gohan muttered softly, "I… I don't feel right about this…"

Videl glanced cautiously at Gohan seeing the first bout of emotion flood his face since the anger he released against the zombies. It was tart confusion and despondency. He looked like he was watching a movie from far away unable to tell the actor to run from the monster behind them. Except there was no actor… It was a real person and a real ending…

"Father!" Trunks cried wrapping his arms about Vegeta.

Tears of absolute relief surged down his cheeks as he hugged his father close. He was alive. It was just unbelievable. He clutched numbly to his father's form as he breathed in deeply the smell of comfort that rained from his father's body. He heard the footsteps of his friends behind him but Trunks' didn't break free yet.

"Dad… How on earth did you make it?"

Vegeta pushed his son off him gently. There was no emotion at all on his face as he gazed down at the boy. No anger or confusion. Vegeta didn't hit him like Mirai Trunks figured he would receive for being so open. The man merely stared with his vacant gaze down at the boy,

"You called me father?"

"Hai." Trunks smiled softly raising a eyebrow, "Have I not called you that before?"

"No. Perhaps you have." Vegeta whispered dully, "By chance… is your mother…"

"Bulma." Trunks interjected, "Are you feeling okay, dad?"

"Bulma…" Vegeta repeated drearily, "Hai. I am fine."

Vegeta glanced to Gohan, his eyes glowing with a strange sense of abhorrence. His eyes met with Gohan's briefly before he turned back before the boy whom just embraced him. Before Trunks knew what was happening, Vegeta had pulled Trunks into his own embrace.

"I missed you too." Vegeta hissed in a less sincere manner.

Trunks cried out as Vegeta squeezed him tightly slowly breaking Trunks' arms and ribs. Videl had ducked quickly out of harm's way as Gohan stood baffled on how to handle Vegeta. He glared heatedly at the man as he spat,

"What are you doing, Vegeta-sama?"

Vegeta's face turned to Gohan full of malice. He made a wicked grin and formed a ki blast into his hand. He spurt it strait into Mirai Trunks' chest sending him flying backwards across the dirt.

"Getting my bounty." Vegeta smiled.

Gohan's eyes widened as he saw Trunks go flying backward. But as soon as Trunks rose up to his knees, Gohan knew the man was fine. Gohan coated over his relief with a strong mask of impassiveness.

"A bounty? For your own son's head?"

"He's not my son." Vegeta retorted harshly, "He's far too old."

"Your right." Gohan nodded towards Videl's hideaway, "But the boy over there is the younger form of this man. And that boy is your son."

Vegeta stayed silent glaring over at the unconscious boy and then to the man whom he had just attacked. A smirk spread across his face as he laughed,

"Fah! You are trying to trick me. Clever gaki, you are."

Mirai Trunks was back to Gohan's side looking overwhelmed by how Vegeta was acting. It was more abnormal then usual, which was saying something.

                "I don't think this is… Vegeta." Trunks whispered darkly to Gohan.

                "I agree." Gohan nodded, "But in a sense and in ki this is your father."

                "So it's not Haji, right?"

                "No." Gohan growled, "This physical form before us is defiantly Vegeta in soul and body but not in mind. Haji has… done something to him."

                "Like he did to you." Trunks offered before he could stop himself.

Gohan didn't answer glaring at Vegeta cautiously. He frowned suddenly and spaced himself away from Trunks. Mirai Trunks cast him a look of question but Gohan shooed it off. Once he was set he spread out his arms and shouted,

                "Vegeta… If you are sent here to kill us… then kill me. Just leave everyone else alone."

                "Nani! Gohan, are you nuts?!" Trunks cried.

Vegeta smirked awfully at the statement but shook his head in response,

                "You're brave, kid. But I only get my hands dirty if the price is right. I'd love to kill you, don't get me wrong, but I just showered and the stench of blood is a hard scent to rid one's body of."

                 "So… You were sent to kill me?" Mirai Trunks inquired.

                "Bingo." Vegeta grinned as he formed some rather strong blasts in his hands, "So if you have any problems with me bringing your head back as a trophy, tough luck."

               Vegeta lunged but Gohan was quicker. He sent out two beams of energy that curved about Vegeta's body. One snapped about his ankles and the other fastened his arms to his side. Vegeta hobbled on the spot for a second before tipping over on his back. He let out a atrocious scream and vanished from sight. The energy faded away from where he once laid, leaving a ringing sort of noise in the air.

                "He's gone." Mirai Trunks gulped in shock.

                "He called for Haji." Gohan muttered sadly, "I have a feeling he will be back again."

                "He… He recognized you though, Trunks." Videl muttered softly as she stumbled over to the group, "I could tell that some of him is still left."

                "I hope so, Videl." Gohan sighed.

                "Me too." Mirai Trunks nodded solemnly, "I… can't fight my own father. Not when he is like that."

Vegeta cringed inwardly as he hobbled through the undergrowth. He was injured from that boy's beams. When it touched him it burned him and reopened a wound he… He hadn't noticed before. Vegeta kept his hands clamped over his right side that were coated with his ever flowing blood. It was serious… In fact, Vegeta was suddenly aware of several wounds all over his scarred body. New wounds. Where had they spotted from? Who had inflicted them? Vegeta blinked suddenly seeing a distant image of two people… A man and a woman… They were dying. And a rage was surging through him…

"On a journey for one you care, you lose your life. You will be left to die in a deep puddle of your own blood in complete obscurity. No one else knows of your fate."

                Vegeta gave off a visible shiver. A strange feeling of forlorn was sweeping over him in waves as he trudged. All he could think about was that boy he was supposed to kill…

                "Who was he?"

                "We won't find anything here." Gohan muttered as they paused at a tranquil chapel, "It will be best if we keep going."

 Trunks stared uncertainly at the structure as a wave of pain rushed over him…

                "Oh come on now." Haji smiled, "Don't die. Your chi is so dear to me. It's tainted with a violent malevolence. If you would just join me you wouldn't have to suffer so."

                "Go to he-" Vegeta spat just to start screaming in pain as the power intensified.

                "I did not like that answer." Haji taunted, "Come now, Vegeta. When did you care for any of this? What do you get out this pain?"

                "I will never help you control Gohan." Vegeta hissed through gritted teeth, "I will never let you kill my son."

                "Such strong words for a dying man." Haji frowned, "Pity. You could have been great."

                "NO! MAKE IT STOP!" Trunks screamed grasping his head in agony.

Gohan and Videl watched in bewilderment as Trunks fell to his knees squirming in pain. Gohan looked about them seeing nothing but the serene wildlife of trees. He gazed down upon Trunks once again to see the man had stopped. Trunks rose his head, his face streaming with tears. Mirai Trunks blinked several times, inhaling deeply the frigid air. He coughed inconsolably the air too thin for his liking. Gohan lifted Trunks carefully to his feet without a query to Trunks' behavior. He turned to Videl with a swift nod and then walked off leaving the chapel behind them.

Trunks felt the pain ease off his body as they continued down the road. It was then that Trunks gasped,

"I saw my father being tortured. He… He must have been tormented senseless."

"Hai." Gohan nodded, "I'm glad I didn't approach the building as near. I am sure I would have seen my parent's last moments as well."

"Gohan…" Trunks said suddenly, "I think, we have a good chance at getting my father back to his right mind."

"That's good, Trunks." Videl smiled helpfully, "Where there's will there is a way."

"That's right." Gohan nodded torpidly, "I'm sure we have a excellent chance of doing so…"

"Hai." Vegeta smirked spotting the group at last, "A clean shot… Strait in the middle."

He raised his hand as the ki blast formed and wavered before his palm. He aimed directly at Trunks getting a perfect shot… But the force to press the blast outward just would not come. He bit his lip in concentration as he tried to release the blast. For some reason it seemed pasted to his fingers. Vegeta winced as a white light flashed over his mind,

"Father?"

                "What?" Vegeta snapped.

                "I think I'll stay with the Son's. In till this is all settled down, at least."

Vegeta blinked in confusion as rage filled him inside. My son stay with those inferior sayians? Well, if he truly felt that way he can go. Blasted gaki can go join their family for all I care… But, he felt a slight burning sensation in the corner of his eyes…

                "I guess…" Vegeta muttered giving Goku a nasty glare, "Watch him."

                "Don't worry, Vegeta." Goku smiled putting a kind arm about Mirai Trunks, "He's a strong kid. No problems."

He has his arm on my son! Blast that, Kakarot! I'll kill him…

                "Who said I was worried?" Vegeta huffed, "I just didn't want him to mess anything up."

Vegeta bit down hard on his lip in utter shock at what he was trying to do. That was his son down there. This ki blast was aimed right at him… He might not a ounce of sensitivity in him, but Vegeta did care somewhat for the boy below him… He couldn't allow himself commit the murder of his only son. Mirai or not.

                "What's wrong, Vegeta?" A familiar voice hissed, "You have a clear shot."

                "Darn you!" Vegeta screamed whirling around and thrusting out his blast.

It ruptured strait through Haji's shoulder causing the man's eyes to widened. The form he was in was Goku's. Vegeta could recognize and remember everything now. And he was pissed for being deceived so easily.

"Fool." Haji frowned, "You will pay for your insolence."

He thrust Vegeta out of his way as he aimed his own beam down below. He grinned awfully as he released it towards Vegeta's mirai son.

"Say goodbye to your only son!"

"Trunks!" Vegeta screamed clutching his ill-treated side he fell upon.

Gohan blinked in uncertainty as he felt a flaming surge of ki behind him. It was coated over with a strange mask of silence but Gohan could almost swear it was there. He spun about spotting a large beam skidding down the mountain side at them.

"Run!" Gohan screamed pushing Mirai Trunks forward, "Don't look back!"

Videl started running without any question and Gohan tailed after her. Mirai Trunks froze on the spot as Gohan brushed past him. Gohan glanced back and shouted,

"What are you doing?!"

"I… I sense…something…" Mirai Trunks muttered in confusion.

"Baka!" Gohan shouted running back to the frozen young man.

Gohan just grabbed Trunks' shoulder when the blast coated over them. Gohan and Trunks both shouted in trepidation as it nearly swallowed them both in it's assault. But a person flung themselves before the blast… Gohan blinked in definite incredulity as he recognized Vegeta's backside…

Gohan gripped tightly to Trunks and pulled the disorientated man out of the way of the blast. The ground fissured apart behind them as the two collapsed inches from the damage. The bloody remains of Vegeta lay in the shadows of the trees a few feet from them. Gohan rose to his feet urging Trunks to run. All the man could do was stare in sheer atrociousness at the remains of his late father. Only one thought was running continually through his head, 'She was right. She was right…'

To Be Continued…

Please R + R!

I hate to end Vegeta's life so tragically… but something Gohan realizes later is that they changed something in the prediction. Vegeta was supposed to die without anyone knowing of his end… Vegeta changed his own fate. ^^