Won the Battle, Losing the War

Disclaimers: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the characters. If I did Great Sayian-man wouldn't exist. Yes. -bows to her applause-

A lot of things to talk about, I guess. First things first- there will be no review responses in this chapter instead they will be posted on my livejournal. If you want to see them you have to click the link on my profile that leads there.

Next, I have to let you guys all know that this is indeed the start of the first alternate ending. Once this ending is done I will backtrack to this spot in order to write the second ending- so hopefully you won't all get confused when the second ending comes to pass.

I guess that's it then. Sorry for the long wait and onward with the story.

LAST TIME ON WBLW-

Forked flames wrapped around- eating at them.

"Behind you."

That's what I want, isn't it?

"Goten."

The sword hissed as it was withdrawn.

"You tricked me!"

"You can't both get the blow! So who will die!"

Who'd it get?

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AE1-

Chapter 1: Last One Standing

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A level of despair is reached, where people are willing to die to punish their tormentors.

William Kammeraad

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He saw the blade cutting and bleeding through the air- rushing at their fallen body. He saw but did nothing in response. His mind had become a void of thought caught within the complexities of the moment.

Mirai could only hold his very loving breath tight.

And as the blade came crashing down, Mirai felt something stir within him. Something far more certain than he. A jolt- an extreme amount of air or something- propelled the young boy clear out of his body.

Mirai threw out his hands to catch himself but his body still bounced harshly against the solid and slick marble floor. Skidding and bleeding, Mirai's body finally found itself in a position to rest.

Head throbbing and vision spinning, Mirai rose himself up into a upright position. His body screamed at the movement but he ignored it- just as he was taught to.

The room had changed into a giant corridor in the simplest sense of the word. Elegance dripped from every structured beauty- from columns and arches that held the hall in such high regard. It was beautiful in a horribly grotesque sort of way. It's glorious halls reeked with the stench of fresh blood. The last place on earth a battle should take place.

And Mirai nearly swallowed his tongue.

They were inside a cathedral.

"Gohan!" Mirai shrieked piteously, his voice ricocheting around him- buffeting him with every echo.

Of course there would be no answer to his call. Mirai Trunks knew this better than anyone; having grow up in a world were he saw more persons dead than living. But yet the human in him possessed his mouth and screamed the name over and over in some inane hope that what he saw might be a lie.

Humans were stupid that way.

And yet, here he stayed, balling like some senseless idiot, over something that couldn't even hear him anymore. Mirai's sayian instincts were practically dying within him from embarrassment.

Haji rose, smoothly, with great composure for one covered in blood. The image he had stolen reflected a eerie sort of semblance of the blood he now wore.

The tears were chocking the living sayian. He could barely see what he didn't want to anymore. Mirai buckled beneath his woe in utter defeat.

There was no point living any longer.

In one swift and fluid like motion, Haji removed the blade from Gohan's lifeless chest. The body let out a sigh but fell silent and bloody on the ground. Haji's eyes shown with great disappointment. The reflection of himself dead in his own eyes emanated Haji's failure. All plans and hopes had now fallen silent and dead at Heaven's gates.

It was horribly disappointing.

Haji let the blade drop nosily against the floor. It's clanging caused the mourning sayian to flinch.

"Self sacrificing little freak," Haji grumbled irritably not bothering to lower his voice. "No thought for himself, only for others. And what did it matter? Mirai doesn't wish to live anyhow."

The sayian raised his heavy head slightly off his hard knees. Keeping his body low, Trunks listened quietly.

"No," Haji frowned. He turned himself and took a few steps left of the body. Here he stopped and sighed- as if as a villain his role had taken a strange twist. Mirai was having a hard time believing Gohan's death through the voice and face of this man.

And still Haji had not dealt any notice towards Mirai Trunks.

"I really wish I had calculated this in. Now," Haji let out another pitiful groan. "It seems I have run out of time."

"Run out of time?" Mirai couldn't help himself.

Haji turned, without any sign of being caught unawares. In fact, Haji continued to speak as if he had been addressing Mirai the whole time.

"Yes. You see, I have only a limited amount of time in this body before it deteriorates," Haji eyed Mirai's damp and tear swollen face with great condolence. "I was supposed to use Gohan as my host. But now- I only have you."

Mirai's gaze turned harsh.

"I'd rather die." spat Mirai.

"See? That's my problem," Haji smiled softly. He almost looked like Gohan when he did so. "I can't use you. In the state you're in, you won't live much longer anyway."

Mirai blinked and dared to remove his eyes for just a moment to look himself over.

"It's not a physical state," Haji sighed, as if answering an irritating question relayed by a child. "Your mental state is too weak to occupy two minds. Your past which should have strengthened you seems to have torn you apart.

"The travels to this time have made you weak- clinging onto pathetic and futile hopes. Most people are able to accept what is handed to them with grace. You-" Haji's frown deepened. In his face, Trunks could see the dashed hopes of his mentor.

"You've grown too fond of a world that shouldn't be yours. Your mother gave you a gift that you overused- over treasured, be there such a thing. You still think you can make a life here, but you can't. This isn't your world and this isn't your life." Haji turned once more- staring at the decrepit body of his once would-be host.

Mirai eyed Gohan as well, his sadness far more controlled than before. Dead's facade seemed calm and peaceful. Mirai couldn't help but wonder if Gohan was with his brother now.

"Go."

"Huh-?" Mirai looked up. Haji still had his back facing the last living Z fighter. He didn't turn even when he repeated himself.

"Go. Go now."

Mirai stood slowly, still in disbelief. Haji looked over his shoulder lazily at him- his face long and tired. Mirai could not shake off the uncanny resemblance.

"Why?" Mirai whispered.

His voice left no echo.

"I'm giving you the chance to escape and you ask why?" Haji let out a soft chuckle and turned his head back to that who he murdered. "Silly boy. Go home. You don't belong here. You're not needed any longer."

And Haji walked away as if Mirai had already given an answer. His footsteps echoed and mimicked the sound of the sayian's still beating heart.

Mirai could feel the heat burning off his cheeks in the airy halls. He could smell the putrid death that hung around their misinformed souls. He could see where this was going- and he wasn't going to leave.

"No."

Haji's footsteps stopped but he did not turn.

Mirai could not see the smirk curling on his stolen lips but he felt them folding evilly over his betrayed heart. He stood resolutely defining the image of the thing he was. Mirai was the last one standing and the last one to fall.

"I will not run."

Haji's amusement was unmistakable.

"You will die for a fake world."

"It's not fake," Mirai hissed defiantly. "It has never been fake to me. Goku, Gohan, and Goten. Chichi, Vegeta, and my mother... They all have been family to me. They told me I could always call this world my own. They gave me permission to live in it and that makes me liable to defend it.

"These people you hurt, they are real people and- and they are my friends. I will die for them- even if I am not apart of this world."

Haji's shoulders sagged ever so slightly.

"So many self sacrificing fools in this world," He chuckled. "And they said the human race was selfish."

He turned slowly power slowly rippling off his perfect physique. The power overpowered the whole room, top to bottom, with a foreboding sense of dread. Trunks' aura only flickered abjectly far below that of his opponent. The swirls of power pressed Trunks' body backwards but he refused to lose face.

Gohan- Haji knew that. He seemed to admire it.

"I can't use you and yet you still fight. I guess then- we will both go out in blaze of glory."

"Amen." Trunk smiled in response.

In and while the forces of good and moderate evil collided, one strangely different being emerged. Trunks and Haji both stopped impressing the other with energy strengths to stare.

Blood dripped of him as he rose. The air chilled as his legs steadily held him. And Gohan stood, staring at the other two entities of the room- hair white and eyes purple.

"Damn." Haji hissed.

Mirai detected fear in his voice.

To Be Continued...

Please R & R!

Congrats to me! I got accepted into Virginia Tech and am seriously considering becoming a Hokie for good. I'm still thinking about it but if JMU doesn't accept me this will be my college. But this update is in honor of my acceptance. I'm going for an English Major- go figure.

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