"Dragonball AS: Destroyer Saga"

Chapter 15- "Farewells"

By- Tiny

Trunks could feel the sadness in the air as he landed at the tip of Mt. Paozu, home to the Son Clan since before Goku ever ventured from it's slopes, and today a sight of tears, sorrow, and fond farewells. Goten's death had hit home for everyone in the group known as the Z fighters, what the young prince considered his 'extended family', and there wasn't a dry eye in the whole area as Trunks landed casually off behind Gohan. The powerful warrior was still sobbing like a newborn as he stood before a massive funeral pyre, the most prized of his brother's possessions lying in a heap on the top.

The sight of his childhood friend in such a condition brought tears to Trunks' already saturated face, the glasses he was wearing to conceal his grief fogging up as he walked up behind Gohan. Marron had already run off to try and console Paresu right in front of the pyre, with Bra following to check on Pan, and Trunks decided that he should probably see how Gohan was holding up. The elder Saiya-jin was in rough condition, his eyes bloodshot and strained as though he hadn't slept a wink in days, not to mention that he looked absolutely horrid and unkempt.

Not that anyone could blame Gohan for being this way, seeing as he had just lost the last tie that he had to his parents in the world, and nothing anybody had said could console him. Even Kimuchi, Gohan's elder and the most warm-hearted of all the Saiya-jin warriors, had been unsuccessful and left his cousin to his grief and went about dealing with things in his own way. The sight of the one Trunks had looked up to almost like a big brother when he was a child in such shape was saddening in and of itself, but he tried to maintain his composure as he embraced the older warrior tightly.

It made Gohan feel slightly better to have someone who could understand his pain and anguish there for him, seeing as Goten and Trunks had been incredibly close as children and a lot like brothers. Just by feeling out each other's auras both warriors could tell that the other was in terrible grief over the loss of so promising a man, both wanting to cry but neither allowing themselves any more tears. They just stood there for a few minutes, each allowing the other to mourn the loss of Goten in their own way before even daring to speak a word.

"I'm so sorry Gohan, I wish things could have been different," Trunks sighed, rubbing his eyes, "If only we hadn't been so cocky about Destroyer, maybe we wouldn't have lost Goten..."

"Maybe, but Goten died doing what he believed was right, just as our father did so many times before him," Gohan sniffled, "He saved my daughter from that monster. I just wish I had been strong enough to save him..."

"Now is not the time for more tears, but a time to commemorate the life of a powerful and proud warrior, our brother in arms," Kimuchi spoke up, standing up next to the pyre, "Son Goten was a great warrior, a descendant of the powerful Saiya-jin race and a great asset to their kind, his strength surpassed only by the kindness of his spirit and the love of life in his heart. He gave his own life to protect the lives of others, a sacrifice not soon to be forgotten, if ever, and it is with great pride and great sorrow that we commend his ashes to the heavens..."

Kimuchi pulled a torch out from the ground next to the well-constructed pyre, holding the hot flames near the grass underneath Goten's corpse, but he never got the chance to light the grass on fire. The guardian found himself looking up at the funeral pyre as Gohan punched his cousin square in the jaw, knocking him away from his brother's possessions and taking the torch in his own hand. Tears ran freely down the side of the powerful Mystic warrior's face as he looked down at his brother's body, his grip tightening over the torch.

Pan and Videl looked concerned for the distressed Saiya-jin warrior, but didn't say or do anything to further upset him as Gohan let out a long, deep sigh just before putting the torch back into the ground. Everyone looked confused, knowing for a fact that Goten had wanted to be cremated with his most precious belongings, but things soon became very clear as Gohan held his palm out above his brother's most prized possessions. Yellow ki fluctuated in the Saiya-jin's hand as he pushed his power into the ball, his aura filled with pain and sorrow as he bit his bottom lip and let the attack fly.

The grass ignited immediately, burning with that woodsy smell that was usually so inviting as Goten's clothing followed suit, the flamed lapping up around his belongings as his friends and family watched with sobs and a river of tears. The only dry eyes left were those of Sanil, Ice, and the two Saiya-jin who had come with Kimuchi, seeing as they didn't really know Goten that well but had respected his sacrifice. In the short time that they had known the son of Goku, he had proven to be a better man than any one of them could ever hope to be and for that reason alone, he would always be special.

"Farewell, my brother, and rest in peace," Gohan sniffled, watching from close up as the flames consumed his brother's body, "You deserve a little after all that you've been through..."

The funeral service had broken up not long after Goten's body had turned to nothing more than ash, with the Z fighters all going over to the Son household for a meal with the family. Nobody had spoken a word outside of praise for Goten's life and whispers of how much like Goku he was, but even that talk had been limited to when everyone was leaving for the night. Gohan and his family needed time to mourn the youngest of the Son boys in private, something everyone could understand and they were more than willing to give the family their space.

The stars were out in the sky now, sparkling like fireflies in the night air as a lone figure rocketed over the mountain landscape, landing with effortless ease in front of the now burned-out funeral pyre. The man was dressed in a pair of black cargo pants and a matching tanktop, his arms shielded from the cool mountain air by a long, tan-colored trench coat bearing the Capsule Corp. logo on the right shoulder. His long, lavender locks of hair hung down over the young man's tired looking blue eyes as well as he stood before the pyre, his face a mask covering his true feelings.

Trunks really had no idea why he had come back to the sight of his friend's funeral, seeing as it was the last place he would want to be, but yet he had come back regardless and was going to flow with it. He wouldn't shed another tear over Goten's loss, knowing full good and well that Goten wouldn't want them crying over him and he would respect those wishes. It still hurt that he would never see the goofy looking Saiya-jin again, seeing as the Dragonballs of Nameksei were long gone as well, but Trunks could take solace in the knowledge that his friend was in a better place.

The young prince just stood staring at the inscription over his friend's memorial for what seemed like ages, the message reading 'Here rests the soul of Son Goten, a great son, great friend, and powerful warrior'. A similar message was inscribed on Goku's tombstone not far away, though Goku's was slightly different, but the words brought to mind something Trunks had come out here to do as he pulled a red capsule out. He clicked the little button on the top off and threw it up into the air, allowing it to rematerialize just before a heavy sword fell into his hands with a thud.

It was the same sword that Trunks had pulled from his friends dead body just moments before they had left the tournament, of which Goten had been declared winner out of sympathy for the dead warrior. The prize money had been sent to Paresu's account thanks to Ubuu's intervention and Trunks' know-how, but none of that seemed to matter as Trunks stared at the blade in his hands. It was no longer stained with Goten's blood, as Trunks had cleaned it off earlier in the day, but it still made the prince's blood boil just to look at the weapon that had claimed his friend's life.

He could feel tears welling up in the corners of his eyes as he looked at the blade and then up at Goten's memorial, reminding himself that he was not going to cry as he put the blade into a sheath over his back. The blade was larger and heavy than Trunks' former sword had ever been, making it slightly more uncomfortable to bear but he ignored any pain and kept it over his back regardless. He needed to withstand the pain, be it from the sword or his own brutal training, if he was to make things up to his departed ally, to make things up to his best friend.

"Destroyer used this blade to take you away from us Goten, and now the blade has found a new master," Trunks growled, flashing into Super Saiya-jin without even realizing it, "And I promise you, just as Destroyer used it to pierce your heart, I will use it to cut out those of his masters!"

Still a Super Saiya-jin, Trunks blasted off into the night sky and soared over the landscape even faster than he had before, not knowing where he was going and not even caring as he rocketed through the air. Only one thought was on the young prince's mind as he closed back in on the city, it's bright lights catching his eye as he started to descend into the metropolis that he called home since birth. His jade eyes blazed with anger and hurt as his heels clicked onto the sidewalk outside his home, his resolve more set than ever before as he made his way deliberately for the gravity room.

"Your death will not be in vain Goten, I'll see to that personally," Trunks growled, throwing his coat off to the side as he entered the room, "When the rest of those alien bastards show up here, be it days, weeks, or even years, I'll be ready!"

Author's Notes: I hope you all like this chapter, since I tend to not be very good at writing dramatics or emotional scenes, but I have been to a lot of funerals and know how people tend to be at them. Being buried or cremated with your precious possessions is common in my family, so I figured it would be an appropriate touch since there isn't a body to cremate, with Goten keeping his and all. The moment with Trunks at the end, including his possession of Destroyer's sword, will be a foreshadowing for his attitude and actions later on in the story, so stay tuned for that.

The next chapter will feature a brief snippet with Destroyer's masters planning the attack on Earth, but will focus mostly around the Z fighter's and how they go about preparing for their enemies impending arrival. You'll also get to learn some interesting information about Paresu, not to mention learn the gender of Trunks and Marron's child at last! So, until then, let's recognize the reviewers!

the monkey: I mentioned in the prologue that Paresu had learned the basics from Goten and Ubuu, though she will not be a major player on the fighting scene like she was in the original DB:AS. Sorry for any confusion this may have caused you.

chris: Yeah, I didn't think that Destroyer could have been killed in a better way either, seeing as Paresu is going to suffer the most with Goten's loss, though you won't realize why until the next chapter! I hope you enjoyed the lamentations of his family in this chapter and I look forward to seeing you in the next chapter!

Metsu Shoryuken: Well, I know that BrandonB. sent Bardock and Piccolo to find Goku in his fic, but you can rest assured that the journey to find Goku in this story will be nothing like it was in that story. His story was also the original insipiration for this one, so you will find similarities from time to time, just don't be too surprised.

Draco the Destroyer: The conversations will be interesting, so stay tuned to see how those turn out! Thanks again for reviewing!