Old Friends

The woman cradling over the crippled prince of Sayian's was indeed Trunks mother, Bulma Briefs. The woman gasped immediately spotting the 2 teens.

Bulma gasped "Who are you? What do you want? I swear he's not dangerous at all, PLEASE don't tell the Judge. You mustn't tell him".

Pan tried to calm her down "Whoa, whoa relax all right? Were not here to hurt you or him Mrs. Briefs".

Trunks nodded "Yeah mom, just take it easy".

Strangely staring at both of the Sayian's, Bulma was perplexed at why they had called her those names. Her green eyes blinked with confusion.

Bulma blinked "How did you know my name, and what do you mean mom? I'm not your mother, hell I've never seen you before in my life".

"But mom I just (winces) right alternate universe and all that jazz (sighs), okay then" Trunks groaned.

Pan stammered "Uh what my friend is trying to say is uh (bites lip), where did everyone else go?".

Bulma replied "They all left……all of them. No one wanted to work here anymore, not after I brought Vegeta in".

The two teens looked at the dark haired man lying weakly and helplessly in a mess of white bandages, and mechanical wires. Breathing tubes and life support devices desperately clung to Vegeta's mangled organs.

Trunks asked "What happened to fa……I mean Vegeta? He looks he got hit by a planet or something".

Bulma sighed "Close……it was the Judge".

Both Trunks and Pan exclaimed "The Judge?".

Bulma nodded "I'm afraid so. Even though I don't recognize your faces, I'm sure you already know about him, the wielder of the black hammer of justice?".

Both of the young Sayian's regretfully knew what was Bulma was talking about. They had met the Judge mere moments ago, during his barbaric battle with Frieza. He truly was a man twisted by anger and darkness.

Trunks looked to Bulma "So how did this happen?".

The sad woman explained "Years ago……when Vegeta and his partner Nappa invaded Earth. The Sayian's invasion was well prepared for, but ultimately it proved to be in vain. In precisely 3 hours after their arrival, Nappa and Vegeta were greeted by the Judge".

"So then……what happened next?" Pan asked.

Trunks interrupted "Before you get to that, I would like to know, exactly who is the Judge?".

Bulma said "He…….I mean the Judge, slaughtered them. And when I say slaughtered I do mean slaughtered. The Sayian's were no match for him; the Judge completely annihilated them both in combat. He killed Nappa first, and then broke every bone in Vegeta's body with his hammer. Vegeta was left paralyzed, catatonic and comatose……completely defenseless. But just before Judge could deliver the final blow, I stepped in and told him to stop".

Pan gasped "Oh my gosh.".

Sadly, Bulma continued "I told him that Vegeta had paid enough for his crimes, and that death wasn't the answer. But of course he didn't believe me. I begged him to spare Vegeta's life, I begged him on my knees to stop this madness, to end these, these killings, these executions".

Trunks asked curiously "I take it he accepted?".

Bulma shook her head "Not really, he merely stated that I was only delaying the inevitable. He swore he'd come back for Vegeta's head one day, and as each day passes that moment comes closer and closer".

With a heavy hearted sigh, Bulma moved towards the window. The young inventor stared her sad, sorrow filled green eyes out at the empty streets of the silent city. Not a single soul in sight. Only the chilling feel of the winds creeping up your bones, and the prying eyes of the spying Judge, eagerly waiting to banish evil once again. Trunks and Pan looked at each other.

Pan whispered "I really don't like this Trunks, everything here just feels so awful. We've got to do something".

Trunks sighed "We can't screw with other people's destiny's Pan, besides; we still have to find our way back home".

Pan pouted angrily "Home schmome, these people need our help, BULMA needs our help, and I'm not going to leave her hanging no matter which reality she's from".

The young Briefs boy sighed and stared at his tan brown shoes, knowing regretfully that Pan was right. The ticking beep of Vegeta's heart monitor added to the disturbing silence of the room. Trunks approached his alternate worldly mother, curious looking at her young but distressed sweet face.

Trunks approached Bulma "Sounds like things have been pretty rough around here, huh?".

A saddened Bulma turned her weary eyes to Trunks, staring with such sad, sad, sad sadness.

"You have no idea" the woman whimpered.

Trunks frowned "Bulma look……I know this isn't going to be easy but, we need you to tell us more about the Judge".

Bulma asked bluntly "Why?".

"Because we'd like to try and help, were not sure what we could do, but were willing to lend a helping hand" the teen boy explained.

Bulma smiled weakly "Well now, that's very sweet of you Mr. Uh?".

"Just call me Trunks" he replied.

Bulma grinned "Trunks huh, that's a nice name. Anyway, what you see is what you get when it comes to the Judge. He's exactly what you think he is. The Judge is nothing more then a cold hearted, self righteous, vindictive man, with a heart of darkness and a lust for vengeance. His whole life is shrouded in mystery; few people know the truth behind him.

He always appears where ever evil is, punishing it and any one else who in the Judge's eyes is "evil". No one knows why he's so angry. Some say he's a god, others say he's death himself, me, I think he's a poor, poor young man who's suffered a terrible loss……like me".

The young Sayian girl, Pan regretted asking this but was curious enough to find the courage to ask about her beloved grandfather.

Pan asked "Bulma? I'd like to know if well, if this Judge guy is so bad, why doesn't anyone try and help you? What about Piccolo, or Goku or".

"Goku's dead" Bulma said, flat out and direct.

Trunks and Pan screamed "WHAT?".

The news struck the young Sayian children like a bullet to the heart, Trunks and Pan felt awful inside.

Pan sniffled "How did he, I mean".

"How did Goku die?" Trunks asked for Pan.

Bulma paused "Goku……died during the battle with Radditz, along with his son, Gohan".

Pale blur colors pain over Pain's weeping face, the trauma in her heart was crushing every ounce of her cheerful spirit. Trunks wiped a bit of sweat off his brow, trying to take this in as well. The young Sayian's were overwhelmed.

Trunks rubbed his head softly "Man……oh man, oh man".

Pan almost cried, whispering softly "Grandpa, daddy, there all gone".

Bulma blinked "You mentioned Piccolo as well. I'm afraid he is no where to be found, he vanished after the Judge threatened to kill him during the Sayian war with Yamcha and the others".

Trunks stared oddly at Bulma "Huh you mean they're still alive?".

Pan raised an eyebrow "Threatened to kill them? Why would he do that, I mean there good guys too".

Bulma sighed "You don't understand dear. There are 2 kinds of good in this world, the one we know……and the Judge's version. Tien, Yamcha, Piccolo, Krillin, and Chaotzu battled Nappa and Vegeta the day they first arrived. But before the battle could turn for the worse, the Judge arrived and ended the battle.

He said that Piccolo and the others were too weak to be able to deliver "true" justice. So he said he would end their lives, unless they agreed to disappear and never to do battle again. They agreed. After that well, the rest is history".

Trunks scratched his chin "So that means that the Judge is basically in control of everyone? And that the people have to go along with his whole protection program or else he'll kill them too?".

Bulma nodded to him "He said it's for our own good".

KABOOM!

A riveting explosion sent flames into the roaring sky, the whole building trembled under the awesome force of the shock wave. Trunks, Bulma, and Pan rushed to the windows to find the source of the attack. In the smokes and flames of a burning crater, 2 young teenagers appeared with icy blue eyes. One had long black hair, a red scarf, black shirt, and torn blue jean pants. The other was a young girl with blonde hair, and tan brown boots.

Bulma gasped out loud "Who in the world are those two?".

Trunks blinked, wide eyed "I don't believe it".

Pan gulped "It's Androids 17 and 18".

To be continued……