Yawn Ohayô-gozaimasu! Sorry for keeping you all waiting, but I've just been so busy (what with finals coming up and all). But I finally got around to it... at 7:45 AM! Don't think I'm overburdening myself or anything, because this was what I chose to do. Anyway, this chapter is short and sweet. Actually, many of you may find it more cruel than sweet. But I have to add cruelty to make it good!!! So, enjoy once again!

Chapter 27: Home Again

For the past few hours, Trunks had not been able to move a muscle. Even his eyelids seemed too heavy to move. So there was not much he could do except allow the guards to chain him up in one of his father's dungeon cells. The guards had long since left their posts outside his door, so now he didn't even have the company of their pointless conversations. He lay there slumped against one of the cold stone walls with his hands chained above his head.

Now his strength was slowly returning, and he was just able to move his head around to explore his surroundings. But he quickly grew tired of staring at the same four walls over and over again. He decided it would be better if he took a nap. That way, when he awoke he would be able to completely move again.

What seemed like five minutes later, Trunks felt a hard leather boot punch his stomach.

"Wake up!" A gruff voice called.

"Wha... what was that for? Can't a guy get some sleep around here?" Trunks grumbled. He was still half asleep, so he wasn't thinking quite clearly yet. He heard the jingle of the guard's rusty keys, and felt the iron clamps swing away from his wrists.

"Let's go, get up!" The guard kicked his stomach again.

"Gahh!!!" Trunks yelped in pain. Now that he was fully awake, he could think very clearly. "Hey, do you even know who I am?!?"

"Of course. I also know the king ordered all prisoners to be treated exactly how they deserve to be; even you, Saiya-jin no Ouji." He said mockingly.

"Hmph..." Trunks grunted, in an exact imitation of his father. As he stood up he found his mobility had fully returned, so he guessed his nap had been longer than it had seemed; three hours at least. However, he still found it hard to balance on his own two feet, so he decided against trying to escape. He allowed the guard to cuff his hands together, and tolerated being led out of his cell by the end of a chain his warder held.

"Now don't you even think about trying to escape from these." The guard warned Trunks as he led the way down the dim hallway lined with prison cells. "If you so much as raise your ki even the tiniest amount, these cuffs will zap it right outta ya." He chuckled to himself at the thought of being in control of the captive prince.

Trunks hardly paid attention. His ki senses were picking up a very familiar signal not too far away. Then he heard a soft groaning coming from one of the cells on his left side. Slowing his walking pace, he leaned toward the door to the cell and peeked through the bars. He could just make out a small slouched form also chained to the wall as he had been.

"Zamuri...?" Trunks breathed softly, recognizing the hunched up shape in the cell.

"Hey! Get away from there!" The guard scolded, yanking the end of Trunks' chain, jolting him away from the door. Trunks desperately tried to look back and make sure his weary eyes weren't deceiving him. Unfortunately, the warder's pace quickened and he was led up a narrow spiral staircase, down a few large hallways, and brought before King Vegeta in his royal throne room. Prince Vegeta stood at his side.

"The Prince Trunks, as you requested, Majesty." The guard said with a bow. The king nodded and waved for the guard to leave them. The man bowed again, and hurried out of the room.

"I really hate to see you like this, my son." King Vegeta sighed. "But with the way you have been acting towards me, I really have no alternative. You understand."

Trunks stood before his father and brother, wrists still linked together, rips in his clothes, dirt smudged on his face and hands, hair messier than it had ever been, but still standing firm, confident, and silent. His unyielding composure wiped the smirk off his father's face.

"Hmm... How do you look at me, boy?" The king asked. "I will not have such looks!"

Trunks refused to let himself speak. His inherited pride would not allow it. Slowly, the king rose from his throne and approached him, circling him a couple times.

"You know what I want." He stopped and whispered in Trunks' ear. "Just give it to me, and I'll let you go free."

The boy stood unmoved. "Never."

"Oh?" Vegeta asked, more loudly this time. "Could there be something else you want in return?"

Trunks stared hard and deep into those icy, jet black eyes. "Let Zamuri go..." He muttered.

"Ah, I see..." The king sighed. "So you have seen the Son child. I understand now..." He smirked. "Well, this makes things much more interesting..."

"Let him go..." Trunks repeated. "You have no grudge against that innocent boy."

"While that is true, the fact that he is a Son still remains."

"He was a Son by birth through no fault of his own!" Trunks raised his voice out of anger, not caring for the consequences of his actions.

"Hmph... you care for the Son boy? Have I taught you absolutely nothing?!?" Vegeta raised his voice as well. "They are our enemies, yet you choose to turn on me and walk among them! You disgrace the royal family by even congregating with such inferiorities!"

"No, father... You are so blinded by your arrogance and pride that you can't see what's right in front of you! These are good people who laugh, cry, and bleed the same as we do! They may not be rich or royal, but they are still Saiyan beings!!! No, they are nowhere near inferior... The only inferiority around here is you!!!"

With one swift jab, Trunks collapsed on his knees, grasping the tender spot on his stomach where Vegeta had punched him, serving as a painful reminder of who he was speaking to. A bit of blood shot out of his mouth as he coughed and tried to recover his breath.

"Good one, Father!" The amused Prince Vegeta chortled from the other side of the room.

"I hope you realize I did not wish to do that either, Trunks... but you must remember your place. You are in no position to start an argument with me." The king stated firmly. "If you will not succumb to my desire, I will be forced to continue hurting your pathetic rebellious friends further. For their sake, you'd better do it soon."

Remembering a long-ago conversation with Son-san, Trunks dared to speak one more time.

"Well you had better watch yourself, because Goku won't go so easy on you next time."

"Hmph..." Vegeta straightened his back, and called to the guard waiting just outside the throne room. "Take him away. And make sure he is made comfortable, and properly fed. And for goodness sake, clean him up."

The crony bowed, and helped the struggling Trunks to his feet, proceeding back down to the dungeon chambers.