Shadow of Love

You smile, you smile
Oh and then the spell was cast
And here we are in heaven

The Prince peered broodingly through a sea of clouds, down at the world below. Slender arms came suddenly and wrapped tenderly around his waist. He felt her chin rest on his shoulder. The touch of her skin, her scent… unmistakable.

"Princess," he whispered back, feeling for her hand.

He half-turned and saw the halo above her head, then her calm smile. It was like her name. Serene.

"It's time to go back. Are you ready?" she asked.

The Prince didn't know whether to smile in response. It seemed they had spent an eternity together in Other World. They had been through hardships when they were alive. Even when King Vegeta II, his father, had wished him back to life with the Dragon Balls, he refused to come back. He had chosen this. He wanted to be with Small Lady, Princess Serenity forever. But then as it would turn out, her mother, Neo-Queen Serenity had used the Silver Crystal so that they both would one day be reincarnated as mortals on Earth. It seemed fair and reasonable; yet, he wondered if it was really what he wanted.

Did he really want to give a second go at this thing called life?

"What happens when we're reborn?" The Prince wondered aloud to the Princess. "We'll be completely different people, won't we?"

The Princess nodded slowly. "I suppose. But our souls remain. That's what really matters, right?"

"But we won't remember any of this will we?" he muttered, looking intently at the clouds. "Why would we give up an eternity of peace in Heaven for the uncertainty of a new life on Earth?"

The Princess braced gently against his back, her tone unreadable as she said softly, "There were so many times when we've been torn apart, but we always found each other in the end. Do you think even in our new lives…we'd really forget all that happened in the past?"

The Prince shook his head. "No. We could never forget…our destiny."

There were hours that just went on for days
When alone at last we'd count up all the chances
That were lost to us forever

How long had it been?
Two seconds?
Three?
A whole minute, maybe?

Chibiusa opened her eyes as Trunks withdrew. She could feel the intensity of her heartbeat as they stared back at each other. His face was bright red. She tapped lightly at her cheeks, feeling their heat. She was sure her face was red too.

"Trunks-kun…" she said softly. His name rolled off her tongue. It was the first time she said it but it felt so natural.

He looked away, as though embarrassed, his attention now at the ground. He rubbed his arm absently. "I…I, uh…" He looked as though he really had no clue what he had just done.

Chibiusa saw within her head, in that short moment that they had kissed, a grand palace of glass and stone in a distant kingdom. The image shifted and she saw for a flashing second, she and Trunks playing together in a forest. First they were young, maybe seven or eight years old. Then they were older, older than she'd ever been, late teens. She could barely remember, but the feelings burned within her as though she were reliving them there and then. Excitement, happiness, fear... All these feelings, this churning ball of emotions had taken over at once.

She regarded Trunks with a bewildered gaze.

Was this what "this" was—this thing they had between them? They had met before. They had known each other. They had lived before. His face blurred as Chibiusa tears started in her eyes. Suddenly, Trunks' head shot up, alert, then he snapped his head, twisting sideways as though sensing it. He ducked just as two ice cream cones shot at him, spluttering into wet and sticky clumps in the air. Then, a pale hand reached out and grabbed him roughly by the collar.

"Erishi!" Chibiusa cried, scarely missing the splashes of ice cream and watching with astonishment as Hiro loomed over him, his golden eyes narrowed. Trunks glared back at him and the sparks flew. Hiro didn't speak, but the annoyance in his look, in his trembling body spoke volumes. He saw. He saw everything.

"Erishi-kun, please let Trunks go," she pressed, glimpsing frantically between them. "Please."

Hiro turned to regard her, a certain pained, befuddled expression on his face "Chibiusa-chan?"

"Don't call her that."

Though barely audible, Trunks had said it, mumbling under his breath.

'Huh?' Hiro faltered though he hadn't relaxed his grip. Chibiusa gently placed a hand on his and he gaped confusedly between them. "I don't understand."

'I'm sorry,' Chibiusa murmured, unable to look at him directly. "Trunks is…someone special."

Hiro stared at Chibiusa for an intense second, his eyes glazing over as though realization had finally dawned upon him. Chibiusa removed her hand as he let go of Trunks and stepped back.

Trunks peered at Chibiusa, his mouth pulling into a slight smirk. "You mean that, huh?"

Chibiusa felt the blush return. Aside from the smirk, something was not quite right. Something about Trunks had changed.

'You remember too, don't you?' Chibiusa asked, her voice quieter than she intended.

Trunks stared, his mouth shrinking and expression becoming suddenly serious as he glanced away at his watch. "Sorry. I have to go." He turned and belted down the street.

"Trunks-kun!" Chibiusa stared after him in disbelief. What the heck? Recalling Hiro's presence, she crooked her neck to regard him through watery eyes. Unable to speak, unable to dignify him with any kind of response she shook her head sadly, then ran in the other direction—home.

"I'm back," Chibiusa said quietly.

It was quarter after three when Chibiusa arrived. She crossed the living room as she made her way to the stairs, noticing Usagi sitting cross-legged on a cushion, busy with a phone call. Chibiusa didn't know why, but she found herself staring at Usagi for a long time. This woman was her mother. But was she really that different from her past mother? They resembled, didn't they? Usagi seemed to notice her eyes on her for she looked up suddenly, looking slightly annoyed. She muttered "hold on" before placing the receiver against her chest.

"Why are you staring? It's rude to stare at your mother like that, you know."

Chibiusa sighed and continued on her way to the staircase and onward to her bedroom. No way was this mother like that past mother, Queen Serenity. That lady was much more intelligent, much more beautiful, and much more mature. Chibiusa stowed her purse away in her closet and collapsed onto her bed. So she was once a Moon Princess. She lived a mystical, magical existence then died trying to save Earth and Planet Vegeta from the wrath of her wicked aunt. But then—here she was in a new life during a new time on Earth. The Silver Crystal must have worked after all. But there were still questions that remained unanswered: why? What was the meaning of all of this?

Chibiusa averted her gaze towards the window, admiring the way the clouds hung so simply and marvellously in the sky. Hiro. She felt bad thinking of what he might have seen. Trunks had kissed her after all; she hadn't been the one to do it. It wasn't like she intended to "cheat" if that's what one could call it. But now, Chibiusa realized, though in the strangest way, that her "love" for Hiro wasn't that at all. The person who she really had feelings for was Trunks. As he crossed her mind, she felt the tingling warmth in her chest once again. Why had he kissed her just then? Had he known about this past all along? Or had this all just happened by chance? She closed her eyes, recalling the few seconds leading up to the moment and the few seconds after. The more she thought about it, the more incredible it seemed.

"Hyah!"

Goten came at full force, his foot in mid-air as his body rotated like fan blades. Trunks ducked, missing the hit. He did several back-flips out of the way as Goten came at him again with a solid jab. Trunks blocked the punch, and returned one to Goten's core. Though slightly winded, Goten dived just before Trunks was able to follow up with another hit. Trunks stumbled slightly. Goten took his dive to the ground as an opportunity to slide into Trunks' ankles, sweeping Trunks off his feet. Just like that, he tumbled onto the floor mat.

'Yame! Stop!' Roshi bellowed, toddling over to the pair. "What's this? Trunks? Your reflexes are off. You didn't roll, you didn't counter, you didn't dodge...you didn't even break your fall! Rookie mistakes, all of it!"

"Sorry, Sensei …," Trunks sighed wearily. "Is it okay if I just take a time-out?"

Roshi frowned, his moustached and bearded face looking menacing against the room's garish lighting. "You know I don't believe in those. First it's the random cat, now your fighting is a disaster. Imagine going into competition like this!"

Trunks nodded ashamedly, glancing sideways at Diana who sat innocently licking her paw in the corner.

Roshi groaned, stroking casually at his beard. "Fine. You can have your break. Just this ONE time."

Trunks bowed as he left, skulking through the door of the gym, trudging to the water fountain for a drink. After trying in vain to satisfy an unquenchable thirst, he sunk down on a metal bench. The back of his head brushed against the wall as he stared up at the ceiling. Ever since he left the Town Square, ever since he had done what he had done—ever since those memories fell on him like a tonne of bricks; ever since all of that, he couldn't catch himself.

His heart ached.

"Hey!"

Goten's voice echoed lightly as he hastened over, slumping onto the bench beside him. His eyes remained glued on Trunks for a while. His brows knitted with sincerity. "What's with you today? Did something happen?"

Trunks half-turned, his eyelids drooped and mouth forming an 'o' as he regarded his friend, his best friend, perhaps only friend ever. It truly was as Diana had said. There were others.

"Goten…don't you remember anything?" Trunks mumbled, his tone desolate and empty.

Goten frowned. "Like what Sensei said?"

Trunks pulled away from the wall, allowing himself to sit up straight. He looked at Goten seriously. "You mean you don't remember anything at all? About the past?"

Goten was wide-eyed. "Like…you mean when we were little kids?"

Trunks sighed, shifting suddenly and returning to lean against the wall. He remained quiet and still for a short moment before growing restless. With a grumble he stood up to get another drink from the fountain.

"Never mind."

"What the heck are you talking about, Trunks?" Goten snapped, startling Trunks because his tone sounded so aggravated. "Why do you have to be like this? Why don't you just say things clearly? Just explain it to me!"

Trunks glared. "There's nothing to explain. If you don't know, you don't know. Alright?"

"You aren't making any sense," Goten retorted. 'You've been so weird lately and I don't like it. I don't like it at all. And now even your fighting is—"

"Just drop it. There's nothing to talk about."

Trunks wasn't sure what came over him in that moment, for he hadn't intended to argue at all. Yet, it seemed as though kissing Chibiusa for whatever reason was the key to activating the mysterious moon crystal that would restore their memories. No sooner than he had done it, everything Diana had explained emerged from the deep recesses of his mind as though it had always been there. Trunks recalled meeting her gaze for a moment. Those eyes, those lips, everything about her was the same. It was because of this history they were so drawn to each other. Because of this twisted fate.

However, there were recollections he hadn't expected, things Diana never told him or maybe didn't even know.

Trunks was the Saiyan Prince, Vegeta III. He was among the strongest, most powerful in the universe but he loved the Princess more than anything. More than his power, his kingdom and even himself. Even so, Diana was wrong. He hadn't sacrificed his life. He committed suicide out of anguish because Chibiusa had been killed by the overlord Frieza. The Prince hadn't been in time to save her. So the Prince had given up.

He wasn't a hero at all.

The entire time he knew the Princess, the Prince was burdened with contempt from his father, ridicule from fellow Saiyans, isolation from his peers, and the loss of his best friend, a loss that was his fault. His friend had been the real hero.

Trunks was pretty certain that Goten was his best friend in that past too, and yet he didn't even seem to know it. Perhaps it was fortunate that Goten couldn't remember. If Goten remembered, would he be able to forgive Prince Vegeta III, Trunks, for his selfishness?

No.

Being reborn wasn't a miracle. It was a curse.

Now, Trunks' father wasn't even around, meanwhile he still had more enemies than friends, all this in spite of being wealthy and powerful. Things really hadn't changed at all. But there was one thing Trunks knew for sure. Some things he could do differently. If he wanted his new, uncomplicated existence to stay that way, he needed to keep that tiny, pink-haired rabbit girl out of his life.