Gohan, Trunks and Tora were curious about this strange tiny woman sitting on a floating crystal ball, near the entrance of Trunks' home. Tora went on high alert immediately and put her left hand on Gohan's shoulder, ready to get him out of the way should things turn dangerous. Despite her knowing Gohan was more powerful and capable than she was, her protectiveness of the youngest kicked in before her logic.

"Ah, you must be Trunks, younger-Trunks, and young Son Gohan!" she stated with a grin.

"Perhaps. What do you want?" Trunks answered first, cautious, stepping forward in his own desire to protect his two friends. Their existence wasn't exactly public knowledge, after all.

Tora slowly maneuvered Gohan behind her, eyes locked on the potential threat, and as much as Gohan wanted to hold on to his friend's hand or sleeve, he refrained and made sure to not be in the way. Gohan observed, just as ready to intervene as Tora was. Her right hand was already on the sword's guard.

"I just chatted with your mother and younger-Krillin," the old woman giggled.

"Mother," Trunks whispered in panic and after a brief glance to Tora, who just as quickly agreed he should go, he was ready to dash in, but the old woman waved her hand to get his attention. Gohan did manage to whisper that Krillin and Bulma were fine, since he had the presence of mind to properly check on their kis.

"I know I'm even more beautiful than the blonde Cyborg, but I assure you I am a friend, Trunks-kun."

The slow blinks only matched how hard it was trying to compare this old tiny woman full of wrinkles and black shapeless robe to Eighteen. Was she even serious? They couldn't tell. But the initial panic about Bulma washed off, she was fine, Trunks felt her presence.

"As I was saying.. According to Bulma-chan, I have you to thank for bringing a Guardian back to Earth, right?"

"Why do you ask?" Tora was quicker to answer, and was also more aggressive in her tone. She wasn't patient when tense like that.

"Oh you don't know who I am don't you? I'll let Bulma-chan and Krillin fill you in then!" The old witch cackled as she started leaving, unbothered by the cautious-hostility the two adults showed. As if she'd been warned. "I'll see you later, boys!" She stated before her ball took to the skies and in an instant, she was gone.

When they went inside, Trunks' first reflex was to check on his mother. They only left for three hours, tops, but still someone suspicious appeared and got close to her. He hugged her, rubbed her arms and checked if any hair was out of place. Bulma looked perfectly normal and happy to see them back, even if she teased her son for being so touchy and worried. When the three younger ones asked who the hell was that, Bulma and Krillin took a moment (and some mid-afternoon tea) to explain.

They, Goku and Yamcha hunted for the Dragon Balls for the second time to revive someone who was killed by an evil mercenary; Tao Pai Pai. But one of the Dragon Balls was hidden in a box which made it undetectable by the Dragon Radar. So they went to meet Uranai Baba, the witch, who also happened to be Roshi's older sister. And since her favores didn't go for free, they had to win a tournament with a whole lot of strange fighters. Bulma elbowed Krillin hard before he told the story of how she helped Yamcha beat the invisible man. His laugh and quick glance towards his three juniors indicated they'd have to find out about that once Bulma was out of earshot.

"And so it turns out the last combatant was actually Son-kun's grandfather, Son Gohan! The one you were named after, Gohan-kun," Bulma continued the hours-long tale, and Gohan nodded, beaming as he tried keeping awake through the whole ordeal.

"Didn't he die when Goku-san was a child?" Trunks remembered his mother's tales of their first encounter; Goku was alone, and the four-star Dragon Ball was a memento of his dead grandfather. Gohan knew he was named after Goku's adoptive grandfather, but he didn't remember the story about how they saw each other again after his passing. He had heard some of those events as a toddler from his father, before Raditz happened, but these were his bedtime tales, so his memories were fuzzy. Realizing they were true and factual only made them more wonderful.

"Yes, and he was still dead, but he had a special permit to come back for Baba's tournament. Boy, Goku cried like a baby when he realized it was him, it was so heartwarming. Anyway, Uranai Baba often travels to the gates of Otherworld. It turns out she was over there, twenty years ago, when Kami died, so she was stuck."

"And with Dende as the planet's new Guardian, she was free to come back," Krillin added, tying the long tale back to the reason why they had started explaining it all to begin with.

Trunks was still a little suspicious; the story about who Baba was made sense, and how she was stuck in Otherworld somehow worked, but that didn't answer the main issue: why was that person there to begin with?

He was about to ask but noticed how the weight on his shoulder hadn't moved in a little while. Tora had fallen asleep. It had been a long day after all, and while it was only early evening, due to their stay in the Room of Spirit and Time, he, Tora and Gohan had dinner a few hours ago and were well past a reasonable bedtime. Tora hadn't allowed herself to have an afternoon nap in the Room of Spirit and Time, and she hadn't had the benefit of a Senzu. A quick glance over to Gohan, snuggled under Tora's arm, and Trunks noticed sleep had taken over him as well.

"Good luck with that," Bulma had to tease, when her son realized he was stuck as she knew he wouldn't actually wake the two younger 'kids'.

Krillin found it all adorable, but he and Bulma shared a knowing glance when seeing Gohan sound asleep. Trunks had accepted his 'fate' and put his arm around Tora's shoulders for better comfort.

"Gohan-san has been having issues sleeping, hasn't he?" Trunks recognized that look of worry, and considering what Tora and he had told them independently, he pieced things together with his own experience. He wasn't even really asking, but his mother and Krillin confirmed. 'She, too,' he thought while Tora shifted, turned her back on him and rested against the crook of his shoulder. She had pulled Gohan between her legs and if Trunks moved, she'd be lying down on the couch.

Bulma snapped a picture, finding it all too adorable to let it go without keeping a memento of this weird situation. Trunks vaguely protested, but knowing his mother, there wasn't much he could do to dissuade her.

The two older adults, now knowing the other three had somewhat already eaten, and Trunks expressing it was ok, Krillin was charged with making himself and Bulma a simple (and edible) dinner.

When it was time to call it a night, Krillin got closer to the two Trunkses and Gohan, fully intending on taking Gohan and carrying him to bed. The moment Bulma understood his intent, the 'no, don't' leaving her mouth wasn't fast enough to warn the monk about the danger. Trunks was also too slow to stop him, but he braced himself and his arm around Tora's shoulder's tightened. Tora's reaction to someone approaching was immediate, she tensed, sat up, her eyes shot open, she gripped Gohan against her and freed a hand ready to blast the incoming threat. The feral murderous look reminded Krillin of Vegeta when he first met him and almost fell back under the intense teal eyes, and Tora would've followed her prey if not for the arm around her shoulders firmly holding her in place, Trunks whispering calming words into her ear. Krillin promptly took a few extra steps back, realizing his mistake.

Gohan woke up in a panic while it all went down, he was holding on tight to his friend already and he promptly tried to find the source of inexistent danger.

"Don't approach a sleeping Saiyan unless you want to lose a limb, Krillin," Bulma repeated a phrase she heard long ago, helping him up the best she could, once Tora was calmed down enough to not be an obvious threat anymore. Her son was doing a good job at grounding Tora, at least the eyes had returned to their usual blue and Gohan helped.

Krillin was shocked, to say the least, he had slept around or with Gohan a few times already, so he didn't understand the reaction. Bulma was not only used to seeing Trunks react like this with strangers, her memories of Vegeta having similar reactions squeezed her heart, but the Gohan she once knew also had similar reactions as well. She took Krillin aside to give him a more thorough explanation, at least from how she understood it; both Trunkses had gone through a lot, they had nightmares and were selective, to say the least, with people whom they trusted. Falling asleep was being vulnerable, after all, and judging from how both Trunkses acted, they were clearly both aware of it about themselves and each other.

"Gohan-kun was the same, after everyone died, he held onto Trunks and me like that, too," she sighed. "Vegeta was a little bit like that too, always on alert, always tense..."

"Trunks- er, 784-Trunks seeing me as a threat…"

"It's just a reflex-" Bulma was to explain further when someone knocked on the door and she gave the ok for the person to come in.

Tora opened the door slowly, a little sheepish, and came into the dining room where Bulma and Krillin had been talking. She gave a glance to one, then the other, apologetic.

"Krillin-san, is it ok if we talk?"

Bulma, somewhat guessing Tora wanted to talk alone with Krillin, stood to leave them and when Tora moved aside from the door, the older woman gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder. A supportive gesture Tora quietly appreciated, and the faint smile she gave her alternative mother was the only thing she allowed her to have.

Once alone, Tora closed the door and sat at the table where Krillin was at, looking cautiously at the dangerous half-breed facing him and putting hands on the table.

"Krillin-san. I'm sorry." Tora started, lowering her head, then looking aside. "There is no excuse, you have been nothing but kind to me, but I still-"

"Trunks, it's ok," Krillin cut off, leaned over the table and gave a tentative pat on Tora's hand, and since she didn't move off, he gave it another, reassuring. "I get it. You've been on constant alert for Kami-knows how long. You're looking out for Gohan, aren't you?"

Tora gave him a shy nod, a confirmation for a question Krillin really didn't need to ask. 'And Gohan just lost Goku…' Krillin was sympathetic, all while knowing Tora and Trunks only really had their versions of Gohan around, and lost him. Krillin had seen Tora get protective over Gohan before, so it all made sense. And Gohan had finally been able to get proper sleep… Exactly like when Gohan fell asleep in Tora's hold the night they arrived in 787.

"Then it's all good," Krillin added with a bright smile. 'I should have known better, knowing his parents…'

Tora tried protesting the ease with which Krillin accepted the threat she'd been to him, but Krillin gave another pat on her hand, firm and confident.

"I'm telling you it's all good. You'll get there, Trunks, I believe in you."

Tora couldn't really fight the confident optimism Krillin conveyed, so she accepted to push her doubts aside. After all, she did tell the past version of her mother she wasn't well and probably will never be well, but she was taking the necessary steps to solve it all. As long as the Cyborgs in her world were still free, she wasn't really able to rest.

"Thank you, Krillin-san," she ended up being able to accept the kindness. Gohan will be left in good hands, she already knew as much, it was only a matter of her instincts catching up and accepting it.

By the time they came out of the dining room, Trunks, Gohan and Bulma had changed their sleeping arrangements, and a second camp bed was put in the room Tora had taken for herself. Gohan was to sleep with her, not in the same bed, but close enough. Trunks had skillfully directed it to be that way so Tora wouldn't have to sleep with the binder on and still be able to share comfort with Gohan. He still had some trouble sleeping, but it was far from as bad as Tora or Gohan. At worst, he could borrow his mother, even if sleeping with Tora for a solid month did him good. All of them knew it was a crutch, but one that was still needed.

Gohan had tried protesting the arrangement, mostly out of shame of being childish and needing to sleep with someone, but Trunks and Bulma quickly shut it down. He was a child who had gone through a lot and there was no discussion to be had: if sleeping with Tora chased the nightmares away and helped him rest, then so be it, and Tora also rested well with Gohan. The Briefs were stubborn if anything, and Gohan had to concede they were right; he hadn't been able to sleep comfortably since the Cell Games. So as long as Tora was willing to have him… And the relief Tora expressed was as restrained as Bulma was expressive about 'kids having a sleepover' being such a nostalgic feeling, considering her childhood trips with Goku.

So they slept as they did when Tora visited the Son estate prior to the Cell Games: holding hands. The sword was left on the desk.

Their late breakfast was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Tora got on her guard almost immediately, she wasn't used to visitors at all, but Trunks put a hand on her shoulder to reassure her; he and his mother had three years of peace, so even if it was rare, they still had the occasional visitor. He stood to go see who it was. The other four couldn't resume their conversation before Tora shot up, grabbing her sword and went after Trunks; she felt his ki spike and reacted faster than Gohan and Krillin.

"And who gave you permission to grow this tall?" The voice was exactly as they both remembered it, the tall figure at the door was relaxed but suddenly confused when another version of his pupil appeared behind the one that opened the door. The orange and blue gi, a faint scar over his left eye and cheek, two arms, the short hair with longer locks on top, the silhouette still taller than either Trunks, the round, puppy-like eyes, full of life and kindness… And a bright yellow halo that neither Trunks noticed at first.

"Twenty-four hours young man!" Baba informed before disappearing once more, but neither Gohan nor the Trunkses heard her.

Trunks was speechless, staring at the spitting image of his mentor, Tora was pale.

"Gohan-san," Trunks said, breathless.

"Gohan-san," the one behind whispered just a little later, shaking.

"Did Bulma-san clone you somehow, Trunks?" Gohan said while reaching for Trunks, the one closest to him, with the clear intents of putting his hand in his hair and ruffling it, but in a flash he found himself on his back, the flat of a blade pressed on his neck, the whole weapon used to keep his shoulders down.

Tora's teal iris had drowned out her pupils, and her reflexes got the best of her. And considering the light cracks on the asphalt under Gohan, she didn't bother controlling her strength when tackling the ghost that was about to touch her alternate older self. She wasn't heavy but she put her whole weight in and some ki to keep this body down.

Gohan couldn't even begin to defend himself, he was stuck and if he moved, the sharp blade would surely give a painful punishment. So he tried to reason with the young adult on him. She didn't, couldn't hear any of it. Tapping into super Saiyan was a last resort option.

The younger Gohan, Krillin and Bulma arrived in a few seconds, the time for them to register that Trunks' ki had spiked, which was why Tora went over to begin with, and now Tora's ki flared. Krillin kept Bulma away, since she was unable to sense the danger, but she still screamed Trunks' name.

Gohan and Trunks snapped out of their stupor and went to grab Tora to pry her off her prey, Gohan reaching for her hands, Trunks for her shoulders. She was stiff and her eyes didn't leave her target, but the calming voices of the people she'd begun to trust eventually snapped her out of it enough to be allowed to be pulled off this version of her mentor. The younger Gohan took the sword from Tora's trembling hands, and she allowed it even if her eyes were still locked on the visitor.

"I missed you too, Trunks," the older Gohan chuckled while slowly standing up. He should have expected a violent reaction from Vegeta's kid, but he was still in shock about having so many people in Capsule Corp, he who had only expected Trunks and Bulma.

"So you're telling me that crazy project you were working on was a Time Machine, and it actually worked.. "

In the living room, the older Gohan tried to recap what the hell happened, and it took a solid couple of hours for Bulma and Trunks to walk him through everything. Being dead for seven years and unable to peek into Earth was jarring, but not as jarring as meeting a ten year old version of himself, another Krillin (he had just said goodbye to Krillin in Otherworld!) and two grown up versions of his pupil.

"Well of course it worked, duh!" Bulma was almost offended that her best friend's son doubted her prowess.

"I am in awe, not in disbelief, Bulma-san, no one but Bulma Brief would have been capable of such a thing… So, that was how you brought peace to our world, Trunks," he smiled brightly at the one with shorter hair.

He knew the Cyborgs had been defeated, Enma made sure the information was passed over to heaven after their souls had been judged.

"Two worlds, actually! The 767-world he was in, he managed to destroy them there too, and Son-kun and everyone else is alive and well," Bulma praised even further, earning her a hushed 'mom!' from her son.

"Amazing, I knew it, I'm so proud of you," the older Gohan praised more. Trunks furiously blushed. He'd not gotten praise from his mentor in ages and it brought back so many memories and feelings he had forgotten. He loathed being in the spotlight like that.

"In the end I died at the hands of another artificial creature, Cell, who stole the Time Machine. But 784-Trunks," Trunks gestured to Tora, who was leaning against the wall separating the living room from the dining room, the tip of her sword on the ground and her right hand on the hilt, still tense and distrusting of everything. "767-Gohan-san, who actually killed Cell," he indicated the child Tora was holding close under her left arm, said Gohan was happy to keep his friend grounded and safe. "And 767-Krillin-san came to this world, to take Mother to New Namek. They brought me and Cell's other victims back to life, healed the planet, and now Dende is the Guardian of Earth."

Despite their different lives, the older Gohan was just as capable of taking in a lot of information, as unbelievable as it was. He rolled with it, and well, he had tangible proof of it all. He had met Dende on his way out of Otherworld with Baba, so that part at least he knew of. Meeting his Namekian friend over twenty years later really warmed his heart. But since his time was short and he really wanted to see Trunks, he left the Lookout with Baba before Dende could even warn him about what was going on. Baba also probably knew and was most certainly watching it all from her crystal ball and cackling.

"Handsome eighteen-year-old-with-amazing-hair Trunks there actually comes from a world like ours, with very similar events," Bulma added. Tora glanced over briefly; of course, Bulma was Bulma regardless of the universe she was in. Tora couldn't help her cheeks from turning red at the compliment. Hopefully her mother would like it too.

"My hair's amazing too," Trunks protested lightly. They had the same hair after all. Bulma chuckled and nudged her son with an 'of course sweetie but his is longer and past-me gave him the right shampoo'.

"Multiverse theory," Gohan nodded and drank a bit of his tea. Apart from the younger version of him and Tora, who firmly stayed away, they had all sat down in the living room to talk.

"Smart as always, Gohan-kun," Bulma complimented, and the younger one looked over curiously when his name was pronounced.

"Wait, hold on." Gohan glanced back towards Tora and Gohan, something didn't make sense, then he looked back at his actual pupil. "You're telling me this Cell-thing killed you, but you got the Cyborgs, right?"

"Yes."

"And nine-year-old me killed it?"

"Gohan-kun just turned ten, actually," Krillin chimed in. "But yes, yes he did."

"These two are much stronger than we are, Gohan-san," Trunks added with a tiny, half proud, half ashamed smile. "They went beyond super Saiyan!"

Tora tensed, she loathed where this was going, and Gohan looked up to her when he felt her fingers grip on his shirt. The boy wasn't confident about it all either, but he was more worried about Tora's reactions than what his older version may or may not ask of him later. And Gohan's glance their way only confirmed that he took Trunks' statement as a challenge of sorts.

"Let's get lunch going instead of starting another fight, boys," Bulma vaguely shooed them off. She couldn't sense ki, but she knew how her idiot fighter-friends loved challenging each other and the consequences 'stupid Saiyan genes' could have on her home. Two Trunkses and two Gohans would be the end of her home if she let them get funny ideas. And considering cooking was involved, she wasn't about to go do it herself. So the reunited mentor and student stood to actually do it, for old memories' sake.

Seeing their direction, Tora changed walls, unwilling to be anywhere near on the path of this version of her mentor, her eyes firmly locked on the two of them, and not letting her younger friend out of her hold.

Mentor and student let the door open as they cooked, telling each other stories, Bulma and Krillin discussed other mind-blowing events. Gohan even falsely complained about being given kitchen duty despite being dead.

.

"Tora-san.." Gohan was worried about his friend.

Tora had kept quiet all throughout the morning, closed up like a clamp, and her fingers would probably leave bruises on his skin if he had been a normal earthling. Her heart wasn't ready to see a version so similar to her mentor, and she couldn't take her eyes off him, even through the door, from the living room, through the dining room. Seeing a Gohan and a Trunks happily cooking together, occasionally stopping to taunt or nudge the other, was a sight to behold.

"Tora-san", Gohan tried again, tugging a little on the black tank top. He had put both arms around her waist already, since she had kept her left hand firmly on either his shoulder or the back of his neck, holding him close. "It's ok, you can relax, I'm here," he tried reassuring her, but he couldn't know whether Tora heard him.

The smell of food finally got her to at least sheath the weapon and release Gohan, so she could go set the table. Gohan helped her silently, and added another plate as Tora seemingly had miscounted. At least Tora seemed slightly less ready to pounce, even if the sword was still on her back and ready to be drawn out.

Krillin firmly stayed out of Tora's way, he knew how dangerous the young adult could be if crossed, and he didn't want to be the source and the target of an outburst.. again.

.

Trunks switched places with Gohan to be 'on Tora duty', so to speak, when Bulma and Krillin started serving the plates and making the dining room all nice for their meal. The boy hesitated, Tora was his friend, but he had to trust Trunks to take care of.. himself, really.

Trunks silently gestured they should start eating without them, and Gohan finally got to meet his older self, who, as Tora had told him, did grow up to be taller than his father. It was awkward for both Gohans to meet such a different version of each other, both in age and life, and the occasional glance towards Bulma and Krillin clearly communicated that they'd have to talk alone at some point. After all, both Trunkses had had a similar life, so they connected, but these two's lives had diverged much earlier.

Trunks put an arm around Tora's shoulder, brought her to him and forced her to stop looking at his mentor by standing in her line of sight, then walked her out of the dining room and took her to the kitchen, closing the door behind him.

.

While they were away, Gohan filled in Bulma, his past self and this other version of Krillin about how everyone was doing in Otherworld. Including Vegeta, who despite still being in Hell, was given a permission of sorts to not be eliminated. He wanted to become stronger, even in death, and Goku had begged Kaio-sama to call in a favor as having such a person around would be useful for tournaments and to keep other Hell inhabitants on their toes. Truth was, according to Gohan, that neither Goku nor Vegeta were satisfied with their absence of a proper rematch and being dead wasn't going to stop either of them.

"Stupid Saiyan genes," Bulma shrugged and wiped a tear. At least the man she loved wasn't completely gone and lost. Krillin and the younger Gohan agreed with Bulma's statement.

"We didn't know Trunks had died too," Gohan was still confused about it, he didn't see his pupil in heaven.

"Trunks- the 784 one," Bulma sighed in frustration, she knew something was off about her alternate son, but despite being identical physically, with the exception of the hair length, 'Tora' was more of a predator, more like Vegeta. " Tora said Trunks was waiting for us. He's like my Trunks, but he's.." She tried coming up with a word that expressed her feelings, but Gohan, the younger one, was the one to find one.

"Cautious. Since we found Trunks-san's Time Machine and before we even found or faced Cell, Tora-san has been careful. He hasn't destroyed his versions of the Cyborgs yet, he postponed his return home to save Trunks-san." Gohan said while glancing over to Krillin. There was also the strange lingering feeling when Tora wasn't brought back by Shenron, and he didn't know exactly what to make of it, or even if he should talk about it.

"He's big on boundaries," Krillin added. "He's close to Gohan as you've seen," he indicated the younger one, "but he's been reserved with everyone else."

"Well he has sharp flight-or-fight reflexes," the older Gohan laughed about having been the target of said reflexes. "I'm sure his Cyborgs will not stand a chance. I'm curious about this 'going beyond super Saiyan', mind filling me in, young-me?"

Gohan wasn't exactly surprised to have heard that sentence, the mischievous look in his eye should have tipped Krillin and the younger Gohan. Being dead didn't mean Gohan had slacked off either, but the younger Gohan didn't get to talk about it when the door opened and the two Trunkses came back.

Tora was still stiff, but she complied nonetheless when Trunks took her away, even if she had a quiet hiss when the door was closed behind them. The sensation of being trapped didn't help, but her attention was now fully on her older self.

"Trunks," he put his hands on the strap of the sword, and after giving her the opportunity to refuse, which she didn't take, he unclipped it and put the precious weapon on the counter. "ts ok," he put both arms around her shoulders and brought her close, putting his forehead on hers.

She didn't blink and stared right at the mirror version of her eyes, until her hands gripped on his shirt and her own eyes started getting watery. Trunks didn't hesitate, his hand slid in her hair, loosening the elastic, and he pressed her face on his shoulder.

Her grip got firmer, her hands tried to reach his skin on his back, like she'd usually do with her mother. This was the closest she could have to that sensation, and Trunks knew it. He chose to play that role in a heartbeat if that could help his alternate self heal. Him knowing about her circumstances was enough for her to relax and lower her guard even if just for an instant.

Her sobs were quiet and restrained, but her hold and breathing in Trunks' warmth weren't. She kept her tears in, even if Trunks encouraged, kissing her ear and temple to comfort. They'd both taken care of each other during the time they were just the two of them, before Bulma, Krillin and Gohan came back from the trip. After all, they both had nightmares about similar events. Trunks knew on a personal level how much blame he put on himself about Gohan's death, and unlike Tora, he had managed to somewhat atone for it by destroying his version of the Cyborgs and avenging him. They both knew Gohan didn't want them to blame themselves for it, but they still did regardless. And Tora had also lost Tapion, so arguably, the burden she put on herself was even heavier.

Still, her desire to move forward won over, she let go of her fake twin, whispered her gratitude, washed her face in the sink, and braced herself to go back to the dining room. The pair had kept everyone else waiting long enough, and even if Trunks had told them to start eating, they hadn't.

So when they came back and Bulma clapped her hands once, and indicated their respective seats, Trunks next to her, Tora next to him and to the younger version of Gohan, she eased the tension by calling on their natural tendency to inhale all of the food. Food always won, and despite being dead, Gohan's grumbling stomach called for less talking and more eating. Trunks quietly snickered and they dug in.

August 29th had been a long day, but August 30th started the strangest twenty-four hours of their existence.