The Prelude to The Cell Games

Talk 1: "Trunk's hero"

There were only a few days left before the Cell Games.

To be honest, Gohan had no idea what his father was thinking, taking things so easily as such a crucial time like this. In just a few days, the whole might come to an end, if he wasn't strong enough. Did his dad really understand that?

Well, maybe his dad was right - there wasn't much point in worrying about it, if they had already done everything that they could.

Right now, maybe it was just better to rest up.

Gohan himself had taken some time to just find a nice, grassy plane with a bit of wind to stand on, to admire the view, and rest.

Trunks and Vegeta had only just recently come out of the Time-Chamber, too. Trunks had seemed ready to go (if a bit unconfident), though Vegeta was much more confident in himself.

Trunks, apparently, had wanted to join Gohan, and had come along with him.

Gohan actually didn't know Trunks that well, but he kind of admired the guy.

The first time he had shown up, he had easily become a Super-Saiyan and defeated the invading Frieza with little effort, showcasing just how powerful and cool he was, and that had really left a strong impression on Gohan, though he didn't really how to approach or talk to Trunks.

The two of them stood in the grassy plains in silence, enjoying the feel of the wind.

"Y'know, Gohan, I actually wanted to talk with you a bit."

Gohan looked over at Trunks, curious.

"Yeah? About what?"

"I..." Trunks hesitated a bit, like he was trying to get the words out properly. "I just, wanted to thank you. For all you've done for me, really."

"?" Gohan didn't really know what he meant. He couldn't recall having done anything for Trunks recently. "What do you mean?"

"Ah, well." Trunks scratched his cheek with his finger sheepishly, "I mean, I should be thanking the you in the future, but..."

"You knew me in the future?" Gohan asked, curious. As far as Gohan had been told, everyone had been slaughtered soon after the androids appeared in Trunk's future, and he though that that meant himself as well. But apparently he had survived long enough to have made an impression on Trunks.

"Yeah," Trunks nodded, "We grew up together, in a sense. You were like a brother to me."

"Really?" Gohan asked, eager to know more, "What was I like?"

Trunks sat down on the Grassland, looking far into the distance, as if nostalgically recalling fond memories.

Gohan followed suit, and sat down as well.

"You were..." Trunks started, "An incredible guy. As far back as I could remember, you were always so strong. Fighting constantly against the androids. Against hopelessness, against despair."

Gohan took in Trunks' words, but they seemed almost foreign to him. It was hard for him himself as being so brave, as brave as Trunks seemed to describe him.

"No matter the situation was like, you never gave up. Everyone always talked about Goku, and how much he could've changed things if he was there - you did, too. Like he was some incredible beacon of hope. But for me, you were my own beacon of hope. You always seemed to radiate an incredible strength, even when you lost. You were never afraid to confront the androids, and never lost hope for a better future."

Gohan had to wonder how much of that was really his own courage, and how much of that was just Trunk's own view of things - had his future self always been so brave? Or had he been, in some parts of his heart, afraid and hopeless, but putting on a brave front? And how much of that was because the world no longer had his father to rely on, and he had bear the burden of everone's hopes, instead?

"Really?" Gohan asked, "I can't imagine myself ever being like that."

Trunks chuckled.

"Yeah, you really were like that." Trunks answered, "Wherever you went, you brought hope to the people."

Trunks stared into the distance. "You were like a superhero." Trunks stated, as though it were a fact.

Trunks shook his head. "No, you were a hero. You were my hero, too. My superhero."

Gohan blushed, scratching the back of his head. He wasn't used to hearing such high praise, though it wasn't technically for him.

Trunks paused again, as if regretful.

"I also just wanted to say..."

"...?"

"I'm sorry."

"Huh? About what?"

"Because in the future, I..."

Trunks looked down, and bit down on his own words, as if struggling to get them out. "I wasn't strong enough. And if only I had been, then maybe I could've gone with you, the future you, and..."

"..." Gohan could get a sense of where this was going, of what Trunk's regret was.

"...If only I had been strong, Gohan, I might've been able to help you, to save you. But because I was too weak, the only I could do was to survive."

It felt as though Trunks wasn't talking so much anymore to the present Gohan, but to the Gohan he knew, the Gohan he admired.

"..."

Gohan shook his head.

"...I don't know if it'll mean much coming from me," Gohan said, "...But I don't blame you for that. And I don't think my future self would've blamed you, either."

Trunks looked at Gohan, and Gohan continued. "If my future self wanted you to live, then I'm sure he knew what he was doing! That he trusted that you would create a better future, for us all."

"Gohan..."

Trunks nodded.

"Thank you." He said, and he smiled, relieved to have finally gotten all that off his chest.

Gohan smiled back, too - having gotten to know Trunks a little bit better.

Author's Notes:

That was the first talk. The second will be between Gohan and Android 16, something that will to recontexualize Gohan's anger exploding in anger at Android 16's death.

Also, imagine Future Gohan doing the Saiyaman poses in the afterlife (but without the Saiyaman costume) lol. Probably getting some tips from the Ginyu force, too.