I will never bother you

I will never promise to

I will never follow you

I will never bother you

Never speak a word again

I will crawl away for good

A groan left Toshiro's throat while he sauntered down Karakura Town's sidewalks with Goten. "Do you know where you're going?"

"Of course I do," Goten said. "I'm following his energy trail. Now stop whining."

"I'm not whining. You don't understand how annoying it is to wear a Gigai."

"I'll put one on when we get back to Kisuke's so I can feel your pain. There, you happy now?"

"No, I'm not. I still don't get why we're going to harass Ichigo while he's in class."

"Because he said he could ask Orihime out whenever he felt like it. Since he lost the bet, we're gonna make sure he follows through with his deal."

"Honestly, you were lucky to win. I would've made the same bet as Ichigo."

"I should've asked you too, then. It'd be nice seeing you and Momo hand-in-hand."

"For the last time, that will never happen. She's practically like my sister."

"Really?! Why didn't you say that before?"

"I have… hundreds of times, and probably more."

"Oh, sorry about that."

Toshiro sighed. "So, what would you have done if you lost?"

"Hm… probably beg. I can deal with the embarrassment from the pictures. But the tequila… that stuffed turned my stomach inside out for days. I couldn't even smell mouthwash for a month."

"You're no Rangiku, that's for sure. But after last night, I think she might take a break from drinking."

"Impossible. Sake is like water for her. She'll rally by tomorrow." As they reached the gates of Karakura High School, Goten threw his hands behind his head. "Hey, what time is it?"

Toshiro reached into his pants and pulled out a flip phone. He opened it and read the time on the screen. "It's 9:25."

"I guess Trunks is already on his date. Hopefully, she can pull him out of his slump."

"He's definitely picked the toughest nut to crack in the Soul Society."

"I guess he likes a challenge… and someone two hundred years older than him."

"To be fair, Soul Reapers age at a much slower rate than humans. Physically, they're about the same age."

"Ah, but the mental difference is another conversation, my friend. I'm not judging, I'm just saying. I mean, if I was three hundred years old, I would've shot my shot with Yoruichi-" Goten turned away and broke out into another fit of coughing.

"Weren't you supposed to get that checked out?" Hitsugaya asked. "It's not getting better."

"Yeah, it is. I only had four coughs this time. That's down from seven or eight I usually average."

"We're going straight to Unohana after we-" Hitsugaya's phone rang. He glanced at the screen to see who called. "Hm? Rangiku?"

"She's awake?"

"I guess so. She's probably wondering where we are." Toshiro pressed a button and brought it to his ear. "Hello? Yes, I'm with Goten. You said what- Rangiku, slow down. I can't hear you."

A sharp gasp from Hitsugaya prompted Goten to lean forward with intrigue. "Is she okay?"

"A what?! Where did it come from?! Do you know who's behind it? Okay, we'll be there." Shock rested on his face as the phone clapped shut. "There's been an explosion at Sokyoku Hill."

"An explosion?! Did she tell you who did it? Is anybody hurt?"

"She didn't give any details, but we should hurry."

"I'll go. Drop your Gigai off at Kisuke's and meet me there."

Toshiro nodded and ran in the opposite direction. Goten ran into an alleyway, summoned his Zanpakuto, and opened the Senkaimon. With his heart pounding, he darted toward the Seireitei.

Trunks and Soi Fon were supposed to meet at her barracks. Their fight couldn't have spilled over to Sokyoku Hill. Could it be a new enemy? He needed to arrive as fast as possible to find the answer.

Goten crossed into the Soul Society, where a distant pillar of smoke greeted him. He didn't detect Trunks' or Soi Fon's presence in that direction. He sped toward the source, but kicked himself for his failure to master Instant Transmission.

Once he arrived, he floated and scanned the area. A large hole carved into the side of the mesa. Fire and fumes concealed what the inside contained. On the ground, several officers and captains stood to investigate the situation.

Goten landed and ran to Rangiku. "Hey! What's going on?"

"I don't know," she said. "Where's Captain Hitsugaya?"

"He'll be here soon. Dammit, we need to search for who did this."

"That won't be necessary," a man said from behind. "The Stealth Force is already scouring the Seireitei."

Goten turned around to face who spoke to him. The somber look in the man's eyes made Goten uneasy. "Captain Ukitake, what's going on? What happened?"

Ukitake took a deep breath. "This won't be easy for me to tell you."

"Won't be easy? What are you talking about?"

"We don't know for certain who caused this, but we all sensed a strong, dark presence coming from here, followed by the explosion shortly after. When I arrived at the scene, Trunks flew out of the cave with Captain Soi Fon in his arms. Luckily, no one else was hurt and Sokyoku Hill is still intact."

"What?! That's not even possible! They were supposed to be training together at Squad Two."

"I'm not sure what's in that cave, but I saw him leave with her. He brought her to Squad Four for treatment; she's in critical condition."

"No… We've gotta find who did this! They might still be in there!"

"We couldn't detect any spiritual pressure from within the cave. It's unlikely that anyone is hiding inside. Again, we're still searching inside of the Seireitei, but we're ruling Trunks as our primary suspect. We've detained him."

"D-Detained him?! Who the hell ordered that?! Captain Yamamoto?!"

"I had to. In Captain Soi Fon's absence, I've assumed command of this investigation."

"You did? But… why? You don't think he did it, do you?"

Ukitake paused before he answered. "I don't want to believe it, but we need to do our due diligence and investigate everyone close to the incident. If he clears his name, he'll be free to go."

"It doesn't make sense. Th- They were on a date. Why would he hurt her?"

"Only he can answer that."

Goten balled his fists. "Where is he? I need to talk to him."

"Unfortunately, I can't disclose that information at the moment. Once we deem him innocent, we will release him from custody."

A translucent aura burst from Goten's body. "Fine, I'll find him myself."

Before Ukitake stopped him, Goten raced toward the Squad Two barracks. When he arrived, he forced several Soul Reapers to tell him where they held Trunks. He soon found that they held him in a detainment center in the southeast section of the barracks. Goten flew to the prison, but the guards at the entrance denied him entry.

After he argued back and forth and threatened to force his way in, Hitsugaya landed next to him. Although he calmed Goten's fury, Toshiro also demanded that they let them through. The guards refused to yield to the captain and informed him that no one besides Ukitake, Yamamoto, and Soi Fon could see Trunks. Even when Ukitake arrived after an hour, he continued to bar their entry. He went into the prison alone to begin the interrogation process.

After another hour and a half, Ukitake emerged from the prison.

"Is he free to go now?" Goten asked.

"Not yet," Ukitake said. "There's still plenty of answers that he hasn't provided us. We'll need to keep him here until further notice."

"But that's not fair! You guys haven't found anyone else yet?"

"We haven't, which makes Trunks more likely to be the perpetrator."

"At least let me speak with him," Toshiro said. "I can find the answers you need."

"I can't allow that, Captain. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go visit-" Before Ukitake could finish, a member of the Stealth Force appeared beside him and whispered into his ear. "What? Are you certain she said that?"

"Who said what?" Goten asked. "Fill us in on something."

Ukitake thanked the messenger, then turned to Goten and Toshiro. "Soi Fon has been treated and is doing well. Upon waking up, she ordered that I release Trunks immediately. Since this area is under her jurisdiction, her word supersedes my own."

Goten's face lit up with joy. "Haha, I knew it! There's no way Trunks did that, but when he gets out, we'll find the culprits ourselves."

"But what would be the motive behind attacking them in Sokyoku Hill?" Toshiro asked. "And what were Captain Soi Fon and Trunks doing in there, anyway?"

"I'm still trying to work through a motive," Ukitake said. "We've checked for stolen archives or artifacts, as well as bombs; nothing came of our searches. To answer your second question, they were sparring together in a secret space constructed by Kisuke Urahara. That was one of the few things he told me; Yoruichi Shihoin backed up that statement."

"A few things? After nearly two hours of interrogation, he only told you a few things?"

"I think it's better if you hear it for yourself. You two might get something out of him." Ukitake disappeared through the door of the detainment center. Toshiro and Goten's minds wandered in different directions, but they both stopped when the door opened again. Goten's plans for a warm greeting and smile faded once he laid eyes on his friend.

Trunks appeared behind Ukitake with ripped pants and a sleeveless shirt that clung onto his body from one shoulder. His eyes remained wide as he stared at the ground. Goten had never seen him like this before. Trunks' empty gaze signaled that something left him traumatized.

"Trunks… What's the matter? Talk to me, big guy."

"Goten?" Trunks whispered. "Where is she? Is she…"

Goten approached him gingerly. "She's fine. We'll see her in a bit, but we need your help. Who did this to you guys?"

Trunks' speech became more frantic as he tried to answer. "I… we were just sparring. Then it got intense, and she used her Bankai. I tried to push it away, but I ended up getting hit. And then the next thing I know…" He clenched his teeth together and grabbed the roots of his hair. Tears streamed down to his chin. "I was standing there; everything around me was on fire. She was face down and covered in blood, but I can't remember anything. I don't know what happened… "

"You don't… remember?" Goten neared Trunks and found no scratches anywhere on his body. Regardless, he hugged his friend and let him weep on his shoulder. "We'll get to the bottom of this. I promise."

After Trunks wiped his tears, he departed with Toshiro and Goten to the medical center at the Squad Four barracks. Once they arrived, they walked down a busy hallway and spotted Yoruichi leaning against a wall five doors away from Soi Fon's room.

"Hey," Goten said. "Do you have any news?"

Yoruichi lifted her head and glowered at Trunks, then turned away.

"Is something wrong?" Trunks asked. "I thought she-"

Goten placed his hand on Trunks' shoulder and whispered in his ear. "Let's take a few steps back." Trunks remained hesitant to move at first, but when Goten motioned him a second time, the trio took three steps away to talk amongst themselves. "I think she just needs some space. It can't be easy to see her friend hurt."

As they stood together, Hitsugaya noticed that most, if not all, the Soul Reapers that passed by stared at them. Some took glances, while others gave extended dirty looks.

"I think we could all use some water," Toshiro said. "Goten, could you come with me? I can't carry four glasses by myself."

Goten raised his eyebrow. After he looked down at him, he understood. "Oh, uh… sure. Trunks, we'll be right back. If anything happens, just give us a telepathic ring."

Trunks nodded, and the two wandered down the hallway. Once they turned a corner, Toshiro addressed the situation.

"Did you see those people staring?" he asked.

"How could I not?" Goten said. "But if we give them the time of day, it'll only make Trunks more self-conscious than he already is."

"Yoruichi looked like she wanted to kill him, and if she feels that way, then maybe we should-"

"I already know what you're gonna say. I'm trying my hardest not to accept that possibility."

"But you can't ignore something like this. If he can't recall what happened between Soi Fon's Bankai and the explosion, then we have to raise a red flag. He didn't even have scratches on him, Goten. How did she hit him, but only she sustained injuries? We need to look at this objectively and-"

"I get it! I saw it all, okay?! Can you fucking drop it?!"

Toshiro lowered his head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pressed the issue."

Goten huffed through his nose and released his frustration. "No, I shouldn't have lost my cool like that. I guess I'm just upset because… I don't wanna admit you're right. I thought after everything Trunks went through, a date with Soi Fon would bring him back to his old self. But to think that he blacked out and almost killed her, it's crazy. If he did it, why did she bail him out?"

Toshiro led them into a small break room. "I guess we'll find out soon enough. Only she knows what happened between them."

After his companions disappeared, Trunks lowered his eyes to the ground. In his peripheral vision, eyes glued themselves onto him. Faces contorted as they walked back and forth. Even while he sat in a dim interrogation room, he questioned if he'd been the one to hurt her. Yoruichi's silence, coupled with strangers expressing their disdain, forced him to accept sole responsibility.

The realization made him sick to the core. Even standing within a certain radius of Soi Fon felt like a sin. He needed to hear that she was in good health. After that, he considered it best if he withdrew from the Soul Society and possibly Universe Six altogether.

Trunks glanced to a pair of men that left Soi Fon's room. One of them he recognized to be her lieutenant, but he couldn't identify the other Soul Reaper. He dropped his head as the two walked in front of him. One of them stopped and faced him. Clenched fists from the unknown man shook with rage.

"Come on," Omaeda said. "Let's get outta here."

"Not until I have a word with this punk," the man said.

Trunks lifted his head and met the man's fiery glare. He appeared as if he was around Trunks' age. With black hair tied back into a shoulder-length ponytail and a scar underneath his right eye, the man flashed his teeth and spoke in a gruff tone of voice.

"You've got some nerve showing your face here," he said. "But since you're here, tell me why you did that to our captain."

Trunks returned a lifeless stare. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"You didn't mean to?!" The man lunged forward and wrapped his hands around Trunks' neck. "Bastard!"

Omaeda and several other Squad Four members ran in to pry the man off of Trunks. "Karasu, let go!"

"Get off of me!" Trunks shouted as he pushed back.

Once the Soul Reapers pulled him off, Karasu spat in Trunks' face. "Piece of shit! How dare you! I'll-" A member of Squad Four covered his mouth while the rest of the Soul Reapers dragged him down the hall.

After the commotion died down, Trunks used his shirt to wipe the spit from between his eyes.

Yoruichi turned toward him. "You need to leave."

Trunks raised his eyes to her glare, then lowered them back to his shirt. "I just wanted to hear that she's okay."

"I don't think you deserve to know how she's doing. You're causing too much trouble."

"I caused trouble? A random guy choked me, spit in my face, and that's my fault?"

"I would think that he has a right to be angry, considering you almost ended his captain's life."

"Yoruichi, I swear on everything I love I don't remember. I must've blacked out or-"

"Stop making excuses and own up to what you did!"

"I'm not making excuses! I'm trying to be honest!"

Yoruichi stepped to his face. "Just because Soi Fon let you go doesn't mean you have to keep lying. We're all supposed to believe you tried to kill someone one and you don't remember?! That's pathetic!"

"Pathetic?! You think I came straight here after I got released to tell a fucking lie?! How about you stop yelling and take the time to think for a second? Take at least one second and try to make logical sense of things!"

Yoruichi shoved him away. "Don't talk to me like that! What the hell is the matter with you?!"

"Don't fucking touch me! Who the hell do you think you are putting your hands on me?! I swear I'll flip the fuck out if another motherfucker touches me-"

A gentle voice from beside them interjected. "Um, excuse me?" Trunks' anger settled once he saw Isane Kotetsu. "Captain Soi Fon requested to speak to you."

Both Trunks and Yoruichi gasped.

"What?" Trunks asked. "Speak… to me? You're sure?"

Isane nodded, and Trunks walked between her and Yoruichi to Soi Fon's room. What could she want to speak to him about? Did she want answers for the events in the Study Chamber? He didn't know what to say to her, but a knot in the pit of his stomach grew as he drew closer to the room.

He froze at her door frame. Adorned in a hospital gown, she sat upright from her bed to stare out of her window. Her unbandaged braids ran down the length of her back, and though most of her injuries had healed, a small burn marks lined her forearms. For a moment, his eyes caught notice of a fist-shaped hole in the wall beside her.

All the oxygen in his lungs evaporated. Still, he tried to push out any air he could to say something. "Soi Fon… Are you alright?"

Her shoulders rose and fell as she whispered out, "Come closer."

He treaded into the room with caution. "I'm so sorry. I don't know-"

"Closer."

Step by gentle step, he inched his way toward her. Her breathing became more pronounced as he neared.

When he arrived at her bedside, the violent pulse in his neck encompassed all other sensations. "Do you need to tell me-"

"Closer."

Trunks bent down and leaned forward. In one motion, Soi Fon snatched him by the jaw, leaped out of bed, and slammed his skull into a wall. As her grip tightened on his face, she pulled a trembling fist behind her head.

"Flip the fuck out!" she screamed. "Go ahead! That's what you said you'd do, right?! Come on!"

Not a single word of rebuttal came to his mind. He stood silent and watched fury erupt in her eyes.

"What's the matter?!" she said. "You already tried to kill me; now you don't have the nerve?!"

"No. I can't remember what happened. I think I… blacked out or something. Nothing's coming to me, I swear."

"You don't remember blowing me up?! Bullshit!"

"I-I'm so sorry. I never meant to-"

"Shut the hell up! I've never felt so angry in my entire life. I tried to move past what happened, but the fact that you felt entitled to raise your voice even a single decibel is beyond comprehension. To listen to you shout at Yoruichi, of all people, makes me regret not ripping your tongue out of your skull. Nothing could ever work between us, so stay the hell away from me. If I see you in the next hundred years, it'll be too soon."

"What? Please… I-"

Soi Fon pressed her hand into his face and screamed at the top of her lungs. "What is so hard for you to understand?! Never come near me again! Forgot my name, forget my face; forget that we ever said a word to each other! Did you get that?! Huh?!"

"Captain!" a voice shouted. Soi Fon turned and found Unohana in the doorway. "There will be no fighting or arguing here. We have already removed your third seat from the premises. If Trunks is interrupting your rest, I'll have him escorted out as well."

"No need," Soi Fon pushed herself off of Trunks. "He was leaving anyway."

Trunks' chin sank into his chest. There was nothing left for him to say or do. He turned and slipped past Unohana to exit her room. His head remained low as he took his arduous walk of shame down the hallway. After he stepped outside, he sped to the Senkaimon.

Once he re-entered Karakura Town, Trunks soared toward Urahara's shop. Nothing around him mattered but his destination. He landed on the porch and pulled the door open. No one was present - a perfect scenario. He went straight to his room, then reached into his bag and pulled out the walkie-talkie.

With a deep breath, he pushed the button on its side. "Hello? Hello?"

A few seconds passed before the sound of radio static coupled with his mother's voice answered. "Hi, Trunks! It's good to hear from you. I've been trying to reach you for a couple of days now, but you didn't answer."

"Sorry, I've been busy. I need you to call Whis and have him pick me up."

"Not a problem. What time were you thinking?"

"Now. As soon as he can."

"Is something wrong over there?"

"No, it's just… time to come home."

"Okay. I'll get in touch with him now."

"Thanks." Trunks tossed the walkie-talkie into his suitcase, then leaned over it and gazed at the watch that rested on top of clean clothes. He considered leaving it in the room, but kept it as a lasting memory of the opportunity he squandered. To avoid questions from his mother, he changed his clothes before packing the rest of his belongings away. After he folded his sheets and placed them in the room's corner, he left the shop with his suitcase.

He flew onto the rooftop of a building and sat on a railing. Cars and people passed underneath his feet while he waited alone. After twenty minutes passed, Whis dropped from the sky and touched down before him.

"You know, I'm finding it hard to believe I've been relegated to a shuttle service," Whis said.

"Sorry," Trunks said. He hopped off of the railing. "This'll be the last time I ask."

"So, you're ready? What about-"

A voice called out to him from afar. "Wait up!"

"Oh, there he is."

Goten raced toward them with his bag in hand and landed beside Whis. "I'm coming with you."

"You don't have to," Trunks said. "You can get picked up on Sunday like you planned."

"I heard what happened. I won't let you leave by yourself. The only reason I took so long is because I beat the shit out of the asshole that spat on you."

"What about Toshiro?"

"I said my goodbyes, but… what about you? Ichigo, Kisuke, and Jinta… They'll wonder why you took off so soon. You don't wanna say anything to them? You could even leave them a note or something."

Trunks' eyes fell away. "Someone will tell them about all of this. When they find out, I'm sure they'll understand."

"Okay. If you say so."

The trio took off into the sky and left Universe Six behind. Neither Goten nor Trunks exchanged a word on their trip back to their home world. Once they arrived, the two gave Whis their thanks and watched him depart. Afterward, they peered toward the ground and found that they floated on the outskirts of West City. Vehicles glided in the air and honked on the street, while bodies filled the sidewalks to make their morning commutes.

"After everything that happened, it's crazy to think that it's all back to normal," Goten said.

"I guess," Trunks muttered.

"Listen, I know… I know life feels like a never-ending nightmare right now, but I just want you to know I'm here for you. Whatever you need, I'll be there."

"Thanks. I'll catch you later." To prevent his negativity from seeping into his friend, he flew away before Goten replied. He wondered if it'd be best to return to his home. He could find a pit of molten lava to drown in, or he could return home and smother himself under intense gravity. No, the day filled itself with enough extremes. The only place he needed to be was in his bed.

He sighed to himself, then glided down onto Capsule Corporation and entered through the front door. He made his way toward his room, but his mother ran down the hall and embraced him.

"Welcome back, son!" she said. "How was your trip?"

Trunks smiled as best as he could. "It was interesting. I'll tell you about it later. I'm kinda tired from-"

Something tugged on one of his pant legs. He spun around to his five-year-old sister's smile. She held up a small strawberry-frosted cake with rainbow sprinkles scattered on top. Sloppy lettering spelled out "Welcome Home Trunks" in thin white frosting.

"She made it all by herself for her big brother," Bulma said.

"Do you like it?" Bulla asked. "You can have it if we go to the park."

Trunks bit his bottom lip and turned his head away from both of them. He patted her head and took the cake from her. "It's perfect. Thank you. We'll go on Saturday." Without revealing his quivering jaw, he handed the cake to his mother. "Can you take this, please? I'll eat some later."

"Huh?" His mother raised her eyebrows. "You never turn down cake. What's the matter?"

"Nothing," Trunks said before he continued toward his room. "I need some sleep. I'm sorry."

He took three steps before his mother called out. "Trunks." He stopped, but remained faced away. "The back of your head… You're bleeding."

His finger pressed against the crown of his head. After he stared at his red fingerprint, Trunks continued on his path. "I'll clean it up."

Once he entered his room, he locked the door behind him. It looked tidier than how he left it. His mother must've cleaned up during his trip. He let go of his suitcase and fell into his bed, burying his face into a pillow to muffle his sobs.

In less than three hours, all his fears manifested. The world rested in his palms and burned to ashes. He inflicted the same pain he vowed he'd protect her from; the same pain that led him to kill. No, what he did was far worse. He drove her and others to hate. The shame that haunted him would make it impossible to function as he once did, but that's what he deserved.

What a waste…

Trunks pulled himself under his comforter and covered his head. Shut up. Leave me alone.

In the voice's absence, an all-to-familiar quote echoed in his thoughts.

You, Trunks Briefs, are nothing.

Though he despised the man with every fiber of his being, Trunks couldn't help but agree with Sosuke Aizen.

A/N: And now we begin our journey through the rain. We'll be taking a deep look at Trunks, Goten, Soi Fon, and Ichigo, respectively. I plan for those to take up the next 3 chapters.

Karasu is a homage to Yu Yu Hakusho. Also, did I just make an OC?

As always, thank you for reading. Just wanted to say to all of you, please please pretty please take your mental health seriously. I don't wanna say too much because people have different situations, but I would implore you all to always make sure you're A-OK.

Anyway, have a great week. Next chapter, we'll see how Trunks does when he eventually goes back to school. It uhh… may come in two weeks after all? Sorry bout that guys.

I always forget something, this time it was the Spotify playlist: openDOTspotifyDOTcom/playlist/4PlSB5VQfZKjAWCXQt043N

This one isn't really scene-specific, just sets the overall mood. Sorry to those that have already read.