The Three Legendary Saiyans
Chapter 33: A New Future
"I'm glad that's finally over… now we can stop and rest" Future-Trunks lamented; lowering his tired body down on a garden bench, Future-Mai taking the seat beside him while the Trunks and Mai of the Present-Timeline took opposing seats on another bench.
Raijin and Bulma stood arm-in-arm; though both still had dirty clothes after being in a warzone for so long, "So what will you both do now?".
"I'm not sure; our home is gone now and there are two versions of us in this Timeline… so maybe we can start a new life here or in another city" Future-Mai muttered quietly; only the few that were gathered around would hear her.
"You'll always be welcome here with us; you don't need to leave" Raijin and Bulma spoke at once; their voices in unison, the couple locked eyes only to smile lovingly towards each other.
"On the contrary; you can return to your Timeline but there will still be two versions of you and you may have to face Zamasu again within a few months" Whis proposed; the orb in his staff projecting an image of the West City in the Future, still a striving metropolis and full of life.
Future-Mai let out a gasp at seeing the world back the way it was before Black arrived and decimated their homes and their people until The Time Machine Plan was enacted and their saviours were brought across time only to erase the timeline entirely.
"I don't know… can this truly be done Sir Whis?" Future-Trunks asked; apprehension sounding in his voice.
"Yes it can… though the is two other options; you can begin a new life on a new world as an Adam and Eve" Whis smiled broadly with his eyes closed in a joyful expression.
Future-Trunks and Future-Mai looked to each other; their faces turning as red as tomato's at the idea of becoming Adam and Eve on a new planet.
Even Trunks and Mai though both were only thirteen blushed brightly at the thought of that option.
"And what's the third option?" Raijin asked; though he was grinning towards the Future-Pair in secret hope they chose the Adam and Eve Option.
"I believe that is my cue!" spoke a girly voice from behind everyone's back; all turning except for Whis and Beerus who only looked bored at the appearance of two figures, one was a young girl with pink skin and shoulder-length pink hair wearing a dress in the style of Supreme Kai Robes, while the other was a tall man in a sleeveless black bodysuit and black/green armour, boots and bracers; also wearing a mask on his face though his black hair was strikingly similar to Goku's.
"Ah; Chronoa: may I introduce The Supreme Kai of Time! Or otherwise knows as The Lord of Time" Whis gave a curt bow though Beerus merely stared uninterested in the proceedings, Shin and Gowasu both also giving curt bows of their heads.
Raijin and Goku both stared with wide eyes at the idea that there was yet another Supreme Kai in their Universe, though Vegeta just stared at the masked figure with keen interest.
"Thank you Whis; I came now that the issues with this Zamasu-fellow are over and done with, and I'll be taking this as well as long that that's alright with you Lord Gowasu?"
"Not at all Lady Chronoa" Gowasu bowed his head; allowing her to take the newly created Time Ring. Gowasu spoke calmly; though he hesitated in handing over the green Time Ring to Chronoa.
Future-Trunks and Future-Mai both stood up and crossed over to Chronoa and the masked man; both biting down on their lips in nervousness after dabbling with Time so much with their Time Machine though that worry washed away as the warm hands of Bulma latched onto their own hands.
"May we ask what brought you here Lady Chronoa?" Whis asked; Beerus standing by his side though he looked very bored and irritated.
"I've come for those two; their actions with that machine caught my eye…" Chronoa spoke carefully; her eyes slowly panning over the group gathered before her before laying her eyes on Future-Trunks and Future-Mai.
Future-Trunks and Future-Mai both closed their eyes; waiting for their punishment for tampering with Time.
"…So I've come to recruit them into my Time Patrol at Tokitoki City" Chronoa spoke with a sudden cheery tone in her voice.
A sudden silence fell over the gardens; all but the divine gods standing in stunned silence.
"I beg your pardon Lady Chronoa; but you came to recruit these two into your Time Patrol like you did this man?" Whis question; his expression shifting from concern to shocked amazement.
Bulma let out a sigh of relief; pulling the pair into a tight hug.
"Yes I do; though thankfully I don't have to pluck them out of space and repair any distortions this time, this Other Zeno did it for me" Chronoa sighed while speaking; nudging The Masked Man in the elbow.
The Masked Man gave a nod of his head; his head tilting to one side, though his eyes could not be seen through the mask he was clearly looking in Goku's direction.
"Seems like I don't have to destroy anyone then… I'm going for a nap; wake me up when the feast is ready" Beerus yawned and trotted off into a deck-chair where he quickly fell asleep.
Future-Trunks stepped towards the Supreme Kai of Time; Future-Mai tightly gripping his right hand, the nervous sweat that dripped down from his forehead fell from his skin to the grass when he spoke. "Lady Chronoa; what does The Time Patrol do?"
"How kind of you to ask; we travel through Time and repair any abnormalities and lately there have been several, and we need people of your calibre to discover those guilty of causing these abnormalities and bring them to justice"
Future-Trunks and Future-Mai looked to each other; the pair sharing a long unspoken moment before turning to the group of Raijin, Bulma, Goku, Vegeta, Goten, Trunks and Mai.
Raijin spoke up before Future-Trunks could even find the words, "I know what you're going to say; you're going to ask us for advice but you don't need it, you know this is the right path for you both and if you ever need us… you know which Timeline to follow".
Goku wore his typical broad and excited smile, "This is a fresh start for you; both; its where you belong… travelling through time".
Vegeta only gave a brief barely-noticeable nod of his head.
Bulma lunged forward and giving a second wide-armed hug to Future-Trunks and Future-Mai; giving them both a motherly kiss to their cheeks, "You'll always have a home here if you choose to stay but I urge you both to pursue the right path".
Future-Trunks gave a wide smile to Raijin, Goku and Bulma for their encouraging words; only nodding in return to Vegeta until coming face to face with his past self, kneeling down to meet Trunks at eye-level, "Anything you say? You're usually so outspoken".
Trunks stared his future-self in the eye before extending his hand for a handshake; not speaking so much as a single word until Future-Trunks would take his hand.
Mai and Future-Mai stared at the pair of Trunks'; both sharing a pink blush of their cheeks for Future-Trunks when he reached out and took Trunks' hand in his own.
"Took you long enough Future-Me; wherever you end up; you'll do good" Trunks spoke at last; a show of respect between himself and Future-Trunks
"You take good care of yourself… and your Mai too" Future-Trunks spoke with a warm smile; their hands shaking in a gesture of mutual respect.
Future-Trunks reached over and shook Mai's hand too; the young girl's face turning beet red when finally opening her mouth to speak, "please… take care of Future-Mai".
Future-Trunks only smiled as he rose back to his feet, Future-Mai blowing a kiss to her past-self before taking Future-Trunks' hand in her own.
"Are you ready?" Whis asked; his normal calm and collected expression along with his enigmatic smile returning.
Future-Trunks and Future-Mai both looked into each other's eyes before looking to their friends, and the near-unanimous smiles of confidence and trust they had in the pair; both speaking a single word at once, "Yes".
Chronoa reached out with both hands; a white circular void manifesting behind her, "Step through and you will arrive at my house within the boundaries of Tokitoki City; only there will I induct you into The Time Patrol" Chronoa turned and stepped through as soon as she'd finished speaking.
The Masked Man gave another look towards Goku; giving him a brief nod before he too vanished into the white void, Raijin tilted his head as after examining the stranger for the last few minutes he surmised that The Masked Man's body and hair was identical to Goku's but his identity remained a mystery.
Future-Trunks and Future-Mai gave one more glance back to their friends and comrades; both giving a wave of their hands before stepping through just as the void vanished and leaving nothing behind but the broken hilt of his sword laying in the grass of Trunks' feet.
"They'll do good… they always do after resolving a crisis" Raijin smiled; staring into the space where the white void had just been.
"So what do we do now?" Goku asked; slinging his hands behind his head and totally disregarding The Masked Man's uncanny resemblance to Goku himself.
Raijin put his hands down on the shoulders of Trunks and Mai; the two teenagers looking up at him with hopeful eyes, Whis, Vegeta, Goku, Bulma, Goten, Pilaf and Shu all looking to him for his answer, "We recover and prepare for whatever the future holds for us all".
Author's Note: I have been look forward to writing this particular storyline from Dragonball Super; I hope all my readers enjoyed the work, and in case anyone is wondering… there will be an original Xenoverse tie-in storyline after The Tournament of Power.
