Chapter 12: The Breaking Point
A few weeks had passed, but the tension in Capsule Corp only grew thicker. Future Trunks and Android 18, still disguised as "Hazel," were like oil and water—constantly clashing, their arguments echoing through the halls of the once-peaceful building. For Bulma, it was becoming impossible to ignore.
One such argument erupted in the living room late in the evening. Trunks stood with his arms crossed, his face red with frustration, while Hazel stood opposite him, her arms on her hips, her own expression just as fiery. Their voices carried through the house, loud enough for even Taylor to peek his head out from another room, a smirk forming on his face.
The Argument
"I told you to stay out of the lab!" Trunks snapped, his voice cracking with anger.
"And I told you I don't take orders from you!" Hazel fired back, her voice icy and sharp. "I wasn't doing anything—just making sure you weren't screwing everything up again."
"You have no idea what I'm working on!" Trunks retorted, his aura flaring faintly. "And you're not supposed to be down there! What if my mom saw you?"
Hazel scoffed, stepping closer. "Oh, like she doesn't already know something's up? The way you're acting, Trunks, it's only a matter of time before she figures it out. Maybe you should've thought of that before dragging me here."
Trunks pointed a finger at her, his own anger boiling over. "You don't get to talk about what I've done. You destroyed my world. You and your brother killed everyone! And now you're acting like you're the victim?"
Hazel's eyes narrowed, her hand instinctively going to her stomach. "Don't you dare bring up my brother," she hissed. "I didn't ask for this, Trunks. You think I want to be here? You think I wanted this life?"
"Then why are you still here?" Trunks shot back. "If you hate it so much, why don't you just leave?"
Before Hazel could respond, a new voice cut through their argument.
Bulma Intervenes
"Enough!" Bulma stormed into the room, her expression a mixture of anger and disbelief. "What the hell is going on in here? The two of you have been at each other's throats for weeks, and I'm sick of it!"
Trunks froze, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Hazel crossed her arms and glared at him, letting him take the heat.
"Mom, it's nothing," Trunks said quickly, his voice unconvincing. "We're just—"
"Don't you dare tell me it's nothing," Bulma snapped, her eyes narrowing. "You've been acting weird since you brought Hazel here. And now this constant arguing? What's really going on, Trunks?"
"It's complicated," Trunks muttered, avoiding her gaze.
Bulma wasn't having it. "Oh, don't give me that. I'm not stupid, Trunks. Something's going on, and you've been lying to me."
Hazel opened her mouth to say something, but Trunks cut her off, panic creeping into his voice. "Mom, just leave it alone, okay? It's not what you think."
Bulma crossed her arms, her sharp gaze turning to Hazel. "And you. You've been awfully quiet for someone who seems to love arguing. Who are you, really? What's your deal?"
Hazel stiffened, her usual confidence faltering for a moment. "I'm just… someone trying to make a new start," she said, her tone guarded.
Bulma's eyes narrowed. "Funny. You don't act like someone trying to start over. You act like someone with something to hide."
The Slip-Up
Trunks stepped forward, trying to defuse the situation. "Mom, she's fine. She's just—"
"Don't defend me," Hazel interrupted, her tone sharp. "You don't even like me, remember?"
"I'm trying to help you, 18!" Trunks snapped, his voice louder than he intended.
The room fell silent.
Bulma's expression froze as she stared at Trunks, her mind working quickly. "Wait. What did you just call her?"
Trunks' eyes widened, and Hazel's face went pale. "Nothing," Trunks stammered. "I didn't say anything."
Bulma's voice grew colder. "You called her 18. As in Android 18. As in the one who destroyed our world."
Trunks swallowed hard, but Bulma wasn't finished. She turned to Hazel, her expression furious. "Is that true? Are you Android 18?"
Hazel hesitated, then lifted her chin defiantly. "Yeah. I am."
Bulma's hands clenched into fists as she turned back to Trunks. "And you brought her here? You lied to me? After everything she and her brother did to us, to this planet? How could you, Trunks?"
The Aftermath
Trunks tried to explain, his voice desperate. "Mom, it's not like that. She's not the same anymore. She's—"
"I don't care!" Bulma shouted, her voice trembling with anger. "You should've told me! How could you lie to me about something like this? After everything we've been through?"
"I didn't have a choice!" Trunks yelled back. "You don't understand, Mom! I—"
"Don't you dare try to justify this," Bulma interrupted, her voice cutting through his excuses. She turned to Hazel, her eyes filled with fury. "You need to leave. Now."
Hazel glared at Trunks. "You couldn't even keep it together for a few more weeks," she said bitterly. "You really are useless."
Trunks flinched but said nothing as Hazel walked past him, her posture stiff. She paused at the door, glancing back at Bulma. "For what it's worth, I'm not here to hurt anyone. But I'm not going to apologize for surviving."
With that, she left, slamming the door behind her.
Bulma's Fury
The silence that followed was deafening. Bulma turned back to Trunks, her expression a mixture of anger and hurt.
"You lied to me," she said quietly. "After everything we've been through, you lied to me."
Trunks looked down, unable to meet her gaze. "I didn't know what else to do," he admitted. "She's… she's pregnant, Mom. I couldn't just leave her out there."
Bulma's eyes widened, the weight of his words sinking in. For a moment, she said nothing, her mind racing.
Finally, she shook her head, her voice cold. "I don't even know who you are anymore, Trunks. But you'd better figure it out fast. Because this? This isn't you."
She turned and walked away, leaving Trunks standing alone in the middle of the room, his heart heavy with guilt and regret.