vatheon | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Who: Trunks and whoever.
Where: Plaza!
When: 28th?
Style: Action
Status: Open like my heart

[Trunks' eyes flew open, his expression panicked and afraid--it might have been only two months since he disappeared from Vatheon, but for him it had been much longer.

And much more eventful.

And of course, he'd forgotten all about Vatheon until now, seeing the coral was bringing everything back--his mother, father, sister, Gohan...but of course there were the memories of back home, the appearance of the androids, Cell, the violent fighting between the crazed, perfection-obsessed android and the other fighters, Goku's sacrifice...

...the death beam coming at him out of the sudden storm, far too fast to dodge or block, even if he could, even if he were strong enough...

His dripping wet, long hair stuck to his face and neck as he sat up and looked down at the ragged hole in his chest armor, his blood still stubbornly staining the broken edges (it would be worse in back, so much worse...)

Well. Shit.]

...it couldn't have been two seconds earlier?

[Some rescue you are, stupid coral.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You weren't the only one staring.

[He brushes a hand against the coral--just in case--and rises up after Gohan.]

[There's really no answer he can give to that, so he just takes off flying, trusting Trunks to follow.

Once they're pretty close, though, he does venture to speak again.]

Just tell me that wasn't Vegeta's reaction to the haircut question, okay?

[Geeze, Gohan, he only almost killed Trunks once...]

It wasn't.

[When they get to the house, Trunks' first destination is the sink--there's blood in his mouth and he really wants to rinse it out. He leans back against the counter, looking tired and worn--physically he's fine, but he's had a very long few weeks-two years-whatever.]

Another one of Gero's creations came back in time from another future, using that Trunks' time machine.

[No, that did not bode well for the other one.]

It's an artificial life form, made using DNA from all Earth's fighters, Freeza, King Cold...and it was built to absorb other people, integrate 17 and 18 into its systems, to make it even stronger. After it got a hold of those two, I thought nothing could beat it.

Were you right?

[It sounds like you were right, he thinks, leaning in the doorway of the kitchen.]

Mathematically, it would have to be, if it was using the androids as a... power source? And us as well.

I tried, but he beat me without even trying. I was overconfident.

[Well, he is Vegeta's son.]

Until you, the other you, stepped in, yeah. None of us could touch it.

But Gohan ascended to a real second level of Super Saiyan. It was amazing, how strong he was...

[Trunks shakes his head, and brushes some of his loose hair out of his face.]

But the thing decided to self-destruct rather than get beaten. Goku transported it away before it could blow up...we thought that was the end of it. I guess it wasn't.

Overcon--

[Trails off. The Gohan you have dialed is no longer in service. Please hang up and explain what the $#@& that was.

Was the emphasis on 'you' accusatory? He isn't sure. But Gohan shakes his head, too, and just... looks down. The process of processing all that -- him being on the same level as something with the strength of two androids? His father teleporting away before it blew up? And if it came back, but not...]

N-no. Guess not.

I guess, if you're all right now... that should be the end of it.

[He's not entirely sensible of what he's saying, just... too much information.]

[Not accusatory: awed. Seeing the younger Gohan so incredibly powerful was amazing--he wasn't jealous and he wasn't angry about it.]

Pretty sure the only reason I'm 'all right' at the moment is the fact that I'm here.

[He had a hole in his chest the size of his fist. Well, he can't be exactly sure as to the size, since it killed him almost instantly.]

I might not have had the first-hand experience before this, but I'm pretty sure a hole the size of my fist right through my chest would be fatal. The part that makes me mad is that I'm pretty sure the thing wasn't aiming.

[Yup, he died a completely senseless and ineffective death. THAT SUCKS.]

[A bit of that breaks through the haze of 'what the hell' Gohan's feeling.]

I'm told it's a pretty terrible feeling, dying and not seeming to make a difference.

Though if I am at all there like I remember being, it was probably a good power boost.

[Lame, but he... tried?]

What... prompted the change you saw? I know myself well enough to know that I can't achieve any great breakthroughs in power without being incredibly angry.

[It's probably a pretty thick haze.]

...yeah.

[He'll have to wait to find out on that front.]

Oh, it was definitely anger.

[The younger Gohan was normally so cheerful. Seeing him in such a cold fury was almost frightening.]

Taunting you and attacking us was probably the worst decision Cell could have made.

[He nods, slowly. Perhaps the scale was the difference?

No, the entire world, just... he isn't that selfish and impersonal, is he?]

Always has been. More so attacking the rest of you than taunting me. I don't think there's anything I could hear about me that's really all that upsetting.

[Trunks nods slowly, still looking rather worn.]

I just have to thank everything that Cell hadn't surfaced in our future yet. We wouldn't have stood a chance. That thing is so much worse than 17 and 18 could ever dream of being.

You'll have to... have to ensure he never becomes an issue, then.

[He might. Need to sit down. Or drink a glass of water.

Or both.]

For what it's worth, I'm sorry.

Yeah. I intend to.

[that ugly-ass first incarnation of Cell, yeah, he's pretty sure he can beat it.]

Sorry for what?

[It's not like you were there to do anything about it. Dying is an occupational hazard when you roll with the crew they do, and getting wished back with the Dragonballs is even an option. For not being as strong as your other-timeline self? Hell, that wasn't anything you could've changed either.]

[The latter. Entirely the latter.]

There isn't any reason I shouldn't have defeated the androids myself, if what you say is true.

[...just. Massive pangs of guilt reverberating in his head. He'd ask for something stronger than water if he thought it'd have any effect on him.]

You might've had the potential, but the situation isn't anywhere near the same. You can't blame yourself. If I hadn't spent time training with my father in the past, I still wouldn't be strong enough either.

[He doesn't hold it against you. Nope.]

[Well, too late for that sentiment.]

I-- still. I wonder.

How was your father able to train you to be good enough to fight them when he couldn't do it himself?

Well, my warning helped. They were a lot stronger. Granted...the androids were too, but your father surviving helped a lot.

We went and trained in a special room on the Lookout. That's why I look so different--I've aged two years, even though it's only been a couple of weeks.

Did they build that special room because of your warning, too?

[Because, even when he's in a bit of shock, Gohan is sharp enough to spot a discrepancy like that.]

If it's on the Lookout, I never heard of it. Krillin or Yamcha or my dad should have told me at some point.

No...I don't know how long it was there. Even so, it wasn't enough for us--when you and your dad came out, you'd gotten a lot more accomplished. Probably because your dad actually trained with you most of the time...

[not that he's bitter.]