vatheon | (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'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.]