Trunk finally woke up after a few minutes. Rhuda was the first person he saw. "Chi...sato..." he groaned.

"Are you okay?"

He could see how worried Rhuda was for him, so he quickly nodded. "I'll be okay. My head is spinning, but..." he fell onto her bosom. "Ah--sorry. I'm not normally this uh, this weak."

"Please rest."

After awhile she asked, "So...ano, so you know how my world is?"

"Yeah. Honestly, it's completely different than I thought. Mostly though..." he rose from her chest and pet her red cheek, "...I didn't think it was possible to fall for someone so quickly, but...as soon as I saw you, I..."

The girl squeaked and ducked her head bashfully but he raised it. "Don't look away, please. I just want you to know that I believe Chisato is beautiful."

"...T-Thank you."

Trunks was quick to change the subject, seeing how embarrassed his girlfriend had became. "I..suppose that means it's your turn. But save first, because I'm not sure...if you'll be able to handle it."

It was that moment she remembered her watch had been restored, thanks to Trunks loading her game.

*beep*

He brushed away his hair and looked off. "...It won't be pleasant. I mean...there's not..a lot of good memories."

She tentatively grew close to her boyfriend, wondering what she'd see, and lightly placed her hand under his chin, turning so that it would be easier to reach his neck. His adams apple bobbed a moment. Rhuda closed the distance between them carefully, thoughtfully, and gently nipped his neck.

He grunted. A chuckle.

"You'll have to uh, try harder. I'm...a little stronger." He said.

"Y-Yes! S-Sorry!"

Again she tried, imagining he were a piece of tough steak. It helped. Soon there came a wetness over her lips, and she began slowly suckling him.

"...Nn..." he groaned.

Ahh, his voice sounds different, she thought.

Her pelvis began to swell, throbbing, and Rhuda roughly pulled him further into her mouth. Sweet salty blood oozed over her tongue and hit the back of her throat. She swallowed.

Thump

Rhuda dropped her grip on him and held her mouth. "T-Trunks--?" She worriedly asked.

"...I'm here."

He held her to him as her heart began an odd pacing, then settled again. Her vision fell into whiteness---

["Mom? How come you never talk about dad?" I asked.

Mom sighed a little and said, "...It's hard for me, Trunks. He's gone. We never really got so spend much time together. I...wish he was here."

I kissed moms cheek and smiled. "Then, I'll take dad's place! I'll be stronger than him, you'll see!"

"Oh, Trunks. You're so sweet."

**

"Don't go around Gohan. You hear me?"

"But mom--"

"I said NO! I've already lost your father, and Goku..." Mom burst into tears, "I can't lose you, too!"

"...M-mom.."

A red streaked sky. The sounds of screams, people dying, burning alive, and the wailing of babies without parents. I hid behind an overturned car, its hazard lights blazing, as streams of tears flowed down my face. "Why...? What did we do...?"

I glared up at the sky in anger. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair--why did I have to live like this? When...would it end?

"I'd...be better off dead! At least then, I would have died fighting. Not...like this, living in fear.." I punched the car and ran out, grabbing the nearest child and running off with her. She screamed and kicked me, not understanding that I was helping her. After taking her from the danger I sat her down. "You're...safe."

"No! You're just like THEM! You---you FREAK!"

She ran away screaming, leaving behind her stuffed bear. I stared at it hatefully.

***

"Hey, brat~"

Ice ran down my back. I turned, seeing a shadow hovering above me. My hand flew to my sword, and I took off flying.

"Running away again? Ha. Ha ha! Hey, 18, let's play with our favorite toy!"

"S-Stay back!" I said, blasting 17 with energy. He tossed it aside, smirking.

A devil. He was the devil--

Gohan found me then. He said, "Go, Trunks! You have to live, you hear me?"

"G-Gohan--no--"

"I said GO!"

Frustration. I was useless. Worthless. Not a human, not a saiyan. Caught somewhere between. A...freak.

***

*blast* *blast* *blast* "URGH! I HATE this!"

I continued pummeling rocks in anger. The population was growing more slim everyday. And I was burying those I could, but even doing it at night was dangerous. That's the only time I could leave without looking over my shoulder. Mother hated me going, but I had to do something. I couldn't just study books all day and hope for a miracle.

If only I had a father to teach me how to fight. I could be of more use, and mother wouldn't be so worried. She said I was the son of the prince of saiyans. What good was that, now? What good was a half human, half alien?

***

"Gohan! GOHANNNN!"

I held his body to me in the pouring rain, not realizing that by his death he'd given me the gift of Super Saiyan. I could only see fury, righteous fury.

I buried him on the island of our memories. Former Kame house, or so I was told. It was just an abandoned house, now.

"Gohan...how am I supposed to do this without you?"

My fist banged the earth below his buried feet. "You were supposed to be the one. The one who killed the androids. How--how can I fix this, without you? There's no one left! Please, come back--please....." I wept over his grave, "....please....I don't...want to live anymore...if you're gone...what's left for me?"

***

"Goku will help, you'll see." Mom said brightly.

I scowled at her. "...You talk about him like he's so great, but...he's dead."

Her smile fell off. "Trunks, one day you'll understand. All it takes is one person to change the world. You. And when this is done, you'll be bringing back the only person I know who can beat them. Just wait until you meet him, okay?"

I grabbed my sword from the cardboard box, looking over my shoulder as I left the Malls basement. "...Yeah."

But I didn't believe her. If even Gohan wasn't enough, what good could this Goku do? He'd be dust in the wind.

"Well, well, look who it is." 18 said.

I glared at her. "...Can't you go one day without harassing me? I'm beginning to think you have a crush on me, you abomination."

18 rolled her eyes. "Don't be disgusting. We only keep you around for entertainment. Don't worry..." she leaned and pet my head, "...your time is coming, too."

I swat off her hand and pulled my sword from its holster. "Enough!"

But I didn't win the fight. In fact, I was badly wounded, and managed to find a nice building two stories up to hide, making sure to hide my Ki as well. Then the smell of rotting flesh rose to my nose. I gagged, hanging my head out the window, peering in the darkness to see who died. An elderly man lay there with his stomach open, flies swarming.

I puked.

There I stayed the night, not knowing if it was safe to go back to mother or not. Sometimes it was, sometimes it wasn't. The darkness fell over the building and I sat against the wall, holding my bleeding ribs as best as I could. They were broken. And my sword holding hand had been injured, blood running down it. Hopefully, though, I wouldn't be joining that guy on the bed.

After it was all quiet I left, finding any available medical supplies that hadn't already been stolen and poorly bandaged myself.

***

Loneliness. Emptiness. Another night of burying the fallen innocents, women, men, and children alike. It was the only thing I could do really. How I wanted to die--just die, and be done with this hell called my world. Even at night I couldn't sleep; nightmares of the daytime monsters swarming my mind.

Mother was nearly done with the so called time machine. Would it even work? What was the point, now? This entire place was in ruins. There were only a handful of thousands left on the earth. Should I say I'm lucky, or cursed?

****

****

****

Rhuda opened her eyes, seeing Trunks looking off into the distant whiteness of the time chamber. She rose, pushed him off and vomited. "Huk--*cough*"

"Are you okay, Chisato?"

He touched her shoulder and she nodded, not able to talk yet. Her body was shivering. Cold. She was very, very cold. Trunks gently pulled her to him and closed her into his trench coat. "I'm sorry. You saw too much, didn't you?" He asked.

"....Trunks..." she burst into a sob that didn't stop. She cried until her ribs hurt from doing so, and took loud breaths to calm down. Finally she was cried out and numb, and hugged Trunks as tightly as she could. "...You...didn't want to be a hero..." she said.

"No, I didn't."

"...T-There was so much pain, and sadness...! H-How did you...cope?"

Trunks smiled and ruffled her head. "There wasn't...really any way to cope. I was just too coward to die. You...you're braver than I am, Chisato."

"D-Don't...compare our lives like that." She said. "What I lived...and you, couldn't be more different."

"I know. But uh, we both felt that, you know? Sorry. I'm trying to explain it, but.."

Rhuda nodded. He didn't need to say it. She could feel his emotions as if they were her own. "Yes. Both of us wanted a better life."

"Yeah. I'm glad that I met you, Chisato." He leaned and kissed her lips slowly, and the girl grew so flustered and breathless that she couldn't breathe. It was as though he were warming her very soul.

Rhuda and Trunks spent time together, enjoying their shared affection and devotion. Then Trunks reluctantly stood, told her to save again, and left her with the parting words, "...I'll find you, Chisato."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

Why did it sound like he was saying goodbye to her?

"Find...me?" She asked.

He smiled. "I love you. Here, there, the past and the future. Until then, Chisato Shino."

The girl ran to the door but he'd shut it, locking her within. She banged on it. "No! What does that mean? T-Trunks?! D-Don't! Whatever you're going to do...don't...do it alone...please..."

Rhuda sagged against the door and hugged herself, knowing that Trunks was telling her goodbye.

 

To Be Continued....