Hi everyone,
This story is really my "baby". I have been writing this for at least 2
years now, and this is the first time I am finally satisfied with chapter
I. However, I have read it so many times, that I am sure I am missing
something... or something is screwed up. Please, any commentary would be
much appreciated...
Context:
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This particular chapter takes place directly after Gohan's death during the
3 years that pass before we see Trunks again at age 16. If you want to know
what's going on, please go watch the "Trunks the Story" Dragonball Z
special, or read manga volume 33, pages 166-184. However, I must admit, I
was so impressed by the TV special that most of "Hope" will be based on the
anime.
The manga is different than the anime, here's a summary of the manga just FYI:
Very short chapter. Gohan already has lost his arm at the start, and Trunks
can already go Super Saiya-jin at the start (age 13). There is an
explosion, and Gohan goes SSJ, knocks Trunks out, and flies off to Miyako
city and he is killed by the Jinzoningen. Trunks wakes up, flies off, finds
Gohan dead, cries (but does NOT go SSJ). We see Trunks and Bulma 3 years
later, Trunks hears on the radio that the Jinzoningen are attacking another
city. Trunks goes to get his sword (first time it shows up ^_^ yay!) and
flies off. Next scene we see is Trunks in a hospital bed with Bulma at his
side (guess he lost, huh? ^_^;;) Then we see Trunks 1 year later, preparing
to leave for the "past".
The anime:
Starts off with Bulma and Trunks in a car. Trunks hears on the radio that
the Jinzoningen are attacking a town. He takes off (with Bulma protesting)
but finds only that the Jinzoningen have already left. He also finds a doll
that is all that's left of a child :(. Next we see Gohan show up, SSJ with
BOTH arms. There is a LOT of filler, explaning the relationship between
Bulma, Trunks, and Gohan (father figure). Gohan and Trunks go to fight the
Jinzoningen at a amusement park, and Gohan and Trunks are both VERY injured
(Gohan has lost his left arm). Gohan reaches for his senzu bag, and there's
only one left. He gives it to Trunks to heal him. Gohan almost dies, but
recovers. Gohan continues to try to train Trunks, but Trunks cannot go SSJ
yet (close but no banana). Gohan, feeling that Trunks must be spared until
he gets stronger and can go SSJ, knocks out Trunks and goes off to fight
the Jinzoningen. The Jinzoningen kill him. Trunks wakes up, flies off,
finds Gohan dead in a puddle of rain (it's pouring) (THIS IS SO SAD!!) and
Trunks is so upset that he goes SSJ on the spot. 3 years pass, Trunks goes
to fight the Jinzoningen again at age 16. He does well at first, but runs
out of energy (the Jinzoningen have an unlimited supply) and he gets the
crap beat out of him. Next scene, Trunks in a hospital bed, with his mother
telling him that he's a moron. ^_^ Next scene, Trunks taking off for the
past. ^_^
Useful words:
Jinzoningen = cyborgs
Juhachigou = #18
Junanagou = #17
Thanks for reading... I "hope" you enjoy it ^_^
Marisa 3/14/99
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Mirai no Hope (Hope of the Future)
By Marisa Price
Based on Dragonball (c) to Toriyama Akira.
This story is copyright to Marisa Price, 1999.
Poem "The One Hope" by Dante Gabriel Rosetti (1828-1882)
Song, "Voice" from Dragonball CD #14. Sung by Yuka.
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"The One Hope"
By Dante Gabriel Rosetti (1828-1882)
When vain desire at last and vain regret
Go hand in hand to death, and all is vain,
What shall assuage the unforgotten pain
And teach the unforgetful to forget?
Shall Peace be still a sunk stream long unmet--
Or may the soul at once in a green plain
Stoop through the spray of some sweet life-fountain
And cull the dew-drenched flowering amulet?
Ah! when the wan soul in that golden air
Between the scriptured petals softly blown
Peers breathless for the gift of grace unknown,
Ah! let none other alien spell soe'er
But only the one Hope's one name be there--
Not less nor more, but even that word alone.
------------------------------------------------------------
Trunks gently placed the collection of wildflowers, gathered together with
a strip of twine, on Gohan's grave. Fancy bouquets no longer existed in
this barren world, and a humble memorial was all that Trunks could offer.
Perhaps Gohan-san would have preferred it that way. The very fact that
there were still flowers proved that life could survive, pushing its way up
between the rocks, the old life crushed but the seeds flying to the wind to
emerge again elsewhere. Flowers and people; both were beaten down again and
again, but continued to exist. Trunks noticed as if for the first time the
soft green grass covering the mound, and remembered when it had still been
fresh, dark earth. Time passed and erased almost all traces of those who
had lived in its passing. It was different for those who remained behind,
for the pain passed neither as swiftly nor as completely. Three years. And
the memory was still as strong, and as awful. Trunks' desire to avenge his
mentor, his friend, was also still unfulfilled.
"Gohan-san...." The name ran through his thoughts, and he let the tears
flow freely. Grief did not pass quickly in a world where there was little
hope. It was time for him to change fate.
-You are this world's last hope, Trunks...-
"Gohan-san..."
Trunks closed his eyes and remembered the day of the funeral...
* * * *
"...Voice...Anata no..." The music faded in an out on the radio from the
underground broadcast, but, despite the poor reception, neither Trunks or
Bulma bothered to shut it off. It was a melancholy song, and it fit the
bleakness of the dreary, dreadful day.
The morning of Gohan's funeral dawned much the same as the hour of his
death. Thick clouds hung heavy on the horizon, and a gray dismal rain
splattered disconsolately to the earth. The radio crackled a bit after the
sound of thunder, and a streak of lightning bolted through the sky,
brilliantly illuminating the two grieving people in the aircar.
"...And now the news. Nothing has been heard from the Jinzoningen for
several days. The most recent murder was of a solitary man, Son Gohan. For
unknown reasons he alone was brutally killed two days ago in Pepper City...."
Trunks stared hard at the radio, wanting to turn it off with only his
thoughts and hatred. Before he could summon the will to move, his mother
put her slightly-shaking hand on the knob snapped the radio into silence.
He felt her glance at him, and Trunks dodged her gaze by turning to look
blindly out the window of the aircar. Her worried, sorrowful, expression
still managed to catch him, reflected back in the glare of the window.
Trunks closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the glass, his warm
breath steaming up the window.
Swish, swish. The windshield wipers were the only sound now, and Trunks
tried to concentrate on the repetitive, meditative sound. Ich, ni. Ich, ni.
The one-two monotony appeased him for a time, but before he realized it,
other words replaced them.
Bulma saw her son's eyes close tightly, his lips were moving as he
whispered something...
She closed her eyes, blocking out the other distracting noises, and
managed to focus on her son's voice. Bulma wasn't surprised to find he was
saying "Damn them. Damn them. Damn them."
Her own grief moved sluggishly through her veins, and Bulma wasn't in any
position to comfort her son; so they both sat quietly, together, yet alone
in their despair. Who had once said that 'Parents should never live to see
the day that they must bury their children' ? Poor Chichi. Oh... poor poor
woman. What replacement could there ever be for a long-dead husband like
Son-kun and a murdered son? If she herself had lost Trunks... She was all
alone now, she had even lost her parents in the initial attack on Capsule
Corporation by the Jinzoningen all those years ago. And, Vegeta... wasn't
that enough loss for one woman? She prayed that it was.
Despite the storm, they were on their way to Gohan-kun's funeral. Running
late partially because of the furious storm, but primarily due to the fact
that the dreaded event wasn't something either looked forward to attending.
Both mother and son were tense. Bulma sighed. At fourteen, Trunks shouldn't
have to be dealing with this. Of course, she remembered, Son-kun had been
even younger when she first met him. And herself not that much older.
That's what had started it all...
The forest finally came into view, and Bulma reached over to nudge her
son. "Trunks, were almost there. Trunks. Are you going to be able to do this?"
Trunks made himself shake away the immobility, and managed to shape words
with his numb lips. "Hai, hai, Kassan. We have to bury him and I have to be
there. For myself, for Gohan-san, for Chichi-san, for you. . ."
A tear trickled down his mother's cheek, and Trunks realized how hard this
was for her. She had known Gohan since he was a young child, had known
Gohan's father from her own youth. Although older than both, she had
outlived them. His hand snaked out and squeezed hers, and he watched her
close her eyes and struggle for composure. As if for the first time, Trunks
noticed that there were tiny lines on her face, lines that reflected the
agony of loss and the trials of survival. Trunks started, and suddenly grew
cold at the thought that his mother could grow old, that someday in the
future he might lose her too. This was a woman who had lived through the
near-end of the world not once, but many times. She had lost loves,
parents, friends, the father of her child. . . And yet she was still
strong, in control. Trunks realized how very much she meant to him. What
would he do without her? He would be alone.
"Kassan... I love you... You know that don't you?" Trunks whispered.
Bulma nodded, still keeping her eyes shut. She would NOT let herself cry
any more. She saved those moments for the hours when she was alone, Trunks
long gone to bed, and then she would curl herself around a pillow in her
lonely bed and serve out her sorrow to the darkness. Desperate to stave off
a sob, she concentrated on her son, on his presence, the most precious
thing in the world to her. She stretched her palm out and laid her hand
flat on his and then squeezed gently. As always she marveled at the size of
his hands; Trunks had not yet finished growing, but at the moment he was
still much smaller than Gohan had been at his age. The size of his feet and
hands made him look somewhat like a puppy still half-grown. If he grew into
them, he promised to be much larger than his father.
His father.
It seemed so long ago that she had first found a touch of love with the
staid warrior. Vegeta. How much different would her life have been if she
hadn't lost him so soon after she found him? A world without Jinzoningen or
fear. Would he have stayed with her instead of sacrificing himself in
battle? But everything had gone awry, especially after the death of
"Kakarotto" and Vegeta had shut away that gentle side she was allowed to
share for such a brief time. And then, he was gone. The end of mankind
seemed to be creeping ever closer, especially with the death of Gohan.
Trunks was the last of the Saiya-jin left... the only person who had a
chance against the cyborgs.
Bulma gave a tiny shudder; Trunks had to make it, he was the world's last
warrior, the only hope; and now, also a Super Saiya-jin. But how would she
survive if he too was killed? She had lost so much, too much. No, no. Bulma
shook her head. Don't think about it. If she could only finish the
design... then perhaps he wouldn't need to sacrifice himself. She must
continue her work... the work on the time machine...
Trunks saw his mother's eyes open, blue and glassy with unshed tears, and
leaned forward to touch her cheek. "Kassan, I'm sorry for being so selfish,
I know this is so hard for you too."
"Un," Nodding and biting her lower lip, Bulma suddenly noticed that the
approach light was flashing. They had reached their destination. Bulma
returned to manual pilot and concentrated on landing in front of Son... in
front of CHI-CHI's house.
Both saw the door to the house open, warm light spilling out. Figures
crowded the doorway, Chi-chi, Gyumma-oh, Kamesenin, Puaru, Oolong, and the
Muten-Roshi, the living remnants of the past age. They made a black sweep
against the light, their forms swathed in black.
"Bulma-san! Trunks-kun!" Puaru yelled, separating from the group after
noticing the new arrivals, and, heedless of the rain, floated over to them.
Bulma pulled out two hyper-static umbrellas capsules from the glovebox and
she and Trunks exploded them open as they both stepped out into the misty
air. The car shrunk down into a capsule and Bulma tucked it into her purse.
"Puaru," Bulma said softly, and gave him a hug. The cat-creature and she
had been very close ever since Yamcha's death, as his loss had hit them
both severely. Yamcha might not have been the man that Bulma created a
child with, but she and he had been together off and on for so many years
before she had her affair with Vegeta.
Bulma knew she had loved Vegeta too, in a different way, but the guilt
always seeped in that she had only pursued the Saiya-jin's odd fascination
with her at first in order to hurt Yamcha for his lack of fidelity. It had
backfired. Oh, Yamcha knew he had ruined the relationship by always looking
around and playing the field, but he had actually forgiven her for Vegeta.
Instead of angry and possessive, as she expected him to be, he instead
shook off the hurt and tried to be supportive and understanding. At first
his reaction devastated her, had he never cared for her after all? But
later Bulma realized that Yamcha loved her enough to do whatever would make
her happy, and he took the blame for her change of heart. When the
Jinzoningen came, he had been one of the first to throw himself into the
fight, one of the first to die, and he had oh-so-cruelly whispered to her
as he lay dying that he was doing it because he had nothing left to live for...
That death had been even harder to deal with after Piccolo died. With
Piccolo's death, the dragonballs also died. There was no chance of
resurrecting the fallen. And Bulma knew, as she watched him train, and
train, and train, finally becoming a Super Saiya-jin, that Vegeta planned
to attack those monstrous robots too. She had put aside her pride and
begged, pleading with him to stay and live for her and their son, but it
only drove him further away from her. After Gokuh died, Vegeta was never
the same. He thought he could win, that's what he told her when he had
returned to her one night, and she found him holding the baby. Holding him
like it was the last time, even though it was the first she had ever seen
him touch his son. And then he had made love to her as if... As if... As if
he loved her. He had never spoken the words, but he had put all his emotion
into that one night. And she had discovered that behind the warrior was a
man. Then the Saiya-jin man she had chosen, her lover but never her
husband, quickly followed her old companions into the afterworld.
"Damn you Vegeta. Damn you Yamcha. Damn you both. How could you go and
leave me here all alone? If it weren't for Trunks," Bulma forced herself to
stop the thought. She reached her hand up to adjust the umbrella to cover
her hair more fully, letting the cat-creature go. Puaru just floated there
beside her, a sympathetic expression on his face.
Trunks felt rather than saw the pain his mother was experiencing. She had
been standing there, embracing Puaru, as if she was afraid to let go for
fear that she would lose someone else. The fury burned his body, sending
tingles down his spine and ending in his finger tips. It made him so angry
that they always had to lose; they had lost everything. His father,
Gokuh-san, Gohan-san....
They were suddenly ushered inside by everyone, Bulma wrapped in Chi-Chi's
arms, Kamesenin awkwardly patting Trunks on the back and muttering
meaningless words of regret.
"You're too late, Bulma-san. We already buried him... We couldnt be sure
if you were coming... we were so worried!!" Chi-chi was crying. "I... I
mean since those dammed monsters want to brutalize Trunks too..."
Bulma did her best to soothe the younger woman, smoothing her hair and
murmuring softly to her. "Hush... Chi-Chi..." Chi-chi quieted down for a
moment, shuddering. Gymmaoh reached out to stroke her back, his own face
gray with pain.
"Oh Gohan-chan, my baby, you deserved so much more," Chi-Chi whispered in
the sudden silence, then she seemed to panic and pushed Bulma from her.
Bulma watched impotently as Chi-Chi and ran blindly from the room. Her
father's arm hung in the air for a moment, then it thudded heavily to his
side and he sighed.
He called, "Chi-chi!"
Bulma added to his call and disappeared after her old friend into the back
room.
Trunks realized that he was clenching his hands and he forced himself to
release them. He ignored Kamesenin and crossed the room to the shrine that
Chi-chi had set up.
"Mutenroshi-sama. . ." Puaru whispered, but the old man shook his head.
After all, what could HE do? What could ANYONE do? There wasn't a way to
bring back the dead anymore, the days of the dragonballs were long past.
There was a picture at the center of the shrine, and Trunks turned his
gaze to the loving group there. The young man, about Gohan's age, his spiky
black hair in disarray, held his wife and his baby boy close. The legendary
Son Gokuh. Where was he when the world needed him most? The great hero had
fallen to disease, not even in battle. Trunks had never known him, but he
knew that he had been a profound influence to many. His mother had once
said, "Son-kun wasn't brilliant, or a great leader, or a great prophet. He
was a simple warrior, but he fought for goodness and his heart was so pure
that to look once upon it would change you forever. When he was alive, I
always felt that we could get through anything. Now that he's gone, it's
has if someone had twisted Chikyuu of all its happiness."
Two gi laid on the altar in perfect squares, both orange and faded, but
one with the markings of the Mutenroshi, and the other with the symbol
Gohan had said his sensei, Piccolo the Namek, had favored. Trunks sighed,
realizing this must have been a gi that Gohan wore when he was a boy,
trained by the Nameksei-jin. In Piccolo, Gohan had another mentor, a second
father, and yet Gohan had lost that also with the coming of the Jinzoningen.
Just as he had. The thought came unbidden and the word fell out. "Otosan.."
What had his OWN father been like?
What Trunks wouldn't give to change fate, to live a happy life without
such sorrow, with a father and a mother.
Unable to look any longer, Trunks turned to ask Gyummaoh where the grave
was located. After listening to his halting instructions, Trunks turned and
opened the door to the outside, walking out into the rain without an
umbrella. The door slammed shut behind him with chilling finality, and the
cold rain slicked down to mix with his own tears.
Through the mist he could see the dark shadow of Gohan's grave. It was a
wound in the earth, a black scar on the once unblemished grass-covered
soil. Strangely, the mound appeared to move.
Gasping, Trunks thought, "Could. . .?" No, that was too horrible to
contemplate. Gohan had been dead. Trunks couldn't feel his ki either.
Trunks rubbed his eyes, hoping the optical illusion would disappear. It
didn't. Then, among the black, Trunks saw a flash of white. . . was it
skin? It wasn't a ghost, it was something... someone? on the grave.
Trunks ran through the rain, his dark dress shoes slipping on the slick
grass, mud splashing up to splatter over his dark slacks. He moved himself
up into the air and flew instead , the rain flattening his hair into his eyes.
"You! What are you doing?!" He yelled as he reached the grave, and then he
noticed the long thick braid, soaked with the rain, and the flash of
crystal-blue eyes swimming with tears and anger.
It was a woman, soaked to the skin. She was on her feet in an instant, and
Trunks found himself flat on his back with a dagger at his throat.
It was the shock of her reaction, not her strength, which allowed her to
tackle him. Trunks looked up into her fiery eyes and muttered, "Ittai..."
"As if that hurt.... Saiya-jin," she grunted, pushing away from him.
Trunks blinked, surprised. "A....?"
"Ano, onna-san?" he said soothingly, "Ano.. You knew Gohan-san? I..."
"You!" She spat, pointing her finger accusingly, "You're Trunks!"
Instinctively, Trunks too a step back and held his hands out pal forward.
"I.. yes... Im Trunks. . . What did I...?"
"It's YOUR fault!" She was growling, "Your fault that he's dead. .. my
Gohan.. . ."
Stunned, Trunks whispered, "My fault? YOUR Gohan?"
"I just wish you weren't so strong, so that I could hurt you....!" A brief
flash of lightning concealed both the feel and the light of her energy, and
Trunks missed the initial glow as she gathered her ki. As soon as he saw
it, he dodged, but he still felt the sting burn his neck and he slammed
through a tree, her "Masenkyo!" cry still ringing in his head.
"I... How did you know how to do that?!" Trunks tried again, shocked. "I
don't understand! Why is his death my fault?! Who are you! The Jinzoningen
are the ones who killed him. Those dammed cyborgs!!"
She seemed to grow even more furious at that, but Trunks wasnt sure if her
fury was directed at him or at the Jinzoningen. "But you could have
defended him! He believed in you and you failed! He shouldn't have had to
fight them, he was still too injured!"
She advanced on him again as he fumbled to stand up, more confused and
bewildered than hurt. Once on his feet, Trunks yelled back, face red with
anger. "I don't know WHO you are or WHAT you want, but how DARE you accuse
me of such things? Gohan-san was my FRIEND! I tried to fight with him, but
he knocked me out HIMSELF before going to fight that battle. I wanted to
fight alongside him! I wanted to!!"
Trunks bent his knees, crouching next to the grave. He put his hands over
his eyes and shuddered as great sobs wrenched from his lungs fogging the
chill air.
He could feel her gaze on him, and felt ridiculous, crying like an infant.
"I... I see," she stammered. "You are still a boy, aren't you Trunks?"
"I'm not.... I... I.."
She suddenly was there in front of him, pulling his head down into her
lap. She embraced him tightly and hushed, "It's okay, it's okay. I'm sorry,
I had no right to accuse you."
Her voice was raspy from all of her own tears, and then she took a deep
breath to steady herself. Trunks felt her slight form tremble, and somehow
forced himself to sit up and look at her, choking on his thoughts.
The rain had slowed down to a fine drizzle, but it didn't make much of a
difference as they were both already soaked. Her hair was thick and dark,
the wet locks curled slightly against her face where it had fallen out of
the braid he had noticed earlier., concealing her eyes. A black dress and
leggings enveloped her form,. which was why he hadn't seen her until he
came up next to the grave. She had knives on either side of her hips, and a
sword strapped on her back. What was up with all that weaponry? She didn't
look very old
"Who are you?'
"Me?" The woman choked on a laugh, looking for a moment at the house in
the distance. "I'm no one... No one at all."
Trunks sat up, pulling himself away from the stranger's arms. "Tell me how
you know Gohan-san!"
The woman sneezed and began to shiver.
"You're soaked," Trunks noted.
The woman managed a slight grin, "So are you, if you hadn't noticed."
Ignoring that, Trunks stood up. "I want to talk to you... Would you come
over to the house and talk with me for awhile like normal people do? Okasan
and Chi-chi-san would..."
But she was standing too, shaking her head. "No. no. I don't want to go in
there. Chi-chi-san and I... well.. we don't really get along."
A million questions burned in Trunks' mind, but he only asked, "Wont you
even tell me who you are?"
"Gohan should have told you," she said quietly, and turned away. "Maybe he
did. You will find me one day again, if that's what he wanted."
Trunks was speechless. What was she talking about??? He watched her as she
bent down and kissed Gohan's gravestone. Then, a white aura enveloped her
and she rose off the ground.
"You... You... You know the Bukuujutsu...!" he breathed. "Kuso. Who ARE
you?!! Are you Saiya-jin?!"
Her laugh was musical, sweet and sad. "No, no. I'm not a Saiya-jin, Trunks."
She reached her hand up and flipped her hair out of her face, and it was
then that Trunks saw what she was. A pair of entirely too familiar
blue-gray eyes looked back at him.
Trunks hissed, "Jinzoningen!"
The woman laughed. "Clever, arent you? But dont worry, Im not a threat to
you or those you love. Look to Juhachigou and Junanagou for that. Me, well,
I'm really little more just a woman... A useless human who was also Son
Gohan's wife."
Trunks had been focusing his ki, preparing to go Super Saiya-jin, when her
words burned into his anger and fear.
"Wife?" he whispered. He looked up in the air to stare at her in shock.
But she was gone.
For a moment, Trunks considered following her... but, as with the
Jinzoningen, there was no ki to follow.
Trunks emotions were in turmoil, her words still in his mind. "Gohan
should have told you...."
*************************
End of Chapter I.
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Marisa Price
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