Chapter 1: Existence
Five
months after the defeat of the Jinzoningen, the people of Earth were still
rebuilding their cities, their homes, and their lives. Adjustment to peace after almost twenty
years of fear and death was difficult at best, but it was slowly taking
root. The people were unified more than
ever, and companies helped each other become successful again so normal,
healthy competition could later be re-established. Capsule Corporation provided an astounding amount of
sophisticated inventions to the public for very little money in order to help
those in need.
The
hero was unknown… And he planned to keep it that way.
* * *
"Almost done... Got it." Bulma Briefs, her hair tied back into a low
pony-tail, sighed with satisfaction as she looked down at her 200th miniature
water filter. These would certainly
help individuals obtain safe, healthy drinking water until the water companies
were fully functional again. The
previous 100 had already been taken down to the general store for distribution,
and this set would go to the same place, as they were already sold out.
“Trunks,” she called, holding the
cube-shaped machine in her hands as she stood.
Almost immediately, the lilac-haired
young man leaned around the doorway of the garage, dressed in a loose white
Capsule t-shirt and jeans, his hair in a parted bowl-cut. “Yeah, Mom?” he queried, seeming cheerful
and eager to help. His blue eyes shone
brightly from the simple thrill of a life finally freed from fear.
Bulma smiled back at his exuberance and
spoke in a tone more suggesting than demanding, “Sorry to keep you so busy
today, but could you please help me load this shipment of filters into the
air-car?”
Trunks gave a small chuckle. “Sure, no
need to apologize. Gotta earn my keep
after all.” He bent down to pick up an
arm-full of machines from the large pile, “I’ll even drive the load down
myself.”
“Thank you, Trunks,” Bulma answered, “You
more than earn your keep. We’ll take it
easy this evening.”
“Cool.”
As they conversed, they both loaded up
the back end of the vehicle until it was full, all 100 units fitting
perfectly. Then the boy drove off,
Bulma watching him fade out of sight. He’s
such a good person, she thought, So humble and shy, too… It would be
nice if he got the recognition he deserves.
Yet, he values his privacy and solitude. That’s Vejita’s blood talking. She smiled softly at the
memory of her stubborn husband, then frowned softly as her thoughts returned to
her son. Still, he seems so
lonely. I hope he gains some close
friends now that life’s becoming normal.
Trunks reveled in the sensation of cool
wind in his hair as the air-car sped low over the ground. He took in the fresh air with a dreamy sigh,
looking at the terrain around him healing from the years of destruction. Young grass and trees were slowly but surely
growing over craters, old skeletons of buildings were harboring animals, and
new homes stood out brightly in the sunlight with new, colorful coats of paint. Five months of peace, he thought,
shaking his head slowly at how unbelievable that seemed, So hard to believe
we don’t have to fear the Artificial Humans anymore. We’re making so much progress.
I’m so glad I’ve helped make this possible… It was worth it.
He slowed the air-car to turn left, and parked near the back of the store, at the loading zone. An older heavy-set man with glasses smiled pleasantly at Trunks. “Hey there sonny,” he greeted, holding up a pen and his clipboard, “You and your Ma sure work hard; didn’t think you’d have another set in already. How many?”
“Another hundred, Kano-san,” he answered, by then out of the car and starting toward the back, “Three dolly-loads should do it.”
They both loaded up as much as the dolly
could safely hold, then the man wheeled it back into the store to shelf the
products. Trunks was leaning on the car
and looking at a pair of birds in the sky, when the quiet was broken by a deep,
gruff voice shouting “Hey kid!”
Trunks opened his eyes and turned his
head, even though he already knew who was speaking. Sure enough, it was the same thick-bearded, hollow-cheeked man
who usually bothered him. His brown
eyes were narrowed and his lips tight.
Trunks attempted, as usual, to be his kind self, nodding his head and
saying “Good afternoon Mr. Smith,” but he was halfway through the statement
when the man interrupted bluntly.
“Why do you keep comin’ around here?!” By
then, he was about twenty feet away. He
was dressed in a light blue mechanic shirt, stained with grease and sporting
his name “Bill”, and his entire manner reeking of bitterness.
Trunks kept his own manner calm as usual
though, answering “Just delivering Capsule Corp. products. I’m not trespassing regardless.”
“Psh… just thinking you can walk around
like a normal person among us lowly folks, eh Mr. Special?” He stood near the young man, thick hairy
arms crossed.
Trunks sighed and stood straighter,
though still a bit shorter than the antagonist. His voice and expression were still inoffensive and, if anything,
somewhat pleading as he stated, “Sir, if I felt special, I’d have already been
a show-off and become famous.”
“Hmph!” The man snorted, paying no
attention to Trunks’s logic or demeanor, “You’re just keeping mum to spite
me. Mr. Glowing-hair! Mr. I-saved-the-world! You WON’T get your front page, kid!”
Trunks only smiled a slight, sad
smile. “I appreciate you keeping my
secret, Mr. Smith. Thanks.”
The man’s eyes narrowed further, his
lower jaw jutting forward as he took a menacing step in the boy’s
direction. Just then, Mr. Kano came
back with the empty dolly and looked between the two. “Is there a problem?” he
asked with gentle curiosity to Trunks.
Bill glared at the boy as if expecting to
be told on, but Trunks only shook his head. “No, sir,” he said, “Let’s get the
next load ready.” Kano-san nodded, but
watched with some dull irritation as Bill Smith stalked angrily away, as he
helped load up the dolly.
When all was finished, Trunks drove back
home, not looking as content as he had before.
He shook his head, thinking about Smith. My one witness to when I defeated the Jinzoningen… Why is he
so bitter? It’s not my fault, is it?
No… It must be jealousy, or something else he feels justifies it. At least that keeps my profile low, thank
Kami. Still, it manages to hurt
sometimes…” He sighed, pulling into
the garage and stepping outside. He was
glad their home was on a large area of land; there was a forest to lose himself
in when he needed quiet time. He
wondered if his friend was there…
Sure enough, after sitting quietly on a
log for a while, he could sense a strong presence, and he looked up to see a
large light-grey wolf with deep golden eyes looking at him from atop a
knoll. He smiled gently and slowly
extended his hand, low to the ground.
“Oi, Makoto (Hey, Sincere),” he greeted pleasantly.
The wolf’s ears twitched slightly, and he
trotted toward Trunks, his tail half-raised and wagging slowly. He sniffed the boy’s hand, then immediately
nuzzled his face, whining in expressed happiness. Trunks laughed quietly, rubbing the wolf behind the ears and
along the neck, hands buried in the thick double-layered fur. Then, when they calmed down, they mutually
slid their foreheads together and rested thus, eyes closed, the wolf
sitting. They stayed this way for some
time. This had become a usual thing for
them, Trunks finding comfort in the close contact, and Makoto finding
companionship that he lacked since he belonged to no pack.
“We’re like each other, Makoto,” Trunks
said quietly, “Not really belonging, alone, yet feeling we want it that way… I
still don’t know if I like it or not.
You don’t either, do you boy?”
He leaned back a bit to look at the wolf’s eyes again. He got no real
indication of an answer, not that he expected one. It was nice to have someone to listen, though.
“I guess not,” Trunks continued,
“Otherwise you’d be in a pack. If only
I knew why or how you ended up a lone wolf.
Me… I don’t know if it’s because of how the world’s been, or what. I’m so used to being alone that I’m not sure
I can ever change it. Those Jinzoningen
may have changed me after all, whether I wanted to let them or not…” He lowered his head again, his right hand
gently sifting through Makoto’s cheek fur.
The wolf whined and nuzzled the boy’s
chin, licking slightly to raise his face.
Trunks looked up and smiled slightly.
“Awww, either way, I have you around,” Trunks reasoned. “You always manage to help me feel better,
Makoto.”
The wolf chuffed quietly, then suddenly
turned his head to face behind him, ears pricked. Then he stood to face that direction.
“What is it, boy?” Trunks asked quietly,
looking ahead, trying to see what had caught the animal’s attention. Then he smirked. “I see, you want us to go hunting again?” Makoto looked back at him, tail-tip wagging
slightly. Trunks stood in a
half-crouch, his father’s thrilled smirk on his face; hunting with Makoto was
exciting, their speed matching as they’d chase down the prey, which Makoto
would then strike down to eat. This
seemed the opening to the same scenario. “Ready when you are,” he whispered,
tense, ready to run.
Makoto took off moments later, nimbly
darting between trees and weeds, nearly silent. Trunks matched his amazing speed, challenged by trying to stay as
quiet, alternating between being beside and behind the wolf. Running with such expertise, some of his raw
Saiya-jin instinct emerging, was thrilling and exciting as he ran low to the
ground, eyes sparking intensely.
They sharply arced to the right, then to
the left. Surely they were getting
close to their prey. However, Trunks
soon noticed that he felt an extremely powerful ki they were approaching. They were hunting something powerful. Far more powerful than the wolf. But before Trunks could suggest they call
off the chase or scout ahead himself, Makoto threw back his head and howled
loudly. Is he warning it? Trunks wondered, growing more puzzled and
alarmed. What’s going on?
They reached a clearing, where the wolf
halted within a few bounds. Trunks
skidded to a stop as well, eyes wide and head raised as a large, blinding orb
of green light appeared in the air about eighteen meters ahead. He glanced at Makoto, who’s tail was wagging
vigorously, raised high, his maw in a smiling pant. “What is this, boy?” he asked apprehensively.
A sound like thunder, due to air
friction, sounded as the light’s glow intensified. Trunks looked back at it and was momentarily blinded. Blinking it off, he slowly saw that the orb
was now dim and fading, now on the ground, with figures visible within.
When it disappeared, standing where it
had touched down was a humanoid figure and a green dragon at least eight meters
long. They both looked around at their
new surroundings with curiosity.
Makoto trotted toward the newcomers, tail
and ears raised in happy recognition, much to Trunks’s surprise. The humanoid soon noticed the wolf coming,
and shouted “Makoto!” in a happy feminine voice, rushing to meet the animal
half-way, blonde hair flying in long strands behind her. She knelt and hugged the wolf, then pressed
her forehead to his, the way Trunks always did. He watched, puzzled now more than ever, as the two sat silently
connected.
Finally, the woman raised her head in
Trunks’s direction. He tensed, taking a
step back. She smiled, and in a
cheerful friendly tone said in perfect Japanese “Don’t worry, I’m not here to
hurt anything. Come on over here so I
don’t have to yell.”
Trunks looked around to make sure he
wasn’t about to be ambushed. No other
ki nearby. He slowly approached,
finding nothing threatening about this being’s appearance, yet being cautious
as logic dictated.
The woman standing before him seemed to be
the same age as him, 19 or so. Her
complexion was fair, her hair bright blonde and down to her hips. She was thin but not frail, clothed in an
odd network of green cloth that seemed to be made of one long piece woven with
itself and ending in a skirt of sorts that nearly reached her bare ankles. She carried a brown pouch on a sash that
went from her left shoulder to her right hip.
Most striking, however, was the fact that her ears were long and pointed
at the tips, and her eyes were an extremely bright green which brought to mind
a lush, healthy tree. She smiled even
more brightly and bowed in respectful greeting, her blonde hair flowing down
her shoulders. “Hello,” her pleasant
voice lilted as she stood straight again at average human woman height, “My
name is Spring Gold-flower. I know
yours, but it would only be right to let you introduce yourself.”
The boy blinked in puzzlement at all the
confusing information thrust upon him at once.
“I.. I’m Trunks Briefs,” he said, “And.. this is Earth.”
It was her turn to blink in confusion,
her mouth pursing a bit. “Earth?” she asked, “That’s the name of my planet too…
Oh!”
She turned to look at Makoto and asked,
with humorous irritation, “Why didn’t you TELL me this is our original
home-world?!” The wolf was now the one
to blink, a large drop of sweat somehow managing to gather in the fur on his
forehead. Meanwhile, the girl raised
her arms in the air with a squeak, then put a hand to her head, pacing back and
forth in a small area, gesturing with intense emotion. “Oh great Oak, I’m
standing on the grass of my ancestors, and it’s still GREEN!!! I didn’t even know! This is… goodness!”
“Are… are you an Elf?” Trunks asked
quietly.
She looked at him, surprised. “You know
about us… Yeah, I sensed that already but didn’t realize it. But yes, Trunks… I am an Elf.”