Far Apart

By Kaycee Ronin

I don’t own Dragonball Z or any of its characters. But I do have a Trunks pillow and some chocolate Easter bunnies. Please be nice to this fic, it’s my very first attempt at a DBZ story . I’m not too good with the power levels or fighting stuff, so leave me alone with anything that concerns fights and stuff like that. I have no idea what I’m doing and I like it that way. Please Read and Review! Arigato! ^_^

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The man had absolutely no heart. He was cold and he cared about nothing but his own damn self-preservation. Trunks was sure now that he had no idea what his mother had ever seen in him. Perhaps this was why she never talked about him. How could she, the most loving and sweetest person he know have...have feelings for the heartless being he had been calling ‘Father?!’ Why had he ever wanted to meet this man?

Trunks narrowed his light blue eyes in fury as a cloud of debris and dust rose high into the air, then plummeted back to the ground. He scanned the damaged area carefully, looking for anything moving. There could have been people or animals there! The blast had taken out almost a fourth of a large forest. Behind Trunks, a man’s deep voice laughed. "Woops," It said sarcastically. "I missed."

Strands of his light lavender hair flew in front of his face as he spun around in mid-air and fixed Vegita with the angriest glare he could manage. "What did you do that for?!" The young half Saiya-Jin demanded. "We’re training! This isn’t real battle! You don’t need to blow up everything in your way!"

"If it’s any consolation," Vegita replied with an arrogant smirk. "I was aiming for you and you moved. I wasn’t trying to destroy that stupid human park."

Trunks scowled. "You could have hurt innocent people!" He shouted as he flew to within inches of his father and clenched his fists angrily. "We’re trying to protect this world! Not destroy it!"

Vegita folded his arms and continued to smile smugly. "You’re whining boy," He said in annoyance, not losing his cool smile at all.

"You don’t understand!" Trunks cried, fury continuing to steadily build within him. "You’re causing mass destruction instead of trying to help this world, and you don’t even care!"

The older Saiya-Jin laughed. "You’re right, I don’t. Why should I? Trees can re-grow in time boy, and this planet is already overcrowded with humans. Why does the idea of eliminating a few bother you so much? You have no reason to care. We Saiya-Jins can overcome any threat to this puny planet easily. It isn't our job to protect it."

For a few minutes, Trunks said nothing. He continued to glare at his father, but images of the hellish world he had come from continuously flashed in front of his eyes. The Androids. They destroyed without thought or feeling. They didn’t care who or what they destroyed. Could Vegita really be just like them? The same as the pair he had grown up loathing and wishing he could stop? Trunks scolded himself. Why hadn’t he seen it before? Vegita just wanted to be the strongest and the best, and to hell with anyone or anything that got in his way. He knew now just why his mother had never really talked in detail about him. But something must have been there before. Something had brought them together until Vegita died.

So what...what could she possibly have seen in Vegita that drew her to him? Maybe if Trunks could figure it out, he’d be able to see past the heartless, destructive side to his father. The side he wished he could ignore. He and Vegita were nothing alike! How could someone he was supposed to love lack such respect for everything? He had only seen something so revolting in the Androids, and they were certainly cold blooded enough that Trunks didn’t consider them to be living creatures. Would he have to lower his father to the level of those monsters to understand him?

Trunks suddenly screamed, his power raising to Super Saiya-Jin level as he did so. He swung a fist furiously at Vegita and missed completely, blinded by his fury. Strands of golden hair fell across his face as his father planted one well-placed punch to the boy’s rib cage. Trunks’ eyes went wide with pain, but he couldn’t gasp or cry out. His entire body seemed to collapse against Vegita’s fist.

Vegita smiled cruelly and leaned in closer to his son as his hair changed to a light gold color as well. "You missed boy," He said flatly. He removed his hand from Trunks’ underside and drove both fists into his back. Trunks was thrown to the ground with such force that his body left a deep indent in the dry earth.

He forgot how to breathe for a few moments. Trunks couldn’t get any air in or out of his body. Pain shot through his spine and ribs as he struggled to sit up. He still lacked the breath to speak, but his lips silently repeated "Otousan," over and over. Vegita landed softly in the grass nearby, only a few feet away from his son.

"Do you know just how pitiable you are boy?" Vegita said icily, his arms folded firmly across his chest. "You’re too angry to fight properly and you’re upset over nothing! Pathetic…"

Trunks lowered his head as his father’s insults reached his ears. He let his ki drop and his hair turned back to the normal pale shade of lavender. Finally he raised his head again, his pained eyes regarding Vegita calmly. He took in a deep breath and managed to weakly choke out, "I’m not…pa-thetic…"

"What are you then?" Vegita asked, still smiling. "A coward? Stupid brat, you can’t let you’re feelings get in the way when you fight. That makes you weaker than you already are! You are pathetic."

"I’m not," Trunks shot back wearily, trying to ignore the aching pain in his ribs and back. "I am fighting…to protect this world…and keep it from…from becoming the hell I’ve lived in my whole life!"

Vegita scowled and delivered another well-placed kick to Trunk’s chest. "Weak, stupid brat," He scolded as his son fell to the ground and lost consciousness. "A Saiya-Jin fights for his own glory, not to protect any worthless planet." He glared down at the boy, still frowning in stern disapproval. "You’re too much like your mother," He added as he turned and walked away.

~ How? How can he be my son? ~ Vegita thought as he took a few slow steps. He would have been hesitating if he had known the meaning of the word. Something was stopping him from going any farther. ~ That boy is nothing like me at all… ~ He turned slowly and looked back at Trunks. He made a strange face as the half Saiya-Jin coughed and a bit of blood sputtered from his mouth. Vegita remained completely still a few moments longer before he walked over to the still body and picked him up.

"You’d best not be hurt too badly boy," He said as he rose into the air with Trunks in his arms. "Your mother would never forgive me if you are."

Far Apart, Part Two

By Kaycee Ronin

I own nothing, nod DBZ or any anime for that matter. Yes, I know it sucks and I’m sure a lot of you are just like me. The only things in my worldly possession are a stack of notebooks and a bunch of action figures. Really! That’s all I have! Go on and read the fic and send comments onegai! ^_^

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"TRUNKS!" Bulma ran out of the house as fast as she could to meet the approaching figure that seemed to be carrying another completely still one. Vegita landed in the front of the yard and said nothing as the blue haired woman ran to him. "Trunks!" She cried again when she saw the unconscious boy in his arms. "What happened?" She asked, her light blue eyes meeting Vegita’s emotionless black ones.

Vegita said nothing s he entered the house, walked to a guestroom, and dumped Trunks on a bed. Bulma ran in behind him and peered over his shoulder at her son. She may not have raised him, but Trunks was her son and she cared for him, even though she hadn’t known him that long. She pushed past Vegita and walked to the bed. The Saiya-Jin prince watched her in utter confusion. He just didn’t understand humans. They were much too confusing and hardly worth the trouble. Too many of them cared too much about others to worry about their own survival. ~~ Why? She’s like that…Crazy woman. She always thinks of others first. ~~ He turned his gaze to Trunks. ~~ The boy is like that too… ~~ Where the hell was the benefit in helping others? What did humans get out of it?

"Trunks," Bulma’s soft voice reached Vegita’s ears and he scowled. He watched, almost with disgust as she ran her fingers through Trunks’ hair and looked at his face with concern. After a few moments, he moaned softly and opened his eyes, groggily focusing them on Bulma.

"O-Okaasan…" Trunks murmured slowly. The word rolled off his tongue strangely. He wasn’t quite used to calling her that, but Bulma was too informal to say to her. After all, she was his mother, only younger. But when he did think of her as Okaasan, he remembered how much he missed his mother in the future. Nonetheless, it would have to do. He didn’t know what else to call her.

"Are you okay Trunks?" Bulma asked, her eyes filled with worry.

"H-hai, I will be," Trunks murmured in reply as he slowly sat up. Pain shot through his rib cage as he righted himself. He winced in pain and clamped a hand over his upper abdomen. That was a couple of broken ribs, courtesy of Vegita.

"Stupid brat," Vegita snarled from the door. "You should not have been taken down so easily. Such a minor injury shouldn’t land you in bed!"

Trunks said nothing as Bulma looked him over. As Vegita spoke, her expression became angrier and angrier until she finally stood up and stormed over to him, glaring furiously. "Why don’t you shut up for once?!" She shouted as she placed her hands on her hips. "He’s hurt! Leave him alone!"

"You’re babying him and you didn’t even raise the boy!"

"I will in the future!"

"Well apparently you didn’t do a very good job! He’s a weakling and a coward thanks to your damn future self!"

"At least he’s not a heartless jerk!"

"You’re right about that," Vegita snapped. Trunks could tell he was getting extremely angry as he continued to speak. "That boy is no Saiya-Jin! He cares too much about trifle things to worry about himself. I can’t stand weak, human qualities like that! As far as I’m concerned," He glared at Trunks as he turned to leave. "You brat, have none of my blood."

Trunks’ eyes went wide with shock as Vegita left the room. For a few minutes, he tried desperately to convince himself that he hadn’t heard those words. His father, the man he had wanted to meet his entire life, had denied sharing the only thing that tied them together; blood. The tone in Vegita’s voice and the words he spoke hurt Trunks far more than any physical injury ever could. Before he could stop himself, his eyes were filing with tears.

Maybe Vegita was right. Maybe he was weak and pathetic. He was sure acting like it now, about to cry. Saiya-Jins weren’t supposed to cry! Trunks glanced at Bulma through a veil of hair. She seemed to be a little shaken as well. "Don’t worry about Vegita," She said as she turned back to her son. "He’s always cranky and jerky like that."

"Yeah…You told me that dozens of times in the future…But I…I never wanted to believe you." Trunks replied quietly. "I guess you were right."

"There’s a nice guy in there somewhere," Bulma said, smiling slightly as she sat down on the bed. "I told him I’d find it one day, no matter how long it took me."

Trunks hesitated. He had never heard his mother mention this. "What did he say?" He finally managed to ask.

"He told me there was no such thing as a nice Saiya-Jin, and that I was naïve and stupid for thinking so…Everybody has a good side. Sometimes you just have to look a little harder to find it."

"Did you ever find it?"

"Huh?"

"Veg-er, Otousan’s good side. Did you ever find it?"

Bulma smiled. "I’m not sure. Sometimes I think I have, and others he seems to be the same jerk he was when we first met.

"Oh…"

The sound of a baby crying made Bulma turn toward the hallway. She rose to her feet and looked at Trunks as she walked to the door. "Will you be okay?" She asked. " I need to take care of little Trunks.

Trunks nodded. "I’m fine," He said, still not removing his hand from his injured side. "I just need to rest a bit."

Bulma nodded, reassured as she left the room.

"Otousan…" Trunks murmured as he leaned back against the wall and looked up at the ceiling. "Of all people, you wind up being the closest thing I have to an enemy…Why don’t you understand the reason I’m here? Everyone else seems to. I was supposed to come here to help, but I also wanted to meet you. You can’t even understand our own flesh and blood. I’m beginning to wonder why I came back."

"What are you then? A coward? You are pathetic."

Trunks’ blue eyes narrowed angrily as he rose from the bed. "I am not a coward Otousan," He said dangerously as he stood up straight, ignoring the terrible pain in his ribs. "I’m not pathetic either, but I guess you won’t believe me until I prove it to you."

He looked up into the cloudless blue sky as he stepped outside. Without a word or another thought, he flew away in search of his father.

Vegita was never hard to find. His father’s energy was unique compared to everyone else’s. Trunks couldn’t really explain how, but he could tell Vegita’s ki from any other’s in a second. He sometimes wondered if Son Goku and Gohan could do the same. Naturally, it didn’t take the half Saiya-Jin long to find his father.

He had found a place nearby to train alone, and as Trunks approached him, Vegita set off a round of ki blasts to a range of arid, uninhabited mountains.

"What the hell do you want boy?" Vegita snapped, not needing to turn around to sense Trunks was coming. "I thought I left you bedridden and crying like a baby. He looked over his shoulder as he felt the boy’s power level increasing. "Bakayaro," He growled, turning back to his stone targets.

"Otousan," Trunks began in a calm tone. A few small stones began rising from the ground as his power level became higher.

"Get out of here brat," Vegita barked. "You’re a waste of my time."

"Otousan," Trunks’ voice sounded lower and more ominous.

"I said leave!" Vegita shouted again. "Get the hell out of here! Kisama, you’re not only weak and pathetic, now you’re stupid as well. And here I thought your mother was a genius. No son of mind would ever--"

"Vegita!" Trunks cut him off, his power level easily rising to Super Saiya-Jin as he did so.

The older Saiya-Jin was actually speechless for a moment. For once, Trunks had called him by his name and not ‘Otousan,’ which he hated. He turned around very slowly as a smirk crept across his face. "I’m surprised you knew my name at all boy," Vegita said with a low laugh. "You’re making a little progress, but I doubt you’ll go on any farther. You’re too emotional to be even a half decent fighter."

Without a word, Trunks walked forward, stopping mere inches from Vegita. For what seemed like an eternity, their eyes were simply locked in total silence. Finally Trunks raised a fist and sent it flying across Vegita’s jaw.

"Kisama…" Vegita growled, raising his power to Super Saiya-Jin level as well. He smiled cockily again as he slowly wiped a thin stream of blood away from his mouth.

"There’s only one way for me to prove myself to you Vegita," Trunks said threateningly. "That much I’ve figured out. And as much as I don’t want to, I have to do it."

Vegita scowled, his features showing a slight interest despite the angry look. "Really? And what’s’ that?"

Trunks took a few steps back, spread his arms, and glared at his father.

"Fight me Vegita! No stops this time!"

Far Apart, Part Three

By Kaycee Ronin

            I do not own Dragonball Z or anything affiliated with it.  Hell, if I did own it, I’d be making cartoons instead of writing fanfictions and drawing doujinshis.  Also, forgive me, but I’m not good at writing fight scenes.  Be nice to it, I’ve never really tried before.  And in the flashback (where Trunks is talking to Bulma—Ka-chan) assume he’s around five or six...otherwise it’ll just sound strange.  Please remember to read and review.  ^_^

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DBZ Announcer Guy: Last time in this fanfic...

            Without a word, Trunks walked forward, stopping mere inches from Vegita. For what seemed like an eternity, their eyes were simply locked in total silence. Finally Trunks raised a fist and sent it flying across Vegita’s jaw.

"Kisama…" Vegita growled, raising his power to Super Saiya-Jin level as well. He smiled cockily again as he slowly wiped a thin stream of blood away from his mouth.

"There’s only one way for me to prove myself to you Vegita," Trunks said threateningly. "That much I’ve figured out. And as much as I don’t want to, I have to do it."

Vegita scowled, his features showing a slight interest despite the angry look. "Really? And what’s’ that?"

Trunks took a few steps back, spread his arms, and glared at his father.

"Fight me Vegita! No stops this time!"

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            Vegita’s frown quickly turned into an amused smirk.  Finally the boy had made a suggestion he could agree to.  “If that’s what you want...for me to beat you into a bloody pulp, then fine.  Let’s go.”  He said proudly, never taking his eyes away from his infuriated son.

            Trunks only nodded silently as he stepped forward, crouching into an attack position.  A voice in his head continuously shouted “What do you think you’re doing?!” but he ignored it as his blue-green eyes narrowed at Vegita.  This was going to be settled here and now, even if only one of them would walk away from the fight.

            Long tense minutes passed and neither said a word or made the first move.  They circled each other several inches off the ground, eyes locked in a deadly glare like wild animals.

            “You have no reason to care...”

            “No,” Trunks growled under his breath, Vegita’s recent insults plaguing his memory.

            “Do you know just how pathetic you are boy?”

            “No.”

            “Weak, stupid brat.”

            “No!”

            “As far as I’m concerned, you brat, have none of my blood.”

            “NOOO!”

            Trunks suddenly screamed in fury and lunged full force at Vegita, managing to hit him in the chest with a knee.  The older Saiya-Jin took the blow without so much as a flinch and punched his son’s face in return.  Slightly stunned, Trunks staggered back a few steps and almost fell before regaining his composure and charging again.  Vegita held out one arm and clothes lined him to the ground effortlessly.  Trunks gasped in pain as his body hit the dirt shoulders first.  As he tried to sit up, a heavy foot stomped firmly on his chest.

            “Is this really all you can do boy?” Vegita smiled and added more pressure to Trunks’ already bruised and broken ribs with his foot.  “If it is you’d best stop wasting your time before you get seriously hurt.”

            Trunks said nothing as he struggled to sit up.  His ribs protested in pain and forced him back to the ground.  Without hesitation, he fired a ki blast at Vegita, sending him flying backward about ten feet.  Had he not been so furious, Trunks would have been surprised with himself.  He would never use such a sneaky attack like that, not even on an enemy.  He quickly fought off the annoying thought and rose to his feet.  Vegita was already sitting up and glaring at Trunks angrily.

            “That was low...” Vegita said as he stood up.  “No respectable fighter would do that.”  He brushed some dust away from his shoulder and folded his arms.  “Is that the only way you can gain an edge in battle?  By using cheap tricks?  Believe me boy, tricks will not get you very far.”

            “I don’t expect them to,” Trunks replied icily.  He quickly shot two ki blasts at the Saiya-Jin prince’s feet, then fired a third where he was sure Vegita would fly to avoid the first two.  The third shot hit Vegita’s shoulder and slightly singed his armor.  He cursed himself for making such a predictable move, then rushed at Trunks.  No one made him look like such a fool and got away with it.

            The two collided in mid air and exchanged a rapid series of punches and kicks.  Trunks had an obvious advantage, fighting with blind fury behind him.  This is the one thing he had never wanted to do.  He had never wanted to fight his own father, he had only wanted to meet him his entire life.  He never expected it would be like this.

            “Ka-chan, what was Otousan like?”

            “You always ask me that Trunks honey.

            “Well you never answer...Please Ka-chan, if you tell me now, I swear I’ll never ask again.”

            “Your father...He was very brave and strong Trunks.  He was one of the greatest fighters this or any world had ever seen.  He was never good at showing affection though...not to anyone.”

            “Not even you Ka-chan?”

            “He...he never told me he cared.”

            “So he wasn’t even a nice guy?”

            “I...I’m sure there was a nice guy in there somewhere.  I only saw a passive look on his face once...That gave me a clue that he was kind-hearted in some way.  The day you were born honey, he actually looked...happy.  I only wish he could have given me that look just once...”

            ~~ Otousan...you never told her...You broke my mom’s heart. ~~

            His only half-sane thought in minutes brought on a new wave of anger.  He pushed himself a few feet away from Vegita, then sent a storm of ki attacks at him, knocking him to the ground and keeping him there as the blasts hit the ground.

            ~~ Where’d he get the energy to do an attack like this? ~~ Vegita wondered as he tried to protect himself from Trunks’ unrelenting attacks.  Several blasts hit him directly, but he ignored the stinging pain as he fought to get up.  He felt Trunks’ ki dropping with each shot he fired.  A matter of minutes and the boy would collapse from exhaustion.  This was a stupid move that only a foolish, inexperienced, or desperate fighter would try, and he knew very well that Trunks was none of those three.  The boy was simply too angry to think straight...he probably didn’t even notice how rapidly his strength was leaving him.  Vegita flew upward in an attempt to stop his son.  This battle would mean nothing if Trunks couldn’t fight before there was even a climax.

            Vegita got within a few feet of the young half Saiya-Jin, knocked both legs out from under him, and slammed a double handed fist into his back, sending him plummeting to the ground.  Trunks didn’t move for a few minutes.  Except for ragged breathing, he lay completely still, face down in the dirt.  Vegita hovered a few inches above the ground nearby and looked down at Trunks with disgust.

            “Get up,” He said arrogantly.  Vegita folded his arms and looked down at him.  “You’re wasting my time boy.”

            Trunks didn’t move.

            Vegita moved a little closer and kicked Trunks’ side.  “Get up brat!” He shouted again.

            He heard a soft moan in response, but still Trunks didn’t attempt to rise.

            “You’re really trying my patience!” Vegita shouted as he fired two powerful ki blasts at Trunks.  One hit the younger Saiya-Jin directly, but he managed to roll out of the way and get to his knees before the second could get to him.  “Come on now, GET UP!” Vegita raced at him with blinding speed, but Trunks was ready this time.

            He crossed his arms in front of his face and stopped Vegita cold.  Trunks pushed him back a little, raised one foot off the ground and delivered a sharp kick to his father’s ribcage, sending him flying ungracefully to the side.

            “Come on Vegita,” Trunks growled, almost in a taunting tone.  He landed on the ground and walked slowly towards Vegita.  One hand was clamped over his throbbing ribs and he was gasping heavily for breath.  He glared furiously at the Saiya-Jin prince, who was trying to pick himself up off the ground.  “This isn’t over yet!”  He shouted.

            “You can say that again,” Vegita shot back.  “I’m not leaving until I teach you a lesson, brat.”

            Trunks grinned forebodingly as he pulled the remainder of his energy into a much stronger attack.  “Otousan…We’ll just see about that.”

Far Apart, Part Four

By Kaycee Ronin

I don’t own Dragonball Z or anything even close to it. Heck, if I did I’d actually have money and I wouldn’t be going to college in the middle of nowhere. Don’t sue…you’d only get about three bucks out of it. Enjoy the fic now that I’ve finally got it out. Remember to read and review!

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Vegita knew very well what Trunks was going to do. If the boy used this much power for one measly attack, he would have nothing left. The Saiya-Jin prince would be the victor, but not because of his skills.

He would win because his son was a fool.

Trunks was concerned only with the attack he was busy still gathering strength to use. He didn’t even notice Vegita’s movements below him. The older warrior could easily use that to his advantage. He pulled himself together from the near beating the boy had just given him and made a beeline straight for Trunks.

He stopped ten feet or so in front of the half Saiya-Jin, keeping his body taut with caution. The boy was completely unhinged. As much as he hated to admit it, Trunks was dangerous, extremely dangerous at the moment. He had a pretty good grasp of what the boy could do when he was angry. He had seen it before. Vegita would have to watch it if he didn’t want to get fried. Even if he simply charged forward he wouldn’t escape unscathed. Perhaps if he tried to reason with him things could be better.

“Baka,” He hissed as he looked over to Trunks. “What the hell do you think you’re doing brat? Do you know what will happen if you let that attack go?”

“Do you think I care? I know you don’t.” Trunks shot back instantly, his tone colder than any he had ever used. Had he been himself at the moment it probably would have scared him. He had finally just taken too much from Vegita.

“Kisama…” Vegita clenched his teeth.

“You only care about yourself. Isn’t that right Vegita?” Trunks grinned darkly and carefully aimed his attack. “I can’t believe I thought there was more to you. Kaasan told me that everyone has some good in them but you’re the exception. All this time I’ve believed there was something behind all of that arrogance and pride you always show, but I was wrong! Temee! I’ve defended you in front of everybody for nothing! How could I be so stupid as to think you could possibly have something good in you? You lack such respect for life...you’re almost as bad as the androids! I’d be doing this world a favor if I just got rid of you.”

“What?!”

“If I destroyed you, this planet would be a whole lot better off.”

Vegita was taken aback for a moment, his eyes wide in surprise. Then a slow smile crept across his face. “You want to try and kill me? You wouldn’t stand a chance brat. Have you forgotten that I’ve already pounded you into the ground once already today? Perhaps I should give you another demonstration.” His sneer only grew wider when he added, “You don’t even have it in you.”

“Don’t treat me like such a pushover Vegita!” Trunks snapped. “I don’t think I need to tell you you’re in a pretty sticky situation here. I doubt someone even as great as you would have trouble escaping this blast unscathed. After all…I’m your son.”

“Temee…” The eyes of the Saiya-Jin prince narrowed dangerously.

“Just how great are you Vegita?” The half Saiya-Jin’s tone sounded exactly like Vegita’s normal one. “Or maybe you should be asking yourself how great your son is. You’re about to find out…if it doesn’t kill you that is.”

Vegita’s shout of surprise was drowned out by Trunks’ cry as he released his attack. The bright light coming from the attack blinded him and made impossible to dodge what was coming. How in the hell had the boy managed to pull together so much power for an attack so quickly? He had barely been able to pick himself up off the ground just a minute ago.

He couldn’t dodge. Vegita barely had time to think before the blast was on top of him. The shot of hot power and fury hit the Saiya-Jin prince full-force before he could even attempt to block. The attack drove him to the ground and sent him skidding backwards wildly until he hit a cliff face and fell into the dirt face first as the world around him faded into darkness.

Far above him, Trunks looked down to Vegita with a triumphant look on his face. “I win,” The boy said with a smile. “I’m the better Saiya-Jin after all.”

Something told him to leave right then. He had won. The younger Saiya-Jin had proven himself. He could leave now and both he and Vegita would know whom the better one was. Again he glanced down to where the Saiya-Jin prince still lay unmoving and smiled proudly to himself. Lavender strands of hair began to fall across his face as Trunks calmed down.

It was then he realized how exhausted he was. He shouldn’t have used such a powerful attack without realizing how much it would drain him. Trunks suddenly began to fall, lacking the strength to stay in the air any longer. He cursed himself aloud as he fell, starting to feel like a fool for acting the way he had. How many times had he been told it was impossible to put up a good fight when he was angry?

~~ What in the heck was I doing? ~~

His breath left him and he momentarily blacked out as he hit the ground. Trunks coughed sorely as he slowly lifted his head to look around. Dust rose around him, blocking his vision for the most part. The half Saiya-Jin moaned as darkness pulled at him. He vaguely heard a sound, something like rock breaking apart very close by. Instincts told him to move, but he couldn’t get his body to respond to his commands. He was far too tired. Finally he gave up and closed his eyes, forgetting about the disturbing sound and allowing unconsciousness to take over.

Vegita woke up slowly, awareness coming back along with a stabbing pain in his head. Once he cleared his mind of persistent cobwebs, the Saiya-Jin prince looked to the sky in search of Trunks. The boy was nowhere to be seen. He pulled himself to his feet slowly, grasping his rather sore shoulder and scanned the ground for any sign of movement. Near a cliff edge he noticed an unmoving figure. ~~ Stupid boy, ~~ Vegita thought as he started towards Trunks. The boy had hit the ground so hard that the edge of the cliff was beginning to break apart. In his current state, there was no way the half Saiya-Jin would be able to survive a long fall from the decimated cliff.

Trunks woke up with a low moan, his body racked with exhaustion and pain. Something was faintly still nagging him, urging him to move but his trodden mind could not comprehend what it meant. He slowly pulled himself to his hands and knees, choking out a cough as he did so. The nearby rumbling had grown louder now, and it was beginning to bother him. The Half Saiya-Jin noticed the ground breaking apart just in front of him and impulsively moved. He wasn’t getting far enough, however, and soon enough the cracks had surrounded him and were threatening to take Trunks down with the rest of the collapsing cliff.

“Kuso,” The boy cursed aloud as he pressed his body against the ground. He could not fly now with so much energy used wastefully, so it he thought it better to cling to something relatively solid. The ground underneath him began to break away and Trunks made a desperate grab for the new edge of the cliff. He made it with ease but could barely manage to hold on. The fight and his last attack had taken far too much out of him.

His grasp on the rock face slipped slowly but gradually, and Trunks knew he could not hang on for long. ~~Because I’m an idiot, ~~ He thought with a low growl, cursing himself. ~~ Because I had to go and flaunt my arrogance…I’m no better than I claim Vegita, no…Otousan…is. He is my father no matter what I have to say about it. ~~ His body jerked involuntarily as he sagged, his grip slacking even more. ~~ Baka, ~~ He chided himself once more. ~~ Maybe I deserve to go this way…~~

Trunks closed his eyes as his final few fingers slipped from the cliff and he began to fall. It was a long way down, so at least he would die without much pain. He would just make a big splat on the cavern ground below. But at almost the same instant as he let go, he felt a strong hand grab his wrist and yank him upward.

“Stupid brat,” The harsh voice spoke coldly, but Trunks was suddenly grateful to be hearing anything at all. “No son of mine could possibly be as stupid as you…a Saiya-Jin would not even make an attempt to take his own life in such disgrace…you’re the biggest fool I’ve ever met,” Vegita smiled at the boy darkly as he pulled him back to the safe ground. “Must take after your mother…Softies tend to be fools,” He grumbled.

Trunks looked up in slight surprise at the hand grasping his wrist. “Nani?” He managed. His blue eyes met Vegita’s in confusion. ~~ He saved me... but why? ~~

Vegita dropped his son to the ground and wandered a few steps away. ~~ I’m getting too soft, ~~ He scolded himself, not looking at the bewildered Trunks. ~~ I saved a life…one besides my own…a comrade’s so to say…my son’s…~~ The Saiya-Jin Prince looked down at the boy as he started to pull himself to his feet. ~~ His spirit proves it…He is a Saiya-Jin…He is my son. ~~

Trunks could not even look at his father as he slowly climbed to his feet. He kept his blue eyes on the ground in shame, not wanting to see the look of disappointment and…hatred on Vegita’s face. His entire body ached, but he gave it little notice. His face was deep red in embarrassment of how he had acted and all he had said. “Baka,” The boy hissed angrily, scolding himself. Vegita was right. He was stupid, foolish. Hardly worthy to be called a Saiya-Jin.

“You’re supposed to still be able to stand when you win,” Vegita spoke coldly, folding his arms. “And if you ever pull another trick like that one,” He pointed to the cliff, “I’ll make sure you won’t be standing for a very long time boy.”

Trunks raised his head, a bit surprised by the choice of words. “Win...?” He stuttered. It seemed to be the only word he had caught.

“What’s the matter?” Vegita smirked slightly as he took a step closer to his son. “A few minutes ago I couldn’t get you to shut up; and now you’re speechless.” He shook his head and looked away again. Perhaps it was better not to know some things...

Trunks faltered a bit on his feet and quickly leaned a hand against a large bolder to hold himself up. “Just...burning rage I guess...” He spoke rather regretfully, keeping his eyes on the ground rather than watching Vegita. He was still rather ashamed and didn’t want to look at his father.

“That’s not the way to do it,” Vegita narrowed his eyes, staring at the far off horizon. “I’m sure someone had to teach you to control your feelings when you fight. Be more careful next time boy,” He grumbled, grasping his sore shoulder. “Before you kill somebody on your own side...”

“Hai,” Trunks spoke in a quiet tone as he raised his head gazed at Vegita apologetically, relieved his father wasn’t looking back. He wanted nothing but to kick himself for acting like such an idiot. If the Saiya-Jin Prince had seen him as lowly before, he couldn’t possibly think anything of him by now. At least as nothing more than a loose cannon and a fool. He sighed as he stood up straight, still watching Vegita with a sorry expression.

Vegita could feel the boy’s gaze burning into his backside. It was so pathetically pitiful it made him ill. He clenched his fists and teeth in anger as he weighed out his options. One, ignore him and hope he’d just stop. Two, make fun of him...but then the whole mess could start over again. Three...say something to make him quit it.

“Saiya-Jin’s are supposed to be pleased when they win a battle,” He said matter-of-factly as he turned to face Trunks again. He scowled at the look in the boy’s eyes and continued. “Yet you’re looking as though somebody’s just died. Don’t you have any pride?”

“Not for acting like an idiot,” Trunks replied flatly. “If I hadn’t been trying to blow you to kingdom come, I might have thought I had really, actually accomplished something.” ~~ What would that be? ~~ His mind taunted. ~~ Is this father-son bonding? ~~

Vegita eyed his son coldly for a moment, raising a brow and carefully choosing his words before he spoke again. “Saiya-Jin’s are a powerful and proud great race,” He said, eyeing his son calmly. “And one has never existed that wouldn’t want you around for help in a fight. You are one of the strongest I’ve ever known.”

Trunks had to struggle to keep his mouth from dropping open. Had he just heard right, Was he just actually...complimented? By Vegita? The words rang over and over in his mind and the half Saiya-Jin smiled slightly. After all the things he had said and done, he managed to receive a word of praise and approval...all he had really wanted the entire time.

“Of course, being strong is expected,” Vegita said as he flew into the air. “After all, you are my son.”

Trunks smiled and started after his father, lingering a bit behind him on purpose. He had nothing to be upset about now. Finally... finally he was accepted by the only person who had not given him recognition before. The person he had grown up hearing was so cold hearted and empty had given him a word of praise.

And somehow... that made everything worth it.