Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Training: the Legacy ❯ Training: the Legacy ( Chapter 1 )

Training:

The Legacy

 

I can hear Trunks' sobs from behind me; he's been like this since we got back to Capsule Corp after seeing the destruction left behind by the androids. I hear him as he starts talking through his tears, “Is this the way life is supposed to be, so full of pain?” His words remind me that he doesn't remember what the world was like before those monsters showed up, that he's never known peace. “Well, I'd rather fight and die then watch all this happen. No, I can't just sneak around while this is going on!” I hear his anger and frustration and can feel my own rise up inside me to match it. I know how he feels, and I want nothing more than to help him. “Please, train me. You have to, please. I must fight!”

 

I don't know what to say, the last thing I want is to put him in danger but I know he feels helpless right now. “Come on, Gohan, you're half Saiyajin like me, right? So then you must know how I'm feeling, help me channel some of the anger!” His words strike something within me, and he's right. I do know how it feels, I remember being forced to sit out when the people I loved were in danger. I know he's all Bulma has left, but I also know what he's going through. I hear him say my name softly and know I've made my decision.

 

I start to speak, still staring out the broken window, “You're pitiful Trunks. An emotional wreck, just like I was when my mom wouldn't let me train and fight with my father.” I remember how angry I was at her and at myself for not being able to help those I cared for. Taking a deep breath I turn to him, “From now on, I am your master and you are my pupil. How's that?” I give him a smile, now standing directly in front of him.

 

With a small nod and a slight smile he responds, “Great. I won't let you down.”

 

Giving him a small nod back I say softly, “Yeah, I know.” And I can tell that this kid is going to work his ass off.

 

-

 

We're walking to the beach, ready for the first day of training. I'm not sure what to expect, or how much he's learned on his own. I hope to be pleasantly surprised; he is, after all, Vegeta's son. “Alright Trunks,” I say, taking a seat on a rock, “let's see what you can do.”

 

He gives me a small nod and goes to stand a few feet away from me. He takes a wide stance, a look of pure determination coming across his face before I feel his power spike, then continue to rise. Soon, a spray of sand is lifted in a circle around him as power crackles through the air. Not bad, I think to myself, I had no idea he was this far along. His power is higher than I expected. If I could trigger the ascension into Super Saiyajin the kid could be really strong.

 

“Ok,” I say standing once he's dropped his power again, “time for a little sparring, let's go.”

 

I lead him to cliff not far off; he's managing to keep up without much problem. Pausing, I motion for him to attack. He comes at me with a series of punches and kicks. I block them without much problem, 1, 2, 3, 4. He is, however, quite fast and I can't help but feel proud. He'll make a fine warrior, and I can't help but think that Vegeta would be equally as proud of him.

 

He moves me back along the length of the cliff, getting the both of us closer and closer as he continues his flurry of attacks. As he comes in with a right-handed punch, I use my speed to move behind him faster than he can see. He turns to face me, but not fast enough to block my attack and I send him careening into the ocean with a kick.

 

He comes up coughing as I watch from the top of the cliff we'd been fighting on. “Gohan help me!” he yells up at me.

 

I'm not going to. “Okay, make sure you make circles with your arms and kick real hard,” I feel a little cruel for doing it this way, but he has to learn that his opponent isn't going to help, nor will there always be an ally there either. It's a hard lesson, but one he needs to know.

 

“You bastard,” he yells back as he fights against the waves. I just smile; he's got quite the spirit.

 

It doesn't take him long to get out of the water, though he's coughing pretty badly once he manages it. Holding out a towel I approach him, “Here ya go Trunks.”

 

“First y…you stand there and watch while I almost drown, then you offer me a towel!”

 

“Yup,” is my only response and I know he doesn't understand right now, but he will. One day, when I'm gone, he will understand why I'm doing things the way I am.

 

We sit in silence for a time while Trunks works to dry himself off, neither one of us speaking, lost in our own thoughts. I wonder how things would have been different if my dad hadn't died of that heart disease, if maybe then they would have been able to defeat the androids instead of everyone dying. I've contemplated this a lot over the last thirteen or so years and I can't help but think that the answer is yes, it would have been different.

 

I'm brought back to the real world as Trunks asks, “Gohan, you knew my father pretty well, right?”

 

I think of Vegeta, “Mm-hm.” I suppose I did, though he hadn't been on our side for too long before he was killed by the androids. But he had stood and fallen beside Piccolo and Krillin and everyone else.

 

“Well, my mom doesn't say much about him, and I can't remember him from when I was baby…do you think you can tell me a little bit about what he was like?”

 

At his request I can't help but think about my own father and what it would be like to have never known him. I can't imagine such a thing, this causes a small pain for what Trunks has never know. Then, thinking for a moment, I say the first words that come to my mind when I think of Vegeta, “He was tough, extremely powerful…arrogant and really proud.”

 

He voice is soft, a hint of sadness lingering there as he says, “Oh, I see.” Then suddenly it's gone and a happier demeanor comes over him, “That's about what mom says about him.”

 

I smile a little; the kid is so strong for those around him. He definitely has his father's will power and stubbornness. There is no doubt in my mind about that; just as I know that those things will serve him well in both his training and when he's finally ready to fight the androids.

 

-

 

I'm facing off against Seventeen, Trunks having stepped in against my wishes to take on Eighteen, when I hear him say from a distance, “Go ahead, do it, you bitch!” before a see a yellow light flicker into existence out of the corner of my eye.

 

Turning my head quickly, I see the android dangling him off the side of the Farris wheel by his shirt. “Trunks!” I say as I take off in his direction, the other android firing a blast at the two of us as I kick Eighteen to keep her from hitting Trunks full force.

 

When she lets go of him, he begins to fall and I quickly move to catch him. As he falls into my arms I hear her voice say “Die,” as she sends another blast our way. Turning my back, I do my best to shield Trunks and protect us both from further serious injury.

 

In the commotion and smoke caused by her attack I flee, finding the best hiding place I can and hoping desperately that they won't find us. I'd do anything to keep Trunks safe, and I can't believe I put him in such danger by allowing him to come along with me before he was ready. I promise myself that if we get out this, I won't let it happen again.

 

Cradling him in my arms as they continue to shoot off blasts randomly, hoping to hit us. They have some conversation that I don't follow, too lost in trying to figure a way out of this to really listen. Though I do hear Seventeen as he says, “Let's take a few pot shots, we might get lucky,” before the entire area is lit up in a yellow glow.

 

We're thrown from our hiding place, a blast getting near enough to do a great deal of damage. As I hit the ground, I realize Trunks is no longer in my arms. Trunks, please be all right, is the last thought through my mind before the world goes dark.

-

 

My mind slowly surfaces, unconsciousness and pain making it incredibly hard to focus on any one thing. My left shoulder in particular is in excruciating pain, and I try to put everything in order. The androids…fighting…Trunks. I need a sensu bean, then the pain will go away, and I'll know what to do. I move and try to get the bag, realizing why my shoulder hurts so much…my arm is missing.

 

I see Trunks and try to move toward him, to see if he's all right. But the pain is far too much. Bean first, I decided, and then I can check on him. Fighting to get the bag out, I have to use my teeth to untie the cord around the opening. Once it falls away, I up end the bag and watch as a single bean falls to the dirt below. Staring at the bean for a moment, I say to myself, “I kinda liked my arm.” Then picking it up, through the pain I work through what I should do, “Only one left. Now Gohan…what would your father do?” And without question I know, he'd give it to Trunks, just as I will.

 

Working my way over to Trunks, inching across the ground, in more pain than I think I've ever been in before, my only goal is to get to Trunks. Because I need to make sure he's all right, that he'll be able to continue to get stronger and someday, take out those monsters.

 

After what feels like minutes I finally reach him, and press the bean into his slack mouth. “Hey little bro,” I coo as softly as I can, “you were great. Here, swallow it Trunks. Live…you've got to…live.”

 

-

 

Months later I've returned to training Trunks, neither of us stupid enough to go looking for the androids after last time. We're standing on a tall rock as I try to help him become a Super Saiyajin. “That's it Trunks, you're doing it!” I yell to him, as his hair stands up in spikes, not yet blond. I feel his energy crackling around us and I know he's almost there, that he almost has it. He just needs to feel the rage I know he has bottled up inside him. “Let go. They're not what you think. The androids, they're killers, Trunks. They'll destroy me, you mother, you! Everything you hold sacred is worth no more than a pile of trash to them! Don't be ashamed of your anger, killing innocent children is wrong!” I continue to tell him things I know will get to him, that will help him unleash the power within, if only he'll let it. “It's okay to hurt, it's okay to feel the rage. Harness it! Use it as a tool!” I can feel his power spike, I can see how close he is and I know he has it, I know he can do it. “You're doing it Trunks, don't be afraid. Let it go, let it all go!”

 

As my words fade away, he collapses and his power drops back down. I know he's exhausted, and with good reason. We've been trying this for weeks and every time he gets so close before it fades away again.

 

We both flop down on our backs as Trunks says, “Man, I can't believe myself. What a joke!”

 

“Hey, relax,” I sooth, knowing he's got to be beating himself up pretty hard. “Let's forget about becoming a Super Saiyajin for a while, k?”

 

He lets out a frustrated noise and I now he's not gong to drop it. “What am I doing wrong? You're my master, Gohan, you can tell me. Why can't I do it?”

 

I give him a big smile and say, “You can.” He looks confused and gives me an expression that says I'm crazy. “Sure Trunks, you just need to find the right motivation, that's all.” I think of when I first ascended and what had pushed me over the edge, “Yeah, for me, it's simple. All I have to do is think of how the androids killed Piccolo and Krillin, then I feel a horrible hurt. Then the pain from their deaths turns into rage, its maddening. I don't ever want it to happen again. Something that unfair. Then suddenly the dam breaks…”

 

I'm cut off, as there's a large explosion from within the city we're overlooking. I jump to my feet as does Trunks.

 

“What?” he exclaims to my right, “You've got to be kidding me! Oh man! Damn those two!”

 

“This is ridiculous! They never even had a chance!” I scream into the surrounding space as I feel the dam I just mentioned breaking and the power rolling over me as I ascend.

 

Trunks grabs my arm, “Gohan, you can't go!”

 

I turn to him, looking him in the eyes, “Look Trunks, no matter what happens, stay here.” I won't let him come with me; I won't put him in that kind of danger again.

 

“What, are you crazy?” he asks me, bewilderment in his eyes, “No way, I can't let you fight those two alone.”

 

“Listen,” I start, trying to explain why it's better this way, “I'm a lot more vulnerable when you're there with me.” I know my words are going to hurt him, but he needs to understand that he's not strong enough yet.

 

“But I'm much stronger this time,” he pleads, “Come on, I can't let you go alone with your injury. Please, Gohan, take me with you.”

 

Looking at him, I know he's not going to stay here alone while I go off to fight. Not by choice at least. “Alright Trunks, you win. Let's get `em.”

 

“Right!” he said and turns, preparing to fly away. Before he has the chance I hit him hard enough in the back of the neck to knock him out. I don't like having to do this, but it was the only option he'd left me. “Sorry about that Trunks,” I say to his unconscious body, “but I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if anything happened to you. This is my battle for now little brother, you're not quite ready yet.” I can feel them down there crying right now, I think to myself, trying to make myself feel better about going on my own. That's why I have to go, I know you'll understand someday. “See ya later, kid,” with those final words I take off to go fight the androids.

 

-

 

After knocking the boy off a car, the three of us face off. They've sworn this will be the end of me that they won't let me live this time, but I know that even if I die, justice will prevail. “You know you can't win. You can't destroy what I really am; even if you manage to kill this body someone stronger will surface and take my place. Not one death will go unaccounted for, not one!” Throwing a ki blast to the ground, I think briefly of Trunks before I take off, the androids close behind me.

 

The fight seems to go in slow motion, every kick, punch and blast taking a lifetime to complete. When they team up and both come at me in unison, I can tell that this isn't going to end in my favor, but I'm not going to give up. I am not going to give in to those monsters.

 

As I'm falling, their ki blasts searing my skin, all I can think is, it's up to you now Trunks. I gave it my best but it wasn't good enough. Now, the Saiyajin legacy and the fate of the world lay solely with you, I know you'll make us all proud.