Infection

Breakfast at the Briefs residence had become even more of a spectacle now that both Oniya and Trunks were present. The boy from the future, like Vegeta, had been initially resistant to keeping a regular schedule, but due to the new arrivals Bulma insisted that mealtimes be consistent each day. No matter how much the two Saiyans protested, she wouldn't back down. They would either eat with everyone else, or not at all.

C47 insisted on being present at all meals, if only to complain incessantly about the disadvantages faced by all meatbags who were forced to consume organic material to stay alive. As a general rule, his complaints were ignored, but Bulma eventually started bringing a taser to the table. After having his circuits fried several times in succession, the robot finally settled down.

Vegeta's training still got overly intense from time to time. Like before, he would stay in his gravity room for days on end, only leaving when exhaustion made it too difficult to stand. After a few months, though, he came to the conclusion that his training was more productive when he was well-rested. He skipped meals on occasion, but for the most part he and his son developed similar routines.

Trunks also found numerous opportunities to observe his father's training. Watching the prince of Saiyans practice his fighting technique was almost like going to a highly rehearsed performance of cirque du soleil; Vegeta's skills were unparalleled. Each time Trunks thought he had reached a new plateau in his combat abilities, watching his father train for just a few minutes immediately showed him how much farther he had to go. This happened frequently enough that the prince began making snide remarks to his son whenever he came around.

"So, back again, I see?" Vegeta didn't even turn his head to look at Trunks. "You might want to consider surrendering to these androids if you haven't learned my fighting style by now." Despite his dismissive tone, the prince wasn't suggesting that his son give up. He had grown up in a place where ridicule was the most direct form of motivation; Saiyans were practically Spartan in their fierce commitment to combat. As hostile as the prince's words sounded, he was fostering a father-son relationship in the same way that his own father had done with him.

Trunks had quickly learned to understand Vegeta's approach. Though slightly more sensitive to others than his father, he too was hardened by years of combat. Rather than being offended by Vegeta's insults, the young man resolved to use them as additional motivation. Unfortunately, there was never really any good way to answer. Trunks had so many questions he wanted to ask, but they never spent time together apart from training…and that didn't seem likely to change any time soon.

"Father, I'd like to learn more about our people. I've heard you talk about the pride of the Saiyan race, but I don't really know anything about it. I know you expect a lot of us Saiyans, but I don't really know what that comes from." His Saiyan identity hadn't really meant much to him before – it was something that the adult Gohan had almost never spoken of – but now he wanted more than anything to earn the respect of his father.

Vegeta still hadn't looked at the boy. For being the offspring of royalty, the young half-Saiyan was embarrassingly ignorant about Saiyan culture. The prince continued throwing punches into the air, pondering what he would say. 'My son should forget it. The Saiyans are no more. All that remain are me and that clown Kakarott.' But, as the prince thought more about Goku, his mind wavered. 'Yet If I don't teach my son about being a Saiyan, he'll doubtless end up adopting the culture of these Earthlings just as Kakarott has. I can't allow that.'

"Fine." Vegeta's arms dropped heavily to his sides as he grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat from his face. Opening the training room door, the prince yelled orders to his crew. "Oniya, prepare for takeoff. C47, tell that blasted Earth woman we'll be gone a few days. I'd never hear the end of it if I left with her 'little pumpkin' without leaving word." Trunks blushed for a moment – his mother's pet name for him was terribly embarrassing. Even so, the thought of travel was exciting. Where were they going? He didn't know, but he was sure it would be different from traveling in his time machine. Now, he would get to actually see where he was going.

Trunks stood in the lounge of the Bringer of Death, watching the constellations shift and melt as thousands of stars whizzed by. A slight haze – the relativistic drag produced by the ship's engines – partly distorted the view, but it was still spectacular.

"This is your first time, I presume?"

Oniya's voice startled the young half-Saiyan. "Uh, yes ma'am, it is." Despite the war-shredded world he had grown up in, his mother had made sure he had good manners. "I've been to one other planet once before, but I used my time machine to teleport there. I've never been out in actual space before."

The alien pilot walked over and stood beside him. "Breathtaking, isn't it? I still remember my first flight into space. It wasn't nearly as comfortable as this…my whole family had just been killed and I was being taken as a slave. But I still remember watching the stars trace lines across the sky through the thick portholes on the ship's hold. I knew that if there was something that beautiful in space, there must be hope somewhere."

Trunks smiled. He could understand the way she felt. At this moment, in a time and place so far removed from the nightmare he called home, it seemed like anything was possible.

"Why do the stars seem to change shape as you pass them?" wondered Trunks.

"Believe it or not, we are actually watching decades of history unfold." Oniya was happy to explain exactly what they were witnessing. "Moving faster than the speed of light allows us to perceive outside time at a different rate than we normally would. For a long time, scientists didn't think it was possible to fly faster than light, because it would send you back in time. I haven't seen the design for your time machine, but I'm guessing that's basically how it works – some kind of looped wormhole."

Trunks nodded. "Yeah, that's what mom said. I don't really understand how it works, though. I'm just glad I made it here in one piece."

"Time travel worked well for you, but it's not something you want to happen accidentally. It's certainly not something you want to happen every time you make a jump to another system. Unlike your time machine, slipstream travel keeps time and space connected while you move through both. This prevents any imbalances in time, and it also means that you see the history of stars unfold as you move past them."

The young Saiyan continued staring at the kaleidoscope of light in awe. "It's really something, isn't it?"

A few hours later…

Vegeta sat motionless in his throne chair, staring out of the flight deck window. Trunks stood, arms folded, at his left side. Just outside the ship, clusters of rock spun slowly, scattered around like an asteroid field. To the prince, the lifeless collection was pregnant with meaning, but Trunks still didn't know what he was looking at.

"This is all that remains of our home planet, son. It was destroyed by Frieza about thirty years ago."

A flood of realization overwhelmed the boy. 'So, the home world of my people…why do I get the feeling that the Earth of my own future will look like this before long?' Instantly, it was as if the half Saiyan was back in his own time, feeling the same sense of hopelessness he had grown up knowing. 'No. It may be too late for Planet Vegeta, but it's not too late for Earth. This time, we have my father AND Goku.'

The boy suddenly realized that this was probably the first time his father had returned to the ruins of the planet that bore his name. There wouldn't have been any reason for Vegeta to have returned, and Frieza probably wouldn't have allowed it. In fact, he didn't really know why his father had returned now.

"So, father, what was it like?"

Vegeta still remained seated, resisting the urge to stand at the sight of his former home. It was indeed the first time he had returned since its destruction, and the emotional impact was greater than he had expected. For a moment, at his son's question, it was like he could see the planet once again: the dirty orange sand of the surface and the harsh red sky. During the peak of Frieza's reign, they had constructed tall white buildings fitted with bubbly blue windows, and the cities had known a glory the Saiyans had never before achieved. In fact, nearly all their heightened technology had been brought to them by Frieza. Before the Planet Trade Empire, the Saiyans had been a people who dressed in animal skins and lived in mud huts. Ironic that the same being who brought them so much luxury and intelligence also brought their own deaths.

"We were fools, son. Our annihilation was a result of our own greed and ambition." Vegeta finally stood, crossing his arms like his son as he stared out at the remains of Vegeta-sei. "Tell me, Trunks, for those who value strength above all else, what is their purpose if they do not attain it?"

The young Super Saiyan didn't know exactly what his father wanted to hear. "Isn't the purpose to strive to be the greatest, even if you never achieve it?"

The prince remained motionless. "I thought so, son…for a very long time. But, looking back, the Saiyan pursuit of strength did them no good. Frieza destroyed them all, effortlessly. The might of the Saiyan race was extinguished without even a semblance of honor."

"But…if you hadn't trained to raise your power, you would have never become a Super Saiyan and defeated Frieza, right?"

Vegeta glanced over at the boy, suddenly irritated. Clearly, he wasn't listening. "You're missing the point. It does you no good to train if you never achieve your goal. Your grandfather, the King of all Saiyans, was an honorable man. He was powerful in his time, yet he died no differently than the rest of our race—with his honor stolen by Frieza."

Trunks listened quietly, knowing from Vegeta's tone that the prince wasn't finished.

"Despite all his pride, he never had true power. He never realized the true potential of our race." Vegeta stared at his son without blinking. "Somehow, growing up on a strange planet with only another half-Saiyan to train you, you managed to become a thousand times stronger than he ever was. Not only that, but you became a Super Saiyan without even knowing the significance of your accomplishment." His tone lacked any semblance of pride. "Yet for all your strength…if you do not become stronger than these androids yourself, you are as much of a failure as he was. Whether you die at their hands or let someone else fight them for you, you will perish just as the rest of our race – utterly without honor."

Trunks immediately understood. It felt strange, hearing advice from the same man who, in his own time, had murdered Goku and been slaughtered by these same androids. Apparently, Future Vegeta had died without honor as well. That was a realization he would keep to himself, though.

"I see." The boy was suddenly nervous as yet another realization hit him. 'My father is saying that it's not enough for me to save this world – I have to be able to defeat the androids myself. All this time, I've been depending on him and Goku to fight them together…it's holding me back. What is the purpose of my own training if I'm using them as a crutch?' Trunks was amazed at how his father continued to challenge him, not just in strength, but in every area imaginable. He smiled to himself, careful not to let Vegeta see.

Interrupting the boy's reflection, Vegeta turned to Oniya. Though she had been trying to distance herself from the prince since being revived, she still empathized with him over the loss of his race. Of course, she knew better than to display any such sympathy.

"Is there any reason to go by Frieza Planet 79 on our way back to Earth?" the prince asked.

"Yes, my lord. We could most certainly pick up some replacement armor and spares. Our supply is nearly depleted, and if you'd like another special scouter made, I can acquire the parts. Also, it would be helpful to add a second healing tank – with both you and your son training so often, I think a backup is a good idea."

The prince turned and began walking back to the gravity room. "Make it so."

Half a year had passed since Oniya and Yamcha had been revived, and it was time for young Trunks to be born. Although the prince stated coldly he had no interest in attending the birth, he kept his senses attuned to the woman from the moment she went into the hospital until he could feel the ki of his newborn son.

Several of Bulma's other friends were there to support her, Chi-chi and Launch included. Future Trunks was present in the waiting room; he felt strange about the idea of attending his own birth. All the Z Fighters had decided that the baby's tail would need to be removed at birth – everyone had far too many bad memories of Oozarus. With a little help from Kami, they ensured that it wouldn't grow back.

Everything went smoothly. The tiny baby boy was perfectly healthy and began squalling immediately. At Oniya's suggestion, Bulma was moved to a healing tank just after the birth, which had her feeling better than ever in mere short hours. The next day, she headed home with her child.

Thus began the life of Chibi Trunks.

With his mother preoccupied with her baby and his father more determined than ever to avoid the woman – the prince was terribly uncomfortable with the drooling, screaming infant – Future Trunks found himself on his own quite often. He had been alone most of his life, making very few friends and hardly seeing anyone besides his mother, but being in the past had introduced him to the option of a more social lifestyle. This particular day, he had decided to meet up with Gohan in the city.

Being around Goku's son was one of his favorite things, and despite the reversal in their relative ages, they still had the same natural friendship. The younger Gohan was just as smart, but still possessed much of his childhood innocence, a contrast with his future self. Though he had traveled through space to alien worlds and fought the most powerful monsters in the universe, Gohan still knew how to laugh. This particular afternoon, the two had eaten at a downtown burger joint and were now enjoying a pair of double chocolate milkshakes.

"Hey, Trunks, what was the grown up me like?" the boy asked.

Trunks winced at the question. He had been watching, observing the boy, and comparing him to the Gohan he knew. "Well, you were the best role model I could have ever hoped for. I don't want to overwhelm you with it all, but I can say that I already see the same qualities in you as I did growing up. You're a natural leader, Gohan, and you care deeply about what's right. Make that into your strength, and I'm sure you'll become an even greater man than the one I know."

"Really, Trunks? Hey, do you think I'll be able to be a Super Saiyan too?" It was something pressing hard on the boy's mind. His father and Piccolo had both been training him each day, pushing him harder than ever before. He wanted nothing more than to follow in their footsteps.

"You will, Gohan. There's no doubt in my mind. In fact, I hope that with my help you can become a Super Saiyan much sooner." As he said the words, he immediately regretted them; without trying to, he had let slip that Gohan's original transformation had been too late.

"Oh." The other half-Saiyan frowned, playing with the straw in his empty glass. "How did I, Trunks? In the future, I mean. How did I transform?"

Trunks stared down at the empty milkshake in front of him. "What I'm about to tell you isn't going to be pleasant. The important thing for you to know is, Gohan, that this time you CAN do it…things WILL be different."

Gohan gulped. "Was I too late?"

"Mother told me that ever since Piccolo saved you from Nappa, the two of you have been close. Now that I've seen you both, I know it's true. I think that's why he sacrificed himself for you a second time. He died to protect you from the androids."

Gohan felt tears forming in his eyes. "Again? He did…a…again?" Gohan wiped his eyes quickly, not wanting to show his distress. "How did it happen?"

"All I know is what you told me, and you didn't tell me much. I think that Piccolo bought you time…time to escape from the androids. Because of him, you survived, and because of his death, you became a Super Saiyan." Trunks looked up Gohan, his eyes catching the boy's. He smiled as he sensed the younger half-Saiyan's emotion. "You weren't strong enough to beat the androids, but you were strong enough to survive and keep fighting. You trained me – if it wasn't for Piccolo, I never would have survived either. Most of all, you never gave up hope. That's why I came back, Gohan. Hope."

The black haired boy put his hands on the table and stood, boldly. "I won't let that happen again, Trunks…I promise!" An enigmatic determination began to grow on the boy's face, the fear leaving his body as his resolve grew. "My whole life I've been depending on others to save me…I've always been in the way. When it gets to crunch time and the battle gets tough, I just freeze up. I'm no good to anybody. Well, no more."

"That's the spirit, Gohan. And I'm sure if you keep working hard you'll be one of our strongest contenders. There's still plenty of time for you to prepare, man. Have hope, like the Gohan I know."

The boy smiled, now excited to get back to his training. "Yeah!"

One year later…

Bulma was insistent on everyone keeping in touch. With the intense training by nearly every Z Fighter, most were too preoccupied for social visits. However, she made it a personal prerogative to have everyone over to eat as often as possible. After one such meal at Capsule Corporation, Tien approached Goku. "Say, if you don't mind me asking, Goku - what was the highest you ever went with the kaioken technique?"

The Saiyan scratched his head. "Wow, it's been a while. Uh...I'm not sure exactly; anything above twenty times my normal strength was really hard. At first, getting stronger made more intense kaioken easier, but after the battle with Frieza it started to get really difficult."

Tien nodded. When he had first learned kaioken from King Kai, it had felt like a warm rush of heat welling up inside him. Pushing it to more than double his ordinary strength was a very distinct sensation, as if he had broken through a heavy, thick barrier. With training, he had learned to identify each level as he passed it.

"I guess your body is a little different than mine. After all, you're not exactly human. I'm having trouble getting above the eighth level, but then again I think I'm stronger than you were on Namek."

"Hah! I knew you could use it!" Goku grinned. "King Kai said he didn't think anyone else would be able to pull it off, but I knew that if anyone could, it would be you. You've always been a fast learner. And yeah, I'm sure you're a lot stronger than I was then."

Tien hesitated. "Well, do you think we could spar some time?" He wasn't sure how his old rival would take the request. "I mean, I obviously can't face you when you're a Super Saiyan, but I think I could give you a run for your money in your normal state."

"Of course!" Goku accepted much more quickly than the three-eyed warrior had expected. "I've never seen kaioken used from the other side. How about tomorrow morning, right after breakfast? We can meet just south of Mount Paozu."

Tien agreed, glad. Finally, he would be able to really test his strength.

The next day, the two old rivals met on a grassy hilltop dotted with trees. Both showed up in the same style of gi they had each worn so many years before, except that they now each had King Kai's kanji emblazoned on the backs.

"It'll be just like old times, won't it?" Goku landed gently, already in a fighting stance. He hoped Tien would be able to give him a good fight; though training as a Super Saiyan increased his strength quickly, Trunks was the only one who could spar with him when he transformed. Though the young man from the future was learning quickly, he still didn't quite have the practiced form or technique of a true martial artist like Tien.

Piccolo was also gaining strength rapidly, his potential had risen greatly when he fused with Nail. After only a year of training, he completely surpassed Goku in strength—that is, until the Saiyan transformed. The Namekian was a brilliant fighter, but practicing against the same opponent over and over did get a bit dull. Now, if a warrior as skilled as Tien could give him a challenge...well, that would be something.

Tien tightened his belt and assumed an old stance from his Crane School days. "Yep, let's get this started!"

Goku flexed his muscles, then dashed forward with a high-speed burst of punches that would have turned any ordinary mortal into jello. Expertly, Tien dodged them each and threw a spinning kick. The Saiyan leapt upward to avoid it and slammed down with both fists, but his opponent teleported out of the way.

The two warriors continued to exchange attacks, but not a single blow landed. They dodged and ducked expertly, a pair of blurs leaving glowing trails across the hillside.

"Okay, you're fast, I'll give you that." Tien was panting. "But seriously, Goku! I can tell you aren't trying!"

The Saiyan caught one of his punches and held him immobile. "You really are strong, probably twice as strong as I was when I fought Frieza the first time. I'm just trying to make it interesting. "

Tien twisted away. "Then why don't you try to hit—"

THUMM! A fist caught him in the jaw, lifting him off the ground.

Tien got up, grinning. "That's more like it! KAIOKEN!"

Now clothed in deep red flame, the three-eyed warrior went on the offensive. No longer could Goku merely dodge each blow; he blocked and parried smoothly, the shock of each impact resounding across the landscape. He blocked a kick and used the momentum to launch himself up with a backflip kick. Tien twisted backward to avoid it, his kaioken aura still pulsing around him. Goku hadn't yet fully powered up.

"Wow, I never saw it from the outside." Goku was clearly impressed to see someone else using the Kai technique with such ease. "You're using the fifth level, right?"

Without pausing, Tien released another flurry of punches. "Yeah, I'm five times stronger than my ordinary strength. Is it that easy to tell?"

Goku shook his head 'no' as he blocked and then kicked hard, sending Tien flying across the landscape. "I can only tell because I still remember what it feels like."

"Well, let's see how you handle this!" Tien's red aura disappeared and he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Multi-form!" His body shimmered, then split into two copies.

"It won't do you any good," laughed Goku. "You tried that in the last Budo—"

Two voices cut him off simultaneously. "KAIOKEN TIMES EIGHT!"

Goku was suddenly faced with two copies of Tien, each four times stronger than the warrior's base state. He found that staying in one place really wasn't an option; the two copies worked in perfect harmony. Whenever he blocked a punch or kick from one of them, the other used the opening to slip under his defense and knock him back.

"Not laughing any more, huh?" said one of the Tiens as he landed a heavy blow to Goku's ribs. The Saiyan recovered quickly and backhanded him, only to narrowly dodge a vicious kick aimed at his head. The other Tien chuckled. "Splitting like this actually puts less stress on our bodies, because the strain is spread out."

Goku crouched, pulling his arms close to his side. "Oh yeah? Well, let's see how long you can keep it up!" Extending both his arms, he released an explosion of white energy that sent both his opponents flying. "Ready to fight me at full power?"

Both Tiens crossed their arms, cocky. "Good luck, Saiyan."

"YAAAA!"

A few thousand miles away, Piccolo was startled out of his meditation. "What an incredible power! He's gotten a lot stronger since our last battle." Piccolo knew that he was still much stronger than Goku's base state, mostly because Goku had given up using the kaioken himself. But there seemed to be no limit to the Saiyan's power, especially considering that Goku clearly wasn't yet a Super Saiyan. Once again, the Namek was challenged to go beyond his former limits.

"We'll be ready, Goku. We must."

In his gravity chamber at Capsule Corp, Vegeta suddenly paused, his eyes darting to the right. "So, it looks like Kakarott's training is paying off. I'm sure he'll need every ounce of that strength to defend against the androids, and then later…to defend against me." The prince smiled, resuming his punches. "I swear: if that clown doesn't give me first crack at them, I'll end him then and there."

The two clones of Tien charged at the same time, a red maelstrom of energy swirling around Goku. The Saiyan's bright white aura stayed close to his body as he effortlessly blocked every blow.

"Now this is a workout!" He counterattacked, sending both of them flying back with two lightning-fast punches despite their attempted blocks. Goku gave chase, driving his opponents up the hill rapidly. Even with kaioken, the two clones were each less than half his strength.

The two Tiens pulled away and flew straight up, maintaining their distance from Goku. In unison, they extended their arms. "Double Dodon Ray!"

Four red beams shot down at Goku, one from each of the four index fingers extended toward him. The Saiyan grinned. All four beams struck him at the same time...and passed straight through the afterimage.

"What the—" The two clones were cut short as Goku appeared behind each of them in turn and sent them plummeting into the explosion with two well-placed chops. The Tiens shimmered and then morphed back together.

The three-eyed warrior shook his head, wincing. "I thought that powering each of my clones up with kaioken would give me the edge, but it looks like that technique just won't work on you. I guess I'll have to fight you in one piece now."

Goku landed softly in front of him. "Fine by me! Using the kaioken with your multi-form technique wasn't something I had expected, sure, but you'll need more than tricks to give me a real challenge."

"Well, let's hope I don't disappoint." Tien folded his hands and closed all three of his eyes. As he concentrated, he slowly rose off the ground. Red energy began gathering around him.

"Kaioken...TIMES NINE!"

He disappeared and reappeared just inches from Goku's face with a powerful punch that sent the Saiyan reeling. Without pausing, he delivered a skillful series of perfectly-executed blows that drove his opponent back several dozen yards. A final roundhouse kick to Goku's jaw flipped him backward into the ground, leaving a massive crater.

BLAM! Goku exploded out of the crater, clothed in his natural white aura, and smashed his fist into Tien's chest. THUMM! Tien returned the attack with his own powerful uppercut.

The two warriors battled furiously, the shockwaves from each blow flattening the landscape around them. Goku's fluid, uninterrupted fighting style wasn't as forceful as Tien's deliberate, sequenced attacks, but he was able to land more blows. The two seemed almost perfectly matched.

After a few minutes, though, it became apparent that Tien's stamina was quickly waning. The kaioken that made him Goku's equal was draining his reserves. With only moments of energy left, he dashed up into the air and lifted his hands in front of his forehead.

"TIMES NINE KIKOHO!"

"Oh, crap!" Goku saw the tri-beam stance being formed and reacted immediately. WOOSH! Instantly a Super Saiyan, he pulled both hands to his side. "Kamehameha!"

FOOM! The blue and golden beams met with a gigantic explosion, knocking both warriors back.

Goku picked himself up quickly and flew to where Tien was laying on his back. "Hey, you all right?" Tien sat up slowly. "Whoa...yeah, I think so. I've never tried the tri-beam with such a high kaioken before."

"That was really impressive!" Though Goku was clearly in better shape after the explosion, he was panting just as hard. "Not only were you able to keep up with me using kaioken, but your tri-thing was nearly a match for my Super Saiyan state. And from what I can tell, you'll be able to take kaioken a lot farther than I ever could."

Still half-stunned, Tien allowed himself the luxury of one brief grin. Maybe he could be useful against the androids after all.

Almost three years had passed since the death of King Cold. According to Future Trunks, they now had only eight months months before the androids would be released by the nefarious Dr. Gero.

Everyone thought it quite amusing to be celebrating a second birthday and a twenty-second birthday for the same person on the same day. Though Trunks was actually a little older due to his time traveling, he had no desire to calculate his exact age; keeping his birthday the same just made sense. Besides, having this joint birthday party was their last milestone before the arrival of the androids, one of the few remaining happy moments truly free of worry. All the warriors of Earth gathered together at the Capsule Corporation for a picnic. In addition to the abundant singing and dancing, mounds and mounds of food had been prepared. Goku, in particular, was eating more than ever.

"Blame it on all this training as a Super Saiyan," Goku laughed, a rack of ribs in each hand, "but I just can't get enough of this food!"

Vegeta gorged himself as well, but he tended to choose finer fare than Kakarott. Over the past three years, the prince had discovered a variety of delicious ales and lagers; his favorite among them being one called Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale. Now that Trunks was definitely old enough to imbibe, regardless of "time zone", his father introduced him to a few favorites. Finally, they had something in common besides training—beer. The young man returned the favor by introducing Vegeta to the strange Earth drink called Powerade—it really hit the spot after each long workout.

For the first time, Trunks was experiencing the world as it had been before the androids. Though he was unsettled by how oblivious the public seemed, it was still a nice escape from the nightmare of his future. Every few weeks, he would take a day off of his training to go into the city with his mother and his young counterpart. Nobody was a bigger hit with little Trunks than himself, and despite the constant dread of the androids, the young man from the future really was happy. The child was even becoming a decent little warrior, despite his father being too preoccupied to train him; the young man from the future had taken up the slack. Chibi Trunks had known his future counterpart his entire life, whom he called Uncle Trunk, and the two were fast friends. In particular, the two-year-old could often be seen carrying around a plastic sword and attacking imaginary monsters across the Capsule Corporation property.

Long after the birthday celebration had concluded, late that night, both adult Trunks and Vegeta were still awake, training. With only a few months left before the androids were supposed to appear, the pair of Super Saiyans had begun to push themselves harder than ever before. Though Trunks had nearly mastered his father's fighting style, he was still not satisfied with his strength. He was confident he had done all he could, yet the dread of the androids was something that constantly caused him doubt. His father had become increasingly secretive in his training, and the boy had hit a plateau. Despite all his efforts, he was making less and less progress.

Several months later...

With mere weeks remaining before the appearance of the androids, Trunks started flying out to Mount Paozu to check on Gohan's progress. Abruptly, he spotted the boy flying toward him at full speed. Feeling a strange tension in his energy signature, Trunks accelerated. What could possibly be wrong?

"TRUNKS! Come quick!" the boy yelled. "It's my dad, something's wrong with him!"

Future Trunks suddenly panicked. What could have happened? If Goku couldn't fight, then his whole journey – the fight with Cold – these past three years of training – it would all be for nothing!

"What's wrong with him, Gohan? What do you mean?"

"He just collapsed during training today, clutching his chest, and now he won't wake up. Mom's been taking care of him for the last hour, but he's got a high temperature and his pupils aren't responsive. I was on my way to bring Bulma and some doctors, but I don't know how long he will make it. You have to help him!"

A chill ran down the half-Saiyan's spine. He immediately recognized the symptoms that Gohan was describing. 'How...how could Goku have become infected? It's far too soon for anyone to get the virus, let alone him!' He made his decision quickly. "I have to get to him right now, Gohan, before it's too late. If this is what I think it is, we don't have much time!"

Future Timeline, one month after Trunks had originally departed…

Bulma was brewing a pot of capsule coffee in her underground base. There was still a good supply left—it had been in one of the few storehouses that hadn't been destroyed the first time the androids attacked Capsule Corporation. This morning, like every morning, she wondered whether she would see her son again. They hadn't been sure how much time would have to pass before the machine could safely re-enter the original timestream, so she had told Trunks to set its return forward at least a week for each year he remained in the past. She knew the androids would arrive soon. Any day, he could return victorious!

Suddenly, she heard a loud crack, following by a low hum. The sound of the wormhole closing was unmistakable. Looking outside, she felt a rush of excitement. There was no doubt about it: her son had returned!

"Oh, Trunks, you're back!" She ran towards the yellow machine, not understanding why her son hadn't exited yet. "What's the matter, son? Come on out."

As she rolled her ladder up to the machine, peering inside, she gasped.

"GOKU?!"

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We hope you've enjoyed this chapter, particularly the big reveal at the end! It was hard to know how to come up with the right balance of training, exposition, and dialogue for this segment, but a lot of important things had to happen. We're sure you're all ready to get back to the action!

Speaking of action, you'll have to wait two more weeks to find out what happens to Goku, because next week will be another Bringer of Death special: the story of Future Tapion. As an added bonus, this upcoming chapter has been cleared with the writers of Dragonball Multiverse; it is a new backstory for Universes 12 and 14. Have you ever wondered what happened when Hoi and Tapion came to Earth in the original timeline? How did Mirai Trunks become a Super Saiyan? Who defeated Hirudegarn? These questions will be answered, along with new chapter art by our very own Arcane Super Saiyan!

Now, a few Q and A's:

Q: I'm getting the uncomfortable feeling that Vegeta is turning into a Mary-Sue. I realize it's centered around but the Sue-iness is slowly creeping in.

A: I have a hard time agreeing with that. It made perfect sense for Future Vegeta to win the fight in the last chapter. He's doing well now, but he isn't going to be some unstoppable unbeatable force in BoD…he has many obstacles to overcome. I won't make him a Gary Stu.

Q: It was a good chapter but I think Goku gave up/loose too fast.

A: I saw a lot of comments saying something similar. If you read the fight again, you'll see that Goku is on the offensive from the very beginning. He goes at it 100% from the start, and he gets in a LOT of good hits, but the thing was he knew from the beginning that Vegeta meant business. Vegeta kept coming back from all his attacks. The strength gap between them was nothing compared to the difference in their stamina. Remember that Vegeta had been a Super Saiyan for much longer. Goku gave it his best shot, and when it was time to concede he pinned all his hopes on the mercy of Vegeta…which got him killed.

Q: No reason as to why Vegeta returned to Earth?! Man, I feel jipped at that last bit. I would have loved to see inside his head or know what he was thinking even returning to Earth. I just figured he would put it behind him like a bad hang over and never look back on it.

A: I was specifically vague regarding OT Vegeta...if he ever were to appear again, what would happen to him and how would he be judged, etc. All these are important questions, but I wish to keep the answers to myself for now…and quite a long time probably. But maybe that vaguely answers the why.

Q: I think I heard mention of a Bringer of Death/Honor Trip crossover being discussed. A DBM-style setting would be cool-you could even just write a DBM story with some of the universes replaced with yours (although you might have to wait until after the Buu saga to do that, to fit it into DBM's timeline.) But whatever you do, I can't wait to read it.

A: Such a thing may have been discussed. Me, David, and Vigor have at least mentioned it, but it will be a long time before we get to it. Still, I'm glad you're excited at the prospect. And we've thrown around a few possibilities about what might happen after BoD is over.

Q: Had Vegeta not knocked Gohan out after he killed Goku, would he have been able to transform and finish off Vegeta. We know he's stronger than Vegeta and Goku were when they transformed and he certainly had the catalyst since his father died.

A: 'We KNOW he's stronger than Vegeta and Goku?' I'm afraid the only people that KNOW how strong Gohan is once he becomes a Super Saiyan are David and I. He did have the motivation with his dad dying, and he might have transformed, but he didn't. Vegeta saw to that by knocking him out, but let me settle your doubt nonetheless. Even if Gohan transformed he would be no match for Vegeta. There are so many factors involved, like Gohan not being able to train up his base as high as he would if he were a SSJ.

Q: I'm a huge Vegeta fan but your depiction of him in this chapter really made me hate him...

A: Well, I'll actually take that as a compliment. Some people only love the reformed Vegeta, who wouldn't hurt anyone…this clearly isn't him. Our Vegeta is truly the Bringer of Death. Sure, he doesn't gain satisfaction or take enjoyment from slaughtering helpless innocents—yet he has a reputation to uphold and an Empire to run. And yes, he has reformed some from the monster he once was. But, he still places a high value on his honor—so much so that he would kill to regain it. Don't think Canon Vegeta wouldn't have done the exact same thing if he had been stronger than Goku and there were no androids (or no one to warn them). Pride is everything to him, and he simply followed what he believed to be right…many would applaud him for doing so. There was no heartless senseless murder in what he did killing Goku. It was all for the sake of regaining what had been stolen from him—and part of Goku even realized the prince was right to have offense against him. Anyway, that was a different Vegeta. The Vegeta in the present has already changed dramatically—his son from the future is mostly to thank for that.

Q: Anyways, was Future Vegeta killed easily by the Androids, or was there at least a small struggle?

A: Oh there was definitely a well fought battle on the Prince's end. Who knows…had the Z fighters joined in to help him things might have ended differently—but we know he would rather die than accept their help, and they would never offer it after what he did to Goku. Needless to say, even if he was close to their strength, there are two of them and they don't tire out during battle.

Q: Will you release another special in the future about Vegeta being killed by the Androids, it would be fascinating to read his thoughts when he realizes that he cannot defeat them. But can you answer the biggest plot hole, in my view, and that is, why didn't Goku contact Gohan and tell him about the Hyperbolic Time Chamber?

A: I'm not really psyched to read Vegeta getting pwned by the androids. I'd much rather read what is going to happen this time around. As to the other part of the question, I don't know why people think that the HTC is a magical microwave that pops out Ascended Super Saiyans. Sure, it's a great gateway but that doesn't mean one has to use it to get there. As it so happens, Gohan may have even used the HTC in the BoD OT…

Q: Apology: Directed to the unit designated as C-47. It was not my intention to insult you or your speech pattern, it was mimicking as a form of flattery.

Query: How do you know I am a meat bag? I could perhaps be another robotic unit.

Do you think Cell has some of Buu's DNA?

A: First, I'm glad that our favorite assassin droid has been a hit with you. He's such a great character that I never tire of his additions and always welcome his commentary. As for the other part of your question—I don't see any way it's possible for Cell to have Buu's DNA in him. His regeneration factor is merely an enhanced result of his Namekian DNA which was altered and perfected by Dr. Gero's computer. Buu is a magical being, whose regeneration is such. Cell, however is a purely biological entity, and his abilities come strictly from science.