What If? Future Gohan Survived?

Chapter 2: The Spar

Gohan and Trunks walk outside to spar. Trunks is sweating with nervousness. He knows that he can't stand a chance against the androids. He just got his butt royally handed to him when he thought that he could take them on. He was wondering if he should throw this fight. If he should just let Gohan win. Even if Gohan's stronger than him (which Trunks doubts) he's been in a coma for literal years. Maybe Gohan needs to win?

Gohan begins to stretch

"So you use a sword now?"

Trunks also starts stretching in mid-air. He always found it easier to stretch mid-air.

"Yes sir, Mr. Gohan"

"Please, Trunks. You're basically an adult. Call me Gohan. Wanna tell me how you got that sword?"

"It's a really long story, Mr. Gohan. But to make it brief, just look at the 100 foot tall monster corpse in East City."

Gohan stopped stretching out of sheer confusion

"Trunks, do you have any idea how little that explains?"

Trunks gave a shit-eating grin

"Yes sir, Mr. Gohan"

Gohan gave a slight, warm grin of relief that Trunks hasn't gone completely emotionless since he's been gone

"Atta boy."

Gohan passed Trunks a wooden sword

"Since swordplay is probably integrated into your fighting style, I'll let you use a sword that won't kill me or make me a bitlateral amputee."

Trunks had a face of surprise

"How do you know a word like that?

"My mother had me at a college reading level by the age of 7. There's a lot you don't know about me. Anyway. We'll start off by fighting in base, then in Super Saiyan. I want to see if you're both stronger and a better fighter than I am."

Trunks assumes a defensive fighting stance placing his sword in front of him, his jaw tense and sweat trickling down his face

"Are you sure you wanna do this, Mr. Gohan?"

Gohan assumes a fighting stance, putting his one good arm in front of him, thinking that he might have to hold back

"Come on Trunks, you chicken?"

Trunks chuckles at his master's attempt at levity, and rushes towards him. His sword hits Gohan's arm. Two more times Trunks tries to hit Gohan in the throat with his wooden sword, and both times Gohan blocks with his arm. Trunks realized what was off about Gohan's fighting style. Gohan only had one arm. He remembered Gohan training for months to develop a style for just one arm. Then, Trunks finally remembered that Gohan switched to fighting with his feet.

Gohan was holding back

Trunks then began to go as fast as he could, Gohan barely being able to keep up. Gohan was holding back? Gohan was in a coma for years and he thinks he has to hold back? Finally, Gohan switches to using his legs, and even then, he's barely keeping up. At some point Trunks even thows his sword to the ground for more of a challenge. Everytime Gohan tries to strike Trunks anywhere, Gohan immediately deflects and strikes Gohan back. Gohan comes to the conclusion that Trunks is a better fighter for right now. Whether if it's because Bulma's right and he's rusty, or Trunks just had better training, it doesn't matter. Gohan decides to test how strong his Super Saiyan is. Next time Trunks punches him, he grabs Trunks' fist and throws him 10 feet away. Gohan goes Super Saiyan. It feels odd to use it after literal years. But he does admit to himself that he missed the warm feeling in his blood the form always brought him

"Okay Trunks, fine. You're pushing me to use Super Saiyan. You use it, too!"

Trunks looks pissed at Gohan

"Mr. Gohan, are you INSANE?!? I am mopping the floor with you right now! What makes you think you could beat me in Super Saiyan! Let's go inside! The point's been proven! You haven't even eaten since you've been awake!"

Gohan knows that Trunks is trying to stall. He gets tired of trying to convince him, and instead hopes that Trunks is still a 16 year old in mind. Gohan also reminds himself to apologize to Bulma after saying what he's about to say to Trunks.

"Oh, of course you're stalling! You're still that scared kid that wants my training! You're not ready for this! Okay, it's decided, I'm going to fight Frieza and save Goku."

Trunks goes Super Saiyan and punches Gohan directly in the stomach. Gohan doesn't even have time to react to this. The crater on the ground that forms around Gohan is a considerable size. Gohan vomits and passes out.

"DAMMIT GOHAN! YOU! ARE! UNWELL! NOW GET UP AND LET ME PROVE IT TO YOU!"

Gohan doesn't respond, still asleep, something that Trunks can't see from the distance

"REALLY GOHAN?! STILL TRYING TO EGG ME ON?"

Gohan still doesn't respond, being unconscious. Trunks flies over to him to see his sleeping body. Trunks begins to cry at the idea that he might've killed his master. Trunks picks up Gohan and brings him to his mother.

Bulma observes the body and comes to the conclusion that Gohan's fine. She gives her son a warm hug and slips Goku's heart medicine into his pocket.

"Gohan's gonna be fine, son. Don't feel bad that he passed out. The idiot shouldn't have been fighting after his coma anyways."

Trunks hugs back and looks at his mom, still with tears in his eyes

"Why is Mr. Gohan being so stupid? He was never like this! Do you think he's going to be like this forever?"

Bulma thinks to herself. She realizes that Trunks is just a teenager. He doesn't deserve to be thinking thoughts like this. He doesn't deserve to be worried for somebody that isn't himself. She feels remorse that she couldn't provide him with a better life. She decides to tell Trunks the honest truth, but in the nicest way possible. Does she feel bad about it? Maybe. But it's the only way she could tell Trunks the truth without completely shattering his soul

"No honey. Gohan's going to be fine. He's just sad that he couldn't protect you. He's a lot like his father in that way. He just needs to sit down, eat some food, and take a chill pill and he's going to be fine when you get back from the past."

Bulma kisses Trunks on the forehead

"Now go to the past, before Mr. Tripod-In-A-Gi over here decides to almost kill himself again"

Trunks chuckles and kisses his mom on the forehead, back. He flies over to the time machine and presses the button for the right time and coordinates. He feels nervous. Maybe even a little afraid. But as much as Trunks hates to admit it. Beating his master in a fight did something to him that nothing else could've done. It gave him confidence.

It gave him hope