DB series Story collection

Point of no return II

Except, he felt nothing on the bench next to him.

Trying not to show his panic, he glanced over and his heartbeat returned to normal when he saw that the time machine capsule and the small piece of bone had simply fallen off the edge of the bench. He took a deep breath and decided it was too risky. He had to put it all away and deal with it later. Maybe when he was in the space pod and he had actual privacy.

Trunks leaned over to pick it up, when a white boot slammed down on the time machine capsule before he had the chance, breaking it into pieces.

Trunks felt like the boot might as well have slammed into his heart as his mouth suddenly ran dry.

"You stay out of trouble, Trunks..."

The dismayed teenager slowly looked up, his blue, pained eyes meeting his father's. Vegeta's gaze was cold, dark, and empty. He was wearing brand new battle armor and a green scouter, his tail now wrapped securely around his waist.

"Miss me, kid?" Vegeta asked, his tone emotionless and his face guarded.

Trunks couldn't find it in him to respond, he was so shocked and completely overwhelmed with a sense of dread and despair like he had never felt before in his entire life. Vegeta didn't give him the chance to even try to compose his thoughts. He snarled and backhanded the teenager hard across the face, knocking him right off the bench seating and sending him to the floor, sending Trunks' scouter flying. Nappa ignored the display while Raditz snickered. Trunks stayed on the floor, wincing from his father's hit and trying to keep his tears at bay.

How am I going to go home now? he wondered to himself, horrified as he thought of his mother alone with the androids. The despair rushing through him felt like it was going to suffocate him as he struggled to breathe. They're going to find her, they're going to kill her, and I will never forgive myself... how could I have been so fucking stupid!

"Hn. Didn't know I hit that hard. Good to know," Vegeta remarked curiously. He then reached down and grabbed Trunks forcefully by the hair, forcing the teen to raise his head and arch his back much like Frieza had done to him. Vegeta squatted down in front of Trunks and looked into his tearing eyes.

"So you think that was painful, do you, boy?" Vegeta said, pronouncing his question like a statement. His eyes were frightening; Trunks could see almost no sign of sanity there. The teenager absent-mindedly wondered if Frieza had finally broken his father as Vegeta snorted. "Well you're wrong, kid. You don't know shit about what pain really is." Vegeta leaned forward so he was in Trunks' face, his eyes ice cold. "But the next time that you embarrass me in front of Frieza and his lieutenants, I swear to you, boy. I will show you the true meaning of that word when I end your miserable existence and send you to the next dimension."

Vegeta shoved Trunks' head to the side as he stood up and stepped over him. He shoved Trunks' gloves away and sat down in Trunks' place, reaching for some food. Raditz and Nappa didn't engage him in any conversation, neither wanting to try the prince's volatile temper. Vegeta then began eating quietly and with far more dignity and refinement than his Saiyan comrades.

Trunks couldn't move from where he was, his eyes on the crushed capsule only a foot or so away from him. He stared at it for what seemed like a long time, before Vegeta growled, "You're an embarrassment on the floor, boy. Get up immediately before I force you to stay down there permanently."

With a heavy heart, Trunks reached out to the remains of his capsule. He cradled it with the same care that he had once cradled the chain and pendant he wore religiously. With a shaking hand, he put the remains down into his suit where it could be supported by his armor, ignoring a voice telling him that it was no use. He felt as destroyed as the capsule, and he needed it close to him right then.