BACK TO THE FUTURE!
TRUNKS' DESTROYED TIMELINE
Once we returned to the Seventh Universe, it was a matter of waiting one more day until Bulma had finished fixing the time machine. During that time, Whis took me to visit Grand Zeno, in which I got a Zeno Button so to speak, in which one press would either bring me to Zeno or bring Zeno to me. After that was done, we were finally ready to head to the future.
IN THE TENTH UNIVERSE
Zamasu poured another cup of tea for his master. Recently, the two had begun viewing mortal activities, Gowasu wishing to restore Zamasu's faith in mortals, but it only pushed Zamasu's hatred further
Gowasu: You lack faith in mortals. Tell me why.
Zamasu didn't speak, placing the tea in front of his master
Gowasu: This tea is a mirror, pointed inward. If the soul of its maker is clouded, the tea will be as well. So, is it fear that clouds this cup? Or bewilderment? Speak.
Zamasu: Master Gowasu, you have said something often. To make mistakes often but learn from them, thus forging a better world. That is the essence of a mortal spirit.
Gowasu: Mmm.
Zamasu: But as far as I can see, mortals do not learn this way at all! Planet Babari is no outlier, Master! You've seen this countless times
Gowasu: Patience, Zamasu. Every seed needs time to grow.
Zamasu: Gardens are tended. Not just watched! Should a gardener not pluck the weeds? When I was invited here, I thought you would teach me divine justice. But all you seem to do is watch while those monsters stain existence with each other's blood!
Gowasu: Hmm... Zamasu, do you ever ponder the relationship between good, evil, and justice?
Zamasu: Yes. All the time. Evil is the great obstacle to good. And justice, the sword by which good can overcome the obstacle and flourish.
Gowasu: That is one perspective. But I have come to view it this way: Justice is not a sword eradicating evil, but a scale keeping good and evil in balance.
Zamasu: Balance, master?
Gowasu: One can succumb to evil, but reject the darkness and rediscover the light with new understanding. Justice makes the journey possible. Evil informs good. And that is why we give the mortals their minds.
Zamasu's eye twitched
Zamasu: You give corruption too much credit. Evil does not inform good! It sullies it. Like the Babari sullied their world with violence. And that arrogant Y/N sullied this sacred ground by swinging his fists at a god. Mortals received the divine gift of intellect, the potential of wisdom, but they misuse it to destroy the beauty of creation. Mortals do not succumb to evil, they are evil. They create it, they spread it, with minds they should not possess. How can we call ourselves gods if we watch this blight and do nothing to stop it?
Gowasu: Zamasu. You have a strong hunger for justice and that can be a great thing. But we must put temperance over righteousness. And guide lost children to the good path at a pace that seems slow for even us. Do not forget the true reason you have honed your fighting ability is to strengthen your mind for your journey toward enlightenment. Being gods does not make us perfect! We too must learn and mature over time.
Zamasu turned back to Gowasu and reluctantly bowed.
IN THE SEVENTH
Trunks: Mom, I can not thank you enough.
Vegeta: C'mon, Trunks.
Trunks: Right.
Y/N: You coming, Caulifla?
Caulifla smiles and nods as the five of us pile into the machine, it was a tight squeeze but nobody minded too much. Trunks activated the time machine and soon, we began to travel through time.
Goku: Y/N, I've wondered... Why did you want Bulma to fix the time machine?
I sigh
Y/N: I've heard Bardock's voice for a while now. I was going to use the time machine to travel to when Planet Vegeta was destroyed and see if I spotted anything out of place. Guess it came in handy, but not for the reason I believed.
Vegeta: And you planned on doing that alone?!
Y/N: Yeah, I did... I didn't think anyone would take me seriously if I told them about a voice of a long-dead family member in my head, so I was gonna go AWOL.
After a moment in silence, we arrived in Trunks' time
Caulifla: This is your future?! Looks worse than I thought!
Suddenly, Trunks ran toward something
Vegeta: Trunks, wait!
Trunks ran over and picked up a beanie lying on the ground
Vegeta: What is it?
Trunks: T-this is Mai's... She was lying right here when I left.
Y/N: The way you spoke of Mai.. maybe she survived, got away..
Suddenly, I sensed something a group of men, with a loud boom, several shots were fired at Father
Goku: WHOA!
Trunks jumped high and cut the bombs with his sword before they hit Father
Goku: All right!
???: Great, Plan B!
Several men appeared from cover
Goku: Huh?
Soldier: THIS IS FOR EVERYONE YOU KILLED! EAT LED, MURDER!
Trunks: HOLD YOUR FIRE! THIS MAN ISN'T THE ENEMY!
Soldier: What?! ITS COMMANDER TRUNKS!
The soldier looked at his comrade
Soldier: DON'T YOU REMEMBER THE BATTLE ON MANGO HILL? HE FOUGHT THE MASKED SAIYAN TO A STANDSTILL!
All the soldiers freaked out
Soldier 2: IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN, COMMANDER TRUNKS!
The other soldier ran to Trunks
Soldier: IT'S AN HONOR TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE! IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU REINFORCING US ON MANGO HILL, THE RESISTANCE WOULD HAVE BEEN DEFEATED!
Both soldiers looked to Father in confusion
Soldier: Sorry about that. We almost blasted ya good. Your hair got us spooked, it is exactly the same as that Masked Saiyan.
Y/N: That's why we're here, to help you stop Bardock
Soldier 2: Bardock?
Trunks: Hold up a moment, we still owe these soldiers a proper introduction. This is Goku, Y/N, Vegeta, and Caulifla. Explaining any more would take a while.
Soldier: Considering they're with you, we can assume their reinforcements from the past!
Trunks' face filled with confusion.
Soldier 2: It's still really weird, though. Of all possible reinforcements, this Goku looks like the guy he's supposed to fight, and the Y/N guy looks just like Goku!
Soldier: And those other two, the girl and the guy with the widow's peak look even scarier than the Masked Saiyan.
Caulifla chuckled
Vegeta: Shut up!
Trunks ran right toward the soldier
Trunks: WHO TOLD YOU ABOUT THE TIME TRAVEL PLAN?!
Soldier 2: U-uh... Well, it was Mai. Who else would tell us?
Trunks backed up in shock
Trunks: S-she.. she's alive...
TIME SKIP
We followed Trunks through the destroyed streets of West City into an abandoned subway. We spotted women tending to another soldier's wound.
Mai: There.. should be better now...
Trunks: Mai.
Mai stood up slowly as tears formed in Trunks' eyes. Trunks bolted right toward Mai, embracing her in a hug.
Trunks: I-I thought you were dead!
Mai: I could say the same of you!
Trunks: I thought for sure... I thought I lose you, Mai...
Mai saw the look of udder sadness on Trunks' face
Mai: Dummy. You should know I don't die that easily. Now stop crying solider! That's an order!
Trunks smiled, wiping the tears from his eyes. Mai spotted us, Trunks stepped out of the way
Mai: T-these must be your friends from the past?
Trunks: Yes. Mai, meet Son Goku, Son Y/N, Caulifla, and Vegeta.
Mai: You... Goku.. you look just like him...
Goku: Everyone seems to say that about me...
Mai's eyes met Caulifla's
Mai: Good to see another girl, it gets lonely being the only one. *laughs*
Caulifla chuckles
Mai: Come with me.
All of us follow Mai
Trunks: You found a nice location for a new base.
Mai: Thanks. After I came to, I linked up with Resistance soldiers mounting a defense against the Masked Saiyan. Our previous base had already come under attack. Something was off though... His mask was partially broken. Though he fought us, his eyes looked horrified, like he didn't want to do what he was doing.
Y/N: He isn't in control of his actions
Mai: What?
Y/N: The mask has been controlling him, the man under the mask is an entirely different person.
Mai: How do you know?
Y/N: Cause the Masked Saiyan, his real name is Bardock, and he's my grandfather
Mai: WHAT?! YOU'RE THE MASKED SAIYAN'S GRANDSON?!
Y/N: I am. Bardock was taken from his own timeline and brought to this one to do the bidding of a more powerful being.
Mai: S-so.. the Masked Saiyan- Bardock is merely a vessel.. for who?
Y/N: We don't know yet, we're figuring that one out. Where are the refugees?
Mai: In Here.
Mai opens up a curtain and we all peak inside, a small group of men, women and children sat around fires
Mai: These are the ones who made it.
Vegeta: This is all that's left?!
Mai: Yes. I should've saved more...
Goku: You did the best you could with what you had, Mai. There's no shame in that.
Tears formed in Mai's eyes
Mai: Right.
Goku: Uhh...
Father looked around as the refugees spotted him. All of them were faces of fear. Trunks walked over to a group of kids, cheering them up with some funny faces.
Trunks: Thank you for saving smiles like these
Mai: *giggles* Trunks...
Old Women: Oh, wow. You know how to lift our spirits with your words and looks.
Injured Soldier: We'd be honored if the great Trunks stayed here, right?
Vegeta smiled proudly at his future son as Caulifla walked forward
Caulifla: MAKE WAY, MOVE!
Mai: W-what is she doing?
Trunks: I don't know.
Caulifla grabbed a box from her pocket and opened it, a series of capsules were stored in them
Caulifla: Let's see...
Caulifla grabbed a capsule and opened it, throwing it at the ground, with a loud pop, several tables filled to the brim with food appeared, and all the refugees began to eat.
Trunks: T-thank you!
Caulifla: It isn't from me. That mother of yours put this together for them.. I've only known Bulma for a short time.. but I like her
Trunks: And I see she gave you my old jacket?
Caulifla looked at the Capsule Corp jacket she wore
Caulifla: This used to be yours? I guess you got good taste, future boy.
Caulifla reached into his jacket and pulled out another box of capsules, throwing them toward Mai.
Caulifla: She said there's more where that came from!
Mai: Thanks!
Y/N: Bulma really came through, didn't she?
Vegeta: Of course she did! She's my wife after all..
All of us head toward the surface
Mai: It's been a long time since I've seen them so happy. Thank you for everything you've done
Y/N: I wouldn't thank us just yet, Mai. Our mission isn't complete until we free Bardock from that mask and return peace to this timeline!
Mai: Are you gonna fight him too, Trunks?
Trunks: Yeah.
Vegeta: No, you're going to observe, Trunks. I can defeat Bardock by myself!
Goku: What?! I want a crack at him! He's my dad after all!
Vegeta: You didn't know a damn thing about Bardock until Trunks showed up! It's my turn and I won't let you take that from me!
Goku: Come on, Vegeta! ROCK-PAPER-SCISSORS!
Vegeta: I said no!
Mai: They don't seem very worried, do they?
Trunks: Father, let me fight Bardock with you!
Vegeta: No.
Trunks: FATHER-
Vegeta: This may be a fight we can't win! If we all fall fighting Bardock, at least you can survive and build your own future with your girlfriend!
Both Trunks and Mai blushed furiously
Caulifla: I'm actually shocked that Vegeta would be the one to say that..
Goku: Vegeta is right. Besides, she's pretty cute
Trunks: Y-yeah, BUT WE'RE NOT- WE'RE JUST FRIENDS! COMRADES-IN-ARMS, REALLY!
Goku: I thought that about Y/N and Caulifla, and now look at them!
Mai: W-we're just friends, honestly...
Y/N: ALRIGHT! LETS THROW DOWN!
All of us fly off, leaving Mai at the refugee camp.
Mai: BE SAFE, AND YOU BETTER WIN!
A WAYS AWAY
Bardock looked over the destroyed city before him, his free eye looked at the destruction is disgust, he used to take over planets, but he never really cared for the destruction. He thought back to Planet Cereal and Muezli, how frightened she looked. He held the mask part of his face with his hand as a voice echoed in his head, a divine voice
"It's heartbreaking to see a world so scarred. But the purge is necessary, Bardock. Imagine the bright shining future here once it's free of mortals who defile it like the barbarous vermin they are! It won't be long until this planet is reborn as a utopia! Our final judgment is upon them!"
Bardock was brought back to reality as a big energy blast was shot into the sky.
Goku: If that doesn't get his attention, I don't know what will.
Thunder rumbled as Bardock appeared in front of us. I shuddered, seeing Bardock's free eye
Goku: There he is!
Y/N: Alright, Bardock! We're here to save you!
Vegeta powered up to Super Saiyan Blue
Vegeta: I'll turn that stupid mask of yours to dust!
Trunks: Dad's Super Saiyan Blue form doesn't seem to faze Bardock... It's like he knew it was coming
Vegeta: His power has increased since Y/N fought him... BUT THAT WON'T STOP ME FROM KICKING YOUR ASS!
Y/N: REMEMBER VEGETA, WE DON'T KILL HIM! WE BREAK THE MASK!
Vegeta: YEAH, YEAH, WHATEVER!
Vegeta charged at Bardock
END OF CHAPTER 43
OUTRO BY FBURNING
BSG OUT