[5] Prison

[Drake]

Trunks wandered aimlessly around the cage, still disorientated by the onslaught of memories that?d forced their way to the surface. This game of Brim?s had become something that the hybrid didn?t want to have any part of, he didn?t know why these memories were beginning to stir, but before he came to the asteroid they weren?t a problem.

?Ugh? I need to focus on something else.? Muttered Trunks as another piece of his history started to rouse from its deep sleep. Luckily for the Halfling, his father and Raditsu had engaged in a friendly game of ?Who can kick who?s ass first? which would serve as a welcome distraction from his unpleasant, and restless past.

One thing Trunks had to give credit to; was that his dad sure put up a pretty good fight even when he was essentially outclassed. Not that it took away from Raditsu however, he?d seen that saiyajin fight many times before since they began to hang out, but never had he seen the pure blood take it up to such a high level as he was when fighting Vegeta. It was true what they said, rivals really did bring the best out of each other, even if it had to be done like pulling teeth. If either warrior weren?t careful, the end result could easily be one of them dying; though, you had to wonder if maybe that wasn?t something they were both looking forward to.

?Trunks!! We have to help dad!? Yelled a familiar voice. The hybrid?s attention from the fight was broken and he focused on the warrior called Bra, who was also his supposed sister. For a moment he forgot their terrible memory she had previously caused to surface and looked down at her, but the fear of another bit of history welling up inside caused the lavender haired boy to turn his attention back to the fight before him. Strangely enough nothing happened and so he thought himself safe to confront his sister again.

?Sis... you know how dad is. This is his fight now. ?Sides, didn?t you see you strong he is? He?ll be fine.? Trunks replied, unknowingly giving support to the girl as well as subconsciously referring to her as his sister.

??Are you sure, Trunks?? His sister pleaded, looking deeply into his eyes to find some glimpse of assurance that their father would be okay. ??I can?t handle losing someone else.?

The feeling of d?j? vu swept over Trunks and caused his eyes to glaze over as his mind held firmly to the words ??losing someone?? Before reality completely slipped from his grasp, and the saiyajin prince was pulled into the vortex of lost memories, he simply replied, ?I?m sure?? After that Trunks turned away from Bra and walked off, muttering something to himself that was drowned out by the fight and commentary from the warriors present.

This feeling had become quite familiar by now, one of disembodiment and a hazy state of mind where it was hard to think or understand exactly what was going on. Instead of being caged up with a bunch of insanely powerful fighters, Trunks found himself standing in the middle of a vast empty field of long wild grass under a fairly clear blue sky.

?He was strong?? A voice said suddenly. Its origin came from behind the hybrid, and upon spinning around to see who it was he found two faceless people sitting atop a boulder.

The one was in his early twenties and had short black hair and carried a great many scars over the visible parts of his body. When looking at the man, Trunks felt an overwhelming sense of admiration for the person regardless of not knowing who he was- it just seemed ingrained. Beside him sat the boy who he?d recognised as the child from the previous two memories, except it wasn?t him, Trunks couldn?t explain what it was that separated the two but there was something unmistakably different.

?Your father that is.? Added the faceless man, giving the boy a hearty pat on the back. ?He was a remarkable warrior, prideful, but loyal and very determined.? His voice was full of reverence for the boy?s father as he seemed to look back on bygone days.

?Lies?? hissed an voice into Trunks ear.

Something that had never before transpired in the memories took place instantaneously after those words were uttered into the hybrids ear. A sensation similar to being turned inside out fell over the lavender haired fighter while the world around him transformed into some bizarre photo negative. And what followed it was a feeling of terrible disappointment and shame.

?My father wasn?t strong?? The boy replied, tilting his head to look at the man sitting beside him. ?He was weak, pitiful, and died a meaningless death.?

?Y-you don?t mean that?? stuttered the man sitting beside him.
?If he was strong he would still be here, in the end he died like a dog and left use alone just like everyone else?? The child turned his head towards where Trunks was standing, and for a brief terrifying moment it seemed as though he could see the lavender haired fighter. ?The weak can?t protect anyone, and will always be alone??

The dream like memory exploded into a thousand shards of tiny light and sent Trunks reeling back as if pushed forcefully by an unseen force. However, he didn?t seem to return to the reality that was Brim?s little bird cage, instead, Trunks was left to float in some dark void until whatever time his mind deemed to let him out.

But it still had a bit more to show him before giving him the luxury of freedom.

The endless purgatory he?d been stored in, while his subconscious worked on whatever demented plot it had in store, was ripped away in a much similar fashion as having a veil taken from one?s eyes to reveal a new scene in his story.

The clich? ?It was a dark and stormy night?? was the best way of describing what Trunks was currently witnessing, except there was no dark mansion or other such nonsense. Rather, the area was littered with the ruins of giant buildings that had been toppled over and upturned roads as if some cataclysmic earthquake had happened there. A nagging feeling led the hybrid to think otherwise though, something about all of it seemed artificial and not the work of Mother Nature. As he explored the modern ruins, the pouring rain passing through him as if he weren?t there and lightning brightening up the dark corners, Trunks found the tell-tale signs of what had transpired. Scorched holes, crushed up vehicles, and bodily imprints in concrete told of a large-scale fight between a few immensely powerful fighters.

Trunks followed the trail of damage to its focal point impressed and terrified at the damage that had been done, until he stumbled across the final battle ground.

At its center was a large pool of water that was the resting place for the warrior who?d fallen, laid to rest in what was likely a crater that had long since filled with rain water. Once Trunks got close to the mass of water, he found the familiar purple haired boy again, but this time the child?s centre of attention was directed at the half floating body at the center of the water. For some unknown reason, looking at the body of whoever it was, caused a great sadness to swell up inside of Trunks as if something of great importance had been suddenly ripped away from him to leave a large void within him; even the child seemed to feel this, for despite the fact that Trunks could not see his face, he could still see the tears of sorrow streaming down it?s cheeks from essentially nowhere.

?Weak? a familiar voice growled.

Everything just abruptly stopped, even the raindrops hung suspended in the air like a thousand tiny gems. For a brief moment Trunks was unaware of what was happening, nevertheless that would soon be remedied the recognizable disturbing feeling he?d been exposed to in the previous memory. And just like before, the world twisted and distorted until it was turned inside out, once again he was in that nightmarish ?negative? world- even the rain had changed, falling up instead of down.

?You bastard!? cried the angry boy. ?You were weak, just like my father!?

That feeling of something being lost and great sadness were replaced by devastating anger and resentment. So great were these new feelings that Trunks inadvertently clenched his teeth and balled his fist as if wanting to lash out violently.

In the midst of all the negative emotions, the lavender haired child stepped out onto the small lake where the body of the man from his memories float lifelessly and made his way to the center. Once there, the boy raised his foot and began ruthless stomp on the bobbing corpse to seemingly take pleasure in each hit as if gaining some sense of revenge with each hit.

?What good are you if you don?t even have the strength to protect what you care about?? The boy asked, staring vacantly in Trunks general direction.