Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Taking Chances and Leaps of Faith ❯ In Which Nightmares Commence ( Chapter 3 )

The darkness swelled and grew. It became its own entity and blotted out the surrounding life. Swirling in itself, the mass enlarged and began to form a shape. The figure of a man appeared, tall and forbidding. He had no distinctive features, his face was shadowed, but his eyes, oh, his eyes…. pinpoints of emptiness, overflowing with cruelty and malice. Pure hatred radiated and his aura was sick with the putrid sense of death and destruction.

Trunks twisted and turned in his sleep, unable to escape the horror of his dream. The shape faded and was preceded by the image of home, but it was different, sparkling and unadulterated. This was the other home, the world that had been saved. Darkness seeped in and before Trunks realized the implications, the evil persona had returned, polluting the purity with his corruption, the beauty with his spite.

The hardened warrior was frozen, unable to react, unable to battle. He watched in horror as the being advanced upon his alternate home, sucking the purity from the very air, leaving staleness in his wake.

Suddenly, Trunks was there, in her room, his mothers. She cradled a baby in her arms, a beautiful baby girl. Trunks immediately knew who this precious bundle was, his sister. The figure was unexpectedly behind them, but they could not sense his presence. Crying soundlessly, Trunks watched in horror as the creature sucked the life from Bulma and her daughter. He seemed to laugh and laugh and laugh….

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Trunks awoke from the nightmare abruptly, his breathing labored and cold sweat beading on his skin. His bed was soaked from the perspiration and he hobbled out of it and onto his chair. The cool air bit his skin, but he welcomed the proof of his return to reality.

The dream had been so real; Trunks could still feel the fear and helplessness. He closed his eyes tightly and willed away the horrific images, but they continued to replay in his mind. Poor Bulma, she hadn't stood a chance.

Something about the nightmare nagged him. Maybe because it had been so real? Was that why he still felt so…concerned? Standing, Trunks quickly regained his legs and made his way to his mother's room. She would be able to help; Bulma was the smartest woman in the world.

Not surprisingly, she was still awake; Trunks could see the shine of light from underneath her door. Rapping quietly, he propped the door open an inch and saw her reading a manual. Bulma looked up from her book and pushed her glasses to the top of her head.

"Trunks?" she asked, concern evident in her voice. "Are you okay?"

He entered, shaking his head. Bulma could smell his sweat and patted the spot next to her. "Had a nightmare?"

Trunks smirked, looking so much like Vegeta, Bulma's breath caught. Every day he resembled his father more and more. Ever since his return from the other time he had developed Vegeta's mannerisms almost unconsciously.

"How'd you know?"

Bulma smiled softly. "I'm a mother and mothers know all. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I think," Trunks began after sitting, "That something is wrong…in the other timeline."

"Why would you think that? Is that what your dream was about?"

Trunks nodded. "Yeah, I saw that Bulma die and her daughter too."

Bulma gasped, "She has a daughter?" Her voice was hushed and her eyes drifted away. Trunks suddenly felt like a heel.

"I'm sorry, Mom…"

"No," Bulma said firmly, "Don't apologize, Trunks. What is done is done, and I wish them nothing but happiness."

"Do you want me to continue?" Trunks asked quietly, fiddling with a loose strand on Bulma's ancient comforter.

"Of course!" Bulma declared.

"So, this evil being kills them both and it just laughs and laughs and then I wake up."

"I see," Bulma said. She was quiet then said slowly, "Maybe it was just your sub conscious worrying about them. Do you really think that this is going to happen?"

Trunks shrugged. "I don't know. I just know that it seemed so real and it was the worst feeling in the world."

Bulma watched her handsome son fiddle with his fingers and her heart softened. He was so beautiful, so wonderful and he was being wasted in this world. He deserved a chance to find some happiness and this would be the perfect opportunity.

"Go, Trunks."

"But…"

The older woman held up her hand. "I know what I said before, Trunks, and I stand by my reasoning. The time machine is not meant to be used as a plaything to travel back and forth whenever you wish. However, this is not some visit, this might be important. I think your dream just might be a warning."

"So I have your permission to go?"

Bulma nodded. "Just be careful and don't stay very long. We don't know how much we alter the future by traveling back and forth."

Her son nodded and kissed her cheek. "Thanks, Mom. I am going to go pack and leave immediately."

Jumping up from the bed, Trunks raced out of the room. Sighing, Bulma stood and shrugged into her robe. Sometimes…that boy reminded her so much of herself. She chuckled and decided to fix him a snack to take with him. There was no way she could convince him to wait until morning so he might as well have something to tide him over during the travel.