Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Fall Of The Lost ❯ Haunted ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter Three: Haunted

~Inside,

I'm all twisted round,

Feeling uptight,

And I can't come down.

Then I need some one to sell me..

I'm safe again

And I need some body to tell me

That they really care!

(Chorus)

What have we become..

Could you comfort me,

Comfort me..

The whole world's come undone,

Could you comfort me,

Comfort me..

Back up,

Evolution here.

All the sick fucks,

Being born to kill.

They just need some one to sell them,

That it's safe again..

They all need some one to tell them,

That some body cares!

(Chorus)

What have we become..

Could you comfort me,

Comfort me..

The whole world's come undone,

Could you comfort me,

Comfort me..

You're gonna bring the whole world down!

Bring the whole world down!

(Chorus x2)

'Comfort Me.' By 'Pacifier'.

~Suit the action to the word, the word to the action; with this special observance, that you o'erstep not the modesty of nature.~ William Shakespeare.

There was a funeral. Being Matthew Hickman's boss it was my obligation to see his charred remains sent into the earth inside a wooden box. I didn't want people being suspicious if I didn't turn up.

His wife was there with his son and two daughters. The girls were crying, the son was trying to be a man and keep his head high. I knew he would cry later. I had suffered the same pride when my father had died when I was eight. They all threw white roses on his coffin; I threw a yellow one.

It didn't really surprise me to see Mr Weis there with Paris. They stood on the out side of the mourning ring. Not wanting to interfere or be involved in any markable way. They didn't want to be remembered.

Paris was crying. I felt no pity for her, only for Goten who had wasted so many hours on her. She was a beautiful woman, long legs and blond hair, not all that smart but she had cunning. Though cunning with out intellect usually leads to a downfall.

Weis on the other hand, was a dark greying older man. His eyes reminded me of pits in the earth full of slithering worms. When he looked at me, it sent chills down my spine. I could sense his aura unlike other people could and his aura was cold and dark. I hated shaking his hands. They reminded me of the skin of a corpse. And he always knew things. He had spies every where. I saw him walking towards me now in his dark grey coat and business hat. It was a chilly winter's morning. I was only dressed in a simple black suit with a red tie. I knew the tie was out of place but naturally I didn't really care about that. This funeral was giving me the creeps.

"Well, hello there Trunks Briefs." He said in that emotionless cold voice. I swear, he was like an android or something.

I was irritated in his lack of formal respect. I decided to pay him the same courtesy. "Hello Weis." I spoke coldly, starring right into his dark eyes. I saw him blink slightly and flinch. He wasn't frightened of me, was he? The thought gave me a strange thrill. My azure blue eyes never moved from his.

"I know what you did Mr Briefs." He said in a breath just above a whisper. I froze inside. Must stay calm! He can't know of me..?! I never let him faze me for a moment; I never let my shock show.

"Oh, and what did I do?" I asked with the innocence of the guiltless. I carelessly slid my hands into my pockets. It was a youthful habit I was never to break.

His eyes widened slightly. I knew he thought to catch me out. It wasn't going to happen though. I was too good at this. With Vegeta for a father, controlling your emotions had been a necessity.

"The fire, it was you're doing. I saw you." He muttered with that same odd nervousness. He really was frightened of me, wasn't he?

I clenched my brows together in rage and hissed between my teeth. "How dare you! Matthew was a good friend of mine!" My hands left their pockets and clenched into fists. Rage was becoming easier to grasp. I would worry about that later though. "How dare you insinuate that I caused that fire! You have no proof! Besides the fire department already stated it was an electrical fire!" It sure had been.

Weis rocked slightly on his feet. I realised he had thought with a little pressure from some one older and authoritative that I might crack. Tough luck, he obviously never met my father. I snarled in a rather primal way and hissed at him in the same low voice. "Go back to your hole Weis and concentrate on your defeat instead of trying to lay murder on me!" With that I turned around and stalked off, the indignant friend of the recently deceased.

Weis stood still, watching me go before he took his daughters arm and slow turned away to his black limousine.

~*~

By the time I got home I was a shivering wreck. How had he known?! How had he known I had killed Hickman! I knelt before my bed and rested my head on the sheets. Wait.. he must only suspect.. because Hickman had been working undercover for him, that his untimely death could only have been from me because I had found out about his laundering scheme. Still, Weis could never prove it and he could never tell the law because he had also been breaking it.

I relaxed a little. Nothing could come of this. I sighed out loud and closed my eyes. Tomorrow I could assign a new Board manager. And it would be a woman.

~*~

Three months had passed, it was a week before mother, Goku and Gohan were due back. I was hoping beyond belief that they would have father and I could go back to having a normal life. I had already gathered information on colleges that I wanted to attend. And in no way did I want to follow business. I wanted to follow the arts, martial arts preferably but I knew that I would have to do several other courses with that. Since I had always done well in art history and classics at school I decided I would take courses in those as well. Goten had already started at Orange Star College. I wanted to go to the same one, but if I wanted to get a martial arts degree it looked like I may have to go to Satan College. What a joke that would be, it was run by Videl's father Mr Satan. I couldn't imagine me learning any thing interesting there.. but I did want the degree. The degree followed the art form of martial arts rather than the fighting form. It would be interesting. With any luck I may become a teacher, a sensei in the future. My father, I think, would accept that. I could then teach his art of fighting, the same he had taught me.

It was a nice dream.

Suddenly there was a deep rumbling noise. My mug rattled in its coaster and I stood up and stared out the window off my office. Landing slowly was the capsule ship my mother had taken. With a grin I raced down the stairs and out the front door. I ran over the lawns and street to the labs where the ship had landed. Goten had reached there before me. "Your too slow man." He elbowed me in the side of my navy blue suit.

"I was just taking my time to sniff the roses." I laughed. The door of the ship slowly opened and Goku jumped out. He looked tired and dejected and instantly I knew they had failed.

Mother and Gohan followed the usually sprightly Saiyan and they smiled warily at us. I felt the huge weight of loss suddenly turn to lead inside me. Mother walked over and gave me a hug. "We tried Trunks.. we looked for so long.. but.." She shook her head against my chest and I slowly wrapped my arms around her. I nodded my head and sighed.

'I know, it's okay, he'll return in his own time." I whispered and I looked over at the Sons who were all talking quietly after they had exchanged hugs.

His own time though, I thought, may not be the time he believes it is..

~*~

"I think it would be for the best darling," She continued to say. I sat there glowering like a sulking little child.

"But I want to go to college!" I said heatedly, standing from the dinning table chair. My blue eyes sparked with rage.

Mum sighed and looked away for a moment, collecting her self. "But Trunks, I think you're ready to be President of Capsule Corps, I want to focus my concentration on finding Vegeta. I can't do that and be President, Trunks." She looked so sincere. She wanted to get away from those conniving money hungry businessmen as much as I did.

I stared at her long and hard. I didn't want to give in, but I understood her cause only too well. I wanted to be like other 18-year-olds so much! I wanted to go out and have fun! And learn and have millions of friends and millions of girls. Get drunk, experiment, get into fights, laugh and be happy. Like Goten. Mum was asking me to give up the normal larking life of an 18-year-old freshman and run a multi-billion dollar business. I didn't even have the qualifications for it.

"You did such a good job while I was away Trunks. You really impressed me." She smiled in that proud mum way. Oh Kami! But I hated this! It was against my nature! I bet even my forefathers got out every day to bang heads together on Planet Vegeta. I would be trapped, like a doll in a box, like Matthew in his coffin, in that office. Unable to escape. I knew I could do it and be good at it too. But if I was to be President, there was going to be some changes.

I gave a great sigh of defeat. "Fine.. but remember, I will rule as I see fit." Mum gave me a great beaming smile, ignoring my terms and threw her arms about me. I gave a begrudging smile and prepared to sign my soul away to the corporate devil. Rule as I see fit. I thought that over.. Did that mean I would.. dispose of others like I had of Matthew? NO! Never again! He had not been some utterly evil being with the intent of the destruction of the planet. Neither were the others, or Weis for that matter. I silently vowed never to kill another innocent person as long as I lived.

Little did I know how much of a liar I was. To my self, to every one.

~*~

I heard my mother suddenly laugh as she pulled a box out of a cupboard in her lab. "Well would you look at this! It must have been here for years!" She grinned and pulled out a picture frame. She was in the process of clearing her junk out of this old lab to move into one of the brand new ones across the street so she could set up radio equipment here to find father. It was my day off and darling mother thought that since I wasn't doing anything it would be healthy for me to help her. I felt a loud sigh coming.

She blew at the defiant dust and then gave it an unruly scowl at its disobedience. She trotted over to me with a smile and handed me the picture frame. It was small, about the size of a man's hand span and was simple painted wood the colour of Bra's eyes.

I froze when I saw the picture its self. It sent a strange chill down my spine. The first person I noticed in the group photo was my self. Well, at lest I could have been mistaken for him. He was me, but a me from a different future all together. It was Mirai Trunks. He was giving a winked salute to the camera. His long lilac hair fanned about his face like I knew mine could, but it was lighter, sun worn. His skin was darker, beaten, he was a solider. A warrior.

To his right was a scowling Piccolo, who obviously wanted nothing to do with the picture or the people in it. Yet in his eyes there was the light of protection.

To Mirai's left was Yamcha, in a way I had never seen him. His now long hair was a buzz cut and he wore a simple sleeveless orange gi. He had the spark of a fighter as well, which astonished me.

Above him was Tien who I had only met briefly and then to Tien's right was my father. He looked furious, he was snarling at them, half turned away wearing a bright yellow shirt. I smirked silently and roved my eyes to the three below Mirai.

It was a much younger pre-teen Gohan, with golden spiky hair; his fist raised in triumph and Goku, also Super Saiyan ginning into the camera. His other arm about a very bald Krillin. I could barely stifle my giggling, I had never seen the short-man bald though I had heard about it enough.

"My Kami.." I breathed with a smile and my eyes drifted up to Mirai Trunks again. I stiffened once more and stared at him. He had that silent sad strength about him. Like a saint he was. I couldn't take my eyes off him. He was me.. and I was him. But I bet he had never killed an innocent. My face darkened. He was pure and good. I was.. what was I? Wasn't I pure and good too? Every one else thought so.

As I looked into Mirai's eyes it seemed to me that his pleasant face suddenly changed. His arm dropped to his side and his eyes narrowed darkly. A furious scowl came to his face. He stared at me like I was the devil. And he had come back to wipe me from the Earth. His thin lips opened, revealing small sharp teeth. He whispered in my ear, "I know what you are, you are nothing like me." Then it seemed that he roared and leapt out of the picture to throttle me with his bare scared hands and I let out a frightened cry and dropped the frame. The glass smashed like a small spray of light on the cold concrete floor. I stared at its shattered face, panting for breath, my eyes wide. It was normal again. Trunks was giving me a winked salute. Mum hurried over when she heard the sound of smashing glass. "Oh Trunks! You're so clumsy.. Now I will have to find a new frame." She tutted and shook her head as she shifted the picture from the broken blue frame and walked away without looking at me. She called over her shoulder, "Clean up that glass Trunks." She walked out the door.

I stood still in the dark silence of the room for several minutes, learning how to breathe again.

~*~

I smiled smugly at their bleached faces. "But you can't fire us Mr Briefs! Union rules state that.."

"I have made a new Union, one which the other employees are flocking to join." I smiled professionally at them and gestured to the door. "Now please gentlemen, respect my decision. I was going to hire Mrs Blackett as new Chairman, then when mother personally handed me over as full time President I decided I wanted new rules." I smiled again politely. "I decided I don't need a board. I'll hand your responsibilities on lesser employees."

They gobbled like drowning fish and blinked looking at one another.

"If you wish to be re-employed in another part of Capsule Corps I'd be happy to look into it for you and guarantee you jobs else where here." I steepled my fingers on the table as I leaned forward. "In fact, I insist that you do. I don't want you running over to Weis now.. do I." I know I said that with more menace than necessary but I was tired and wrung out. My nerves were frayed to the stitches and I was in dire need of a coffee. Also I was feeling rather freaked out about recent strange events that were imposing on to my life in drastic and unpleasant ways. One by one the five of them looked at me with mixed feelings. I saw concealed anger, confusion and concern. I ignored their faces, I had told them what I wanted so that was how it was going to be.

I was in control now. And I was hating it already.

~*~

Burning! My flesh was burning! It was melting from my charred bones like roasted pork. I screamed with the agony! Fire burned down my throat, melting my lungs with in my chest. And I was STILL ALIVE!

I sat up screaming and slapping at my skin, yanking out great tuffs of purple hair. "Oh Kami!" I panted. I curled into a ball, shaking. My skin was slick from sweat. I was just a dream..

Just a fucking nightmare. "Oh fuck.." I clenched my eyes shut. I hoped no one had heard me scream. "Shit.. shit.." I cursed. The dream has been so real! Like it was happening right now. I gave a shuddering sob. Kami! The fear! Oh Kami, I had never been so frightened in my life! Not even when I had faced Buu. I was shaking. I was still in my room. In my bed. The darkness lay about me, a subtle shade of grey.

The realisation came to me suddenly that Hickman had died that way. Burning alive and aware. He hadn't died from smoke at all. He had suffered. I gave a cry of agony for what I had done to him, the full realising guilt burning me again like the dream fire. Tears of shame flowed down my cheeks. And they wouldn't stop..

And the tears did not stop the burning pain..

I heard a voice right next to my right ear, "Murderer!" it hissed with venom and I twisted about in shock. Gasping I looked about but there was no one there. My eyes wide I focused my vision to the mirror opposite me. There sat Mirai Trunks in the mirror, just like he had been in the picture. Looking at me with utter loathing. "Murderer." He spat and I screamed.

Pure terror! Unlike any thing I had ever imagined. He was haunting me! This image of who I could have been!

"STOP IT!" I cried, my voice hoarse and quivering, my whole body shaking. "STOP IT!" I screamed as he smirked at me through the glass and I stood up in frightened rage throwing the hot sweaty blankets from me.

I walked over to the mirror that mocked me from the other side of the room. Mirai Trunks stood too, marching defiantly to confront me. I glared at him and he glared back, my face was tear stained and red, but his was smooth and beautiful. Like it had been in the photo.

"MURDERER!" He screamed with rage as I screamed and smashed my fist through the mirror and the wall behind it. The glass shattered and fell, slashing my arm. I stumbled back with a shaky sob. My blood ran hot down my arm, the river of my life staining the grey carpet. I looked down to watch the stain slowly spread, tears still running as free as the blood. The river wound between the broken mirror pieces, splattering over them like a scarlet veil. I caught my eyes looking back at me a hundred-fold from those pieces. All those eyes scowled as one and I realised it was him!

Still he was there! Looking back at me! I started to shake and quiver; my face was white and pasty. Then in a hundred voices, separate faces screamed at me. "MURDERER, MURDERER, MURDERER!"

On and on he screamed at me! I ran, trying to escape him! But the door wouldn't open! I tried so hard to bang it down but my strength failed me and I felt my mind going hazy from the loss of blood. I whimpered and fell to the floor. I crawled away from the broken mirror pieces in to the far corner of my room, leaving a trail of blood by which he could find me! And I sobbed like a baby, curled up in a bloody ball.

Still he screamed at me! I could hear him from my corner. I could still hear him screaming! How he hated me..

How I hated me.

Then the darkness came and claimed me.

~*~

TBC..