Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ THE TRUNKS AND ALANNA SAGA ❯ The Dream. X. ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter Eight

"The Dream. X."

Trunks curled up in his bed, half asleep and half awake, resting, but keeping his senses alert. Alanna didn't have that option; sleep was sleep for her. At first, she didn't dream, but then she saw Trunks. She called out to him. He had his back to her and didn't turn around. She didn't know where she was, for it was black all around. She ran to him anyway, wanting to be held. "Trunks!" She said again, putting a hand on his arm.

He turned around and smiled. "Hey."

Alanna smiled back up at him. Then, before either could react, a thin beam shot through Trunks' chest. "NO!" Alanna yelled. Trunks stood still for a moment, eyes wide and pleading, then he fell to his knees in front of her. "Trunks!" Alanna sank down beside him as he fell to his side. She tried to cover the wound, to make it stop bleeding, but it poured on through her fingers. He gasped, trying to speak. Blood was seeping out all around, forming a puddle beneath her. "Please don't go, Trunks! Don't leave me!" He lifted a hand slowly and touched his fingers to her cheek, then his hand fell, splashing the blood on the floor. It sprayed onto her cheek. It was already only lukewarm... "Trunks..." Alanna shook him. "Come back, Trunks! Wake up...you have to...come back..." Trunks rolled over onto his back, limp and...lifeless. "Trunks!" She yelled. "TRUNKS!!!"

Alanna woke with a start, panting, sweating, and looking around with wide eyes. She gasped for air; the strain was so great she could hardly breathe. "Trunks?" She asked softly. A...dream? No...real? Trunks...dead? Trunks...he had to be alive! It was just a dream... Alanna scolded herself for being so frightened over a silly dream. But...just in case...she got out of bed and started down the hall. She promised herself she wouldn't wake him, just make sure he was alright. She started to make her way towards Trunks' room. She noticed then that it was storming, but paid it no mind. She turned the corner and saw someone worse to encounter than Vegeta, Pan. Alanna scowled as Pan eyed her icily. "Where are you going?" Alanna asked, just as frostily.

Pan smirked. "I'm going to see to see Trunks-chan. If I tell him I'm afraid of the storm, I'll get to stay with him. Where are you going?"

Alanna cast her eyes down. "I was just...going to get a drink." Since Pan was watching, Alanna had no choice but to leave and go to the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of water and sat at the table as she drank, crushed. What if Trunks liked Pan? She could hardly stand to think of it.

Vegeta growled as he stomped through the forest, trying to find the right thing to take his anger out on. He paused, spying a small white rabbit in the bushes. Perfect. He marched towards it, extending an arm. He picked it up by the scruff and looked at it.

"Put the rabbit down!" A voice commanded.

Vegeta scowled. It was her again. "What if I don't?" He asked. There was no reply, but he set it down anyway. He wanted to see what would come of this. "Come out!" He ordered. There was no reply. She's stubborn as a mule! I like that...reminds me of me. He grinned slightly, the thought amused him. Something occurred to him and he asked, "Are you a Saiyan?" He sniffed the wind, which carried her scent to him. Yes, definitely a she. "You smell like one." There was a quiet but vivid curse from the bushes straight ahead, which, Vegeta assumed, was probably because she had forgotten to conceal her scent.

Slowly, a foot slid into view, followed by "X," at last revealed. Vegeta smirked a little to himself. No one could hide from him. "So," he asked, "have you a name or are you really X?"

She rolled her eyes and stepped forward. "Shauna, and I'm a hybrid." She extended a hand, showing no fear. Vegeta shook it, his grip firm and bordering on dangerous. Still, she didn't flinch. He found this slightly disturbing. Another disquieting feature was her mercury tail. If he didn't know better, he'd assume all female hybrids had unusual tails. But no...These two were special. Why or how, he didn't think he'd ever know.

"That's a weird tail you've got there." He stated, wondering how she'd react to anger.

Shauna scowled and snapped sharply, "it's not weird! It's...it's special!" She grabbed her tail from Vegeta, who was examining it. She held it possessively, glaring at him.

Vegeta tilted her face up towards him with two fingers under her chin. "You're a proud little creature, aren't you?" His voice was deep, dark and rumbling. He could see her relax as she smiled. "I guess so..." She shrugged. "So are you but...of course...you're not little." Vegeta could hear a note of respect and a little awe in her voice.

"You know, Vegeta..." Shauna cast her eyes down a bit. "You really should leave Alanna and Trunks alone...they're not doing any harm. Do you want Trunks to be as lonely as you?"

Vegeta's eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed, tail bristling. "I'm not lonely!" He said emphatically.

Shauna shook her head. "Who are you trying to convince, me...or yourself? I can see it in your eyes."

Vegeta slowly dropped his clenched fists.

"You never really got a whole lot of love or respect...from anyone. It's not your fault, people just don't see you for who you really are." Vegeta was staring at the ground. "Well...no one and anyone are blanket statements...they could never be exactly true because...I see you. The real you."

Vegeta looked up at her. "What about the love and respect part?" He asked slyly. Shauna turned a red to rival Trunks'.

Vegeta nodded. "I understand." She looked up at him and he could see something in her eyes. She was infatuated, enamored. He smiled. Not a smirk, an actual smile. He felt, for the first time, like he was actually special. "Don't worry," he said, "I'm not angry. I just need a little time to myself to think, okay?" He tried to speak as gently as possible.

Shauna noticed this. It was strange and unlike him. "That's fine." She said.

Vegeta patted her shoulder as he turned to go. "Hey, merry Christmas." He called over his shoulder. Vegeta flew away to the sound of her laughter. Odd, laughter usually annoyed him. He wondered as he flew why something against his chest felt warm. When he looked, he saw that the back opal on his necklace...was glowing.