Future Trunks' Timeline
Trunks stood at ground zero, eyes burning. In a single blast his family and the girl he loved had become dust. His plan had been simple destroy the androids, then fly to New Namek and gather the Dragon Balls but Cell's Kamehameha had wiped out every Capsule-stored spaceship.
"Right… the time machine."
A spark of hope. The capsule was still on him; he hadn't stashed it in the shelter.
He popped it, climbed in.
Whooosh
The machine vanished.
Prime Timeline
Gohan had barely returned to Earth when that familiar ki brushed his senses.
"Huh? He's back already?" He frowned and blinked away.
"You again?" he said, wary, when he found Trunks.
"Master Gohan help me. Please." Trunks didn't even notice the edge in Gohan's voice. He only begged.
"What happened? With your power, the androids shouldn't be a problem."
"A monster… a monster killed my mom and Mai…"
Piece by piece, Trunks laid out what had happened in his future.
"So that's it," Gohan said at last. He made his decision on the spot if Trunks didn't settle down, he'd keep hopping timelines, and there were people in this era who simply could not be allowed to know certain things. "All right. How do you want me to help?"
"I… I don't know. I was going to find the Namekians in my timeline and use their Dragon Balls to bring back Uncle Goku, my father everyone. But now the ships are gone. I can't reach New Namek, and I don't know how to build a ship."
"That part's easy. Take me to your timeline and I'll take you to New Namek," Gohan said, not hesitating.
"You mean… using that Instant Transmission you used to bring me to the Supreme Kai's World?"
Gohan nodded. "We'll go to New Namek and find the Dragon Balls."
"Then let's go!"
They squeezed into the time machine. Trunks set the coordinates.
Whooosh and they were gone.
Future Trunks' Timeline
"…It really is a ruin." Gohan stepped out and took in the view: broken spines of buildings, scattered limbs, a world after the end.
"Yeah," Trunks said, eyes raw. "After the androids woke, they slaughtered around eighty percent of humanity. Mom and I led the survivors, always running, always hiding. It was… it was hell."
"Save the tears," Gohan said gently. "Come with me wait. One stop first. Stay here."
He vanished.
The Lookout
"Mr. Popo? Are you here?" The Lookout was intact, its white stone gleaming. Only the wind answered.
Tap… tap… tap…
A shape stepped from shadow, skin the color of coal, face unreadable. "Another timeline's Son Gohan?"
"As I thought." Gohan inclined his head. "You can see that much."
"Time and space travel is a grave sin," Mr. Popo said, flat as marble.
"I know. But if I don't help him, Earth may never recover." Gohan's gaze stayed level.
"Time is beyond my jurisdiction," Popo replied. "Do as you please."
"I figured you wouldn't intervene. I'll handle it. I'll also bring a Namekian here to assume the post of Earth's Guardian."
"Truly?" For a heartbeat, something like longing flickered in Popo's eyes.
Gohan nodded.
"…Then thank you," Popo said, features smoothing back to calm.
"Just one thing. Why didn't you act?" Gohan asked, probing.
"I am only a servant," Popo said.
Gohan bit back the thought "Some 'servant'…" and bowed out. "I'll be going."
Popo dipped his head. Gohan vanished.
"Act? The universe worlds upon worlds are only a wheel turning," Popo murmured to the empty air.
New Namek
Grand Elder Moori had long since succeeded the old Guru. After Frieza's era, they'd used the Dragon Balls to hide New Namek's coordinates.
Zip!
Gohan and Trunks appeared before Moori.
"Eh? Gohan? What brings you why do you still look like a child?" Moori blinked.
"I'm Son Gohan from a parallel timeline," Gohan said, and told him everything: the androids, Cell, Earth's ruin.
As he spoke, Trunks' grief sharpened again. Moori's face grew steadily graver.
"I never imagined Earth had suffered so deeply. Why didn't you come sooner?" Moori asked Trunks.
"I wanted to. But with the androids rampaging, any ship I took would be shot down. And after I killed them, that other monster appeared… destroyed our shelter, and with it all the Capsule ships Mom built." Trunks' jaw clenched.
"I'll have the orbs fetched at once." Moori closed his eyes, sending word to the village elder who guarded them.
Thirty minutes later, seven planet-sized Dragon Balls each the size of a soccer ball lay set in a ring.
"Come forth, Porunga grant our wish!"
Moori chanted in rolling Namekian syllables.
Golden light geysered from the spheres.
"State your wishes. I can grant three whatever they may be," Porunga's sonorous voice intoned.
"Gohan, what do you want to ask for?" Moori asked.
"Trunks?" Gohan turned.
"Revive all Earthlings killed by the androids and that monster, Cell including any Saiyans on Earth," Trunks said without hesitation.
Gohan had already told him what Cell was. Now Trunks put a name to the hate.
"Very well." Moori relayed the wish in Namekian.
"There's a complication," Porunga rumbled after a moment. "It has been a long time. Many have already reincarnated. Do you still want this wish?"
"My mom and dad Uncle Goku, Krillin, Gohan have they reincarnated?" Trunks blurted.
"They have not," Porunga answered. "Son Goku and Vegeta are training on King Kai's Planet. The others dwell in Heaven."
"Then keep the wish," Trunks said, steady now. "Don't change it."
"As you wish."
Porunga's eyes glowed. Then: "They refuse to return."
"Why? Can I speak to them?" Trunks' voice went small.
"Porunga, don't count this as a wish," Moori said.
"As you command, Maker."
Light flared and coalesced into a living tableau: Bulma, Vegeta, Son Goku, Future Gohan, Chi-Chi, Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, Master Roshi, Launch, Ox-King every familiar face crowding into view.
"Trunks," Bulma said first, smiling through tears. "I finally have time with your father. We're happy in Heaven. King Yemma gave us special permission to stay as long as we like before we choose to reincarnate. We don't want to come back."
"Mom… if none of you return, I'm the only one left on Earth," Trunks said, voice cracking.
"You won't be alone. Look who's here." Bulma nudged someone forward.
Trunks peered closer. Mai.
"Mai wants to revive and stay with you," Bulma said softly. "Let her and the Earthlings who were killed come back. We'll stay."
"Trunks," Future Gohan added, warm and proud, "we've watched you from the Other World. With you protecting Earth, I'm at peace. And thank you, Gohan from the past."
Gohan dipped his head. "Think nothing of it."
"Boy," Vegeta said, the barest ghost of a grin at his lips, "you've done well. You haven't shamed the Saiyan race."
"Haha! Trunks," Goku laughed, slinging an arm around Vegeta's shoulders, "your dad and I are loving it here sparring every day. We're satisfied. No need to revive us."
One by one, the rest spoke up. With Yemma's leave they'd found something like bliss in the Other World no grind of years, no fear of death. None wished to return… save those Earthlings taken by Cell's most recent slaughter.
Bulma, eyes soft, chose her path for Vegeta, and for the son she believed could stand on his own.
"…All right," Trunks said at last. Pain flickered across his face, and then eased. Bulma's expression was a happiness he had never seen in life. He let it be.
The vision winked out.
Porunga's power rolled over the distant blue planet. A strange tide ran through the air.
All Earthlings killed by the androids and by Cell who had not yet reincarnated drew breath again.
Among them Mai.
"Your first wish is granted," Porunga said. "Speak your second wish."
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