By: Ashiko-chan

Trunks sighed, his heart heavy with sorrow and grief. He stared out to the horizon, watching the day slowly die and concede to the night. He felt strange being back here. Now more than ever, now that there was another ½ Saiya-jin warrior named Trunks. That Trunks,

however, was fifteen years younger than him, and eight years happier than he.

He had returned home after the defeat of Cell, to his own personal Hell of a future. Returned and destroyed the Jinzouningen swiftly and cleanly. Since, he had filled his schedule with rebuilding Earth, starting the renaissance. But, he longed to return to the other Earth, where his father, Goku-san, and friends were still alive.

He wanted to return simply to be there, not to be entangled in a heist where thousands suffered every day. The roots of the frustration were, that he, nor any of the other warriors, hade ever even seen this assassin set on ripping Earth apart.

" Trunks-san? Trunks-san?"

" Hai, Bra-chan?"

" Trunks-san, Goku Oji-san and Tou-san want to see you."

" Okay, Bra-chan. Tell them I'll be there in one second."

" Okie-dokie Trunks-san!"

Trunks pushed back a stray lock of lavender hair behind his ear that had escaped the tie of his ponytail. He had left it the same length when he returned from fighting Cell, and hadn't changed it since. He ascended above the ground and moved toward the Capsule Corp.

Home?

" Vegeta-san? Goku-san?"

" Trunks! Over here!" The familiar voice of Son Goku rang as Trunks followed the sound to the kitchen. There sat some of his family and friends, Piccolo-san, ChiChi-san, Goku-san, his mother, Bulma-san, and father, Vegeta-san.

Mother.

Since his return and discovery of Chibi-Trunks (whom everyone liked to simply call Chibi), Trunks never called Bulma " Okaa-san "or Vegeta " Otou-san" again. It was too uncomfortable. Last time he wanted to see whom his father was, but deep down he knew that that man was not his father, or that woman was not his mother.

Also at the table sat Videl, Gohan, Goten, and Chibi. Videl had married Gohan, whom Trunks thought was a perfect match. But, it was strange seeing him again and he felt uneasy around him. Now that he was grown up and married.

Like my Gohan?

Then there was Goten and Chibi. Goten was simply adorable, a carbon-copy of Goku-san. They both had the same happy-go-lucky attitude, love for food, and simplicity that Trunks loved. Chibi on the other hand, was different; he was rather cold to his other self. When Trunks had appeared in his time machine, Chibi had fainted on the spot. But, Trunks wans't surprised at all. And he felt relieved that this Trunks would never have to see the world as Death's sycthe.

Now that might change.

" Trunks? Are you okay?" Gohan asked, snapping Trunks out of his reverie.

" Huh?"

" Another city went today," Piccolo stated crossly as he glared out into the distance.

" Any trace of the killer?"

" No," Goten whimpered as his eyes formed a pouty look on his face.

" Casualties?"

" Everyone in the city," Gohan muttered as he leaned foward and clasped his hands over the table with a sigh.

" Where?"

...

" Where?!"

" Kurillin and Juuachi-gou were included in the casualties," Vegeta hissed icicly as a customary scowl crept onto his face.

Pain.

Grief.

Guilt.

That's all that he felt now. He felt that he personally was responsible for the deaths of Yamcha-san, Tenshinhan-san, Chaotzu-san, and now Kurillin-san and Juuachi-gou.

" This has to stop," Goku declared with determination etched on his face.

" How can we stop something that we can't trace?" ChiChi wailed in exasperation as tears began to streak her face.

" ChiChi's right, how can we beat this thing? There's no pattern, no correlation! We have nothing on this slayer execept that it must be vastly powerful. We don't know if it's one or one hundred!" Bulma cried out, speaking for everyone.