Royal Pain and it\'s Sequel Boundaries

Second Crossing

Goten felt horrible both fiscally and mentally. He couldn’t believe he’d been so terrible to Trunks. His love was right, of course, they did need to fix this quickly. How could he have been so selfish?! It wasn’t at all like him. What had come over him? He groaned, his body fighting him every inch of the way. He ignored it as much as possible. ‘Trunks probably feels horrible now. He was just worried for me after all.’

Tears welled up in his eyes from both the mental and the physical pain. He didn\'t think his body would let him go on too much farther. Then just ahead he saw three figures. Nassu, Daikon, and Ichigo; he sighed in relief that he’d made it. Then he saw the blurry ocean of landscape raising towards them just as it had Trunks when he’d first crossed over. It was going to be close. It was at that moment that Goten’s body decided to give out. He spiraled down towards the bleared landscape. Tears came to his eyes faster then the wind could wipe them away. “I’m sorry Trunks,” he whispered as gravity pulled him down. As he descended, his body went limp and he lost conciseness.

~~~

Goten awoke in a world of complete darkness. He rubbed his head as his memory returned ‘Trunks, oh no he probably hates me. He could hear Nassu and Daikon a little ways away. He’d been so close to stopping them. Yet still to far to be able to see Trunks again. They were arguing about something. In the darkness Goten could easily imagine Nassu’s frantic glance and Daiken\'s calm pressing glance as they stared each other down. He started of slowly towards the sound hoping there was nothing he could trip on in is dark place. Despite the five years he’d spent here he knew very little of it.

It seemed as if a bomb went off with each step he took. His small feet echoing far to loudly in the vast emptiness. If Nassu or Daikon did hear him coming they made no sing of it that he could spot. Just kept right on arguing. “Nassu for one we were outside. You can’t switch the sun off. For two if you could get it through your thick head to notice you’d feel the absence a any kind of breeze meaning that we’re inside now.” Daikon said in a moderately patient voice.

“Well excuse me for living!!” Nassu yelled back without a hint of patience. Goten smiled despite his grim situation and the fact that every mussel in his body still ached from his wounds. It was weird listening to these two. They were different in so many ways from his father but at the same time he could see resemblance in them as well. There stubbornness for one. Why Goku was mostly stubborn on the battlefield these two were just as stubborn in every day life. Trunks’ father was the same though he seemed to just be stubborn period. “Trunks,” Goten let out a quite mournful whisper. He’d messed up again and is time it would be for good. The last thing he’d ever said to Trunks was that he wanted to be left alone. Well he’d got his wish…again. Goten hung his head. He’d always brought these things on himself.

His eyes narrowed, “then I’ll just have to get out of them as well.” He quickened his pace to a run, definitely not his smartest move considering he couldn’t see a foot in front of him. If he had been able to see that far he would have known that Nassu, Daikon and Ichigo were right smack in front of them. He plowed in to Daikon sending them both flying. Daikon automatically aimed a ki blast at his attacker\'s chest and then released it.

The land flew by beneath him faster and faster passing by in an insane blur of colors. Trunks didn’t know why he was going so fast, there was no way he could spot Goten below at this speed. It was like he was running from something. Maybe in some tiny part in his mind he thought if he flew fast enough he could out run the rapidly approaching night. Maybe it was the truth he was trying to out run. Ether way he didn’t want to stop to find out.

Despite the reason he only knew he had to keep going. His body screamed out in protest of the many hours he’d already spent flying. His mind screamed out to him of how insane it was to keep going at this speed and in this little light. It was his heart he ran from though. His heart he’d been running from all day refusing to believe what was so easy to see. What he’d known sense early that morning when he and the others had left in search of Goten. What he’d known as the day had worn on and one by one the others had peeled off until only he and Goku were left. What he’d known when the sun had dipped below the horizon and Goku had finally stopped searching. “Hey don’t worry Trunks we’ll start again tomorrow. Vegeta’s probably getting worried about me.” Goku then winked, “not that he’d ever emit it though. Get some sleep Trunks I mean hay it’s not like he disappeared into thin air now this it?” Then he’d waved and flew off leaving Trunks alone to run from the dreaded knowledge once more.


~~~

The last rebellious bits of light faded from the sky, the creeping darkness consuming them and Trunk’s last bit of hope as well. Trunks stopped unable to outrun the truth any longer. Goten was gone, he had disappeared though not out of thin air. Trunks knew were he was, he knew this feeling, a feeling of utter lose. Goten was gone but this time there would be no five years, no second chance. Trunks screamed out at the night, anger, pain, hatred, love, all so twisted and intertwined with in him he couldn’t tell them apart. Something snapped and he simply gave in. He lost track of it all, his soundings, his life, his love all a distant blur. Up down, left right they meant nothing to him. He was like one of those last flickering lights of day, destined to be taken by darkness. He crashed to the ground. He must have lost the strength to fly, he hadn’t even known he’d been falling. He was probably hurt but didn’t feel any pain. At least not physical. He lay there sobbing, screaming, and whispering all at once though he knew no one could hear him.

Then just like that he was right there beside him cheering him on, Goten. The Saiyan’s were indeed a stubborn race. Trunks smiled, and he was his father’s son. He pushed him self up heading in a random direction and praying he was going towards civilization. A light of a near extinct race within him kept him moving. A light stood across unknown boundaries, a light no darkness could claim. A light he was determined to reach.

Trunks didn’t know how long he had walked. It felt as if it had been centuries. As the sun slowly peeked a shy face over the horizon Trunks stumbled into a small village barley alive. With the few scrappy homes scattered randomly through out a patchwork of grassless lands it could hardly be called a village. It was the best sight Trunks had layed eyes on sense seeing Goten for the first time in five years. That tiny little assortment of houses meant life, and hope to saving Goten.

Trunk hopes fainted as he stumbled into the town. He had not seen so much as a whiff of life the entire time. The tiny place seemed desalinate of any thing. Nothing, no plant life, he hadn’t seen as much as a bug the entire time he’d been there. The air was still, deathly still. It felt like the inside of a house that hadn’t had any windows or doors open for some time. It made his already damaged body feel ever more tried. So tired, may be he could just lay down for a bit of rest, may be…

Up ahead he felt the tinniest spark of life. It could have just been his aching body that made it seem so small but life was life. He staggered off in the direction he felt it.

~~~

Daikon fired a ki blast at his attackers chest right before releasing who it was.

“Daikon wait! It’s me Goten.”

Wait, he would have loved to wait had he not already released the ki blast. “Wait a seconded there’s not light,” he realized surprised.

“Ah ge Daikon really did you just figure that out? I mean it’s been dark for how long now?” Had he been able to see Nassu he would have waked him over the head.

“Baka I mean there’s no light coming from my blast. Goten can you get off me now?”

Goten got up slowly, “Um why am I still alive?” Daikon frowned deep in thought then, “I don’t think we can use ki blasts here.”

“Daddy what do you mean?” Daikon could hear Ichigo’s voice from the direction Nassu had last spoken. He could almost picture her clinging to Nassu as she often did. Nassu looking down at her with a queasy smile. In this complete darkness he couldn’t do as much as make out his loves shape. The fact that he was completely unable to see, even up close sent a strange tingle through his body. Why if Goten and Ichigo weren’t there… His thought trailed off. He knew there was no time right now. He was said to be the responsible one in there mixed up little family. Still he wished… Something brushed against his side, something familiar. “Don’t worry love, soon enough.” Daikon smiled, Nassu knew him far to well. Even in total darkness he’d still known what Daikon was thinking.

Daikon snuggled against Nassu, dam this just wasn’t fair. Nassu began to stroke Daiken\'s hair, “Don’t worry my love we’ll find time after is whole thing gets sorted out.” Nassu’s voice was so quite that even Daikon had to strain to hear. “And what if it doesn’t sort out.”

Nassu nibbled playfully at Daiken\'s ear, “then we’ll still find time.” Daikon chuckled at this startling the others. They’d heard nothing of Nassu’s comment. “This isn’t funny Daikon, we’re in real trouble here.” Daikon looked at Goten (or rather towards his voice) startled. In the time he’d known the boy he’d near heard him sound so serious. It was as if this place had done something to him, changed him.

Daikon sighed, they should get going. Once they got Budon they could be out of there and back home. He couldn’t wait to feel Nassu’s hot sweaty form around him again. Soon they only needed to find Budon then they could go home.

~~~

Goten stared in the direction he believed Daikon to be. How was he going to tell them they were stuck here forever? Goten gulped, not again he couldn’t face this again. “Oh Trunks please find a way.”

~~~

Trunks trudged on towards the life force he had felt. It was getting stronger but still not as strong as the average human felt. Ether the creature had the ability to hide it’s energy, or it was dying. He rounded a corner and came upon the life energy’s source. It was a man, dirty blond hair, brown eyes. Just an average guy. He didn’t appear to be hurt but his life energy was still incredibly low. ‘Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’m too hurt to tell.’ As if in answer his body suddenly decided it had had enough. As his body gave out Trunks collapsed with the man staring down at him, a cruel look on his face.

~~~

Goten kept going despite his wounds. He hadn’t told the others he was hurt and he was sure that in is light they wouldn’t know it. He didn’t want his wounds to slow them down. After all it was his fault they were there in the first place. If he’d just listened to Trunks and rested then he wouldn’t have been too late to stop Daikon and Nassu. Trunks would have gone in his place and made it in time. Why had he been so stubborn? Is whole thing was all his fault. He looked up ahead listening to Daikon trying desperately hard but not succeeding in telling Ichigo what had happened. Goten smiled, Ichigo was worse then his father. Goten bowed his head and his smile faded. That little girl would grow up in this place that was if she grew up at all and it was all his fault. Sense five years ago when he committed suicide he had done nothing but hurt those he cared about the most. It seemed all he could do was hurt them. Goten sat down, the others were unable to see him and kept walking. Goten listened as their voices drew farther and farther away. He felt tears running down his face but knew he had done what was needed. He would make sure no one ever got hurt again because of him. The others would be better off without him. If he were to find his way out of here he’d do it on his own. Only then would he feel like he was no longer a burden. He’d get out of there, and he’d prove he could make it alone. He was depending on others far too much, and hurting those he loved in the process.

~~~

Trunks woke up to find himself in a rundown house. He blinked opening his eyes to a painfully bright light.

“Oh your awake, how do you feel?” The question came form the man.

Trunks rubbed his head, “alright considering and thank you for every thing.”

The man nodded, “My name’s Ron, and no problem, not every day I get company.”

Trunks sat up thoughts of Goten filling his mind. “My name is Trunks. I’m sorry to be so up front but I really must go. I’m looking for someone.”

Ron cooked his head to the side. “Oh really and who might I ask are you looking for?”

Trunks turned away, “someone very important to me.”

Ron shrugged, “well if you really want to find this person then you’ll rest up. You won’t make it out of town in your condition and trust me you won’t find anyone here.”

Trunks spent two more days there waiting to be strong enough to search again. Every second was torture but Trunks knew Ron was right. At last the time to leave did come. Though it had only been two days, it sure did feel a lot longer. Trunks headed for the door wondering if any of the others had missed him.

“Leaving already ah?” Trunks turned to see Ron standing in the doorway. “Yes I’m heading off to find my, urm friend.” Ron’s eyes suddenly went wide with panic.

“No, no you can’t leave!” The tone in Ron’s voice was threatening.

Trunks narrowed his eyes in determination, “I can and am going. I have to find him.”

Ron shook his head, “No you will not go, I won’t let you! So long, so long alone.”

He smiled up at Trunks, “but no more now I have you and I will never be alone again.” Ron vanished into a misty cloud of vapor. Before Trunks couldn’t respond the cloud engulfed him. He instantly recognized its feel. It was the misty captor that had took him through Goten’s every thought and feeling. Only now it wasn’t cool but rather bone chilling icy cold. Trunks collapsed gasping for air yet it felt like the air in him had gone form a gas to a frozen solid. His vapory captor held his new toy tight marveling in the fun he would have with this one.