At First glance

By: Jen

Trunks got back into his ship, headed back to his own time after hopefully saving his future just a little. He was proud that Goku was everything he expected and more, and even glad to meet his father. He knew that his own timeline could not be changed by his actions, but hopefully these people’s futures would be a little better because of what he did.

Blinking lights on the control panel brought him back out of his thoughts. “Oh hell. Now what?” One slight aspect his mother must have overlooked: the ship had to regenerate for a week before it was ready to make the time jump. It wasn’t a particularly complicated process, you just had to let it sit and rest for a week, but the problem was finding food and a place to sleep for that time. He had a crazy idea…he just hoped it would work.

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Sara felt Gohan coming back…and something else-something big!! Could it be? Yes, it had to.

“CHI-CHI!! CHI-CHI!!! Master Goku is back! He’s coming!!!” Chi-chi came bursting out of the house, her apron still on and wooden spoon in hand.

“ Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m positive. I can feel it….look-there! See? On the horizon?” Sure enough, two specs were emerging on the horizon, heading toward the house. Soon the family (and student/adopted daughter) was reunited once again. After Chi-chi had gone back inside to finish her cooking, Sara pressed her martial arts teacher for details on what had happened with Frieza. Although she was progressing rapidly in her skills as a fighter, she still could not fly and had to stay at home while Gohan responded to the incredible power that signified Frieza’s coming.

She was intrigued with their story about the mysterious stranger, and somehow felt Goku wasn’t telling her something. Ah well, save that for another day. She and Gohan went to the backyard, where she had constructed a skating ramp for herself. She was an exceptionally good skateboarder, and enjoyed impressing the little fighter. Then they felt it…a huge power coming their way. It was new to Sara, but Gohan seemed to vaguely recognize it. They watched the sky to see where it was coming from…a spaceship!

A spaceship flying slowly in the atmosphere toward—their house!! Gohan wanted to go investigate, but Sara held him back. Acting on instinct, she followed Goku just a little ways into the woods, where it had landed. It was a spaceship. Goku seemed both delighted and confused at its presence. Sara was just confused. The door was opening, and out stepped a boy, about Sara’s age, maybe a little older. He hadn’t seen them, but Sara and Gohan could see him.

“Hey! It’s the mystery man!” Gohan whispered delightedly. Sara’s eyes opened wide, and she had only one reaction.

“Can we say…HOT?” she thought, staring at the strange beauty with the lavender hair. Goku turned to them.

“Sara, Gohan, you two go back to the house. I need to talk to him alone.” Gohan was visibly disappointed, Sara significantly more so. But they obeyed, and trudged on back to the little house. Chi-chi, of course, immediately demanded to know where they had been. They explained briefly about the mystery man and his spaceship, and Chi-chi told them to not bother with such nonsense. So they went back to the ramp, so Sara could practice a little more and wonder about this mystery man.

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Goku met Trunks happily, and immediately inquired as to what he was doing still here? Trunks replied with the problem he had, and before he could get another word out Goku had offered his house for the week. He told Trunks about his wife and student (he had already sort-of met Gohan) and they agreed he would just have to keep silent about his origin for the time.

“It’ll be hard to convince Chi-chi this is for the best, but I think I can reason with her.”

“Thank you so much, Goku. You don’t know what this means to me.”

“No problem. Just, ah, lie low for a little while until I tell you it’s safe.” Goku headed back to the house, all prepared for a good “talk” with Chi-chi, more like a one-way battle. Trunks also headed toward the house, intent on checking out his surroundings while he waited. He walked to the edge of the forest, and tried sneaking around the house. He was intrigued with the strange sound he heard, until he discovered the source. A skating ramp. In Goku’s backyard?! Strange indeed.

Well, there was Gohan, watching somebody on the ramp, it seemed. Then he saw her. At first glance she was an angel, gliding off the top of the ramp with her hair flying around her face, her perfect skill in handling the board. Trunks was transfixed, then confused. What was this? He had never liked skater-types before, it must have just been a trick with the light making her look beautiful. He watched her make another jump, affirming his theory. She was a good skater, but really nothing special. Heck, he couldn’t even see her properly! His thoughts were interrupted by Goku coming back, saying it had gone well and Trunks could stay the week. He glanced back again at the girl, and followed Goku into the house.

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Trunks slept in the spare room for over three hours. The past day’s events had really taken it out of him. When he woke up, he had to stop for a minute to remember where he was. The first thing he remembered was that girl. “Man. Why can’t I stop doing that?” The rest came flooding back immediately after.

Laying in the bed in the still of the evening-no, not the still. There was a sound—yes, a sound he recognized his whole life. Somebody was fighting. He got out of the soft bed to investigate through his window. There was Goku and that girl, apparently training. She had changed her clothes, she was now dressed sensibly in a tank and black pants, surprisingly similar to his own. She was a good fighter, he was impressed. A break in the training brought him his first uninterrupted view of her, even if it was a sweaty, panting her.

She was beautiful, gorgeous in fact. No, no it wasn’t that. She wasn’t particularly gorgeous, he had even seen better. It was something else, something that kept evading him, something that undeniably attracted him to her. The fighting resumed and Trunks could do nothing now but admire their skill. He left the window in search of a shower and a little food. When he was done with his shower and in the kitchen eating a light snack, Goku and Sara came inside.

They were both panting heavily, and Goku headed straight for the refrigerator. Sara flashed Trunks a brilliant smile just before she disappeared to go wash up. He stared after her, once again transfixed for reasons he still did not know.

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When she came back out, Trunks was just sitting and thinking. She was dressed once again in punk-ish clothing, but really only to the extent of slightly baggy pants and a loose, comfy T-shirt. “She really cleans up nicely,” he thought. As she went about the business of preparing herself some tea, he inspected her more closely. “No. Nothing special. Rather pretty, I must admit, but not so much that she should be dominating my thoughts like this. What is it about her that makes me feel this way?” He watched her, and decided it was a combination of everything.

The way she held herself, the way she walked, her skills in fighting, but no, that still wasn’t it. Then their eyes met. For the first time they truly looked, deep into the eyes of one another, and understood at the exact same moment, from that very first glance, that it was something deeper than both of them. Something inside of them belonged to one another. Perhaps it was fate that brought them together, perhaps coincidence, but whatever it was, it was electrifying. They were looking into each other’s souls and seeing one soul combined.

Sara looked away, blushing. Trunks smiled and blushed too, just slightly. They were alone in the kitchen together, Sara sipping tea and Trunks just watching her. Eventually they fell into natural conversation, as if they had been friends their whole lives. Sara did most of the talking, telling about her life and why she was here, Trunks just listened and asked occasional questions, keeping quiet about himself.

Sara was a little annoyed at this, but decided he would tell her in his own time. Meanwhile, she excused herself and went to bed. Training was tiring, after all. Trunks stayed awake, in the exact same position as he had been in hours ago when they had their little talk. He had to think about some things, mostly this fantastic girl he had only just met. He tried again to convince himself she really was nothing special, but this time he truly couldn’t. Something had happened in those few hours, something he would never forget.

Quite suddenly, he remembered why he was here, and where he was from. He was surprised that the thought tore at his heart, the thought of leaving her in a week’s time. He tried again, unsuccessfully, to refuse what he had felt. He gave up altogether. It was really, truly, love at first sight. He was completely in love, and spent half the night trying to forget what would happen at the end of the week.

Sara lay awake long after she had gone to bed. She, too, was trying to sort out what had just happened. He was FINE, that was certain. He was strong, too. She loved his muscled arms, his toned chest. She had memorized the way he uselessly brushed his gorgeous hair from his eyes. But there was something else, she was sure. Had he felt it, too?

In those mere seconds she had looked into his beautiful, blue eyes she fell madly in love. “Wait a second, what am I saying? I don’t even know this guy—he could be a total jerk!” But even as she said it she knew it wasn’t true. She saw it in those eyes. He was a boy growing up too fast; a sweet, kind warrior burdened with more troubles than any one person should have. Those eyes held enigmas, secrets she couldn’t fathom, and they intrigued her. She finally fell asleep with his face dancing behind her eyes.

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In the next two days they grew to be close friends. In fact, they were just about as close as they could be without admitting their TOTALLY OBVIOUS feelings for each other. Sara adopted the loving nickname of “Boy” because he still wouldn’t tell her his real name. It had been two days since he arrived, and Trunks, fully garbed in jacket and sword, was watching Goku train Sara. “Hey Goku, let me have a try at her?” Trunks asked. “Umm, ok, I guess. But don’t go too easy on her-and don’t let your guard down. She’s quick! I guess I’ll just go, then.” Trunks smiled. She was an OK fighter, but surely Goku had too much pride in his student.

Sara watched the smirk on his face with a mixture of love and anger. Well, she’d show him. “C’mon, Boy. Let’s go.” She couldn’t help but smile at the use of his nickname. The smile dropped from her face as his grin broadened and he transformed. Sara had never seen a Super Saiyan before. Sure, Goku was one, but he hadn’t transformed in front of her—there was no need. She had heard stories from Gohan, but seeing it here in person (and on this wonderful body) was quite a different story. She was distracted-a fatal mistake. Only instinct saved her from the flashing sword, and even then it only missed by a hair.

It was Trunks’ turn to be distracted. “So she really is quick,” he thought. The next thing he knew, he was being hit with mock energy blasts. “Wow, she reacts quickly, too.” The fight resumed a normal pace, blocking and hitting and the occasional energy blast. They were each impressed with the other’s skill. Finally, they broke off, panting. Trunks was barely using his power. He decided to turn it up a notch, just to see how she could deal with it.

The fighting continued with increased intensity. Sara still held her own, but Trunks could tell it was all she could do to keep up. If it were even possible, his respect for her would have increased tremendously. She was, after all, holding up against a Super-Sayain (even if he was hardly exerting himself). Yes, she was skilled, her strength lied in her reflexes but still, he was impressed. He broke of the fight, turning back to normal. Sara was sad to see those jade-green eyes go. He feigned exhaustion, and told her he’d had enough.

“Very funny, Boy. Get up, I know you’re faking it.” Night had fallen, a full moon peered down on one honestly exhausted fighter-in-training and one madly-in-love warrior. Trunks stood and held out his hand. Sara met it with a handshake, bewildered.

“My name is Trunks. This may sound strange, but please don’t use it in public or tell anybody else. Just use it when you’re alone with me.”

“Trunks,” she murmured. “It’s nicer than Boy.”

“Oh, I don’t know, I was getting kind of used to it.” They laughed, then were silent enjoying the night sounds and each other’s presence. They sat down on the grass, watching the stars in the sky. He looked over at her, and suddenly longed to kiss her. The moon was shining on her auburn hair, and the stars were glinting in her wide, innocent eyes. No, he knew he couldn’t do it.

If he did, he’d never be able to bring himself to leave her come the end of the week. But she was so beautiful! Sara felt his gaze on her and turned to look at him. He was so gorgeous in the moonlight. He had that look, the look she’d seen so often when a guy would bring her home.

She couldn’t help herself. She tilted her face up toward him. He half-closed his eyes and leaned in just a little. Finally, the moment they had both been waiting for so long. The crickets chirped out love songs, urging them on. Sara leaned in to meet his tender, searching lips, and just before they touched, he abruptly backed away and stood up.

“Uh, time for bed I guess. Warriors need their sleep and all,” he said nervously. Then he ducked his head and quickly walked away. Sara stared after him for a few seconds, then fell back on the grass.

“OOOOOkay, what just happened there?” She contemplated different ideas—did he have a girlfriend? Did he not like her? No, that wasn’t it. He’d started it!! Maybe he was just nervous. She hoped that was it. She slowly got up and went to bed too, unaware of the eyes watching her from the window.

“Why did I have to be so STUPID? DAMNIT!!” He mentally kicked himself over and over. Now he knew she felt the same way about him, and that was not good. Now he couldn’t just pretend she didn’t like him, like he didn’t have a chance with her. He had to stop doing this—he didn’t need this heartache on top of the millions he’d already felt.

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The week passed quickly. Sara and Trunks still hadn’t admitted their feelings, but they both knew deep down how the other felt. Every night since then they had gone out to watch the stars at night. They talked sometimes; sometimes they were just quiet. Trunks had probably laughed more in that week than he had in his whole life. Sara managed to extract from him that he didn’t have a girlfriend, so she was relieved.

It was the last night before he had to go. He flew her up to the roof this time, and wrapped his arms around her. She was confused and pleased at this change of pace. They sat together, cheek to cheek, his head resting on her shoulder, her back to him. She was so relaxed in his arms. He steeled himself for what he had to do next.

“I’m leaving tomorrow,” he whispered in her ear. He felt her stiffen and heard her breath stop in her throat.

“No. Please, Trunks, take me with you.”

“I can’t. It’s impossible.” He had a hard time not instantly agreeing with her, he couldn’t help thinking how much happier she would make his life, but he knew he couldn’t for her own good.

“Trunks, you can’t do this to me. I…I L—“ his hand came over her mouth, stopping her confession.

“Don’t,” he begged. “Don’t say it, please, you don’t understand.” She turned her head and rested it against his chest. Soon, a spot on his shirt was soaked in tears. He took her by the shoulders, turning her to face him. “I have to tell you this. Please, just promise me you won’t tell anyone. If the wrong people hear, I might never exist.” She nodded, confused.

“I come from the future. I came here to warn Goku about a terrible evil that will occur in three years. I live in a time of turmoil, destruction, and terror. Two androids are destroying the earth, they are too strong even for me. Everybody you know has been killed. Everybody except me and my mother, Bulma.” Sara gasped slightly at the mention of her friends’ name.

“Sara, I love you more than I thought I could ever love someone, and so I can’t knowingly bring you into that kind of life. I’m sorry I ever came here.”

“Trunks, you can’t change what you’ve done, and I’m so happy you came. I love you too, and I don’t care what kind of life I’m getting into, as long as it’s yours. Whatever the conditions are there, it would be worse if I had to live here without you. Please, I’m begging you, it feels as though my heart is being ripped from my chest when I think of losing you, take me with you.” And they kissed. There was no hesitation, no stopping at the last moment. He just pulled her to him and they kissed, full and sweet and wonderful.

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The next morning, Goku found a note on Sara’s pillow.

“Dearest Goku,

I’m gone now. I’ve gone back to the future with Trunks. Yes, I know what I’m getting myself into, please don’t worry about me. I’m happy now. Thank you so much for all you’ve done for me. I’ll always keep you and your family inside my heart.

Love always,

Sara

Goku sighed with resignation. “Well, good luck Sara.”



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It had been nearly a year since they got back. A year of hardships like Sara had never known, although she knew better than to say so, lest Trunks decide to bring her back. To tell the truth, Trunks had often contemplated bringing her back to where her life was simple, where the only worries she had were choosing the right clothes for the day, but he simply couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. She had made his life just a little brighter, had given him a reason to try and survive the numerous battles instead of just giving up. Now, as he watched her sleeping, her face marked with the stress she wasn’t used to, he began again to regret his decisions. If he truly loved her, then why was he doing this to her? Why was he being so selfish? He knew the answer. He couldn’t live without her. He lay his head gently on his wife’s slowly growing stomach, listening for the tiny little heartbeat he sometimes heard, and tears filled his unwilling eyes. “What have I done?”

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Ai-chan: Great story Jen!!!!!! Anymore that you're gonna send?



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