A/N: chapter's name's mainly a pun on the content, a lame one, but still. No, I'm not really teaching him how to drive.
A Different Future
Chapter 4 – Driving Lesson
Loud bangs were heard throughout Capsule Corp. Bulma shook her head while doing the dishes.
"That boy'll end up hurting himself."
Gohan finally managed to stop Trunks from bashing his head against the wall.
"Trunks, calm down!"
"I know this crap! Why can't I remember it?!"
"Too many hits to the head?"
The young prince glared at his friend. Gohan wondered how Trunks'd look like with black spiky hair.
"Get real, Gohan."
Sitting back down, Trunks chewed on his pencil.
"Just relax. I'm sure you'll figure it out."
"Right."
"Look, let's just forget about math for a while, ok? Tell me how you feel."
Another glare.
"Gohan, my mom's paying you to tutor me, not be my shrink."
"Well, I'll be both and charge extra!"
Gohan grinned, but the famous Son grin had no effect on the boy.
"Aw, come on, Trunks. Why're you so against me?"
'Well, you pretty much sent my class down my father's throat!'
The older Demi Saiyan felt Trunks's Ki waver, and knew what the boy was thinking about.
"Sorry about that act in class. I just wanted to prove the point I taught you about. How the Androids won the battle for public opinion."
"Well, you really proved it, then. Excuse me."
Leaving for the kitchen, Trunks needed a glass of water for more than just cooling his throat.
'The boy's stuck in the middle of the two sides. Poor kid.'
Gohan thought bitterly. Upon return, Trunks sat down, and continued his homework without even glancing at Gohan.
"What's wro…"
"I don't want to talk about it."
Gohan silenced and looked at the assignment, looking for errors. He found none.
"Aren't you here to help me?"
"Well, if you need me."
"I don't, really."
There was more hurt pride in his voice than hostility.
"Just in case."
Rolling his eyes, Trunks closed the notebook and looked at the clock.
"So what do you want to do until our hour's up?"
The teacher asked. The student sighed.
"Well, if you're so worked up about being my shrink, why not try me again?"
'He wants to open up. Good boy, Trunks.'
"Well, it seemed like you really got hurt today. I'm sorry."
"Why? You presented my dad in a pretty good light."
Bulma came with a snack for the two, and stopped behind the door, listening.
"But I brought it up to the class's attention."
"Well, they only said the truth."
Gohan paled.
"WHAT?!"
Bulma was shocked as well.
'Are they… are they talking about Vegeta?!'
"Trunks, the truth?! How can you say that?!"
They boy got a bit nervous.
"Well, he attacked health centers…"
'Who were torturing innocents.'
Gohan had to add, at least inwardly.
"…Schools…"
'Were people were being brainwashed.'
"…fought the Androids…"
"Well, they're opposing the Androids, so it makes sense."
"But why? Look at the world, it's practically utopia!"
The older Saiyan, who remembered life before the Androids, shook his head.
"But Trunks, fighting the Androids is part of their goal."
"You sound as though you're on their side!"
'Their side, Trunks?'
Gohan thought, disappointed.
"Cookies, anybody?"
Trunks, who stood up during his last outburst, sat down and occupied his mouth with a cookie. An uncomfortable silence fell on the room. The clock sounded.
"Well, I better go now. Hope you learned something."
A humph was all he got as the teacher gathered his things and left. Bulma looked worriedly at her son, then ran after Gohan.
"What happened?"
"I donno, one minute he's ok, the next, he's ready to bite my head off."
"Well, you and I remember what it was like before, but Trunks was a baby. You come with… new ideas, and it scares him."
"No, it's… it's more than that."
He sighed. She raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"IT seems he's turn between believing all the junk said about Vegeta, and supporting the man."
"Well, again, you can't blame him."
She said in a soft voice. She felt sorry for her son.
"I didn't say I was."
"Then?"
The determined look on Gohan's face scared Bulma.
"I think it's high time Trunks learned about his Saiyan heritage."
She had no reply.
Trunks stared out the window, feeling as though he was going to explode.
'Stupid Gohan. What does he know? Not like he knows my father now. People change. If he's as great as the rebels try to make him, why'd he… why'd he leave us?'
A tear came down his cheek, but a knock on his window made him quickly wipe it away. A smiling blonde welcomed him outside, on a tree branch less than a meter away.
"Marron!"
"Sshh! I saw Gohan's car. Can you come out?"
After slight hesitation, Trunks nodded.
"Give me a minute!"
"I don't know, Gohan…"
"It's a necessity, Bulma. Maybe if I tell him more about himself, it'll show him he's not that weak that he should listen to everything 17 says."
"Still, I…"
Loud music came from upstairs. Bulma sighed.
"That boy… don't be mad at him, Gohan. He's a good boy."
"He's just under bad influence."
"I know that. But he doesn't."
"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
Both youths cried out in joy as they sped on Marron's capsule motorcycle. Marron drove and Trunks sat behind her, hugging her waist.
"I didn't know you could do that!"
He shouted over the engine's roar.
"Well well, you learn something new every day!"
They rode on the speed limit, speeding whenever they could.
"Hey, think this is what it feels like when 17 flies?"
"Maybe. But I bet flying is much funner. Otherwise why wouldn't he ride his car?"
Marron answered, putting the pedal to the metal.
Riding silently through a few more streets, Marron's watch beeped.
"Aw, drats. Looks like I better get home." "You know,"
Trunks began thoughtfully-
"I've never seen you home before. I'd like to…"
Momentarily losing control of the motorcycle, Marron almost ran someone over. That someone jumped out of the way, and even in the dark, Trunks thought he saw the mane's face. Of course it couldn't be a man. Men weren't green with antennas.
"Woah, Marron, what's wrong?!"
The engine's roar got louder, but he could still hear her faint sobs.
"Marron, slow down, you already ran someone over!"
She didn't reply, only began to drive to Trunks's home.
"Marron?"
Passed a red light.
"Calm down, girl! You'll crash into something!"
It rained the other day, and so the road was wet. Bad news.
"Aaaaaaaah!"
"Marron, slow down!"
"I can't, I can't, I can't!"
A truck came rushing towards them, beeping to get out of the way. Hitting the breaks, the motorcycle came screeching to an almost halt; but too little, too late. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Trunks let instinct take the lead, and pushed Marron off of the bike. The girl fell off and rolled on the floor. Trunks still remained on the motorcycle, who disappeared behind the truck as it passed by. Marron looked up quickly, eyes wide with shock.
"TRUUUUUUUUNKS!!!"
A/N: @.@ Trunksie-poo… *cries*