- That bastard!
She could have flown after him despite Bulma's grasp, but knowing the old woman could be injured, she obliged herself to stay on the ground.
- Don't worry Pan, he's gonna find Trunks and bring him back quickly, whispered the purple haired genius behind her.
But when the younger woman looked into the deep blue eyes, she only read fear and worry.
~~~
Goten flew rapidly over an ocean, desperately searching for Trunks' ki. How could he have been dumb enough to not guess he'd try something like that?! He knew how Trunks was, how he thought, they were best friends since ever! And he hadn't seen this coming! "I should have known he'd try to fight him alone! And I should have stopped him! I shouldn't have let him outside and alone so long..." The list of what he should have done or not went on and on until a bird almost flew into him. Then the powerful man immobilized in the air, shaking his head.
- Come on, Goten, calm down. You need to focus on Trunks' ki... If he did fight Miga alone, he might be pretty hurt, so the ki will be low...
He frowned as concentrating. He had to push his worry, his anger and his fear aside, so he could feel that aura...
But where could he be?! He better not be dead... Not only Bulma couldn't handle it, not only he was crucial for the real final fight against Miga, but he was Goten's best friend, a part of him. They both knew since a long time that they couldn't tolerate being separated for too long. What if one died?!
Goten administered himself a strong slap, furious. "Stop thinking, just focus!!" So did he, with all his soul and heart and will. And finally, his mind felt a faint, very low but so well known ki, so far away. Immediately, he rushed toward it, mentally hurting himself for not even bringing medicine. For his aura to be so down, Trunks must have been in a pretty bad shape...
It was terribly quiet. The silence surrounded Goten rapidly and he hurried to find Trunks, nervous. Unfortunately, the purple haired warrior wouldn't answer to his name and Goten had to look everywhere, trying to feel the weak ki's position precisely. Tension grew within him as he didn't find any trace of his friend.
It was obvious there had just been a battle though. There were many new craters, fuming with red smoke still. Goten bit his tongue as he realized he was shaking slightly. He had noticed some small pools of rain water... Unfortunately, it was red rain, and he knew what it could mean...
He started throwing metal pieces and broken things around, impatient and worry. If that had happened to Trunks, then everything was over. He couldn't beat Miga without him, even if Pan helped. And Bulma... Another one like that in her family? It was too much, even for her...
Then he heard it. That sound he knew so much now. He had been living with it since nearly three years now...
His heart beat killed the silence in his head, but the faint sound came to his ears still, guiding him... He couldn't believe it yet... Maybe Trunks was just joking, trying to scare him... "Well it sure works!" He heard it again, clearer, nearer.
From under that half burnt remaining piece of a wall.
He gulped painfully, grabbed it with both hands. "Come on, Goten! Be a man, for once!"
He lifted it, threw it away quickly. Gathering his courage ultimately, he looked down.
A shivering cat stared at him, mewed quietly. It had a pale blue and lavender fur, narrowed eyes filled with pain and shame. One of its cheeks wore a long scar and it seemed that it had a broken leg, among other several wounds.
Goten sighed heavily. Of course. It would have been too good if Trunks had been fooling around... Sadly, he picked up the animal, caressed it gently as slowly flying his way back home.
- It's ok, Trunks... We... We'll find a way to beat Miga and avenge you...
But he didn't sound convinced. He wasn't. Now Trunks was a cat and there was no hope.
"Fuck you, Miga, you and your strength and your powers!" Clenching his teeth, he remembered the first time the rain had started falling on them. They'd been so surprised... Even more than when they had seen that horrible living being for the very first time. Half of the warriors had been turned into cats that one time. Only Trunks, Goten, Pan and Gohan had managed to run away with the new animals before the rain could transform them too. They've always been careful afterwards...
- How come he had been able to transform you, buddy? Huh? You know he was able to do that! Didn't you pay any attention to the sky?
The cat moaned in protest, its weak voice full of sorrow as much as of pain. But Goten ignored it.
Even though Trunks was not able to fight anymore, the young man knew he had to keep on training and hoping. He had to, because, beside Pan, he was the only warrior left. He was the strongest being on Earth, except Miga of course, so he had to...
Suddenly he hit his forehead with the palm of his head, cursing at himself.
- Trunks... We should have done the fusion dance... We're so dumb to have forgotten it...
The cat nodded seriously, then continued to lick its slightly bleeding paw. Goten shook his head. Too late now. He couldn't even do it with his niece, since she was smaller than he was. There was also a too big difference between their respective power level.
He flew silently, deep in thoughts. Now that he'd admitted he had to not give up, a plan was furiously forming in his head.
When the mountain was in sight, he looked perfectly decided, more confident as never before. He would fight and win, as this was the very last chance they had to save the Earth. As Goku's son, as Gohan's brother, as a Saiyan and an Earthling, as a warrior, Goten felt as if it was his duty to get rid of that enemy, however powerful, dangerous and ugly it could be.
Chapter 6
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