#The mentor (Future Gohan)

[kouichikimura]

I should be watching 4sd but I’m so distracted by Sparking Zero

The What If Future Trunks saga with Gohan?

PERFECTION

[jamsofdeath0]

Gohan black is fuuuucked up. Gohan black woulda save super.

Like ok you know the scene ehere future trunks attacks our goku bc he thought he was black. up the angst factor by one morbillion by having that scene be Gohan instead and Trunks has to relise his view of his mentor has been permanently corrupted.

[fanfic-lover-girl]

Gohan and Future Trunks Deserve Better

I have been getting back into DBZ and my love for Gohan and Future Trunks has been reignited. And I am just craving fics where these two precious gems can be doted on and pampered. Because they deserve it! Unfortunately, DBZ fanfiction is not awashed with soft, tender moments :(.

I just need to rant.

Let's start with Gohan. The best Saiyan hybrid. No one, not even Future Trunks, can compete with Gohan's top hybrid status. I know Gohan is not a fighter like his dad and he fights mainly to protect people...but I wish more fanfic writers would explore this as a trauma response. Think about it. Piccolo kidnapped him and forced him into the Saiyan fight. As much as I gush over the Piccolo & Gohan relationship, Piccolo's crimes can't be forgotten. He forced Gohan into fighting and he was not a nurturing teacher. Gohan's first experience with fighting was severely traumatizing. He endured all those brutal fights as a kid, a baby. He faced Frieza, the emperor of the universe, when he was FIVE YEARS OLD. Then the fate of the world was placed on his shoulders when he was 10 when he fought against Cell. Talk about a messed-up childhood.

Then we have the post Cell saga. I understand Goku wanting to stay dead to protect his family - I will never respect that decision. But he failed Gohan as a dad. Can we talk about the likely parentification Gohan would have experienced?? With Goku dead, Gohan is basically the head of the house. I can see Gohan being Chi Chi's support, especially when Goten came into the picture. So not only was Gohan thrusted into fighting and horrific battles throughout his childhood, but now when he needs his father the most as a young man he has no dad. I hope Krillin acted as a father figure. The Z fighters treat Gohan as one of the boys so much that they often forget he's a freaking child. Please get Gohan some therapy. The curse of being the oldest kid. You never get to be sheltered like the younger kids :(

And you best believe that Gohan had to step up as head of the family AGAIN when Goku decided to go on a training trip with Uub with a TBD timeframe. I know Gohan was a grown man then but still...

And now Future Trunks. Oh poor Future Trunks. After all he has been through, my boy Trunks deserves the world and an eternal vacation. Being the Earth's last hope is a heavy burden. Especially when you are not qualified. It's only fairly recently (maybe last year) that I learned that Trunks is not a good fighter. But you can't blame him. His training was severely limited and he was constantly fighting for his life.

The biggest disappointment of the Cell saga is that Trunks did not have a single mentor. By then, Trunks' epic entrance against Frieza should have worn off and it's disgraceful that no one took the time to train this kid. Vegeta should have taken Trunks under his wing but Vegeta couldn't give a damn. But come on, Goku, Piccolo?? Anyone? Even Popo would be better than nothing! Why didn't Piccolo take Trunks with him into the time chamber?? Someone give this guy some training! How could any of the Z fighters feel comfortable letting Trunks go back to the future with his lack of fighting skill?!!!

And I feel so bad for Trunks when it comes to Vegeta. Bulma sold her son a romanticized version of Vegeta and the man was a massive disappointment. Vegeta did not deserve such a sweet, loyal son like Trunks. Imagine you grow up in this dystopian world and you try to save another timeline even though yours will not be directly benefited. Then your foolish dad, in his quest for power, spits in your face and allows another monster to destroy the timeline you risked your neck to save. With Krillin's lovesick antics, Vegeta's testosterone stupidity and the Z fighters just being an uncoordinated mess, I am surprised Trunks did not tear his hair out in frustration.

Kid Trunks should be happy that Future Trunks was Vegeta's guinea pig for fatherhood. I mean I love Vegeta's character arc but I feel jealous on Trunks' behalf to see Vegeta become such a huge softy with Bra/Bulla.

And then Future Trunks has to go back home where he is the sole defender of Earth. And from what I hear, he loses everything in DBS. Can we just give Trunks a happy ending?! Forget Buu and the other intergalactic crazies! Just let Trunks be a teenager! Let him have awkward dates! Let him be a kid! Let him marry a sweet girl and have a family!! My boy deserves peace!!!

I just want to wrap Gohan and Future Trunks in soft blankets and hide them away.

[dballzposting]

Gohan was like 4 and he made a friend out of Piccolo. Piccolo wasnt healed by the love of a child he was healed by the eyes of a friend. He was transformed from a monster by the simple act of friendly interaction. I domt see why Goten couldn't do the same for that grouchy old Vegeta TBH like Vegeta is thrice his age but EOZ Goten drags him to arcades and they drink slushies and they do the Nightcrawlers bit where Goten is like "let's write my dad a letter!" and Vegeta is like "When was the last time that we played Nightcrawlers Kakarot..." yknow. Or like in GT they can dance at gay bars together.

I'm keeping my cool about it but the prospect of this cross-generational friendship is warming even electrifying my heart right now. Vegeta may try to act like a mentor or a father in order to save his pride but Goten keeps reminding and insisting that he isnt a child anymore and that he already has a dad and that what he and Vegeta are are FRIENDS no matter what Vegeta wishes they are FRIENDS and they drink SLUSHIES together. So TOO BAD.

What Vegeta thinks obviously doesnt matter then because the House of Kakarot is just Like That and you Cant Change Their Minds but TBH in my mind it feels so healing to have a friend so young. Like what a gift of sunshine. What a hope for the future. Vegeta has to run after him in his old man swag outfits becasue Gotsn has broken into a sprint becasue he remembered that the roller skating rink closes at 7 so they have to hurry.

Can you imagine Vegeta sitting in a diner at 11 pm and tolerating a conversation with Goten over a plate of cannoli. Well I can. And it's beautiful

[kleenex-tissues]

Every Side of Gohan

A Reflection on the Effects of a Child Soldier

In the future, his future, Trunks knew Gohan. Gohan is hardened, with a carefully controlled anger. He’s marred, a missing arm, a scarred face. He’s in pieces, and now he’s gone.

This Gohan is wrong, incorrect in every sense of the word. He has the hidden anger, the unseen scars of his future counterpart, but he’s much more whole. This one carries himself with a childish demeanor, though his knowledge and maturity is far beyond his mere nine years. He’s happy in places the other could never dream of, surrounded by love and arms that should be long lost.

His mother will get to finish raising him, a younger brother to accompany them soon. Piccolo will still hold him in secret when he can do nothing but cry. That’s another thing – this Gohan is granted the comfort of grief. He has the time and space to mourn, to cry, to hurt. Nothing has to be hidden anymore.

Each version of Gohan shared a childhood none other should experience. When Cell finally falls, discolored blood stains those small hands. This is the fourth near-death experience he has suffered. Both Gohans know the trauma of battle and watching every man they have ever looked up to die protecting them. This Gohan’s eyes are equally as haunted. They shine with fear and the horror of having taken another life.

One thing has not changed. Gohan does not like combat. He is a pacifist, more so than his ever-forgiving father. Killing brings a sickening feeling to his stomach, and when the Cell Games have blown over, only Trunks and Chi-Chi know that he has spent every night since emptying the contents of his stomach until morning lights the tile of the bathroom. His Gohan did the same, as much as he tried to hide it. 

When Trunks returns to his timeline, he never stops thinking of Gohan – both his mentor and the child he had grown so fond of. As his sword strikes down the Androids who brought civilization to near extinction, he feels peace wash over him for the first time in his life. Their death does not bring Gohan back, but his memory lives on deep within him.

–

Just as he did every night, Gohan lay soundlessly in his bed. Goten has migrated from his own bed to find himself tangled in the sheets of his brother’s. A small foot is pressed to Gohan’s lower back, and it is a small comfort. It’s a reminder to breathe, to know he was safe at home.

His heart had stopped for a moment in the night, an unfortunately common occurrence for him. Nights like these he is haunted by the ghosts of his past. The mucusy blood of Cell coats his small and callused hands, and a broken arm falls to his left.

Trunks had told him about the alternate future version of himself once. Just once, that was all he needed to hear of it. The counterpart who fought androids and lost his left arm. Sometimes this Gohan is the one killing Cell, and he wakes up desperately reaching for the appendage to make sure it’s still there – that it was truly healed. 

His variety of nightmares set out to relive the great tragedy of his life.

Some nights, he’s buried in rock, Vegeta’s foot breaking his ribcage. His lungs are going to be punctured any second now, and all he can think of is how they’ll tell his mother. Will they bring back his limp body to Chi-Chi? Will she know where they’ve buried her son, or will she even live long enough to grieve her darling boy? The thought of making his mother cry as she did when his father passed causes a nausea to coil in his stomach. But the thought of seeing his mother dead made the bile begin to rise dangerously close to his mouth. 

It’s Vegeta’s final blow, a hard kick to the chest, that makes Gohan’s heart stop beating. That miniscule scare, a few skipped beats, but enough for his adrenalin to pump through his head and his mind to wake him up to a frozen, numb body.

His movement will return in time, like it always does, and then he can sit with his face pressed against a cold ceramic bowl and release the bile still hiding in his throat. He’ll do it quietly, to keep Goten from waking up in the other room. His little brother, who sees Gohan as the hero he never was, cannot know how broken he truly is.

Because those are the dreams that bother him on other nights. He sees the two men he looked up to most in his miniscule life dead on the floor before him. He can’t let Goten see him that same way.

Frieza aims a powerful laser in his direction. He accepts his fate, for just a moment, hoping that maybe this release would bring him a sweet peace, but then the beam is hurtling towards him. He brings up pathetically small arms to shield his face, anticipating the pain. He knows it should only hurt for a moment, so long as Frieza does it right.

But it never hits. Piccolo is in front of him, taking the beam straight through the abdomen, and telling Gohan to, “Run. Anywhere, I don’t care. Just leave and be safe.”

His words echo through Gohan’s head as he processes the scene before him. Piccolo’s body falls backward at his feet. Glossy, white eyes greet him, and the bleeding isn’t stopping anytime soon. For Kami’s sake, there’s a gaping wound in his chest, and for all the things his mother has made him study, he never learned how to keep a man from dying. All he can do is hold back tears because Piccolo always chastised him for crying.

“Don’t grieve me, Gohan. Just fight for me, okay?”

The final words from his master are gentle, and suddenly he’s staring at his dying father. 

Piccolo has moved to the other side of the field, and he’s breathing raggedly, power still radiating off of his green skin after putting a powerful beam through the chests of both Raditz and Goku. 

Gohan doesn’t even have the time to be horrified by his father’s blood soaking his little cloth shoes before his ki surges through him, and the world has gone black. He’s brought back to life by Goten mumbling something about the biggest fish he had ever seen. The young half-saiyan is still asleep, his face pressed into his brother’s chest. 

His favorite nights are when there is no dream, just silence, a simple blink and he’s back to the waking world. It’s as close to peace he’ll ever find, and eventually, after enrolling in high school, the nightmares fade a bit. They are not gone; they will likely always remain, but now he dreams of good things, too.

Videl takes him on dates. She holds him after a tough battle, and soothes his aching wounds. Goten drags him out to meadows in search of a butterfly he’s been chasing all week. Their bright smiles stop the world in its tracks. It is a small thing, but a great comfort he has not seen in years. 

He will never be the Gohan he was so long ago, the young child eager to learn yet scared of the world around him. But sometimes, in those good dreams, he is him again. He is held in his father’s warm arms, still so full of youthful vigor. His mother fusses over the dirt on their boots, forbidding them from entering the house until their feet are bare. 

The world is filtered in the soft orange of the sunrise. He can see the spatter of freckles across Goku’s face and the loose threads of his worn gi. He feels his chest rise and fall with laughter, his hand rub Gohan’s back soothingly, and the weight of the dragon ball on his hat. Chi-Chi smiles, in that way she only can when her husband is nearby.

Gohan has memorized the scene, playing it through his head on his hard days. This Gohan is gone, but he is just as much him as Trunks’ Gohan was. They are extensions of one person, lives lived under his name. Each of these Gohans lived this moment. They have been held in their father’s embrace, studied under their mother’s steady hand. They were each born and raised under a dead man’s name, but a dead man who meant the world to his father. 

And the best dream he has had the chance to live is when those Gohans can all meet. He holds his younger self, laughs with his future counterpart, and carries the large basket Grandpa Gohan once kept. They comfort one another in a way no other can. Because this is an experience only Gohan can have.

This is a dream to tell him: It will all be okay. You have lived. You have learned. You have loved. And you will continue on, for all of them. The sunrise waits for you on the other side.

[heyyallitsbeth]

It's wild that the best part of Dragon Ball is something so entirely divorced from the main story.

The History of Trunks is a fucking MASTERPIECE. The animation and storytelling, seeing the destroyed future, and that only 2 people could attempt to stand against the threats of the world, and that in the end, only 1 even made it out. Seeing Trunks kill Android 17 and 18 after watching the death of Gohan is so incredibly satisfying and leaves you feeling relieved, that now that these murderous cyborgs are gone, maybe the world can start healing again, even in the timeline of the "bad end".

And oh man. Gohan's sacrifice and death and Trunks going Super Saiyan... the best scene in the entire series. The Super Saiyan born of fear and sadness saved not only his world, but saved the world of the past, and eventually went on to save countless timeline's and multiverses. The time machine emblazened with Hope, showing that Trunks was not only the hope of the future, but everyone's hope.

It's such a somber and brutal part of dragon ball and I adore it.

and man. Seeing Future Gohan and Trunks finally be able to see eachother again in Xenoverse damn near made me cry because it was so cathartic. Gohan seeing the hero Trunks became, and Trunks seeing that he made his mentor proud.

[vegetavegetason]

i can’t say what vegetas thinking but i like to imagine he’s grateful to future gohan for everything he did for future trunks. future gohan took over as father figure and mentor since vegeta died so early on and really laid the groundwork for how formidable future trunks became. i’ve always loved vegeta and gohans dynamic and i think this would be really sweet

[bliss-wily]

Can we know more about Bliss? The Majin girl that is. I remember seeing her back in the day interacting with Jr.

Bliss? She’s still around. I’ll just list some facts about her. To preface: This is kinda based on Xenoverse 2. I won’t mention much about Jr simply because my friend has left the fandom. Gacha Life, Xenoverse 2, and The Sims 4 have been used for illustrative purposes. I have tried over the years to make her believable. I didn’t want her to be flawless, I have tried to give her flaws and make sure she’s not overpowered. But anyway…you guys don’t need to read these long posts as they are just full of nonsense.

Name: Bliss

Age: Adult, age unknown

Height: Around 170cm

Species: Majin/Android (can freely switch)

Orientation: Pansexual

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Mentor: Zarbon

Everything else is under the cut.

Bliss is a yellow majin with blue eyes. She has the ability to switch between two forms, one majin and one more human/android like.

She had worked for the time patrol and was the future warrior selected for the special mission but…

At some point she gets a little too close to the Frieza Force, much like Taino she ends up idolising the members. She’s kind of a free spirit in the sense that Bliss does what she wants. Elder Kai and the Supreme Kai of Time don’t frighten her.

That fearlessness is probably quite the flaw though. I imagine that would get her into a lot of trouble and a lot of scoldings from Zarbon.

Therefore, I imagine she ends up betraying the Time Patrol in favour of the Frieza Force. I think like Trunks she may have also attempted to alter the time line only for less noble reasons - Trunks did it for Gohan, but I think Bliss would get herself involved with the events of Namek.

Being part Majin means Blissy has a sweet tooth. Candy can cause problems, and she’s easily lured by it. Milk chocolate especially, and ice cream.

That would definitely get her into trouble as well, Bliss may be smart but she’s easy to distract.

Again following Xenoverse 2 and the little Frieza Force sub quest, I’d put her position in the ranks somewhere between Ginyu and Zarbon - but she still acts like Zarbon’s aide or subordinate despite outranking him.

I do this because I don’t want to make her overpowered - sure she’s a Majin but, it’s key to remember in terms of lore; the elites of the Frieza Force are still stupidly strong. As almost everyone now is god level - these elites are people who could probably destroy a planet without lifting a finger.

Also to note: rank ≠ power level. Besides power scaling is nonsensical at this point.

Know how Buu is protective over Hercule? That’s Bliss with Zarbon. She’s feisty as well. Even messing up his order will result in the staff at the ship’s mess hall will result in one of her outbursts.

Another flaw I give Bliss is that she gets swayed by her emotions a lot, if she’s mad her thought processes are out the window.

Android/human Bliss is more stoic and serious. Still, she’s overprotective. I don’t necessarily ship the two, but she just cares a lot about those she comes to respect.

She’s a bookworm, the woman can read for fun and loves to do so.

Research is another thing she loves to do, she loves gaining knowledge.

Can be a bit lazy though, will use her majin form and her stretchy limbs to reach things on the other side of the room (and to whack people part way across the ship).

Therefore, not uncommon to also see her taking long naps much to the disgruntlement of her mentor who has training planned.

In terms of uniform, I think she would have:

Sleeveless black jumpsuit with leggings.

Or two piece black tank top and leggings.

Maybe something on her wrists, or fingerless gloves.

Standard battle suit.

Plain white boots.

No scouter - as she was future warrior she can detect ki.

She can definitely test her mentor’s patience as she can go from serious to lazy at the drop of a hat. Has definitely decided to nap or eat sweets part way through battle before.

Liked by many of the grunts as she doesn’t care about rank. Be nice to her and she will be nice to you.

Try and be creepy towards her though and Zarbon will be less than kind (already established that he’s confirmed to be overprotective of his student).

She is a hoodie lover and quite often breaks the standard uniform to wear the hoodie. I’ve decided this as Majins are seen as acting odd by basically everyone else and this is odd! Even Frieza wears the battle suit in his first form.

The reason for hoodies? I think I recall something about Majin females being modest. Besides I’m sure Zarbon has influenced Bliss over the years too. Not just in her Majin form though, I’m sure the two have plenty of bitching sessions about the others.

Plus I think they would do each others hair and discuss skincare seeing as Majins have such smooth skin - I like to think that translates to her more human form too.

With that said, he did find her repulsive at first. Then again Majins are weird and can manipulate their bodies.

Oh! Bliss is also a big time vegetarian. Her diet is purely sweets, vegetables, rice, and soda. I’m sure this causes tension between her and her mentor but it’s fine. Could definitely see her freaking Zarbon out if she were to indulge herself in mass amounts of junk food. Dodoria would be encouraging it though.

She is well mannered despite her short comings, such as her lack of fear, her outbursts, her laziness…

She loves dogs. That’s another way she gets distracted in missions - if she sees a dog or an animal she can befriend, she ends up with a very annoyed mentor! She’s definitely snuck many pets back. And yes, she manages to care for every single one of them.

Squishmallow-in verse-equivalent, hoarder too, Bliss can be such a liability. However, at the right moment she can step up.

Note: Her non Majin form is much more mature. She’s not as impulse driven and is more calm and reliable. She’s the same height in both forms.

She’s blonde, and switches between hair down with a braid crowning her head or she goes for a ponytail.

Her combat style is mostly ki based and she does hang back. She can fight in hand to hand, as she isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty but she can strategise better from afar.

This very of Bliss can stay more calm under pressure as her impulse control is much better.

However; she has shortcomings like this too. She can be overly stoic which can result in her misreading situations or becoming frustrated with her comrades when they won’t listen to her.

She’s also lacking in confidence and is quite anxious. Her Majin form suppresses these flaws though. She’s not perfect but she doesn’t care.

But in either form she and Zarbon seem to be tied at the hip. I’ll leave their bond up to perception. I like keeping things open ended.

Hobbies: Reading, sleeping, calculus (because why not 😂), being a pest, shopping.

[rwac96]

SFW Dragon Ball/RWBY: Children Shuffle: Dragonmonkey children

"Excuse me," the young, lilac-eyed young man said to Son Goku, which made his brows raised. "can...can I talk to you?" The seasoned martial artist blinks, as he studied the young fighter. The Saiyan noticed that he wore a tan jacket, slightly similar to Yang's. Not mention he could've swore he saw the mysterious youth wearing his oldest son's purple gi underneath.

"Um, sure," Goku says with a nod, having a guess of what was about to transpire. He sensed his energy, knowing that the young man had a connection to him.

Meanwhile, as the spiky haired teen spoke with Goku, Gohan couldn't help but to ponder on the one who stopped the horde of Grimm. The young Half-Saiyan poked his chin, as he experienced such a thing when Future Trunks arrived many years ago. But, the youth, who resembled Gohan but had lilac eyes and a different facial shape; this felt more personal to him.

"Is...Is that my Gi he's wearing?" the oldest son of Goku inquires, watching the time traveler speak with his father.

"Yup," Yang Xiao Long answered bluntly, sipping from a can of Hetap. "plus, he's wearing what looks like a version of my jacket."

The young pair silently eyes the stranger as he talked with the martial artist, who stared at him with widen eyes. Meanwhile, Piccolo's own brows raised as he muttered "Not again", then turns to Gohan and Yang.

The older Half-Saiyan takes notice of this, turning to his dearest friend and mentor, then returns his gaze between the pair. Suddenly, like taking the blast Cell threw at Vegeta long ago, it hit him.

"Hold up," Yang moves the can from her lips, blinking for a minute or two. "that guy...tell me he isn't our--!"

--

"You're my grands--Mhmph!" Goku nearly blurted out, but was quickly muffled by his descendant, Son Xiao Long Gang.

"Not so loud," Gang says to his grandfather in a hushed tone, who quickly nods in understanding. "I know grandma Chi-Chi said you had a blabber mouth, but c'mon!"

[cc-fgohan]

Alternate Hope [Future Gohan & Future Trunks]

cc-fgohan “You’re Trunks alright, but not the Trunks that I know. Still, I’m glad to see you all grown up and strong as you are. Would you mind telling me about your first fight against the Androids alongside my other self?”

@hopefromadoomedtimeline answered:

"You have no idea how good it is to see you Gohan, even if you aren't the one I knew. Seeing you alive like this... it's really nice." Even if it wasn't his version of his mentor, Trunks was always content to interact with alternates, it helped fill the void somewhat that was left by the knowledge his own mentor was not only dead, but completely gone. But now wasn't the time for reflecting on his more recent failures, now was reflecting for a time when things were a little less complicated... alas, it also happened to be a time where he had felt he failed his master.

"It... wasn't great. I was barely more than a burden at the time, only good for distracting one of the androids before you had to save me from them anyway. I apologized for embarrassing myself by not contributing anything meaningful, but you rejected every apology I gave."

“I can say the same about you, Trunks,” Future Gohan replied with a growing smile. In contrast Gohan felt similarly with what happened in his own timeline, though that was what this talk would lead to.

He frowned at hearing Trunks’ answer, it was unfortunate, but he was sure there were better and worse timelines besdies their own. “I see, so that’s what diverged with our timelines, I’m glad you survived.”

He let out a light sigh, years later and he still could not get over what happened, Gohan hoped he could find a little closer to being honest with his sins. “Unfortunately that very battle with the Androids, the Trunks from my timeline, I wasn’t able to protect him and he perished,” he confused, clenching his fists tightly. “Telling Bulma was one of the hardest things I had to do.”

If anything, that drove Gohan to make sure he was thorough with Bulma’s plan to send him into the past to save their future. Gohan supposed confessing to this Trunks, and other versions of him was his way of atoning. He wasn’t even sure he would forgive himself properly if he was meeting up with alternate Trunks’ like this, his guilt will always be there.

“Now onto a more lighter topic, Trunks, how strong are you now?” he inquired curiously. Future Gohan always knew Trunks’ had a lot of potential, he was eager to hear how strong his Trunks could have been if he had survived like this one.

[peoplcshope]

“Hey Gohan, I was wondering if you can give me some pointers when it comes to the whole superhero schtick.” Trunks spoke as he approaches his mentor’s alternate counterpart. Being a saiyaman himself within the realm of the future it was important that he comes back towards the source to see what he could learn, if Gohan had a tip or two to share.

liked for a starter / @n3rdb0x

[st-dorothy-minority]

Gohan Black AU - Incomplete WIP

So, I do want to make a separate post with the entire plot summary/outline for anyone interested to know, but in the meantime, here is what I'd gotten down so far for the start of it! This was started in October 2021, which feels like forever ago now.

This AU idea is dark, angsty, hurt/comfort galore due to PTSD Trunks and Cell, and has the OT3: Gohan/Trunks/Cell. I wrote a brief scene between Gohan Black and Cell that shows some of the brutality of Black, but I'll save that in a separate post too 😊

****

Altering the timeline was always a risk, but Trunks knew it was only a necessary one to take when things were most desperate. The first time was necessary for Goku to live; the next was defeating the androids, which didn’t go at all according to plan due to his initial manipulation of events. Instead of androids 17 and 18 posing a threat, it was Cell. But once Gohan defeated the latter, things were looking up for the future when he returned and was able to destroy each one of Gero’s creations in his own timeline. It was peaceful. The world rebuilt. Humanity pressed on and survived for several years.

Until him.

Believing the situation too dire to ignore and leave to fate, Trunks once again ventured back to ask for help. Upon arrival, he immediately felt nostalgic. Not much had changed, and it resembled the period of tranquility he had known for seven years after ridding the planet of the androids. He couldn’t restore his timeline this time on his own. He needed assistance from the most powerful warrior he knew.

“Trunks!” Bulma exclaimed happily as she rushed outside to find out the source of engine noise in the front yard. She nearly tackled him to the ground from running to hug him.

“Hey mom,” he greeted with a small laugh.

“It’s so good to see you! You’ve grown. And your hair!”

“Yeah, gone through some changes, you could say.”

“You’ve grown a lot in this timeline too! Little You is off playing with Goten right now, but I know he’ll be excited to meet you when he gets home.”

“Goten, huh?”

“Yes! Chi-Chi had him not long after you left. They’ve been pretty much inseparable ever since. And then Gohan being a big brother to you both,” she ended with a smile.

The mention of his mentor’s name instantly sent his heart into a flutter. “Speaking of Gohan, is he around? I need to talk to him.”

“He should be in school at the moment. I imagine he’ll swing by on his way home to see if Goten and Little You are here. It’s become a habit.”

“Ah great.”

“That’ll give us a chance to catch up! Lord knows where your father is right now, but he’ll be back in time for dinner.”

As she ushered her grown son inside, the butterflies of anxiety were beginning to mix with those of delighted anticipation to once again be face to face with Gohan. While he had connected and bonded with his mentor in the future, he felt an even stronger connection with him after spending time together in the lead up to the Cell Games. Gohan, whether as a pre-teen or adult, held an enormously special place in Trunks’ heart, one of deep respect and beloved friend. To be reunited with him, even if it was only for a few days, was something he would greatly cherish.

****

It was late afternoon when the front door burst open and childish laughter filled the area.

“Sounds like they’re home!” Bulma explained, getting up from the table. Trunks followed suit, and they both headed into the living room to discover two young boys running around the furniture and a teenage boy chasing them.

“Hey guys! We have company!”

The three stopped and turned, and the moment Trunks met Gohan’s eyes, he felt an instantaneous rush of admiration and affection for the now twenty-year-old Saiyan fighter. Even as Bulma introduced him to his child-self and Goten, Trunks was paralyzed as Gohan approached with the brightest smile he had ever seen.

“Good to see you, Trunks!” Gohan said chipperly. “What brings you back?”

“Well, I….” Trunks felt embarrassed for his inability to formulate a proper sentence. “I um….I need your help. Can we talk outside?”

Gohan, catching the underlying seriousness yet completely missing the other reason for the awkwardness, nodded and said, “Sure!”

“Hey mom, we’re going to take a walk. Be back in a bit.”

“Okay! Just make sure you’re back in time for dinner. Gohan, are you and Goten staying?”

“Nah, mom wants us home tonight,” Gohan replied with a smile. “I’ll be back to pick you up, Goten!”

The two kids had already returned to chasing one another, so it was no surprise Goten didn’t acknowledge the statement.

Heading into the front yard and strolling down the street to a nearby park, Gohan waited a minute before starting the conversation.

“Everything okay?”

“Not exactly.” “Don’t tell me more androids.”

“No, luckily no more androids. I was able to get rid of them and Cell before he could cause any real trouble.” He failed to notice the slight tenseness Gohan suddenly had at the mention of Cell’s name. “Things were really nice after that. Everyone rebuilt and the world was thriving….”

“But?”

They sat on a bench and Trunks clenched his hands into fists. The abrupt change in his mood severely worried Gohan.

���But then he came.”

Gohan quirked an eyebrow. “He?”

“It’s….You.”

This made Gohan’s eyes widen considerably. “Me?!”

“Not you exactly, but someone who looks just like you when you were my mentor and fighting to keep us safe from the androids. He calls himself Black, and he’s pure evil. He’s already destroyed countless planets, and now he’s come to Earth to slowly cleanse it of us mortals. That’s why I’ve come here again. To ask you for help. He’s stronger than anyone I’ve ever seen, far stronger than Cell. I knew if there was anyone who stood a chance against him with me, it’d be you.”

Gohan looked down at his hands nervously, the weight of the words sinking in. He’d been keeping up with regular training; however, if this person was enough to have Trunks this desperate again and wielding a higher power level than what Cell had, he doubted even his own abilities. Still, he couldn’t deny helping a friend in need.

“What do you need me to do?” he asked quietly.

“My mom still has Cell’s old time machine, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Since we both can’t fit into mine, I need you to take that one to come with me.”

“She hasn’t repaired it, though. It’s not functional.”

“Damn it,” Trunks cursed, gritting his teeth.

“I’m sure she could fix it up no problem. But it may take some time. Plus, if he’s as strong as you say, I feel like I might need to do some additional training.”

“Okay….I can probably hold him off for a few more months. That should be plenty of time, right?”

“Right.”

“I can leave the coordinates with you for when you’re ready since I might not make it back.”

“Just don’t die in the meantime, okay?” Gohan teased and playfully punched his shoulder to lighten the mood.

Trunks blushed slightly and smiled. “Yeah, of course.”

[ofhope]

He finally sat her down, within her room where there was nothing illuminating the area but a little candle light. Today was the day he decided to tell her..everything. "You know I told you that I'm not from this world right? Well I never shared you where I did come from because at the time I just wasn't ready to share that story..but tonight..and us becoming so much closer, I just love you too much to keep it a secret so I hope you believe me." The saiyan took a deep breath and looked into the flames of the candle. "I came from a ruined world where humanity was pushed to the brink of extinction because of two man-made monsters. Two cyborgs that wanted nothing but to bring terror into the world. My mentor Gohan was the only one strong enough to fight them but it wasn't enough, he was killed because I wasn't strong enough to protect him. Two years later, I decided to enter the fight on my own but I hardly did anything. Now this is the part where I MIGHT lose you, but my mother had created a time machine so I can go to the past and help my mother's friends who were all fighters, so they wouldn't have to go through what we did."

He was a man of scattered speech. He spoke when thought necessary, and didn't at other times, and it was all the same endearing — Yoimiya would pitch in, fill the empty spaces, with no issue at all. If there was a silence, it was agreed upon, and comfortable... the sort that lulls you into sleep, the sort that nestles up to your shoulders. So, whenever Trunks had whisked her away for a talk, her mind was jammed full of ideas!

... More leaning on the less intimate side, admittedly (had he finally come up with some meals she could whip up for him? did he get that super secret kimono she had fashioned for him specifically?), and thus appropriately Yoimiya applied herself: a listening posture, a smile that softened at the edges. Even with his gaze far from hers, Yoimiya made sure his hands weren't, both hands pillowing one of his own. Comfort from all angles, her mind surmised.

In spite of being cast in a fog of unknowing (cyborgs, time machines, alternate universes?), Yoimiya hadn't let her bewilderment paint her features, her only shifts coming in her inching closer, parting for distance, but never allowing too large a gap.

"Like the Ruin Sentinels," Yoimiya voiced. "But more... intent, I guess I should say. Not much has been uncovered regarding the automatons, whether their actions are controlled, programmed or otherwise, but... they sound like a more souped-up version of them."

More deadly went without saying.

"I'm sorry. That you had to go through that, I mean. Hey, listen for a sec," angling his chin thus, Yoimiya forced their eyes to meet. "I wasn't there, I know I can't offer any first-hand accounts, but... it's not that you weren't strong enough. It wasn't your mentor's fault, either - it was the work of whatever those things were. It had nothing to do with your strength or his, and had everything to do with them."

Palm atop of his hand once more, she caressed aimlessly every bump, every frayed scar. They weren't the hands of a craftsman, of a textile worker, of a farmer. They were the hands of a fighter, belonging to the man she loved. A man who blamed himself too often, a fighter who deemed himself too weak too often.

"I don't know what's going on in that head of yours, and I won't tell you how to process it. But I don't want you holding this blame forever, okay? Past, present, future, whatever - you've got enough in your arms already, that'll just send you toppling!"

Nose bumped against the plush of his cheek, she gripped tight his hand.

"For what it's worth? I think it's super cool that you got here because of a, uh, time... thingy. And your mom made it?! How long did you plan on keeping that from me?! Do you got any blueprints, or- ooh, you guys probably had an upgraded Kamera, right? Did you get any pictures—?!"

With this weight saddled on his chest... it was no wonder Trunks was most at home with silence. If only by an ounce, if only by a fraction, Yoimiya hoped to help lift this weight, to set it off to the side not to be forgotten, but to be a past reminder; an old ache, now healed.

Just as he had worked, just as he had trained, so would she.

[ducknotinarow]

 cTag drop just a few uwu

Aflockoffeathers: 

Raph and Don : [ you think first I hit first - aflockoffeathers]

at first just a stand in but i ended up liking it cause these two are very similar its just they go different way to handle an issue. Also I just love the fact this can be swapped cause sometimes in pinches you see them switch thier usual tactic uwu

Mikey and Don : [ the brains of this operation - aflcokoffeathers]

A relationship between two younger siblings can be something so personal ;3; also it’s cute how these two are together Mikey deff just looks out for Donnie in his own way and Dons one of the few who at times takes mikey a bit more serious compered to the others.Donnie is the smart one and know for what he can do Mikey though thinks more creatively and often I feel that can feed into don’s work because Mikey suggest stuff and Don tends to take it and improve on it. Rise!Don and Don [ I thought purple was my thing? - aflockoffeathers] Okay I took that from the mind meld episode but still it works well here cause my donnie will have such an ego bruising  over another donatello at first XD Usagi and Don [ genius dose not equal crazy - aflockoffeathers] Look I know Donnie was hell bent that Usagi clearly hurt Leo in the battle nexus and i’m never gonna get over it XD but once they fought together you can see these two really bonded and just Donnie was so happy to see usagi in samurai tourist ;3; Usagi deff treats Donnie like a brother and just think of the differences usagi’s curiosity fueling Donnie need to explain and Donnie’s patience with someone who would general be interested in his ramblings not to mention usagi would be good at helping don not to got to out there on his ideas spinter and Don [ purple is always the funny one - aflockoffeathers] likey just adopted don on the spot when meeting him hes deff different from Dons spinter thats for sure but I think his father inscit kicks hard when seeing how stressed out this donnie looks. Usagi and Bishop [ madder than the march hare - aflockoffethers] yes I did go for an Alice in wonder land refrence here uwu and im pretty proud of this one I wont lie XDD Forthehonorandthegolry: Piccolo and Gohan [ I got a finger on a heartbeat connection - forthehonorandtheglory] Mostly cause how often he has gotten killed protecting gohan alone and it hits me hard to thinka bout okay! and ya know the whole mentor and mentee realtionship between them just ;3; Freiza and furture gohan [ chain my heart - forthehonorandthegolry] Considering the whole working under him and being his pawn I feel this is pretty stright forward in truth uwu Future trunks and futrue goten [ some place only we know - forthehonorandthegolry] I have many emotions on our boys even more so for the future verse ;3;

[genisflyingkites]

6 and 8 for the dbz ask game

6. Favorite saga…. Man I did some soul searching and I wanna say saiyan saga just a big highlight for all the characters. I think as a kid was first saga I saw and scene of Goku being beaten up by his brother and Piccolo losing an arm. The hopelessness of the situation… like little kid me was shook!! But then only for 4 year old Gohan rush out and save the day. Like damn… so many good moments like piccolo and gohan dynamic. Omg Gohan filler was peak anime. The old dragon ball cast was used omg the final battle Yariobe fucking helps. I think dbz never peaked from that.

Favorite episode or chapter

This episode changed me to see Goku act so emotional. I love this arc too bits I love uub and goku being so protective of him. Just this episode was such a big emotional moment of the arc. I think about it and my heart just aaaa

Also imma say future trunks special is truly special. Db in general very lighthearted but this special sticks out it’s a different vibe and a different tone for the series. It’s haunting honestly. But also the series theme of mentor and student the emotions from it sticks through.

[heyyallitsbeth]

Objectively, I think the way that the color of hair of certain characters in Dragon Ball is funny, because it's basically all down to miscommunication. Bulma has purple hair. Due to an error, it was made blue in the anime. Trunks has the same color hair as his mother Bulma, making it purple in both the manga and show. BUT in Super, they try to correct this partially by giving Future Trunks blue hair, but Present Trunks stays purple, and in the Super Hero movie, Present Trunks now has blue hair.

HOWEVER: Vegeta also had a miscommunicated hair color, being red in the anime at first by mistake. This was later made somewhat canon, as future depictions of King Vegeta, his father, has a red streak in his hair, so Vegeta might have redheaded genes. SO my fan theory on hair color is that Vegeta is a natural redhead, and when his red hair and Bulma's blue hair genes combine, Trunks has purple hair. BUT in instances when Trunks has blue hair, its because Trunk's dad in that timeline is Goku. It changes practically nothing, and oddly enough since most instances of Blue Hair Trunks are Future Trunks, it actually kinda works out since in that timeline, Gohan is his real mentor, and in that way, it would be a brother guiding his brother. (also like. realistically because Future Trunks was trained by Gohan, he should know the Kamehameha and the Makankosappo, as well as the Masenko [which he does have!])

HOWEVER this does cause complications in regards to Bra/ Bulla as well as Trunks in Super Hero.

That could easily be down to like. Just Bulma's gene's being dominant in those cases?

IDK ask Goku and Bulma.