Hope of a Saiyan

Trunks held his aching side, leaning on the chair of the machine. He remembered every vivid detail of what happened mere moments ago. Black's arrival, his fight, his mother, Mai... The blue-haired Saiyan shook his head slowly, shoving those thoughts aside. He had a mission to save the world.

The time machine flew through a black void with yellow lights surrounding the capsule. Trunks tried to keep his eyes open, bags seen underneath them. A yawn escaped his mouth, drained. He had just escaped a battle with Black and narrowly made it out alive in the first place, seen by the bruises and cuts on his face.

He knew the costs of what he was doing. Trunks saw it all... His mother... Vaporized by Black and Mai... He didn't have time to check on her after she bought him time. He clenched his eyes shut at the thought, feeling selfish for his actions. He didn't want to go alone. For years, he's been fighting alone. A tiring fight.

Trunks coughed, "No..." he placed a hand on the controls to the machine, staying awake as much as he could. 'Can't sleep now... But too tired...' he slid his hand down onto the glove compartment and opened it, seeing a small bag inside. He picked it up and opened it, seeing two familiar green beans inside.

'Senzu beans... Only two of them. I'll get more when I arrive.' Trunks thought, throwing one into his mouth and chewing it. Suddenly, he felt a burst of energy overtake his body, feeling re-energized for the fights ahead.

'Mom really thought ahead. She must've placed those before she finish the machine.' a thin smile was seen on the Saiyan's face, but then it morphed into a frown. "I'm sorry, everyone..." he whispered, his head hanging in shame and sorrow. Tears fell out of his eyes, and then a determined glare was seen on his features.

"I won't fail. Not now. I'm getting help from Goku. From Father and Gohan! I won't let anyone down this time!" Trunks shouted to himself in determination, his hand curling to a fist.

Then, something strange happened. A white light appeared in his line of sight and the capsule shook as it moved forward. The controls to the machine jammed, forcing Trunks to release his grip on the levers and buttons. 'What's happening?!' Trunks asked himself in surprise, unable to move ths ship.

With no other option, Trunks braced himself, hoping that he ended up in the correct point in time.

A lone being hovered over the burning remains of West City. His cold glare narrowed at the sight of the flames. Silence was heard within the darkened cloud-covered city. He remained still, slowly turning his head for answers over what happened.

"Trunks..." he growled, teeth gritting and hatred flowing at the sound of the name.

His appearance was uncanny and similar to a hero of the past before he perished. His hair spiked to the sides, he wore a black gi, a white ring on his hand, and a green Potara earring on one of his ears. He crossed his arms, clearly unamused over what happened. "That filthy mortal... Always delaying the inevitable."

Goku Black looked at the dark sky ahead, 'He thinks he escaped my wrath. But my Zero Mortals Plan is still in effect. If he thinks he can take the coward's way out, then he will bring the rest of these mortals' suffering by my hand.' a dark smirk was seen on his face as he quietly chuckled.

He rotated his arm, feeling a little sore. Goku Black chuckled again, "He's proven himself quite an opponent. This body is perfect for my plan." he held his shoulder and coughed, "Heh. I will wait Trunks. And I will kill you when I do. You and the rest of the mortals will not live."

'But what was that device he used to escape? It was not an ordinary plane or ship.' thought Goku Black, wondering how the Saiyan escaped. "Pheh. I will figure it out when the time comes." he raised his hand, "For now, I must continue my plan." he glanced at the Capsule Corps building, which was somehow still intact. He black ball morphed in his hand and he flicked his arm, throwing the ki beam, blowing up the building instantly.

Black's figure was covered in smoke and shadow, giving him a sinister appearance as a smirk formed on his face.

Trunks felt the capsule shake and tumble while it flew through the rift. He closed his eyes as the light got closer to him. Then, the shaking stopped. The Saiyan fell out of his seat and his face planted on the controls. "Ow..." he muttered, sitting up and rubbing his face for a moment. His hand moved to his head, feeling a small headache from the turbulence he suffered.

Fog covered the glass dome of the time capsule. So, Trunks pressed a button, opening the machine. Before he left however, he looked at the fuel of the machine, the monitors all red. "Empty... One way. I have to make this count." he whispered. Trunks levitated out of the capsule, greeted by something he dreaded.

Black clouds, red sky, burnt trees and ash in place of grass. The blue-haired Saiyan's eyes widened and his jaw agape. "N-No... D-Did I not leave my time?" he asked himself in fear. "I-I couldn't..." he muttered in disappointment. He lowered his feet and planted them onto the rough ground. A tear fell from his face, "I failed..."

Trunks got to his knees and held the ground, "Mother... Mai... Everyone... I'm sorry." he whispered. He knew it was a matter of time before Black found him, and now he was out of options. The plan was to go back in time and ask some allies for help: Son Goku, his father Vegeta, and Gohan. But now it was pointless. There was no fuel left and no way to gain more energy to fulfill another jump in the capsule.

The Saiyan opened his eyes at a sound and he sensed a strange energy. 'It's not ki. And it's not Black. I wouldn't be able to sense him most of the time anyhow.' he stood up, adjusting the strap of his sword sheathe. Trunks turned his eyes to the sound of loud flapping, something he hasn't heard since Black arrived. He decided to hide himself behind a tree for the moment and he looked up to the sky to find the source. "What is it...?"

There, he saw what appeared to be gargoyles, black bug-like creatures and small dragons flying high in the sky and past him, which earned a sigh of relief from the Saiyan. It was hard for him to distinguish these creatures in this darkened weather, but he knew he hadn't seen them before. "What was that? Minions? Black would never use anyone. He would prefer extinction by his own hand." he lowered his hands to his sides.

'No. This is something else. I must be somewhere else. At no point in history were those creatures alive. Except for the dragons. I would've seen them when I went back to fight Cell and the Androids.' thought Trunks, his eyes back on the capsule he used to arrive in the first place. He hovered slowly back to it and moved his hand to what was written on it. Or more accurately, what was painted on in a hurry.

HOPE.

'Hope... What I wanted to be for my world. And it seems I found myself in another one instead of the different timeline.' Trunks exhaled sharply. A determined glare formed on his features, "And if I'm going to save my world, I have to start by figuring out what happened here. And then, I can find a way back."

Trunks then started to run. Out of habit of he was hiding his ki, especially after learning Black could sense his energy for miles. Despite thinking he was in a different world, the young Saiyan decided to play it safe until he figured out what was really happening and what he was up against this time. Sweat poured from his face and he coughed, his shoes kicking up dust into his face, which he wiped with aid from his red ascot.

'What the hell happened here? It's a mirror of my world now.' Trunks pondered, raising an arm to wipe his forehead. He nearly stumbled in his sprint, but he swiftly got his bearings and continued on. 'Once I get answers... Maybe Black came here before he ended up in my world and this is the aftermath.' his mind wandered possibilities. 'If I find out that's what happened, he will suffer for all that fell by his hand.'

Nothing notable was seen by Trunks for what felt like an eternity. He saw ash, burnt trees and logs lying about the soot covered ground. But he also saw skeletons and bones, which disgusted him. 'Whoever did this... Is a monster.'

It was at that moment, Trunks found something in the distance. Small buildings, all destroyed or looked to be abandoned. 'A town. I'll see what's ahead from there.' he decided, sprinting faster. But he skidded to a halt, sensing foreign energy nearby. He narrowed his eyes and focused ahead. He saw three gargoyles wielding spears and walking around and near the town from where he was at. Trunks hummed quietly to himself and leaned behind a tree, praying that these creatures wouldn't find him. He was in no mood for a fight for the moment, the Senzu Bean's effects still not healing his wounds yet.

"You'd think Sombra would have us spend our time doing something besides not guarding an empty town." one of the gargoyles said, surprising Trunks.

'Talking gargoyles. That's new. But who is this Sombra?'

The gargoyle he was comversing with responded, "He wanted us to keep an eye out for the rebels or somethin', but we've been on patrol for days and nopony's comin'!"

'Rebels... And did he say nopony?'

"Hey! Stop talkin' and get back to work!" the third gargoyle shouted to the others from his spot.

The others groaned, "Always so serious..."

The two gargoyles walked away, their backs turned away from Trunks. The Saiyan clenched his chest. "Hm. This is something else entirely. Whoever this is, they managed to deal damage as much as Black." he closed his eyes, "If I can't save my world, then I will preserve this one."

Trunks gritted his teeth, "If this Sombra did this, then I'll find him first. But I have to find out where I'm at first." he whispered. The Saiyan turned, seeing that the gargoyles were far from him in that town. He hovered lightly, hoping that these creatures can't sense ki and looked at the broken sign that was seen on the border of the town.

'Welcome to Ponyville...' Trunks read, 'Ponyville. This is another world, but not with humans. That would explain the gargoyles and odd bug things I saw.' he shook his head, 'No matter though. If the people of this world are endangered then I have to save them. No world should suffer like mine.'

Trunks focused, and sensed the energy of the gargoyle guards. It wasn't like the Androids, Cell, or like Black. It was more like Babadi and Dabura. Magical at its source. He raised his arms to his back and grabbed his sword, "I'm getting answers here and now." he hissed to himself, noticing the gargoyles turn around. "My presence can't be known yet. I have to play things safe."

And with a new goal, Trunks had a mission to fulfill.