Strength of a Soldier
Friday, 17 June 2005 19:41![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
walkyourownwayTitle: Strength of a Soldier
Fandom: Dragonball Z
Character(s): Trunks Briefs (Future), Son Gohan (Future)
Genre: Mostly angst
Rating: K+/PG
Disclaimers: "Sound the Bugle Now" © Stallion of the Cimarron, Dragonball Z © Akira Toriyama
Notes: Bold = song lyrics. I wasn't sure if I wanted to post so soon, but I decided that my first story I'll put up here will be the one ff.net deleted....So take that, ff.net! [insert rasberry]
Summary: 'I’m a soldier, wounded so I must give up the fight. There’s nothing more for me-lead me away…Or leave me lying here.'
Strength of a Soldier
Trunks wiped his damp, lavender locks as he continued his task. The rain fell heavily upon him, yet he wouldn't stop until his duty was complete. Carefully laying the cold body of his mentor in the hole, he refilled it with dirt, patting it down tight. A sob escaped his throat, as tears mixed with the droplets of water on his face.
"It's not fair," he said quietly, placing a stone at the head of the grave. "Why, Gohan? Why wouldn't you let me help you? Why did you have to fight the androids by yourself? You knew you couldn't handle both of them at the same time, and you knew that you weren't fully healed yet. So why did you have to go, Gohan? Why did you have to leave me?"
The wind howled around him, chilling his very soul. He let the tears run freely now, not caring about anything anymore. There was nothing left for him here. Gohan, his only mentor, and brother, was gone, killed mercilessly by the androids. Without Gohan, he didn't know what to do. He had no thoughts, feelings, or knowledge of anything but Gohan's death. Inside, he felt nothing but emptiness and confusion.
Sound the bugle now-play it just for me
As the seasons change, remember how I used to be
Now I can’t go on, I can’t even start
I’ve got nothing left, just an empty heart
"You trained me hard, Gohan," Trunks said, looking up at the sky, "but nothing you did ever prepared me for this event. My father was dead before I could remember him, so it didn't hurt as much. But this..." The young teenager clenched his fists. "This hurts so much more than anything else. How did you bear it? How could you go on, knowing that your friends, Kuririn and Piccolo, were killed by such monsters?"
His shoulders trembled violently. The empty feeling ate at his soul, slowly tormenting him. "What can I do now?" he wondered. "What's there left? I'm not ready to fight the androids by myself. I thought I was, but they killed Gohan so easily, and I'm not as strong as he was. Maybe that's it. Maybe...they won."
I’m a soldier, wounded so I must give up the fight
There’s nothing more for me-lead me away…
Or leave me lying here
"It's over, Gohan," Trunks said, shutting his eyes. He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve, in vain as the tears continued to flow. "If you couldn't beat them, there's no point for me to try. I can't do anything. If you didn't let me help you, then you must know that I'm no good. I can't do this. I'm not ready. They're so much stronger than me. I almost didn't make it last time. I was okay only because of that Senzu bean you gave me. But that was your sacrifice, and because you gave it to me, your left arm was gone forever. That became your disadvantage, along with your injuries, and the androids easily overtook you.
"There's nothing left for me to do, Gohan. I can't save this world, I'm not strong enough. And without you, without your training and encouragement, I don't know what to do. No amount of training can help me become strong enough to defeat those metallic demons. Gohan, why did you have to die? You were the only one who could take down those androids. Couldn't you have waited until you healed, at least a little bit more? Without you, there's no hope for me, or this planet. Everything has been decided now. The whole planet is doomed."
The young teen sighed. He couldn't go on anymore. Without his mentor, there was no way he could defeat the androids. Even if he was a Super Saiyan now, that wouldn't help him. Gohan had been training him to become a Super Saiyan, but he died before he could see Trunks perfect it. So what could he do now? The strongest warrior on the planet was gone, now, and nothing could bring him back. With Piccolo dead, the dragon balls vanished forever. Shivering, Trunks felt that his time would soon come, too. The androids would eventually find and kill him, and he didn't seem to care. He didn't want to.
Sound the bugle now-tell them I don’t care
There’s not a road I know that leads to anywhere
Without a light I fear that I will stumble in the dark
Lay right down, decide not to go on
The rain began to ease up, and eventually ceased falling. Trunks sniffled a bit, pushing his dripping, matted hair out of his eyes. A ray of sunlight penetrated the clouds, the only bit of brightness amidst the dark sky. It shined on the young teen, warming his body.
‘Trunks?’ The young boy looked up, hearing the voice call to him in his head. Was that his imagination? An illusion his mind played upon him in his time of distress?
‘Trunks?’ There it was again. The voice was very familiar, a voice Trunks could never forget no matter what.
"Gohan?" he wondered. "Is that you?"
‘Trunks, what are you doing?’
"What do you mean?"
‘Why are you giving up so easily?’
"Gohan, what do you want me to do? I can't beat the androids. I'm not strong enough."
‘You mustn't doubt yourself, Trunks. I taught you better than that.’
"But what am I supposed to do? Without you here to help me, I won't..."
‘Don't think that way. You can beat the androids. But you must believe in yourself. If you don't, then there really is no hope for you after all.’
"Gohan..."
‘Trunks, the only way to defeat the androids is to trust yourself. As a Saiyan, I'm telling you do posses the strength to overcome any obstacle, but only if you continue to train. As a friend, I'm telling you that there is nothing you can't do, as long as can find the courage to do so. Don't give up, Trunks.’
Then from on high, somewhere in the distance
There’s a voice that calls, “Remember who you are.
If you lose yourself, your courage soon will follow
So be strong tonight-remember who you are.”
Trunks wiped away his remaining tears, nodding determinedly. "Okay, Gohan. I'll do my best, and train hard."
‘The fate of the planet is up to you now, Trunks. It's up to you to defeat the androids, and free the Earth from there inhuman wrath.’
"Right! Don't worry Gohan, I won't let you down! I'll make you proud."
‘I know Trunks. Don't ever forget what you're fighting for, okay?’
"What I'm fighting for?" Trunks asked, but there was no answer. Gohan's presence was gone. But soon, the teen understood what he meant. "What I'm fighting for...for freedom from the androids. For peace and life."
“You’re a solider now, fighting in a battle.
To be free once more…
Ya, that’s worth fighting for.”
The End
Fandom: Dragonball Z
Character(s): Trunks Briefs (Future), Son Gohan (Future)
Genre: Mostly angst
Rating: K+/PG
Disclaimers: "Sound the Bugle Now" © Stallion of the Cimarron, Dragonball Z © Akira Toriyama
Notes: Bold = song lyrics. I wasn't sure if I wanted to post so soon, but I decided that my first story I'll put up here will be the one ff.net deleted....So take that, ff.net! [insert rasberry]
Summary: 'I’m a soldier, wounded so I must give up the fight. There’s nothing more for me-lead me away…Or leave me lying here.'
Strength of a Soldier
Trunks wiped his damp, lavender locks as he continued his task. The rain fell heavily upon him, yet he wouldn't stop until his duty was complete. Carefully laying the cold body of his mentor in the hole, he refilled it with dirt, patting it down tight. A sob escaped his throat, as tears mixed with the droplets of water on his face.
"It's not fair," he said quietly, placing a stone at the head of the grave. "Why, Gohan? Why wouldn't you let me help you? Why did you have to fight the androids by yourself? You knew you couldn't handle both of them at the same time, and you knew that you weren't fully healed yet. So why did you have to go, Gohan? Why did you have to leave me?"
The wind howled around him, chilling his very soul. He let the tears run freely now, not caring about anything anymore. There was nothing left for him here. Gohan, his only mentor, and brother, was gone, killed mercilessly by the androids. Without Gohan, he didn't know what to do. He had no thoughts, feelings, or knowledge of anything but Gohan's death. Inside, he felt nothing but emptiness and confusion.
Sound the bugle now-play it just for me
As the seasons change, remember how I used to be
Now I can’t go on, I can’t even start
I’ve got nothing left, just an empty heart
"You trained me hard, Gohan," Trunks said, looking up at the sky, "but nothing you did ever prepared me for this event. My father was dead before I could remember him, so it didn't hurt as much. But this..." The young teenager clenched his fists. "This hurts so much more than anything else. How did you bear it? How could you go on, knowing that your friends, Kuririn and Piccolo, were killed by such monsters?"
His shoulders trembled violently. The empty feeling ate at his soul, slowly tormenting him. "What can I do now?" he wondered. "What's there left? I'm not ready to fight the androids by myself. I thought I was, but they killed Gohan so easily, and I'm not as strong as he was. Maybe that's it. Maybe...they won."
I’m a soldier, wounded so I must give up the fight
There’s nothing more for me-lead me away…
Or leave me lying here
"It's over, Gohan," Trunks said, shutting his eyes. He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve, in vain as the tears continued to flow. "If you couldn't beat them, there's no point for me to try. I can't do anything. If you didn't let me help you, then you must know that I'm no good. I can't do this. I'm not ready. They're so much stronger than me. I almost didn't make it last time. I was okay only because of that Senzu bean you gave me. But that was your sacrifice, and because you gave it to me, your left arm was gone forever. That became your disadvantage, along with your injuries, and the androids easily overtook you.
"There's nothing left for me to do, Gohan. I can't save this world, I'm not strong enough. And without you, without your training and encouragement, I don't know what to do. No amount of training can help me become strong enough to defeat those metallic demons. Gohan, why did you have to die? You were the only one who could take down those androids. Couldn't you have waited until you healed, at least a little bit more? Without you, there's no hope for me, or this planet. Everything has been decided now. The whole planet is doomed."
The young teen sighed. He couldn't go on anymore. Without his mentor, there was no way he could defeat the androids. Even if he was a Super Saiyan now, that wouldn't help him. Gohan had been training him to become a Super Saiyan, but he died before he could see Trunks perfect it. So what could he do now? The strongest warrior on the planet was gone, now, and nothing could bring him back. With Piccolo dead, the dragon balls vanished forever. Shivering, Trunks felt that his time would soon come, too. The androids would eventually find and kill him, and he didn't seem to care. He didn't want to.
Sound the bugle now-tell them I don’t care
There’s not a road I know that leads to anywhere
Without a light I fear that I will stumble in the dark
Lay right down, decide not to go on
The rain began to ease up, and eventually ceased falling. Trunks sniffled a bit, pushing his dripping, matted hair out of his eyes. A ray of sunlight penetrated the clouds, the only bit of brightness amidst the dark sky. It shined on the young teen, warming his body.
‘Trunks?’ The young boy looked up, hearing the voice call to him in his head. Was that his imagination? An illusion his mind played upon him in his time of distress?
‘Trunks?’ There it was again. The voice was very familiar, a voice Trunks could never forget no matter what.
"Gohan?" he wondered. "Is that you?"
‘Trunks, what are you doing?’
"What do you mean?"
‘Why are you giving up so easily?’
"Gohan, what do you want me to do? I can't beat the androids. I'm not strong enough."
‘You mustn't doubt yourself, Trunks. I taught you better than that.’
"But what am I supposed to do? Without you here to help me, I won't..."
‘Don't think that way. You can beat the androids. But you must believe in yourself. If you don't, then there really is no hope for you after all.’
"Gohan..."
‘Trunks, the only way to defeat the androids is to trust yourself. As a Saiyan, I'm telling you do posses the strength to overcome any obstacle, but only if you continue to train. As a friend, I'm telling you that there is nothing you can't do, as long as can find the courage to do so. Don't give up, Trunks.’
Then from on high, somewhere in the distance
There’s a voice that calls, “Remember who you are.
If you lose yourself, your courage soon will follow
So be strong tonight-remember who you are.”
Trunks wiped away his remaining tears, nodding determinedly. "Okay, Gohan. I'll do my best, and train hard."
‘The fate of the planet is up to you now, Trunks. It's up to you to defeat the androids, and free the Earth from there inhuman wrath.’
"Right! Don't worry Gohan, I won't let you down! I'll make you proud."
‘I know Trunks. Don't ever forget what you're fighting for, okay?’
"What I'm fighting for?" Trunks asked, but there was no answer. Gohan's presence was gone. But soon, the teen understood what he meant. "What I'm fighting for...for freedom from the androids. For peace and life."
“You’re a solider now, fighting in a battle.
To be free once more…
Ya, that’s worth fighting for.”
The End
