Trunks quietly took the tissue and wiped his face. His lips trembled slightly as if he wanted to call out to Gohan, but when he saw the young Gohan's innocent face before him, he simply couldn't bring himself to do it.
He had already learned that Goku, at this point in time, hadn't yet achieved the Super Saiyan transformation. That meant he couldn't expect Goku—or anyone else in this era—to help him in his fight. Besides, his time machine could only carry one person back to the future.
Still, according to what Goku and the others told him, the Androids of this timeline—Lapis and Lazuli—were good people. Frieza, who had previously come to Earth, was beaten half to death by Lapis and finished off with Vegeta's help. Because of that, this world wasn't under the same threat of destruction as his own.
It was the kind of peaceful world he had dreamed of—one free from despair. For now, Trunks had no plans to interfere. Once the time machine's fuel was replenished tomorrow, he would return to his own timeline. The problem of the Androids there… he would have to face that on his own.
Thinking about the hopeless world he had left behind, Trunks sighed deeply, his heart heavy.
Goku and the others looked down silently. They understood his pain, but there wasn't much they could do.
Everyone knew that only one person might be able to help Trunks now, Chiga.
To them, Uchiha Chiga was practically omnipotent. Yet, even though he often appeared approachable and calm, that abyss-like power he carried created an invisible wall between him and the others. It made asking for help feel daunting.
As the group sat there in gloomy silence, Bulma suddenly stood up, her hands on her hips.
"Why are you all making those faces? We still have Chiga!"
Yamcha's expression darkened as he stared at the floor. Goku scratched the back of his head awkwardly, while Krillin gave a wry smile.
"We know," Krillin said, "but we haven't known Chiga for very long. How are we even supposed to ask him for something like this?"
Bulma scoffed, patting her chest with confidence.
"You're overthinking it. Chiga is very easy to talk to! Don't worry about it—leave this matter to me. I'll go talk to him!"
Then she turned toward Trunks and added with a reassuring smile,
"Young man, you can stay here tonight. Everything will work out tomorrow!"
Trunks looked at her in silence. Seeing this young, lively version of Bulma—so full of confidence and energy—filled his heart with complicated emotions.
In his future, his mother had grown old and weary from years of struggle and endless repairs to the time machine. Even though this Bulma might not be his mother, she still stood up for him when he needed it most.
He rubbed at his eyes quickly, refusing to let tears fall.
Still, curiosity gnawed at him. He had heard the name Chiga several times since arriving, but he didn't truly know who this person was.
"Excuse me," Trunks asked hesitantly, "who exactly is this Mr. Chiga? I've never heard of him in my timeline."
Bulma's lips curled into a knowing smile. She raised her hand to cover her mouth and said mysteriously,
"Let me tell you a secret—he's a God."
"A God?" Trunks blinked. "But… the God I remember wasn't that strong. When Mr. Piccolo died, the God of Earth disappeared along with him. And the Dragon Balls…"
His voice trailed off, sorrow creeping in as he thought of the hopelessness of his world.
Bulma waved her finger, giving Piccolo a sidelong glance.
"You're talking about that kind of God. Chiga isn't the same. Even the Dragon itself shows him respect! After granting a wish, it has to ask for his permission before disappearing again!"
Trunks's eyes widened in disbelief. "There's really someone like that? Then what kind of person is he? What's he like?"
Bulma smiled softly, her expression turning fond.
"He's… kind. When I first met him, I never imagined he was divine. He helped solve more crises than I can count, and he doesn't act arrogant like most powerful beings. Back then, he just looked like an ordinary high school student."
Trunks blinked. "A… high school student?"
Bulma nodded enthusiastically.
"Yeah! He used to wear these terribly unfashionable black-rimmed glasses, but he was still handsome. His voice was gentle, the kind that makes you relax without even realizing it."
She went on, her tone light and nostalgic.
Trunks could only listen blankly. It wasn't hard to guess now why Vegeta and Bulma in this world had no romantic connection—it was because Chiga existed.
After she had been talking for quite a while, Bulma suddenly realized that everyone except Goku, Gohan, and Vegeta was staring at her with strange, knowing expressions. Her cheeks flushed pink.
She coughed twice and quickly said,
"Ahem! Anyway, as long as Chiga agrees to help, there's no problem at all. So relax!"
Trunks nodded, his spirits slowly lifting. Seeing Bulma's confidence filled him with warmth and hope again.
As he looked out the window at the glittering stars above, he whispered silently in his heart:
Thank you, Mom. No matter the timeline, you always give me hope—even if you aren't my mother here.
---
Meanwhile, at Chiga's home…
Lazuli's eyes widened as she stared at Chiga in disbelief.
"So, the future me and Lapis really became that bad? We nearly wiped out all humanity?"
Chiga spread his hands, his tone calm but honest.
"Uh-huh. Otherwise, why do you think that Trunks drew his sword the second he saw you? You and Lapis are basically his worst nightmare."
"No wonder," she muttered. "I thought he was just being crazy."
Her gaze softened as she let out a quiet sigh. "Even if that future version of me wasn't really me, I can understand him. He must've gone through hell. Poor guy."
Without warning, Lazuli leaned closer and rested her head against Chiga's chest. Her voice was muffled but sincere.
"Thank you, Chiga."
Chiga blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Huh? Thank me? What for?"
She lifted her head slightly, her eyes serious and glimmering.
"I know the future me turned evil because of that twisted doctor's brainwashing. If it weren't for you, Lapis and I would've ended up the same way. That's no different from being dead. So… thank you—for saving us both."
A gentle smile spread across Chiga's face. He placed a hand on her head, his voice warm.
"So that's what you meant. It's nothing, really. There's no need for thanks between us. What happened in that other timeline has nothing to do with you."
"Mmm…"
Lazuli closed her eyes, a peaceful expression softening her features as she relaxed fully into his arms, like a cat content in its favorite spot.
Across from them, Vados sat gracefully on the sofa, stirring her cup of coffee. She took a small sip and smiled faintly.
"Mmm… coffee with sugar really is sweet."
The calm, cozy air in the room contrasted the turbulent world outside—three souls from different realities, finding peace, even if just for a moment.
---