Future Confusion - By: Chocolate-chan
Warnings: Cheap-shot Lemon, classic triangle, confusion!!! (hence the title.. I continue to use the terms ‘Mirai’ and ‘Chibi’ Trunks in this, although it is hardly appropriate.... Hopefully, it’ll help keep you oriented, and you’ll need all the help you can get. Might I suggest taking notes? Unless you really know your Trunkses....)


Trunks sat still, all except for one hand that was playing with a pen on top of his desk. Around, around... he sighed softly. There was a knock at his door, but he didn’t bother to answer it, since Bulma came in anyway.
“Trunks-kun... guess what I made?”
“What is it, Ka-san?” He sat up and rubbed at his cheek, at the creases left by laying on his sleeve’s wrinkles.
“Your favorite. Chocolate chip cookies.”
“Mmm...” Trunks thought back, really hard. All he could remember was that they were good. He smiled sheepishly at his mother. “I don’t remember what chocolate chip tastes like.”
She seemed to deflate just a bit. “Ah, well... “ She disappeared into another room and came back with a plate and some milk. “I used to love them when I was a child, and so did you. I used to try and make them for you, until it got so hard to get processed things like the chocolate and brown sugar.”
Trunks couldn’t help but smile at her. “I think it’s a good sign that we can have these things again, and never mind how much we missed them in the first place.”
“All because of you, Trunks-kun.” Bulma smiled at him and handed him a cookie. “Because you saved the world from the Jinzouningen.”
Trunks ignored it; he was far too tired of trying to tell her that he didn’t deserve credit; give it to Goku, who inspired him when he needed it; give it to Gohan-san, who died fighting them. Instead he took a bite of the cookie, and was amazed at the sweetness. “I haven’t tasted anything with so much sugar... in......”
“A long time!” Bulma laughed and sat across from him on the edge of his bed, taking a cookie.
“Since I was with the others. You know, in the past.”
Bulma knew her son too well. “Tell me about them again.”
“Who? Which ones?” He asked between bites.
“Vegeta.”
“I don’t know if there’s anything I can add... he was furiously stubborn, almost caused the downfall of the world. Sometimes I wanted to knock him out just so I wouldn’t have to see that look on his face.”
Bulma laughed with him, saying, “Goku and Chichi.”
“Chichi was scary.” He shuddered and Bulma hit him laughingly. “She was way too overprotective of Gohan-san... eh, well, Gohan. He was young still. Goku was just the man. He had everything down the way it would go; he always thought one step ahead of us. Mind you, without food he’s useless.”
Trunks continued to tell Bulma once more about all of her past friends. She seemed sad, but happy that somewhere they had a chance to live.
“You miss them.”
“Yeah. I understand why you always talked about them the way you did. They were incredible. I.. uh, I didn’t fit in that well.”
“What do you mean?”
“I wasn’t like them. Gohan was always under the influence of his parents, so it seemed like I was always the young stupid one. They laughed at me a lot, when I’d get embarrassed....”
“You are funny, Trunks-kun.”
“Yeah, I don’t think anything will ever change the fact that you will laugh at me, Ka-san.”
“Why don’t you go back to see them.”
Trunks perked up for a moment, then shook his head. “Eight months, ma.”
“Not with all the improvements Capsule Corp. has been getting in the past year or so. It would only take about half that time now.” Bulma finished off her cookie and reached for another.
“Still, that’s a lot of energy. It’s way too much trouble. I wouldn’t be so selfish as to ask you....” Trunks shook his head. Bulma rolled her eyes at her son, though she thought he was sweet.
“That’s why I hooked up the time machine four months ago. Why do you think we’re still running on pre-recovery energy levels?”
“I didn’t ask... I know you’re perfectly capable of taking care of Capsule Corp. all by yourself.”
“It all evens out, Trunks-kun. There are so many dead, and so many poor, that everything is just a lower standard than it used to be. Charging up the capsule didn’t hurt us at all. Besides, I wanted you to go back.”
Trunks blinked, wide eyed. “Why?”
“You need to. I know you, son, and I know how you need the company of others like you. I’ll be okay here for a while without you. I may even surprise you with how much I get done. But listen, do you understand the parallel universe theory?”
“Uhh?”
“When you went back, each time the timeline split.”
“Well, I don’t want to cause more chaos.”
“As long as you do nothing earth-shattering, you’ll be fine. Anyway, I discovered from the readings I took the second time you went that a dimensional warping effect was included with the effects of the machine. That was how you were able to go back there; it was no longer our timeline.”
“Oh... so?”
“I thought of something. If you don’t want to go there and experience all that again, why don’t you set the time for this date? I think the dimensional effect will take hold, and you can see what happened to all of them. What do you think?”
“Wow... that would be amazing! But... they might forget all about me.”
“No one could, Trunks-kun. Besides, I’m your mother and I know me. I wouldn’t forget.”
Trunks laughed. “That’s right, Bulma-san acted as if she magically had two sons.”
“‘Bulma-san’?”
“She’s not my mom, she’s Chibi-Trunks’ mom. If there hadn’t been two of me there, then I would say she was my young-mother.”
“You’re confusing me. Well, get ready to go.”
“Come with me this time.”
“Iie, I don’t think I could do that; I couldn’t stand seeing Vegeta and Yamcha and Son-kun again. I would just break down. Then what would your father think of me?” Bulma smiled to show she was joking, and told him, “You need to go. I don’t. You’ll leave tomorrow.”

Trunks stepped out of his capsule and jumped to the ground. He scanned the sky. //I remember that beautiful blue shade. Our sky never looked like that; explosions and fires and smoke that filled the atmosphere kicked up from around the world.// He could easily believe that he was some... where... different.
He pressed the button on his capsule and caught it as it bounced up from the ground. //Where should I go first? Maybe I should see Bulma-san. She would accept who I am and why I’m here with no additional comment.//
Trunks decided he would stay on the ground, and walked towards the other side of the city where Capsule Corp. lay. //Oh, I never knew what that particular piece of rubble was supposed to be. Hmm..// Trunks paused and looked around, seeing this square laying in ruins and broken bodies. //This is where I used to play as a child. I found so many things I couldn’t identify in all the mess.//
“I like it better like this,” he decided and moved off.
Capsule Corporation looked great; it was nothing like the one where he lived. Well, the design was the same, but the areas of Capsule Corp.s main building that had been damaged had been evacuated and sealed off, and had not been re-opened even now. He approached the door. It opened before he could knock.
“What in the world are you doing here?” The girl at the door shouted. At first he had thought it was his mother, but she was... short. “You were upstairs five minutes ago! Did Goten throw you out the window again?”
“I, uh... Goten?” He didn’t get a chance to speak, being dragged in and pushed around the house before he knew it.
“Did you find my CD yet, Nii-chan?”
“N-n-nii... nani?!”
“I told you, I need it back! It’s not even mine, it’s my boyfriend’s. Go find it!” She pushed him toward the stairs.
He turned around. “Where’s.. uh, Ka-san?”
She looked really close at him. Then she looked up at the ceiling. Then she opened her mouth. “Mom!!!!”
Bulma burst into the room, and there was the sound of running footsteps on the stairs.
“Uh... hi.” Trunks waved to Bulma. “You always said I could come visit...”
“Mirai-chan!!” She ran over and hugged him. Trunks, befuddled by the enthusiasm and the girl before and the interesting term of address, only patted her on the back, silent.
//How’s she know so fast? Well, that’s mom.// “Uh, if that’s what you’ve taken to calling me...”
“Is something wrong?” She thrust him out at arms length with an almost panicky look.
//Psycho. Definitely my mom.// “Not this time... sorry to disappoint.”
She seemed to calm down some. “You don’t disappoint me.” She wiped her eyes suggestive of tears and gestured toward the stairs. //Runs in the family.//
Trunks looked up, seeing two young men looking at each other in shock. “Hey, chibi! Last time I saw you, you were this big.” Trunks held his hands about six inches apart with the palms flat like he was actually holding the baby.
“Chibi!” The dark-haired boy yelped. “He called you chibi! That is soo cute! I’m gonna use that!”
“Don’t you dare!” Trunks yelled back, then turned his attention back down the staircase.
“Be a good boy and get down here.” Bulma said, then turned back to the other Trunks. “Don’t feel weird if everyone just calls you ‘Mirai’; whenever we said ‘Trunks’ he would answer.”
Trunks sweatdropped slightly. “Kay.” He turned as he felt a tugging at his sleeve. The blue-haired girl stood beside him, abashed. “Sorry. I thought I sensed two....”
“‘Sokay.”
“This is Bra. She’s my second child.” Trunks smiled at Bulma, noting her avoidance of ‘his sister’ or ‘your sister’.
The other two stood a little farther away. The dark-haired one looked from Trunks to Trunks, then waved a disdainful hand at the uncertain one hovering at the bottom of the stairs. He practically bounced over to the other Trunks, saying, “We have a lot of pictures of you in our house.”
“This is Goten, he’s Gohan’s little brother.”
Trunks grinned, somewhat impressed at the knowledge. They had a second kid? He acted just like Goku. Then he looked back at Bulma, saying, “How are they all?”
“They’re fine; nothing’s changed for Goku and Chichi. Gohan married this nice girl he went to school with, named Videl. They have a young girl named Pan.”
“Wow, Gohan with a kid...”
Trunks rolled his eyes and stepped away from the stairs. “Don’t go there; she’s a pain in the-”
“Trunks!” Bulma looked shocked.
“Sorry.”
They all stood silent for a moment, comparing the not-so-sorry present Trunks’ demeanor to that of mirai Trunks’.
“Wow, he’s not like me at all.”
“Not really, no.” Bulma shook her head, smiling. “I sometimes wish he was you, because he is an evil child.” She reached over and dragged Present-Trunks to her, and he let himself be ‘hugged’.
“Hey boy,” came a call. “Didn’t think you would ever show up around here again.”
“Sure, O-Tou-san. Just had to go home and get Ka-san to give me the dirt on you.” Vegeta walked in from the front, making a face that could almost be interpreted as a smirk.
“Come to see if you’re stronger than me yet?”
“Believe it or not, Tou-san, my life does not revolve around getting stronger than you.”
Vegeta nodded. “That’s why you’ll always be her son,” he said pointing to Bulma. “Both of you.”
“Daa-ddyyy!” Bra latched herself onto Vegeta in a hug. “Be nice, he’s company!” Trunks was fairly shocked that any living being would dream of doing thus to Vegeta, but there it was.
Trunks was glaring at his other self, arms crossed. Goten slapped him in the back of the head. “Cut it out! You’re so suspicious!”
“Don’t touch my children, Goten.” Vegeta warned. “Any of them.” He turned and walked out with Bra still clinging to him, looking over his shoulder and saying “Bye, Goten-chan.....”
“She’s doing it again!” Trunks looked unbearably superior at Goten’s outburst.
“Wow, never a dull moment around here, huh?”
The other Trunks continues his glare act. “Why are you really here?”
“My mom sent me back. I was surprised, but I don’t think she likes me being around so much where there’s nobody like me left, no one who understands Saiyans except her and what’s left of Gohan’s family. And she misses everybody from here too, and I guess all the stories I told her were getting too familiar.” Trunks smiled at his other self, who relented slightly from the mention of his mother.
“Whaddaya mean, ‘What’s left of Gohan’s family’?” Goten was frowning, but he didn’t seem angry like Trunks.
“Well, Chichi’s not doing so good, these past four or five years since Gohan died. Living through the Jinzouningens’ attack took a lot from her. All that’s left is her, and my mother and me. No one else even knows the Z warriors existed.”
“Is it still so bad there?” Bulma was frowning as she pulled Trunks into the living room with the others following.
“No, ever since I killed the Jinzouningen, everyone has been cleaning up our planet. We’re starting to get new things, like we can use more energy to run our homes now. Capsule Corp. is getting back into operation, though it’s slow work. Ka-san made for me the other day the first chocolate chip cookies I’d had since I was nine.”
“Chocolate?”
“You couldn’t get chocolate?” Goten sounded like this was a nightmare.
“We couldn’t process it, and most people couldn’t get sweet things.” He shrugged, and smiled. “My world’s depressing. What else has happened around here?”
They all thought, then Trunks said suddenly, “He killed Marron-chan’s mom.”
“Who’s Marron?” Trunks asked, and the other replied, “She is the daughter of Krillin and Juuhachigou.”
Trunks frowned. “I have trouble thinking of an android as someone who’s part of a family. No offense. All the Juuhachigou from my world cared about was clothes, and her brother, a little.”
“Of course,” Bulma said.
“Well, who else doesn’t or didn’t exist where you’re from?”
“Well, besides the Marron girl, there’s of course, no Bra. My parents had already, uh...” he blushed. “Gone their separate ways when he was killed.” He thought. “And there was no one after Gohan, since Goku died when he was about nine or ten. Chichi was sick there for a while and everyone thought maybe... but didn’t know.”
“That would have been really early for Goten,” Bulma commented. “Even before you.”
“Maybe he was just trying to get a fair chance on every world,” Trunks said, smiling at Goten, who was making faces. “But Goku died, and then later everyone else was hunted down and killed.”
Goten and Trunks seemed shocked, but Bulma had heard most of it before. “Well, you’re welcome here as long as you like, of course. I’m going to go add to dinner. Hey!”
“Nani?” Present-Trunks made an interested face at his mother’s exclamation.
“Let’s make it big. I’m calling Goku’s and Gohan’s families to come over for dinner.”
Goten made a face after she left the room, and turned to his Trunks. “Your dad, my dad, us and my brother... we’re going to have to fight for dinner again!”
“Ka-san will make enough... which means exactly nothing.” Trunks looked at his other self, who tried his best to sit quietly without laughing. “Well, take your sword off and stay a while. You can come with us, I guess.”
The other Trunks reached back and touched the hilt of his sword, saying, “I forgot it was there.”
“I have one of those too.”
“As it should be,” Trunks intoned, then grinned as he pulled it off. Goten whined, “And I still don’t have one.” He took it and put it out in the front hall closet, returning to the silent room.
At last, one Trunks said to the other, “I’ll admit I’m impressed; I have trouble getting that much acknowledgment from Tou-san, even when I’m in the way.”
Goten sat and hugged him briefly. “Don’t be jealous!”
He pushed Goten off testily, saying, “I’m not. I just wonder what he did so special.”
Trunks was distressed by the muted resentment he heard. “Hey, don’t get upset, Chibi, he always acted like that with me before too. Even when we had to train together in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, he wouldn’t let me near him. Although, I admit you didn’t work it like I did; I was truly pathetic.” He laughed at himself a bit.
Goten looked from one to the other, smiling. “Hey, this is great for me. When one Trunks gets mad at me I can play with the other. Cool.”
“Well, I don’t get mad that easy. It can get you killed.”
“Then how do you power up?” Trunks asked, crossing his arms in a posture that seemed normal.
“Against the Jinzouningens, you mean? I couldn’t feel anything but anger for them.”
“When you were here before.”
“If I need to power up without being provoked very badly, I always think about the day Gohan-san died. Even if everything else had happened the way it had, the day he died changed everything for me for the worse.”
The other two paused and looked at each other. “Hey,” Goten said, “I think _we’ve_ died like five times over on our video game by now. Let’s go upstairs.”
Chibi //I will think of him as nothing but Chibi now,// Trunks told himself. //Too confusing.// Chibi shrugged. “Alright.” He swept his hand toward the stairs. “This way...” he said, almost exaggerated.
Trunks followed slowly up the stairs, looking around. At last he made it to Chibi’s room, where the two of them sat down in front of the TV while the other looked around. There was a lot of stuff in this room, most of it ignored he could tell.
“Hey, Mirai...” Goten inquired. “You have any video games in your world?”
“Uh, not really...”
Goten reached over and shut off the system. “Right then. What do you do for fun?”
“There’s not really much fun. I have to work and help Ka-san restore Capsule Corp. If I get bored or lonely or something, I just train.”
“I don’t think that would work now, Trunks-kun here would try his best to pulverize you.” Goten jerked a thumb at his Trunks. “I kinda wonder who would win.”
“I would,” said Goten’s Trunks, “If you fuse with me, Goten.”
“Cheating! I won’t take sides.”
“Fusion?” After having it explained to him, Trunks shook his head. “I wish Gohan-san and I could have done that. Then him and about a few thousand more people wouldn’t have had to die.”
Goten gave a smile. “Well, it probably wouldn’t have worked anyway. Gohan has, what, a decade over you?”
“Hmm. I was fourteen when he died, and I couldn’t hold Super Saiyan until the day he died.”
“Wow...” Chibi said. “You were old!” Mirai paused.
“I know, right?” Goten said. “When did you first go Super Saiyan?”
“Dunno, too young to remember.”
“But then again,” Mirai interrupted. “You had all these great guys around here to show you what to do. Gohan-san followed the Jinzouningen, and he trained me only when he was around. When he found me that year, when I went to the wreckage of that city, he had dinner with us and then he stayed around and trained me. I fought mostly Juuhachigou that first time; she really grew to hate me. I think it was when I took a swing at her with my sword and gave her a haircut!” He laughed a little to himself, and the other two joined in.
“She’d kill _anyone_ who did that.”
“Hey, maybe you two could have a match,” Goten said, brightening. “Just for fun, of course, I’d love to watch that, I bet Bra-chan would! How ‘bout it, Mirai?”
“I’m game, I guess.” Trunks shrugged, and the other one was grinning, so they didn’t even have to ask him.
“Maybe you don’t want to do that, Goten-kun,” Trunks said, getting up off the floor. “I might find myself a better opponent than you, and then you’ll be out of a job.”
“Nuh-uh! I’m his agent. If you want him to stand in for you or something, you’ll have to go through me.”
“Nah, his hair’s too long.” Trunks waved a hand and pulled a pair of boot from under the bed.
Alternate-Trunks brushed back some bangs. “I had my hair long when I was here before. Ka-san said I looked like a punk when I got home. I don’t know why I cut it again, but it’s growing out now. Maybe I’ll leave it alone.”
His doppleganger snorted. “You’ll have to if you stay here too long. Listen, how about I be Trunks, and you be Mirai?”
“I’ll answer to your name.”
“I’ll forgive you. I just can’t stand the prospect of Goten being allowed to call me Chibi.”
“Chibi-chan! Chibi-chan!” Goten clapped his hands in a ridiculous manner, and Mirai Trunks laughed.
“I don’t care. Your timeline, your privileges, I guess.” He pulled off his jacket. “Can I...”
“Just throw it somewhere.”
“Wow!” Goten said, “I have a shirt just like that! Only, mine’s short sleeves. My name’s on it.”
“Cool, I guess.”
“The Yard?” The other Trunks said, ignoring their banter.
“Kay!” Goten said. “We just call the practice ring on the far side “The Yard”,” he filled in.

“Nai yo, no more stalling to try and look good, Nii-chan!” Bra exclaimed. “Go!”
Goten moved back towards the edge. “You heard the lady.” He didn’t see Bra blush. “Let’s play ball.”
Vegeta, intrigued by the prospect of a battle between two versions of his son, was of course out beside the ring. He stood over Mirai’s shoulder, and yelled to his son, “Show him you can be better with a father, boy!”
Trunks got a playful-sadistic grin. Goten looked less than amused. Bra simply paused, and Mirai looked over his shoulder. “Tou-san...” he said, sounding betrayed. Then his face grew serious if not angry. “I had a father!”
Trunks made his first move, running across the ring and moving to punch. Mirai intercepted, not looking at him.
“Gohan raised me!” He yelled, and sent a knee into his double’s stomach. Trunks flipped back once, then sent a fist forward. Mirai caught it, and Trunks cranked the heat on.
They traded a series of punches, more often than not anticipating and ending up locking knuckles or ankles, occasionally one or the other getting in a good move. Trunks borrowed one of Goten’s moves, a midair spinkick that was aimed for the face. Trunks number two deflected it with the back of a forearm.
Trunks flashed gold, Super Saiyan.
“Bad move!” Vegeta called. “The other one’s stronger than you in Super Saiyan,” he told his own son. Mirai was slightly surprised. It didn’t matter as Trunks peeled off an energy attack and sent Mirai across the ring.
“Dirty...” he muttered. “Okay I’m ready for you now!”
“Stupid boy!” Vegeta taunted.
“Whose side are you on?” Goten yelled.
“Alright Nii-chan!” Bra called.
“Go Mirai!” Goten countered.
The other Trunks paused slightly in the series of his alternate’s attacks. His eyes found Goten on the sideline. //Why’s he cheering for me?//
Trunks powered up to match the other one, noting the differences between them; slight but evident. He had more muscles mass. Which meant... //Which means, I’m stronger and Chibi’s faster.//
“Wow, you’ve got it all in your favor, Mirai! Take him down!” Goten clenched fists and grinned at Trunks’ frown.
//Well, as someone said, ‘I like always to give the people what they want.’// Mirai powered up farther, watching Trunks’ eyes grow proportionately larger. He sent a fist in the other’s direction, which was dodged. Trunks threw another fist, and another, then added a kick every now and then, working up a rhythm that wasn’t really a rhythm. They didn’t repeat movements every time, but both knew where the other would be. At last, Mirai swung one fist hard through the air where Trunks’ skull had just vacated, and found it crashing into a gold head exactly where he’d planned on the other side. Of course, it just happened to be a heavily concentrated blow right to Trunks’ nose bone, and he fell back on his rump, stunned.
Mirai stood above him for a moment, and at last reached down to help him up. “Daijoubu desu ka?”
Trunks looked a little dazed, and he was bleeding. “Yeah, that was alright. A real one next time.” He accepted the hand up.
“Hai,” Mirai Trunks acknowledged, grinning.
“Oi! Sugoi, Mirai-chan!” Goten and Bra ran to them, and Bra agreed.
“That was too short. Short but sweet. Don’t worry Nii-chan, you build a time machine and get strong too!” Bra teased her brother.
“Grr!” he menaced her with a fist, a little scarier with blood running down over his mouth and chin. Bra shrieked laughingly and hid behind Goten, who made so many faces that Trunks dropped his fist and laughed, even though the others could tell he was in pain.
“Look, I come here and your mom gives me such a great welcome; then I beat up her kid before dinner.” Trunks let his slightly-longer purple locks settle against his head again.
“She’ll just say I was asking for it,” his counterpart said doing likewise.
“Thanks for cheering for me, Goten-san,” Mirai said, smiling, then frowning over his shoulder at Vegeta, which was soon replaced with a smile. “My mom was always right about him.”
The other Trunks looked curious, but Goten took possession of Mirai and said, “Hey, don’t call me Goten-san. He only does that when he’s being mean. Call me Goten.”
“Just Goten?”
“He’s never called me anything else; it would sound wrong.”
“Oh, kay. So tell me, I can since your power level even at rest. Did Gohan train you?”
“Yeah, for the most part he..” The two headed for the house, talking.
Bra scratched her head and stood beside her brother. “Geez, Nii-chan, you can’t even kick your own-”
“Bra!” Vegeta called. “Come inside, it’s almost dinner.” He walked off, muttering about some sorry fight.
//Hm. He is very different from me. He took the first point. Then he took even more by being nice about it. Especially when everyone knows I wouldn’t have been. Goten seems to like him... a lot.//
Thinking, Trunks headed in to wash his face.

“C’mon Trunks-chan,” Bulma called, “Help me set it up before the Sons arrive.”
“Which one?”
“You know very well which one!” Bulma said indignantly, and Trunks dropped his controller and Goten handed it to Mirai Trunks, showing him the basics of one of their favorite games.
“Usually I’d go help him,” Goten mentioned.
“Why don’t you?” Trunks asked, glancing down at his controller still getting the hang of it.
“He has been acting strange with me for a while, very rude...” Goten shrugged suddenly, one shoulder going higher and the other dropping down as he used his whole body to turn his icon on the screen. “I guess it just pisses me off.”
“I don’t see why he would be rude to you.”
“I don’t either!” Goten said, sounding petulant, and somewhat like Bulma’s indignation from before. “I’m practically his damn brother, for crying out loud. He won’t talk to me. What a jerk. ... No offense to you or anything, I mean... “ Goten shrugged again and didn’t look at him. “You seem really nice.”
“Th-thanks.” Trunks turned slightly darker as he customarily did, and Goten glanced up at him curiously. “It’s strange. I haven’t seen purple hair and a blush together in a long time, so long you wouldn’t believe it.”
“Well, I’m just different I guess.”
“You mean you can’t take a compliment?” Goten glanced between him and the screen again.
“I guess I could, but I’m not used to it. When the androids were alive, I spent most of my time trying to find them, even without Ka-san’s knowledge. I bet she knew anyway, but I just didn’t spend a lot of time around people. Just Gohan, but that was long ago.”
“You never talk about anybody but Gohan-nii-chan. I want to hear about you,” Goten said. Trunks glanced down at him, but the tone was neutral and his gaze was glued to the screen.
“Me and Gohan were always together when he was alive. If we weren’t, then that’s how I remember it anyway. If you ask about me, you either hear about him or androids. Androids depress me.” Trunks couldn’t help but smile, and he caught a glimpse of Goten smiling back at him from the corner of his eye. He concentrated on his little fighter on the game, and scored a hit or two against Goten while he was distracted.
“I’m sorry, Goten, I will really try not to talk about Gohan-san anymore if that’s not what you want to hear.” Trunks hit one button several times on the controller and sent Goten’s figure down, minus one life.
“You’re sure you never had video games?” Goten teased as he got back up and fought back. “You’re much more considerate than he is.”
“Am I.” Trunks tried to sound bored with it, but it was a tone that didn’t naturally agree with him.
“You’re just nicer than he is. And... and you’re not so self-centered.” Goten was frowning as he pressed the buttons harder than necessary. “And you don’t piss me off that much!” He was glaring at the screen.
“What’s up here?” The other Trunks came back into the room and sat on the edge of the bed behind where Mirai Trunks and Goten sat in front of the screen.
“I was telling Mirai-kun how much nicer and better he is than you.” Goten delivered with a flat. Trunks was blushing and turned to look at Goten, allowing several hits in on him.
“I’m sure.” Trunks sounded less than thrilled.
“Don’t sweat it, Chibi, I’m sure he’s kidding,” Mirai Trunks said, concentrating on his controller to deliver revenge.
“He doesn’t kid when he calls me a jerk.”
“Do you deserve it?”
“Excuse me?” Trunks seemed surprised that he would be questioned. Trunks turned to his scowling counterpart after pausing the game and therefore forcing Goten’s attention and said, “Do you deserve to be called a jerk?”
“Well, how should I know? We fight so damn much...” He made some vague gesture at Goten.
“We didn’t used to,” Goten supplied.
Trunks turned back to the game and Goten did as well, leaving the other Trunks to huff slightly and leave again.
“Arigatou, Mirai-chan,” Goten said after a moment.
//Mirai-chan?// “It’s nothing.” He turned to the screen, and it seemed as if Goten was determined to repay him by defeating him. Which he did. Then Trunks grinned and dropped the controller. “Maybe Ka-san could make some money off the concept of a video game.”
“Feel free to use it, no one here cares.” Goten stood and headed for the door. “I wonder what’s cooking? Tou-san will be here soon, so if we don’t get a whiff now we might not ever.” Goten headed for the door but kept up a friendly chatter so Trunks followed, looking around the room and wondering just how mad his counterpart had been.
“Don’t worry about Trunks,” Goten advised. “He’s a baby, he’ll get over it soon enough.”
Trunks gave him a nervous grin and resisted comment. //They’re so in sync, it’s scaring _me_.//
“Well,” he replied, “It’s not like I came here with the sole purpose of pissing him off, but that’s all I seem to be doing.”
“Of course,” Goten snorted. “You’re horning in on his act. It’s tough having two people with purple hair in the same room. Though I should talk; I’m thoroughly enjoying it.”
“I knew there’d be some differences between us, but I was kinda looking forward to seeing him; y’know, I was curious as to how I might’ve turned out. Maybe at the most, I figured he would take his own life for granted a lot more than me. I guess seeing the differences is more startling than I realized.” He sighed a bit as they made their way down the stairs. He glanced over and Goten was staring at him solemnly.
“What?”
“You wanna come shopping with me tomorrow? I don’t have anything to do, and I know I’ll be bored. Besides, at this rate, Trunks won’t speak to either of us by then. Demo, we can invite him along if you like.”
Mirai Trunks kind of cringed again, but said, “Okay.” Then he thought for a moment. “Hey, does this kind of money work here?” He pulled some out of his pocket. “We’ve never gotten around changing it, before or after the recovery...” Goten took some and studied it.
“I dunno,” he said at last. “Looks close enough, but it might not hold up.”
“Oh well. I’ve never been into buying things anyway.” He shoved it back in his pocket.
“What’s the recovery?”
“Hmm? Oh,” he replied distractedly. “That’s the peaceful time that began after the deaths of the androids. Who’s that approaching?”
“Why don’t you ever say it right?” Goten stopped suddenly with his hands on his hips.
“What?” Trunks was taken aback.
“You killed them didn’t you?”
“Yeah....?” Trunks paused on the stairs to face him.
“So, why don’t you ever say, ‘after I defeated the androids?’” Goten was looking at him intently now.
“So because of me their life functions ceased. So what? Gohan and so many others died, and the androids were getting sick of us. I only lived past fourteen because of him, and I only lived past _that_ because the androids were careless, and I was their plaything. They tried to kill me once, not in battle, but actually injure me until death, only they didn’t do it well enough and I came and startled them when I went home from here. How do I deserve credit? I was no challenge for them. And I can’t restore anything that they’ve made wrong, so how important is it?”
“You don’t give yourself the credit you deserve.”
“I don’t want to talk about it. It’s disrespectful. Can’t you hear the ghosts getting up from their graves to come correct you?” Trunks continued down a few more steps, before Goten’s voice stopped him.
“You’re not afraid of androids, but you’re afraid of ghosts. You’re really a trip.” Goten stood still above him, and Trunks only returned his mild look with a solemn look of his own. “Alright, I’ll leave you alone.” He joined Trunks and the two continued to the bottom of the stairs.
Trunks turned his head toward the door as he came within a view of over the railing, and saw the door being answered, and three figures hanging coats. “Hey Trunks!” Came a call. “You look different.”
Trunks glanced backward at Goten, who had stopped in his tracks and was staring with a look of muted dread.
“Krillin-san?” Trunks asked, just as the other Trunks popped his head out of some door and said, “What?”
“Oh..... I ... see....” Krillin looked from one to the other, getting it instantly even if he didn’t know how it had happened. “Well, Bulma said it was a special occasion, and she was right; there is someone here I am glad to see again.” He smiled at the taller young man, and a girl who was nearly midway between their heights came and tapped and Krillin’s shoulder.
“Tou-chan? Why are there two Trunkses?” Trunks turned to regard the pigtailed blond.
“Trunks, this is Marron. She’s my daughter. Marron-chan, this is Mirai.”
Her blue eyes widened. “You’re Mirai-chan?”
//Mirai-chan.// “Yeah, I guess.” He thought to himself for a moment. She looked like...
Her mother stepped up behind her. Trunks’ eyes widened in surprise, as he hadn’t consciously realized that Juuhachigou would be here too. It was different to look at her though, as she seemed softer, or at least more undemanding than the version he had known. She also looked very human. Clothing was different and short hair.
After a moment, he realized that Krillin and Goten and Juuhachigou were all looking at each other as if they had just realized... but Trunks smiled and said, “Nice to see you all. You better hurry before Goku shows up and gets your places. You know how he eats.” Then he walked into the door he had seen his other self appear and disappear from.
Goten caught up to him, and walked beside him, staring at him, steps smaller, so that he scurried alongside. When Trunks noticed him, he only said, “Wow...”
“No biggie. I’m good. And hungry.”
Goten’s eyes lit up. “Cool, me too!”
“Do you need help in here, Bulma-san?” Trunks asked, coming into the kitchen where she and Trunks were. After a few moments, a hungry Bra crept in to survey the work.
“No, I think we’re about done in here...” Bulma said as Trunks turned with a big turkey on a plate in his hands, headed for the dining room.
“Wow, turkey...”
“Yeah...” Goten agreed covetously.
“Did I hear someone say ‘Turkey’?” Came a familiar voice down the hall as the kitchen door opened. Goku stood in the doorway with eyes for nothing but said turkey. “Hey Trunks.”
“Oi, Goku-san,” Trunks said as he continued past without letting Goku get a good whiff.
When it left the room, Goku finally noticed that others were present. “Hey Bulma,” he said as he gave his son a friendly punch in the arm. “Hey Bra-chan, hey Trunks.”
“Oi, Goku-san,” Trunks said with a smile.
Goku stopped as if that sounded familiar, but since he wasn’t really paying attention he dismissed it. Just then the door opened again and Gohan, also sniffing out the trail of food, came in saying, “Did you see that huge turkey Trunks had out there....? Hey... Trunks?” He stopped.
Goku looked at him and then ran to the door and peered out. Trunks was almost sure his other self was waving innocently at him. “I just thought it was deja-vu.... Trunks!”
“Yep, one and the same,” Trunks said still smiling. Goten was laughing at his father’s dumbfounded expression. “Although not really, as I’ve come to see.”
“That’s true,” Gohan agreed.
“Let me save you the trouble of asking; I just came to visit. I think my mom wants more stories about you guys. She sent me.” Trunks leaned against the fridge as the door all but slammed open again.
“O-jii-chan! Turkey!” A little punker girl in a red midriff and orange head bandanna bounded in and came to a stop at Goku’s side with a thrilled expression. Then she paused, seeing how neither Gohan or Goku paid her any attention, and turned to follow their gazes. “Who’re you?”
Goten nudged Trunks. “Don’t be rude, Pan, what, are you blind? It’s Trunks-kun.”
“That’s not Trunks!” Trunks raised an eyebrow as Pan continued to refer to Trunks without any honorific through her sentences. Very unlike a Son. “I know Trunks, I’ve spent a lot of time around him, and that’s not him. Besides, even if he was, he hasn’t reminded me to call him Trunks-san yet so even if he is there’s some screws missing, more than usual, and then it doesn’t matter.” She was frowning.
“So disrespectful. You’re _my_ niece? You’re not related to me.” Goten flicked a disdainful hand at her, teasingly.
Pan frowned more. “O-ji-san!”
“_Anyone_ related to _my_ mom would have manners or have them slapped into them.” Goten rubbed his cheek as if remembering a few of those instances.
“Trunks!!” Pan called, and the he turned to look at her, saying “What?” That seemed to distress her more.
The other Trunks came into the room. “Nani shiteru ‘n dai? Pan-chan, what’s your problem?”
“I’m confused!” She grabbed onto him, scowling. He thunked her on the head.
“Offa me, squirt. It’s Mirai. What, didn’t your daddy tell you about him? Tsk, Gohan-san....” Trunks turned and left the room with Pan still pestering him.
“She gets worse every day.” Gohan said.
“I know, right?” Goten agreed. “She’s the one who got all of the more... ‘casual’ personality traits.”
“I always thought she was like me,” Goku said, scratching his head. He laughed a little. “I’m not really one for honorifics either.”
“Please, father, don’t say that,” Goten said, leaving the room with a shudder. Trunks shrugged and followed him.
“I have the feeling that I should smack my brother,” Gohan said to his father, “...but not the inclination. She’s really not that bad, y’know...”
Goku shrugged broadly with a blank face.

“Mashed potatoes,” someone called.
“Ooh, here!” Goten yelled, waving one hand in that direction.
Trunks remembered the delicious foods his mother used to make long ago, and found himself seconding Goten. “Me too, and I want more carrots if someone’s finished with them.”
“Me too!” Goten cried.
Fortunately, no one really noticed their bad behavior, in fact they wouldn’t have been noticed otherwise. However, Trunks narrowed a look at his alternate self who was happily pigging out with Goten, (aka pulling a Goku) and quipped, “Forgets his manners at the dinnertable, I see.”
“Hhht!” Goten hissed in annoyance. “You’d be doing the same thing if you hadn’t been stealing pieces off the turkey in the kitchen, and don’t tell me you didn’t cause I was there.” He then shoved a tremendous forkful of food into his mouth and turned away.
//Sure, take his side again, why don’t you.// The matter wasn’t helped when Trunks turned and said, “Chill out, Chibi, it’s a family trait.”
“His family,” Trunks pointed out with a gesture towards Goten.
“Oh...” Mirai brought himself up a little short. “I guess it’s just all the same to me.”
“How special,” Trunks groused. He twirled his fork around in his potatoes. He liked American food okay, but just had no appetite. Down the table, Pan actually had the audacity to throw a roll across the table at Goku when he asked for it. Chichi cringed, but no one else seemed to mind, especially Goku who caught it in his mouth. Gohan raised his voice a little to regain his father’s attention, and Vegeta turned and made some scathing comment about the conversation Chichi and Bulma and Krillin were engaged in. Marron glanced around a little, ate small bites, and just watched the mayhem. Juuhachigou was probably the quietest one there, only breaking the silence to add to the conversation she was having with Videl. Of course, Trunks mused as he watched Mirai and Goten eat like there was no tomorrow, they noticed none of it.
“We feel like a really big family like this, don’t we? I always wanted a big family.”
“Yeah, I guess we do, but you’re crazy.” Goten replied to Trunks’ alternate self.
“The salad was good, wasn’t it?” Mirai changed the subject. “I haven’t had any like that in a while.”
“What salad?” Goten asked blankly. “All the courses kinda blend together for me.”
//They suit each other.// Trunks thought derisively, and rose while announcing his leave-taking, not caring if they all started to speak of him afterwards. He caught a pained look from Goten as he left into the backyard. He lingered out of sight for a moment, eyes on him, but Goten quickly turned and was talking and laughing with the other Trunks again.

“Where are you going, Mirai-chan?”
“Hm? Oh, nowhere. I’m just tired, I’m not used to eating like that very often. I’m going upstairs I guess.” he replied to Videl’s soft-voiced question with a small wave to the occupants of the room. They were drinking coffee, except for Bra, Marron, and Pan, who had gone upstairs, Trunks who wasn’t there, and Goten who looked jumpy enough without it. Trunks wondered briefly if something was wrong with him, but he let it go and turned into the front hall, ascending the stairs to Trunks’ room.
//Chibi sure has a lot of junk in here.// He was pretty certain that Trunks wouldn’t refer to it as junk, but since his alternate attached very little sentimental value to the room, (maybe a few things that he had as well,) he didn’t care to see what was around. He left the room dim and walked out onto the back balcony, looking up at the moon.
//It’s never so pretty at home.// He gazed up until he heard a soft sigh, then glanced down into the yard. //What... Chibi?// The other Trunks was sitting under a tree in the back yard, unknowingly sharing his view of the moon.
“Trunks...” a hesitant voice came.
Trunks lowered his head down from the view past the branches into the sky and waited. After a moment, Mirai Trunks could see Goten make his way out towards the spot.
“Is everything okay?”
“I’m fine, Goten. Just leave me be for a while.” Trunks turned his gaze down and away.
“You _never_ used to say that to me,” Goten said, sounding as if it was only a note, but he was obviously refusing to do as Chibi asked. “Tell me what‘s wrong with you.”
“Nothing.”
“You resent the other Trunks, don’t you.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I can smell it on you.”
Up in the shadows, Mirai Trunks backed away, intending to go inside, but a hidden note in Trunks’ voice stopped him. “I don’t... not really... everyone sure seems to like him.”
“More than you, is that what you’re thinking?”
“Well, I can’t help it. Even my father appreciates his abilities more than mine.”
“I know how important Vegeta’s approval is to you, and I know you haven’t lost it simply because he’s here.” Goten sounded very sure.
Trunks didn’t reply to Goten, and his other self wondered if he believed it.
“You’ve been very volatile since he arrived, which I’ll say is a lot of work for you in one afternoon. I can tell you’re upset, and you’re not going to want to talk to me, so I’ll ask another question.”
“And what might that be?” Trunks said, sounding curious but unwilling to ask.
“I want to know why you’ve acted like you were upset with me, even before he arrived. Why have you been avoiding me, Trunks?” Goten’s voice was laced ever-so-slightly with anguish, as if he’d had some painful thoughts.
Mirai almost didn’t catch Trunks’ soft reply, but after a moment it registered as “I know.”
“... Know what?”
“Come on, Goten, don’t make me spell it out. I know how you feel about me.”
“... Do you think so.” Goten said after a moment, his words expressionless.
“It’s....” Trunks peered into the thickening dark, so in shock that he forgot it was wrong to listen in. He saw the Trunks beneath the tree shake his head slowly. “Forget about it, Goten, I mean, it just wouldn’t work.”
Goten was silent for a time, which Trunks almost nervously filled with noise. “I mean, we’re friends. It just wouldn’t... _feel_ right, you know? And besides, what would our parents say? It’s just wrong to feel that way.”
“Alright. Fine.” Goten said after a long moment. Mirai didn’t really believe he would give in to anything that easily, and so was unsurprised when he continued, “I admit that it’s true. But how can you say someone’s feelings are wrong? Even if you don’t...” he paused, “... share them, you can’t judge them.”
“You know what? I don’t want to talk about it Goten. I’ve told you how I feel and that’s that.” When Goten tried to say something else, he interrupted. “No, I don’t want to hear it.”
“That’s just it for you, isn’t it. You don’t even really care how I feel; your universe is always you, how you feel. I can’t believe you, you’re so much of a coward that you won’t even listen to what I have to say?” Goten’s voice rose slightly in pitch and very much in tightness. “I apologize, Trunks, for never giving you the proper credit for being the creep that you are. I guess knowing you since before I could walk has clouded my vision.” Goten’s voice continued to raise in volume and anger.
As Mirai’s horrified ears would have figured, Trunks wouldn’t take any of that silently. “A coward, am I? A creep? Then why are you even here, when you could turn to the other Trunks and have all that sensitivity that you claim I lack. And probably a lot more that I could never hope to match up to, at least in your opinion!”
Goten gasped. “I never, _never_ would have said-”
“But you thought it, didn’t you?” There was silence for a moment, and Trunks at last said, “He fits you. Go to him, and leave me alone.”
“I’ll tell you this,” Goten said almost bitterly, “It would be so easy to fall in love with him, or anyone, anyone but _you_!” Mirai Trunks could see nothing in the darkness, but he felt almost sick when he heard a resounding slap.
“What the-” Trunks cut himself off, anger probably really only taking hold after the mortification of being _slapped_ of all things, and there was a sound of another impact, a different kind, and then Trunks heard from the balcony the sound of footsteps slowly leaving the yard, and the door sliding shut to the house.
A deep flush crawled over Trunks’ face as he quickly stepped back into Chibi’s room and shut the door outside. //Kuso, that was wrong! I had no right to hear that!// He berated himself for a few minutes, wondering how he could cover up his guilty conscience. He was surprised when the door to Trunks’ bedroom opened, and Goten stood there uncertainly, pausing after flicking the light on.
“I didn’t know you were in here...”
“Uh... yeah.” Trunks crossed his arms by the window and tried to look casual.
“Are you okay?” Goten eyed him suspiciously.
“Yeah, why?” He must have pulled it off because Goten shook his head and moved to gather together some stuff that was lying around the room.
Trunks watched him for a moment, how his eyes never left his task, before he noticed something about Goten’s face in the low light. He bent to one knee and grazed Goten’s cheek with his fingertips. “He hit you...”
Goten’s eyes widened. “How did you know?” He pulled away a bit, and Trunks shook his head, saying, “I... uh... guessed. You seem upset, and it’s when you look at me, so I thought... and you’re bleeding...”
“I am?” Goten reached up and wiped blood away from his face, seeing it linger of his hand. “Oh.” He went back to what he had been doing until Trunks asked what he was doing.
“I was going to stay here tonight, go to school with Trunks in the morning, but now I...” he shook his head, and remembered to inform Trunks, “We had a fight. It was pretty bad.”
//No kidding.// “Oh... I’m sorry about that.”
“Why? You didn’t do anything.”
Trunks stood and made some gesture toward the wall over Goten’s head and the room in general. “I still feel the need to apologize, after all, he is me...” //You just don’t know what I’m sorry I did!//
Goten paused and looked up at him. His expression was remote, seeming as though at the moment anyone’s sentiments didn’t mean that much. “Thank you, but worry about yourself if you’re staying here.”
“I, uh.. actually don’t know if I should. He doesn’t seem to want me around...” Trunks plunked himself onto the edge of the bed.
“Don’t pay any attention to him. And if he doesn’t, then stay anyway and I’ll owe you one,” Goten said with a half-grin. Trunks smiled too until Goten turned with a thoughtful noise. “Well, I don’t intend to lose any sleep about it, so I guess I’ll have a lot to think about on the way to school tomorrow.”
//Oh right.. he’d be going alone now...// Trunks couldn’t help but feel bad for him. Maybe he was a little biased, seeing how his alternate seemed to hate him and all, but he felt like Chibi had been really insensitive. //Love’s no one’s fault, after all...//
“Is it longer from your house?”
“Yeah.”
Trunks paused for a moment, and said finally, “Then if you like, since you won’t have Trunks to walk with, I’ll volunteer to take his place and walk you to school. Who knows, you might not even notice he’s missing.” Trunks grinned a little at his own joke, but Goten paused as well and regarded him with narrowed eyes for a moment.
At last he said, “I’m usually late, so I might have to fly.”
“Then I’ll fly you there if you like.”
Go To Future Confusion part 2