caughtinanetwork

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[Wet? Yes. Annoyed? Most definitely. Quietly panicking because where is he and he had been flying after Father intent on yelling at him or...something...yup, that too.

Trunks has really had enough of surprises for one day. Nothing is going the way it should be going. It was history, how much could it change? First the delay of Goku's illness, then the new androids, and now...this. Whatever 'this' was.

Where ever this was.

He'd been powered up when he arrived--he couldn't help that, he'd been flying at very nearly his full speed after all. But once he has the communicator figured out, he has a tight hold on his power--anyone capable of sensing it would get practically nothing off of him.]

Excuse me...could someone tell me what's going on here? Where is this?

[Short and to the point. Someone really hasn't been having a good day. He'd give his name, but...he's still under the impression that he needs to be all secretive about his time traveling/being from the future. ~~Silly boy, everyone can read you like a billboard anyway.~~]

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[Vegeta leads him to the elevator and up to the island. It's fairly obvious that he used it as his stomping grounds the night before... or that there was SOME sort of monster up here at least.

He's going to give Trunks the same treatment that he gave Shizuo. He charges a blast, firing it right at the other man.]

[Yup, it's obviously been trashed. But Trunks' connection to the moon cycles is completely wonked, he hasn't had his tail for most of his life--he doesn't connect that it was Vegeta stomping around. Definitely, it's noticed--but he's seen enough destruction in his life that...it's not really something he's surprised by anymore.

...Well, hopefully he can at least increase your opinion of him a bit. He doesn't even need to raise his power level to deflect some blasts, this one gets him to release his control just the slightest bit. But it doesn't move him, and he doesn't flinch away from it.]

[Vegeta is understandably confused. A blast of that level should have absolutely floored and just about killed someone with a power level of five. That was the plan, in fact. He was going to toss him on the coral to heal up afterwards, as many times as necessary to raise his power level to something more of a challenge.

But the blast doesn't even phase him. Looking more serious, he allows his ki to flare up around him and fires a far more deadly shot. It won't even scratch Trunks, but Vegeta has no way of being able to tell that.]

[The confusion is very understandable! And will be even more so shortly--the blast seems to hit, throwing up an explosion of dust and grit that hides Trunks from sight.

...he's not so ballsy as to throw one of his own back yet, but when the dust settles, he's nowhere to be seen.

At least until Vegeta looks up--and a little to the left. Trunks is perched on a low branch of a tree you missed in your rampage last night.]

[Vegeta is beginning to grow highly irritated - and not just that, he feels fear, something that's very uncommon for him. The one time Frieza had seen fit to spar with him, it had been just as hopeless as this, he had deflected Vegeta's blows just as effortlessly. He flies at Trunks with his fist out and body tucked carefully to avoid having weak spots exposed. Maybe it was a trick of the light, maybe his blasts weren't hitting. He'd be able to tell if his fists hit, though.]

[That one hit alright--Trunks crosses his arms to take the blow, flying backwards with its force--and staying airborne instead of hitting the ground.

Looks like the question of whether he can fly or not has been answered.

His face is grim and determined, though, and shows none of the mocking look that Frieza would have had about him in a fight. He might prefer to take the measure of an opponent first, but the excitement of a fight is winning out.

His weak spots aren't nearly as defended when he comes back at Vegeta--he's inexperienced, and tends to leave openings at times. He's also neglecting his sword, instead swinging a punch that yes, he is pulling.

Hopefully he didn't make that too obvious.]

[If Trunks continues to force himself to fight at such a reduced strength, Vegeta holds the advantage. He's experienced and cautious. He has to be, living under Frieza. Vegeta takes to the air.

He uses his small size to his advantage, ducking under the punch and sending a sweeping kick towards one of Trunks's undefended spots in the same movement.]

[Trunks takes that too--grunting with the impact, but the advantage of him being able to take hits isn't decreased with him holding his power back.

Even so, every moment spent fighting is another moment his power could slip away from him and reveal itself, or his instincts could take over and have him going for his sword. But that isn't this moment.

He lets the momentum of the blow carry him back towards the ground, landing in a crouch. A weak ki blast follows his landing, nothing that would really hurt Vegeta should it connect--more light and noise than actual blow.]

[He lets himself take the hit, sneering. Vegeta flies up into the air as high as Vatheon will allow him to, then shoots down towards Trunks like a cannonball, intent on crushing him with the impact.]

[Well, something gets crushed, anyway. Apparently the island didn't have enough craters from last night--another blossoms around Trunks' feet as he's driven into the ground, but not to his knees. He definitely has too much pride for that.

He's gonna feel it in the morning, though. Gravity + Vegeta = ow that kinda hurt.]

[Vegeta stops his attack, looking at Trunks with greater interest now.]

How are you doing that? With your power level, you should be nearly dead.

[Trunks hesitates--admitting to this would mean showing more of his power, since he knows Vegeta would insist on it. But there's no way he could let it all go--he remembered well enough that Vegeta was an intensely prideful man, and to admit to being more powerful than him? Trunks didn't want to do that. He doesn't drop his guard, even if the onslaught has stopped for now.]

...my...brother showed me how to hide my power level, when he was training me.

[Well, Gohan wasn't really his brother, but...]

It's possible to hide your power level?

[Now THAT is a trick Vegeta wants to learn. He has to be careful to not get too strong before he unlocks the secret of becoming a Super Saiyan or Frieza will simply cull him, but if he could hide his power level...]

Teach me.

[It's a command, not a request.]

[Trunks nods.]

It takes practice, but it's possible.

[How Gohan taught him...it was years ago, so he's not sure how well he'll be able to impart it. He's never tried to teach anyone anything before, he doesn't even consider how much more dangerous this could make Vegeta either.]

...if you calm and center yourself, like you're meditating, and visualize your energy...instead of drawing it out, you can visualize compacting it, storing it. I was told to imagine...putting it in a box. It's still there, but no one else can see it but you.

[Vegeta's tail twitches as he listens to the explanation, then he nods, sitting down and closing his eyes. He's quick to pick up on new concepts, and he's not leaving this spot until he starts to get the hang of it.]

[Trunks can wait--it gives him time to stare, and to think. Vegeta obviously hasn't been to Earth at all, yet. The mess with Raditz couldn't have happened either--and that realization clenches something in his chest. Raditz had come to Earth to look for Goku, and that was the first time Vegeta had heard of the Dragonballs--the whole reason he came to Earth in the first place. He'd said that Goku was dead.

Even trying to be careful, had he screwed up his own timeline? Shit. Shitshitshit. Goddamnit.

Don't mind him, Vegeta, keep meditating. Your future son that you think is the spawn of some third-class Saiyan is going to be just over here, quietly flipping out yet again. ~~Boy, wouldn't he feel so much better if he knew that his timeline couldn't be affected by his screwups?~~]

[Vegeta simply sits there silently for a full hour until finally, Trunks would feel him powering down. He opens his eyes and smiles.

Not a grin, not a smirk. It's a smile.]

I see now. Your service is appreciated.

[Yes, that was a thank you. Sort of.]

[Half of that time, Trunks has spent fretting. The other half, he's spent meditating himself--trying to calm himself down. To be fair, he's had a bit of a rough day.

He opens his eyes, though, when he feels the change in Vegeta's energy. It's in time to catch the smile--which makes him smile in return.

Yeah, so he might've just made it possible for Vegeta to ninja up on people and blast them, but...

After his time spent calming down and everything, HE HELPED and Vegeta's even smiling. Warm fuzzies and whatnot. ~~Kick him in the head, they'll go away.~~]

You're welcome.

[No sarcasm here. He's perceptive enough to get the 'thank you' in there.]

[Trunks, you aren't supposed to say "you're welcome" all sincere like that, you're supposed to grunt or just say "yes, my lord".]

Mmm.

[See? Grunt. Like that. It's ~manly~.]

I'm hungry.

[Vegeta heads back for the elevator. It's an invitation, albeit a strange one.]

[His momma raised him with better manners than that. :| He knows how to say 'please' and 'thank you'.

He's cheerful enough as he follows--still concerned about, well, everything...but it's not anything he can control now, and he can worry about damage control later, once he's had a chance to think over all the possibilities.

After seeing how callous Vegeta was about the possible death of, well...him, and his mother earlier, this is downright nice and he's going to revel in it for as long as it lasts.]

[The waiters of the restaurant Vegeta chooses to go to look horrified as he approaches. They don't pay any attention to his companion just yet, having no idea that he had an appetite equal to the prince's. A pile of rare steaks was presented and Vegeta dug in immediately, pushing a couple over to Trunks.]

[Well, he can pack food away given the opportunity, but he's used to eating less. Post apocalyptic world and all--there's just not enough to go around for Trunks to put away in one meal what could feed multiple people for the same. At least not for it to sit well with his conscience.

The waiters have dodged that bullet today, at least. He nods thanks at the poor beleaguered waiter and works through what Vegeta offered him, half methodically and half like...well, a starving Saiyan. There's only so much that nature can be denied.

He's curious, too, glancing across the table every so often. HOW WELL WOULD YOU ACCEPT INTERRUPTIONS WHILE STUFFING YOUR FACE, VEGETA?]

[No he would not! But Trunks is welcome to talk to him. After a few steaks he eats more slowly, actually pausing to taste his food. Frowning at the small amount Trunks has eaten, he pushes another few his way. Saiyans (full Saiyans, at least) need a lot of food to keep up their strength!]

[Aww, concerned about your new minion's well-being, are you?]

Thank you.

[Small smile, and...well, he's going to try and talk because AWKWARD SILENCE IS AWKWARD apparently.]

So...how long have you been here?

[Really? Are you really going to ask him questions when he's clearly busy eating? He swallows hard so he can speak, being fairly frank. He usually is with his underlings.]

About a month. There are no spacecrafts here. My scouter is out of range, too. I assume we are out of Frieza's range for now.

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I have no icons for this.

Smirky!Vegeta is appropriate for all occasions.

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