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Chapter 12 - Rebuilding (2)

The spaceship was finally complete, gleaming with Capsule Corp's ingenuity. Its hull reflected the broken skyline of West City—a city slowly clawing itself back to life after years under android terror. For Gohan and Trunks, it wasn't just a machine. It was hope forged into steel.

But hope needed direction.

That evening, Gohan led Trunks to a remote wasteland, far from the rebuilding towns. The air was cold and still, the earth littered with scars from old battles. Without a word, the two stood side by side, their fists clenching as golden fire erupted around them. Their hair blazed upward, eyes glowing turquoise as they pushed into the perfected calm of Full Power Super Saiyan.

Then, together, they roared—summoning their ki higher, brighter, until the ground trembled and the sky itself seemed to flicker.

The sudden surge pierced the fabric of the Other World.

Far away, King Kai jolted, his antenna twitching. "Wh-what the—?! That ki! It's like a sun just exploded out of nowhere! Oh boy, I know that's Gohan… and trunks?"

Before he could steady himself, two familiar figures appeared at his side. Goku, grinning as always, set a hand on King Kai's shoulder. Beside him, Vegeta crossed his arms, his sharp gaze already narrowing.

"Let me," Goku said.

King Kai groaned. "Fine, fine! But don't overload my brain, alright? Telepathy's delicate work!"

He placed his hands to his temples, focusing, and the link was forged.

***

He focused, opening the link. Gohan's voice came through first, clear and steady, resonating with both determination and fatigue.

"King Kai. We need your help."

At his side, Goku and Vegeta appeared, drawn by the telepathic exchange. They placed their hands on King Kai's shoulders, their presences adding weight to the call.

Gohan's voice echoed in all of their minds, Trunks included. The boy, though silent, listened intently.

"King Kai—we need the coordinates for New Namek. We have a ship. We're going to restore Earth's Dragon Balls… and bring everyone back."

King Kai blinked. "New Namek, huh? That'll take a bit of searching. Hold tight, I'll find it for you."

As he closed his eyes to concentrate, the silence gave room for voices long absent.

Goku spoke, his voice warm and almost nostalgic. "Gohan… I'm proud of you. Everything you've done, everything you've endured—you've gone beyond what I could have ever hoped for. You didn't just survive… you carried everyone with you."

Gohan's throat tightened. His golden aura flickered slightly. Hearing his father's voice—clear, full of pride—was like a blade and a balm all at once. For a moment, he was that boy again, running into his father's arms after training, safe in a world that no longer existed.

"Dad…" Gohan's lips trembled, but he forced a small smile. "I just… I did what I had to. This world couldn't afford for me to be a child anymore. But… thank you. For saying that."

Trunks had been quiet, but his eyes shifted to Gohan.

He could feel one more presence from the telephatic call, likely being Vegeta.

For so long, his emotions had been tangled. Before his awakening, Vegeta was simply "his father," the man whose shadow loomed large. After his memories surfaced—memories of another life, of another self—he felt torn between identities. Was he reborn? Was he merely transmigrated?

When he heard Vegeta, the older Saiyan regarded him with his usual stern expression, arms crossed. But when he spoke, there was a different weight to his tone.

"You've done well, boy." Vegeta's voice was gruff, but beneath it was a rare softness, one that surprised even him. "To stand where you are now, after everything you've seen… after everything you've lost—you've done more than even I could have asked of you."

Trunks's chest tightened. His first instinct was to say "Thank you, Vegeta." To keep him at arm's length. That was safer, wasn't it? For so long, he had lived as though connections were fleeting, fragile. But then his thoughts shifted—his mother's smile when she fussed over him, her constant tinkering with the ship, her pride when he sparred with Gohan. And Vegeta—this man who stood before him, flawed and scarred, yet still here. Still his blood, still his family.

His memories, old and new, crashed together like waves until they felt seamless. Did it really matter if he had been reborn or displaced? . He had people who cared for him, who gave him a home.

Trunks let out a slow breath. His lips parted, the word catching in his throat before it came out, heavier than he imagined.

"…Father."

Vegeta's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't expected it—not now, not like this. The boy's voice was steady, but the weight of the word struck deep. Trunks bowed his head, his fists clenched at his sides.

"Thank you. For everything. I—" His voice wavered for a heartbeat, but he pressed on. "I've finally accepted this life. And I'm glad you're my father."

For a long moment, Vegeta said nothing. He was confused, then realization hit him. His jaw worked, his arms loosening at his sides. Emotion stirred in him—foreign, unwanted, but undeniable. His failures as a parent weighed heavily. He hadn't been there for the boy, hadn't guided him, hadn't shielded him from the horrors of their world. Trunks had grown strong in spite of him, not because of him.

But still, the boy called him "father."

"…Hmph." Vegeta turned his head slightly, though his voice was rougher than usual. "I was never much of a father. A failure in more ways than one. But… hearing you say that…" His eyes softened for just a fraction of a second. "…I'll carry it with me."

Trunks gave a faint smile, the tension in his chest easing at last. "That's enough for me."

The moment was fragile, unspoken emotions threading between them, until King Kai finally stirred.

"Alright, I've got it! The coordinates to New Namek!" King Kai exclaimed, antennae twitching as he held the information steady in his mind.

The fragile silence broke, but the connection between father and son remained. Trunks straightened, his aura still flickering golden, his heart lighter than it had been before.

His body felt lighter.

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