Archive of Our Own ^beta

Death and destruction were all that remained in this world. Cities that once thrived over 30 years ago lay in ruin. They never had the chance to fully rebuild. Humanity didn't get to recover from near extinction at the hands of the androids. A new threat soon appeared that made the twin terrors look like child's play.

Son Goku. Confusion quickly spread as he began to topple civilizations and send humanity to it's breaking point once again. When he appeared, Trunks was cautious. He knew his timeline's Goku had long since passed away. He stayed to the ground. His curious friend, a fellow Saiyan, approached in the hopes that her old friend somehow found a way to time travel.

"Goku! It's good to see you! Did you come for a visit?"

"Kei Kei be careful! I have a bad feeling!" Trunks warned, his sword at the ready.

Her reward for her misplaced trust? A rather harsh punch to the face. Trunks lost track of her in the ensuing chaos. He hurried back to his mother's place to make sure both their mother's were safe, and kept an eye out for his pained friend's energy. She masked it as she crashed into a building. The sheer force "Goku" applied was enough to push her straight through the building, and the one behind it.

Her hand found it's way to her face. She laid sprawled out in a pile of rubble she created upon her decent. "Jeez there wasn't that much of a gap between us... Just what time did he come from?" Kei Kei inquired while observing the crimson fluid that coated her hands. She could taste it on her lips, and feel it drip down her chin. The jacket she wore was shredded and torn against the buildings she tumbled into, so she discarded it.

Kei Kei's tail flicked in annoyance before tightening around her waist. "I don't know what's up with him, but he just royally pissed me off..." Now with exposed shoulders and a fury she'd only felt once before, Kei Kei set off to find this new Goku and get some payback for her nose, and some answers.

He heard faint, determined screaming. People were shooting at him, but he didn't react at all. This feeling grew in intensity. It was annoying, and seemed to focus his attention to one source. When he finally turned, he understood where the feeling was originating from. Kei Kei charged at him at full speed. He could see the damage he'd done to her nose from where he hovered.

"So there are more than just pests to squash in this timeline," he commented while smoothly avoiding her advance. He pushed the strange feeling that honed in on her away for now. The few people that were alive in the area fled the scene, much to Goku Black's aggravation.

He figured that this minor inconvenience would serve as a boring past time for him while slaughtering people. This body of his, however, had other plans. It seemed to enjoy the rush of battle. The aggression Kei Kei used to fuel her rage and attacks, made him physically excited at the idea of engaging her reckless behavior. So, he did.

Kei Kei growled towards the godly figure with a confused sense of malice. "Goku! What the hell do you think you're doing?! Is someone controlling you?! Making you do this?" She yelled and actually managed to strike his cheek. Her victory was short lived since he quickly gripped her chin and held it harshly.

"Unfortunately for you, little saiyan," she bent her legs and places the soles of her gym shoes on his chest, trying to push away from him. Her glare was sharp, in stark contrast to her feeble attempts to escape. "The choice I make are my own. And even though this body seems to like fighting, I must dispose of you before you hinder my plans,"

"Why are you talking like-" she felt her leg push past it's limits of flexibility. She quickly transformed and muster enough strength to pry herself away before he completely broke her leg. It writhed as it tried to find a place to reduce the pain while in the air.

"So there's even a Saiyan here that can recreate that transformation... And here I thought this place was desolate," He muttered. Kei Kei was too busy relocating her thigh joint to hear him. The blood loss and energy exertion were starting to make her light headed. When she looked up, Goku Black had vanished.

His voice, deeper than she remembered, rung in her ear. She felt his body slightly press against her back as she dizzily tried to turn and face him. She hardly even registered the blow to her abdomen until he spoke. "Don't worry. You'll join your insignificant planet soon enough..."

The young Saiyan soon began to black out. She plummeted towards the ground, her body not reacting to her pleas to keep fighting. All she could do was faintly groan as he seemed to be charging up a large attack.

"Damn... Of all the ways to go... This is pretty lame..." She thought while waiting for her body to either hit the ground first, or for Goku Black to destroy it in her half conscious state. She heard a familiar battle cry, as well as felt a pair of arms wrap around her to slow her descent.

"M-Mom...?" Kei Kei whispered accidentally. She didn't know why she assumed her mom was there. Maybe the voice she heard earlier?

Trunks chuckled dryly. "Not even close," he answered while swiftly and stealthily moving away from the threat. He could feel how slack her leg felt since she tensed up, assuming that it was broken. "She's nearby, though."

Kei Kei managed to pry her eyes open. Trunks held her in his arms while sticking close to the ground. She sucked in a painful breath and looked away. Even if he didn't say anything, Trunks was definitely angry. She saw her mother approached Trunks, successfully shaking off Goku Black after distracting him.

"How's my baby? Not dead, I hope..." Her mother ran ahead by a small margin. Kei Kei let out a faint wheeze.

"I'm okay... Not satisfied, but..." She curled her body against Trunks, feeling tired. "I'm a little dizzy... And nauseous..."

"Just hang in there... We're almost home," Trunks kept his tone as even as possible, despite his growing panic. Neither female believed him, not even for a second.

Cooling air blew over Kei Kei as she regained consciousness. Her nose felt stiff, and a dull pain thumped all over her body. She forced herself to sit up, the fan at her feet lightly blowing air in her face. She tried to pull the thin cloth covering her off, but felt a weight on one side. She squinted, looking over to her mother's sleeping form.

"She stayed here the whole time, you know..." Kei Kei turned to a tired looking Trunks. His lavender hair was a bit damp, and he had a towel around his neck. Kei Kei had various small bandages, and her long, spiked hair was slicked back into a ponytail to check for any facial injuries. "That was reckless."

"I know... I was just... Really angry," Kei Kei's frustration and lack of descriptive words made Trunks a little amused. His serious expression didn't change much, however. "I mean, this is Goku we're talking about here. He blew himself up to make sure everyone else is safe. And now, he's here! Killing people!" Kei Kei held out her arms as she spoke, emphasizing her disbelief.

Trunks nodded, pulling up a chair on the opposite side of the bed she sat in. Kei Kei felt a bit uncomfortable in her side and leg. Broken bones, she figured. "I did some thinking while we relocated people deeper into the city. It was confusing at first, but maybe we just have to accept that Goku just isn't a good guy anymore, I guess..."

Kei Kei laughed off the thought boisterously. Her laughter didn't last long, though. The more she thought about it, the more her laughter died down and became awkward in nature. "But... Goku's... Not like that at all... He even spoke differently..." She looked to Trunks with a perplexed, sorrowful gaze. He held out his hand to her in silence, and she placed her hand in his. "It can't be him, can it?"

Trunks squeezed his friend's hand before talking again. "I can't answer that. For now, we need more information," he sucked in a breath. Narrowing his eyes and looking away from her

"Well, he's much more powerful than last time we met... I couldn't even feel his ki. Just this overwhelming pressure when he punched me," painfully, she reached over and touched her bruised side lightly. Her confusion boiled into rage, and she clutched onto her bedsheet. "Well, Goku or not, we're earth's last line of defense! And, I actually managed to survive an attack of his, twice! Going by that, maybe we'll have a chance?"

"Even so, we can't afford either of us charging head on without a plan," he pointed out. Kei Kei furrowed her brows.

"While we plan, more people will die! I'd say we do a bit of trial and error! See what he can do now!" Kei Kei suggested. She had an aggression to her voice that Trunks didn't like. It reminded him of his impulsive father. Kei Kei studied his face, her onyx gaze becoming skeptical in nature. "Trunks...".

"We should take the safe route. If it wasn't for me and your mom, you'd be dead before we even knew the whole scope of the threat!" Trunks pulled his hand away. "We can't lose any more people!" Kei Kei missed the warmed of his hand, but his tone seemed to taint that feeling. She forced herself out of bed. Trunks was a bit surprise by this. The very same injuries a day prior made it so she could barely stay conscious. They were obvious still effecting her with each step she took, but she resisted the pain with stubborn expression.

The short saiyan looked down to Trunks with a stern frown. "You mean you can't lose any more people... You say we can't lose more people, but the world we struggled so hard to be rebuilt is crumbling while we're sitting here arguing! Let's get out there! We have to stop him, or at least stall him!" Trunks finally stood, towering over her.

"You're not even in good enough shape to fight him again!" He didn't bother to address the first thing she said, "so how do you expect to pull off one of those "hit and run" tactics of yours. At least wait a few days," Kei Kei threw her hands up, quickly finding the stairs he descended from and began towards them.

"This is going nowhere!" She exclaimed bitterly. "I'm going to get something to eat. You can stay down here and think up something. I'm going to fight him again once I have my energy back," her brownish tail beat harshly against the wall when she finally reached the stairs. It made a dent, engraving her metaphorical frustration into the wall. Trunks stared at her for a moment.

"You want to fight him again, don't you K?" He asked with a hope that his theory would be wrong. Kei Kei didn't look back to give him an answer.

"He said I'd "join the rest of the planet soon." We have to prepare for that. I'm gauging his power when I head back out there," she answered rather bluntly before continuing up the stairs. Trunks didn't follow her, instead trying to process her words. Kei Kei's mother, Seri, had been awake for about half the conversation, but didn't want to interrupt them. She sat up, giving Trunks a sympathetic look.

It was happening to him again. Someone he loved was going to fight without him. Someone he loved was going to die without him being there.

He made brief eye contact with Seri, who nodded lightly. "Kinco is a stubborn one... But she isn't as reckless as you think. She won't die so easily," Seri stretched her tired body, gesturing for Trunks to follow her out of the makeshift medical space they'd made in their bunker.

Seri and Bulma studied their children as the Goku situation spiralled. Kei Kei would leave before Trunks could get a word in, and they'd only meet up to protect the few people left in their city. Kei Kei always came back in a much worse condition than the last. Trunks ended up lecturing her about how careless she was being.

Kei Kei had managed to make Goku Black talk with each battle they engaged in. She had been ever so slightly stronger than Trunks since they returned to their timeline the first time. But these near death experiences were teaching her things. This wasn't the Goku she knew.

He was very logical. He aimed for her vital spots whenever possible. He constantly belittled her efforts, all while killing any unlucky bystanders who got caught trying to move or hide in the ruins of their homes. It ate away at her very soul. Not being strong enough to end him already.

One day in particular was pretty bad for the two young saiyans. Trunks barely escaped being killed while trying to get fuel. His mother devised a plan well into the Goku crisis to go back in time again. Kei Kei had tagged along, and thrown herself to the enemy once again when he insulted them and their efforts to survive.

"I can't believe you did that!" Trunks started while Kei Kei sat on one of the various tables in their little medical center to patch up their wounds. "You're lucky we got the fuel..."

"You're lucky I distracted him so we could get away with the fuel!" Kei Kei challenged and hissed as she applied alcohol to a gaping wound on her thigh. Despite his frustration, Trunks was instantly worried at the sight.

"Whoa I didn't notice that before," he snagged some bandages on the way over to her. "You've never come home this badly hurt before... This is why I'd rather we run for now... Until we know more about the enemy... But you don't listen!" Kei Kei's body was stiff and screamed at her to stop moving. She had a hard time wrapping the wound, so Trunks took off his gloves to do it. She looked down to him gratefully, though he didn't see it.

"It's not that I don't listen to you!" She insisted and leaned her body over to prop up her leg. Normally a position like this would make the both of them a bit flustered but they were too hurt and too pissed off to acknowledge it. "I learn by fighting... Remember Dabura? It's easier to gauge power when I fight. And it gets the blood flowing." She explained while applying small bandages to her body and to the places on Trunks where she could reach. "I'm not a little kid though. I know when to back out so I don't get killed. I know when I'm being reckless. I want that bastard dead just as much as you do!"

"You rush in to fight him almost every day now! When is enough enough?" Trunks pointed out calmly. He removed their jackets, tossing the ruined garments to the side.

"When I can successfully defeat him!" Kei Kei declared with a glare. "He seems to be getting used to fighting me, though... He was noticably hesitant and stiffer than before. It seems another strategy is in order..." She stared down at the calluses on her hands. Trunks' hand came to view, and he clutched hers.

"What happens if you can't beat him?" Her bangs shielded her gaze from him. "Come on K... You have to at least try and have a bit of self preservation! We're the earth's last hope remember? I know you like to fight him but-"

"You always bring that up! I'm not your dad, you know?!" She grumbled to him. "I can draw a clear line between having fun and being serious! If you think I'm that foolish then... Then you're just flat out wrong!" She hopped off the table, now needing to glance up at him.

"Saiyans are always hungry for battle. That's the myth anyway... I'm always scared that that bastard's gonna murder me out there. But to hell with self preservation. The world matters more than me right now." Kei Kei paused, her stomach beginning to cramp a bit. "Anyway... Let's go eat. I'll be willing to hear you out later..."

Goku Black actually struggled today. Kei Kei had her legs firmly around his thick neck, and she squeezed to try and cut the circulation off. He clawed at and even fractured the bones in her leg, but the small saiyan didn't budge at all.

"My you're... You're quite the brave one," Goku Black weakly retaliated. He made a note to protect himself from suffocating like this in the future.

"Don't talk to me like I'm some kid!" She retaliated and struck his head again and again. It left her knuckles bloody. She flexed her leg muscled despite the pain.

"What? I'm just telling the truth! Though, your actions would be akin go a brave little... Kid," he paused, stretching his arms up and gripping the back of her neck. He pulled with all his might, and Kei Kei let go in fear that he would break her neck or back. Goku Black straightened his neck and rolled his shoulders, as if her efforts were nothing more than a minor inconvenience. "Though I have to admit... I haven't had this much trouble with a saiyan since gaining this new body. You're only alive now to benefit me, until someone better comes along, of course."

Kei Kei looked to him rather boredly. She picked something from her ear as he spoke, lazily glancing to him when his low voice finally stopped. "You talk like you're above us... It reminds me too much of Vegeta... And it pisses me off," her aura wrapped around her body, and her power began to noticably raise. "I've been fighting you in base form as a way to gauge your power but... You're obviously not the same as before, power wise."

Goku Black raised a brow in intrigue. He'd really only seen one form of Saiyan transformation aside from the base form. Could this little girl also tap into the power of the gods? The pressure she gave off was nothing compared to his, but he felt it nonetheless.

"But, I think I can take it up a few levels," her long, spiked hair suddenly shot up and shifted into a shade of gold. It remained in its high ponytail. Her already toned body buffed up as well, and electricity ran across her body. Luckily, her tank top was a loose one. Another pulse of power came from her. Trunks, from his spot near the evacuation point, could feel her transformation too. He grunted, but continued to aid the remaining army in getting the living civilians to safety. They struggled to keep the grieving at bay. "It's only fair since you keep beating me down over and over again,"

"I can tell you've grown from our little fights," Goku Black commented, a level of condescension in his tone. He relaxed his elegant floating posture. "Why is that?"

"You're a saiyan, you should understand how this works..." Kei Kei shouted upon finishing her transition from the first Super Saiyan stage and onto the second. She somewhat surprised herself since she hadn't had to use this transformation since her encounter with Dabura. She was taller, and felt stronger. After admiring her transformation, her, now teal, gaze sharply turned to Goku Black.

Her intense expression didn't even seem to faze her opponent. That couldn't be further from the truth. Goku Black was excited. He wanted to see what she could do, and how she fought. The fact that she could keep up in her base from was good enough for him. Her and Trunks kept him occupied and allowed him to learn more about his new body. This transformation Kei Kei just showed him would be a brand new lesson. Before he knew it, Kei Kei was right in front of him. They were a distance away before she charged to him, catching him slightly off guard. She coated her hand in ki and slashed at his face.

Blood was something Goku Black was familiar with. The humans he slaughtered were filled with it. They exploded across the very structures they lived in, and this amused him. He got Kei Kei's blood on him on a regular basis. But she actually managed to make him bleed this time. She wasn't satisfied with just one cut, however. She kept up her assault, kicking and slicing to cause as much damage as possible.

She even smiled when more minor injuries appeared on him. Rips and tears along his clothes and skin brought her a strange sense of relief. She doubted her ability to actually harm this monster with the face of a friend. This proved he wasn't invincible.

Trunks sealed the underground bunker he put the remaining humans in. The small militia that formed promised to keep the people in check in his stead. He couldn't feel Goku Black's energy at all, but Kei Kei' super powered state gave him a pretty solid idea of what was going on. He became a Super Saiyan as well, using it's power to zip over to her location. He arrived just as Goku Black drove his fist into Kei Kei's stomach. She swallowed a grunt, enduring the pain long enough to land a sharp right hook against the first cut she made.

Using his body as leverage, Kei Kei pushed herself back and away from the enemy, nearly ramming into Trunks in the process. She hacked up a small amount of blood and spit, but held her transformation. Goku Black applauded her. It seemed genuine.

"Ooh you hardly stayed conscious the last few times I landed a blow like that! I have to commend you! Not only did you teach me something new, you really have grown in such a short time!" Kei Kei straightened up, at least as much as her body would allow her to. She shared a pained glance to Trunks, a glint of annoyance on her face.

"What, is this some kind of game to you?!" Trunks unsheathed his sword, beyond angry with the state of his friend. Sure, it was partially her own fault. But at the end of the day, Goku Black was the source of all this. They wouldn't have to relive this trauma over again. He flinched when Goku Black laughed boisterously.

"Of course it is! You think I'm taking either of you seriously? This is all for my betterment!" He boasted smugly. Trunks rushed him, leaving Kei Kei to rest for a moment. He leaned close to Trunks' face, his bare hand being more than enough to hold off Trunks' blade. "You two are little more than training dummies. Something I can beat on day in and day out,"

"Shut up!" Trunks swung his blade upward, grazing Goku Black's chin. He growled while charging up a small ball of ki and shoving it into Trunks' torso. He was swiftly pushed back by the small ball of energy, and Kei Kei twisted around her partner, using one arm to stop his descent while pointing to Goku Black with her free hand. In one swift motion, she shot as close to Goku Black's eye as she could. He instinctively covered the new injury, and she zipped off with Trunks towards the ruins of a village. She flew past it, lowering her power until her hair returned to normal and her energy was almost untraceable. Trunks understood what she was doing, copying her method.

"Here. Let's stay in here for a little while," Kei Kei pulled Trunks into a cabin, both of them collapsing onto the log floor. "That sucked..."

Trunks nodded, kicking the door closed. "I understand why you stayed in your base form when this all started... You actually managed to hurt him this time!" When he sat up, he noticed Kei Kei looking away. She stood up, walking over to the couch against the adjacent wall and closing the curtains above them. She saw Goku Black flying around nearby, one eye squinted nearly shut. She laughed weakly to herself at the sight.

"Yeah. I managed to hurt him... But that's all I did," she plopped down onto the dusty couch. She figured this place was a summer home or something similar. Trunks made his way to her, setting his sword aside and sitting next to her. "I mean look at us! I literally leave the base with a new scar every day... You and mom have had to save my ass more times than I can count... Months of battles and nothing to show for it... I should've just listened to you..."

Trunks tilted his head, simply shaking it when she looked over to him. "I mean, I wouldn't say all that. I think we made a lot of progress. More and more people are coming into the bunkers mother found. We're learning more about our enemy, and we got more fuel. Now we just have to hold out until we can finally put stop to this." Trunks felt a bit of doubt well up in him. Mainly due to how much quicker Goku Black decided to strike than the androids ever did. He had a method to his madness. He held a determined expression, for Kei Kei's sake.

Kei Kei's eyes glossed over with a faint sense of fury. She wanted to get excited for the future, she really did. "And we're getting a lot stronger!" She pointed out. The scars, new wounds, and bruises across their bodies were a memoir of that fact. Constantly fighting and taking beatings, all for the sake of getting stronger.

Despite her growing smile, the young woman was losing hope. Every lose she took only amplified this feeling. She relaxed against the stiff cushions. "I need a minute before we head back... I feel like if I force myself to go back now, I might pass out..." She laughed lightly through her nose, tilting her head towards Trunks, who met her halfway and laid shifted so his shoulder met her head.

One thing that remains eternal is the beauty of nature. It's forever changing. Forever growing. From the orange of fall to the crisp white of winter. Winter gives way to the vibrant, pink spring. Earth was somewhat unique in that it's seasons were so... Color coded. Goku Black found beauty in these changes. He never let a speck of human touch go anywhere near the recovering natural world.

Between battles, he'd a questioned if the animals inhabiting these areas were worth keeping around. He tried to hold conversations with them. He tried threatening them to see if they had a similar reaction to humans. Aside from a few occasions where he got too close and provoked a bear, they mostly didn't react. So, he left them be. They added to the scenery anyway.

During one of his trips from a big city into it's much calmer, natural neighbor, Goku Black found himself grimacing. Human creations paled in comparison to the lush nature standing beside it. Aside from being an apathetic murderer, he did enjoy strolling through the forest. He was surprised at how many different creatures roamed the earth depending on their location. It wasn't the hardest conclusion to come by, but the varied wildlife kept the experience fresh.

He did notice one strange occurrence. It started happening well after he'd begun to practically bully the inhabitants of this already broken world. The pets that stayed forever loyal seemed to long for their human friends. They would sometimes be covered in their owner's blood, no thanks to Goku Black. They didn't know that, however. Cats seemed slightly more inept when it came to sensing danger than their larger counterparts. Dogs would come up to Goku Black occasionally, looking for a bit of affection. He just stared as they nudged his hand.

Each one of these encounters filled him with sympathy for a brief moment. He never thought he could feel such an emotion for an admittedly feeble creature. "Another side effect of this mortal body, I suppose..." He'd comment before abruptly leaving to recollect his thoughts.

The last of humanity were forced deep underground. They had to make their hiding places conspicuous. They barricaded the extra exits and sealed themselves in pockets deep underground. Earth's last protectors, Kei Kei, her mother, and Trunks would often visit these places whenever possible.

It was a hard pill to swallow whenever they'd find one of their bunkers covered in blood and gore. The "safe" havens were far from empty. You could even say that it's residences were all accounted for. They just stopped breathing.

After dodging Goku Black, or a brief battle with him, the tired and beaten bodies of the saiyan trio were often met with the corpses of their dying planet's inhabitants. Kei Kei and Trunks were especially hard on themselves with each discovery.

"How the hell am I supposed to call myself anyone's last hope if I can't be there when they need me?"

Travelling across the globe takes a toll on one's body. The mental strain along with suppressing energy and coming across hundreds of dead almost daily didn't help. Kei Kei was tired. She didn't even start her slow and agonizing flight over the Pacific Ocean. She had been taking note of a strange occurrence her and everyone back home had taken note of.

Goku Black basically had the world in the palm of his hand. He could've blazed the surface and narrowed down the rest of humanity. He could've easily snuffed them out. But he didn't. He didn't because he seemed to be protecting what was left of the natural world.

The young woman, backpack in hand, found herself walking through a large forest after detouring from her usual plan to return to her home in West City. She never got to do something like this, not even when she helped stopped the androids 5 years prior. They were always busy, in the past and in the future. It was actually quite nice.

She took in a breath upon finding herself surrounded by trees. No smoke, ash, or the dreadful smell of blood. Just pure, clean air. "Who knew a monster like him would feel the need to avoid destroying a place like this... I thought he liked destroying things..." Kei Kei shuffled through the foliage with a small smile. Small creatures either curiously kept their distance or ran all together. Bigger ones stared until she was out of sight. All the blank stares made the her uncomfortable.

While trekking along a dirt path she found, Kei Kei felt as if she was being watched. She pushed the feeling down, figuring that any stray gazes thrown her way were just more animals hidden by trees and shadows. The feeling she had never really went away as she made her way towards the faint smell of water. She found a small lake, which led into a large lake. The waterfall connected to it was smaller than she expected, but the sound wasn't too overbearing.

For the first time since Kei Kei left home a few nights ago, she relaxed. She knew a mission half way across the world would be long and exhausting. "Hopefully there's a place like this back home," she sat along the water's edge, allowing her tail to loosen from it's post around her waist. She even allowed a sigh to pass through her lips as the wilderness embraced her. Every sound and every smell brought a level of peace she only every felt a handful of times. Oddly, one of those times happened to be whenever she trained with her childhood friend.

3 years prior

Kei Kei tumbled to the ground, her body sore and her fighting spirit thoroughly crushed in the moment. She found herself next to Trunks' sword. It stuck out at an angle in the soil, and reflexed her image back at her. Trunks extended a hand to her, and she used both his sword hilt and her hand to pull herself up.

"What's with the pout? Don't tell me it's because of my little victory?" Trunks taunted while putting his sword away. Kei Kei cracked a smile, dryly laughing while nudging him.

"It's not a victory if it's sparring!" She pointed out. "And I'm not really upset at you at all. I'm just... Kind of upset at myself, I guess... I can do better!" They wiped the sweat and blood from minor cuts from their faces with hand towels while calming their beating hearts. "You're making progress according to mom... But I'm not growing at the same rate at all... Like I'm stuck or something!"

They sat on the courtyard bench, rubbing stray grass and dirt from their clothes. Kei Kei slouched against the wall behind them. "Well... Maybe something's getting in the way?"

"Like what?"

Trunks shrugged. "Maybe it's a mental thing. Maybe you're blocking yourself from the inside," he suggested and stood up to stretch. Kei Kei watched him stretched as she thought on what he said.

"Maybe it's paranoia?" She eventually muttered and decided to join him. "I mean, I do worry about if I'll be useful, or if the next threat that comes our way will be too much... I think about it a lot more than I should..."

She reached down to stretch her back, and Trunks reached up to loosen his arms. "That's a silly thought," he started, seeing Kei Kei stumble a bit at his response. "There's really only the two of us. It won't be like last time where we have Goku and the others. I think everyone feels a little useless when compared to Goku..."

"Hmm..." Kei Kei stood up straight and copied his motions. She held a skeptical expression.

"My point is, no one is useless especially when we don't have anyone to help against any other threat aside from the two of us. I get that feeling more than anyone else," Trunks sighed softly, referring to how his presence shortly before Gohan's death was pointless. If he wasn't there, Gohan might've lived to see them today. To put it plainly, Trunks felt useless for years after that loss. "I use that feeling to push myself further..."

Kei Kei's eyes sparkled with awe towards him. It was as if a lightbulb went off in her head. "Pushing myself further...."

Kei Kei paused. She was hunched over, staring at her reflection as it distorted in the water. She pulled her legs out of the water and stood, immediately on the defensive. She felt a pressure nearby. No doubt her familiar faced foe. Why would he be out here, especially if she'd been hiding her energy for days on end. Surely he'd have no reason for being here if that were the case.

The tip of her tail flicked, and she used her eyes to try and spot the man in black. Her shoulders raised in subconscious fear. "Where-" she felt a hand tighten around her tail. She whipped around and shot a ki blast she had at the ready.

She pulled away from him, crouching low and readjusting her appendage. Goku Black hovered over the lake, curiously staring at his hand before looking her in the eye. His eyes were wide for only a moment, and it reminded Kei Kei of the Goku she knew for a moment. This feeling didn't last long, as she shook her head and tightened her tail around her waist once more.

"Curiouser and curiouser..." He huffed out. "You didn't react at all like the other one..." He bent his hand behind his back, his proper posture becoming a normal sight for Kei Kei whenever they encountered one another.

"The other one..." She growled out, her fists tightening. "What did you do my mom?!" While Kei Kei wanted to appear threatening, Goku Black laughed. He found her anger amusing.

"I did exactly what I just did. The poor mortal froze up! I could've killed her if I wanted to. Who knew saiyans had such prominent weaknesses! But you're different..." He began to close the distance between the two of them. Kei Kei coated her hands in ki and crossed them in front of her.

"This isn't a casual conversation! Stay where you are!" She warned. "Tell me where my mom is! And how you found me in the first place!" Goku Black stopped, landing on the ground and putting a hand under his chin. He looked down at her similar to a child looks at an animal at the zoo.

"She got away from me, unfortunately," he shrugged, looking genuinely disappointed. "And as for your other question," he seemed to disregard her ki blades, pushing them down with one hand and gripping her face with the other. He reeked of death. Kei Kei felt a heavy force push down on her, and it dissipated her ki blades all together. It took all her strength to keep herself up. "I've been following you," he gained a wicked smirk at the growing panic in her eyes.

His grip loosened ever so slightly on her face so she could speak. He pulled her head upward, but he still had to lean down to further emphasize his intimidation method. "Y-You what?"

"You and that boy are much easier to follow than you think you are," he laughed. "It's very easy to narrow down your pathetic little hiding spots. Your efforts are laughable at best," Kei Kei snarled lowly, pushing herself away from him. Her jaw felt as if it'd bruise, but at least she was free.

"You're saying that to mess with me!" Kei Kei insisted and took a few steps away from him. She was near the forest thicket now.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. You're fun to tease," Goku Black grinned. Her flushed, aggravated face filling him with a satisfaction he had long since abandoned when he started on his righteous quest. "I've grown fond of you. Out of all of the problems I've had to face on this backwater planet, you are by far one of the larger obstacles I've had to face. I've hardly had to struggle like this before, you know."

Kei Kei put her bag back on. If she didn't need to keep the fuel she gathered over the past few days safe, she'd engage him in a full powered brawl right then and there. For now, she had to stall until she could lie low for a little while. "Don't get too cocky... We're catching up to you!"

"Oh please! Mortals could never compare to a god such as myself! They can come close, but I doubt they'd ever reach my brilliance!" He gloated and gestured to himself. Kei Kei narrowed her eyes, finding his narcissism disgusting.

"Yeah... Keep telling yourself that..." She waved a hand to him, disappearing into the foliage once the sun had passed it's through a thick layer of clouds. She felt a lump form in her throat when he didn't give chase, but she was glad he didn't. For now, hiding amongst the trees was her best bet until he left the area. The forest bled into a ruined city, which she planned to stay in until the next day.

"I thought Saiyans preferred fighting to running! You better not keep boring me like this, little saiyan!" He yelled, his mocking voice echoing past the thick tree trunks. Kei Kei gulped, catching her breath as quietly as possible. "I might have to go and destroy your little base of operations to motivate you! I can only contain my boredom for so long!"

"What an ass..." Kei Kei whispered. She placed her head against a tree trunk, ignoring the pieces of wood that stuck her through her hair.  She crossed her arms and gripped her bare arms tightly. If what he said was true, he'd used her to find out where she'd been hiding. It was a terrifying thought. They could've been overwhelmed, and all the work they'd put in would be for nothing. "So much for trying to keep myself out of danger... I'm sorry Trunks... Looks like I have to entertain him... We'll be a little safer, at least..."