Saeris and General Yang stood at the summit of the mountain looking eastward hoping to catch some vague glimpse of the battle going on so far away. Only Saeris could sense what was going on, and he had been enthusiastic to a point.

"My master Trunks' ki has vanished from my senses, General, and I fear the worst." Saeris spoke.

"Do you think he is dead?"
"In all likelihood, he could be, but I'd like to hope he isn't."

General Yang nodded in agreement and turned around to face a group of soldiers who had come to report to him. Their reports consisted of evacuation procedures, and so forth, General Yang wasn't concerned with those just yet, but he ordered them to begin destroying the Stronghold at once.

"Do you know who is winning Saeris?" The General asked.
"I can not detect the android's ki, so I am simply guessing, but things do not seem to be going well."

"How do you figure?"
Saeris began, "Trunks has ascended to the second level of Super Saiya-jin, something that my master had only talked about, but never was able to achieve. But the bottom line is that if he has truly gotten so powerful, why is it taking this long to finish the battle?"

"That's a good point Saeris, perhaps Trunks wasn't as strong as we had hoped."

"No, I think we simply underestimated Android 30."
Their conversation was interrupted explosion that resonated through the mountains they were currently standing upon. Down below, the Red Ribbon Stronghold began to implode on itself. Dust came off from the base like a tidal wave as well as a rather large shock wave to match. The pyramid top fell into the center of the square base, and the slanted sides collapsed inward as well. A secondary explosion caused debris to fly outward from the center to the edges of the structure, and when the smoke and chaos cleared, the entire compound was reduced to burnt up ruins and various decimated structures.

"Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?" Saeris asked the General, as the greatest symbol of their oppression was reduced to nothing but rubble in a glorious explosion.

"Not in a long while."

* * * * *

The clock ticked down to 3 minutes and 51 seconds, and the battle was going no where.

Android 30 danced around his foe, his speed had enhanced to a state that was evenly matched SSJ2 Trunks' in every way. With only one fist, the Android took his hits quite easily, but he always recovered quickly to dish out a volley of kicks to Trunks' body.

Trunks was knocked back by a forceful kick, but that didn't stop the determined fight, and he flew right back for more. He tried to gain an advantage in the situation, but there was simply none up for grabs, because the two were evenly matched. However it was obvious that the Android was still stronger, faster, and all around more powerful than the Super Saiya-jin was.

Trunks was cut across the face by a jagged outcropping of metal that came off the Android's stump arm, and in turn he was dealt an upper cut to the chin that sent him soaring into the air again. 30 wasn't through with him yet, and shot a large ki beam with one hand to strike Trunks as he flew upward.

Trunks spun around in match this attack with one of his own. The stress of the colliding ki's caused the metallic band in Trunks' hair to twist off, thus causing the rest of his golden hair to shoot straight up.

Trunks, a voice called in his head, "don't waste your time in pointless ki struggles, you're only giving yourself less time to stop him.

The voice was familiar, because it was that of his future self, but he was speaking only in his mind and not in reality. The young warrior heeded his advice, and sprang loose of the ki struggle, vaulting forward to let the conflicted beam pass straight behind him.

Angered that his beam missed, Android 30 clenched his last fist and stared straight up at the Super Saiya-jin, his eyes had begun as the color of blood. Trunks was not afraid of this, and he charge the Android at top speed, to plow right into his torso. The force of Trunks' tackle sent the Android flying backwards against Trunks' shoulder. The Super Saiya-jin was pushing the android through the air, until they impacted with a rocky plateau, and plowed straight on through.

They blasted through the offer side, and Trunks finally flung the body off his shoulder with one quick twist. The voice inside his head seemed to grow even louder now, there isn't much time, it said, he's going to win if you do not act quickly. Trunks didn't have time to reply before he spotted the android racing right to him, tearing up a track of dirt right behind him as he ran across the earth and soil. The most important thing of all was not the obvious hatred on his face, but it was the timer which read that Trunks had only 2 minutes and 20 seconds left to stop him.

* * * * *

Reyna had carefully dragged the dead warrior to the craft and gently laid his body in the back seat. He would receive a proper burial later, but now there was matters to attend to, such as the battle between 30 and Trunks that was still happening at that point. It wasn't hard to find really, all she had to two was follow the lights and noises to their source, and she would find Trunks easily enough.

The hover craft was soon in the air again, ready to leave the desolate wasteland it had landed in. Reyna quickly turned it westward, and set a course, heading for the rocky plateaus where Goku and Vegeta had held their first battle so long ago. Now it served as the final confrontation between the children of Dr. Jero and the last descendant of the Saiya-jin race.

The air around the craft began to rush and grow turbulent as it approached the battle field. This disturbance was due to the powerful attacks that were being performed at this one spot alone. The hover craft refused to move another foot forward so Reyna had little choice, but to land. The fighting was still a good distance away, so she figured she would be safe for the time being.

A strong wind had brought a storm of sand that only hit the desert surface, and ignored all those who fought in the clouds. At that moment it only pertained to Android 30 and Trunks, but they were too considered with fighting to notice. Reyna climbed on top of the craft to avoid some of the sandy wind, and she stared up into the sky, watching the chaotic battle unfold before her eyes.

Before she could fully enjoy herself, something shiny caught the attention of her eye, and she peered down at the sand in time to see a rapidly disappearing object lying dormant in a mound of sand. Reyna didn't hesitate and leapt down to the ground, running over to the object to investigate.

Sticking her hand into the sand, she grabbed around the shaft of the weapon and pulled it free of the sand, revealing that it was Mirai no Trunks' sword. She admired the glass like surface and ran her finger over the flat of the blade. Her face turned solemn as she looked back to the cockpit of the hover craft where Mirai no Trunks lay dead and broken.

"Trunks, why didn't let me save you?"
She didn't expect an answer back, but she felt compelled to at least ask again.

* * * * *

The struggle continued to a deadlock as Android 30 bat away both of Trunks arms with just his one. He made a grab for the Super Saiya-jin shirt and yanked him forward to knee him in the stomach. Trunks gasped and swung his head around to butt the android backward like a ram. He flew towards him again, his feet pointed at the android, and with one sweep Trunks rammed both of his feet into the androids chest, driving the both of them through the air like a loosed arrow.

The timer came down to 50 seconds.

Trunks' eyes were locked on that timer, as it beat down, second by second, and he knew he couldn't waste any more time. His thoughts clouded his actions and 30 unleashed a storm of punches to his chest, which the Super Saiya-jin was able to repel a few moments later. His eyes focused on that clock, and he thought to himself, I can not win, I don't have any time left.

The world seemed to go dark around him again, and the android was the only object left in the void of black. But there was a voice in Trunks' head that spoke clearly, and seemed to drone out the battle around him. It said clearly, "Trunks, why haven't you won yet?" Trunks seemed oblivious to both the fight and voice, he was concentrated on defending himself more than anything.

"Trunks, you have to win, if you fail, this world will have no future. You will have no future"

The voice seemed to be a combination of voices, sometimes it would sound as if Mirai no Trunks was speaking to him, and then it would almost seem like it was his mother. It was constantly shifting from different people, from Reyna, to his master Gohan, to Goku, and even his father, Vegeta.

"You can defeat him, but you have to quit defeating yourself. Only then you can win."

The timer clicked down to thirty seconds.

"I can't beat him, I don't have the time." Trunks said quietly, more to himself than to his foe.

"You can beat him, you must beat him, and for the sake of this world you will!"

Trunks snapped out of his trance, and darkness around him faded.
Android 30 flung a punch aimed straight at Trunks' head, but it was quickly caught at the wrist. Trunks cast the arm aside, and upper cut 30 in the chin, sending him sprawling in mid air. The world moved in slow motion around Trunks as he pulled his arm back, his gaze was locked on that timer now and nothing else, "I can."

Trunks' fist had rocketed forward, his fingers spread wide to drive straight into the Android's chest. He had the force of a living god in that arm, and he used it to its fullest extent. In his eyes was the sum of all the sorrow and frustration he had felt since childhood at the hands of Dr. Jero's Androids. His finger dug deep into he chest, piercing metal and blood/fuel in unison, driving deeper and deeper into his chest cavity until he reached the main wires that connected his power cells to the bomb.

With all his might Trunks tore his hand free of 30's chest, yanking the bomb and timer from his chest free into the air. Android 30 was tossed back from the force of the pull and he spiraled to the ground in total confusion. With only 12 seconds to go, Trunks gripped the bomb tightly in his palms and picked a spot in the sky. He pulled both hands back and with a great release of ki, he shot the durable bomb upward riding the head of a Kamehameha ki beam.

The bomb road the Kamehameha high into the sky, just like Vegeta had down when he first fought Goku, but this beam would send the bomb straight into orbit, and then into space. The timer ticked down to zero, and a brilliant flash of red and golden light exploded in the sky. The planet shook, and all eyes turned to the bright sky, as the distortion waves that came off the explosion passed over head. Android 30's eyes were wide in pure shock, his hateful gaze was replaced by a blank stare. Reyna looked up from far below as the sky seemed to burn. The sun vanished under the explosion, and then just as quickly as it had come, the explosion ceased and the blue sky returned. "Trunks!" Reyna shouted from below, "Down here!"

Trunks looked down to see Reyna on the ground below him, but he quickly searched the horizon for the android. His eyes befell battered machine on the ground sneaking up behind her, and his face showed his anger again.

Reyna turned around to see the damaged droid running towards her, and he obviously had some power left in him. His chest wound bleed and volts of electricity sparked from the gaping hole. His limbs twitched as power cells imploded on themselves by the second, and he vowed to himself that he would harm the half Saiya-jin upstart before he died. He was about tackle and possibly kill Reyna, but a shrill beam of energy tore through the air, straight at him.

Trunks ki beam encompassed the android completely, eating away at his cracked armor, his clothing, and finally his synthetic skin, leaving only a metallic freak in his place. The ki tore into the ground and exploded beneath him, sending Reyna flying to the side, and the Android soaring skyward. Reyna got up from the ground and shouted up, "Trunks! Catch!"

Trunks looked down as his girl friend threw him the gleaming blade, and he quickly caught. Android 30 was dazed completely, his sensory processes had powered down, he was losing energy at such a rapid rate he would die out in a matter of seconds. Trunks couldn't wait a few extra seconds.

The Super Saiya-jin charged the defeated android, and cleaved his blade horizontally into the android's waist, slicing it in two. He tore it upward so fast it was impossible to see with the naked eye. Trunks slashed and cut so quickly, Android 30 couldn't even see him move, and when he was finished 30 fell to the ground in tiny cubes.

It was over.

* * * * *

The trip home was rather simple, and Trunks was eager to put the whole experience behind him once they returned. They had stayed to celebrate the victory with the rest of the rebellion, but after a three days the revelry had died down and it was time to go home. While Reyna and Trunks celebrated, Mirai no Trunks was being buried, and a memorial to his mother was placed by his side, because she left no physical remains. Reyna had said she was going to postpone her trip to the Southern Capital for personal reasons, and Trunks didn't bother to question her.

Victory came bittersweet, because of the losses the army had sustained, and the death of Mirai no Trunks, the planet's hero. The burial of Mirai no Trunks brought record crowds and lasted several hours, with numerous kind words and fond memories shared. The android empire had ended, what was left of it had been wiped out by small factions of the rebellion, and the world was at peace once again, after so long. Afterwards the only business at hand was to prepare the time pod for a return to the past.

And as Trunks climbed into the cockpit that day he returned to his time period, he couldn't help but wonder what the future of the world would hold. The Z senshi was dead, and there was no trace of it anywhere except with Saeris and his limited knowledge of ki. Goku had once refused to come back to life because of the evil that befell the earth whenever he was around. Would the same be true with this world? Or would the earth fall victim again and not have a champion capable of defending it? Trunks could only wonder, as he activated the controls.

"Good bye." He said finally and looked tenderly at Reyna.
She smiled back, though the gesture contained a great deal of sadness.

"Lets go home."
She nodded in agreement, and Trunks sent the controls in place, soon they would return to a past full of possibilities, hope, and above all -- peace.