Finding Hope

Chapter 14: An Unsettling Discovery!

Tsubaki's pov

We were in a plane taking Dad to the Kame house, I sat in the back while Yamcha flew the plane. "Honey, are you okay? You've been awful quiet, what's wrong?" Mom asked, "I'm just worried." I put my knees up to my chest, leaned against the wall, and crossed my arms laying them on my legs. "Hey, don't worry about Goku. He'll pull through." Krillen said, "Yeah, whatever." I put my head in my arms, "Honey?" Mom asked, "Just leave me alone, Mom." I said a little harshly and she moved away from me. "Ts-" I cut Trunks off with a glare, meaning I didn't want any comfort or anything. I put my head back in my arms and just stayed there for while, "Hey, Tsu do you want anything to eat?" Gohan asked, but I didn't say anything to him. I turned away from them, "Tsu- come on. It's okay. Tsu, come on say something." Trunks put his hand on my back and I scooted away from him and closer to Dad. He wasn't screaming in pain like he was back home, I was at least thankful for that. But I was thinking about our future, and the day the androids killed everyone and Gohan. My big brother, the guy I looked up too. I never thought about it, because I was too afraid to and worried that I would worry everyone else. I never wanted the androids to be awakened or dad to have this heart virus again. I never wanted this to happen, I wanted to be able to change something so maybe I should. I heard a phone ring, did this plane have a phone? 

"Oh hey Bulma, what's up?" Yamcha said, "Yeah, they're both here. Why?" Yamcha asked, "Alright, hey Trunks. Tsubaki. Bulma has something to tell you." I lifted my head up and walked up to the front. "Hey, Bulma what's up?" I asked, "You guys are not going to believe this. But I just received a photo of your time machine." I looked at Trunks in confusion. "How is that possible? We have our time capsule." Trunks leaned over my shoulder, "I don't know guys. But I would really like it if you came to check it out." Bulma said, "Alright, then. We'll go." I stood up. "Mom, can I go?" Gohan asked, but Mom went to tell him no. "Mom, it's okay. He'll be okay with Trunks and I." I said and she nodded. I gave her a hug, and Krillen and then Yamcha. "Take care of them while I'm gone." He nodded and hugged me back. "Bye, Dad." I kissed Dad's forehead and we left.

Bulma told us where the time machine was, "How do you think it got here?" Trunks asked, "I'm not sure. Maybe like we before we could have created a parallel universe with everything we change." I said, "That's possible. Maybe from an alternative timeline, you came to earth and changed a lot of things around and caused a different outcome." Gohan explained, "Maybe your right, Gohan." I said, as we landed in front of the time machine. It was covered in moss, it must have been here for a while. "This is definitely one of Bulma's time machines." I said walking up to it and in the distance, I could see Bulma. "Oh lookie Trunks, it's your mom." Gohan said, making me laugh.

"Hey, it's not funny." Trunks said l, "Why not?" he gave me a look, what meant stop. "Alright, fine." I tried to suppress my laughter, as Bulma landed next to us.

"Hey Bulma!" I waved at her, "Oh hey, Tsu! Hey Gohan. Hey son..." She must of found it awkward because she flirted with her son. "So... Is this your time machine?" She asked, walking towards the time machine. "It looks like ours but it can't be. It's just not possible." I shook my head and placed my hand on the machine. Trunks took out the one we traveled in, "This is the one we used to travel back in time. We also have 'Hope' written on the side of the machine. So unless we see the 'Hope' written on the side of it then it can't be ours." Trunks explained and I wiped off the moss seeing the word 'Hope' on it's side. "Oh crap baskets...." Trunk said, "Wait, but why hope?" Bulma asked, "Well, your future self called Trunks and I the last hope she had for humankind." I explained and floated up into the air with Gohan.

"Tsu, do you see the hole in the top?" He pointed out and I looked at the hole in the top. "Trunks, Bulma come look at this!" I said, "Well, that's weird. Do you think whoever was piloting it was attacked?" Bulma asked.

"Actually, I don't think so. Considering the curvature of the melted glass, combined with the lack of any glass or damage in the cockpit, we're safe to assume whatever shot the canopy came from the inside!" Gohan explained, "And what does that mean?" I swatted Trunks' arm, realizing what Gohan meant. "The glass came from the inside. Like whoever was piloting this time machine created the hole." I said, as Trunks jumped into the canopy and opened the top.

"What is that?" I grimaced in disgust, "I'm not sure." Trunks said, holding up the two half circles. "Hey! Let me get a look at it! I wanna help, too. As the daughter of the world's leading class scientist with doctorates in both bio-engineering and evolutionary biology, I can only deduce... That THIS is a mutant coconut. Either that or an egg." Bulma said, "An egg?!" We shouted, "I know! Trunks! Whatever made that hole hatched from this egg! You keep examining the time machine, I'm gonna go search for clues!" I followed after Gohan, "Whatever hatched out of that thing, it could still be around. So don't let your guard down Gohan." I said and he nodded as we spread out to see what we could find. "Oh, hello! And what are you? Hey, Trunks! Tsubaki! I think I found a clue! Either that or a record-setting cicada... I'm okay with both, actually." I ran towards Gohan and jumped, as both Bulma and Trunks scream at the sight of the shell. "Is it alive?" Bulma asked and I took a closer look.

"No, it's probably just a molding of whatever crawled out of it." I said and looked at Gohan. Trunks touched the shell, but I could tell from his expression he was thinking about it. "Whatever was in here might just be the creature that came out of that she--" He thought but then he touches this pink goo, "Oh, oh no... Oh, really wish I hadn't! Oh, it's all over my hands! Oh, God, it's sticky! And now it's starting to harden! Oh, no!" I started laughing at his reaction.

"Calm down, Trunks. It's just goo." I laughed, "This is not funny, you know." He groaned.

"Considering how fresh this mold is, it's likely that whatever shed its skin did so very recently, meaning that it might very well still be here!" Gohan said which sent Bulma into a panic, so she hops back into her plane.

"Trunks, it was good to see you again, and Gohan, Tsubaki, say hello to your mother. I'll call you later, okay, bye!" Bulma says and flies off quickly, making me burst into laughter. I fall flat on my butt and just laughed, "Oh god! This is too funny." Trunks just shook his head at me. "Come on, let's go. So, I can wash this stuff off my hands." Trunks said and we flew off.