Please write a book sometime in your life.

Or even a new chapter would be awesome. =D

I'd like to see how you would portray Trunks' relationship with his little sister - maybe even how it relates to their parents?

Keep up the good work. I'd love to see an update soon.

i was just wondering if you've abandoned your "dumping grounds" fic. i hope not. this story is wonderfully constructed and written.

I've finally stopped being a lazy **, and I am reviewing.

... Hold on. I'm gonna need to search for words adequate enough to describe this... this... masterpiece.

As far as canon is concerned, Vegeta is my favorite character. Trunks had potential, but they made him too optimistic, too good. Too much of a boyscout.

But YOU... Oh, what you have done is glorious. Every chapter makes me laugh and squeal with Trunks' cynicism and biting wit and sarcasm.

His detachment to almost everyone and everything, the whole idea of self-refutation within the hybrids, his penchant for violence and the society-imposed sanctions.

But my absolute FAVORITE part is the subtle continuity you weave in. You say it's not a story, but it IS- a wonderfully constructed story in which events are connected through a single line of dialogue, location, or thought process.

I, unlike my sister, have no depths to which I will not sink; I fervently and unabashedly BEG you for more updates.

I read this story time and again, and I NEVER get tired of it. Every chapter is a treat, no matter how many times I've perused it. (That being said, though, I thoroughly enjoy new chapters. =3 )

Keep doing what you do. :)

My sister recommended this non-story to me, telling me it was one of her favorite DBZ fics of all time. She hasn't reviewed because she's a lazy **.

However, I am a much better person than my sister, and as such am leaving a review for what is a genuinely thought-provoking fanfiction, which is amusing in that most people would refer to fanfiction as filth. Like my sister does.

I hope you manage to write a book someday, because you have a gift for speech and non-story telling. I won't beg you for another chapter though, because that's kind of pathetic and I have my pride. Know that the urge is present.

Well ... wow. I didn't expect such a dark account of his early childhood. He seems to be a little too much like Vegeta before the latter settled down.

The last line was brilliant and hard-hitting.

I was really happy when I saw that you updated this story. As always, you have a talent for letting your readers really see inside Trunks's mind and understand what it is he is thinking about his humanity and his saiyan side. I find it quite sad that he doesn't want to subject a child of his to the warring of natures between their two sides. I find it even sadder that Trunks had to grow up in such a way as to feel alienated and having to deny what he is, although I understand that to feed his saiyan nature would have made him in outcast in human society. I almost wish that there would have been a way for himself and all the other saiyans on earth to be able to be themselves without playing the heroes. At any rate, its another wonderful, thought provoking chapter. Keep up the great work.

Terrificly and intelligently written, as usual. Again, another thought provoking and deep account of Trunks, Goten, and Gohan's adjustment to life as being half-human and half-saiyan. As Trunks points out, their lives can never be 'normal' the way a regular person's life would be, since they have two natures to contend with. One can either mold their lives to be more human but still retain their Saiyan instinct to fight and kill, or act like Gohan and bury the half that terrifies them away from sight. But the fact remains that they can't hide from it and it won't go away because that is what they are. I don't know if this review makes any sense whatsoever. I'm having a hard time translating what I'm thinking in my head into this review. Regardless, I enjoyed reading your newest chapter and look forward to more.

I find this story interesting even though I don't know anything about this Trunks's character. I wasn't expecting hard-hitting moral issues, but you've handled them well enough for the rating. I'm curious to see how this story progresses.

that was nuts! especially the ending of this chapter...haha. definitely not what i expected.

well, i was on my way to bed when i ran across this fic...and now i'm anxious to see what could happen next. i'm almost afraid to think that trunks...or even vegeta...might have done it. or maybe it really was just some random human, but still.

i love the way you roll out trunk's pov. he's such a complex character, and i'm saddened that no one really tries to delve into a fic centered around him in this fashion. the kid's messed up, no doubt about it. and i think you've captured him in the perfect way in your writing! update soon!

Dear Cantare,

What a surprise! You have finally updated!
It was a cruelly open ending though – until the very last word I expected Trunks to say something revelatory of him being involved in some murder. By saying “some” I mean that he is not associated with the death of Selena, but his expert-like manner of analyzing the murderer’s slip-ups actually indicates that he has obviously made hand-on experience in covering up his tracks or, at least, he has thought about it profoundly. Trunk’s last statement “I’ve never murdered anyone in such a reckless fashion” temps me believe that he speaks out of knowledge… Yet, you decided to let it unresolved.
Nevertheless, I will try a guess: Up to now, Trunks fits well into the image of a serial killer. He looks normal on the outside, is undoubtedly a loner and clearly feels alienated. He is no way depressed or paranoid, so that if he kills it must be for joy or out of a sense for perfection (I like this idea, a perfectionist killer ;)) and … each murder must activate his dopamine system…a typical addict syndrome… (sorry, I could not resist putting the dopamine thing in, I have read it 2 days ago for my psychology course)

Again – I have to repeat it every time I read your stories – your style is amazing! I won’t say anything about the first-person POV, your choice of perspective was perfect. But there is more about it: In this chapter it is the first time you make Trunks seem to be really bothered by something, namely by the workings of a murderer’s mind! (Well, except for the passage where he has some reservations about having sex with Dani… to be frank, I expected some odd remark on himself for being out of character.) His admission of not being able to fall asleep immediately stands in a sharp contrast to his usually so calm and unemotional manner. Somehow, you always manage to touch the right chord! I revel in reading your stories! *…more, more, more of it...*

Your description of Trunks is excellent, you manage to animate the character to such an extent that as a reader I can really imagine him and genuinely feel his state of mind. (It is very noticeable, because not every author of put out books can claim the same!)
Well, when I am into your writing style, I am to praise the choice of words as well: the moments when Trunks comments on the commemorative speech are dripping with sarcasm. I liked it so much.

The exploration on what thoughts go through people’s heads when they walk past the lines of graves in the cemetery depending on their relation to the deceased is great. It is really the way you put it, unfortunately. People are all egoists in their nature, charity and empathy are products of (self)education and believes which result from it.

There is one thing I would like to draw your attention to: with every new chapter of your story Trunks becomes less and less human. I suppose that you make it on purpose, but it is still very disturbing. I mean, by doing this you withdraw even the slightest hope of any sympathy the reader could potentially show for Trunks. I do not want to sound judgmental, I simply have a certain affinity for the dark, bad, unsociable characters who still have something good inside. I probably keep searching for some “weak spot”, some feature or some event (no matter whether “good” or “bad”, just a “graspable” character trait or incident) in “your Trunk’s” life, that could be used as an explanation for his immorality (and consequently as an excuse for anything) …Well, I know it is a dangerous connection…

Please, please, please, update soon! Thanks again for a great chapter – it’s definitely something to be proud of. And please have a look at Consacra! I can’t wait for more! *…starving…*

This reminds me back to the chapter where Trunks has to write a paper about evil or something like that and he chooses to observe is father. Vegeta asks him why he's shadowing him and if it's because he wants to see if he murders people in secret. Then he tells Trunks to observe himself. Apparently, Trunks is following his darker side and giving into malevolent urges, although there was no chapter about him killing this girl, was there? Or maybe I just am losing my mind. At any rate, I can see how this 'non-story' could actually become a story following Trunks's exploration of his non-morality (is that even a word?). I really enjoy how you interject his thoughts about things like heaven, hell, the after life, and the hypocritical nature of both his family and the corporate world. I really like your writing for a number of reasons. One is that you put thought into what you are writing. Second, you use a lot of details. Third, you are able to get inside Trunks's mind and show us a different side to him then most would be able to relate to from the character on the show and in the manga. Fourth, your story is very original and it makes me think. Please keep writing this. I was very happy to see that you have updated. I know it probably is depressing to not have many reviews. I doubt, however, that it is because the story isn't good. It's excellent. I think it's very deep and thought provoking and for some strange reason, well written stories don't get the attention they should. It's one of my pet peeves about this website that so many sub-standard pieces are extremely popular. I look for stories like this and 'Conscara' because they are written by people who actually care about the work they put out. I hope this long review will motivate you to keep working on this and your other story. I will keep reading and reviewing.

wow...

You showed how difficulty it is to buy and search for the perfect gift but for trunks is even worse since he sees himself as mediocre that he doesn't deserve his mother being proud of him...

Dear Cantara,
Thank you so very much for updating! It was great to read the new chapter in this “not-story”. By the way, a nice way of calling it – but it is a story though. Due to the atmosphere you create I would label it as a short story (even if it’s none per definition, yet reading it feels as if it were). And I like the way you explore Trunks’s relationship with his family, particularly the way how he feels towards his mother. His cynicism about Bulma being slapped with maternal instinct by Dende or about Sayans being supposed to kill their fathers, not mothers… (there is plenty of such delicious moments in the story) … it is magnificent.
In this chapter you bring it to the point: When Trunks thinks about everything his mother gave him, as if trying to persuade himself of her being not as bad of a mother, he lists many things with one missing, namely love. To me it seems as if he has not thought of it himself… and I find it terrifying. It is less the lack of maternal attention or love, which he blames her for, but rather the denial of any chance to prove himself, to show that he is worthy due to his abilities and not his genetic material. Isn’t it? He does not believe that she loved him… which is somehow unfair, because she certainly did and expressed it in her own way by giving him everything a child could desire. It would be intriguing to know how Trunks actually behaves in front of his mother, what façade he builds up and whether Bulma is aware of it.
However, there is something I find worth mentioning. In general, children – especially in their young age - love their parents without questioning the moral of the latter and judging whether they are “good” or “evil”. Children are by far more touched by the very personal, private attitude their parents display towards them, they are hardly affected by opinions from outside the family. And this to such a massive extent, that they often endure maltreatments of various sorts without stopping loving their parents. As for me, Ifind it is quite astounding, but it is a fact.
With regard to Trunks it is completely otherwise, and I wonder why. In his inner monologues there is not the slightest trace of doubt, he is sees things pretty plainly and disillusioned: he blames his mother for starting a family which was doomed to be dysfunctional right from the very start and regards his father as evil. That is point of view of a mature adult, but not of a child and I wonder how it came that he developed such a frustrated attitude. In other words, I would be happy about another revealing flashback.
Additionally, you could take up Vegeta’s advice to Trunks “to observe himself”. What impact did these words have on little Tunks?
Consacra still remains my favorite, but take your time :)