*Author Note* Hey guys I'm still working on some writing for my other Trunks/18 fic, but having reread several really great fics involving Future Trunks and Future Eighteen I decided to try my own take on it. First and foremost this will be a Trunks/18 centered fic, I intend to let the development between the characters be slower and evolve as the arcs go forward. I want to let the growth to be a bit slower because I think it will feel more natural and make for a better story. Anyways enough of my babbling let's get it started...

Chapter One

"So Goku ended up dying in the end after all? How sad..." Bulma mused with a sad smile.

Trunks bowed his head slightly. "Yeah, but he died a hero and he saved everyone in the process. "

The blue haired woman regarded her son a moment, before letting out a long sigh. "It's amazing to think how differently things played out in this other world, but what do we do now?"

Trunks relaxed his shoulders as a confident smile touched his face. "I'm going to end this once and for all mom. I did a lot of training while I was in the past and I was far stronger then Android 17 & 18 in that world and those two were stronger then the ones in this world."

Bulma tapped her chin. "I wonder why that is?"

Trunks blinked. "What do you mean?"

The scientist shrugged. "Well I wonder why the androids in this timeline are weaker and why they sound so much different then the ones you encountered in the past. You did mention that they didn't really cause much collateral damage did they?"

Trunks' eyes widened. "You're right...I mean they looked the same and some of their mannerisms were similar, but the only person they actually killed was Doctor Gero. They seemed a lot less aggressive, but yet they were stronger. In fact they spared us when we first encountered them and were overpowered, but if I'm not mistaken when that happened in this timeline they killed everyone except for Gohan."

"It makes me wonder why these two sets of androids are so different? Maybe it has something to do with their programming. You said that this other Android, Sixteen had some sort of programming to kill Goku, but managed to overcome the programming right?"

Trunks frowned slightly not particularly liking where the conversation was going. "Yeah...he was odd despite his purpose he ended up living and dying...honorably."

Bulma nodded. "I have a theory, I bet the Androids in the past were given a lot more free will, hence why they weren't as set on killing, but I bet the Androids in this world are still in some way tied to that original programming."

"Is there a point mom? It doesn't change anything that pair has done and when they surface I'll make sure the Earth is rid of them finally." Trunks said with a bit of irritation in his voice.

Bulma took a deep breath as she pushed up from the chair she was seated in as she stared at her son a moment. "Trunks...if you're so certain that you'll have no trouble defeating them now, I have to ask you for a favor. "

"What kind of favor?" he asked hesitantly as he feared her response.

"If you can bring yourself to do it...I want you to try and subdue them and bring them to me."

Trunks' mouth fell open. "Mom are you insane? Why in the world would I do that? Do you know how dangerous that could be?"

Bulma sighed. "Trunks what I'm about to suggest you won't like, but I need you to hear me out. The fact of the matter is...the planet is in ruins now, but there's still people worth protecting out there. What do you plan to do once you defeat them if some other threat comes this way? In the past the Z-Fighters always had a large group to handle threats. I want to see if we can't do something about the Android's programming and use them to protect the planet."

"Absolutely out of the question!" Trunks spat as he began to pace back and forth.

"Those two are monsters, I'll never forgive them and I'd never consider letting one of them watch my back."

"Dammit Trunks! Think for a moment would you? Put aside your anger and consider a few things. What are you going to do if some larger threat arises? Most of the times that Earth was saved it was because we had a team...Trunks you can't bear the burden forever...and even if you do manage to protect the planet until you die...what then? This planet has never been in a more fragile state."

Trunks gritted his teeth, but before he could utter a response the radio began to blare to laugh

"This is urgent news coming from Parsley City! Both Android 17 & 18 have already laid waste to a quarter of the city, but just recently an unknown cicada-like creature has appeared and begun fighting the pair. Could this be a long awaited savior? This reporter isn't certain, but I implore you all the flee while you can!"

Trunks went pale. "Cell..." he breathed.

Bulma blinked. "Wait you think that's Cell out there in Parsley?"

Trunks nodded his head as he began to turn for the door. "I know it is...and if I don't hurry their may not be a planet left to save."

"Trunks please be careful and remember what I said!" Bulma yelled as the young Half-Saiyan disappeared from sight.

"Yo sis! Did you blow a circuit ?"

Eighteen's eyes narrowed in annoyance as she found herself lying on the ground. Looking up she saw her brother standing above her with an amused grin on his face. "What the hell happened? " she groaned as she reached up and touched the back of her head, before wincing as a series of quick images flashed through her mind. 'What was that?' she wondered to herself, before being shook from her reverie by her brother's voice.

"Looks like you did knock something loose." he mused as he folded his arms. "I guess you don't remember that creepy bug monster that ruined our game earlier."

Eighteen's eyes widened. "Bug monster?" she asked as she tried to recall what had happened earlier, before inadvertently flinching as the image of the monster they'd encountered flashed through her mind. "...I remember how ugly it was and that he kept saying something about perfection, but the rest is a blur."

Seventeen smirked. "Don't worry that thing was tough, but I think I scared it off after it managed to slip behind you and knock you out cold. So now that it's done...how bout we continue with our game?"

Eighteen rose to her feet as she eyed her brother. "Sometimes Seventeen you can be so immature. Don't you ever get bored with killing all the humans?"

The raven haired cybrog regarded her a moment, before scoffing. "Jeez sis that creep must have hit your head harder then I thought, you know you love this much as I do. Now come on...I'll be sporting and give you a handicap since you're not feeling well."

The blonde brushed some hair out of her face. "I think I'll pass. You go on ahead, I'll catch up..."

Seventeen sighed, before shrugging his shoulders. "Well Sis since you're being such a drag I'll make sure to have enough fun for both of us." he mused as he lifted up off the ground, before taking skywards.

Eighteen watched his form fade into the distance, before she let out a sigh as she floated to the top of a nearby building, before promptly laying on her back as she folded her hands behind her head. She closed her eyes enjoying the warmth of sun on her ageless skin.

Truth be told she couldn't explain why, but she felt off...strange even. She wasn't in the least bit interested in joining her brother's game and she couldn't decide why that was. 'Maybe that idiot was right...maybe that creature did knock something loose' she mused to herself, before she promptly sprang to her feet, her eyes snapping open as she felt a huge power soaring in her direction.

Her eyes widened as she noticed the figure as it grew closer. It was a very familiar man. One that she'd seen on many occasions over the years, and yet he seemed very different. He looked older. She studied his now adult features and long lavender hair. He was no longer a boy. A hint of a smirk played upon her lips. "Trunks it's been a while..." she mused.

Trunks regarded her with a serious stare his gaze flickering between the buildings, before he landed on the railing some fifteen feet away from the blonde. "Eighteen..I take it you and your brother did this to this town? where is your brother at ? Where is Cell ?" he asked as he looked around the ruined cityscape.

The blonde eyed him for a moment, noting that his voice was even deeper now. "I'm not sure what a 'Cell' is. If you're referring to that ugly bug creature, Seventeen claims that he scared it off. As for Seventeen he's off on one of his games."

Trunk's eyes widened. 'I'm surprised Seventeen was strong enough to run Cell off. Then again maybe this Cell was just released, it's true that there aren't as many lifeforms now on the planet so he probably fell back to collect some more strength. Which means I have a little time. I'll start with destroying Eighteen and then I'll track down Seventeen. Even if Cell manages to get Seventeen before I can find him, I'll still be strong enough to stop him.'

"Android it's time you pay for every life you've ruined. Doctor Gero's sick ambition ends today!" he yelled as his gaze fixated on her as he clenched his fists.

Eighteen's eyes widened as she flipped backwards and fell into a fighting stance. She shivered slightly however, as she watched the Half-Saiyan begin to swell with power. She marveled as his hair erupted into a golden tint, but noticed that there was more to it then that. His power dwarfed anything she'd ever felt before, and yet it continued to grow all the while his muscles throughout his body expanded. She felt an emotion she'd never remembered experiencing...fear.

She never saw him move, but felt the air in her lungs leave her body as she felt herself being flung through the sky towards the ground, whether through reflex or instinct she managed to land on the street below on her feet, before she immediately fell to one knee as she let out a cry.

"W-what are you?! How did you get this strong?" She gasped as she tilted her head up only to see the Half-Saiyan towering over her.

"I'm the result of everyone you and your brother killed. Men,women, children...it's never mattered to the two of you. Almost everyone I've ever cared about has been stolen by the two of you. When I'm done today...this world will have a chance to start over and rebuild, but first I'll start by destroying you..." he said his eyes narrowing as he raised his palm up as he began to charge a ki blast.

Eighteen's eyes widened in horror as her instincts kicked in as she pushed away the pain she still felt as she flipped backwards a second after the Saiyan fired and where she'd been standing. The shock wave still caught her, shredding her clothes and sending her tumbling through the street, before she she finally came to a stop. She wavered as she tried to pick herself up. Shakily she made her way to her feet, before she began to quake once more as she saw the man who would undoubtedly be her executioner standing in front of her.

"And now you know how everyone else felt at your hands...helpless."

A choked sob died in her throat as she backed up several feet until she felt her back pressing against a wall. She couldn't run anymore. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing it, but tears found their way to her eyes. She'd never felt so afraid...she'd never felt any emotion period this strongly before and yet she realized that was undoubtedly the feeling that each of her victims had felt. She scrunched her eyes up as a few tears spilled over and she embraced the inevitable. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry for everything!" she yelled hoarsely.

Trunks eyed the woman his face was impassive, but internally he was taken back. He'd never seen such human emotions from either of the androids, with perhaps the exception of anger. His base Saiyan side swelled with the idea of her fearing him, but the rest of him was conflicted. She was mass murderer who had killed so many people that were close to him and millions of others and yet before him he also saw a beautiful woman who was terrified and crying. It didn't set well with his sense of honor. He'd expected the Androids to curse his name till their dying breath, but never this and then of course there was his mother's request. He gritted his teeth.

"You don't get to be sorry! I don't know if these tears are real or if their only crocodile tears, but I can never forgive you. You've taken everything from me. You deserve this, I won't let you harm anyone ever again!" he bellowed as he raised his palm as a golden energy began to form in the center of his hand.

Fear, it had been such a foreign concept for the deadly blonde beauty...until now. She could feel her pulse quickening, a short time ago she was a cold hearted killer, but now in perhaps her last moments she grasped some sense of humanity.

Eighteen snapped her eyes open as tears still fell down her cheeks. She stared into the eyes of her executioner as she swallowed and slowly nodded her head. "Y-you're right...I do deserve this. Do it..." she breathed.

Trunks recoiled slightly as he found himself lost in her eyes. 'Why is she so different now?...could these tears be real? No they can't be...she's not even human...does it matter regardless? She's killed so many people. I have to do this.'

A stray memory crossed the half-saiyan's mind. A moment in where his mother had told him about his father...it wasn't some sugar coated fairy tail, his father had been a genocidal monster in his own right...and yet somehow he had become a hero along the way.

Trunks screamed as he clenched his fist and dispelled the energy formed there. His chest rose and fell several times, before he found his voice. "...do you mean that?...do you really regret your actions?" he managed finally.

The blonde's legs finally gave way as she slid against the wall, before collapsing to the ground as she was shocked to still find herself alive. "I-I...yes. S-something happened to me earlier today when we were fighting Cell..." she breathed. "He hit me hard...I remember a sharp pain in the back of my skull...and when I awoke...I felt different. I keep seeing images...feeling things I don't understand. " she managed to get out.

Trunks gritted his teeth as he turned and punched a road sign into a nearby building, before letting out a growl of frustration. "Fine. You get one chance, but I'm not taking my eyes off of you. Do you understand?"

The blonde blinked away some of the tears in her eyes as she looked up at him in shock. "W-what? what are you talking about? Are you an idiot?!" she said some of her normal attitude slipping into her tone. "Why would spare me?...It's not logical. I've killed a lot of people, some of which you were fond of. "

Trunks stalked forward, before he picked her up off the ground till they were face to face. "You don't think I understand that?! I've hated you and your brother for so long the thought of sparing you now makes me sick, but I can't kill someone who's repenting and crying in front of me. As much as I hate it...I've been haunted by the eyes of you and your brother for years, but whatever happened...you're not the same person. " he let out frustrated sigh as he released her, before taking a step backwards.

"Now tell me where Seventeen got off too, before I change my mind." he grumbled.

The blonde still shocked stared at him a moment only finding her voice when the Saiyan's eyes bored into her.

"Like I told you I don't know where he is. What are you going to do when you find him? and what is this Cell creature? You seem to know something about him."

Trunks frowned. "Cell is another of Gero's creations. He's a monster like everything that bastard created, but he's perhaps the most dangerous, because his sole purpose is to absorb you and your brother. He needs to do this to reach his perfect form."

Eighteen's eyes widened. "He said something about perfection...that's disgusting though. But if you're so strong now you should be able to beat him right?!"

The lavender haired warrior eyed the bloodied beauty a moment, before slowly nodding his head. "Yes. He stands no chance in his current form, but Cell is clever. He realizes strength isn't everything, he'll be difficult to handle, it's why I have to catch him off guard, before he has a chance to prepare for me. As for your brother...He'll get the same chance you got Android. If he doesn't take it...I will destroy him."

"But you can't Seventeen is too proud, he'd never take that offer, maybe if he wasn't compelled by his programming, but there's no way he would as he is right now. Please...I beg you...he's my brother." she pleaded only to blink as the Half-Saiyan vanished from sight, before appearing behind her. With a quick chop of his hand she fell limp, he caught her, before throwing her over his shoulder.

"Mother I hope you know what you're doing. I liked it a lot better when my only goal was to kill these two." he grunted as he turned, before kicking off into the air.

Cell's tail swished back and forth as he walked out of a small village which was left silent, the only testament that there had been any life here was the articles of clothing that lay strewn about.

'Pathetic...these lifeforms offered little energy. Certainly not enough to give me the power I need to fight both Seventeen and Eighteen together.' his eyes widened however as he saw a lone figure soaring through the sky. A wicked smile pulled across his features as he began to sprint across the ground, his gaze never leaving the figure in the sky. 'Then again if my babies aren't together...it's an entirely different story.'

Bulma nearly jumped out of her skin as Trunks walked in with a scowl on his face and an unconscious and battered Eighteen slung over his shoulder.

"What?...this is what you wanted right mom?" he asked before sighing.

Bulma relaxed after a moment. "Well yes...I just I didn't know if you'd actually listen to my idea. Here go ahead and sit her down. I'll see if I can't shut her down while I begin running some diagnostics."

Trunks complied as he carefully pulled the blonde off his shoulder and laid her onto the metallic table below. His gaze softened momentarily as he stared at her. 'Sometimes it's hard to believe...she killed so many people. She looks so peaceful like this.' he mused to himself, before he was shaken from his thoughts by his mother's voice.

"Earth to Trunks!"

"What?" he asked as glanced up at her.

"I was asking what happened out there? and where is the other one?"

Trunks sighed. "It seems like they managed to drive Cell off, but now I bet he's waiting for a chance to strike. As for Seventeen I have no idea...and since I can't sense him there's no way to find him."

Bulma nodded as she began to strap a series of restraints and wires to Eighteen's body. "What about her?"

"It's strange...she wasn't with Seventeen like usual and beyond that she wasn't acting like her normal self."

"What do you mean?" the blue haired woman asked.

Trunks rolled his shoulders. "Well for one she didn't seem as sadistic, it almost seemed like she had human emotions. I-I saw her cry and when she knew I was about to destroy her...she apologized and said I should do it." he said his voice sounding unsure as he stared down at the motionless blonde.

"That does sound strange. Hmm let me see something..." the woman mused as she flicked on several of the devices hooked up to the blonde. Several minutes elapsed in silence...

Finally Bulma's eyes widened as the scanners she was using began to feed her information. "Oh my god, Trunks those weren't just programmed emotions. This girl is human." she breathed.

Trunks stepped forward his body growing rigid as he looked between Eighteen's still form and then back to his mother.

"What do you mean mom? There's no way that these monsters are human! I've seen what they can do for myself. Up until today I've never seen either of them show any remorse and for all I know it was an act. She hasn't even aged a day since I first saw her. She nor Seventeen are in anyway human." he said with some steel in his tone.

Bulma let out a sigh. "Trunks you're letting your anger cloud your reasoning, but I guess you partly right. It's true that she's not human entirely at least... not anymore. However as far as I can tell all her organs and tissue are very much human, but enhanced greatly by an extensive amount of cybernetics. "

Trunks swallowed. "So you're saying that she was once human?"

Bulma slowly nodded her head. "It looks like it and that's not all. It looks like my theory might have been right. The scanner is picking up a chip inside her brain, but it seems to be damaged."

"She did mention receiving a head injury while fighting Cell..." Trunks admitted with a frown.

"Then it explains why her behavior changed. Maybe she now has more free will and isn't compelled by her programming."

Trunks growled as he turned and began to stalk away.

"Honey what's wrong? why are you so upset? This is a good thing."

Trunks turned to look back at his mother with a pained look. "For years I've hated her and her brother and it was suppose to be simple. I get strong enough and destroy them, but now I learn that in some way their victims themselves...that they weren't entirely in control of themselves. All that death...and who do I blame for it? I have all this rage and I have no one to take it out on."

"Trunks blame Doctor Gero. He's the one who started all of this. While I don't know yet how this girl and her brother became androids it's clear that they were amongst his first victims. I know you're angry son, but Cell is still out there and he's Gero's creation, but unlike these two he truly is a monster. If you want to take out your anger on anyone do it on him."

Trunks let out a deep breath as he closed his eyes a moment. "I don't like this one bit...but I know you're right, though it still doesn't mean I trust her and while Seventeen is like he is now...he's still a threat, one that I will do what it takes to stop. " he said as he opened his eyes once more as he looked at his mother.

Bulma slowly inclined her head. "I know son just remember the bigger picture here. Don't let your anger or pride get the best of you.."

Trunks was about to respond, but he suddenly tensed earning a worried look from Bulma.

"What's wrong Trunks?!"

"I have to go. I can feel Cell's energy which means he's about to strike. I'll be back mom!" he yelled as he bolted for the door.

"Be careful out there son!" she called out, before glancing back at the motionless beauty on the table before her. 'Oh I really hope I was right about you...'

*Powerlevels* I've tried to do a bit more research before providing any levels this time around. That being said it becomes a lot harder since power levels aren't given specifically as often after the Frieza Saga. So this my attempt at it, but keep in mind this is more for comparison then anything. I've decided that I will post all forms and utilize a x50 power increase from the base form to Super Saiyan and x3 from Super Saiyan to Ascended Saiyan. Again not sure if this is even close to correct, but like I said it's just for comparison sake.

Trunks (Base Form) : 5,200,000

Trunks (Super Saiyan): 260,000,000

Trunks (Ascended Saiyan): 780,000,000

Android 17 (Max): 180,000,000

Android 18 (Max): 170,000,000

Imperfect Cell (First Fight): 175,000,000

Imperfect Cell (After absorbing more lifeforms): 185,000,000