Disclaimer: I in no shape or form own Dragonball z or any of it's character's...
Chapter 1: Kindness
"My clothes are all wet...great"
18 mumbled to herself as she set herself down at the outskirts of the stadium, it was raining much to her dismay. She had reached the tournament a few minutes after departing from Gero's lair, how it angered her, to be nothing but a pawn to that man's scheme, she clenched her fist in anger as she looked to the ground below her. She couldn't remember anything save for Gero and her brother, but all she felt for the so called doctor was nothing but hatred, anger consumned her as she clenched both her her fists in rage, maybe she should've attacked him the moment he had released her from her confines of the chamber.
"There has to be some way I ca-"
Her strain of thought was cut as the rain stopped falling on her, she blinked as an innocent voice called out to her. "Golly! you're soaking wet! you'll catch a cold if you stand out in the rain too long!"
She blinked in surprise and turned to see a young teenage boy standing next to her, a few inches taller than her, his black hair was wrapped in a white bandage revealing only the front potion of his hair, he wore a purple robe with white stripes on the edges, a mustard yellow pant and indigo blue boots with a red strip running straight down on the boot. She didn't know what to say as a moment of silence passed between them, the young man then extended his right hand offering his umbrella to her, "Here! you can have this!" he said, smiling; she blinked and snapped out of her stupour; folding her arms over her chest, she looked away from him.
"Thanks...but I don't need it."
"Huh?! but you'll get-"
"I said I don't need it..." she answered, her voice now sterner than usual, she turned away from him "leave me alone..."
The young man blinked at her unable to comprehend her sudden rudeness, he looked to his orange umbrella and then to the woman in front of him again, "Oh wow...she's really mean but still, she's already soaked...I should give it to her."
18 blinked as a firm grasp caught her right hand and in surprise she turned back to see the young man placing the umbrella into her palm, with a grin on his face, he said "I insist! hehe!" she stood in surprise and then blinked as she realised what had happened, before she could retort; a young girl ran past her chasing a stray baloon, 18 once more blinked in surprise to see the young man next to her running away from her chasing after the little girl
"Hey! hold on!" he called out as her and after her. She then looked to his back and then down to the umbrella in her right hand.
"What a strange guy..." she murmurmed, and begrudgingly she placed the umbrella over her head and made her way to the entrance of the stadium. She blinked and stopped however as a voice rang in her head.
"C-can you..hear me 18?"
"Great..." she thought out in dread and annoyance, she remained in silence as the voice resounded to her once more, this time however more sterner and forceful.
"18! Do not ignore me, I know you're listening"
She conceeded and let out a tired sigh "Yeah, what is it?" she answered, irritation brewing in her voice, she tightly gripped the umbrella's hilt and stood in silence as Gero's voice resounded to her.
"Good, I forgot to upload the details about Goku" Gero began, but was quickly interrupted by the android once more.
"Forgot?...what's the matter? your old age getting to you? maybe you should roll over and die already" she stated, amusement dancing in her voice. Gero's voice changed from it's usual cold calculating self to one of anger and irritation
"Watch your tongue, 18...I won't tell you again"
18 however remained silent, as much as she wanted to get arrogant around Gero, she knew she was walking on thin ice, the mad doctor slowly released his breath knowing that his small skirmish had been won, he continued
"Right now the only picture in your memory bank is of him when he was a chid; I'm updating your database with a recent image right now...and remember 18, defeat Goku in front of everyone and then ki-"
"Kill him...I got it, now get out of my head" she answered, irritation and annoyance driving her to the tip of anger.
"Unless you want to die as the same time as your brother, I suggest you keep your backtalk to yourself!" Gero cautioned her much to her dismay, she remained silent and then answered him.
"Just send me the picture..." and then communication between them stopped as 18 let out an annoyed sigh; her eyes lit up as the picture of her target showed up in front of her and she blinked, her aqua eyes widening in surprise and horror.
"That face..." she whispered, and immediately her memories went back to the young man who had forced her to take the umbrella.
"Golly! you're soaking wet! you'll catch a cold if you stand out in the rain too long!"
"I insist! hehe!"
Her face scrunched up in irritation and she placed her face into the palm of her right hand "Why did it have to be that guy?...tch"
"Miss? are you a participant for the tournament? the registrations are about to close; you may want to get inside"
She blinked, seemingly ignoring the voice next to her; she walked past the concerned official and then into the stadium, now firm in her decision "Nothing to do about it, I'll kill him then I'll go after Gero..."
A few metres away, at the outer wall of the tournament
"Achoo!"
A sneeze bounced through the air and the young man known as Goku wiped his nose, he sniffled and then looked to the blackened sky above him "Huh...someone must be talking about me"
"What's the matter, Goku? are you sick?" a concerned voice called out to him, he looked to his front to see a young woman with light blue hair wearing a violet combination of a half sleeve shirt and skirt that went upto her thighs, a white sash adorned her waist and her lips were adorned with blood red lipstick.
"Ah no Bulma, atleast I don't think so.." he answered back, smiling cheekily.
"Honestly, you should've kept those bandages on" Bulma continued.
Goku blinked and his voice cut off any statement that the young woman would further make "Huh? but then you guys wouldn't know it's me!" he answered back, trying to justify his statement leading to Bulma releasing a sigh, "Same old Goku..." she whispered to herself, she placed her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows as the warm inquisitive coal black eyes of the young man looked to her, but more importantly her lips!
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she questioned, her cheeks slightly turning red.
"Huh? Oh...say Bulma" Goku began, his voice raring with a question the young heiress of the capsule corporation knew was to come. "Yeah?"
"What's wrong with your lips?! are they bleeding?" he asked, concern etched in his voice. Bulma nearly collapsed from the absurdity of the question and in a flash, Goku found a comical bump on his head, clutching his injured head hard, he cried out
"Oww! what...what was that for?!"
"Goku! this is not blood! it's lipstick! don't make me out to be a vampire!" a fuming Bulma cried out, her superficial image of beauty now ruined; Goku shrinked back, his head bowing down in supposed shame twirling his right index finger with his left.
"I'm sorry...I didn't know" he began, his eyes looked to the fuming form of the woman, now fuming with irritation, her arms were crossed over her chest as Goku slowly looked away "Gee...Bulma still has a temper"
As if reading his thoughts, Bulma's blue eyes locked squarely on the young man eliciting a squeak from him "What was that?!" she began.
"Eeek! oh um..." he laughed nervously, standing up straight; he answered "nothing Bulma!"
"It better be!" Bulma began only to be cut off by another voice behind her, this time by the laugh of a young woman with violet hair "My, it seems you two are still the same as ever." the young voice called out, Goku blinked as the woman came into full view, adorned with a green tanktop and a green jean shorts; she wore red sneakers and her violet hair was adorned with a green hair band.
"Ah!" Goku began, his voice now transformed into joy on seeing the familiar face once more "Launch, I have a question!" he began.
This time it was Launch's turn to be surprised; her eyebrows raised in surprise as she threw a question back at the young man in front of her "What is it, Goku?"
Goku scooted over to her ignoring the irritated blue haired woman behind him, he brought a hand upto his mouth and placed it near Launch's ear "Launch, what's a lipstick?" the young woman blinked and then looked to Bulma who was looking away from them and then Launch looked back to the troubled young man in front of her.
"Oh that's easy Goku, that's the thing Bulma is wearing on her lips" she smiled and answered him.
"I know that! but...I mean what does it do!? why is she wearing it?" he questioned, "What does it do?" Launch repeated the question to herself earning herself a nod from Goku. "Well"...Launch began, placing her index finger near her mouth, she tilted her head "It's supposed to make a girl pretty, I guess..."
"Ohh..." Goku drawed out, not enlightened by the answer.
"As for why she's wearing it... isn't Yamcha going to be here? maybe she's wearing it because of him" Launch answered enlightening the young fighter infront of her.
"I got it!" Goku stated, he thumped his left fist on the open palm of his right hand, now thoroughly enlightened "She's doing it for Yamcha!"
"Who's doing what for me?"
A voice called out, leading the three people to blink rapidly on seeing a group approaching them, they remained silent as the new group stopped in front of them and it didn't take long for the previous group to identify them but not before two new voices called out from behind the two groups.
"Oh...it seems Krillin and the others arrived too!"
"Yamcha!"
"Master Roshi!" a tall young man with a bald head called out "How are you doing?!"
"Puar! There you are!"
"Look! Master Roshi, I'm taller now right?" a short bald man laughed which only brought more silence upon them until it was shattered by a cheerful young voice
"You're looking fine, Krillin!"
"Huh?" the short man now identified as Krillin blinked in surprise as he stood bewildered to the hand patting him on his shoulder, oblivious to his fellow disciple. Goku contined on "There! we're all here!"
"Go...Go...Goku? you're Goku? is that you, Goku?!" Krillin questioned, surprise, joy, bewilderment all etched into his voice, the answer came all too quickly like a flash.
"Yeah!"
"Goku! I missed you so much!" Krillin shouted, now hugging his best friend only for it to be interrupted by the announcers of the tournament.
"Your attention please! all fighters who entered the tournament...enter the stadium, the elimination matches will start in a few moments!"
"Well...I guess we can talk later, it's starting" Krillin stated, which lead to Goku looking towards his once old master "Master Roshi" he called out, "do you have our uniforms?" Master Roshi looked to all of them, silently smiling "No, you are all independent fighters now; there's no need for you to wear my colors anymore, now...go on! do your best!"
A resounded "yes" sounded from the united fighters as they all turned away and began their walk towards the tournament stadium followed by cheers from their friends. "Do your best, you guys!" Launch and Bulma cried out.
"We will!" Krillin and Goku answered, laughing merrily as they called out to them, for they knew that the reunion could wait; the title of the strongest awaited one of them.
With 18
Her cold aqua eyes surveyed her surroundings, none of the fighters here could pose a challenge her except, her eyes settled on one participant standing a few meters away from her, his skin was green and he wore a white turban on his head with a purple sheet on top of it, his shoulders were adorned with a wide apparel, a training armor of some sort and he wore a purple body suit with a green sash and brown sack like footwear, feeling eyes on him; he glanced to the android and their gazes met, not one of them backed down as they glared down at each other.
"So...the great king Piccolo is alive, is he? another obstacle, great." She thought to herself, irritation brewing in her features "This would've been over already if Gero didn't want me to kill him in the tournament... but" Her eyes softened as she stopped her strain of thought and looked to the folded umbrella besides her
"Golly! you're soaking wet! you'll catch a cold if you stand out in the rain too long!"
"Get a grip, 18...he's nothing to you." she shook the thoughts out of her head and then glanced back to the spawn of the demon king.
Piccolo glanced at her and then slowly looked away, the tension was thick between the two and he felt uneasy "That woman...I can't sense any energy from her, yet...why do I feel like she's stronger than me" he shook the thoughts out of his head, they were absurd! he was the spawn of the great demon king, surely a woman was no match for him, he spared her one more glance and walked away sensing the opponent that he awaited for entering the elimination hall. He smirked, his revenge couldn't come soon enough.
Goku blinked as he finished changing into his master's trademark orange uniform, he turned his head to the side and found Piccolo smirking at him which lead to him smirking back relishing the challenge that awaited him, his compatriots however did not feel the same and Tien felt a sense of dread cover him.
"That's!...Piccolo, what? what is he doing here?" Tien murmured to Goku.
"Looks like he's waiting for our match" Goku answered, a calm confidence surrounding him, Tien blinked as he looked to him.
"Goku..." his thoughts lay jumbled on how the young warrior could stay so calm on seeing his defeated enemy alive and well, their strain of thought was cut as a pat on Goku's shoulder turned them towards their left to find a young woman with black hair tied into a small bun giving him a warm smile. She wore a blue sleevless fighting gi with red pants and lace less shoes.
"Ah...Goku.." she began.
Goku blinked and then his coal black eyes widened much to the young woman's happiness "Woah!" he began.
"You...you remember me?" the young woman questioned him and before she could continue her statement, Goku walked right past her leaving his group confused and the young woman in front of him in shock.
"Huh?" the young woman questioned out in surprise only to turn and find Goku standing in front of a blonde woman a few metres away, she stood confused as did the rest of the group behind her. "Hey...does Goku know that girl?" Chiaotzu questioned, Krillin looked to him and then back to the two infront of him
"Beats me, sure looks like it though..."
Yamcha's eyes however laid elsewhere and watched as a jumbled combination of a painful and angered expression graced the black haired woman's features and he watched as she walked away eyeing Goku and the blonde haired woman with a pained expression on her face. Yamcha stood silently and watched her go and then slowly turned his attention to the sight in front of him.
18's eyes slowly opened, her back was hunched up against the wall and her arms were crossed in front of her chest and as she opened her eyes, an overwhelming sense of surprise encompassed her, her blue eyes widening in surprise and shock "You...what?.." she began, completely lost for words.
"Hi!" Goku called out, his cheerful demeanor shinning through "Are you fighting in the tournament too?!" he asked, surprise resounding in his voice. 18 grew irritated, here was the man she was supposed to kill and he was happily making conversation with her. Did he know not fear?! she wondered
"That's none of your business" she answered back, coldly "Now what do you want?!"
"Huh? oh nothing!...I just wanted to know if you'll be fighting too!" he answered, a smile etched onto his face.
"Yeah...I am" she conceded, finally growing tired of his inquisition "Now, can you lea-"
"Woah! that's amazing! you must be really strong!" Goku praised her, much to her dismay and finally her patience reaching her limit, she placed an open palm on his chest right where his heart lay.
Goku blinked "Huh?"
A thick gust of wind separated both him and her sending him sliding back a few meters right to the wall across the room, he blinked as a fraction of pain hit his chest and he looked to the woman in front of him, unable to comprehend what had happened, 18's aqua eyes held a serious gaze as she stood in front of him and Goku looked on in surprise as finally looked away from him
"It's best you don't get involved with me" she stated, emotion drained out of her voice and then he blinked as his umbrella was thrown back to him "Thanks for that..." she stated and proceeded to walk away from him but not before he appeared in front of her once more clutching her right hand once more, his grip was strong but not strong as her but he smiled.
"You can keep this! I insist, it might rain again!" he giggled and 18's aqua eyes widened once more as the umbrella was forced back into her care, Goku continued "I don't know what I did to you but you're really strong! I hope I can fight you!" he added and 18 walked away from him without a word but a silent whisper traveled to his ear.
"I hope we don't"
AN: And chapter 1 is officially up, short chapter I know but this was just to say I'm back, gonna start updating my stories, sorry it's been a while, a really long while; had a lot of stuff going on, still do but this gives me a chance to go away to my own world and I really am sorry for bailing on you guys, look forward to the regular updates from now on, this is especially for my readers of Scarlet cry, I know you guys will see this but it'll be updated before new year. I'm happy to be back with you guys, let's start all over again :D