Cacophony. Oh what a word it is─especially now that it personifies the scene around and below me.
South City's skyline has been irreparably damaged; it's like a shark took a bite out of it. The smoke obscures the final remains of the former structure, but every human being on the balcony can see the writing on the wall: all of their lives are in question now.
As for me, it's always hard to believe that just one chain of explosions is all it takes to destroy a once proud ensemble of skyscrapers.
Twenty minutes before, when all of South City still retained their collective innocence, Takehiro and Yuuri were just average members of the maintenance crew of Takedo Industries doing their normal rounds.
That didn't mean that they weren't prone to idle chat.
"I'll tell ya' Takehiro; I've never seen a more stupid movie," said Yuuri, clearly amused at his thought's.
"What'd you expect? The title refers to the after-effects of an alcoholic binge. Did you expect a thought-provoking movie?"
"What do you know about it Takehiro. You haven't even seen the movie I'm talking about!"
"Of course I haven't. However, you've just said it was a stupid movie, and even a chimpanzee carrying a set of cymbals could figure that out from the title."
"Oh screw you Takehiro," cursed Yuuri, flipping him off as he walked ahead of him.
Takehiro didn't verbally respond. He just flashed the `loser` gesture at the edge of Yuuri's vision, which propelled him to respond yet again.
"Don't you have work to do, Takehiro," remarked Yuuri snidely.
"Of course I do, and so do you if you haven't forgotten. Unlike you however, I can recognize when I'm walking in the wrong direction." With that, Takehiro turned to the left and continued towards the generator room on his own.
"Shit. Motherfucking shit," said Yuuri, whipping his head around orientating himself to find his surroundings. He was in the wrong place and had indeed gone in the wrong direction. He waited a few seconds to belt out a string of consecutive curses before running ahead to find Takehiro.
While Yuuri was being lost, Takehiro had already arrived in one of the numerous generator rooms. The cold gray stone and almost sterile level of cleanliness never ceased to depress him; it was dungeon moreso than a workplace.
Takehiro didn't waste any time finding the pièce de résistance of this particular generator room: A state-of-the-art air-conditioning module connected to the main building's ventilation infrastructure, which was in turn connected to every auxiliary building in the compound.
Lifting the hatch, Takehiro removed a portion of the outer wall of the module exposing its underbelly. There wasn't much to look if you were electronically illiterate; a hodgepodge of wires, switches, and fans choreographed in a shoddy manner.
Unfortunately, Takehiro wasn't electronically illiterate. He quickly caught an abnormality: an egregious lump of...something at the back of the structure. Whatever it is, he sure didn't like it.
Right before Takehiro could attempt to pry the foreign body from the machine, Yuuri finally found his way to the generator room.
Yuuri walked slowly to Takehiro with a grin of a cheshire cat. "Takehiro, so this is where you went. How rude! To leave a friend like you did; the nerve!"
"Yes Yuuri, I'm an awful no horrible person. Now shut up. Unlike you, I actually have to work right now," responded Takehiro dismissively.
"Oh, whatever that might be Takehiro?"
"A strange substance from within the air-conditioning module," said Takehiro, who was subtly showing signs of displeasure at Yuuri's constant questioning.
However, Yuuri had stopped listening. Instead he was peering into the module, and he noticed it the problem quickly as well.
"What the hell is that...thing."
"I don't know Yuuri. Whatever the thing is, it shouldn't be there."
"Then let me remove it." Takehiro couldn't respond in time. Yuuri was already trying to remove the foreign substance from the central module.
Yuuri's hands were already soaked with sweat as he encircled the object with scissors. It was protocol: surround, sever and remove.
Fate had a different plan. His scissors slipped through his hands and punctured the foreign object.
Boom. The object's untapped volatile energy now had an escape route─right through Yuuri's face. Not before dissolving his arms; melting his nose, ears, and eyes; and finally charring his lungs and heart.
In short: Yuuri was dead before he hit the ground.
The explosion in a matter of seconds engulfed the air-conditioning modules circuitry in flames that spread to the outer metallic wall. The intense heat of the flames caused the wall to expand and flex; it was buckling alarmingly fast.
Snap. The force tore apart the metal casing, sending it through the air like exploding shrapnel. Unfortunately for Takehiro, one of these shards lodged itself through the bridge of nose directly into his brain. It was safe to say that he was dead.
However, he wouldn't rest in peace. His corpse was ripped through the air and dragged into the wall diagonally above him, breaking concrete and caving in the roof.
The flames of the burning room crept through the hole into the office space, burning through everything in its path. The malignant heat burned through paper; melted file cabinet's; and igniting the ink in printer's for numerous somewhat timed explosions, shattering glass and ripping through human flesh. Then they went off to the next floor and the next after in sequence.
The sonic boom reverberated through the air conditioning ducts, tearing holes in the sheet metal lining throughout the building and shaking the building's steel frame.
The progressive wave of explosions, fire and shattering windows raced up the superstructure. 10th floor; 20th floor; 50th floor or 100th floor, it keeps on ascending up its metal frame. The feeble and terrified people in the structure scream as the fires melt their skin, while the more foolhardy human's fling themselves from the building to fall to their deaths.
Chunks of metal and glass rain down on the pedestrian hunkered under crushed car. They watch as their fellow humans crash into the unforgiving asphalt, body parts shattered like a decorated piece of porcelain.
The ascent of flames breaks. Another explosion tore through the top stories of the skyscraper; much greater is scope than anything before it. Flames diffuse; explosion's suffocating any usable air, and eviscerated all solid structures.
No steel frame remains; it was melted beyond any form of recognition. So what's going to hold up the top of the skyscraper? The answer: wherever the wind blows!
Unfortunately for the structure, the wind was bad that day. Fifty mile per hour gusts at five-hundred feet. Whatever the speed it was, it was enough.
At this moment…no, at that exact moment, what was once a singular fall of three skyscrapers became united for one grand symphony.
The winds dislodge the husk of steel, aluminum and glass that was the top of each skyscraper. Each husk collapsed toward one central avenue at the same epicenter like sharp-pointed harpoons, desiring to pierce the flesh of its incoming target.
The edges of all of them meet and thrust into each other at the same time. The penetration is not enough to compensate for their length. The combined shaft extends over the boulevard completely, where the bases of each are still lodged in the each respective skyscraper.
So, here we have a battle. Who'd win: the momentum of the falling husks or the strained remains of the skyscraper? I'll give you hint: pick the former!
Each floor collapses and compacted itself upon itself. All three skyscrapers begin the descent down towards tragedy and ruin.
Fifty floors to go. A debris field rains from the heavens dotting the road and sidewalk with craters, while crushing cars and any humans foolish enough not to run.
Twenty floor to go. A column of smoke ascends into the sky, as dazzling as a falling comet about to crash land.
Ten floors to go. The smoke gets so thick that the buildings fade from sight, invisible as they crash into the unbidden earth.
Impact. It's over. The buildings are no more, just rumble and ruins. The smoke that was once a tail had appeared to condense into a ball and explode like a supernova, pushing humans and solid matter hundreds of feet, some even into belly of the nearby marina.
All the buildings around ground zero haven't survived unscathed. Most of the building lay cracked with craters, have lost all their windows, or even in the worst cases collapsed themselves.
To put the top the cherry on top of the `shit sundae,' the shockwave of the explosion tore through and ruptured all the gas lines in downtown South City. In other words, nobody was going to escape without being burned.
It's a funny thing. The burning skeleton of buildings, roads and cars, sequestering the few survivors of my attack, pleading for a hope they are dreading will never come. Just as building's burn, so does the spirit of men.
The humans that didn't make it; the ones crushed under tons of rock. I have to, for my own sake, remember that they didn't deserve the life that they were born with.
They choose, even without knowing, to succumb to the will of the most malignant force on Earth. They signed a pack with my devil, and they deserve to burn for it. They worked for or one of the subsidiaries of Gaikan, Inc: The devil incognito.
Uh, I need to say focused. Remembering…that name…makes me far too angry to think clearly, it clouds my judgment and makes me prey to a cunning enemy.
That being said, I've got a job to do.
I grabbed hold of the safety rail and hurdled over it, switching the placement of my hands on the rail so that my feet land succinctly on the outer tangible edge of the balcony.
I shuffled my feet across the perimeter of the balcony, creeping closer to the center point. When I got to the point, I moved my arms down to the outer edge and let my feet dangle off the edge of the balcony precariously.
Not wasting a moment, I looked down over the marina and the burning city. It was hard trying to find the optimum angle. It's in the best cases a very laborious activity. That said, trying to find angles out of thin air always is.
Then, and only then, did I discover it. It was definitely out of thin air that was for sure. It was fifteen feet below me and in enough shadows to conceal me from prying eyes. Perfect.
Now for the harder question: where can I find a platform out of mid-air? Oh wait a minute, I'm really am getting dull. Did I just forget I could conjure objects from my ki?
I manipulated my ki to solidify itself. I bended my solid ki into steel cables that interlocked themselves into the safety rails of the balcony, and then connected the cables to another conjured grated steel platform that swayed back and forth from the wind.
With preparations complete, I let go of the edge and backflipped onto the platform, using my ki has an adhesive to keep me stabilized on the violently shaking platform.
Now, for the fun part of this game: the hunt. However, what's a hunter without a gun? Not me, for sure!
I rummaged through my synthetic uniform to find out where I placed my rifle. Left pocket? Nope. Right pocket? Nope again. 'Where did I put that stupid thing?'
`Oh, eureka. In my inner pocket, how could I have ever forgotten it there? It's where I put all of my valuables.'
After having pulled it through my uniform you wouldn't think it was a gun. Just a small little capsule, but we all know what could be in those mystic things.
Clicking on the top of the capsule, I was delighted to see a small puff of smoke and my rifle in three parts: butt, barrel, and trigger handle.
After assembling the ensemble of machinery, the last thing to do was place a clip of ammunition into the muzzle. I grabbed another capsule and used it to release my ki charge ammunition.
I clicked the ammunition into the loader and cocked the gun, and flicked off the safety. I zoomed in towards epicenter of the disaster zone, waiting for Dr. Gero to show up.
Assassination is my specialty; my main battle passion. To feel the rush of knowing that the enemies head is blown clear off, and that they didn't even know it. They couldn't prepare even their own death, just here one moment and the next gone. The ultimate service to our inevitable fate: death.
Why use a sniper rifle? Why use something so…proliferated and mundane to kill one of the world's greatest mad scientist's. Simple: to defy.
To defy that a sniper rifle is useless, to defy common expectations, but most importantly defy reality.
That and besides, only I know how useful my sniper rifle is. What other tools or techniques are there that can condense Ki into bullets that create an untraceable explosion of energy? Can anything else let me stockpile excess Ki in my system to create ammunition? To me, it's one of those things that can win wars.
Nevertheless, all that can be done now is to wait for the inevitable confrontation of Z-Fighters and androids.
Yamcha grasped Dr Gero's arm, trying in vain to remove it from his mouth. He felt his Ki just taper out of his body like water from a faucet, flowing from his body to Dr. Gero's. He couldn't withstand much more, not with his vision fading in and out like it was now.
Then it happened. His dropping eyes and almost deaf ears caught the explosion. He stood by in horror as he feebly witnessed the collapse of the skyscrapers, eyes watering at the heartlessness of the androids.
Dr. Gero saw the panic and animosity of Yamcha's countenance, and flashed him a smirk foretelling concentrated malice.
Android Nineteen then spoke up, with a sickeningly high pitched tone. "That must have been Vegeta, yes Twenty?"
"No, that couldn't have been Vegeta," said Dr. Gero, with a callous indifference. "Vegeta wouldn't destroy a building without shouting something about the `might of the Saiyan race' of some other nonsense. No it must have been are…other visitor."
"Twenty, should I eliminate are new friend?"
"No, that won't be necessary Nineteen. I will take care of this new threat myself," said Gero, before completing his comment. "C20, come out and meet your creator!"
Appearing from out of the woodwork was another…Gero. He looked exactly like him, virtually no significant differences in appearance or mannerisms were readily apparent. He was good enough replica to fool anybody.
"C20, accompany Android Nineteen to the disaster zone. You will be sure to run into Goku and his friends there. Kill him, and make sure he feels pain."
The replica android just nodded before walking towards the fallen skyscrapers, with Android Nineteen in tow.
Gero looks down on the hapless body of Yamcha, lying supine on ground struggling to remain conscious. Peering down at the fallen warrior and saying nothing, Dr. Gero fires a Ki blast at his stomach; one that Yamcha has no hope of stopping.
Piccolo was flustered, no, frustrated was the better word. The androids came, blew up Yajirobe's car and then disappeared again into the shadows. Just vanished, no energy signal, foot prints, sightings, or flaring Ki. One minute they were here and the next minute they were gone.
This spot should be ideal for somebody like Dr. Gero. It was crowded, it was in the city center and most importantly it could be seen from thousands of people at nearly all angles. `So why wasn't he here?'
Spike. `What was that? Yamcha just flared his Ki and then it dissipated almost in the same number of milliseconds.' Assuming the worst, Piccolo flares his Ki around him preparing to take flight.
"Yamcha, I'm coming don't do anything stupid in the meantime," mumbled Piccolo, before blasting into the air to find Yamcha.
It was obvious he wasn't the only one who felt it. Goku, Krillen and Tien were all flying in the same direction to the same place. After a few seconds of thought, Piccolo descended towards them.
Then, it happened. A sonic roar belts out from behind them, shrieking like one of the devil's tempests. All three turn around to see three skyscrapers in flames with the top portions about to collapse. Before they could even think to react the skyscrapers were already rubble.
Goku was clenching his teeth, trying to stop his anger from overwhelming him. "Those monsters! Why kill these innocent people, don't they have any conscious?"
Krillen and Tien were just as angry, but even moreso terrified about facing these androids. They knew they stood no chance and were at the mercy of Goku or these remorseless monsters.
However, before fear and panic overwhelmed the group, Goku spoke up to quell the fear. "Krillen, go back to the plateau and get Bulma out of harm's way. Tien, find Yamcha and get him out of harm's way as well, preferably with Bulma though."
"Okay, Goku," responded Tien, before blasting off in the same direction as they were going to.
Krillen was a bit more hesitant as he was a bit more afraid. Nevertheless, he broke out of his stupor and blasted off to the east to find Bulma.
Goku turned his head to Piccolo. "Piccolo, follow me and make sure to watch my back."
Piccolo didn't respond and just let himself follow Goku to the crash site. He knew that this would be it. There wasn't any turning back for him.
Staying still is never easy. It requires patience, skill and most importantly time. If you can't understand when to attack and when to wait, then losing the battles are almost imminent.
`That doesn't make it any easier though, especially when your seven-and-a-half and more jittery than hummingbird.'
However, moments like these are one of the few times that I'm glad about what I am. A half-breed: one half saiyan, but also one-half ethereal.
What's an ethereal? It's a trick question: outside of me they don't exist. Just a word I use to describe the inconsistencies in my genetics. By birth, I'm half-saiyan and half-human, but many things that exist about me just don't fit either mold.
For example, there isn't a human or saiyan child in the world regardless of genius that could solve differential equations before they turned one year old. No human or saiyan child could ever be trained warrior before they were six months old, it simply isn't possible. No Human or Saiyan looks like they're five years old before they're even a month old.
Yet, I'm each and every one of those things. I can't even begin to understand it for myself, but more biological differences just keep on coming up, so I've deduced that these irregularities are characteristic of what I call an Ethereal.
`It's unfortunate, though; me being what I am. I could only imagine what many people would do to acquire what I was born with, but there's something thats even more disheartening: If I could, I would give them what I have. I don't care, they can take my power, prestige and authority; it doesn't matter to me.'
However, that won't happen, I'm what I am and that won't change. `If anything is going to change I have to instigate it. I have to be change I can believe in.'
'To survive, I have to be in control of who lives and who dies, and the only way for me to be in control is for me to blow Dr. Gero's head clean off.'
And I can see that the opportunity is now. Alea Iacta Est
Goku and Piccolo descended down towards the rubble and land on one of the only debris-free parts of the boulevard. The androids weren't there and nowhere in sight, to the chagrin of them both.
"Goku, be sharp. They can be coming from anywhere, and you shouldn't need to hear it from me, but they aren't going to be below firing a cheap shot."
Goku turned his head in a pensive gesture at Piccolo. "I'm aware, Piccolo. Just make sure that these people are safe."
"How very noble of you, Goku, but you shouldn't worry about those vermin down there. In reality, you should be much more concerned about yourself."
Both Piccolo and Goku's eyes locked onto the marina-side esplanade where the two voices were heard. The two shadowy figures were obviously the androids: one of them had the Red Ribbon insignia on his head, and the other looked like a machine to begin with.
Goku tensed up and shifted into a fighting stance, with his eyes focusing on the center of each android.
Both androids noticed this and the Nineteen started to giggle softly, irritating Piccolo and Goku to no end.
"I wouldn't worry about defending yourself from us Goku. When we kill you, you won't even know how we did. The only thing you should know is that it will be…moderately painful," responded C20, smirking with patented bloodlust.
Goku bristled at that comment, not just at the malice but at the subtle jab at his pride. "I wouldn't count on it, android. I don't think you understand what it will take to beat me."
C20 just slyly smiled at Goku. "Of course we know what it takes to beat you. We've been tracking your progress and your techniques for a long time."
Goku rolls his eyes at the arrogance of these androids. "Oh really, you know everything about me. My birthday, all of my techniques, my fears, and who I've beaten."
"Yes. We tracked you from your participation in the Twenty-Second Budokai through the Twenty-Third Bukokai, the arrival of Raditz, and your battles with Vegeta and Nappa. Yes, we do know everything about you."
Goku eyes widen and eyebrows rise in incredulity. `Did these androids really not bother to track him down in space?'
Piccolo's reaction was a bit more subdued, but he was in just as much disbelief. The difference was that Piccolo wasn't going to stay silent about their mistake. "So, you didn't track Goku's fight throughout space, did you?"
"No, by then we were confident that we had all the data that we'd ever need to kill Goku. Of course, we predicted he'd continue to grow more powerful so we adjusted are power levels to reflect this."
Piccolo then started to laugh rather obnoxiously, infuriating both androids. "So, you didn't predict that he'd become a super saiyan then?"
"Super saiyan?" responded C20 in an inquisitive manner.
Goku didn't keep the androids waiting. He belted out a scream as his Ki coils enlarged and he changed form. In a flash of light, his hair became a vibrant shade of gold and his eyes became piercing turquoise.
C20, like his creator wasn't scared of the theatrics, but was a bit surprised. "I'll admit that we weren't expecting something like this, but rest assured we are still very prepared for such an encounter. Why don't you show him Nineteen."
Android Nineteen charged at Goku aiming a punch at his adam's apple, but Goku just stared at the incoming punch unflinchingly. At the last second, he grabbed Nineteen's wrist and extended it forward towards his own body to create leverage to bury his knee in Nineteen's solar plexus and a simultaneous uppercut to the chin. To finish his attack, Goku pivoted his hips to level him with a devastating roundhouse kick on the android's flank sending him flying into the rubble.
Goku adjusted his leg back into proper form and exhaled before commenting. "Is that all you got? I expected somebody stronger!"
C20's glare became malignant, promising future pain. "Wait and see, Goku, you will regret ̶"
A loud popping sound reverberated through the air careening towards the standoff. A silent projectile tore through the air burying itself in C20's skull, before igniting an explosion from within his skull tearing apart everything within the cranial cavity.
In short: C20 would need a new head; he had just been beheaded.
The shot was too easy. My target was being cooperative, giving me a clear shot at his temporal lope. No distinctly brisk gust of wind, no significant humidity. There was nothing to impede my shot but the simple physics of hitting the target.
I started to hold my breath and steady my hands. `Don't choke and blow the shot or we could be dealing with a much messier situation.' I slipped my index finger under the trigger and slowly pushed it down.
Pop. The bullet is relinquished from the hold of the barrel and is propelled across the marina towards Dr. Gero. Impact. `We have a hit and an explosion, the wicked wrench of the west is dead! It serves you right, yah megalomaniac!'
Then I look closer at the scene. `His head was just solid metal, silicone circuitry, and oil. That wasn't Gero, it was an imposter. Where is that fucker!?'
In my periphery, a Ki blast collides into the outer edge of the balcony, incinerating it completely along with dislodging the cables to my sniping platform.
My viewing platform violently buckles below me, appearing to awkwardly creak and crack before snapping into two pieces and falling into the harbor. Fortunately, I had already leaped off before its descent and was side-stepping my way through the debris field created by the attack.
Speaking of the attack, the perpetrator was being veiled by falling debris so I couldn't see him; didn't stop him from firing more ki attacks at the debris, though.
Using the falling metal as cover, I jutted through the debris narrowly avoiding his encroaching Ki attacks and the exploding shrapnel of all the pyrotechnics. Each time, he got closer and closer, but you know what they say: close, but no cigar.
Eventually, I got towards the end of the debris line. I needed to find a way to get close to the window ceil of the building to my left and quick. At the last boulder in the column, I latched on tight and kick my legs onto the surface of the stone. Coiling like a spring and then releasing with the same kind of energy, I propelled myself across the open space before landing abruptly in the window ceil.
The landing was abrasive; the collision cracked the glass window which apparently was un-tempered glass, lacerating both of my arms with shallow cuts, but didn't hit my radial vein fortunately.
By this time, the perpetrator of the attack left the shadows of the smoke to confront me directly. `With the smoke and shadows un-obscured I feel stupid for not connecting the dots: it was Dr. Gero. Drat, I should have known it was him.'
The mad doctor proceeded towards me, callous indifference plastered on his face. However, I just…felt something under the surface. "I see you've come. That's good; all according to plan."
I snort at the comment, taking issue with him thinking I can be controlled by him. "If your plan is for me to wrench your head from your neck, than yes you can say things are going to plan."
"Of course, you say that now, but I don't think you will be saying that for long. You're overestimating yourself thinking you can beat me."
I start to snicker at his comment, unintentional irony laced throughout that statement; the kind of irony that I feel the need to mock straight to his face. "Oh, you mean how you were so prepared to combat Goku. Oh wait, you weren't!"
Dr. Gero just smiles slightly, showing no mirth, just dark muse. "Goku's transformation is a complication, but nothing we can't handle, and so are you. You can't win, you are—"
My hand just started to talk for him. I pressed my thumb to my other fingers in the universally recognized talking hand gesture. "Yep, yep. Keep talkin. What my hand is saying is just as important as what was coming out of your mouth."
Dr. Gero stopped talking and just maliciously glared at me, showing the early signs of losing this argument. Satisfied with pissing him off, I put my hand down to return to business.
"Sorry, Gero, not my fault that you can't take a little taunting." Irritating Gero was just too amusing.
"I can take taunting; just know that I'll get the ultimate satisfaction of using your cells for my goals," said Dr. Gero, still subtly smirking at me.
"So, that was your hand. Using my cells for your pet project, but sorry about your assumptions based on false-pretenses. You think you can kill me, but you can't.
"That's where your wrong, Seinshin. Yes, I do know your name: Seinshin Gaikan-Son. I've tracked you since birth, your family trusted me to give you the best of what science and politics can give. I'm sure that you would agree with my choices?"
My hand cleaves through the aluminum that I was gripping on. Sheer anger coursed through my vein at the…nerve of that bastard. "I hope that isn't your idea of a sick joke, because if it is than something more...grotesque than a beheading is in order!"
Dr. Gero started to chuckle softly at my distress, his subtle mocking piercing through my self-control. "Oh, you think that your feelings mattered. They haven't, nor did they ever have. What's in your heart, could easily tell you what I think of you. No, it was all about making you the strongest I could, so I could end up using you in the end. Now I can begin building my ultimate android."
A violent heart palpitation rips through my body at that moment, cleaving its way through every nerve and fiber of my being. Then, it vanishes before it barely begun. Not good. Just being alluded to its presence aggravated it. Gero wasn't going to get away with this. "Yes, but as I've said, what are you going to do about it. I'm stronger than you, and the only thing you're going to get is a boot straight up your ass."
Gero breaks into a full smirk, one you'd find adorned to the infamous Cheshire cat. "I wouldn't bet on that Seinshin. I just let you taunt me, but you didn't see my retaliation. If you did, you wouldn't be still running your mouth at me. I'm genuinely curious how you plan to even touch me without your transformative abilities?
An undercurrent breaks through me. `How? Where did he learn that? Got to remain cool and dig through and for information.' "Aw, I don't believe you or a word you say. So, how about you prove what you say or I'm going to assume your expert opinion is worth about as much as a well-used latrine."
"It's your choice to believe what you want. Just know that I've locked away your powers and you are helpless against me. It would be in your best interests to come quietly."
"Here's where you are wrong Gero: you think this is about power levels. Who has the bigger one wins. Well, here's some truth for you: don't underestimate me or you've already lost this one, damn what your scanners say!"
Before anybody could react, I fired a blast of ki directly at Gero, but had it curve at the last second into floor directly above him. I used the smoke created from the explosion to jump into the burning structure and run inside disappearing from Gero and his lackies.
Goku didn't understand what just happened. One second he was trading jabs with Android 20, and the next his head was blown off. Is there another threat here that Trunk's didn't mention? Whatever it was, he'd have to stay aware.
Android 19 had just gotten out of the rubble pile, ruffed up a bit but no worse for wear. However, seeing his fellow androids without a head and Goku's arm outstretched was a bit too much for him. He backed up, fear reflected in his robotic eyes that were all too obvious.
That was until Nineteen came to his senses. For him to take care of Gero's plan for world domination he'd have to kill Goku; there was no other way. He silenced the fear in his eyes and replaced it with subconscious malice, as he prepared to lunge at Goku's throat.
Catching the change in the android's demeanor just in time, Goku scooted out of the way of Nineteen's path. The human-bred warrior then grabbed his enemies hamstring and threw him into the air. Goku charged after the falling android and slammed a karate chop into his neck sending him flying into a ferris wheel at the far end of the marina esplanade.
The collision caused the ferris wheel to collapse and send the amusement park ride into a massive boneyard littered with scrap metal burying Nineteen at the center. Not letting the menace rest, our hero gathers a large output of Ki to obliterate the scrap metal (including 19) into dust. Only a grunt of exertion is heard as the ki is launched at Nineteen.
As the destructive wave detonates on the boneyard, a sole red-tinged hand pierces through the ki and sucks it all way. What was once a fearsome attack was now a Ki boost for the villain.
Goku watches the smoke clear from his attack, confident that it was enough to put the android down. No dice, the android was smirking mockingly at him. How did he escape without a scratch?
Not pondering on his thoughts (assuming he has any), Android 19 flashes in front of the saiyan and levels a powerful jab right into the stomach, followed by an attempted left hook to the face.
Attempted was the key word. Although the jab caused Goku to expel blood, it didn't stop him from countering the left hook with a forceful smack with his bicep. Sensing an opportunity to strike with Nineteen out of position, our hero kicked the android in shin and smashed its chin with an uppercut with his elbow.
The android jumped out of the fray after getting elbowed in the nose. After checking for any damage, he detonates a Ki attack in front of Goku's face. Using the smokescreen as cover, the villain tries to unleash a volley of punches at Goku's mid-section.
Key word: tries. For all of the speed of his cumbersome foe, the Earth's protector weaved his way through every punch not showing any modicum of effort. Unwilling to keep up this charade any longer, Goku creates an explosive dome of Ki that succeeds in blowing away the android for a split second.
Goku phased out of the sight and dropkicked Android 19 into the ground. He prepared to fire off another concentrated mega-blast to finish off his foe, but flinched as an arm wraps itself around his neck. The hand latched onto his mouth and started to slowly suck away ki.
Unlike Yamcha, though, Goku was too strong for this doppelganger. After bashing his head against the androids for a split second, the android was forced into letting go of its hold on Goku's mouth. Refusing to give any more breaks, our hero turns around and clocks him with a devastating right hook, such a powerful right hook that it beheads the cloned-android on sight. Unfortunately, Goku could see that it was just another Android Twenty clone.
However, Android Nineteen had already recovered from his own drubbing by this time. Sensing an opportunity to attack while his opponents guard was down, he charged like a mad dog at Goku.
He was so close to hitting him, so close. That was until he felt another force, which was Piccolo phasing behind him to grab him at the ankle and use his superior leverage to throw him into the marina.
Piccolo resettles in a Ki gather position: Legs straight and right index and middle fingers in position at the crest of his forehead. In a matter of second, Piccolo's fingers are in position and the power up is complete. He is ready to chant the infamous phrase: "Special Beam Cannon!"
A forceful spiraling beam erupts from his fingertip, ready to pierce and carve through everything on its way.
Android 19 looks at the beam with a soft sense of anticipation. At the last second, like the last time, he sucks away the entire reservoir of Ki in the beam before anybody could react.
This doesn't mean anything changed, in fact everything did. Goku and Piccolo both saw how Android 19 neutralized the Ki like it was nothing.
"Darnit. Piccolo, we can't use anymore Ki attacks on him. They just feed him energy," said an aggravated Goku.
"I'm well aware, Goku," coolly responded Piccolo, who underneath it was seething inside.
It just got worse for the dynamic duo. An incoming dark cloud of android-clones just dropped from out of the sky to aid the outmatched 19.
At the center of this militia of androids was the sick smile of Android 19, just pleased with how things were turning out. He was the proud beneficiary of an army and couldn't be prouder.
However, things weren't meant to be. A spectral phantom appeared on the battlefield, it's entire being clouded by darkness. The only clear thing was that its right arm was outstretched.
The dark tranquility of the specter wasn't permanent. A maelstrom of energy reared its ugly head from the lone palm of the specter, swirling air and violently expelling it all around. The epicenter of the maelstrom was a shiny mass, but one that held no warmth, just rage and contempt of its surroundings.
The shiny orb became so bright that it revealed the form of its creator: a powerful black-haired man with a hardly veiled grin on his face, one that displays obnoxious arrogance and a firmly rooted killing intent.
The specter vanishes as a brilliant cloud of yellow permeates from the saiyan, enveloping him with a greater power than he had ever felt. The rush of the power goes straight to his head and his mouth as well; he apparently couldn't stop cackling in mad glee.
However, his power up eventually dissipated from sight and a pseudo-stasis swept through the battlefield. However, nobody believed it would last, least of all The Prince of All Saiyans.
Eventually, the Prince stopped his mad cackling to smirk in contempt at the androids. "So, this is Gero's killing machines? Pathetic, all of you, including you too Kakarot; killing these things should've been simple affair. It doesn't matter; all of you will die by my hand in the end. You should consider yourselves lucky; it's a privilege to be the first to die by my super-saiyan prowess. Now, fools, say it with me: Big. Bang. Attack."
Vegeta's signature explosive ball roars away from its maker, fully intent on incinerating every android in the vicinity. Its detonation is a sight to behold: a fire ball that vaporizes all life forms of machinery within the blast radius. The explosion is so loud, that no words could express the din that barraged everybody's ears. In other words, the name big bang attack is aptly warranted.
When the smoke cleared, the armies of androids were gone. Not even a smoldering remain was left in the marina.
Seek and destroy. It's the ultimate fate of all battles: The intrepid hunters scouring an unknown land looking for one other, no doubt looking to send the other to a gruesome end. Gero and I are in no different predicament than any other before us, just two more hunters in pursuit of prey. It's only a matter of whose head will be on the mantle.
Subconsciously, we both know the killzone is this (at least it seems) hotel. Blowing it to smithereens will do neither of us any good. One way or another, we both want the other to kneel at our feet.
I hold my breath, peering out of my make-do sniper perch. It wasn't in the greatest location: a conference room with a large transparent window and virtually no cover but one massive oak desk. However I should count my blessings. I was lucky that I wasn't pursued or fired at while traversing those unknown corridors, some being completely exposed with multiple lines of sight.
Getting to the room was the hard part, making it accommodating for me was easy. Open the window, place the sniping perch in the shadows, and arrange useful ammunition. What ammunition should I use: Ethereal cartridge nine? It's probably too powerful for someone like Gero, but you never know.
I click the ammunition into the loading dock, hearing it lock into place. `Now to wait for the good doctor, oh where ever could he be? It seems he may be in hiding…no in waiting for me to reveal myself, as if.'
Then, I see the rascal. He's just doing rounds on the perimeter waiting for me to make the move, as if daring me to meet him head-to-head. `Yah, like that's going to happen.'
My fingers slip onto the trigger, waiting for the moment for my precious lamb to reveal his shiny little head for the barrel of my rifle. `Yes, good boy, you're just making this easier for me.' Only then do I pull the trigger, and watch as Gero's body disintegrates from the bullet blast. `Oh well, he won't be on my mantle, then.'
Unfortunately, my celebration was pre-mature. A black cloud approaches from the edge of the killzone, and it was full of Dr. Gero's. Apparently, he had more than just one clone.
To make things worse, I just revealed my position and was open to retaliation from any angles. It seems that these clones knew this too, judging by how seven of these "clones" were barreling towards me.
One of them was a bit too eager, as it started to flash Ki in anticipation. I needed to run and now! Without even thinking about it, I charge forward and jump out of the window narrowly avoiding the replica's blast.
My momentum had sent me on a collision course with the reckless droid, with me in the line of a cocked punch, at least in the mind of the artificial intelligent being. At the last second, I shifted my weight to perform a downward backflip evading the powerful punch.
The slow reaction time of the android left it open to a fatal series of events. I never completed the backflip because I hooked my legs on the waist of the Gero clone, and used the recoil of bouncing off his torso to fire a Ki blast at his neck, which decapitated the hapless fighter.
At the apex of the recoil, I detached my legs from the dead android and flipped to turn myself right-side up. As I get closer to the ankles of the fallen grunt, maneuvering my body to clasp and launch myself from his shins. Upon grasping his shins and launching myself, I twirled my body to clip the legs out from another android that happened to be right next to my latest victim.
That android didn't move fast enough. Before he could react, I had already clipped his leg out from under him and re-oriented myself in the perfect position to finish him off. I condensed a serrated cloud of Ki and cut the falling creatures head off with a chop of the aforementioned hand.
Before the head could fall into the ocean, I caught the head by strains of its hair, and threw it right at another clone. The flying project was simply going too fast for the helpless piece of artificial intelligence. The head (with the same velocity of a weak blast) shattered itself upon the torso of the stricken bot, and shattered the bot with it.
Meanwhile the bots (presumed) friend charged at me, likely seeing a non-existent chance for a metaphorical parry. Too bad for him that my condensed Ki sword was still active and it didn't take any time at all for me to slice him in half. Well that, and repeat the same process of throwing his severed head at another hapless fool, which was successful again.
That "attack force" had dwindled down to nothing in approximately half-a-minute, it was simply far too easy to dispatch them. What was the catch? What was Gero's game?
While, pondering Gero's intention, I didn't catch him sneak up behind me. It's never fun to have your adversary slammed both of his hand like a club into your spine and sends you plummeting onto the roof of a building. How did that just fucking happen?
Picking myself from out of the concrete was harder than I thought, it must've been due to having most of my strength drained from me. I definitely not used to fighting in my base form anymore.
"Seinshin, I hope that you didn't expect that you could hide from me. I can't blame you though, but hiding is a futile venture against me."
"Hiding, weren't you the one that was just hiding around to give me a cheap shot? I guess it takes one to know one, prick!"
"Irreverent, I wasn't trying to snipe somebody – the very definition of hiding. Computing cheap shots with hiding is illogical."
"Whatever, not like that's going to stop me from wrenching your head from your neck, like your delightful compadres."
"My "compadres" are nothing more than quantitative design meant to overwhelm by numbers. The mere thought that you can compete with me by killing a mere six of them is pitifully laughable. That and that you forgot that I'm stronger than you, presently."
"You may be right, but if you sincerely have conviction in what you say, then you haven't done your research all that thoroughly. It doesn't matter how much stronger, smarter or more ruthless you are than me, you will never defeat me. I've fought through nightmarish scenes in the past, and you will be no different: outgunned, outnumbered and outmatched by enemies much more valiant than you. Every time I think it's the end, I find a way to outlive, outwit and outlast it all, even with my dastardly luck. Don't think you're the exception Gero, because you are not."
"A convincing story child, but ineffective. Any last words?" responded Gero, voice as dead as always after that exchange. "It's seems that the reinforcements have arrived."
Oh, who'd ever guess? More clones, but he wasn't joking; the conglomeration of them were blocking the light of the sun. Ah, just another fool that keeps thinking pure numbers are useful in combating me.
My vehement disgust at this site was too profound to say shut. "You know Gero, I somewhat respected you before this. You're a gifted scientist and look at what you're making! Junk, that's what it is—stuff that wouldn't be qualified to serve me toast at the start of the day. Fuck quantitative design, these "androids" are trash and you know it. However, since you wish to continue this non-sense; I'll just eliminate your play-things. Fire gate unleashed!"
My alabaster skin gets flushed with a blood red pigment, and cauterized seals spread around my body like sprawling tattoos. In the center of this metamorphoses, lay my arteries and veins that ran blood red in every conceivable direction. Then, these flamboyant changes disperse as quickly as they came and my voice returns to me. "Fire god: grant me the black mass."
The entire clusterfuck of androids spontaneously combust into black flames, disintegrating from artificial intelligence; to scrap metal; then to particles of dust that are scattered into the thick ashen wind. In this chaos, I make my escape from the roof. Nice try Gero.
Aw, Vegeta. He was as much or a headache as ever, but now I can only imagine what it will be now. He's a super-saiyan, what he's always wanted. The fool now has that great power and its clearly going to his head. But is his pride the new enemy of the Earth.
The blond-haired prince just stares at the battlefield, not even bothering to hide his indignation at this turn of events. He turns toward me and Goku, barely hiding his challenging gaze. "So, Kakarot, these were the androids you were talking about. Tin cans, that's all they were third-class, not even worth fighting. Now, with that "threat" cleared you will fight me and lose in humiliating fashion. It's time that the prince regains his former throne."
Goku, not fazed at Vegeta's stereotypically dramatic banter replied. "There are more androids, Vegeta. I'm not going to fight until you I know that the Earth is safe."
Vegeta snorts in disgust at the sentimentality of Goku's plea. "You really are an embarrassment to your race, clown. Your ancestors must be rolling in their graves to hear one of their own oh so concerned with a pathetic race such as the earthlings. Stop making excuses and fight me. Now."
"I'm not joking with you Vegeta. There are more androids than you realize, and the more we argue the farther away they get from us. I'll fight you once all this is done, Vegeta, but not before."
A vein in Vegeta's head blows up in one of his epic fits of helpless rage. "Fine trash, we'll do this your way, but remember: you're just making your pre-ordained beating worse by denying what your prince wants." His piece said, Vegeta rages off into the city to find these "fighters."
I snort at his theatrical exit—he didn't even see the obvious. "The hothead is going to get us all killed someday. To think that he is too blinded by pride to not have seen that china doll escape."
Goku recoils in shock at my declaration. "You mean he escaped?"
Repressing the urge to smack Goku outside the head was arduous, how could he not see it. It couldn't have been more obvious if he was wielding a chainsaw. `These full-blooded saiyans must have the combined I.Q of a pile of bricks.'
"Yes Goku, he escaped," shouted Piccolo, clearly getting fed up with the situation at hand.
"What do you suggest we do, Piccolo? Split up and find them?"
"Precisely, Goku," I replied, with more than a little bit of frustration under the tone of my voice. Sometimes dealing with Goku's inquisitions required a bit more patience than I had.
"Okay, Piccolo," said Goku. "Where do you want to look? Vegeta stormed off towards the south-west, so I was thinking of going towards the city center. Do you want to search the eastern ocean-front?"
"Sure, why not," I begrudgingly respond, not like it would make a difference in the long run.
We both flied off in our respective directions, both of us uncertain how to combat this new enemy. `Neither of us were good killers without the use of Ki.'
The north-eastern promenade was one of the worst slum districts of the city. Decay, dirt and graffiti lined almost every wall and building, and tobacco smoke was almost a toxic miasma in the air. Many…irreparable business were dotting even this small street I landed on: brothels, taverns, money-orders businesses and run-down "convenience" stories. You name it; this domicile of hell had it.
`And what better place for a machine of hell to reside in than a neighborhood from hell, it truly was a match made in heaven!'
I took off from this shithole to scope the district from the air, thinking it was safer in the long run. Upon seeing nothing for the umpteenth time, I felt it was time to head back to another district, but something kept me gravitated to this hellhole. It was almost an intrinsic curiosity. `What was it about this place?'
While deliberating, my decision was made for me. One street in that large slum stood out, it seemed to be…dead. It housed no life force of any kind, even the decaying residue of ki. `It must be that infernal android.'
`Oh, Kami.' This street wasn't normal, a battlefield, or even a routine crime scene. It was requiem. Hundreds of bodies were littered in mass dumps, mutilated beyond words or even thought. The victims spanned the spectrum: from one-month old infants to one-hundred year old women and each one were treated to the same "courtesy."
I flare my ki around me, well aware that it would send the android and Goku running. I didn't care, as long as this bastard paid for his crimes.
Uh, I hate how blind I am. This matter of trying to scope these cheeky assholes with our eyes is alarming, especially with how they can sense you. I'm pretty much a sitting duck in this alley way.
My ears are focused—ears dilated—fear not showing a bit. Trying to make yourself look invulnerable isn't easy, but I know it's imperative that I keep this android on edge until those degenerates arrive. `How much longer could they be?'
Suddenly, I felt a knee press into my spine and an arm wrap around my neck, lifting me up into the air choking me. In a panic, I start to elbow frenziedly at the attacker hoping to force his arm away from me. No dice, all he does is start giggling as he grabs my elbow and dislocates my shoulder.
I clench my teeth to quell the pain racing throughout my system, well that and to prevent from making a mockery of myself by yelling out. However, Android 19 holds no regard for my distress as he lifts me to my feet and starts to drag me back into the open boulevard of this cesspool. From there he appears only to wait.
In the distance, I see two distinctive dots on the horizon zoom in towards us. As they descent into this scene my shame only grows. That doesn't stop Goku from contributing though!
"Hey, let Piccolo go!" demanded Goku, with the sternest voice he could've possibly attained.
The android erupts into a giggling fit at the implication of Goku's words, pressing his fingers deeper into the crook of my neck. He starts to back up, though, proving in my mind he's a bit more scared than his giggling conveys.
"Shut up, Kakarot and let me finish this tin-can," sneers Vegeta, outstretching his palm again.
My holder then starts to babble nervous non-sense, knowing what going to happen to him if he doesn't stop Vegeta. In desperation, he starts to generate his own ki orb against my neck, which is only effective if your purpose was to singe some of my skin.
"Do it! It won't prolong your death," snickers Vegeta, as ki starts to form in his aforementioned hand.
I needed to get out of this stranglehold. Vegeta wasn't the character to trust your life too, or have any amount of impulse control and patience if you did.
Leave it to Goku to buy me some time. "Vegeta, don't fire. Piccolo's still in danger."
Vegeta turns towards Goku and bares his well-developed saiyan fangs and snarl dangerously. "Quiet, you stupid fool. Your sentimentality is a disgrace to your heritage, you inbred mongrel. Now, shut up before I rip out your throat."
Goku backs down from Vegeta's "onslaught," fearing to provoke him again into an attack. He instinctively knew that goading Vegeta wasn't a good idea right about now.
Nineteen's eyes just kept getting wider at the sight of the developing blast, clearly seeing himself getting erased from the planet. In a haze of panic, he drops Piccolo and begins to back-track towards the alley. At the last second, when he thought the coast was clear, he began to run away like a frightened child.
Smirking like a predator off his leash, Vegeta steadies his palm ready to launch his doomsday present on the helpless machine.
Nineteen never made it to the alleyway. As he turned around to run, a steel sword slashed through the machines neck and continued in a fluid motion to bisecting him at the waist. After this, the mysterious warrior blasted most of the scraps into dust scattered by the wind.
Every Z-fighter tenses at the incoming mystery fighter, not aware of whose side he's on or how powerful he is.
Our mysterious warrior walks into the sunlight revealing his identity. Everybody instantly recognized him: violet hair, navy blue jacket, and almost a bond-esque smile. "Sorry, about not coming earlier. There were some…unforeseen difficulties at home."
Goku smiles at Trunk's arrival on the scene. "Hey, Trunks, you're back!"
"Yes, Goku I'm back. I assume you've lived through the heart virus, judging by your appearance. Did it cause you any trouble?"
"Actually, Trunks it never happened. I never caught the heart virus, not even a slight twitch of pain."
Trunks eyes widen from shock, begging for answers to his questions: `How is that even possible? Did the future just get re-written again?'
"How, Goku? You were supposed to get it, they're shouldn't be any way you couldn't have gotten it without changing history. Things as complex are heart viruses shouldn't be confined to only one scenario."
Goku's eyes flash with a look of remorse and regret—a foreign concept to what Trunks was ever told about Goku's personality.
Goku starts to stare at the ground, exhibiting another uncharacteristic trait—stoicism; not just in countenance too. "I never said that the heart virus didn't strike, just that it didn't strike me. Instead, it ended up killing Gohan."
In that one sentence, everything became clear to Trunks. He had come to the realization about himself, time travel and warfare: nothing has made sense or ever will. If one slip of the tongue, revealing what one future could be change another so profoundly that it wouldn't be recognizable to his own. Perhaps, maybe the world truly didn't have a shred of continuity.
Different worlds or not, everybody noticed how Goku's tone changed when approaching the subject of Gohan's death. He may have tried stoicism, but his execution was so faulty that clearly it was affecting him more than he said it did.
But, that didn't mean everybody kept their thoughts to themselves:
"So, we got another failure on your impression list Kakarot. First, you fail to protect your brat and then you mourn his death like a dog. Pathetic, just beyond pathetic Kakarot. Get up and starts acting with a bit of dignity like your heritage demands." Yah, subtly; Not Vegeta's strong suite.
Goku snarls dangerously at Vegeta, almost looking to deck him into the one of these decrepit tenements. Fortunately for the denizens of South City, the punch never came.
Trunks bites down on his lip hard, futilely trying to prevent himself from foolishly lashing out at his father for his callous and disrespectful behavior towards their likely savior. Safe to say, he couldn't hold himself together. "Vegeta, that was out of line and transcended heartless. Don't you know how important Goku is to the defense of this planet?"
Silence, pure unadulterated silence. Vegeta walks forward at his son, glaring proverbial daggers into his terrified flesh. Upon approaching the lavender-haired youth, he grasps hold of Trunk's shirt and pulls him close to his mouth, which may have as well been dripping black poison at the boy. "Now, listen and listen well. You will not ever use that tone with me again, or I'll rip off that insolent mouth of yours and feed it to a closest mongrel I can find. You don't need that useless disgrace of a Saiyan to fight your battles, not as long as I'm here to clean up your messes. Do I make myself crystal—"
Goku had heard enough from Vegeta and his malevolent threats. This had to stop before it got out of hand. "Vegeta, you won't hurt any of my friends today or any other day. If you want to pick a fight with me, then so be it. But don't bring innocent people into your feud with me; they have nothing to do with it."
Vegeta drops Trunks and gets into a fighting position. "Okay, Kakarot, are you prepared to be humiliated by a saiyan elite?"
When an all-out war was about to be declared, a new voice arrived on the scene. "Oh, that won't be necessary. Both of you city-boys will be groveling at my feet soon enough," said the voice, amused at petty bickering breaking apart the Z-fighters.
All of us stare straight at this new menace. Why did I have a feeling that the real battle was just beginning.