Keoni, Android 22: A DBZ Fanfic:

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ. All rights go to Akira Toriyama. I really, really wish I did own DBZ, though. Eh . . . I could keep dreaming.

A/N: Ok, so this is chapter two in my second fic. I'm really glad I got reviews right away and people who put my story on their alerts list and favorites. So thanks. And some parts are written in twelve year old kid style cuz Keoni's twelve. And, uh, I don't really know what Marron's real personality was as a child so . . . please don't anger over the way I picture her . . . well, kinda picture her. Onward with the story!

My face was sore . . . sore and stiff.

Slowly, I lifted a hand to touch the right cheek that I'd been socked in. It throbbed painfully. Ouch.

I took my time, sitting up. And a small gasp escaped my lips. Oh, no . . . . I was in a bed. A bed! I was in bed with a large, fluffy quilt over me and it wasn't even mine! Well, I thought it wasn't.

So where was I? Whose bed was that?

I leapt out of bed and thought. I thought real hard, too, about what I remembered last.

I had looked at Chichi. I had looked at Chichi, and she'd reminded me of Goku. And at that instant, I knew I had to kill Goten too, cuz he was close to Goku. Because I had to kill Goku! I needed to. And that eerie thing I'd said before was true: I was born to do it.

But then, what had happened next? I had fought Goku, Goten, Vegeta, and Trunks . . . and they'd all lost. So who had beaten me? Who'd made the right side of my face temporarily immobile?

And then a blonde woman's picture dashed through my mind: Android 18.

My teeth gritted at the thought of my sudden defeat. A punch to the face! Pathetic! How was I winning so well against the Saiyans, but lost when the stupid woman fisted my face? Her power level was about 210 points weaker than a Super Saiyan 3 form, so how did she win? How?

Was it her love for Krillin that brought her strength? The need to protect him? I didn't know.

I also didn't know why I wanted to kill Goku or his friends in the first place. Trunks and Goten had invited me over for help, and I probably blew that chance.

Why had I attacked them? Why as I born for that? Why did I believe I was born for that? And what had happened to my memory before meeting Goten and Trunks? What was my name?

And another thing . . . where had all that power come from? When I'd been found in a cave, I could barely stand, let alone fly, but by looking at Chichi, all my weakness had diminished, unleashing brutal potency. I shook the Earth with measly steps. But now all my power was gone and I was just some young girl in rather tattered clothes who didn't know where she was at the moment.

I stepped toward a round window on the left side of the room and peered out. I was still at Capsule Corp. I knew cuz I recognized the place where we'd fought.

And I wanted to leave. I did not want to be seen by the Z-Fighters . . . two humiliating. So I tried opening the window, but it wouldn't budge. I could just blast it open, but then everyone would hear and come running.

So I had to sneak out the front door. Darn it . . . .

I went to the bedroom door and cautiously creaked it open, peaking out. The coast was clear as far as I could tell. I stealthily crept down the stairs, noticing with dismay that the end of it led to the kitchen. I just hoped nobody was there. And nobody was!

I reached out to grab the front door, but then I heard a voice. Bulma's.

I froze. Crap.

"Hey, you!" She called from the kitchen, washing dishes. "C'mere!"

I shook my head. "No."

"And why not?" The blue-haired woman pressed. "Surely you'd want something to eat?"

Just then, my stomach growled, much to my annoyance cuz it was in agreement with Bulma.

I nodded. "Yes, but—"

Bulma motioned me over. "But nothing! Just get over here and grab a bite! I know you're hungry."

I couldn't refuse her offer. I just climbed onto a stool and sat down as Bulma whistled happily, fixing me something to eat . . . as if nothing had ever happened between us, though plenty had! I couldn't understand why.

"Um, excuse me?" I said warily. "Why're you so . . . cheery? I tried to kill your friends."

Bulma merely waved that away. "Oh, no worries kid. My friends have all tried to kill each other at one point. And 18's told us some stuff that may have explained your actions."

I couldn't hide my excitement. "A-about me? You mean what I can't remember?"

"Uh, huh."

"Then can you tell me please?"

Bulma moved her head side to side. "Nope. I'm sorry. It's . . . something I've gotta leave for 18 to tell you."

I stared at her, confounded. "E-eighteen?"

"Yeah. The chick who pummeled you."

I glowered at her. "She did not pummel me." "Whatever," Bulma muttered, rolling her eyes. "Getting knocked unconscious in not being pummeled. I'll remember that one."

My anger towards her comment almost made me miss the last part of it: "Oh, yeah. 18 told me to tell you not to look at any of the Sons. You know, Goku and his family. Don't even peek at em." Her face was grim.

"But why—?"

"She says it'll tick you off. Understood?"

"Yeah—I mean— understood."

And then Bulma gave me some food, which was just some leftover fried rice and beef and broccoli, but it quenched my hunger.

I should've left, but I wanted those answers from 18. So I went to sit on the couch, feeling somewhat confused and mixed up.

The TV was on. I thought the channels were switching by themselves, at first, but then I noticed a girl with blonde hair, about seven years old, clicking freely.

She turned to me, twirling one of her pigtails with one finger. "So . . . I heard that my mom knocked the big, bad wolf out . . . with one punch."

I was too interested to be irritated. "You're Android 18's daughter?"

"Just plain Eighteen," the girl corrected snidely. "My mom'll pummel you again if you say that 'android' word. No one calls her that anymore."

"She didn't pummel me!" I snarled, but then calmed down. "What does android mean anyway?"

The girl shrugged. "I dunno. I asked her, but then she looked like she wanted to bite my head off, so I just shut up."

"Oh." So maybe it was an insult or something? "What else you know about it?"

The girl glared at me. "I said I didn't know! But my Papa told me that it's some . . . past stuff. And she didn't have to give me that nasty look when I asked . . . ."

I just watched her closely, gathering her biography together.

She was Marron. Daughter of Krillin and 18. Had a crush on . . . . Goten?

Oh, wow. I almost laughed out loud.

Marron must've noticed my amused expression. "What?"

I looked away, hiding my grin. "Nothing. Where's your mom anyways?"

"Out back," Marron answered absently.

I wanted to find 18. I wanted to talk to her. I needed those answers.

So then I started to stand up, but Marron's hand shot out and grabbed my arm. "Don't!"

I gave her a guarded squint. "Why not?"

"Cuz Mrs. Chichi's out there!"

"So?" I suddenly remembered Bulma's warning and cringed. "Oh, yeah."

And just then, I heard a voice: "Hey, Bulma, I'm starvin' here! That senzu bean Krillin gave me . . . I think it increased my hunger! Isn't that weird? What kinda food does that? Oh, and that girl gave me such a beating! Did anyone manage to stop her?" Goku.

My eyes instantly darted down to look at my feet. I couldn't look at him. If I did, I'd Goku crazy like before.

I could hear Bulma rustling in the kitchen, answering Goku's question. "Well . . . 18 sorta . . . pummeled her."

What was up with that stupid word? Aggravation was building up on my chest.

"She did not pummel me!" I cried crossly, glancing up sharply.

Bulma gave me an alarmed look, shouting, "Close your goshdamn eyes!"

I shut them without hesitation, surprised from her sudden outburst.

I could feel Goku's eyes on me. "Oh, wow! There she is! It's her! And you say 18 beat her? How?"

"A punch to the face. It was a real sight, Goku. You shoulda seen it. 18 was all . . . wham!"

"Whoaaa," the Saiyan marveled. "Well, ain't that something? Krillin's gotta tough woman. I wish Chichi was that strong."

He kept on chattering away: "I wonder how high that girl's power level is? I couldn't sense it when we fought and—"

He stopped short, gasping, his eyes wide. "Bulma . . . ! You don't think that that girl's a—?"

Bulma intercepted him. "Goku! Hush . . . I know. 18 wants to tell her, so keep quiet. Here. I made you some Ramen."

"Oh, boy! Yum!"

Though my eyes were now on the TV in front of me, I couldn't pay attention. I just wanted to know how Goku would've finished that sentence. And why Bulma had stopped him. And why the person who knocked me out wanted to tell me something.

It was odd. How could someone just wake up in a cave with no memory of how she got there or anything else? It was frustrating.

And Bulma kept saying that this 18 person knew. But how? If she knew me, then why would she have attacked? And it couldn't have been just to save Krillin's life. It had to be more.

And then there were two more voices: Goten and Trunks. Goten and Trunks. I kept my eyes on the television.

I heard a yawn come from Trunks. "Boy . . . how long have me been out, Mom? I mean— really? I thought senzu beans kicked in sooner. That girl must've given us a real . . . ."

He trailed off when he saw me, his face surprised. "S-she's still here? Great! Mom, can you help her? She . . . er, lost her memory."

Gee whiz . . . not the reaction I'd been anticipating. He still wanted to help me? I couldn't believe it.

I avoided looking at Goten, but said to them both, "R-really? You still want me here?"

"Why not?" Trunks asked casually. "We could really, really use another fighter."

Him saying that sorta warmed my heart. He wasn't mad at me . . . even though I beat up on him and his friends. He still welcomed and offered me help. I smiled. Trunks returned it.

I then grew a little embarrassed. "A-and I'm sorry for . . . pummeling you." I was a bit happy to use that 'pummel' thing one somebody else.

Trunks's cheeks had a reddish tint to it. "And we . . . forgive you, don't we, Goten?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah . . . we forgive you."

And Trunks smiled again, making my face feel steamy.

"Ooooh!" Bulma squealed from the kitchen. "Trunks, are you flirting?"

Another voice appeared behind me. A gruff one. "Is who flirting?" Vegeta.

"Trunks," Bulma answered with a crafty grin. "He's flirting with that girl."

Vegeta's head snapped around to look at me. "What—s-she's still here? I figured somebody must've beaten her and . . . ugh, Bulma I need some food."

"Oh, yeah," Bulma mused while opening the fridge. "18 battered her."

At least it's a different word, I thought bitterly.

Vegeta was snickering at my sour expression. "A punch in the face finished you? And you say you beat Kakarot? As if!"

I glared daggers at him, crossing my arms. "So what? 18 broke both of your arms a long time ago! Guess she's just our downfall."

There I went again. Dammit.

"I remember that!" Marron exclaimed suddenly. "She told me!"

Vegeta was looking so stunned that I knew I was right. And Marron had confirmed it, too.

"How'd you know that?" He demanded, his face resolute.

I uncomfortably shifted my shoulders. "Ummm . . . it comes . . . naturally." It wasn't even a lie.

"Oh," the Saiyan went on, his eyes piercing into mine. "So other peoples' business just comes . . . naturally to you?"

Well, he didn't have to say it like that. He didn't have to remind me that I was an outsider all the way through. My gaze was now on the floor, with me saying nothing.

"Daaad." Trunks looked antsy. "Don't piss her off."

I didn't feel pissed, though. Only miserably distraught.

"Yeah," Goten harmonized. "Don't want another bloody nose, do you Vegeta?"

But I didn't want to bloody his nose. I wasn't mad at him. He was right. Other peoples' business shouldn't have been mine, too. I shouldn't have known that. It wasn't normal.

Vegeta was about to say more, but then Krillin, Yamcha, 18, some people I've never scanned over before, and who I thought was Chichi, but couldn't be sure cuz my eyes had closed at the sound of her, entered the room.

And then I heard a velvety voice in my ear. Android 18: "Are your eyes shut?"

I nodded, wanting to open my eyes to see her so badly for some reason, but rejected the urge.

Instead, I asked her, "What do you know about me? What can you tell me?"

"Later," she said firmly. It made me want to drop it.

I could sense every one of the "Z-Fighters" sitting around me in silence, even the ones who hadn't fought me earlier.

A tall, bald man—who had three eyes— broke the tension: "I know everyone is out to get Goku and all but . . . how did this girl even get here? How'd she find us?"

"Yeah, how?" 18 muttered, and I couldn't help but steal and a peek at her keeping a steady eye on Goten and Trunks.

"Maybe she tracked Goku's ki?" Krillin suggested.

"Yeah, maybe!" Goku babbled, his mouth full of probably his 48th bowl of noodles. "No offense, but my ki is pretty large, you guys, even if I try and suppress it."

Vegeta was seething with envy. "Enough boasting, Kakarot! We already know that your ki is higher than everybody else's!"

"Well, I was just using reason, Vegeta. Zeesh, what a hot-head."

"Hmph."

Goten managed a nervous giggle toward his father's insult. Nervous because, well, cuz 18 was still warily eying him and Trunks, her blue eyes very impenetrable.

She was about to open her mouth and say something, when the two both broke under pressure and blurted, "We found her! We brought her here!"

A couple of people gasped, but 18 just smirked. "I thought as much."

"Well, why'd you guys do that?" Yamcha shrieked. "We could've died!"

Well, I wouldn't have killed him. Just Goku, Goten, and Chichi . . . and wherever that Gohan fellow was.

Trunks frowned. "And here we were, tryin' to do some good deeds, only get yelled at like this . . . ."

"Yeah," Goten chimed in. "We were tryin' to find the stone Dragonballs to give to Mr. Popo. You know, stone cuz we used em last Sunday and it hasn't been a full year yet."

"Yeah, so then I looked in a cave and found the chick," said Trunks.

"But," Goten peeped. "I found her."

Trunks nudged him in the ribs. "Oh, shut up."

Goten continued the story; I heard him rub his side. "Yeah, so then we were all surprised and stuff and then she jumped up and screamed—"

"Wait, I'm lost," Goku cut in inanely. "Who jumped up and screamed?"

"The girl!" Goten and Trunks synchronized noisily. "She jumped up and screamed 'I can't remember!'"

I felt my cheeks flushing. Had I sounded that stupid?

Trunks was speaking alone now: "So we asked her what, and she's like, 'Anything!' So we figured maybe Mom could help her out. We brought her over and she unexpectedly kicked our . . . arses." Bulma was shaking her head at his . . . language.

And I nodded. That was pretty much the story as I'd remembered it.

"So can you help her, Mom?" Trunks pleaded.

Bulma bit her lip. "I can try . . . but 18 might be able to more than me."

All eyes were on Android 18, including mine.

She crossed her arms, her eyes avoiding everyone else's. "I can't . . . exactly . . . give her her memory back if that's what you're speculating, Bulma."

There was a hitch in my breathing. That's what I'd kinda been assuming.

18 noticed it and twisted to look at me. "Give you your memories back? How would you expect me to do that?"

I felt my cheeks heating as I fiddled with my fingers. "I dunno. Bulma just . . . kept taking about you like you were the answer to everything."

Bulma shrugged. "Eh. Sorry."

I clenched my fists in my lap, filled with impatience. "Then what can you do, huh, 18? I don't need anything but my memory and if you can't do that much, then you're useless to me."

"Uh-oh," Goten gulped.

"Then I guess I am," she replied coolly, her gaze unfaltering.

And it made me think that she wasn't useless after all. She knew she wasn't! She was just . . . just . . . messing with my mind, I think. And it was . . . confusing.

I stared at the ground, feeling misled and puzzled. "Ok . . . s-sorry. I don't think . . . you're futile. You probably know more than me, anyway."

"I do."

I met her eyes. "Then tell me!"

"I can't."

I almost lost it. "What the heck is your problem, huh? Why can't you just tell me? I just want to know and then I'll never bother you people again!"

Bulma leapt over the counter and sat on it. "Yeah, 18, why don't you just tell her what she is already?"

18 sat up straighter, glared at Bulma, and snapped, "Because I'm not read yet! So don't go slipping words like 'what.'"

Oh. Cuz she wasn't ready. She wouldn't tell me my own business cuz she wasn't ready. Uh, huh. That explains it all. Yup. Really does.

I stood up sharply, my eyes probably blazing with fury. "Why? If you know who I am and crap, then tell me! I'm eager for this! You don't know what I'm going through!"

18's icy eyes pierced into my emerald green ones. "Yes . . . I . . . do."

And then I shut up, staring at her in disbelief, the room going deathly silent.

Krillin broke it, leaning back in his seat, his arms behind his head. "Oooohhh . . . I get it now. I know what she is!" 18 rounded on him. "Don't say anything."

Krillin grinned. "My lips are sealed . . . ."

I spun to face him, giving him a steely eye. "Tell me, or else."

How disloyal. He answered me right away. "You're an—!"

"SHUDDUPP!" 18 screamed.

Krillin shut his trap, much to my aggravation.

I sat down heavily on the couch, tears blurring my vision. It wasn't fair! Android 18 knew something about me, but she wouldn't tell. That was so . . . selfish! I was so eager for these answers that were tearing me down. So eager! Why did she want me not to know so badly? It wasn't any of her business anyway! It was mine. So I just wished that she would spit it out already.

Goku then spoke up. "Yo, 18 . . . you speak as if you can just tell her tomorrow or something. Remember . . . if she really did lose her memory, then she can't recall where her parents are, or where she lives."

18 pondered over that for awhile, giving Trunks time to shout, "She can stay with us! Mom, we have tons of rooms! Please? I found her, so it's only right that she stays with us."

Both Bulma and Vegeta looked reluctant for my stay. I blushed.

"But I found her!" Goten whined.

"Goten," Bulma said with a wink," I know for a fact that she can't stay with you."

There was confusion in his voice. "Huh? Why not? We have rooms too, you know!"

18 glowered at Bulma, her voice venomously cold. "You know . . . if Chichi hadn't passed out like that, then I wouldn't have told you."

Bulma sighed. "Well, gee, thanks. You're so arctic."

Ok. I knew that much. I couldn't stay with Goten because he and his family spiked my energy. But why? If I just figured that out, then I could probably figure out who I was.

"She . . .," Yamcha mused, "can stay on the Lookout with Dende and Piccolo, away from normal people."

I curled my lip in disgust. "Um, no thanks. Green aliens, not my type." I didn't know why I had acted so picky and rude just then. Maybe it was Yamcha's offensive comment.

Chichi mouthed off to me like some crazed banshee. "You're lucky Yamcha even suggested a place for you to stay, young lady! For all I care, you can stay outside in the wilderness and rain to rot! P—!"

Goku gave a tiny laugh, cutting her off. "Heh, heh, sorry about that. Chichi's normally a very nice . . . cooker, heh. Anyway, if you'd like to stay with someone in particular, just name em."

I couldn't believe I had wanted to kill such a nice guy.

I glanced at Trunks. He really wanted me to live with him. How sweet. I turned down him pleading gaze and said, "Umm . . . Krillin and 18."

Yup. I wanted those answers. They could give em to me.

"W-what?" Krillin stammered. "Y-you . . . you wanna . . . live with us?"

18 pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes. "I guess . . . we should've been expecting that."

Marron looked flustered. "Are you for real? Like . . . forever?"

I wasn't really sure. I didn't know how long I'd take. So I shrugged, grinning at my slyness. 18 will tell me those answers. I will figure out who I am!

A/N. There goes chapter two. Hope you liked it! Review please!