Next chapter here for your enjoyment. Thank you again for your feedback, favorites, and follows. Your reviews helps me to write stronger story.

Oh, a special warning. This chapter has a lot of spoilers to Jaco Galactic Patrolman. You have been warned.

Chapter 11: Time Theory

Bulma looked out her window of her plane when she was over the island. She checked the computer to make sure that this was the right location. It has been a long time since she's been here and the island was so small and far away from civilization that was easy to miss it. It was the perfect place for the government to conduct experiments without the eyes of the world looking upon them.

She landed the plane on the outskirts of the island. The weather was pleasant, so much so that Bulma wondered why this place wasn't turned into a tropical beach for vacationers. She got that thought out of her mind as she began her search for Omori. Hopefully, he was still living here. And alive.

It didn't take long for Bulma to find a house that was settled next to a ruined building that Bulma assumed was once a laboratory. From what Omori told her years ago, the lab exploded after one of his assistances messed up.

The house next to the old laboratory was fairly small, but in good condition. That meant someone much be living there. She just hoped it wasn't Katayude.

With her hopes up, she knocked on the wooden door and waited.

After several seconds, the door cracked open and an old man with a thick, white mustache and almost no hair stood before Bulma.

His features were withered and his eyes had an aura of distrust. Omori never liked or trusted people, but he never looked like this. At least, not as far as she remembered. Then again, given the times they lived in, who wouldn't see the worse in humanity.

"Huh, what do you want?" Omori asked in mild annoyance.

Bulma smiled upon seeing the old man. "Hi, Omori. It's been awhile."

Omori blinked. "How do you know my name?"

Bulma was annoyed by the question. Didn't he remember her? She wasn't forgettable. "It's me, Bulma."

Omori stared blankly at her. "Who?"

Bulma glared, even more irritated. "Bulma, Bulma Briefs! Dr. Briefs' daughter! We met several times!"

Omori still appeared lost.

"Tights' sister!" Bulma yelled, closed to shaking the man.

Omori's eyes widened in shock and recognition. "I….I remember you now! It seems my memory has left me." He looked over her. "My, you've certainly grown up into a fine young lady. The last time I saw you, you were looking for mysterious orbs or something."

"Oh, you mean the Dragon Balls," Bulma said before she smiled in remembrance. "That was when I first started my journey. It was so long ago, but it almost feels like it only happened yesterday." She sighed. "Has it really been that long since I've been here?"

"I must say, I'm surprise that you came to visit me, especially given that the androids are out and about today," Omori said as he fully opened the door.

Bulma shook her head, remembering why she was there. This wasn't the time to think about happy memories. "I don't mean to be blunt, but this isn't a social visit."

Omori tilted his head in interest.

"I need you to tell me everything you know about time travel," she said, catching Omori off-guard.

"Time travel?" Omori repeated. "Well….I wasn't expecting that." He paused for moment. "Come inside and get comfortable. There's no point standing out here talking."

After a few minutes, Bulma was inside sitting at a table. Omori had given her a snack of cheese and milk.

"Before we start, you have to tell me how Tights been doing," Omori said as he sipped his coffee. "I haven't heard from her in over a month. She used to message me once a week."

"She's doing alright as far as we know. She still write stories and stuff to keep people's spirits up," Bulma said while munching on the cheese. "I guess we need stories about space and other worlds given the state our own world is in. It's good to escape from reality."

Omori nodded and gave a small smile. "I'm glad to hear that she's doing alright. I was afraid that those androids might have gotten her." As he spoke of the androids, his hands balled into fists and he began to shake. "To think, that a fellow human could create such wicked creatures. This is worse than being killed by some alien. It makes me wonder if Jaco was right about destroying all of humanity. Maybe we do deserve to be wipe out. At the very least, it would preserve this precious planet."

"Jaco? Now that's a name I haven't heard in a good while," Bulma said with little humor. "If he has something that can kill off all of humanity, maybe he has something that can destroy the androids."

Omori sighed. "I highly doubt it and even if he did, he probably wouldn't help us since this is an Earthling problem. The Galactic Patrolmen already don't think highly of us." He laughed somberly. "They may just see this as the natural conclusion to our species." He turned to look directly at Bulma. "The real question is why do you want to learn about time travel."

Bulma quickly cleared her head. "I want to create a time machine that can go back and stop the androids before they came to power."

"Make right what has gone wrong," Omori stated with a humorless laugh. "Believe me, child, I know that feeling too well. The primary reason why I wanted to stay on this island and continue my research was for me to go back in time and save my wife and staff. Even when Jaco told me that it was illegal to mess with time, I still persuaded my research."

"Then you understand," Bulma said in a hopeful voice.

"But what makes you think you can stop the androids?" Omori asked. "Unless you know where they were born, going back into the past won't change anything."

"I know a person who could have stopped them if he had lived," Bulma said as her eyes narrowed. "If he was there to beat the androids eight years ago at South City, then none of this would have happened."

Omori gave her a questionable look. "You have a lot of fate in this person. You really believed that he could've stop those creatures, where the entire world's military failed?"

"Without a doubt," Bulma answered with a determine voice.

Omori sat in silent for a moment. "Who is this person you speak of?"

Bulma paused in thought. She saw no harm in telling him. "His name was Son Goku. You may've never heard of him, but he saved this world countless times. Many years ago he was the one who killed King Piccolo and stopped an invasion from an alien race called the Saiyans."

Omori tapped his fingers against the table. "I only have passing knowledge of the alien invasion that destroyed East City, although I do know of the Saiyans. Jaco warned us about them. In fact, it was the reason why he came to our planet."

Bulma was surprised to hear this. "Really?"

"A Saiyan was supposed to come to our world and destroy us, but it never came for some reason," Omori said. "We thought it was killed in space somewhere and I kinda forgot about it until I saw that interview with that Yajirobe fellow."

Bulma blinked. It couldn't be. "Was this Saiyan supposed to be a baby?"

Omori shrugged. "Don't know, although it was highly likely from what Jaco said. He told us that when a planet is helpless like this one, the Saiyans send one of their children." He snorted. "What disgusting thing to do. Even as babies, they were bred to be killers."

Bulma almost wanted to laugh. All this time, Jaco was sent to kill Goku. Not only did he fail, but everyone was better off because of it.

"To think one person could have the power to drive back such a fearsome race," Omori mused. "Then again, I've heard that it was a young boy who killed the Demon King Piccolo all those years ago. I've even heard that same young man defeated Piccolo again when he suddenly showed up at the World Martial Arts Tournament three years later. If a person like that could defeat Piccolo twice as a child, he could stand up to the Saiyans." He stared at Bulma. "That was your friend? It sounds hard to believe, but I see no reason for you to lie. Not about this. Besides...I have my own crazy stories that most wouldn't believe."

"Then, you'll help me?" Bulma asked hopefully.

Omori became silence again. "Even if I could, I couldn't. I stopped all my research in time travel years ago."

Bulma felt her heart stopped. "Why…why you stopped?"

Omori leaned back into his chair. "I stopped because I learned that it's impossible to change the past. At least, change it in a way that would be meaningful to the person trying to change it."

Bulma gave Omori a confused look.

He sighed and rubbed his mustache. "There is much debate about time travel. Most, like me, believe that time is linear. That if we go back to the past and change something, it will effect time when we return. For example, if I went back in time and saved my wife, when I returned to this time she will be here alive and well."

"Are you saying that time doesn't work like that?" Bulma asked as cold dread filled her heart.

"It creates a paradox," Omori answered. "The reason why I went back to the past was to save my wife. If my wife is still alive, I would had no reason to time travel, therefore, no reason to go back to the past to save my wife from dying. My wife has to be dead, otherwise I would have no reason to go back to that point in time."

Bulma took in this information. Her stomach dropped with everything she learned. "So, if I go back in time to save my friend, then I would create a paradox because his death and the raise of the androids were the reasons why I wanted to go back to the past to begin with."

"Precisely," Omori said with a nod. "If a paradox is created, one of two things could happen. The first, time itself would collapse and we all ceased to existence. The other, the person we tried to save dies of something else. For example, I saved my wife from the explosion, but she dies later on of an illness or from another accident."

"So either the timeline corrects itself or it's destroyed," Bulma simplified.

Omori nodded. His heart broke when he saw the defeated expression on her face.

"Then...it really was just a pipe dream," Bulma said as she leaned into her hands. She looked closed to crying. "I…thought I had something. That we could save this world and stop all those people from dying. I was a fool to believe in false hope."

Omori rubbed a hand through his remaining hair as he made a decision. "There is another theory," he spoke slowly.

Bulma looked desperately at the older man. Ready to cling on to anything. "What's the other theory?"

"That is time isn't linear like a line, but more like a tree with many branches," Omori said. "If one goes back in time, changes something, and returns, nothing from their timeline would change. However, their interference in time does create an alternative timeline. Using my wife again, if I went back and saved her, my wife would still be dead in this time. However, in another timeline, my wife would be alive and well with my alternative timeline self."

Bulma nodded in understanding. "So even if I saved my friend, this world would still be doomed at the hands of the androids."

Omori nodded. "Now you see the futility of time travel. Whether it's linear or branching, we cannot change our fates."

"But these are all just theories. You don't know if any one of them are true," Bulma countered.

"True, they're all just theories," Omori admitted. "But the chances of making a difference is low, which is why I decided to give up and allow my wife to rest in peace. She isn't worth destroying the timeline over and...as selfish as it is, I can't stand the thought of her being alive with another me." He sighed. "And besides, I wouldn't want my wife to be brought back into a world like this."

Bulma finished her milk and stared at the empty glass. "Even if the chances are slime...I still want to try. Whether everything is destroyed, in vain, or creates a different world all together, I have to try." She felt tears build in her eyes. "Everything is already being destroyed by those monsters. I just can't sit around anymore and do nothing. I want my son to grow up in a world without fear. Even if that son only exist in another time, I want a world without the androids."

Omori stared at Bulma in awe. "You are one selfless person. Far more than I could ever be."

Bulma wiped her eyes and chuckled lightly. "I've been called many things…selfless isn't one of them. Perhaps...losing almost everyone I cared for has made me less selfish over the years. Or, perhaps, I am as selfish as ever since I'm willing to risk time itself. One way or another, I want this nightmare to end."

Omori sat in silence before he stood up. "Then, come with me. I'll share with you everything I've learned about time travel. If you believe this friend of yours can save us, then I too will believe. Besides, it as you said, we have nothing left to loss."

Bulma smiled. "Thank you."

Gohan sighed in relief when he saw the familiar dome building of Capsule Corp coming within his view.

Normally, the trip would had taken him less than an hour, but thanks to the injuries he sustained with his latest battle with the androids, it had taken him over five hours. It was times like these that he wished that he learned his father's teleportation technique.

Despite his father being a brilliance fighter and teacher, he wasn't particularly good at teaching techniques. His father's idea of teaching him the Kamehameha was to watch him do it and mimic the movements. His father learned all of his techniques in that manner.

He wasn't his father.

He just couldn't mimic movements and understand how things supposed to work. Fighting didn't come that naturally to him. At least not in that manner. Techniques had to be broken down for him to its basic level before he could understand how they worked, eventually used them, and if need be, improved them.

His father couldn't do that. His understanding of techniques was done on an instinctual level. He just…understood how things worked, which was why he was such a fighting genius, but it also made him struggled when explaining things. There were some techniques that his father outright couldn't even recall how he learned them.

In that respect, Piccolo was a far better teacher. He understood how all the mechanics of his techniques worked and could break them down so even a child could understand.

Problem with Piccolo, he didn't like teaching anyone his techniques, not even him. He believed that a true fighter should create their own style, not copy someone. The one exception was Piccolo teaching him the Masenko and that was because he needed some type of energy attack to better fight off the Saiyans.

Still, looking back, Piccolo may had taught him more if he took his training seriously.

Gohan quickly shook his head. He had no time for regrets. It was too late to learn anything from his old teacher. He had to work with what he had. Even if it wasn't much.

He landed in the front yard and nearly fell to his knees. His busted ribs were not happy about all the energy he has been exerting. He was almost certain that he had a punctured lung. All and all, he was a wreck.

He forced himself to the door and rang the bell. He waited patiently for either Bulma or one of her robots to answer. He was mildly surprise that it was Trunks who answered.

"Gohan!" Trunk exclaimed.

Gohan forced a smile; trying to hide the pain he was in. "Hello, Trunks. You've really grown since the last time I saw you."

Trunks regarded him critically. "You're hurt. You've been fighting the androids, haven't you?"

Gohan sighed. No point in denying it. Trunks was too smart for that, much like his mother. "Yeah, I tried to intercept them when I was training. Didn't end too well for me."

Trunks rushed him inside and took him to the medical room that Bulma had set up years ago.

"Mom isn't home right now, but I know enough first aid to take care of those injures," Trunks said as he rushed to get the proper supplies.

Gohan took his ruined shirt off and sat on the bed. "Wait, Bulma's gone? She should know that the androids are active."

Trunks stopped what he was doing for a moment and lowered his head. "I know. It was so sudden. The only thing grandpa told me is that she left to see some guy named Dr. Omori."

"Dr. Omori?" Gohan repeated as Trunks started to disinfect his wounds, earning hissed of pain from him.

Trunks nodded while continuing to clean and bandage Gohan. "Some old scientist who disappeared years ago. I don't know thing about him, but gramps and auntie apparently knows him."

"His name sounds familiar. I think I read about him in a book somewhere," Gohan said as Trunks began to wrap his ribs.

"I don't know when she'll be back, but I doubt she'll be gone for more than a couple of days," Trunk said, finishing caring for Gohan.

Gohan nodded. "Well, I should still be here. Going to be a couple weeks before I'm back in shape. I don't want to use a senzu bean unless I'm dying or something."

Trunks fell silence and stared at the floor.

Gohan knew Trunks wanted to ask him something. He always became silent and he learned it was best to wait until the younger boy had gathered his thoughts.

"Gohan...how long will it be before you fight the androids full force?" Trunks finally asked. "When do you think you'll be strong enough to kill them?"

Gohan said nothing for several seconds as he took in Trunks' question. "I don't know. From the battle I had today, I still have a long ways to go before I can beat even one of them. But someday...I will beat them and end this nightmare for everyone."

Trunks went back to staring at his feet. "You're strong, Gohan. The strongest person in the world. But, even as strong as you are, there're still two of the androids."

Gohan glared at Trunks. "I know where you're going with this and the answer is no. You're way too young."

Trunks slammed his fists onto Gohan's bed, causing it to shake violently. "How am I too young!? You were barely five and you were fighting against aliens and traveling to another planet!"

"That was different," Gohan argued. Why did Bulma tell Trunks those stories about him?

"How is it any different!?" Trunks shouted, trembling in rage.

Gohan gritted his teeth, trying to control his own temper. "It's different because I had a team protecting and watching over me. If I'm fighting the androids, I can't keep an eye on you in battle."

"I won't need you to protect me if you taught me to fight!" Trunks yelled. He looked the older boy directly in the eye. "I need to do something, Gohan. I just can't sit by the television and listen to the radio as innocent people are being murdered. I…I hate feeling people dying around me and not being able to do a thing to stop it! I want to help!"

Gohan sighed and his eyes softened. He reached out a hand and patted Trunks' head, much like what Piccolo and his father did to comfort him. "Trunks, I know you do. I understand how you're feeling, more than you can ever know. But the simple fact is that you're too young. Your body and mind are not ready for this type of fight."

Trunks looked closed to tears and he was breathing harshly.

Gently, Gohan squeezed his head. "But I guess I can teach you some things."

"Gohan!?" Trunks exclaimed in shock.

"I'm not going to teach you how to fight. Not yet," Gohan clarified. "What I am going to teach you is how to fly and control your energy. That way, you won't be completely helpless if the androids or another threat comes for you."

Trunks nearly jumped for joy and hugged Gohan, forgetting that the older boy was injured. "Thank you, Gohan!"

Gohan smile, despite the pain he was in. "No problem, Trunks. But...can you please let go."

Bulma rubbed her tires eyes as he stared at another book. She knew the theories of time were complex, but she never considered how time consuming this would be.

It has been several days since she came to Omori's island. She was worried about Trunks, but knew he would be alright with her parents. Besides, she couldn't let go of this. She was closed to finding an answer that would beat those androids.

"It's hard to believe that you actually invented a machine that slows down time around a limited area," Bulma said, deeply impressed. "This invention alone would have gotten your name in every science book."

"Yeah, it came in handy years ago, but I never could make a fully functional time machine," Omori said as he put more books on the table. "I guess I could had eventually figured it out if I didn't give up. Although, I have my doubts."

"Well, I'm glad you didn't throw these notes and blueprints away, otherwise I would be starting from scratch. Your device may not be a functional time machine, but it's still an excellent prototype," Bulma said as she gave a deep yawn.

"Perhaps you should go to bed. You've been up for nearly a day now," Omori said with some concern.

Bulma rubbed her eyes again. "I'm fine."

Omori snorted. "Yeah right, you're close to passing out. You're not going to learn the theories of time any faster if you run yourself into the ground. Believe me, I know."

"I...I just need to do something. I spent eight years living in fear for my family because of those monsters. For the first time in a long time I actually feel useful," Bulma said as she leaned into her hands.

Omori gave a sad smile. "It's funny. The more I get to know you, the more alike I see we are. My condolences."

Bulma chuckled at the joke.

"You seem to have a personal interest in the androids," Omori noted. "Did they kill people you love?"

Bulma stiffened at the question. "They took several people I cared for. They died fighting the androids the day they arrived in South City."

This got Omori's interest. "These friends of your had to have been a strong bunch if they could stand up to the androids even for a short while."

Bulma nodded sadly. "Very strong."

"And yet, the person you want to save must be even greater," Omori said.

"He was a great man. He was our hero and protector," Bulma spoke softy. "I guess...we took his power for granted."

"You say he died before the androids came," Omori said.

Bulma nodded. "He was killed by the heart virus."

"Aw," Omori murmured in understanding. "Yeah, I heard of that virus. It killed countless people worldwide. It got to the point that you were either killed by that or the androids."

"Well, my company finally found a cure for it," Bulma went on. "If I could go back in time, give Goku the antidote and warn him about the androids, we could save everyone."

Omori nodded. "In theory, it's a decent plan. That is, of course, we don't create a paradox and cause the timeline to implode." He paused for a moment. "And…it may not even be possible to power a time machine even if we do somehow create one."

This got Bulma's attention. "What do you mean?"

"It takes a great deal of power to create a machine that can break the barriers of time," Omori explained. "Even if we gathered another energy to make the trip, there maybe nothing left to bring the person back. The failed time machine outside drains energy so badly that it works for only a few minutes before it burns itself out."

Bulma rubbed her forehead. "I've never considered that."

"Well, if time travel was easy, mankind would have figured it out by now," Omori said before he had a far off look. "Although, I wonder if we are worth saving."

Bulma looked at the older man.

"Those androids weren't created by aliens or demons. They were made by a human," Omori said in a far off voice. "I saw them on television a long time ago when they were starting their reign of terror. Those two wear the logo of the old Red Ribbon Army. Only one man from that organization had the intelligence and the moral bankruptcy to create such creatures. Dr. Gero."

"You knew him?" Bulma asked, greatly interested.

"I met him in passing years ago. What an unpleasant fellow to say the least," Omori said in disgust. "He was the type of person you knew who would blow up the world or something. He was such a cliché 'evil' scientist that we used to crack jokes about him. Although, I didn't know...didn't believe he would go this far. What the hell he was thinking creating those two androids?"

Bulma stared at her hands. "He made them because of a grudge."

Omori's head shot up, breaking out of his musings. "A what?"

"The friend I was talking about saving, Goku, single-handedly destroyed the Red Ribbon Army. Gero wanted revenge against Goku and created those androids to kill him," Bulma explained.

Omori was left speechless for several seconds. "A grudge? All those people who were killed and are suffering…. Our world is dying... And it all happened because of a grudge?" He growled in anger. He was literally trembling. "I knew that man had a couple of screws loose, but I didn't think…..never imagine he would be so twisted to caused the death of us all over something so petty." He wanted to throw something. "Damn him."

"It ended up killing him too. Those androids murdered him," Bulma stated coldly.

Omori almost chuckled. "So, there is some poetic justice left in the world. Too bad his madness has damned us all with him. In a way, he got off easy. He doesn't have to live in the world he created."

"If my plan work, we can be save," Bulma said, more determined than ever. "Maybe those androids were created by a human, but that doesn't make the rest of us bad. We shouldn't be punished for one man's insanity."

Omori stared at Bulma. "Seeing you, I am regaining my faith in humanity, little by little. Despite myself, I'm beginning to feel hope again."

Bulma smiled as she went back to her readings. "And that's exactly what this project is. Hope."

She paused as those words left her mouth.

Hope?

She remembered when Goku had those nightmares where he kept screaming about there being no hope. And that it was fault.

Did he know? Did he somehow foresee the coming of the androids?

She didn't want to believe that was true. If so, during his last days Goku was forced to see a future he couldn't prevent. To watch those he loved suffer and die because he wasn't here to saved them. And that he was indirectly the caused of everything.

It was too cruel to imagined.

Not only did the virus robbed Goku of his life and killed him in the most painful way imaginable, but it also tortured him with the death of their world. What kind of twisted universe did they live in that it would do something so cruel to such a kind man like Goku? It was like the gods themselves were mocking him all the way to his grave.

She shook her head as hot tears ran down her eyes.

She wouldn't allow such an injustice to stand. In some distance world, Goku had to survived. Not only for their world's sake, but for his as well. If he was destine to die, let it be on the battlefield fighting back against fate. He deserved that much.

"Hey, are you okay?" Omori asked, cutting through Bulma's thoughts.

"I'm fine," Bulma answered in determination as she wiped her tears.

She would bring hope back into this world.

So far, this has been one of my favorite chapters to write. It's always enjoyable expanding the Dragon World. And congrats to Hero Entertainment for knowing Omori was a character from Jaco. Seriously, if you are fan of Dragon Ball, you should read it a least once. It is very enjoyable.

Well, until next chapter.