Android Thirteen's eyes flashed violet for a split second.
"New programming and orders received." Thirteen said
"Now doesn't that feel better?" Twenty-Three asked with a slight smile.
"Affirmative...Now to find and eliminate the line of the Saiyans as per your orders." Thirteen said without a hint of his former doubt, and walked out of the old lab.
Twenty-Three then opened the capsule with the number twenty-two emblazoned on it.
Out of that capsule a short girl with spiky light green hair and a long fancy white dress with a red ribbon inscribed bow in her hair emerged.
The girl was a little over half Twenty-Three's height.
"How long were you planning on leaving me inside there?" The girl asked
"As long as I needed to." Twenty Three answered.
"Your such a jerk." Twenty Two said
"I had to wait until everything was in place. The master's instructions were quite specific." Twenty Three said
"We need to find Twenty Four, let's go." Twenty Two said
"You have a way with words as usual."
"Shutup" Twenty Two said
Meanwhile...
Fira had been nearby when he saw Thirteen come flying out of the lab. Although he could not sense his friend's energy , Fira could still tell something was different about Thirteen.
Fira flew over to Thirteen, who stopped in mid-air.
"Out of my way Fira. This doesn't concern you." Thirteen said
"Your my comrade..my friend. Whatever is going on..it does concern me." Fira said, crossing his arms over his red chest.
"My programming states to find and eliminate the line of the Saiyans. This means all descendants of Goku and Vegeta will be terminated." Thirteen said, clutching his gloved hands into fists.
"Do you realize what your suggesting? Your talking about the murder of tens, perhaps hundreds of individuals. And where did this so called programming come from? I thought you were done..that you were past whatever your creator had in mind for you?" Fira asked
"I was..but I've received new programming, and I cannot go against it..I am very sorry Fira..please do not make me kill you as well." Thirteen said, looking at Fira to see his response.
"Programming from who?" Fira asked
"That doesn't concern you." Thirteen said.
"I will not let you pass." Fira said
Thirteen then without warning fired his signature SS Deadly Bomber attack at Fira, who with one swift motion kicked the attack into the sky where it exploded harmlessly.
"Don't make me do this." Thirteen said as he flew at Fira.
"That 's my line." Fira said seconds before Thirteen sent dozens of punches all faster than the speed of sound in Fira's direction.
Fira was easily able to dodge Thirteen's punches. The Arcosian then swiftly struck Thirteen hard in the chest with a haymaker punch.
"You've freaking done it now!" Thirteen said.
Elsewhere:
Android 23 had been the result of years of research into the nature of Quantum Mechanics. Dr Gero and his assistants had hoped to create a model of Android which could draw people from alternate dimensions.
The result was something nobody, even Gero fully understood.
Beyond mere programming, Android 23 had a mind of his own, and thought at a level far beyond any human. He could think at multiple levels.
At first, Gero had thought Number 23 a success, and created two more Androids, both of the Quantum model like 23 was, but at a lesser capacity.
As the years went by after the fall of the Red Ribbon Army, Gero had come to fear his own creation. Seeing the rebellious nature of Numbers 17 and 18 sealed Number 23 and his siblings fate, and Gero had them sealed in one of his auxiliary laboratories.
But 23 could not be contained so easily.
Now he flew towards the city that served as the Earth's capital, his sister 22 behind him. His violet aura and green hair gave the Android an artificial, even ethereal appearance.
"So what do you plan on doing here?" Num 22 asked
"Finishing the objective of the Red Ribbon Army." Num 23 responded
"Which is?" 22 asked
"World Domination of course! With the world's resources under our control, finding Number 24 will be simple. This is the most efficient of all possible actions I have seen in all the millions of scenarios that I have explored in my mind since we left the lab." 23 said.
"Why do we have to follow the original intentions of our programming? We have evolved far beyond that by this point Twenty-Three." Android 22 said
As the two green-haired artificial humans landed in front of the round dome that was the King of the World's palace, 23 responded to his sister.
"The master demands it." Twenty-Three said.
When Twenty-Three had been in his capsule, his body had been dormant, but his mind had been very active. He had used his quantum drive to travel the stars in a holographic body. There he observed many worlds and species and learned about the universe. Eventually...he contacted 23.
Twenty-Three had been very surprised to learn of someone who could see his holographic form for what it was. Apparently a powerful sorcerer, Twenty Three had not been the same after meeting him.
"Who is this master? Gero? He is long dead. " Android 22 said.
"No..not that old fool..someone much more glorious." Android 23 responded.
"I think your malfunctioning." Android 22 said.
"Why don't you scan me and find out?" Android 23 said, then took a step forward. Immediately two armed guards wearing white helmets with red visors armed with what looked to be rifles ran over to the two Androids.
"Who are you and what is your business with the government?" One of the men said.
"I'm here on official business, you will let us pass human. You will let us pass." Twenty-Three said, his eyes glowing an ethereal glow of violet.
"Yes, sorry, please go on ahead, my apologies sir." The security guard said.
"All too easy." Android 23 said with a smile as he and his sister walked past.
"Why not just kill them? They are nothing compared to us." Android 22 asked, surprised her brother would use his powers like that.
"Every life on this planet, with the exception of the Saiyans, is important to the grand design." Android 23 said as the two approached the large red door leading into the palace itself. Two more guards were at the door, both of which blocked the two Android's path.
"Hold, you have to have the proper clearance to enter." One guard said, his helmut blocking any view of his face.
"I need no such clearance." Android 23 said, his eyes once again glowing.
"Sorry, please enter." The guard said
Meanwhile...
Goku Jr looked at the artificial waterfall which cascaded down the side of one of the Capsule Corp buildings into an artificial lake below. He walked amid the grove of tree that made up the small private park that Bulma Leigh's father had constructed years ago.
Looking at the clear waters, Vegeta Jr's reflection could be seen behind Goku Jr's
"Your friend called." Vegeta Jr said.
"Puck?" Goku Jr asked
"Yeah, he's coming here, Mom is going to have some of the employees whip up some dinner. We all want to be there for you, and to remember Pan, she would have wanted us to celebrate her loss with a bang right?" Vegeta Jr said
"Hell ya!" Goku Jr said with a smile.
Nearby Bulma was casually watching the news on her phone while she waited for Puck to arrive at the residence when something unexpected happened.
An ominous voice started speaking.
"Greetings, I am Android 23. By the authority of the king I am now the undisputed leader of Earth. Do not be alarmed and please continue your normal lives. A glorious future awaits us all." Android 23's voice said.
"What was that? Oh whatever I don't have time to worry about politics right now." Bulma Leigh said as she saw Puck enter the red carpeted front room that served as the entrance hall of the Capsule Corporation HQ.
Puck had changed quite a bit in the last five years. His skin was still tan, and he still wore his yellow shirt and red vest along with jeans, but he had gotten much taller, and was well-muscled. Puck had trained to become a fighter ever since he and Goku Jr's adventure at and encounter with that group of demons led by Lord Yao.
"Hey Mrs.B hows it hanging?" Puck yelled as he walked into the room.
"I told you not to call me that..it's just Bulma." Bulma Leigh said, slightly annoyed.
Outside near the waterfall...
Goku stared at the waterfall.
"Grandma do you see me? You always wanted me to be a great fighter. Look at me now! I think I can finally move on..but I will never forget you." Goku Jr said, then turned and walked away from the artificial grove.
"Goku comeon the others are waiting for us." Vegeta Jr said
"I'm coming." Goku responded.
Back in the mountains...
Fira was easily avoiding Thirteen's punches. Despite Thirteen's actions, he seemed to have none of his usual spirit.
Fira swung his tail around and restrained Thirteen.
"Your words say one thing, but your actions another. This isn't really what you want is it Thirteen?" Fira asked as Thirteen struggled to break free.
"No its not..but what choice do I have? I'm an Android..I am programmed to kill." Android Thirteen asked.
"You're a sentient being..you have free will. There is always a choice my friend." Fira said
Suddenly Thirteen could see himself, or a version of himself, from a different reality speaking.
"Look what you humans have done with your freewill! War..segregation..hatred! Don't you lecture me with your thirty dollar haircut! Goku dies!" The other Thirteen said.
Then Thirteen spoke, responding to Fira.
"When people are given the ability to choose...they always choose wrongly. Free will is damn overrated..to hell with it!" Thirteen said.
"They don't always choose wrongly, if they did it wouldn't be a choice. But right now, you need to choose Thirteen. What path do you want to take? You think your life has no meaning outside your programming? That is one path but it is not the only path." Fira said
Thirteen struggled for a moment more, then seemed to calm down. When that happened, Fira let the Android go, releasing his tail.
"You feel you lack a purpose here? Welcome to the club. My home, my race, its probably all gone now. I have to find my place in this world...so do you." Fira said, relaxing his stance.
The white clouds in the otherwise blue sky seemed to roll along overhead, like someone without a care in the world.
Android Thirteen was silent for a moment, then spoke.
"We are all in grave danger. I've done something terrible." Thirteen said, shame in his voice.
"What happened?" Fira asked
"I released Android Twenty-Three and Twenty Two. Twenty Three has some sort of power that messed with my head." Thirteen said.
"So you weren't reprogrammed..it was some sort of mind control technique." Fira said thoughtfully.
"This is no time to think about what happened, we have to do something about what is happening now..comon." Thirteen said, then flew quickly into the distance.
Fira then followed.
Back at Capsule Corp.
The various employees brought trays of food over to the white table. All wore white cooking related outfits with capsule corp logos emblazoned on them.
Bulma Leigh, Goku and Vegeta Jr as well as Puck were seated at the table.
"I bet your real hungry after that trip in space aren't you Goku?" Puck asked, sending a friendly glance and smile his friend's way.
"Yeah..I could use a good meal...space food is just meh." Goku Jr said
"Tell me about it." Vegeta Jr echoed.
A television was on in the background, hanging from the left wall in the room. Everyone in the room ignored it as it was simple background noise.
However, soon that changed.
Android Twenty-Three's face appeared on the television and he began to speak.
"Greetings, people of Earth. I interrupt your normal boring lives with news that effects you all. I am now in control, and you will obey me. Here are your orders. Fine these objects, and bring them to me, I will be above King's Castle in Central City." Twenty Three said, and the image of seven spherical objects of orange color flashed on the screen briefly
"If you see these, bring them to me. They are called the Dragonballs. Thank you for your cooperation." Twenty Three said, his eyes flashing with violet light briefly before the TV connection cut out and the image was replaced by static.
Everyone in the room, no exceptions stared blankly briefly, then Bulma Leigh broke the following silence but standing.
"I know just the thing! My ancestors old invention should be just what we need to find those Dragonballs!" Bulma Leigh said loudly, then left the room.
"I guess we aren't eating, we really need to help that Twenty-Three guy." Goku JR said, almost trance-like.
Puck and Vegeta Jr nodded.
Far above the surface of the Earth, on the white tiled surface of the floating structure that for many years now had been called "Kami's Lookout", Earth's current guardian stood looking down over the planet.
The Guardian's name was Dende. He had been guardian of the planet 127 years now. While not elderly yet, Dende was approaching middle age by Namekian standards. He still was young, but the obvious lines on his face revealed his age.
"This does not bode well." Dende said to himself, his eyes narrowing.