Disclaimer: All rights to the name "Dragonball Z" belong solely to Akira Toriyama. I do not own this franchise nor do I profit from the writing of this story.
Author's Note: Well, here is the next chapter to my story. Thanks to all those who have stuck by and read/reviewed, it is greatly appreciated. Anyway, enjoy the next chapter.
Android 17 was still in utter disbelief over the events that had just transpired. On the ground lay the only person who ever considered his friend, Android 18, and now she was dead. Even though they had gone against a superior enemy, never in Android 17's mind did he think that either he nor his sister would lose the fight, not when they were working together.
Indeed, they did win the fight but a terrible cost. Android 17 was there with the final blow but not after his sister sacraficed her life to give him the precious opening that he needed to end the fight.
All his life, he had been told that he and his sister were the strongest in the world, that nothing could threaten their existence. Android 17 believed it whole heartily. Nothing could stop them, they were perfect. Perhaps it did not dawn on Android 17 that the enemy they had just defeated was capable to killing them many times over and died only as a result of its inexperience and arrogance.
The world turned dark as rain suddenly began to pour all around Android 17. His wretched mood was made even worse by the change of weather.
"How very cliche...to think that this would happen to me." thought Android 17 as he felt his body get absolutely drenched in the down pour. Looking down, he could see Android 18's face. Her eyes were closed and her mouth held a small smile. She looked so peaceful, like she was only sleeping and enjoying a good dream and that, in any moment, she would wake up.
Yet, the rivets of blood that started to wash through the earth gave away the fact that Android 18 was indeed dead and that she would never waken again.
Knowing that he could not leave her there, Android 17 resolved to bury her. He did not have the heart to cremate or disintegrate her and he did not want to put her in stasis in Gero's lab, thinking the environment too mechanical and artificial for a final resting place.
Android 17 was concerned with his task that he did not hear the wind roar suddenly as the Earth's new Z-Fighters made their descent.
Korin could tell that something was very wrong the moment they took flight from Kami's Lookout. The huge amounts of energy being expelled into the air was a dead give away to the Android's location, but Korin did not understand why they would be sending blasts into the air. It was almost as if they were wanting to be found.
It was not until they neared their destination that Korin felt something was indeed amiss. The only way that the Androids would be expelling such energy would be because they were in battle, but with whom?
Besides them, there were no humans alive with the power necessary to get the Androids to fight serious.
Korin's first thought turned to that ugly monster that he and Mr. Popo had discovered nearly a week before. Though the monster was sufficiently powerful, it would, at best, probably hover at around Frieza's pinnacle power. Enough for the Androids to consider annoying but not enough for them to expend such vast quantities of energy in order to dispose of.
All his questions were answered as soon as he and his fellow warriors landed on the Earth. All around him, he saw the torn mechanical remains of a strange android, one that he had never seen before.
His heart raced, thinking that perhaps there were more of these mechanical monstrosities then he thought and that even the presence of one more android could mean the end of them. Yet, as he observed the battle ground, it seemed that this particular strange android and the two teenage Androids were not in league with each other and had fought amongst themselves.
This would explain all the energy being expended, as the only thing so far to threaten Androids 17 and 18 was another Android of the same creator.
"What has happened here?" asked Roshi, who was somewhat suspicious as the rain poured over in streams on his sunglasses.
"I have yet to find that out, Roshi. I can only hope that it will be to our advantage." said Korin.
"Look, over there!" said Yajirobe as he pointed over to his right.
All the warriors turned to find Android 17 kneeling at a clearing just about three hundred yards away from them. He was on his knees and seemed to be holding something. Unfortunately, his back was to them so the warriors could not see what exactly he was holding on to.
"What do you think he's doing?" asked Yajirobe once more.
"Does it matter? His back is to us and he has not been alerted to our presence. I will kill him from where I stand." said Mercenary Tao as he held his arm up as he proceeded to gather ki for a Dodonpa.
"Stay your hand, Mercenary! There are many riddles surrounding us and I intend to know what has happened here. Besides, you are too far away for your attack to succeed. The android will surely be alerted to your beam's heat signature and dodge." said Korin.
Mercenary Tao looked like he wanted to argue but he soon backed down. Korin was right. Even against normal martial artists, three hundred yards was pushing it. Against an Android, it would surely dodge. Mercenary Tao just snorted as he resumed his cross armed posture.
"I can't take it! That 'thing' is over there and completely oblivious. I'm gonna go out and kill that thing right now before it even has a chance to fight back!" growled Hercule, his fists shaking.
Korin knew he had to intervene.
"No, you will not do such a thing. Though your feelings are justified fighting alone will only result in your death and lowering our chances in saving this planet. I have a plan though. I want all of you to take cover in the bush around us. I will go and confront the Androids by myself so that I can force their attention on me. When you see an opening, fire away." said Korin.
Hercule's fists shook as his eyes were beginning to see red. He had been waiting nearly two years to kill this android and he could not wait any longer. That thing killed the only person that made him happy. Videl did not deserve to die the way she did.
Korin was now extremely concerned that Hercule would not listen to reason and that he would be forced to confront him.
To Korin's immense relief, Chi-Chi decided to intervene.
"Hercule, calm down. I-I know that you want that thing dead. I want him dead to for taking away my Gohan. But we can't beat that thing by ourselves. How would your daughter feel if she knew that you had the power to kill these Androids but failed to do so because you were too angry?" asked Chi-Chi.
Hercule stopped for a second and his thoughts soon strayed to him being in the after-life and getting througly scolded by his daughter due to his reckless behavior...something that she had always chastised him for when she was still alive.
At once, Hercule calmed down and even smirked a bit when the thought past.
"You're right. I originally opened up a shelter to help people who couldn't help themselves, not just because I wanted my daughter safe. I have to think of those who are still alive." said Hercule.
"That's right. We have suffered at the hands of these monsters but let us give the people who are alive a chance...a chance to live a life without having to worry that their little ones will die because some freak of nature machine decided to kill them all." said Chi-Chi.
"Yeah, for sure." said Hercule as he smiled.
"How very touching but can we move this along? Those androids are not going to play statue all day and if they escape before I can kill them today, then some heads are going to roll." threatened Mercenary Tao.
"The Mercenary is right. Time is of the essence. We shall make ourselves scarce and go with the plan." said Mr. Popo.
"Disappear then, all of you. I will approach the androids!" said Korin.
Only the round of roaring wind could be heard as Earth's warriors took their hiding places in a flash and soon, Korin was all alone. He approached the kneeling Android slowly.
Android 17 soon realized that no matter how long he was besides Android 18, she would not come back to life. He soon got to his feet and raised his arm to his right. He pointed downward and blasted it with a kia.
The earth shattered as dirt flew out from the ground. A small crater was then formed, about eight feet all around and about five feet deep. Not the best way to bury someone but better than nothing.
He knealt down and proceeded to pick up Android 18's corpse and lifted her up. She was light and Android 17 had no trouble picking her up. He then walked over to the crater and proceeded to place her inside. He then soon started to gather mounds of dirt in his hands and proceeded to bury her.
Android 17 did not go far when he heard a voice.
"Such a pity that her life be extinguished at such a young age. Perhaps her passing will give you insight on the suffering you had wrought upon the peoples of this world and that maybe upon your death, you can beg for repentance."
Android 17 growled angrily and threw his fist out at the direction of the voice. He was a bit surprised to find that his fist was caught quite easily. He looked over to see a rather muscular man about two inches taller than himself staring down at him with. His schelra was yellow with with a conical black pupils. A white mane adorned his neck with dark tufts a black hair that went to his shoulder. His face was strong and pointed, with a mustache and goatee. He bore a white loincloth with a brown leather belt fastened about his waist. He wore large boots and had no shirt. He was eccentric looking to say the least.
"Who are you?" asked Android 17 through gritted teeth as he drew his fist back sharply from Korin's grasp.
"My name is Korin. I have resided in the large tower over the Tribal lands for nearly 800 years. I have watched the destruction that you and your comrade have brought upon this planet. I have tarried as long as I could but when I saw that nothing was going to stop you, I felt that it was necessary for me to take action personally." said Korin sternly.
"Oh really, and what are you supposed to be, God or something?" asked Android 17 in disgust.
"I am second to Kami in rank over the domain of this planet. You should be honored. Your actions have caused so much trouble that even the Lord of the Afterlife, King Yemma, wants you dead. I am here to carry out his orders." said Korin.
It was then that Android 17 started to smile widely before laughing out loud obnoxiously. Korin had a mind to sock him right then and there but he decided to just stand and wait until the Android was finished. There were some other things he wanted to ask him.
"Oh, this is just swell, isn't it? Now even the "gods" are pissed at me? What next, some alien looking thing is gonna come and eat me for dinner then? I have heard some really weird stuff but you take the cake man. That was so unbelievable and stupid that I might just torture you so that I can get my mind off of other things." said Android 17 with mean glare in his eyes.
"Like the death of your comrade, or should I say, your sister?" said Korin.
Android 17's face suddenly got ugly as he scowled.
"How did you know that she was my sister?" asked Android 17 harshly.
"I simply assumed she was considering how identical the two of you look. Then again, from my post, I can see every living person in the world. Such a terrible sight to behold. I have witnessed every single casualty that you have committed. Tell me, Android, why do you delight in the slaughter of the people around you?" asked Korin.
"Does it matter. They're there, we're bored, we blow stuff up, we find out its fun, we keep doing it, people die, end of story." said Android 17.
"That the lives of these people meant nothing to you? Have you idea that each life you took had a will of their own, dreams in which that person wished to achieve, loved ones in which this person was important to." said Korin.
"They are nothing! Human filth and that's all." snarled Android 17.
"Really? Have you no allusions that you too are human, at least partly? The anguish that you suffer through the loss of your sister. Imagine that feeling of wretchedness that you are experiencing right now. Imagine every person you have ever destroyed. Do you not think that they felt the same, if not worse, over the losses they suffered at your hands?" asked Korin.
"Enough! I know what you are trying to do. Playing mind games because you are too weak to fight. Yeah, I'm man enough to admit that I miss my sister. That she was the only friend I ever had, that she was the only one there with me when she and I had to go through that hell with that insane doctor. The fact that she's not here makes me empty inside, that even killing people doesn't seem so fun anymore. But let me make one thing clear god-man. My sister's life is infinitely more valuable and precious than those meatbags that currently walk around this place. Why should I be concerned about the feelings of insects?" asked Android 17.
As if on cue, Android 17 felt a fist slam right onto his cheek as he was sent flying. Before he could recover, he felt a large force strike him in the back, sending him skyward. Android 17's sensors suddenly bleeped as he realized that a large heat signature was heading his way. He righed himself immediately and moved to avoid the narrow beam that would have pierced his body.
Enraged, Android 17 descended down to earth to find that Korin was not alone.
There were at six others accompanying him. Android 17 smiled.
"I see that you were not alone god-man. Perhaps I can have a bit of fun and work of some stress by killing the whole lot of you!" said Android 17.
"Such folly, to not realize that you are soon going to be overwhelmed. We have been training for this day and your defeat will come at our hands." said Korin.
"Like I haven't heard that one before. Well, bring it on you freaks, I'll kill each of you one by one!" roared Android 17.
Thus the battle of man vs machine was about to commence.
Author's Note: I know its short but I plan to update really soon to complement this chapter. Hope you all enjoyed.