Cerise watched as the machine flew up into the air and steadily vanished from sight.
Time travel.
Now she'd heard it all.
"So, are you going to give us the details?" Tien asked, looking between Goku and Neka. "I get the two are from the future, but why were they here?"
Goku looked just like Cerise expected. His hair never seemed to change, from his photos when he was a kid to where he was now. It still looked like a lopsided palm tree. But it worked for him. She felt the urge to run to him right then, but she figured it be best to wait until she had the chance to speak to him alone.
"To save us from Frieza?" Krillin suggested.
"No," Piccolo said. "They were warning us of a coming threat."
Goku and Neka looked at Piccolo in surprise.
"You heard?" Goku asked.
"These ears aren't just for show, Goku," Piccolo said flatly, then looked toward the others. "Three and a half years from now, two androids created by the Red Ribbon Army are going to arrive in South City. They're going to kill just about all of us."
Cerise felt her blood run cold. Her gaze fell to the ground and her body began to numb. No. It couldn't be! Her heart began to hammer.
"The Red Ribbon Army?" Yamcha echoed, eyes going wide. "But Goku destroyed them years ago!"
"Not all," Piccolo said.
Cerise looked up to see him looking at her. She felt her body seize up as everyone followed his gaze.
"What?" Gohan asked. "Why are you looking at Cerise? Cerise? Do you know something?"
Cerise swallowed. It seemed there was no more room for hiding. She looked toward Goku, stepping forward.
"I was going to wait to speak with you alone, Son Goku, but it looks like now is a good a time as any," she said.
"Hold on." Vegeta stepped forward, glaring at her. "You mean to tell me you know something about these androids? You've known the entire time and haven't said anything?"
Cerise turned to glare back at him. "For the record, you aren't exactly easy to talk to, and I didn't want to freak Gohan out!"
Vegeta scowled and started to move toward her again but Neka stepped between them.
"That's enough," she told her brother then glanced toward Cerise. "What do you know?"
Cerise looked back to Goku. "The last member of the Red Ribbon Army, the scientist, Dr. Gero? He's... he's my father."
Goku blinked in surprise. "What? Really?"
Cerise nodded. "Well, technically he's my adoptive father. My birth father was someone you might have met. Commander Red, the leader of the Red Ribbon Army when you took it down."
Goku looked stunned. Then his face flickered with conflict. "So... so you must blame me for his death, then?"
Cerise shook her head. "Whether you killed my father with your own hands or not, it was his greed and selfish ambition that killed him. He never treated me like family. I was only ever just a thing he had to take care of. I never went hungry, always got what I wanted, but... he didn't love me. Gero watched me a lot. He taught me all I know."
"But if your family was Red Ribbon, aren't you with them?" Yamcha asked, folding his arms.
"No," Cerise said so fast and sharply it made most of them blink in surprise. She sighed. "I'm fully aware that the Red Ribbon Army was doing terrible things. Hurting innocent people. They needed to be stopped, and I can't thank you enough for doing it, Goku." She gave him a smile, but then looked at the ground. "I just wish that Gero felt the same."
"So he took this army's disband hard, then?" Neka asked.
Cerise nodded. "The Red Ribbon Army allowed him to do what he loved. They were the only ones who gave him a chance. He was loyal to them. I will admit, at first, I was so sad for him, I too was upset they were gone. Gero wanted revenge. He began building synthetic humans in order to track down and kill Goku. That's why I've been trying to find you for the past six years. To warn you." She looked at Goku with desperation, hoping he believed her.
"It's true," Piccolo suddenly said. "I read her intentions when we first met. She means us no harm, and has no loyalty left for Gero or the Red Ribbon Army. We can trust her."
"But you said that you sided with Gero at first," Bulma said. "What changed your mind?"
Cerise's eyes went to the ground again. She balled up her fists.
"He went too far," she murmured.
"What do you mean?" Tien asked.
Cerise looked up at them again. "He let this need for revenge totally blind him. He kidnapped two teens off the streets and... experimented on them. Against their will!" Heat was rising in her face and she felt her nails cutting into the skin of her palms. "It was wrong. He twisted them, changed them. Took away their will. I think they are the androids that those two from the future warned us about. They are by far his strongest creations. But they aren't ready yet. They still try to kill him every time he tries to activate them."
"Do you know where this Gero is?" Krillin asked. "Maybe we can get in there and stop the androids from ever being activated!"
"When I left, Gero relocated his lab," Cerise said. "All I have access to is some files left over from his old lair. That's how I found out where Goku lived. But it was a huge risk hacking into the systems. I'm certain he knows someone did, and he's a genius. He has to know it was me. But at least he shouldn't be able to track my location."
"Tch," Vegeta scoffed. "So you've been lying to us this entire time. And you too, slug." He shot a glare toward Piccolo.
"I don't see how it's an issue, Vegeta," Piccolo said. "She's still on our side."
"I still want to study energy work," Cerise said. "With luck, I'll be able to help with the battle! I can draw up what I remember of their blueprints for Bulma, and maybe together we can come up with something that might hinder them."
"It's worth a shot," Neka murmured. "We can't allow the future those two came from to happen."
There was a short, grim silence of agreement.
"So, shall we start training?" Yamcha asked. "No time to waste."
"We just got back," Neka barked at him. "I would like to have at least a month to relax with my family, thank you very much."
"We just got told that there's killer robots coming and you want to take a break?" Krillin asked incredulously.
Neka glared at him. "Is that a problem?"
"No- it's just really surprising to hear you wanting to... relax," Krillin said with a nervous laugh.
Neka glanced toward Gohan then looked back at Krillin. "We understand the threat now. We can take measures we wouldn't have if we hadn't been warned. I'm certain a month won't matter."
"Tch, you can relax all you want, Neka, but I'm not," Vegeta said. "My training starts now."
Neka looked over at him. "Couldn't you wait even a day? I haven't been able to talk to you in a long time." Her tone seemed scolding, but Cerise heard emotion behind it too. She still didn't know the full story behind Neka and Vegeta. She found herself curious.
"Later, perhaps," Vegeta said, waving her off. "When the clown you decided to mate with isn't around."
"Hey, that's not fair, Vegeta," Goku said with a laugh.
"Oh shut up, Kakarot," Vegeta snapped.
"Vegeta," Cerise said, remembering something suddenly.
He looked at her, squinting his eyes in suspicion.
"Bulma's father is working on a ship like the one Goku and Neka took to Namek. It has a gravity machine in it. We could fly it out to the house and you could train even better using that," she said.
Vegeta's eyes widened in sudden surprise then he gave her another glare. "What's this 'we' business?"
"Well, I still need to study energy work," Cerise said. "And the device is used to your signature. So of course, I'd be observing."
Vegeta's brow twitched. "Woman, I've already had enough of your 'observing'! I'll not stand your presence any longer!"
Cerise bit her lip. Vegeta still scared her, but things were different now. Her father's plans were going farther than she ever imagined. The future was going to be driven to apocalyptic standards because of him and his creations. She could see those twins in her mind's eye. They'd been her age when he took them. Lapis and Lazuli. Brother and sister. They were homeless, with no one to miss them. But they had their lives ahead of them, they could have become anything. Instead, Gero took any chance they had at happiness away.
She could not stand by and let this happen. She would have to shove aside her fear of Vegeta. What she said was true, the device was more honed to his signature than even Gohan's. She could learn the most from him. She wasn't about to let him stop her from helping everyone else become stronger.
"Well tough titties, jackass!" she said before she could thought about her words.
Vegeta gaped at her, jaw slack. Cerise realized all her pent up anger at his ridiculous attitude must have spilled out in that outburst. She decided to roll with it.
"Look, do you care about your sister? Your nephew? Then you'll put up with my 'presence' because with my help, I could easily help all of you get stronger. And if you don't want my help, fine, but you aren't going to stop me from helping everyone else!" she shouted, fists balled up, face flushing. "This is the whole world we're talking about! I won't allow my father's work to destroy it! So why don't you put stow away the douche bag attitude and see the big picture!"
The entire group was silent. Cerise suddenly felt embarrassment wash over her. She wasn't used to losing her temper like that. She coughed into her fist and added in a small voice, "Please."
Vegeta's jaw closed with a clack of his teeth. He slowly narrowed his eyes toward her. Cerise was convinced he was going to rush her and send her flying across the landscape. But to her surprise Vegeta let out a irritated grunt and folded his arms, glancing away from her.
"Fine. But remember what I told you when I allowed you to stay the first time," he muttered.
Cerise felt a smile find her lips. She actually managed to convince Vegeta. Granted, it might be because they had an audience. But all the same, if he was willing to allow her to continue to observe him, it was beneficial all the same.
"Then I guess it's off to train," Tien said, Chiaotzu nodding beside him.
"We'll all keep in touch," Krillin said. "But for sure we'll be meeting up three and a half years from now at South City."
"I'm ready to see our house again," Neka said, picking up Gohan into her arms.
Cerise suddenly paled.
"Oh," she breathed.
Vegeta had told her the room she was staying in belonged to Goku and Neka. And it was currently completely covered with her equipment and clothes.
Gohan noticed her reaction and laughed. "It's okay, Cerise, I'm sure they won't mind! We can clean up their room in no time!"
"Wait, what are you talking about?" Neka demanded, eyes darting between Gohan and Cerise.
"I allowed her to stay in your room for the past few months," Vegeta said. "Gohan insisted. Your room might be a mess."
"Oh." Gohan looked suddenly concerned. "But where will Cerise stay now?"
"With me," Bulma said, stepping forward. "We have loads of rooms at Capsule Corp, and I sure could use an assistant. I'd be more than happy to help with your science work if you help with mine, Cerise! And then we don't even have to move that ship for Vegeta."
"You're inviting Vegeta to come stay at Capsule Corp?" Yamcha cried.
"I think the probable property damage is worth it if I can have someone like Cerise helping me." Bulma shrugged. "It feels like all the other Z Fighters are there anyway."
"What did you just call them?" Neka raised a brow toward her.
"Well, you guys need some kind of name, right?" Bulma laughed. "Come on. I suggest we all get out of here. This heat is killing me."
*.*.*
The water was cool and refreshing, like liquid silk against her skin. Neka waded out further into the river with a sigh. She let her tail uncurl from her waist and swish back and forth in the current behind her. The sun was shining above, the heat of spring gentle and soothing. It had been so long since Neka could relax. Though, even this wasn't entirely calming with the threat of the androids in the back of her mind.
There was a mighty splash ahead of her, and Goku appeared, holding a giant fish by its tail.
"Whoo!" he gasped. "This one is a feisty one!"
"It's a fish," Neka said with a roll of her eyes. "It's hardly formidable against a Saiyan."
"It took me more than five seconds to catch it, that has to be something!" Goku said with a laugh.
There was another splash further up the river. Neka and Goku turned to see Gohan emerging from the water, holding a fish twice as big as the one Goku caught.
"Wow!" Goku cried. "Gohan, that's a great catch! We'll be eating good tonight!"
Gohan seemed embarrassed under his father's praise as he tossed the fish ashore. He had on some shorts like Goku. Neka was wearing a piece of clothing Bulma called a "swimsuit" as black as her hair. It was an awful lot like just wearing a bra and panties, but Bulma insisted it was decent to wear in public so long as one was swimming or sun bathing. Neka was still trying to decide if her friend was pulling a prank on her or not.
It had been a week since Neka and Goku returned. Cerise had done a great job at cleaning up their room for them, and now she and Vegeta were both staying at Capsule Corp. Neka knew her brother would be training all his waking hours. She wasn't sure how he felt about the the androids threatening the planet, but she'd told him how they had killed both him and her in this grim future. He was still her brother. And it warmed her heart to think he wanted to defend her.
She wondered if while at Capsule Corp, he and the Cerise girl would bond. When the pink-haired human yelled at Vegeta the first day Neka met her, that was when she understood how Vegeta would come to fall for Cerise. She was just as driven as he was. And she didn't allow him to push her around. Neka felt like Vegeta would always need someone that would push back at him.
All the same, Neka felt herself strangely uncomfortable with the concept of Vegeta mating. It felt like it was too soon. He had to learn, as she did, to let his hard shell fall away. But hadn't it been Goku's love and warmth that did that for her in the first place? Perhaps her brother's relationship with Cerise would be the thing to calm him down at last. He could finally see things as Neka saw them. He was better than the first time he came to Earth, that was for certain, but he still had a long way to go.
"Hey Neka!" Goku called, snapping her back to reality. "I have an idea!"
Neka raised a brow at him.
"Why don't we take Gohan to the city?" Goku asked. "We could go see one of those things Bulma is always talking about, uh, the moving picture thing."
"Movies?" Gohan supplied.
"That!" Goku said with a laugh. "Sorry! Growing up like I did, I missed a lot of key terms."
Neka recalled that if it wasn't for Bulma's books, Gohan probably would have missed those terms too. But he knew more details about this world than even Krillin or Yamcha.
"I've personally never been to them," Neka said. "Gohan, would you like to go?"
Gohan looked over at her. He had been acting strange since their return. She could tell he was happy, but there was something else there. He wasn't used to this. He was used to training, fighting, and more training. It had been his entire life. And now he didn't know how to deal with what this planet considered normal.
Neka had been that way too. She remembered Goku and Bulma taking her shopping for clothes, when she'd nearly blown up the entire city just from one man running into her.
"Uh," Gohan said, glancing at the fish then back to his parents. "Okay. Right now?"
"Sure," Goku said, with a big smile.
"I'll bring the fish back to the house," Gohan said in a sudden rush, plucking up both the fish and turning toward their home. "Be right back!"
"Gohan, you don't have to," Neka said.
"No it's fine, really," Gohan insisted before blasting off into the distance.
Goku sighed as he came to Neka's side.
"I'm not sure he likes me," he said.
Neka's head snapped around to look at her husband, surprised. "What? What on Earth makes you say that?"
Goku shrugged, a sadness touching his eyes. "He barely knows me, Neka. I keep trying to talk to him and get to know him, but... I don't know it's like there's a wall."
Neka reached over and touched Goku's cheek gently. "Gohan loves you. You're his father."
"I don't love my father," Goku said. "Because I never met him."
"Bardock was a great Saiyan warrior, but that's besides the point," Neka said. "Listen. Gohan is more like you than you know. He carries your heart." She touched his bare chest now. "Your kindness. He's gentle, and sweet."
"He's also strong and determined," Goku remarked, touching Neka's nose. "Like his mother."
"I think he's concerned about the androids," Neka said, looking down at the water swirling around them. "He's not used to... not training."
"I know the feeling!" Goku said with a laugh. "I'm pretty sure I've trained for all my life! Even when there wasn't a threat. So why don't we start?"
"Because I want to let our son experience something else!" Neka pressed. "It hasn't been fair to him. He's a child. I've put him through exactly what I was put through when I was little. Since I could walk I was trained to fight. There was nothing else. But Gohan... he's interested in so many things. He loves learning. I want to give him a chance to find what he loves in this world."
Goku smiled down at her. "You've been an amazing mother, Neka. Don't ever doubt that."
Neka felt warmth spread through her when he kissed her. She sighed when he parted away.
"I want to believe that," she murmured.
"He's coming back," Goku said, taking her hand. "Come on! Let's go to the city then!"
Neka smiled and nodded.
*.*.*
The city seemed larger than normal. Gohan looked up and around with wide eyes as he walked beside his parents. He'd daydreamed about days like this; when they'd finally reached home and all three of them going out together, like a normal family. But he could tell just in the way all of them acted that normal was not the proper word to describe them, and never would be.
Neka seemed uncomfortable any time she they had to go through thick crowds. She glared at anyone who ran into her, even if they apologized. Goku was gaping around almost as much as Gohan.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to the city!" he said with a laugh. "There's so many people and buildings! So little room!"
"Agreed," Neka said gruffly. "Do you know where this movie thing is Goku?"
Goku looked over at her and laughed. "Oh, uh, no not really. I thought there would be signs!"
"Oh honestly..." Neka muttered. "We should have gone by Capsule Corp first and asked Bulma."
Gohan looked around the crowd. "We could ask someone," he suggested.
Neka didn't look the least bit thrilled about his words.
"Good idea, Gohan!" Goku said as he came to a halt and turned to the nearest passerby. "Excuse me, sir? Could you tell us where the movies are?"
"The theater?" the man asked. "Uh... sure, it's on the other side of the city. On the corner of 8th and Lily?"
Goku looked confused. "Uh... right. Which direction is that?"
The man pointed to their left. "That way, roughly."
Goku looked the direction the man was gesturing, still seeming confused. Neka stepped forward.
"Thank you," she told the man quickly and pulled Goku and Gohan the way he'd pointed.
"Neka, wait!" Goku protested. "I still don't know how to get there."
"We can get a cab," Neka said.
"A what?" Goku frowned at her.
"A taxi cab," Gohan said instantly. "Vehicles that people can hire to take them to pre-determined destinations, usually yellow in color."
Goku blinked down at him. "Wow, Gohan, it still catches me off guard whenever you show those smarts of yours!"
Gohan felt his cheeks warm under his father's praise. It felt a little odd to know more about this world than both of his parents. Didn't either of them care to learn? Neka had an excuse, but Goku had been here since he was a child. He supposed that Goku had put all of his focus into training and fighting. Gohan wondered if he would have done the same, had the training not been forced on him, had it not been his entire life for five years. Or would he have chosen the wonders of learning, even if he had the chance to live in this world from his birth on? It was hard to tell.
"The cab will take us to the movie... what did that man say?" Neka wondered.
"Theater," Gohan supplied.
"Right." Neka nodded and glanced down at Gohan. She seemed a little embarrassed. "Let's go then."
She stepped into the street and waved as a yellow cab approached. It slowed, pulling up to the curb.
"Where ya headed miss?" the man in the driver's seat asked.
"The theater on 8th and Lily," Neka said.
"That'll be two hundred yen," the man replied.
Goku's eyes shot wide. "Oh yeah, money! I always forget that you need it in the city!"
Neka turned to face him. "You mean you don't have any on you?" she asked, exasperated.
Goku laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry. You don't either?"
Neka sighed heavily and glanced back at the cab driver. "Never mind."
The cab driver rolled his eyes and pulled back into the street.
"Goku, next time we're going to go to the city, make sure you have some money on you!" Neka barked at her husband. "Gohan, I'm sorry."
Gohan shrugged lightly. "It's okay. We can still walk around."
"Hang on!" Goku said with a grin stretching across his face. "I have an idea! They are always having fighting competitions in the streets! If we can find one, we'll get prize money for winning!"
Neka perked a brow. "You're certain?"
"Sure!" Goku said cheerfully. "Come on! Let's go look!"
As they began to head down the street, Goku taking up Gohan's hand, Gohan felt a strange feeling began to swell in him. He didn't really know his father, not from outside all the stories his mother told him, and the books Miss Bulma gave him. He understood Goku was a great man; kind, passionate, strong. But as far as knowing him as his father, Gohan knew nothing.
"I did one of these the first time I ever came to the city," Goku said. "I was trying to find Bulma's house, but I had no idea where it was! I tried a cab, but when I didn't have any money, he kicked me out. So eventually I got someone to give me directions and gave her the money. Granted, I think that was a little too much at the time." He laughed. "I didn't really know much about customs then."
"You still don't," Neka said.
Goku looked over at her with a pout. "Oh come on, I know more now than when we first met, Neka!"
Neka rolled her eyes but she was smiling lightly.
Gohan tried not to laugh. Certainly, their family was interesting to say the least. Goku, who lived his whole life on this world yet knew hardly anything about it, Neka who chose this as her new home yet had no interest in learning more, and then there was Gohan. Gohan who wanted to know everything about the world he only heard and read stories of until he was five. This place was still like a wonderland to him.
"There!" Goku suddenly exclaimed, and pulled Gohan after him toward the corner of the street.
There was a large group of people gathered here, surrounding a small ring in which two people were fighting within. There was a large sign above it that read: "BEAT THE CHAMP, WIN TEN THOUSAND ZENI".
"Seems that would be enough," Neka said. "Which of us is going to enter?"
"Gohan, do you want to try?" Goku asked, smiling down at him. "You just have to be careful not to go overboard."
Gohan felt a small twinge of pride that his father wanted him to go. Granted, this fight wasn't going to be difficult. But all the same, he felt seen by Goku's words.
"Okay." He smiled.
Goku nodded and stepped forward just as the man Gohan assumed to be the Champ knocked out his opponent. There was a small balding man on the sidelines with an eager grin as soon as the man went down. He stepped in and looked out at the crowd.
"Look at that, the Champ wins again! Want to try your luck? Only a thousand zeni to compete! But if you win you walk away with ten thousand!"
"Uh oh, Dad, we need money to enter," Gohan said.
"Hm," Goku frowned but then grinned again. "That's okay, son. I have an idea."
He stepped to the front of the crowd.
"We don't have any money to enter, but how about a wager?" he said.
The balding man looked over at him with a raised brow. "Eh? Sorry, mister, but no money, no entry!"
"But surely you could use help with cleaning all this up when you're done? We could do it for free if you win!" Goku said.
Neka came to Gohan's side. "What is your father up to now?" she muttered.
"I'm not sure," Gohan admitted.
"You gotta make it a little more compelling than that, mister," the balding man said.
"Well, here's the bet!" Goku held out his hand toward Gohan. "I bet my son will win against your Champ, hands down!"
Gohan felt his cheeks heat in embarrassment but stepped forward. The balding man gaped at him.
"This kid? How old are you, four?" he cried.
"I'm six," Gohan said irritably.
The balding man laughed heartedly and then grinned at Goku. "You know, what? You got a deal. But don't get pissy with me when your kid is crying!"
Goku smiled over at Gohan. "You're up son!"
Gohan nodded and stepped into the ring to face the Champ.
He was twice as tall as Gohan, and four times as wide. His muscles were thick and monstrous. But Gohan could tell he had no training in chi.
The man leered down at Gohan with a scowl.
"I'm not making any promises you won't break something, kid," he snarled.
Gohan pressed his hands together and bowed toward him. "Thank you for fighting me. My name is Gohan."
The man blinked in surprise. "Manners, huh? That won't save you here kid!"
He began to hold back a fist. Gohan looked up, narrowing his eyes. The punch was swung, and Gohan leapt up and over it. The man had a moment to gape at him before Gohan thwapped the side of his hand against the man's neck. He fell over with an almighty crash, out cold.
There was a stunned silence, then the crowd broke out into cheers. Goku beamed from the sidelines, and Neka gave Gohan a small, approving nod.
Gohan smiled a little, rubbing the back of his neck. They collected their prize money from a stunned and slightly infuriated balding man, and went to hail a cab.
"Great technique, Gohan!" Goku praised him as they went. "You have amazing control!"
"He learned that from Piccolo," Neka said.
"I'll be sure to thank him next time we see him!" Goku said with a laugh.
And as Gohan walked through the streets, a hand in each of his parents', he felt himself at peace. He wished every day could be like this. But in the back of his mind, he knew the androids were coming, and the relaxing wasn't going to last.
*.*.*
"Cerise."
Cerise was dreaming. Before her loomed a door. It was massive and made of steel. There was no clear handle, though a keypad was next to it. She knew the code. But she didn't want to touch it. The door itself frightened her more than she could describe. Her heart hammered and her knees trembled, threatening to give out.
"Cerise, if you don't wake up, he's going to get pissed and come looking for you!"
The voice floated to her, but Cerise couldn't make sense of the words. She was stuck staring at the door. She could hear other things now. Screams. Screams of a boy and a girl.
"They will be so much better than they were," a male voice said, one that was dreadfully familiar. "I'm doing them a favor, Cerise. Once you see how much stronger they are, you'll understand. Once I've perfected it, then we too can achieve this level of power."
Cerise collapsed to the ground, shaking. No. No, she didn't want that. She didn't want her humanity stripped from her. She couldn't...
"Cerise, come on, wake up!"
Cerise buried her head in her hands. "No," she whimpered. "Father, please... stop this! It isn't right!"
"WOMAN!"
Cerise jolted awake. She'd passed out at her workbench in one of Bulma's garages. Before her was the gauntlet she'd been trying to perfect, and stuck to her face was a paper she'd been taking notes on. Her goggles were askew on her head.
"Huh?" Cerise blinked rapidly, feeling the fear slowly leave her. She wasn't back before that door. Gero wasn't anywhere near her.
"I tried to wake you before he got here," Bulma said, stepping in front of her.
Right behind her was Vegeta. He looked livid. Cerise peeled the paper from her face and straightened her goggles. "Sorry," she said softly and yawned. Her hands were still shaking from her dream. She tried to hide them by straightening the stack of blueprints next to her gauntlet. "What time is it?"
"Far past time for training!" Vegeta barked. "I've been waiting for you for twenty minutes!"
"That's impressive," Cerise muttered as she got to her feet.
"What was that?!" he snapped.
Cerise looked up and laughed nervously. "Nothing! Sorry, I must have dosed off in here last night."
"I didn't want to disturb you," Bulma admitted. "But I didn't expect the prince over there to throw a hissy fit."
"Don't test my temper!" Vegeta snarled at her. He looked back at Cerise. "Let's go."
He turned on his heel and marched for the door. Bulma rolled her eyes.
"You best head after him. We haven't had any property damage yet, and I'd like to keep it that way," she said.
Cerise nodded. "I'll be back later."
Bulma nodded. "I'll send the boys to rescue you in a few hours for lunch."
Cerise laughed and headed after Vegeta. He had paused at the end of the hall outside the garage for her, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed.
"About time," he grumbled.
Cerise smiled sheepishly at him, at which he just responded with an irritable grunt. She fell into pace beside him as they began to head back toward the back gardens where the ship Vegeta trained in was parked.
"Why did Bulma call you a prince?" Cerise asked.
Vegeta glanced at her. "What do you care?"
"We've been working together for the past six months and I'm not allowed to be curious?" Cerise raised her brows at him.
Vegeta grunted in annoyance again. "If you must know, I'm the Prince of all Saiyans. My father was the King of Planet Vegeta when it was still in existence."
Cerise's eyes went wide. "Your home planet was named after you?!" she exclaimed.
"After my father," Vegeta corrected her curtly.
"That's amazing!" Cerise said. "So you and Neka are royalty! And Gohan too, I suppose. Hang on, if your father is gone, doesn't that make you King?"
Vegeta didn't look at her. "Have you made any progress on that device of yours?"
The abrupt change in subject jostled Cerise. She almost wanted to press the matter, but she saw a strange look in Vegeta's eyes. He looked uncomfortable, the first time Cerise had ever seen him like that. She suddenly felt awful. Somehow, she believed that Vegeta wouldn't be fazed by her bringing up his dead father. But it seemed that the Saiyan did have a heart under all that armor. She should have known better.
"Uh, the Energy Reader or the gauntlet?" she asked.
"Either," Vegeta responded flatly.
"Oh." Cerise swallowed nervously. "Well, the Reader seems to be working better every time I make adjustments to it. Just have to figure out a better name for it... and the gauntlet hasn't short circuited in a while so that's good. Progress all around, I'd say."
Vegeta didn't look like he was listening, and he didn't offer her a response when she finished. Cerise felt her cheeks warm in embarrassment as she rubbed the back of her neck. Every conversation she had with Vegeta seemed awkward. She wished he would just interact with her like a normal person; like Yamcha or the others. Even like Goku.
They made the rest of the walk to the gardens in silence. Cerise found herself remembering her nightmare with a slight shiver. Certainly, Gero's actions against Lapis and Lazuli had been the main thing that opened her eyes. But it wasn't until he spoke of doing the same thing to her that she fled. She didn't want that. Stripping away humanity couldn't be the only path to strength. She had to find another way.
She had to show her father that he was wrong. And maybe then, she could save him from himself.
*.*.*
Vegeta glared at the numbers on the gravity machine. Neka and Kakarot had mastered one hundred times gravity by the time they reached Namek. The humans were able to withstand seventy-five times.
He was at two hundred eighty.
And he had yet to transform into a Super Saiyan.
Vegeta clenched his fists. He could not allow this to continue. He had to reach that level. He had to ascend. He could not allow the likes of Kakarot to remain stronger than him.
He grabbed the dial, and turned it.
Three hundred times gravity.
The strain was instant. He let out a tight grunt through gritted teeth and held his ground. He wore nothing but pants that Cerise referred to as sweats. He lifted his hand with some effort, and hit the switch to call forth the drones.
Cerise, Bulma, and the old man, Dr. Briefs, had created them. They shot forth beams that were incredibly similar to ki, and therefore could actually do some damage to him. They weren't like the flimsy blasters that Frieza's men had used.
Round and hovering, they emerged from slots in the walls, surrounding him. Then the blasts began.
Vegeta dodged about for a few moments, getting used to the new gravity. It wasn't easy. His flesh was already breaking out in a sweat, and his heart was pounding. He shot a blast at one of the drones, destroying it in a small explosion.
One down. Fourteen to go.
Vegeta dodged another beam, narrowly avoiding his face being pierced into. He aimed his hand, already panting, and shot another ball of energy. Another explosion.
There was a new sound, of the holographic screen coming to life overhead.
"Vegeta, what are you doing!"
Cerise's face was on the screen, turquoise eyes wide and distraught.
"What does it look like, woman?" Vegeta grunted. He turned to shoot another blast.
"We agreed to increase the gravity at increments of five!" Cerise snapped. "Your body can't handle this!"
"Shut up!" Vegeta barked. "Don't presume to know what I am capable of!"
He fired.
The blast rebounded.
Vegeta had a split second to try and comprehend the strange shielding that had surrounded the drone before he was knocked down by his own ki. The moment he was on the floor, the rest of the drones unleashed their beams upon him.
*.*.*
"Shit!" Cerise cursed, turning to her control panel.
She had to shut down the system. Vegeta had ran in there before they could go over their normal pre-training briefing. She didn't get a chance to tell him that the droids had new features. Like shields to repel back energy that wasn't strong enough to break through it. And then he went and shot the gravity to three hundred.
"Stupid, stubborn, moron," Cerise muttered as her fingers flew across the keys.
But then there was a sound.
Cerise looked back to the screen to see Vegeta surging to his feet with a roar. Blasts erupted from all sides, causing all of the drones to explode on impact. Cerise gaped. What kind of power had Vegeta just unleashed? She looked at the Reader.
Vegeta normally ran at what she had ranked at C. She had set up the rankings from lowest to highest, F, D, C, B, A, S. She hadn't had the chance to read Neka or Goku while they were transformed to what everyone was referring to as "Super Saiyain" but she assumed they would reach S.
But Vegeta...
He had just, for a split second, leapt up to A.
Cerise stared as the man panted for a moment in the center of the room, the red lighting glancing off his skin, glistening with sweat. How much was this man capable of?
That was when he collapsed.
"Ah!" Cerise yelped, going back to her controls. She shut down the gravity machine, then sprinted out of the room.
She was set up in a small Capsule home that was more of a Capsule laboratory just outside of the ship Vegeta trained in. Hitting the switch to lower the hatch with hasty fingers, she leapt up the stairs before they were even fully down.
Cerise scrambled into the room toward where Vegeta lay as the lights returned to normal. There were lacerations all over his back from the beams the drones had shot.
"Vegeta!" Cerise cried as she fell to her knees at his side. She placed her hands on him before she could think, turning him over. "Vegeta! Are you okay?"
She cradled his face in her hands, panic rising in her when he didn't respond right away. But slowly, his eyes fluttered open.
He stared at her like he had never seen her before. His eyes were full of wonder. "Cerise?"
It was the first time he'd called her by her name. Certainly, he'd said it before, like when Neka asked who she was. But never had he used to to address her. It had always been "woman" or "girl".
Then his brow lowered and a scowl came to his lips. Cerise was suddenly harshly aware of her lingering fear of him. He was mad. Very mad.
"Get off of me," he snarled, trying to sit up.
"You're hurt," Cerise said.
Vegeta let out a tight hiss of pain as he fell back into her arms. He had to have sapped all of his energy. He couldn't even walk.
"I don't need your help," Vegeta said harshly.
Cerise stared at the fury in his eyes. She remembered when he'd tossed her into open air on their way to the Lookout. She remembered how many times he's threatened her. She remembered the fact that he was most likely responsible for the destruction of an entire city.
Vegeta was like a pile of explosives. He could erupt at any second for all she knew, destroy a civilization with a snap of his fingers.
But then... she remembered the look in his eyes when he looked at Gohan. She remembered the desperation in him to hear of his sister's safety. She remembered how he had looked not but an hour ago when he spoke of his father.
There was something there. Something beyond the anger and rudeness. Beyond this rigid, stubborn ass that he put up front.
So Cerise did what she always did when faced with the choice of running away out of terror or stepping forward out of curiosity. She steeled herself, and swallowed her fear.
"Yes you do, moron," she said.
"What did you call me?" His eyes lit with a new fury.
"Stop being so stubborn," Cerise ordered, gripping his arm and pulling it up and over her shoulders.
Vegeta may have been short, but he wasn't a light weight. All that muscle, Cerise supposed. She heaved him up to his feet. He struggled feebly, but he was too weak to even shake her off.
"Come on, we need to get you patched up, and you need to take a break," Cerise said as she headed for the hatch.
Vegeta tried to argue with her in a mumble, but then his head fell limp.
His body might as well have doubled in weight. Cerise let out a yelp as she nearly fell. She reached the hatch and thanked the stars when she saw Mrs. Briefs heading their way with a platter of cakes.
"Oh dear!" the blond woman exclaimed, dropping the platter. "Is he okay?"
"Uh, no," Cerise said with a laugh. "Can you help me get him into the house?"
*.*.*
Vegeta blinked his eyes open.
Over his head was a white ceiling and a bright light. He felt pain slowly bloom along his body. Open wounds on his back. Broken ribs. Lots of them. His left arm was broken. He'd been injured enough to be able to pinpoint the wounds quickly. He lifted his head to see that someone had already bandaged him, and he laid on a white cot. His arm was already in a cast and sling. He let out a sigh and let his head rest back again.
Cerise. That woman had called him a moron. The nerve of her! Who did she think she was dealing with? Was throwing her off into open air not enough? Were the threats too subtle? How dare she!
He would show her. He knew what he was capable of. He was the Prince of all Saiyans! He wasn't going to outdone! He would ascend to Super Saiyan. He would become the strongest of them all!
*.*.*
Cerise picked up the bucket of ice water with a smile toward Bulma.
"Thanks, Bulma," she said. "This should help his fever. I don't understand what part of him just wants to keep going and going."
Bulma shrugged. "I suppose it's admirable. He's driven."
"What's up? Who's driven?"
Krillin entered the room in nothing but his pants, a sweat rag around his neck. They were in the kitchen, and Cerise assumed he'd come in for a break. Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu were all training in the gravity room with him today.
"Vegeta hurt himself training," Bulma told him with a roll of her eyes. "Cerise seems to think he deserves to be taken care of for his idiocy." Bulma smirked toward her.
Cerise furrowed her brows. "He's just trying to get stronger. Sure, he's stupid about it, but I think we're going to need him for the androids," she said defensively.
She was remembering how his power had rocketed two classes in one moment. Vegeta had the strength in him. He just had to find the key to unlocking it.
"Sorry," Bulma said, raising her hands in surrender, but her smirk never left. "You're giving him more credit than I would."
Cerise shrugged. "He's an ass more times than not, it's true."
Krillin laughed. "Man, you're brave nursing him, Cerise," he said. "Knowing Vegeta, his pride is probably hurt more than his body, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere near him right now."
Cerise rolled his eyes. "Being around him right now is the best time, since he can't exactly pose a threat, even to me."
She turned and headed down the hall back toward the infirmary where she'd left Vegeta. Dr. Briefs had luckily had plenty of robots that could apply medical procedures and such. They'd fixed Vegeta up, bandaging his wounds, setting his busted arm, and bracing his broken ribs. The Prince wouldn't be training for a while, that was for certain.
Cerise watched the rags in her bucket float about as she walked. She was still running over what she saw over in her mind. Would Vegeta be a major key in beating Gero's androids? If she could help him reach the key to unlocking that strength, who knew what he could be capable of.
Then she recalled the city he'd destroyed... Would giving him that kind of power be wise?
Cerise entered the room, and nearly dropped the bucket of water.
The bed was empty.
"Vegeta!" she cried, hastily setting down the bucket and rushing back into the hall.
He was nowhere to be seen.
"Son of a bitch!" Cerise cursed, having a terrible feeling of where he was.
*.*.*
The screen flickered on.
Vegeta shot a glare up at the face he knew would be there as he pushed up on his good arm.
He was back in the ship, and the gravity was back to three hundred. There were no more drones to fight, so he'd settle for pushups for now. Cerise glared down at him, her face more furious than he'd ever seen it.
"What are you doing?!" she demanded.
"What does it look like?" Vegeta spat.
"You idiot!" Cerise bellowed. "You're going to get yourself killed! Get out of there this instant!"
"You don't order me, woman!" Vegeta snarled. "Who do you think I am?! Leave me be!"
He'd never heard her yell like this before. What was going on with her? Suddenly she had the backbone of a Saiyan warrior.
"I'm not going to sit by and watch you kill yourself!" Cerise shouted.
Vegeta got to his feet, flying a few feet into the air, glaring into the screen. "What do you care? I am just a subject for you, aren't I? Is that the source of your concern? If I die, there goes your research?"
"What?" Cerise blinked rapidly, her face falling into something Vegeta couldn't quite place. "Why... why would you think that?"
Vegeta bared his teeth. "Don't pretend. The only stake you have in this fight is for your ridiculous science shit. You don't give a damn about what happens! You were raised by the man who's unleashing this androids, after all!"
Cerise's face twisted in rage. "Don't you dare compare me to him. I risked my life to find Goku! To warn him!"
"Yes to warn Kakarot," Vegeta spat. "Precious Kakarot! But what am I? What am I to you, woman? You know nothing of what I've done. What I'm capable of!"
Cerise met his gaze through the screen unflinchingly. "I know that you didn't originally meet Gohan on Namek. You came to Earth first. The same day East City was destroyed. I'm not an idiot, Vegeta, I can put two and two together."
Vegeta blinked a few times. So she knew he was responsible for that city's destruction? Well, technically, it had been Nappa. But that aside... How long had she'd known?
"I can only assume that you've done more deeds of the same quality," Cerise said. "But you're obviously not the same person. I don't know the full story, but what I do know is that we need you to win this fight. Now stop being a moron and go rest."
Vegeta stared at her for a moment before shaking his head. "No. I can't quit. If I rest now, it will only be a matter of time for Kakarot to start getting stronger. I need to train now while he and my sister waste time 'relaxing'. So turn off this screen and let me train in peace!"
"Can't do that, Vegeta," Cerise said flatly.
"The hell you can't," Vegeta barked, turning away and aiming his hands. "You think injuries slow me down? You think I'm weak like your pathetic race? Watch and learn!"
He fired off two blasts, twisting their trajectory to whirl around in a circular fashion about the ship.
"Vegeta!" Cerise cried.
Vegeta ignored her, dodging the blasts on their first rotation easily. However, on the second one, his wounds twinged in pain, making his movements freeze up. The first blast collided into his leg, the second into his shoulder.
The explosion was massive. It consumed his entire world, the only sound reaching him beyond it was Cerise screaming his name again.
*.*.*
Neka let out a long breath. She was soaking in the bathtub, down to her chin in the water, her knees sticking up above the surface. Bulma had given her bath oils a long time ago, and she was only just now using them. She had to admit, the smells were calming. Lavender, the bottle said.
She could hear laughter outside the door. Goku and Gohan were playing a board game, something that their son had always wanted to try. Neka wanted him to bond with Goku more, so she'd opted to relaxing in the bath.
Three years. They had three years to prepare for this android threat. They only had one week left to relax. She knew it would be wise to start right away. Vegeta was already training. She wondered what he thought of her waiting. Did he think her weak? Or an idiot? That she had let her soft emotions rule her life now?
He hadn't said anything to her, but she knew her brother. How in the world was he going to grow close enough to Cerise to produce a daughter? How would he let anyone that close? Would having a child change him? Would he understand then?
So many questions whirled in her mind. Neka shook her head and tried to will herself to relax. A break was needed. Gohan needed to see that the world was more than just blood and war. More than just saving worlds. And he needed to get to know his father.
Neka wondered if they should utilize the Hyperbolic Time Chamber again like she had to raise Gohan. But Mr. Popo had informed her that it would be dangerous for them to spend more time in there. Besides, three years should be enough. After all, she and Goku could ascend to Super Saiyan now. Though, so could Ell, and she had said how she was no match for the androids.
Another part of her knew Gohan wouldn't want to go back in there. Neka didn't even want to. The vast whiteness, the empty void that had been their everything for five solid years... It had been maddening. If she hadn't had to take care of Gohan, Neka was certain she would have lost her mind in there.
Getting out of the tub and drying herself off, Neka looked at herself in the mirror. It was the same face of the girl who had landed on this planet so long ago. Eleven years, to her. But she could see some differences. Her black eyes were no longer cold and unfeeling. Her expression no longer tight and angered. She'd grown.
But getting beyond her dark past wasn't going to be enough to face off these androids.
Towel drying her hair and shaking out her tail, Neka pulled on some pajamas and headed out of the bathroom. Goku and Gohan were in the kitchen, the two of them looking over the board on the table.
"This is so weird," Goku said. "I mean, how would I know who did it? And why would they use a candlestick?"
Gohan laughed. "It's all about eliminating all other options Dad," he explained. "So we already know that Miss Scarlet didn't do it."
"She looks mean, I was sure it was her," Goku grumbled.
"Are you two enjoying yourselves?" Neka asked.
Gohan beamed over at her. "Yeah! Mom, we're gonna try Yahtzee after this, wanna play with us?"
Ordinarily, Neka would want nothing to do with these ridiculous games. But it made Gohan happy. He wanted to try everything this world had to offer.
"Sure," Neka said with a shrug.
Goku cast her a smile. He probably guessed she didn't truly want to participate.
There was a sudden sound, a ringing that Neka still had yet to get used to. Bulma had insisted they needed a phone, and had installed one in their kitchen. Neka went to it and picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Neka!" Bulma's voice sounded a little strained.
"Bulma? What's wrong?" Neka prompted.
"It's your brother."
Neka tensed. "What about him?"
"He's in critical condition right now. The idiot managed to destroy the ship my father built in the process of his training," Bulma said.
"Critical condition?" Neka repeated, eyes going wide.
Gohan was staring at her now. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he'd already understood.
"What's wrong?" Goku asked.
"Can you please come talk to him?" Bulma asked over the phone. "Maybe he'll listen to you, Cerise has tried everything."
"We're on our way," Neka said before hanging up the phone.
"Is Vegeta okay?" Gohan asked, earning a surprised look from his father.
"No," Neka answered. "Goku, you're better at Instant Transmission, could you get us there?"
"Of course," Goku said, stepping forward and holding out his hands.
Neka took one, and Gohan the other, and in a blink, they vanished.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:::
Alright, so, like, this chapter went out of my control so fast, and I'm sorry there isn't more Neka/Goku/Gohan fluff, I will add more next chapter! But the Cerise/Vegeta chemistry just started building and then I was swept away by a tidal wave of feels and it's not my fault, I swear! Vegeta just happens to be my favorite fictional character of all time, so uh... yeah. Regardless! I hope you guys enjoyed!
So you guys finally know Cerise's back story! Some of you guessed some things, and you were almost right! Should make the Android Saga pretty intense, right?
On to some quick news: I'M PUBLISHED! Guys. I cannot express how much I appreciate you for encouraging me, supporting me, and helping me improve my writing! Like, BELIEVE ME. I would not be where I am now if it wasn't for you, my lovely readers. Seriously. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
If you're curious, my book is available in both ebook and paperback on Amazon! As of last time I talked to you guys about this, it has received a new title because I needed to split the book into two books. (It's still like 400 pages long.) So, if you go to Amazon, and search The Whisper of Shadows by Serena Sonya Sneed, you should find it! I would love to share this story with you guys like I have this one. I love hearing your guys' feedback, and I'm dying to know who your favorite character is!
In any case! Thanks, as always, for the reads, reviews, follows, and favs! I cannot believe how much this story gets! I'm really excited to get into the Android Saga with you guys!
-Red