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Son Gohan the Warrior
Chapter 35:
More Androids?
"Shoot, come on," said Bulma, frustrated on how slow the trip to the battlefield was taking. "We're going to miss all the action!"
"You're crazy," said Yajirobe, who was driving. "I've been on the front lines, and let me tell you, it isn't pretty. This isn't a TV show."
Just then, Trunks shot by them, heading towards where he sensed the battle. "Who the heck is that?" asked Yajirobe.
"It's that guy!" said Bulma. "He came back!"
"There they are!" said Trunks, sighting the craters caused by Goku and Gohan against 19. Flying over the crater, he noticed two things. One was Vegeta, who was still unconscious. The other was one the hands of 19 that Gohan had cut off.
"What does it mean?" he asked, landing and picking up the hand. "I've never seen this before in my life. This didn't come from one of the androids that killed Dr. Gero!"
Just then, there was an explosion from behind him. He turned around. "I can figure this out later." He flew over to Vegeta. He noticed the Sensu bean Gohan had left, and put it in Vegeta's mouth. "Eat this."
Vegeta got up. "Curses," he said, staring at the battle. "I underestimated the brat again. He's still more powerful than I am!" He took off, flying towards the battle. Trunks followed him a moment later.
"What did he mean by the brat?" asked Trunks to himself.
-DBZ: SGTW-
Gero climbed out of the hole Gohan had kicked him into. "I don't understand!" he said, frustrated. "My data indicates that your abilities could not have possibly improved this much!"
"Your data might have been accurate," said Piccolo, "if we hadn't been warned of your arrival three years ago. We've been preparing for you, my friend."
Just then, all the Z-Warriors turned, sensing an approaching power. "Who is it?" asked Krillin.
"There's two," said Gohan. "One's Vegeta. The other... I'm not sure. It's familiar, I just can't place it."
Vegeta arrived, sending a death glare at Gohan. He didn't try to attack.
Just then, Piccolo recognized the other person. "Trunks is back!" he blurted out in surprise.
Trunks? thought Vegeta, looking the boy up and down. How bizarre. He has the same name as my son! Wait a second... a Super Saiyan from the future. Of course! It has to be! He's my son! Unbelievable! Vegeta started twitching in shock.
I see it, but I don't believe it, thought Trunks, staring at Gero. This one's different too.
Now what, thought Gero. Not another one. I don't have any data on this one at all. What is going on here?
"Yeah, even though I've never seen him before," said Trunks, "I can tell that he's one of Dr. Gero's creations."
"Say what?" asked Vegeta. "What do you mean you've never seen him before? Isn't he one of the androids you warned us about?"
"No, this one's different," said Trunks. "I'm not sure how, but he's not one of the androids I've fought."
-DBZ: SGTW-
"Man," said Yajirobe, looking into the crater Gohan had created, "I'm glad I wasn't here to see whatever made a mess like that." He was holding Trunks. Bulma had gotten impatient with Yajirobe's slow driving and taken over.
"I think I see them up there," said Bulma. "We'd better go and see if they need our help."
"THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE GOING DOWN THERE!" shouted Yajirobe.
"Don't worry so much, Yajirobe. Goku and Gohan wouldn't let anything happen to us."
"If you go down any farther, I'll throw Trunks out the window!"
"Oh? Really? I don't think Vegeta would like you talking about his son like that."
"I... uh... I wouldn't have..." muttered Yajirobe, scared.
-DBZ: SGTW-
"If that's not the android you warned us about," shouted Vegeta, "then who is he?"
"We've already figured that one out," said Gohan. "He's Dr. Gero himself. He turned himself into an android."
"What?" asked Trunks, whipping around. "Are you sure that's Dr. Gero?"
"Positive. Bulma looked up a picture of him in one of her old magazines. That's definitely Dr. Gero. He looks just like him."
I must hasten to the laboratory at once, thought Gero.
"Hey, look!" shouted Krillin. "It's Bulma and Yajirobe!" He pointed at the air car speeding towards them.
"No, don't come down here!" shouted Trunks, waving his arms.
"Enjoy this short lived victory while you can," screamed Gero. "For soon I will unleash Androids 17 and 18 to destroy you all!" He sent out a colossal blast, decimating the nearby area, and distracting the Z-Fighters. It also threw a significant amount of smoke into the air, covering his retreat.
The wreckage of the air car smashed into the ground. Trunks set down Bulma and baby Trunks gently.
"You saved us," said Bulma. "Thank you."
Trunks turned to glare at Vegeta, who was looking around for Gero. "Impossible!" the Saiyan was screaming. "He vanished!"
Trunks shot into the air, positioning himself directly in front of the Saiyan. "Why didn't you try and save them, Vegeta?" asked the half-Saiyan.
"Who?"
"Who? Bulma and your son!"
"Oh. Them. I have more important things to worry about than that foolish woman and her blasted child!"
Trunks just stared at Vegeta in horror. This is my father?
"Gohan!" shouted Krillin. "Can you find Gero using Instant Transmission?"
"No," replied the half-Saiyan, landing next to Bulma. "I don't have an energy signature to lock on to."
"We would have seen him if he'd taken to the air," said Vegeta, hovering over the others. "He must be sticking close to the ground, using the narrow canyons to conceal his escape. That means he's on foot. If he's on foot, he can't have gotten far."
"So Dr. Gero turned himself into an android?" asked Bulma.
"I was afraid this might happen," said Trunks. "The time line has shifted. Lots of things are changing."
"Dr. Gero mentioned two more androids," said Gohan. "Maybe they're the ones you told us about. Maybe you should tell us what they look like."
"The androids I know were created by Dr. Gero, to be sure. But unlike the clunky machines you met today, these androids are sleek and graceful. Android 18 is designed to look like a beautiful young girl. Android 17 is a young boy who wears a red scarf and long dark hair. But they both have the same cruel eyes."
"Man," said Krillin. "These things sound pretty mean."
"Well, that's one way to put it. These Androids are ruthless, they seek only to destroy."
"Do they absorb energy like the first two?" asked Piccolo.
"No, these two don't need to. Their energy lasts forever."
"That's preposterous! They have to run out of energy sometime!"
"Hey," said Trunks, looking around. "How come Goku isn't here right now?"
"He came down with that weird heart virus," said Krillin. "He went home to get the antidote that you gave him. I thought you knew!"
"I can't believe history has slipped this much!"
"Bulma," said Vegeta, turning to her. "Do you know where Dr. Gero's lab is?"
"Well," she said, putting her hand to her chin thoughtfully "Now that you mention it, I think I remember reading that Dr. Gero's lab was hidden in a cave somewhere just outside North City."
"It's probably too late to follow him there," said Krillin.
"Maybe not," said Vegeta, smiling. "Nobody saw him fly away, did they? He's trying to escape on foot, so we don't spot him. He probably hasn't gotten very far!"
"If that's the case," said Piccolo, "we might have a chance to find this lab and destroy the other two androids before Gero even gets there!"
"I would never do anything that cowardly!" said Vegeta, raising his fist. "There is only one course of action acceptable to me! I will fight these androids and I will destroy them!"
"You must never underestimate the power of these androids!" said Trunks. "We have to do this Piccolo's way."
Vegeta shot into the sky. Trunks shot ahead of him and stopped in front of him. "Listen! If you want to destroy these androids, we have to wait for Goku!"
"I will only say this once," said Vegeta. "I will not wait for Kakarot! I'm a Super Saiyan now, and I'm a lot stronger than that pathetic fool could ever dream of being!"
"Are you?" asked Gohan, who had flown up to help Trunks. "Because you weren't strong enough to beat me."
Trunks looked at Gohan in shock. "He challenged me to a fight," explained Gohan. "He got in my way, almost let Gero escape. I had to fight him."
Vegeta was twitching in fury. Finally, he just pushed past the two.
"Trunks, you go with Vegeta," said Gohan. "If you spot Gero or the lab, flare your power level twice, and we'll come help."
"Right," said Trunks, blasting after his father.
Bulma stared up at Gohan. "Did Gohan call that boy Trunks?"
"There's something you should know," said Piccolo. "He is Trunks. He's the boy the baby you are holding in your arms eventually grows up to be."
"WHAT?" shouted Krillin.
"Oh, man!" said Tien.
"How weird!" said Krillin. "We all met Trunks two years before he was born!"
"It's time we start searching for Gero's laboratory," said Gohan. "If you see Gero or find his lab, flare your power level twice. That'll be the signal. Since Vegeta is too proud to ever call for help, I sent Trunks with him."
"Let's go, guys!" shouted Piccolo.
"WAIT!" shouted Bulma. "I'm stuck here!"
Gohan sighed. "Grab on," he said, pointing to his shoulder. Bulma latched on to his shoulder. Gohan disappeared, then reappeared a moment later by himself. "Alright, let's go!"
The four shot into the air, heading for North City. They spread out slightly, keeping an eye out for Dr. Gero.
"Can somebody help me?" shouted Yajirobe, left behind.
-DBZ: SGTW-
Gero was running along the ground. I have run far enough, he thought. I should have evaded any pursuit.
Just then, his tracking equipment beeped. Looking up, he saw Vegeta and Trunks shooting overhead, heading towards North City.
How could they follow me this far? Is it possible they are heading to my lab? No. Only a few scientists in the world know the location of my laboratory. It must be a coincidence.
He took off running again, then stopped, his mind reeling. Wait. That girl, Bulma, she is the daughter of Dr. Briefs, President of Capsule Corporation. Is it possible she found out the location of my lab from her father?
Just then, he looked up again, sighting three white streaks and a golden one shooting by overhead. He recognized the golden one as being Gohan. They are heading to my lab! I've got to get there first! He took off again, heading faster than he had before. Fortunately, not even Dr. Briefs knows the precise location of my lab.
-DBZ: SGTW-
"So, you think you can keep up, boy?" asked Vegeta to Trunks, who was right behind him. He flashed into Super Saiyan. "Let's see!" He shot off.
Trunks flashed into Super Saiyan, shooting after his father. I can't believe my father is so stubborn and self-centered.
-DBZ: SGTW-
"Goku, wake up," said Chi-Chi, holding her husband. "You were having a nightmare!"
"Fight the pain, Goku," said Yamcha, standing over the bed. "Fight it!"
Chi-Chi laid a cool cloth on Goku's forehead. He calmed down, laying still.
Yamcha clenched his hand around the antidote. "You've got to hold on, Goku."
-DBZ: SGTW-
"Can anyone see it yet?" asked Piccolo to the other three.
"There!" shouted Krillin, spotting North City, nestled in a small valley completely surrounded by mountains. "So which one of these mountains looks like the best place to put a lab to you guys?"
Vegeta and Trunks were just arriving in that area as well. Vegeta turned to Trunks irritated. "Would you stop following me, boy?"
"There's no way I'm going to let you fight the androids alone!" shouted Trunks.
"And just what are you going to do to stop me? It's going to take more than that sword of yours to stand in my way."
"How many times do I have to tell you before it sinks into your thick skull? Never underestimate the power of the androids!"
Vegeta laughed. "And never underestimate a true Super Saiyan who loves to take on a challenge! If you're going to stay, you can at least help me find Gero's lab."
"You're totally impossible!"
"You know," said Tien from where the four were hovering, "I didn't think finding Dr. Gero's lab would be easy, but this is ridiculous! I mean, considering the fact that we can't sense the Androids power, and the fact that we have about a million mountains to choose from, I'd say it just might take a while."
"Alright, guys, spread out," said Gohan. "Remember the signal. Flare your power levels twice."
The four scattered throughout the area.
-DBZ: SGTW-
Will the Z-Fighters manage to find Gero or his lab in time? Find out in the next chapter of DBZ: Son Gohan the Warrior!