HEY GUYS!
Welcome back to Chapter 9 and Growing into your Own!
I don't really have much to say so right into the review replies (Man im so out of practice for ) REVIEW REPLIES:
Thewittywhy: Honestly you guys have seen nothing yet. Wait till the end of this chapter XD
Exodus12345: Don't count your chickens before they hatch young grasshopper! But also, no. Not yet. He's only 13 and im leaving it for when he's older.
X3runner: Quite possibly! It's definitely one of the ideas that I have in mind. And about Ruby coming to terms with her darker half, that's definitely in the books.
IrishKatana: Yeah quite possibly XD Having daughters is something that he's never experienced before and they're "Such perfect fighters come on Chichi pleaseeeeee?" As he would beg her if she were alive.
END OF REVIEW REPLIES
Honestly this chapter was really fun to write and I hope that all of you enjoy it as well!
Discord: /ctMzhq3
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Android 21 grinned as she slammed the form of this planet's "protector" into the ground with enough force to kill a Saiyan even in Mastered Super Saiyan form. Unfortunately for her, her opponent was greater than even that. And though his form looked limp, she knew that he wasn't out for the count, not as his hair fought against her fingers to try and stick up and bio-electricity crackled in the air between them.
And of course, being the first attempt at a bio-android, Android 21 had her fair share of Son Goku's DNA. Allowing her a passive Ki sensory that most creatures couldn't match even while putting all their concentration into it. However no amount of sensory ability mattered when she wasn't in control of her own body. And certainly not when she had enough arrogance to crush a city if physically manifested. So it was to her surprise when a hand gripped her arm in a vice grip and threw it to the side before impacting her ribs with a solid kick that shot her to the side.
Flipping a few times in the air she pulsed her Ki to slow her spinning to a stop, letting gravity bring her back down to the ground as her high-heels dug small trenches into the dirt. Thanks to the multitudes of different DNA making up her own the minor injury disappeared almost instantly as she narrowed her red eyes at the Demi-Saiyan currently beginning to stand up. Bio-electricity crackled through the air and teal eyes narrowed at her dangerously.
"Who are you and where is Ruby?" Gohan growled, holding a palm out towards 21 and beginning to charge a blast.
"Ruby this, Ruby that" The pink skinned girl mocked him while waving her hand idly "Her name is Android 21, brat. Remember it"
"Android 21? There was only 18 of you ever made, monster. Do you really expect me to believe that?" The girl snickered into her hand.
"Oh really? If that fool bio-Android hadn't shown up from the past. None of you would have known that he existed either" She pointed out, getting a minute but noticeable widening of eyes in response.
"You're….From the future? Another one of you?" The ball charging in front of his hand suddenly doubled in size as his glare returned full force.
"Oh no. I'm not from the future. Completely home to this timeline" She informed him as she raised her own palm and began to charge a pink ball of energy.
'These idiotic warriors seem to enjoy standing around. Talking, boasting and leaving themselves open. I just need to lure him into the same trap' 21 thought to herself as both of their Ki blasts continued to charge.
"You see brat, I was the experiment for the 'Perfect Bio-Android'. Made with not only the same cells as him but another life-form"
"Another?! Who this time? Cooler? Raditz? Nappa? Or something entirely different?" Gohan growled as the lightning around him grew more intense and the ball in his palm began to give off its own yellow electricity.
"Oh something you, nor Gero, nor even I with my genius intellect can understand. Some creature or power source that defies everything. And with its power flowing through my body I'm unstoppable" She said, suddenly disappearing to even Gohan.
'What!? No! Whe-' He thought before suddenly being struck by a beam from his left at point-blank range.
With a scream of pain Gohan was carried away with the blast. His own ball of energy imploding on itself and managing to just catch 21 in the edges of its blast radius.
When the smoke cleared, Android 21 huffed in annoyance as she could feel small stings of burns over her body. Merely beginning to walk in the direction she blasted Gohan as the burns disappeared into her pink skin, leaving it once again flawless.
The Demi-Saiyan in question though felt like all he could feel was the burns covering his own body. The pain kept him from passing out and helped fuel his anger but it didn't help his concentration any. With a flare of his Ki he managed to summon the strength to stand back up slowly, seeing the unharmed figure of Android 21 approaching him like she had no cares or worries in the world.
Feeling his face twist in fury he raised his fists in the air before swinging them down to be level with his stomach, roaring as his power swelled before he kicked off the ground. The stone cracking in a twenty meter radius around his kick off point, finally beginning to get picked up by the Jetstream he left behind him as his fist hit the open palm of 21. A shockwave comparable to a small bomb resounding from the clash as Gohan began to throw punches, kicks and combo's at his opponent.
Gohan's fist once again met 21's palm before his left leg swung towards her right thigh, only to meet her forearm. With a small burst of Ki the teen began to float as he swung his right leg towards her head, only to meet her other forearm. In a blur of pink to the teen the woman's tail lashed out and wrapped around his right calf, beginning to swing him back and forth into the ground, creating two craters that grew with every impact of his body against the rock. With a clumsy blast of energy that the bio-android smacked away with the back of her hand the last Z-warrior managed to avoid yet another smack into the ground. Ki blasting out of his free foot like a jet engine as he rapidly spun, managing to untwist her tail from around his leg before making a bit of distance between the two.
Landing shakily on his feet, Gohan could feet blood trailing down all his extremities and could taste it in his mouth. A familiar but unpleasant iron taste that only spelt bad news for him as he stared down his completely unharmed opponent who mockingly gestured him to come forward with one of her fingers. Grinning darkly the entire time as sadistic glee shone in her eyes.
'Well there's the Frieza in her' Some small part of him thought idly as he blasted forward again, lobbing two balls of energy at her as he approached.
With a simple action she mimed a finger gun and fired two beams that destroyed both of the energy blasts. Watching the teen approach, winding up a punch that, just for the hell of it, she allowed to land. The SSJ2's fist burying itself into her gut, only for her to just tense her abs and tank the hit.
With a demented laugh the woman raised her leg before stomping down on one of Gohan's feet. Getting a shout of pain from the teen before it was muffled by three lightning fast jabs to his face. Each impact tilting his head further and further back before he began to crumple forward, 21's fist digging into his stomach. Just as he began to fully crumple over from the attack, however, 21's tail flung out and wrapped around his neck. Lifting him by his neck in a manner that reminded the beaten and bloody Demi-Saiyan far too much of Vegeta and Frieza on Namek.
"I…will….stop….yo-hggkk!" The golden glow surrounding the teen exploded outwards as the single finger that Android 21 pressed against his chest suddenly, fired a beam that punched straight through his abdomen.
As the golden Ki settled down, the Bio-Android could see him gradually falling out of SSJ2, then SSJ. Finally ending up in his base form as he seemed to struggle to keep his eyes open.
"Awwww. There we go" She cooed, almost seductively, as she clapped her hands together "You're so much easier to deal with like this. Just make sure you cling to life just a few moments longer. I can't eat the power of a dead man after all"
The Bio-Android's tail tightened ever so slightly around his neck as she raised a finger up and began to charge a small ball of neon pink energy that gave off a different energy to anything Gohan had ever felt before. However before she could fire the beam, her tail and fingers were suddenly bisected from the rest of her body. The energy she had been building up dissipating harmlessly as Gohan felt feminine arms wrap around him and the rushing of wind before finally letting unconsciousness pull him into its embrace.
21, meanwhile, felt her face twist up in annoyance as she clicked her tongue and crossed her arms. Staring at the green skinned, orange haired girl that gently placed Gohan's body on the ground and stood in front of him.
"Look, you're obviously a new inclusion. But that was my meal" 21 mocked her before pointing at the limp form of Gohan.
"He's not going to be anybodies meal"
"Oh-ho. Is that so? And who's going to stop me? The planet's strongest warrior? Oh wait…" She said before breaking out into insane laughter for all of half a second before aiming a rapidly growing ball of energy at the girl "This should be enough to put you in the same state as my first meal. Don't worry, I have enough room for seconds~"
Zangya meanwhile just grinned and flipped 21 the bird before the Bio-Android fired her blast. The pink beam of Ki completely covering her view of Zangya and Gohan, blocking her Ki senses for a few moments. When she let down the beam she was expecting to see two unconscious, injured bodies, or even Zangya still standing but too injured and exhausted to even try and fight back. What she did see however was….nothing.
Absolutely, positively, nothing.
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The lookout
"Thank you for the assistance Dende" Zangya muttered as she watched the small Namekian immediately began to heal Gohan, his hands giving off a high-frequency noise as orange waves travelled over the unconscious fighters physique.
"You're welcome but really we can't afford to waste time. Popo is keeping the lookout constantly moving and we can only keep us away from her Ki senses for so long if she has Goku's DNA as well" Dende muttered quickly as he began to sweat.
"Long enough to get Sir Gohan back in fighting shape?" Zangya asked with a worried gaze at the young teen.
"Just about. I would use a Senzu bean but after the whole Cell debacle Korin was emptied to nothing and we can't afford to waste any when other methods are available" Dende muttered as he healed Gohan, able to feel his Ki refilling and his body strengthening.
"…I mean no offense but this planet is a mess"
"You, legitimately, have no idea" Dende groaned tiredly.
"How long will we be waiting?"
"About half an hour to an hour. We can't afford much more than that"
"Right….Who is Gero?"
"Oh my me don't get me started"
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Fifteen minutes later, With Android 21
"Oh my, Donuts are even better than I remembered!" 21 moaned in delight as she walked down the middle of a street, one hand holding a half eaten donut and one hand lazily blasting civilians or turning them into candy.
With a wave of her hand, hundreds of balls of candy that had once been humans rose into the air before rushing towards the buxom woman. Disappearing into her mouth in a tidal wave of confectionaries that seemingly did nothing to her knock-out figure. However once she finished eating all of them her face twisted up in disgust.
"I specifically make you candy and you weaklings have the audacity to be bitter!?" She screeched as she threw a small ball of energy and removed a couple city blocks.
With a huff and crossing her arms she continued to walk, idly lifting the donut back to her mouth and finishing it off.
"…..Are there any macarons nearby?" She asked herself, looking around with an innocent gaze as buildings fell around her and screams resounded through the crackling flames.
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Fifty Minutes later, On the Lookout
"W-where am I?..." Gohan mumbled as he sat up before his eyes widened and he jumped to his feet.
"Woah woah! Gohan calm down! You're on the lookout!" Dende yelled, waving his arms around.
"Dende! Oh thank you, that you're ok. What happened?"
"That Android…21. She knocked you out and was about to eat you before Zangya distracted her and I teleported the both of you here"
"Eat me!?"
"It seems to be how she absorbs people, like Cell could" Gohan glared and grit his teeth.
"So we have another Cell running around feasting on Earth and we're wasting time talking? I'm going dow-"
"NOT YET!" Dende shouted desperately, hoping that he wasn't too late to stop Gohan.
Luckily he managed to make his friend hesitate and turn back to him.
"Dende I need to go. I can't let her power up like Cell did!"
"Stop and think for a second! She thrashed you when you were Super Saiyan 2! At that level you have a power level of nearly nine and a half billion. If she can so easily defeat you at that level what do you think hers is? The average Human has a power level of 10-20. It will take her forever to get any sort of significant power increase at her rate"
"Her rate?"
"She isn't rapidly hunting them down. It's probably the Frieza in her but she's taking her time. Toying with them and sadistically torturing them"
Gohan made a strangled, gurgling sound as Dende said this. Twitching back and forth as if trying to leave the lookout but also trying to stop himself from leaving.
"Sir Gohan, I don't mean to be 'that person' as the earthlings say. But can you defeat her?" Zangya asked, with crossed arms as she looked over the edge.
"This strength increase is greater than anything I've ever felt before. Not even recovering from the Ginyu Force or Frieza got me such a great increase in strength" Gohan muttered, flexing his fists while glaring through the clouds at the hazy landscape below.
"So you can?"
"I don't know in all honesty. She looked like she was barely trying and I got this much of an increase. Her strength must be unreal"
"Then let me come with you again!" Zangya requested, unfolding her arms and taking a step forward.
"No! I can't afford that! Dende is right in that she's taking her time. I can feel it now that I'm focusing. But we can't afford to get complacent. Zangya. I need you to take Dende, Korin and as many Senzu beans or seeds or trees or whatever he needs to grow more Senzu beans. Travel to the Otherworld and request to meet with the North Kai, King Kai. He owes my father a favour or two from what I know, hopefully those were carried over to me"
"Gohan what the fuck?" Dende shouted "And what about you?"
"I'm the strongest warrior we have left! There's no other Saiyans! No other Namekians! No one to pick up the slack but ourselves! Ill do all I can. But if I fail you need to be safe!"
"Sir Gohan I insist that you think this over! Please!"
"Zangya there's no other way-"
"Please sir Gohan!" He turned to her and felt his heart chip just a little bit more when he saw the tears building up and slowly beginning to slide down her cheeks.
"Zangya. I'm sorry. I'll do all that I can. I'll pull every trick in the book to make sure that I can stay alive. I promise"
"No f-falling for taunts! No boasting! N-No arrogance!" She hiccuped, not even attempting to stop the flowing tears.
"I promise that none of that will happen. We can't afford to….. Oh, Dende? Androids 17 and 18?"
"I don't know Gohan…because we can't sense their Ki I can't watch them like the rest of the earthlings"
"If I meet them I'll let them know of the plan. Now get going. Just make sure that you guys can send someone to quickly pick up Goten after I get him to safety"
"As long as you can bring him to the lookout I should be able to…." Dende said, obviously hating what they have to do, but knowing that it's necessary.
"Ok. Now get going…I need to save my brother and blast Android 21 full of so many holes she'll look like a model of a damn atom" Gohan scowled venomously, tensing up before shooting off with a burst of Ki.
As he twirled down the length of the Lookout he could feel his Ki circulating through his body anxiously as his mind replayed memories of the battle he had lost not even a full two hours ago. Every movement, every blast, every mistake. With a scowl his Ki exploded outwards and turned golden, going from his base form to SSJ, and with a roar of fury that reduced a nearby mountain to rubble he ascended further to SSJ2.
His eyes flit over to the side as he could feel the rapidly approaching energy signature of his energy travelling across the country to meet him, getting a click of his tongue.
'She's going to meet me just as I get to the house. Possibly even a little sooner. I could try to lead her away but I don't have the time to get far enough away for it to make a difference. Race it is!' With a grunt his Ki pulsed and his speed increased even further.
However just as his house came into view, so did the pink skinned form of Android 21. The both of them colliding mid-air and grappling each other as they rapidly fell and spun, trying to be the one to not hit the ground as they crashed through the roof and wall of the Ox-King's palace and brought half the building crashing on itself.
"PEOPLE OF THE OX-KINGDOM ESCAPE WHILE YOU CAN!" Gohan yelled out, using Ki to strengthen his voice before he headbutt 21 and kicked her out of the crater they made and through a palace wall.
Cracking his neck, the teen could hear the alarms beginning to go off as everyone in the palace and the kingdom began to panic and flee. The Demi-Saiyans opponent just calmly walked back through the hole, idly placing a hand on the hole and pushing off it. Not that she actually needed to.
"Well well. Look who-" 21's eyes widened as she bent back like she lacked a spine to avoid the kick aimed at her head.
With a flare of Ki the SSJ2 corkscrewed midair and slammed a kick into her side that sent her through another wall, following close after her. The teen intent on refusing to allow her to regain her footing, throwing a hammer fist only for his scowl to deepen as she caught his fist. Trying to throw another fist only for her to catch him by the wrist, beginning a power struggle with her that began to peel away the palace grounds and cause a crater beneath the two of them.
"Filthy, Smart, Powerful, Delicious Monkey. You're learning! I would have thought the Zenkai would have made you as arrogant as back with Cell!" She shouted, not realising the compliments that she had twisted into her words.
"Give me back Ruby or die" He spoke with acidic vitriol before opening his mouth and firing a beam of energy that loosened her grip enough for him to begin attacking her.
The both of them glared at each other as they struck out, Android 21 still seeming nonchalant but actually having to put in a modicum of effort to keep up now rather than just flat out toying with him.
'He's relentless now. That's no fun. I need him distracted, falling back into bad habits. What to do?...Ah~' 21 thought to herself before speaking up as the two of them exchanged rapid blows.
"You know she still exists inside me? 'Ruby' that is. Screaming and crying. Begging me to stop and for you to save her. You're letting her down Gohan." She taunted him, meaning to throw him off his game, only to have to retreat from their melee exchange to spin and dodge a flurry of blasts that were suddenly sent her way.
"I will bring her back. I will stop you! WHATEVER IT TAKES!" He screamed out as the energy blasts began to come out faster and faster till it almost looked to form a full beam.
With a roar of power, 21 finally flared her own Ki, dissipating nearly every blast that came her way but knocking some on the edge off course and in random directions. An explosion behind Gohan and the cry of a baby bringing an instant and abrupt lull to the battlefield as both combatants froze.
"Goten?..." Gohan whispered fearfully, having hoped that one of the palace guards had grabbed him before leaving, his eyes leaving 21 for only a moment before snapping back to her.
"Oh and what is- N-ngghgh! Gagghgkhj!" 21 suddenly began to tense up and convulse, one of her eyes seeming to drain of an inky substance to show a white sclera and blue irise "G-Goten? D-don't touch him you monster! He's a child! A bab-gj gh jg k" Gohan's jaw dropped in surprise at the sound of Ruby's voice coming from this pink skinned body before suddenly she began to convulse again, falling to her knees.
Not willing to risk anything the teen launched forward, his leg mid swing towards her face as she raised it up. Two black sclera'd eyes with red irises gleaming maliciously back up at him as his foot sunk into her face before making her flip back, her leg striking him in the back of the head as she flipped back.
Feeling his vision swim for a moment the teen raised a defensive guard and began to weather the onslaught of her attacks as she launched back towards him. Goten crying behind him again and distracting him enough that she could get a powerful punch in that winded him and sent him sliding back. The Bio-Android beginning to float a few meters in the air, starting to giggle maniacally and flare her Ki.
The floating form of 21 grinned maliciously as an idea came to mind. Her right arm raised itself, a single, slender finger pointing at the infant and a small ball of pink energy forming at her finger. Gohan felt fear seize his heart and catapult it into his throat. With a desperate cry of fear he launched himself towards his brother. His Super Saiyan 2 form eating up the distance at a speed which would have terrified even Cell but still seemed insignificant to the Bio-Android who fired her beam.
The pink beam of energy struck the child, turning him into a fluffy pink macaron with a startled cry. The dessert floating in the air as Gohan approached, his arm outstretched to try and reach it, even as everything felt like it was moving through sludge to the teen. Even his own body. And it was with startled horror that he watched the dessert-ified version of his brother race through the gaps between two of his fingers towards 21. His Cyan eyes following the treats flight path…
Right into 21's mouth.
The Bio-Android didn't even stop to chew, the treat just disappearing into her taught and toned pink stomach with a loud gulp. Gohan hit the ground.
"Mmmm~ That was delicious~"