NOTE: This chapter concludes the Android section of this arc. Going forward the Fairy Tail cast will be experiencing things somewhat differently than they have up to this point. The introduction of Cell is a good way to finally implement the things I've been wanting to do since I started this fic. Though of course after this chapter will be 3 movies before they get a real taste of Cell. Think of the end of this chapter as the teaser of what's to come.
Happy Goku Day! And I hope you guys are excited for the new DBS movie coming out in 2022!
Enjoy the chapter and review!
Chapter 58: Fear and Loathing in Ginger Town
(cut to Android 17 inside the van waiting for his sister, who's inside a clothing store)
ANDROID 18: (wearing a western-styled outfit and looking at a mirror) This is... the best... you've got?
"I think Bisca would like that outfit," Lucy said, thinking about the gun mage.
STORE OWNER: That is our top-of-the-line! How do you like it?
ANDROID 18: "Like" is a strong word. So is "tolerate". "Hate's" actually lookin' a little weak right now.
"If she says that then you know that the outfit is terrible," Minerva said.
STORE OWNER: Oh, but darlin', you look like the most beautiful rose in a rose garden! I'm sure if I came home with you, my daddy might even love me again!
"And now you just sound down right desperate and pathetic," Bickslow shook his head.
ANDROID 18: And that is my cue to leave. Later, cowboy. (begins to walk out of the store)
STORE OWNER: Uh, sweetheart, you gotta pay for those... (stutters as Android 18 leaves the store) Cash or credit! (runs up to the van as Android 18 gets inside) The register's on the inside! You are getting into your car! You are drivin' away! (the androids drive away) And I have been robbed... You blonde bimbo, you get back here this instant!
(the van stops and then begins to reverse back in the store keeper's direction)
STORE OWNER: (while running back inside) Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!
The mages either smirked, giggled, or outright laughed at the scene.
[OPENING SEQUENCE]
(cut to Trunks and Gohan flying towards the mystery time machine)
TRUNKS: All right, we should be getting close to the site.
GOHAN: Um, Mr. Trunks?
TRUNKS: What's up?
GOHAN: If you don't mind me asking... you know me in the future, right?
TRUNKS: Yeah. Actually, you were my mentor.
"I bet Gohan grew into a handsome young man in the future," Mira smiled at the thought.(NOT Romantic)
"Gohan as a mentor huh? Wonder what kind of teacher he's like," Natsu tilted his head.
GOHAN: Oh, wow! What is adult me like?
"Yeah! Let's hear the details!" Levy snapped her fingers.
TRUNKS: Well, I suppose you take a lot after your father…
Mira's heart almost broke at those words.
Erza smiled in glee at Gohan taking after his father.
Everyone else was indifferent or horrified as well.
GOHAN: (not really happy about that comment) In what regard?
TRUNKS: You're the strongest, bravest warrior on the planet.
"ALRIGHT GOHAN!" Natsu and Sting jumped up in unison.
"Now that's MANLY!" Elfman flexed. His eldest sister sighed in relief as that was the only thing Gohan took after.
GOHAN: (relieved) Okay, good. By the way, why do you keep staring at my arm?
TRUNKS: Oh, uh... Hey, what's that? (notices a mossed up time machine)
"Writing that down for later," Levy scribbled it down.
GOHAN: Oh!
(they land near the mysterious time machine)
TRUNKS: Well, this definitely looks like my time machine... but it also looks like it's been here for ages.
"Someone else travelled through time, but who could it be?" Levy wondered.
"Could it be another Trunks?" Lily asked.
"Can't be, because he'd have no reason to hide from everyone else," The bluenette answered.
"W-What if it was one of the androids from Trunks' time?" Happy asked, scared at the thought. Happy's words made everyone shiver at the thought.
GOHAN: Ooh, a mystery! I never get to solve mysteries! Like Sherlock Holmes or Batman! Usually we're just busy fighting people. Like Bruce Lee... or Batman.
"That's how I solve mysteries," Natsu didn't understand Gohan's problem.
"And that's why we no longer take requests like that, Natsu," Lucy told the fire dragon.
(Bulma shows up in a plane)
BULMA: Hey!
GOHAN: Oh, look, your mom's here!
TRUNKS: Oh, good…
"More awkwardness!" Meredy shouted, giggling.
(Bulma lands her plane near both of them and gets out)
BULMA: Hey there, Gohan! And... son...
TRUNKS: Mother…
(awkward pause between the two)
"And this is why you don't hit on every cute face you see, Bulma," Kagura said.
BULMA: So, is that your time machine?
TRUNKS: Well, it looks like mine, but it can't be mine! (takes out a capsule and throws it near the mysterious time machine, which transforms into his own time machine) This one here is the one I used to travel back in time with. If you'll notice, it has the word "Hope!" written on the side. (starts removing the moss of the side of the mysterious time machine) So, unless this one has it written in the same place, we... (sees the word "Hope!" written on the mystery machine) Oh... Crapbaskets.
The mages gasp in shock from the confirmation of the mysterious time machine being Trunks'.
"So this has to prove it's from a different timeline. As in, somebody took Trunks' time machine and travelled to the past. The part that still confuses me is why or how?" Jellal said.
GOHAN: Oh! You say that, too.
"Had to get it from someone," Mira smiled.
BULMA: Wait... Why "hope!"?
TRUNKS: Because you called me our last hope.
BULMA: Holy crap, that's so cheesy! What, do I have, like, a ton of cats, too?
"I think it's pretty fitting," Lucy frowned at Bulma's teasing.
GOHAN: Hey, anyone else notice the hole on the top?
BULMA: Huh... weird. Do you think whoever was piloting it was attacked? (Gohan and Trunks hover above the hole on the time machine)
GOHAN: Actually, I don't think so. Considering the curvature of the melted glass, combined with the lack of any glass or damage in the cockpit, we're safe to assume... whatever shot the canopy came from the inside!
Many of the mages tilted their heads in confusion at Gohan's science words. Freed sighed in exasperation and decided to answer. "He's saying that something shot from inside the machine." Everyone's mouths turned into the shape "O" in understanding.
TRUNKS: And what does that tell us?
GOHAN: Um., that the blast came from the inside...?
TRUNKS: Here. (opens the glass canopy and jumps inside) Huh. (finds two pieces of a purple shell) So, any idea what these are?
"Ew! It's like someone kind of bug egg," Millianna flinched back in disgust.
GOHAN: Ah, I think I kicked an alien that looked like that once!
"It does resemble Dedo-GACK!" Gajeel rubbed his head at the headache he got from mentioning that name.
BULMA: Hey, let me get a look at it! I wanna help, too! (Gohan gives her the purple shell) As the daughter of the world's leading class scientist with doctorates in both bioengineering and evolutionary biology, I can only deduce...that this is a mutant coconut. Either that or an egg.
"Wow. We totally couldn't figure that out," Laxus rolled his eyes.
"Wait...it's not a mutant coconut!?" Natsu reeled back in shock.
GOHAN: An egg!? *gasps* I know! Trunks! Whatever made that hole hatched from this egg! You keep examining the time machine, I'm gonna go search for clues! (runs off off-screen)
TRUNKS: Well, at least one of us is having fun with this... (sees his mother playing with the purple shell) Two of us... (Bulma closes the purple shell again, making a sound from Pac-Man)
"Gohan looks so cute when he gets excited," Mira gushed at the little boy.
"Bulma is also enjoying herself," Lisanna giggled.
"All while Trunks is going through an existential crisis," Freed face palmed.
(cut to Kame House where Krillin is finishing relaying his story to a new audience)
KRILLIN: ...and then they flew off! God only knows where they are now! Thanks for letting us keep Goku here, by the way.
MASTER ROSHI: Yeah, that's nice... So there's a hot one now?
"Of course that's all he cares about," Lucy glared.
KRILLIN: Oh, yeah, like you wouldn't believe! Her eyes are this beautiful, piercing blue, her confidence is stunning, and she does this adorable little thing with her hair where she brushes it out of the way-
"Awwww! Krillin really is infatuated with her!" Juvia smiled at Krillin's words.
MASTER ROSHI: Fantastic, how's the rack?
The water woman's smile faded at Roshi's pervertedness ruining the moment.
TURTLE: (from up the stairs in another room) Uh, Master Roshi? Goku's sweating purple. Is that normal?
MASTER ROSHI: Did he eat grapes?
TURTLE: I... don't know?
MASTER ROSHI: That boy can't handle his grapes.
"Wait, is Goku allergic to grapes?" Rogue asked. Everyone blinked repeatedly as Rogue's question sunk into their heads and all collectively face palmed.
"That makes way too much sense," Levy said.
"Why didn't Goku tell anyone he was allergic!?" Erza yelled.
"I think the better question is why didn't anyone tell Goku he was allergic to grapes," Makarov pinched the bridge of his nose.
MASTER ROSHI: (to Krillin) Speaking of fruit, what are we talkin' here? Apples, oranges, melons?
"You perverted old geezer!" Kagura blushed in embarrassment.
KRILLIN: Is that really important?
MASTER ROSHI: YES!
"NO!"
(cut to Gohan humming to himself as he continues "searching for clues")
GOHAN: Oh, hello. And what are you? Hey, Trunks! I think I found a clue! Either that or a record-setting cicada... I'm okay with both, actually. (Trunks is seen running up to Gohan)
(Trunks and Bulma both scream at the sight of a hideous cocoon of a monster)
The mages looked horrified at the oversized cocoon laying on the ground. It looked like something out of a horror film.
BULMA: Oh, my God! Is that thing alive!?
GOHAN: No, pretty sure that this is just a mold.
BULMA: Something crawled out of that?
"Something large and bug-like and something I never want to come into contact with," Yukino shivered.
GOHAN: Hey, if you guys don't want it, mind if I take it home with me?
Most of the mages looked at Gohan in disgust, even Mira questioned the boy's decision.
"I'd eat it," Natsu shrugged. Lucy smacked him, reminding him that not every dead thing was edible.
TRUNKS: (thinking while reaching his hand inside the cocoon) Whatever was in here might just be the creature that came out of that she- (touches something and takes his hand out to sees it oozing with a purple fluid) (out loud) Oh... Oh, no... Oh, really wish I hadn't...!
"WHY!?"
GOHAN: Considering how fresh this mold is, it's likely that whatever shed its skin did so very recently, meaning that it might very well still be here!
TRUNKS: (in the background during Gohan's dialogue) Oh, it's all over my hands! Oh God, it's sticky! And now it's starting to harden! Oh, no!
"I'm happy that I'm not Trunks right now," Macao said.
BULMA: (panicked and speaking quickly while hopping into her plane) Trunks, it was good to see you again! And Gohan, say hello to your mother. I'll call you later, okay? Bye! (takes off)
"I don't blame her. Any sane person would've done the same thing as her," Minerva said.
TRUNKS: Long shot, but you wouldn't happen to carry hand sanitizer on you, would you?
GOHAN: D-do you not?
"Chi-Chi is sometimes a Saint," Mira was happy that Gohan is a very sanitary child.
(cut to Bulma flying away in her plane)
BULMA: Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew... (sees an incoming call from Kame House) Ew. (over the speaker as the scene shifts to Krillin at Kame House) What?
KRILLIN: So you guys are by Ginger Town, right?
BULMA: We were... Why?
KRILLIN: 'Cause there is some major shit going on down there.
"Are the twins attacking?" Is what everyone feared.
BULMA: Shit of what variety, exactly?
KRILLIN: The not-good kind.
(on the television set)
FLASH: This is Flash Stormwood reporting live for CQTV here on location in Ginger Town.
HAL: Well, thank you, Flash. What's the situation down there?
FLASH: Mass, unadulterated panic, Hal. Just moments ago, screams erupted throughout the streets, only to be followed by deafening silence. Now there seems to be nothing left but a ghost town, littered with the clothes of its former inhabitants. We have yet to find out the reason why.
A chill swept through the guildhall in a flash. As if a never-ending nightmare has finally begun.
HAL: Do you have any speculations, Flash?
FLASH: Well, Hal, I cannot say for certain... However, recreational marijuana use was recently legalized in the region. So I believe we can all come to the same conclusion... Just a moment, someone is approaching! (a silhouetted figure starts approaching him) Excuse me, you terrifying-looking gentleman, what are your opinions on the legalization of- OH MY GOD, NOOOOOOOO!
(static is seen on the TV and then shows the empty clothes of the floor)
The guild froze in horror at the scene that had just taken place. All they knew was that whatever the hell is happening isn't caused by the Androids, but something even worse.
KRILLIN: Wow... Someone should probably go check that out.
MASTER ROSHI: Yeah, my stash is runnin' a little low. (starts laughing but soon begins to wheeze)
"I'm pretty sure Krillin didn't mean that," Gildarts sweat dropped.
(Gohan and Trunks appear at the front door)
GOHAN: Hey, guys, we're back! (sniffs inside) What's that smell? Is there a skunk in here?
KRILLIN: Oh, hey, Gohan. You like mysteries?
GOHAN: (eyes are seen sparkling) Do I?!
"I do!" Wendy raised her arm.
(cut to Piccolo, Kami, and Popo all on the lookout)
PICCOLO: Hmm? Okay, so you felt that one, right?
KAMI: I did...
PICCOLO: And you're still just going to put this off?
KAMI: I might…
"And let more people die!? Whatever the hell happened between you two isn't more important than the loss of innocent lives!" Jellal snapped at Kami.
PICCOLO: All right, I've had enough of this. I have literally been sitting here meditating...
NAIL: (Dozing.)
"Not the time," Laxus said.
PICCOLO: ...meditating for the last- Uh...
MR. POPO: Three hours!
PICCOLO: Thank you, Mr. Popo. Three hours! So either shit or get in my body.
"Uhhh…" Mira blinked at Piccolo's phrasing.
NAIL: (I...)
PICCOLO: No!
KAMI: Listen, I still need to feel the situation out.
"Feel out what!? People dying!?" Makarov yelled.
PICCOLO: What the hell is there left to feel out? Between your cryptic warnings and jerking me around, I'm pretty sure an entire city is either missing or DEAD! You're the guardian- start acting like it!
KAMI: Yes, I am the guardian- the guardian of this planet! And you wish to take that title from me?
"A title doesn't matter if you just sit on your ass the whole time while Goku and the others fight to protect Earth! You fusing back with Piccolo will let you continue doing your job by fighting for the Earth!" Yukino explained.
PICCOLO: Are you kidding me? This can't be about the job! The first chance you had to drop this gig, you tried to hand it off to Goku!
"WHAT! KAMI ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!" The Fairy Tail mages didn't want to imagine Natsu being in charge of an entire planet.
PICCOLO: GOKU! He doesn't even look after his own kid! I look after his kid more than he does!
"Sadly can't disagree with this one," Erza sighed.
KAMI: But it's still my job! My responsibility!
PICCOLO: And that's really good and all... but if you don't fuse with me, the entire world you're guarding might be destroyed!
KAMI: MAYBE I'D RATHER IT BE DESTROYED THAN EVER HAVE BE A PART OF YOU AGAIN!
Silence overtook the guild as Kami finally let out his feelings of the situation. They couldn't help, but feel bad for Kami. While they wanted him to fuse, so that the Earth could be protected, none of the mages took Kami's feelings into account.
(short silence)
NAIL: (Mom? Dad? Please stop fighting.)
"I want them to stop fighting too," Wendy curled up in her chair.
PICCOLO: So that's what this is all about, huh?
KAMI: No, no, that's not what I-
PICCOLO: No, no, it's fine. I was kind of a dick; I get that.
"Yeah...your relationship was never on the healthy side," Levy said.
KAMI: Listen, Piccolo... I've been the guardian for over three hundred years. I've seen wars, sickness, death, and worse. All the while trapped on this lookout...unable to interact with the outside world for more than moments at a time. Now, the only chance I have left is giving up my free will to someone else. It's just another prison…
Some of the girls were shedding some tears from Kami's monologue. The men all respected Kami for all of the pain he had to experience for three hundred years. The Strauss siblings related the most as to not let the souls they take-over to not over-take their own souls. To be able to keep control over themselves.
PICCOLO: Wow, I...I didn't-
KAMI: It's fine... I'm done, anyway. You're right. If I don't do this now, we are likely to lose everything. But know this Piccolo: once I fuse with you, the DragonBalls will be no more.
"WHAT!?"
"So, this fusion does come at a price," Lily frowned.
"Even though Piccolo and Kami didn't die here, the Dragon Balls are still going inactive," Levy wrote down.
PICCOLO: Ah, that's not a problem, we've got a whole planet of our people just waiting to make us more.
"That's also true. I'm sure they can go to Namek..if they all don't get killed off," Freed said.
KAMI: What do you mean, "our people"?
PICCOLO: Stop being a smartass and let's just do this already.
KAMI: Well, then, Mr. Popo... I suppose this is goodbye. It's been...a trip.
MR. POPO: (starts laughing) YES!
"And he's still on one," Gajeel rolled his eyes.
KAMI: Well? I'm sure you're already familiar with the technique.
PICCOLO: Right. (places his hand on Kami's chest)
KAMI: All right, now... Lower.
"Not this again," Lucy frowned.
PICCOLO: Yeah, not falling for that.
"Thank Kami," The Celestial Mage sighed, relieved.
KAMI:: Hmph. I didn't think so.
(Kami powers up and proceeds to merge with Piccolo)
MR. POPO: Oh, my God! I'm coming doooooooooown! (the light clears up on the lookout) Ooh, that was crazy! So, did you actually eat Kami, or was that the acid?
"What in the hell did he see?" Gildarts questioned.
PICCOLO: (thinking) So this is who we were, huh? (hear nothing) Hello? Got real quiet... Holy crap, are they finally- (hears Nail snickering inside his head) (out loud) Ugh, Of course not…
The immature members laughed with Nail and Kami at Piccolo's reaction.
NAIL: (Isn't this the part where you chant to yourself?)
"I FEEL GREAT! I CAN WIN! I CAN DO THIIIISSSSS!" Romeo had coerced Wendy into chanting along with him.
PICCOLO: Shut up.
KAMI: (Come now. We should do whatever feels right.)
PICCOLO: Oh, please, no...
NAIL & KAMI: (You can win! You feel great! You can do this!)
More laughter appeared in the guildhall.
(Piccolo groans as he flies off the lookout)
KORIN: (from inside his tower) Hey, Piccolo, could you pick up Yajirobe? He doesn't have a car... (Piccolo flies right past him) ...crap! Well, I know someone who's not getting invited to Sunday brunch. Oh, who am I kidding? We like him.
"That's nice of Korin," Lisanna smiled.
(cut back to the lookout where Mr. Popo is looking down into the sky after Piccolo's departure)
MR. POPO: Well, only one thing to do... (picks up Kami's staff)
(shows an outside shot of the lookout as it starts bouncing up and down to the beat of "Turn Down For What" while fireworks go off in the background)
"Really?" Many rolled their eyes at Popo.
(cut to Kame House as the others are still watching the news)
BRUSH: Now, now, now, now. Now the Libs are surely gonna shout racism over this one, but this is just what happens when you elect a dog as king!
GOHAN: So you think this is whatever came from that egg, Trunks?
TRUNKS: Definitely. This isn't the work of the androids, that's for sure.
"We came to that conclusion already, but glad to see you guys have too," Levy said.
KRILLIN: Not unless they're starting the world's first mandatory nudist colony.
"If it was just all women, then I'd join," Gildarts and the other perverts wished.
TRUNKS: I'm going to go down there and check it out myself. I'll admit, after everything that's happened, I'm a little bit worried I'm responsible for these events…
"Time travel does cause more issues rather than solve," Jellal agreed.
YAMCHA: Wait, are you sure you should go alone?
TRUNKS: The only other person strong enough to help us right now would be my father. And even if I knew where he was-which I don't-I'm not sure he would help us...
(cut to Vegeta in an area filled with mountains)
VEGETA: No. You see, I didn't f**k up. I just underestimated her! I went in a little too overconfident. But of course I was a little overconfident! I mean, have you ever met me? I'm me! I'm a big deal! And you know who's really at fault here? The boy. (impersonates Trunks' voice) "Oh, the future is sooooo bad!" (normal voice) Well, maybe it wouldn't be if you weren't such a pansy-ass! (powers up) Now once I get back in the game, and destroy those metal brats... (cut to Ginger Town) ...there will be nothing left to get in my way.
"Well that was both hilarious and chillingly ominous," Minerva said.
(Piccolo is seen arriving at Ginger Town and sees several the clothes lying on the ground)
NAIL: (*sniggers* Well, this is classic. The moment God disappears, suddenly the rapture happens.)
"It is pretty ironic," Freed agreed.
KAMI: (Yes, the irony is not lost on me.)
PICCOLO: (thinking) Could you guys stop talking for a minute?
NAIL: (Oh yeah, don't wanna distract you. Might get hit by one of these abandoned cars...)
"I do think you should be taking the situation more seriously," Makarov disapproved of Nail's behavior.
KAMI: (I've always wanted to drive a car, but by the time they were invented, eyes weren't so good for it anymore. (a singing voice is heard faintly in the background)
"Does anyone else hear that?" Natsu asked.
"Um...not really," Lucy answered.
"No, I hear it as well," Gajeel noticed.
"I do too," Wendy spoke.
"I can hear it," Laxus pointed out.
"Me too," Sting looked at Natsu.
"Me as well," Rogue said.
KAMI: (Piccolo, you've driven a car, right? How was it?)
PICCOLO: (hears the voice) Wait, seriously, shut up. What is that?
?: (singing "Mr. Sandman" by The Chordettes)
Bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum
Bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen
Give him two lips, like roses and clover
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over
(a monstrous creature confronts Piccolo while holding an innocent, unconscious man by his shirt)
CREATURE: (speaking in a slithery, snake-like voice) Hello... friend.
All of the mages could only stare in chilling silence at the cockroach-like monster standing in front of Piccolo. Each one feeling the on coming sense of dread that had slowly been building up over time. The Dragon Slayers were the most stiff out of anyone else in the audience. It was as if they could feel the creature's presence through the Lacrama. Their senses kept screaming at them repeatedly.
RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN
DEATH DEATH DEATH DEATH DEATH
SURVIVE SURVIVE SURVIVE SURVIVE SURVIVE
(scene ends with the creature exhaling creepily)
All of the Dragon Slayers release a long winded breath none of them thought they were holding. It felt as if something was choking them when that creature appeared.
Natsu leaned over on the floor drenched in sweat as Lucy and Happy rushed to his aid to see if he was alright. He looked at them both and could only ask one thing.
"What the hell was that thing?"
Chapter End