Did you know that today is Yamcha Day (August 6)? I literally only learned this two days ago lol

Anyways, we're back!

After going through burnout and switching back and forth between what kind of writing style I wanted to use for this story, I finally settled on a compromise: it's not a script, but it's also not as detailed as it was in earlier chapters. Rather, the 'normal' scenes will stay the same, but the fighting scenes will be shorter than they used to be; it's always the fighting scenes that fry my brain

Just consider the last two chapters the weird, awkward puberty that the story was going through…or a dumb little experiment, whichever you like better…

Please leave a review letting me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball, it belongs to Akira Toriyama! I only wrote this story and I own this version of Bra Brief! Enjoy!~

Chapter 18: A Brief Encounter

The scene before the Z-Fighters was nothing more than a red, rocky wasteland. A perfect place to hide.

"Where are you?! Come out, coward!" Yamcha yelled.

His voice echoed across the wasteland. Alas, the only noise that responded was that of the wind blowing.

Android 19 had used the landscape, just as Piccolo expected. A small smirk found its way to said Namekian's face as an idea struck him.

"You're gonna want to step back," Piccolo said, his voice eerily calm.

It confused the others slightly. Piccolo didn't say anything more as he hovered several feet in the air and charged a powerful chi blast in his hands. The other Z-Fighters quickly jumped back, and Piccolo chucked the blast down to the Earth as hard as he could.

And like a dog to pot roast, Android 19 leapt out of wherever he was hiding and held his hand up to catch the blast, absorbing it with ease. The smirk remains on Piccolo's face as he bolted towards the Android, but 19 moved quicker and forced the Namekian to chase him, with the other Z-Fighters right on their tails.

Android 19 disappears from sight again, and the Z-Fighters silently scatter around the wasteland in hope that one of them will spot him.

From his hiding spot, Android 19 narrows his eyes at them. The most logical option was to return to Dr. Gero's lab, but at the same time, his programming to eliminate Son Goku and the Z-Fighters began to override that logic. He looked around, seeing the Z-Fighters searching for him.

A smirk found its way to the Android's face. Perhaps, if he was quick about it, he could absorb the energies of a few of them. It would be much easier to take the others down after that. It would be difficult with only one arm, but the Android trusted the doctor's programming.

Now then, who should he start with?

Android 19 looked around again. Piccolo was the closest. Perfect.

OoOoOoO

Chi sense wasn't completely useless, Piccolo quickly discovered. They had to rely on their ears for once, listening for changes in the wind around them. But with the other Z-Fighters all around him moving, it was easier said than done. Thanks to that, Piccolo was forced to reach out with his chi sense, identifying the changes in the wind with each Z-Fighter.

The wind behind him suddenly became muffled. Piccolo reached out with his chi sense without even thinking. Nothing.

"There!" The Namekian whipped around, sending a powerful kick to Android 19 just before he could grab him, forcing the surprised robot back a few feet. His shout effortlessly drew the attention of the other Z-Fighters, who were quick to move.

Just as Android 19 steadied himself, Mirai suddenly appeared directly behind him and slammed both fists into his back, sending the Android crashing to the ground.

Android 19 struggled to pull himself out of the crater. The Z-Fighters were all gathered in the air. There was no escaping this time.

OoOoOoO

Dark eyes scanned Amenbo Island. Smoke billowed into the air, making it impossible to see what kind of wreckage lay underneath. "Damn it all…"

There was something wrong with the time machine. That was the only explanation. It didn't send her back to Age 764 like she intended. Rather, it sent her back to the day the apocalypse started.

Bra grit her teeth in frustration. Oh, how she wished she could go back in time a little further; then she could warn the others, she could give Goku the heart medicine. But the time machine only had enough energy for one last trip, and she needed that to get back to her original timeline afterwards. And even if that wasn't a concern, she couldn't risk even the slightest inaccuracy.

Bra's eyes widened, turning her attention away from the half-destroyed city. Chi…She could feel several powerful chis in that direction…

But her father and Gohan hadn't mentioned the battle moving away from Amenbo Island. So why…?

The purplette shook her head and quickly flew towards the source. This was no time to think about the possibilities. Right now, she needed to focus on saving this timeline's future.

OoOoOoO

Bulma quickly looked at her radar and back up again for probably the hundredth time, gripping the handles of the plane's control wheel.

"They've gotta be there…" the bluenette whispered to herself.

In the seat next to her, Tights cradled little Bra in her arms. The purple-haired babe was fast asleep, completely oblivious to what was happening around her.

They were getting closer and closer to the 'moving target' on Bulma's radar by the second. But surely Goku and the others will have it handled by the time they get there.

Regardless, they had to get the radar to the Z-Fighters now.

Bulma increased the vehicle's speed. They had no time to lose.

OoOoOoO

"Will-O-Wisp!"

Four red, flickering orbs slammed into Android 19 before he had time to process what the Namekian just said. The flames licked at his body, burning away portions of his clothes and even his ivory skin, revealing bits and pieces of the mechanics underneath. The Android narrowed his eyes in frustration.

It didn't make any sense. Dr. Gero's calculations were perfect! How could something like this happen? How were they beating him so easily? How did they exceed Gero's own calculations and programming?!

"We were supposed to have been killed by two of Gero's abominations." As if he had read the Android's mind, Piccolo spoke with a dark smile. "I believe they were called Seventeen and Eighteen?"

"But it doesn't matter now," Tien continued. "Whether you weren't as tough as we thought…"

"…Or we grew too strong," Krillin finished. "The result is, the future has been changed."

Yamcha turned to his future counterpart. "Mirai, would you do the honors?"

"With pleasure," Mirai said, cracking both of his knuckles with an almost sadistic smirk. "Kaioken!" The familiar red aura flared up around him, and he raised up one hand, a bright blue glow appearing. The familiar Azure Dragon Blade appeared a moment later, glowing vividly with its user's chi.

This was it. Just one strike and this timeline was as good as—

Mirai froze. All around him, the other Z-Fighters followed suit. Still holding his attack in place, the future warrior turned his head in the direction of the oncoming chi. Someone else was coming. But who?

That felt like…No, it couldn't be…

At the same time, a familiar whirring sound reached their ears, prompting a few of the Z-Fighters to turn to the source. A Capsule plane was rapidly approaching them. And they immediately recognized the driver.

"Bulma?!" Krillin gawked. Surprise rippled through the Z-Fighters.

"No!" Yamcha yelled, his eyes widening. "Don't come any closer!"

Before anyone could do anything else, Android 19 saw his opportunity. He raised his arm and fired a powerful blast at the Capsule plane. The Z-Fighters all acted at once. The moment the blast hit the plane, a deafening boom echoed across the wasteland, a blinding blaze filling the atmosphere and sending smoke billowing into the sky.

In the same heartbeat, Piccolo, Tien, Krillin and the others all attacked Android 19, putting most of their energy into several blasts. In an instant, the Android's body was blown and torn to shreds, leaving nothing more remains of burnt, shredding clothing and destroyed mechanical parts.

When the light finally died down and the smoke began to clear, the others let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. The plane was long gone, but Yamcha was kneeling on the ground, holding Bulma in his arms. Just a few feet away, Mirai, who had dropped his sword the moment Android 19 fired that blast, stood with Tights in his arms. The Brief sisters were both shaken up, but miraculously unharmed.

Tights let out a loud exhale. "Oh, man," she said quietly, still shaking as Mirai put her on her feet. The future warrior turned to gather his sword as soon as he knew she was okay. "Pretty sure I was about to be a wish…"

"MY BABY!" Bulma suddenly screaming, making the others jump as she scrambled out of her husband's arms. Her blue eyes were wide and frantic. "WHERE'S MY BABY?!"

Before anyone could say or do anything, a shrill cry pierced the air. Everyone turned to the source. A new person—the source of the chi from a minute ago—was standing a few feet away, holding Bra in her arms. The baby girl was thrashing and squalling, but looked to be otherwise okay.

"Bra…" Bulma whispered out, her voice cracking and tears filling her blue eyes as she shakily reached for her daughter. The new person gently deposited the baby into the bluenette's arms. "Thank you…thank you…" Her voice trailed off, holding her daughter to her chest with an iron grip.

As she did so, the other Z-Fighters were able to get a good look at the stranger. She was a young woman; her appearance was feminine yet strong. Her outfit consisted of a strapless lilac and white dress with pink trimming and ended at her knees, a sleeveless open orange vest that ended at her hips and had the Capsule Corp. logo on the back, black knee-high boots, black wristbands, and a black belt around her waist with a pouch on one side and a familiar sword tied to the other side. Her complexion was milky, her lavender hair was messy and ended just past her shoulders, her eyes were big and black, and her facial features were very familiar…

A clanging noise filled the air. Mirai had dropped his blade again, staring at the stranger with wide eyes. All of a sudden, it felt like all the air around him had been stolen. His heart hammered in his ears and tears threatened to prick his eyes.

It couldn't be true. He had buried her back in his own timeline.

And yet here she was, standing just several feet away from him.

"B…Bra?"