Dragonball Z

A Stone by Any Other Name

Disclaimer: Dragonball Z and all characters are owned by Akira Toriyama. Please support the official release.

Freedom.

It was all Number 18 could think about while flying through the sky: Freedom.

The word never had real meaning at first, not since her brother killed Dr. Gero. That deranged, wrinkly old psychopath with twisted ideals and principles. A disgusting and aged scientist obsessed with a singular purpose, drumming his voice inside her mind.

The constant drumming was like a mantra Gero fed to her brain as a hungry sponge fed off the ocean.

1-2-3-4

1-2-3-4

Kill-Son-Go-ku.

The programming was there, all of it. Knowledge of Son Goku, his friends, his family, his combat expertise and his strength. Non-stop it went, telling her - no, ordering her to deal with the bane of the Red Ribbon Army.

If it could shut him up for five seconds, perhaps even one, she could have peace of mind to think clearly. Thankfully, if it weren't for Number 17 keeping her grounded in her interests besides knowing how to fight and shoot ki blasts, her mind would break.

Over the years, Gero's voice dulled to the back of her mind like an echo. It was something, at least, but it wasn't freedom.

She, her brother, and Number 16 had their first taste of freedom after Gero's skull was squashed beneath 17's running shoe. But it never felt like it. Even after proving they were superior fighters to Goku's lesser companions, they were still out of reach of freedom. Goku was still alive somewhere, reinforcing Gero's programming to seek and destroy him. If only her brother hadn't considered making it a game, she'd have been more straightforward about the mission. One good thrust of her hand through his chest to watch the life drain slowly from his face, and Gero's voice would be gone forever from her mind.

While flying, she saw those fighters descend from where she left. They were involved in the whole business with the Dragon and the darkened sky. From all that she experienced since Gero woke her from her chamber, 18 didn't know whether any of it was real or a dream. She pinched her cheek in case. She hated the reality of it all.

But then there was him, the one she met with his companions they brutalized for interfering with her humbling of Vegeta. He wished for their bombs to be removed. Gero's failsafe in case things went south for her and 17, gone as if they never existed. Shorter than her but somewhat cute, he had been able to impress her in the short while she saw him.

He could've joined in and succumbed to a blow to the head like they were. But he didn't.

He could've pressed the button on the remote to shut her off. But he didn't.

He could've left her lying on the ground after Cell's destruction, alone to the world. But he didn't.

He could've said something else to the Dragon, wished for something for himself. But he didn't.

He fought to protect and keep her safe, even if he wasn't that strong. He was braver than most, standing up to unspeakable odds against something more disgusting that Gero had created. This one man named Krillin would've died for her.

She stopped on a dime, watching him soar below with his friends. Her heart screamed at her to join him and ask where he was going, but she prioritized finding 17 first. In her newfound freedom, she needed to confirm what that one man had said to the Dragon, that all who were killed by Cell were brought back to life. If it included her brother, she'd have to return to the site of his last whereabouts. It also included the painful memory of watching him vacuumed into Cell's body through his tail, changing him into something else. His unsightly gaze and stature blocked all means of escape were it not for Krillin's friend, Tenshinhan, who bought them time to leave and find a new island to hide before Cell sought them out.

She didn't know who she hated more. Gero, for taking her and her brother against their will and changing them into "artificial" humans, or Cell, for instilling a sense of dread and terror at becoming a part of him, changing him as 17 did. Both were gone, though, affording her freedom.

Thinking of Krillin alleviated that terror, thankfully. Something about him may help drown out painful memories she had shared with 17 while they were upgraded. Her earliest memory were the seconds she spent awake in a glass chamber filled with liquid that kept her in suspended animation, her arms wrapped around her body to hide what little she could of her naked body to Gero. Was this before the bio-enhancements or after? Sooner or later, that memory would drift away and be lost in a fog of echoes, echoes of a past human life she may have only dreamed existed. All that was left of her previous life was her name.

Her real name.

She resumed her trek through the clouds, dragging her hand along one of them to caress cold water molecules.

Water.

Another memory lost to her, uncertain whether it was real or a dream.

Did she play a lot in the water with 17? Did she ever enjoy a hot bath after school? Did she even go to school? Was any of it real? She continued drifting above the clouds, asking herself repeatedly what memories she might have had playing or swimming in the water. She didn't notice the stray tears that fell from her eyes into the clouds. She may not even recall ever showing more than the basest of emotions. At least she didn't need to experience multiple layers of fear anymore.

She closed her eyes, allowing the wind and sunlight to kiss her. The warmth of sunlight soothed her, influencing her decision to find a place that would not be too far from a beach. It was comforting, liberating even.

More emphasis she could put on the word freedom to understand its true meaning.

She searched the globe for those islands she and 16 hid in. There should still be one left undestroyed after they left to escape Cell. She hoped it was still there.

Her sisterly intuition had to be good for something despite the enhancements. 17 was, after all, her twin. There had to be an array of islands that used to be there, which she could use to lead her to where she last saw her brother, but there was nothing but miles of ocean that stretched on forever. Was she even exploring the right ocean?

She accelerated, growing impatient. That brother of hers better still be there unless he decided to take off in search of her. Great, just what she needed.

No. If she was right, his intuition would be to stay put until she found him. He must have so many questions about what happened after Cell absorbed him.

With no means of tracking how much time elapsed, 18 could've guessed any number, and it would be right in her head. In reality, she had spent upwards of an hour searching for the island. What she found instead was the island she and 16 sought refuge in.

16. I wish I knew where you were. If you're still around, then the three of us could reunite.

While this wasn't the intended target, 18 had a focal point to direct herself to where she could find the other island.

She couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the chain of islands restored to their original state. She knew Cell destroyed them. His overwhelming power nearly blew her and 16 off their hiding place. Stop thinking about Cell. He's gone for good.

Seeing those islands restored was a sure sign she was close to her brother. She sped up until she found the one island with equal amounts of damage as the one she hid on with 16. Near the giant chasm and pockets of destroyed land was Number 17, strolling around with his hands in his pockets, kicking a few stray pebbles around. Though his clothes were torn from his fight with Piccolo, seeing him alive and walking was a breath of fresh air. She landed before him.

"Took you long enough," 17 said. She approached him and gave him a quick embrace. "I took the scenic route. Can you blame me?"

The twins shared a moment to observe the scene before them before facing each other. "By the way," said 17, "I don't feel the bomb in my chest. How'd that happen?"

"One of Goku's friends named Krillin. Do you remember the sky going dark?" 18 asked, pointing upward.

"Yeah. I thought it was night when I woke up here. Guess it was something else."

"We were never told of the circumstances behind how the Dragonballs were used, but there were two wishes made to Shenron, one of them being the removal of our bombs," 18 explained. She remarked that the pearl necklace she stole along with Chichi's clothes was still intact around her neck. She casually played around with them, twirling them around her finger.

"In any case, care to fill me in on what happened?" 17 asked.

18 spared no expense in her explanation, telling him what she could remember. When she regained consciousness, she overheard everything said, including Son Goku's death against Cell.

"Well, well, looks like the old bastard's goal was fulfilled after all," 17 said in jest. He smiled, but it was the same smile she had while flying in the air. He understood the freedom it gifted them. "Shame we don't know what happened to 16, though."

"I was thinking of asking Krillin about him," 18 said, sweeping her hair behind her ear. It seemed to pique 17's interest as he glanced at her sideways with a curious smile. "What…?"

"You never did answer me when I asked why you kissed the short-stack," 17 wondered, keeping that smug grin trained on her.

"As if I'd dignify you with a response," 18 said, returning his smugness. 17 merely shrugged before examining his clothes. They were far more torn than 18 remembered, likely due to the acids inside Cell that ate away at the fabric. What's worse was the stench that came with it. It had been bothering her since she regained consciousness.

"So, what do we do now?" 18 asked. "Where will you go?"

"Somewhere I can commune with nature, to be honest," 17 answered. It was the most straightforward answer she had ever heard from him, which was remarkable since most of his answers came across as vague and mysterious. At least he had a plan.

18 considered her earlier query about asking Krillin what happened to 16. But what to do after? He seemed like a decent enough person to let her stay with him until she had a plan of action, plus it'd give her some time to spend with a human who would age normally like the others. She knew 17 and her would likely never age, not with the infinite core inside. Those infinite cores were both a blessing and a curse, gaining unlimited stamina but reminding them who had put it in their bodies.

"Let me guess," said 17 before she could open her mouth. He had a knowing look that annoyed her. "You want to see Krillin, and not just about 16. Give him my regards, would you?"

He gave her a small wave before taking off, flying north. 18 wasn't sure if she'd ever see him again after this, but knowing he was self-reliant meant she'd never have to worry about his well-being. "See you around sometime, brother," she whispered.

At least locating the Kame House wasn't as arduous as searching for the island 17 was on. Piccolo hadn't led them very far, choosing a location with enough room to battle at their best.

Sure enough, the house had the very words painted red on its side with a red roof, surrounded by a few palm trees. The tide ebbed casually against the sands, roping itself around 18's ankles as she landed. Shaking the salt water off, she strolled directly to the front door and knocked three times. Now that she had reunited with her brother, she was free to explore her options, most notably how she'd arrange to spend time with Krillin. What kind of person was he like outside of fighting?

The man himself opened the door, yet his head was turned to address the interior. "I haven't considered when I'll start training again, Master Roshi!"

When he faced 18, his body froze, color rising in his cheeks. "N-Num-Number 18…?!"

"Hey."

Seeing him wear shorts and an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt was odd, but she could not mistake the abject dread on his face, which had its charm in a way. The old man and a sea turtle poked their heads out from the side window and belted a scream. "It's the Artificial Humans! They've come back to attack us now that Goku's dead! Krillin, prepare yourself!"

Roshi scrambled to exit the house, tumbling out the window after leaning forward too much, while the sea turtle cowered back inside, likely shrinking back into his shell. Krillin left the door open to run out. "It's okay! They're not going to do anything bad!"

He expected to see 17 with her, but realization finally hit when she was the only one standing before him with a raised eyebrow. "Are you two done?" she asked.

Roshi was back on his feet, coughing into his fist. "Er, sorry 'bout that. We've been through a lot these last few days, in case you couldn't tell."

He hopped back onto the window sill and entered the house while Krillin anxiously fidgeted with his hands. "Um, wh-what brings you here, then?" he asked, red as a tomato.

"Can you relax first?" 18 stated. Krillin didn't expect that to be her first question and breathed a sigh of relief. "Y-yeah, sorry."

He led her to the base of the beach, out of reach of the tides. It was dusk where they stood, giving them a breathtaking view of the sunset. 18 didn't think much of it, but she figured it must've been something for him to stand next to her watching the sun setting over the horizon.

"Did 16 make it out, by any chance?" she asked. She wanted the obvious out of the way but dreaded the news when Krillin shook his head.

"Cell killed him. He blew his body apart with a ki blast, then crushed the head under his foot," Krillin explained.

18's chest tightened. Not only was Cell responsible for killing 16, but he also did it in such a gruesome fashion that it left her heart feeling heavy. She swept her hair back again, nodding. "I see. I guess the Dragon can't revive him because he's not human?"

Krillin hung his head. "I suppose not. I'm sorry. 16 thought of doing the right thing and was ready to blow himself up to take out Cell, but Bulma removed his explosive device while fixing him."

18's eyes widened. 16 was going to sacrifice himself?

"I wish I had a better explanation for what happened," Krillin said, hands still fidgeting in front of him.

She didn't mind, though she was more irate that the Dragon couldn't consider a robot a living creature and restore him. But in the end, she had her answer.

As they continued staring at the ocean, watching several fish jump out, 18 could see that Krillin had another question on his mind. "Don't worry about asking me about anything. I don't have a whole lot to do now."

"Oh, uh, okay," said Krillin. He scrunched his face, thinking on it, which 18 thought was amusing to watch. "I'm sorry I mistook you and Number 17 for a couple. I didn't know he was your twin brother."

18 shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. After all you've done for me, you didn't deserve that." She wrapped her hand around his. "I thought it was pretty cool what you did."

There was only so much red a man's face could make, 18 noticed. It didn't deter him from being cool in her eyes. "Do you have money?" she asked.

Krillin's eyebrows rose. "Money? Uh, yeah, I've got some. Why?"

"I need new clothes. Something that doesn't reek of Cell's bile. I could also use a bath."

"Oh, sure. We've got some women's clothes left behind by an old friend of ours that you could wear tonight, and the bathroom's upstairs," Krillin explained, pointing at the house. "At least that'll tie you over until you can get something that's more your style."

18 bent to kiss him on the forehead. "Thank you."

She made her way back to the house. "Wait," said Krillin. "Wh-what's your name?"

That was a dumb question to ask. She glanced behind at him. "18."

"I-I meant your real name. You must have one, don't you?"

18 never considered that she'd one day ever speak her real name, the name she was assigned at birth. Her real name was the only memory she ever had with Number 17 when they were normal everyday human beings. It may have been a memory of freer times before she and her brother were encased in a tomb of cold steel. It must've been a memory of happiness and innocence at one time in her life, a life she struggled to convince herself was real.

But looking at the man before her gave her hope that she could build new memories with a fresh start in life. Before her was a man who could accept her as who she was and who she had become, perhaps one day be someone she could accept was her true self.

In the brief time she was with Krillin facing insurmountable odds, she gazed upon him again, knowing there would be joyful memories of having fun. Perhaps they could train and learn how to fight to grow stronger so they could protect each other, rather than reminiscing about sharing a cold, dark, unknown space with her brother, blinded to the world outside, blinded to the man who did everything he could to protect her.

She curled her lips into a genuine smile she wanted him to remember fondly and swiped her hair again.

He deserved to know. He's earned that right.

If this was what freedom meant to her, she'd want to share it with Krillin.

"Lazuli."