We're officially in the homestretch! Counting this chapter, there are five chapters left in the story. There'll be more information about the future goings-on of this saga once the final chapter is up. Enjoy!
Weeks passed without a word on the androids' whereabouts. Trunks spent it perfecting his techniques. Their days were officially numbered. It was only a matter of time before he took them down, himself.
He hadn't put much thought into what happened, afterwards. It would take a lot of time before the Earth would recover to where it once was. That might have been impossible, given the sheer scale of the android's damage. Maybe there was a way he could help in the rebuilding. He wasn't the scientific genius his mother or grandfather were, but he still knew a lot. Surely, there was something he could do.
But they couldn't rebuild until the androids were dealt with. So until then, he saw no use thinking ahead.
He was in his room, putting the finishing touches to the sheath of his sword. He swapped the rope that went over one shoulder to a leather strap. It connected in the front like the seatbelt of a car. Thus, he could get it on quicker or discard it quicker if the moment called for it. While he worked, the radio was turned low, playing an oldies station.
Once he finished, he slung it over his shoulder, buckling it in the front. Then, he stood up and looked at himself in the mirror. He'd cut his hair shorter, back to the length it was before he entered the Room of Spirit and Time. He had on a teal windbreaker and black athletic pants. He'd outgrown his usual clothes from his time training, so this was all that fit.
He looked at the corner of the mirror. Tucked into the frame was an old picture. He grabbed it to get a better look at it. It was the picture his mom had taken of them when she found that camera years ago. They were both smiling and holding up peace signs. Tears formed in his eyes, which he wiped away.
Trunks knew she'd be proud of him for finally achieving his goals. There were days in the Room of Spirit and Time when he was too in grief to get up and train. It was the knowledge that she'd want him to that snapped him out of it. If only she could see him, now.
The radio broadcast suddenly stopped. "We interrupt this broadcast for an emergency news bulletin. We are receiving word that the androids are in the midst of attacking Bridgetown - a town 900 meters away from West City. Authorities are urging anyone within a 20 kilometer radius to immediately take cover and evacuate if possible. Do not, I repeat, do not engage with them directly."
He felt his heart begin to race, as the announcer spoke. Was this it?
"Go, Trunks." He looked over - Piccolo was standing in the doorway. "You're more than ready. Get out there and take those androids out for good."
He nodded at him. "Right. I will." He nodded back at him.
Trunks ran past him, out of his room and out of the temple. He powered up and flew off towards Bridgetown. He looked down at the picture of him and his mom he held in his hands, then tucked it into his jacket. This was his moment. This was what he had been training to do for his entire life.
He was finally going to do it. He was finally going to beat the androids.
The small town of Bridgetown was reduced to rubble in a matter of minutes. The androids held nothing back in sacking it, blowing it to smitherings with a few stray blasts. Few managed to escape before they set fire to it. Those caught in the explosions did not survive.
18 walked on a thin pile of rubble like it was a tightrope. She jumped down. "I still don't understand how you can enjoy this."
17 had his back to her, as he looked over the landscape. "You just can't appreciate that kind of art. Doesn't seeing everything go down at once excite you?"
She scoffed. "Hardly. There's no sport - it's just destruction for destruction's sake. And we don't even have anyone to mess with."
He turned around and walked up to her. "I won our little contest - I got to pick the next place. Don't complain when you lost fair and square."
Just then, a loud whooshing noise echoed in the air. 17 and 18 looked up to see Trunks landing on a pile of rubble.
"Don't you know when to quit," 18 asked. "You'd think he would learn, by now."
Trunks' hands curled into fists. "You're finished, androids! You've wrought destruction for the last time! For the sake of everyone on Earth you've killed, I will defeat you! Right here, right now!"
"You're rather confident," 17 snarked. "And why do you think it'll go differently this time, as opposed to every other time you've tried to take us?"
"I'll show you!" Trunks stood with his feet apart, as he brought all of his power together. The rubble slowly began to rise from the ground around him. Then, he let out a mighty scream, as he was engulfed in a bright yellow light. He glared at the androids, as his Super Saiyan form began to take shape. His energy sent shockwaves into the air, pushing against the androids as they stood and watched him.
"Huh, what do you know," 17 said. "Looks like you do have a new trick up your sleeve. 18, how about you take him first? As a consolation for earlier."
She smirked, as she pushed her hair behind her ear. "Certainly."
18 disappeared and reappeared in front of him, punching him right in the face and sending him flying. As he flew back from the attack, undeterred by the hit, he held his hands out in front of him and fired at her. She dodged the energy blast, letting it explode behind her.
Trunks' feet landed on the side of a fallen building, and he unsheathed his sword. He propelled himself forward and threw his sword towards her. She dodged his blow, but the ends of her hair were cut in the process. 18's eyes widened as she felt it. Trunks kicked her into a building while she was distracted.
"Wow," 17 said, behind him. He turned around. "You're a lot stronger. And in such a short amount of time, too. What's your secret?"
Trunks snarled and charged at him. He swung his sword at him. 17 jumped back, effortlessly dodging his blows. He pulled his sword back and stabbed it towards him. 17 caught the blade without even flinching. Trunks smirked, as he jumped up and stomped on his chest with both feet, knocking him backwards.
18 suddenly appeared behind him. Trunks spun around to swing his sword at her, again, but she blocked it with her forearm. As soon as the blade made contact, it broke. His eyes widened, as he looked at the piece of broken steel. But before he could process it, 17 blasted him in the back hard enough to send him flying into a pile of rubble. The androids then held their hands out and blasted at him, again, for good measure.
However, Trunks quickly emerged from the smoke and fire, completely unfazed by their attacks. He hit and kicked them both away, one right after another. Then he jumped into the air, holding his hands up. His energy flared around him, as a bright blue ball of energy was forming above his head.
"SEE YOU IN HELL, ANDROIDS," he yelled. Then, with a loud scream, he threw it down towards them. The impact shook the Earth below them, creating a massive explosion that destroyed everything in its path. The ground was pushed backwards, as a huge crater formed. Smoke billowed up from below, as rubble flew up and rained back down.
As the smoke and fire began to disappear, Trunks began to smile. He'd done it. He'd finally taken down the androids. He shut his eyes and nodded. Wherever his mom was, her soul could rest easy, now.
He opened his eyes once more. When he did, a jolt ran through him. They were still standing.
"He really has improved," 17 said, as he stared up at him. "How do you think he did it?"
18 brushed the dust off of her clothes. "Beats me. At least this wasn't a total bore."
Trunks gritted his teeth, and fired at them, again. He threw every attack he could think of at them at rapid-fire speed. Yet when the dust and smoke cleared, once again, they were still standing. Completely unharmed.
His hands fell to his sides. No. This had to be some kind of trick.
17 held his hand out and did a 'come-hither' gesture. In a panic, Trunks fired at them, again. He was no longer trying to conserve his energy. He'd worked too hard to let them get the best of him. More explosions and more fire and smoke filled the air, as he put everything he had left into him into his attacks.
Trunks quickly exhausted himself, falling to the ground and collapsing onto his knees. He fell forward, his hands catching himself. His chest rose and fell harshly, as he tried to catch his breath. He didn't understand. He was a Super Saiyan, now. This was supposed to be his moment. But they took his attacks head-on like they were nothing.
When he looked up, his eyes widened in fear. They were gone. He looked around, frantically, trying to spot them. Since he couldn't feel their energy, they could be anywhere. He slowly backed up, as he started to shake. Every little noise in the air set him off. A piece of rubble falling to the ground. The wind blowing against his back. It could have been the androids.
Suddenly, a window shattered behind him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw 17 jumping out from it. Before he could react, he knocked him into the building, his body bouncing and skidding against the floor. When he looked up, he gasped. 18 was standing over him. She kicked him through a wall into another room. The impact of his fall was enough to knock him out of his Super Saiyan state.
He staggered back to his feet. Everything had gone quiet, again. He ran through the ruined building, ducking and dodging the scattered furniture, before hiding in a dark corner. He breathed heavily, as his heart raced like he'd run a marathon.
He was more scared than he'd ever been in his entire life. If he tried to run, the androids would quickly catch him. If he tried to fight, he'd just wear himself down more. And if he kept hiding, they'd eventually find him. His confidence and conviction had gotten him into a fight that he couldn't win.
He heard footsteps coming up behind him. He covered his mouth and held his breath, in a vain attempt to get them to go away. He could see 17's shadow agains the floor next to him. He shut his eyes tightly, as he began to shake.
"Getting tired, already?" He jumped and gasped. 18 was standing right next to him, leaning against the wall. When he turned around, 17 was already leaning against the wall next to him, leaving him surrounded.
The next thing he knew, he was blasted through the building and back outside. He landed on the pavement with a hard thud. He cried out, his body hurting all over. When he tried to stand up, he collapsed back onto the ground. He shut his eyes tightly to keep his tears at bay. He slowly tried to crawl through the rubble, desperately trying to get away.
He didn't get far, before he was kicked in the stomach. He let out a strained cry, as he curled into a ball. Then, a foot dug into his chest, forcing him to lie on his back. 17 was standing on him with one leg, while 18 stood next to him.
18 leaned down and took something off of him - he was in too much pain to see what it was. As she looked over it, she smiled. "17, take a look at this."
17 leaned over. He chuckled. "Well, what do you know? He's with 16."
Trunks' eyes shot open. They had the picture he'd taken with mom.
"A shame she won't be able to save you this time," she said. Then, she suddenly tore it in half, throwing the pieces away. Trunks watched helplessly, as they were scattered to the wind. He couldn't hold it back, anymore. He started crying.
"Oh, don't cry," 17 said. "It's not so bad. We'll send you to her, ourselves."
The androids lifted their hands in the air. Two identical balls of energy began to form in them. Trunks shut his eyes tightly, bracing himself for the inevitable. He'd tried to go against the androids and he failed.
When he saw his mother in Otherworld, he'd apologize to her.
They threw their hands down, sending their energy down with them. The ground shook violently, as they were all consumed by light and fire.