Adventures of the Chestnut Clan
Chapter 8: Differences
It was yet another bright and sunny day in Satan City, the city of hope and dreams protected by Earth's supposed strongest champion, Mr. Satan. There, free of worries concerning external threats, its inhabitants roamed freely about the streets, their laughter devoid of any traces of fear an enviable soundscape to all communities nearby.
Inside a rectangular two story house adorned with circular domes on top, the cries of joy was even more pronounced than its neighbors', so much so in fact pedestrians couldn't help but to stop by and wonder what merited this celebrative atmosphere.
"So there I was, standing on top a cliff overseeing the fenced off grassy plains when a Carnotaurus broke through the wall and began attacking the many herbivorous dinosaurs," A raven-haired man dressed in park ranger's uniform said, waving his arms around to emphasize the severity of the situation.
Curious glances, three pairs of crystal blue and one pair of emerald eyes trained on him intensely, with one in particular gaining vibrancy to radiant sapphire.
"My fellow rangers fired their tranquilizers at the rampaging dinosaur but none hit their mark, and so I jumped in front of the Carnotaurus and spread out my arms, blocking its path. The predator stopped in its tracks and glared at me, trying to intimidate me but I stood my ground. We locked stares for several minutes until finally, it let out a roar and came charging at me,"
The radiant sapphire orbs now shot wide opened and its owner almost leapt up from the couch in excitement.
The main speaker grinned seeing his audiences' reaction, those cat-like eyes of his sparkling in the same manner as innocent round ones of the girl, "I did the only thing possible," he paused, giving ample time for the anticipation to sink in, "and grabbed the rampaging dinosaur's horns, pinning its head onto the ground. It struggled, trying to reach me with those terrifyingly sharp claws but I dodged left and right while holding its head down. My opponent wasn't ready to give up yet; however its murderous glare showing obvious signs of fear as my colleagues approached with tranquilizers in hand,"
A loud gasp erupted from a young blonde's mouth, her fists clenched shut, trembling with awe.
"We administered the shot and the Carnotaurus groaned but even its rage was no match against the combination of me and my co-workers' might. Gradually, its vicious, murderous eyes softened till they closed down and," he stopped yet again to enjoy the reaction, "tada...the day was saved! So, what do you think?"
"Wow, you are amazing Uncle Seventeen! That was unreal!" The overjoyed listener ran toward her uncle and latched onto his legs.
"Of course I am Marron! And aren't you a great listener?" Seventeen gently patted his niece's head, his fingers running through those silky strands he adored so much before facing the other three, "what about you guys? Well, speak up!"
Two females with near identical flaming hair giggled while a blonde woman of similar build to Seventeen gave him a good-natured smile.
"I love it daddy, you are the best but," The younger redhead blurted out excitedly, only to pause midsentence as if to ponder whether to continue or not, "you've been telling this story nonstop since yesterday."
"I agree with Fille honey. We all know you are the star on Monster Island but by now you are just repeating the same old tale." The older redhead nodded in agreement.
Slightly dejected, Seventeen turned to the last woman who had remained quiet so far.
"It's my first time hearing this bro, so naturally it's pretty good. You solved the problem accordingly." She replied in a reassuring tone.
It brought a smile to his face, "Really Eighteen? You are being pretty generous with me today."
"You did very well subduing the Carnotaurus but knowing your strength and how much tougher we are compared to average humans, it's hardly surprising you'd be able to pull it off." Eighteen declared as a matter of factly.
"Wow, thank you sister dearest but that almost doesn't sound like a compliment."
"It's well within your power isn't it bro? It's not like you took on a foe who can put you in danger. But of course I can see how this makes for a good story." The sister added the last part as a mean of cheering her brother up but she could tell it didn't have the desired effect.
Fille, the youngest of all present who shared Seventeen's jewel-like eyes, got off from her seat and leapt up onto his arm, "Sorry to disappoint you daddy, I think you are great. I want to be strong just like you!" she ended her sentence with a kiss on her father's cheek.
"Yeah Uncle, you and mommy are both so strong. How can I be just like you?" Marron, who was resting on another one of Seventeen's arm, asked.
The cyborg twins exchanged an almost sorrowful look but neither allowed more signs of crack to leak through.
"You just have to train very hard and never give up Marron. We are capable of achieving great feats if we just put our mind to it." The mother said warmly, her cheeks slightly flushed due to the incomplete truth.
There's no way I can tell Marron her mother and uncle are cyborgs designed for the sole purpose of ending humanity...I don't even think my Krillin and Carly knew the full extent of our biology even after all these years of being our spouses...
"That's right my beloved daughter and niece. Ya need to push yourself to the maximum and only then can you fly and shoot laser beams like us!" Seventeen chimed in, only to frown at himself for mentioning all those tricks he could do thanks to a certain deceased mad scientist.
Way to go Seventeen, no wonder your sis loves giving you those disapproving stares at times, the last thing we want is for Fille and Marron to get curious about the nature of our power...
A quick glance from both twins to Carly's understanding expression told them this pure human knows about their difficulties, prompting both to sigh in relief.
Meanwhile, Marron's cheerful expression had changed to a pondering one. The little girl gazed up at her mother's somewhat rigid expression then at her uncle's near mirror image, those round orbs she inherited from her father narrowing to resemble her mother's feline glare.
I don't know why, but mama and Uncle Seventeen aren't exactly like...well...the rest of us...they're so different than papa and Auntie Carly...
But then again, we have some strange friends too...Uncle Piccolo is green and Uncle Tien has three eyes...
And Uncle Goku and Uncle Vegeta...feels different too...wow I really have some strange uncles...
Eighteen saw her daughter's inquisitive look and semi-panicked, knowing how much questions her little girl could come up with if given the chance.
"I must say it sure is good paying my lovely sister-in-law and her family a visit and my, what a wonderful house you have here!" Carly quickly changed the subject matter sensing her sister-in-law's distress, earning her grateful smiles from the cyborgs.
Hearing her aunt complimenting their home caused Marron to shout out in joy, her young mind drifting toward her favorite spots in her house, far away from any so-called strangeness she sensed in her mother may have.
"Yeah sis, I have to agree with Carly. You and Krillin must be doing something right to purchase this kind of home in Satan city." Seventeen sat down beside his family on the couch, wrapping his free arm around his wife while his daughter rested on his laps.
"It's mainly Krillin bro. He's been putting in some hard work and getting recommended by his boss. Some of the citizens he's protected even offered him cash. I told him to accept but he wouldn't take it." Eighteen mused dreamily, her distant gaze a dead giveaway that her mind was somewhere else, probably where her husband was guessed Seventeen who almost whistled teasingly.
Meanwhile, nonstop chants of "Papa! Papa!" rang throughout the room as Marron had become excited, her nimble finger began switching the news channel trying to look for her father.
Carly observed the two adorable blondes' cute demeanor and smiled, wondering if she had ever behaved in any fashion remotely similar. Perhaps to duplicate those joyful expressions, she leaned against her husband's shoulder and the man responded in kind, their heads touching.
"So where's Uncle Krillin? Shouldn't he be back by now?" Fille's voice was nearly excited as her cousin's.
The two blondes frowned in unison like two beings sharing a link.
"Papa has been away since last night. Do you think he'll come home soon mama?" Marron pondered crossing her arms.
"He should've been back already but knowing him," The mother sighed looking at the clock that indicated midafternoon while holding onto the fruit of her love for comfort, "he's probably pulling voluntary overtime helping some unfortunate souls."
Seventeen could clearly see the frustration boiling in those aquamarine pools and let out an abrupt chuckle, which was silenced by Carly squeezing tight onto his fingers.
"Like you are the one to laugh. Just think of all the extra fun you've had!" The redhead said unamused.
"Sorry dear, I guess even in-laws imitate each other." The raven-haired man winked mischievously.
The entire room burst into laughter, some more genuine than others, while others harbored a melancholic undertone.
"Why don't we do some fun activities while we wait for Kril, I'm sure he wouldn't want us to just wait here for him." The older blonde said, not blushing the tiniest bit when upon realizing she had just used her husband's nickname.
"How about another Monster Island ranger story?" The younger sibling remarked, garnering him several raised eyebrows.
"Uncle Seventeen, I like your stories, but can we play some board games?" Marron beamed at her uncle.
"Of course my lovely niece, as if Uncle Seventeen could say no to you." It was the truth too, since there was no way the male cyborg could possibly reject such innocent request.
"Yay board game, I want to play too!" Fille shouted in joy.
"Alright then, board game it is, I'll go fetch it so just stay put for a second!" Eighteen announced, putting on a momentary cheerful expression before excusing herself.
What is it with me missing him all the sudden? It's not like I'm not used to him pulling overtime...
Carly had gotten off the couch by now and made her way toward her distraught sister-in-law, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Here, let you help you Eighteen."
Dazzling sapphire orbs and beautiful emerald ones met as familial emotions coursed through both.
"I just don't get why it has to be my Kril having to pull these long hours. He's always the one having to work extra hard."
"Hey I understand. You are very proud of his achievements though aren't you? That he has to work for it instead of merely...well, let's just call it accepting what's given to him."
Eighteen nodded, her lips curved up in a soft smile.
"Yes you are right. I wouldn't...ah what's the word; desire him as much had he not strive so hard at what he needs."
Krillin was sweating like bullets by the time he arrived back home, droplets of salty water cascading down his body and onto the welcoming mat. After taking time to tidy up his disheveled officer uniform prior to entering, which sported a few tears here and there, he found his entire extended family sitting on carpeted floor with board game pieces lying about.
"Papa! You are back!"
"Uncle Krillin! We've been waiting for you!"
Marron and Fille sprang forward the moment Krillin's face became visible and in no time, he found his legs locked in nigh inescapable grips.
"Easy kids, be gentle with Krillin. I'm sure he' tired," The older redhead warned as she tried prying her redhead daughter's fingers loose.
"Hey it's alright Carly, my little niece is just happy to see me that's all." The officer gently stroke the younger redhead's strands and she squealed happily.
While Fille was getting all the attention, Marron took the opportunity to press her face against her father's uniform covered leg, until her mother scooped her up into her arms.
"Common Marron, papa's sweaty and you'll get yourself dirty too," The older blonde admonished then turned her attention to her husband, those warm tropical blue orbs sparkling in a cocktail of love and concern, "as for you mister, what kind of adventure did you get into this time? Dealing with some pretty tough opponents aren't you?"
Those words gave Krillin's merry face an added shade of embarrassment and he scratched the back of his short yet well-trimmed hair in a force of habit.
"Ehh...hehe...well uh...I mean common sweetie, it's nothing bad I promise. Just some above average thugs that's all," he tried explaining away with both open palms held up seeing his spouse's eyes had begun to narrow.
Eighteen shook her head in dismay, "Get real Kril, do you think you can trick me after being together for this many years?" her statement came out sharper than intended and the cyborg woman cringed at her own biting tone, so she loosened her throat considerably for the next part, "your ki is still flaring slightly Krillin, at least try to get it under control next time okay hubby?"
Facing the roomful of gazes, Krillin couldn't help but scratching his head harder, his eyes gradually drifting downward before snapping wide opened.
No wait, my sweetie didn't call me out just to make me feel bad...common Krillin, think...
"Sorry babe, I don't want to make you worry that's all and besides, I'm here aren't I?" The former warrior monk declared cheerfully, going as far as flexing his muscle. It did the trick too, seeing his beloved's cheeks turning a shade rosy red.
"Very funny Kril," His babe pouted, her arms crossed in front of her chest much like her daughter.
"Look Eighteen," Krillin finally said sternly, garnering him her undivided attention, "you know me, I'm not some foolhardy man who would throw his life away am I? If things get bad, I promise I'll either call you or run away."
His genuine voice struck a chord seeing Eighteen's expression relaxed.
"Glad to see you back Kril." She gave him a welcoming hug that wasn't too loose nor tight, one of those the couple shared every workday or when one had to be away on errands. Naturally, he returned the affection and soon found himself sandwiched between five bodies.
"Ow, aren't you guys squeezing me a tad too tight?"
"Why? Are you saying you would only accept my sister dearest's hug?" Seventeen said mischievously as his sturdy limbs encased the small family.
"W-no that's not what I meant...it's just,"
"I think he means you are pressing onto his wound bro, the bonehead still thought he wouldn't have to trouble me with his injuries." Eighteen remarked as she stood back for her shorter spouse to breath before abruptly slapping squarely on his back where the wound was.
"Ouch Eighteen!"
"That's your punishment for being such a gentleman and not informing me. Now stay put and let me address your wounds." She stated in a serious tone that brushed away any room for argument, it was a tone Krillin had come to miss the older they grew but cherished nonetheless.
"Yes ma'am!"
Their gathering carried on with renewed vigor, as lively chatter resonated through the space once more. The off-duty officer now sat on a stool, his upper body bare and being attended to by his wife's considerate hands. Marron and Fille had offered help too, both handing the older woman disinfectants and cotton sticks. As the girls aided attentively, their curious eyes travelled all around Krillin's chiseled frame littered with old scars and taking in what appeared to be a barely recognizable sheet of aura still encasing his form.
"Papa, is that what you call Ki?" Marron poked at the life force, squealing in delight as it wobbled to her touches.
Wow, it's almost like pudding, or cotton candy...I can almost shape it...except it feels just like papa...
Krillin laughed slightly feeling his daughter's finger playing with this sensitive extension of him, "Yes Marron, that's papa's life energy also known as ki. We all have it, including you," he said, scooping up a ball of his living force and placed it onto his daughter's hands who began to mold the energy into different shapes.
Fille watched somewhat jealously, that was until her uncle handed her another ball of ki. Soon, both girls were having a competition of seeing who could create the best creature, their nimble fingers working overtime, transforming the orb into bizarre shapes only young impressionable minds could come up. By the time Marron was finished, she was holding what appeared to be a hybrid animal consisted of a shark's head, turtle's shell, and mermaid's tail while Fille proudly displayed her creation sporting a giraffe's neck, lion's head, and hippopotamus's body.
"This is my turtle shark, I saw it near Grandpa Roshi's island." The blonde girl exclaimed.
"And I saw my brave daddy subduing this one day, I think it's called Sphinx or something." The young redhead held her creation high.
The adults exchanged amused looks and chuckled, all awed by their near boundless imagination.
"Really Marron? I'm not sure if I've seen one of this on Roshi's island," Eighteen challenged softly wanting to see how her child defend herself.
"Well, I have mama, and I'll show you next time we visit grandpa Roshi." Marron pouted giving her mother the evil eye she had no doubt inherited from the aforementioned woman.
"Are you sure?" The older blonde pressed on when in fact, her heart was swelling with pride at her daughter's response.
"Yes mama! In fact, I'll create another creature I saw if you give your ki."
"Oh...,"
Completely caught off guard by the demand, the cyborg mother frowned, unsure of what to do.
Way to go Eighteen, now how are you supposed to tell Marron her mother can't use natural ki like her father even if she's the stronger parent...
"Hey it's okay little angel, how about papa give you some more ki?" Krillin offered sensing his wife's distraught.
His gesture was met by a dissatisfied pout, "But I want to play with mama's ki. I don't know why, but mama always feels different than papa and I want to make something from my mother's life energy."
"Marron...," The pure human warrior began once more knowing that despite his wife putting on a maternal front, she was screaming inside.
"It's alright Kril, if Marron want to play with her mother's life energy she can." Eighteen waved off her partner's concern, her bright yet uncompromising smile letting him know she was dead serious.
The mother took a moment to compose herself, secretly waking up the many living cells in her body. She held both hands in front of her and focused her mind on the empty space in between, imagining the ki coursing through her veins and converging on the desired location like rivers flowing into an ocean. Try as she might, nothing occurred at first, not even tiny sparkles on her fingertips or the thin sheet of aura her husband could freely conjure. Sweats were now visible all across her forehead as they cascaded gingerly down her furrowed eyebrows and stinging her blue orbs.
"Mama, are...are you okay?" Marron inquired, her heart aching from the struggling sight of her mother.
Eighteen gave her daughter a determined look, telling her nonverbally she had it all under control. Mustering renewed strength, the cyborg woman was eventually able to summon a pure white sphere much to her offspring's delight, who began jumping up and down chanting energetic chants like "you are the best mama!"
This cheerful outburst didn't last long though, as no sooner had the older blonde handed those energy to her daughter, the sphere wobbled uncontrollably before evaporating into thin air.
"No! That was mama's ki!" Marron cried, her tiny fingers folding into shaking fists.
The cyborg woman gently patted the small girl's back, "It's not your fault little angel, mama's just not that good at controlling ki like papa."
"B-but that's not true, I've seen mama creating ki, and I think its pink. Can't I play with your pink ki?"
The question brought more uncertainty to Eighteen whose heart was already aching.
"Please mother?" Marron pleaded once more.
No please, don't ask for it Marron. It's not exactly human...heck, it's not even life energy...it's mechanical...it's dead...
"Well, you see Marron, that's not really ki mama's creating," Eighteen admitted.
"T-then what is it?" The innocence in Marron's voice achieved nothing other than bringing pain to her mother and uncle.
"It's something only mama can create little angel, that's all you need to know." Krillin said putting a hand on his daughter's shoulder and she nodded without questioning further.
Meanwhile, the spawn of Seventeen and Carly observed this interaction from afar and couldn't help but tugging at his father's sleeves.
"Yes dear?" The cyborg father felt a strange unease swelling up his insides but responded to his daughter nonetheless.
"How about you daddy? Are you like Uncle Krillin or like Auntie Eighteen?"
"Well...let's just say daddy's more like auntie Eighteen." Seventeen admitted begrudgingly carrying a hint of iciness.
"O-oh...okay." Fille wondered but remained silent otherwise.
They passed the rest of their day in relative ease, not mentioning ki or any of its related concepts and instead opting to enjoy what most normal urban families do such as watching television. Freed of his dirty uniform, Krillin found himself sprawling comfortably on the couch, taking pleasure in seeing his family debating the many program contents. Seeing his wife and brother-in-law discussing real world events, local news, and even politics made the former warrior monk's heart flutter.
How can anyone think of them as non-human?
"Kril,"
They are both so...natural, so human-like,
"Krillin,"
And so untainted by whatever experiment Gero may have forced them through...
"KRILLIN!"
"Y-yes sweetie?" Krillin, snapped out of his daydreams, found himself facing an entire roomful of stares.
Eighteen shook her head in disbelief, her mouth making "Tsk! Tsk!" sounds as she studied her husband's bewildered facial expression, "Will you take a look at this?" she pointed at the screen showing what appeared to be a giant saucer descending onto a city full of petrified humans.
Krillin's eyes narrowed and he snickered despite himself, "What's this? The latest alien invasion flick? Wow Eighteen, I didn't know you are into science fiction."
Yup, definitely human with very human-like taste in entertainment...
"No you goofball, this is the news. Apparently there's an alien mothership hovering on top of Satan City downtown this very moment!" The cyborg woman snapped.
"Yay aliens! I've always wanted to see one!" Fille exclaimed happily bouncing atop Carly's laps.
"I know right? I want to go meet some aliens!" Marron shouted gleefully, her head almost bumping into Seventeen's chin as she stood up abruptly in front of her uncle, "say Uncle Seventeen, can we go see some aliens?"
The raven-haired cyborg raised an eyebrow unsure how to answer this bomb radiating with energy. Peering over at his sister and brother-in-law for answer, he was pleased to find neither had a clue.
"Well?" He asked expectedly nevertheless if only just for some entertainment, his curious face turned to that of a mischievous one when his blonde-haired counterpart returned a nonchalant shrug then turned to look at her husband.
Once more, it took Krillin several precious seconds before realizing he had been given the stage, "W-why's everyone staring at me like that?"
Eighteen shoved him playfully, "Why do you think silly? We are looking at you for what to do."
"Okay I'm...flattered sweetie, but why me?"
"Cause you are the most seasoned fighter here and have been defending Earth the longest." Seventeen answered without hesitation, his words backed by Eighteen's nod.
"Yay papa! So are we going to see some aliens tonight? Are you taking me?" Marron leapt onto her father's stomach and studied him with those innocent orbs he found hard to say no to.
"Yeah Uncle Krillin, are we going to see some UFOs?" Fille chimed in.
"Now now children, seeing aliens is no laughing matter. Let's not rush Krillin and give him the time to think." Carly interjected sternly as she grabbed the younger redhead, preventing another energetic kid from dogpiling the human warrior.
The seasoned Earth's defender began to ponder in earnest, his brain housing decades of experience waging an internal debate. Looking at his curious daughter, whose undiluted innocence had been the reason of him waking up every morning, he couldn't help but feel like the busy day wasn't quite over yet and that duty calls once more.
The other occupants sensed the change in atmosphere and all held their breaths. Even the young blonde girl resting against her father's belly felt the gravity of the situation and crawled back, allowing her papa more room.
"Well?" Eighteen's considerate voice cut through the uncertainty, her timing coinciding with that spark which had went off in her partner's mind.
"Well sweetie, I think I have a job to do. We can't always count on Goku and the others for emergencies like this. Want to join me?" The husband asked rather formally, his open palm extended toward her akin to inviting her out on a date.
She reciprocated with a radiant smile that was enhanced by those ocean blue orbs sparkling like seawater under tropical sun, "Of course Kril, and I thought you'd never ask."
Seventeen was feeling all fuzzy inside but knew he had to interrupt the couple moment, "Mind if I tag along? I'm sure I can be of help."
"And me me me! I want to come too!" Marron chanted gleefully.
"Sorry little angel, but I'm afraid I can't let you come along, it's too dangerous." Krillin rested his hand on her golden strands, his firm touch letting her know his determination.
"That's right Marron, why don't you stay with me and Fille?" Carly offered.
The spawn of Earth's strongest pure human and Artificial Human Number Eighteen gazed at her parents then at her uncle, aunt, and cousin, ending with her hugging the three adults ready to take off into the evening sky.
"Please be safe okay?" Sensing something major was bound to happen, the little girl held onto her loved ones tightly.
"We will Marron, now be a good girl and stay with Carly. We'll be right back I promise." Krillin reassured, holding onto her small body tight. As he held her, every single fiber in his being screamed out begging him not to let go but his heart knew better and with great reluctance, he pried his fingers off her.
I wonder if Eighteen and Seventeen were also having second thoughts...I mean they are always so level headed...
A quick glance at his soul mate hugging the fruit of their love and his brother-in-law holding onto his wife and daughter was all the answer he needed.
The light-polluted night sky above Satan City was brighter than usual, its pale blue shade cast aside by piercing lights from the massive hovercraft. The closer the three Earth's defenders drawn, the more they began to realize the sheer magnitude of this ship as it grew in size in their eyes.
"Wow will ya look at that? There's gotta be thousands of them up there." Seventeen muttered somewhat excitedly already scanning for signs of movements and compiling a rough estimate of their potential foe.
"Yeah, let's just hope they come in peace." Krillin replied in a hopeful manner.
"If not we can always blow them out of the sky!" The former killer cyborg male cracked his knuckles.
"Hey, don't draw your conclusions too soon alright? They can be friendly tourists." The off duty officer in his training gi admonished in a rather uncharacteristically stoic manner.
The cyborg twins shared an amused tone then chuckled simultaneously.
"What?" Bewilderment and slight impatience was starting to show in Krillin's voice.
"Nothing Kril, we are just thinking you are taking this protector's job too seriously." The proud wife replied, still smiling.
"Trust me sweetie, once you've been an officer long enough, you learn to distinguish the good from the bad before taking action...not that you two aren't capable of this I'm sure," Her husband's voice softened significantly near the end, feeling somewhat guilty for the lecture.
"Point taken...Kril, and don't you worry cause being a park ranger requires precise split second decision too," The brother-in-law mimicked his sister's voice in addition to his natural confidence.
Perhaps Krillin's just being too hopeful? I sense an all too familiar scent of maliciousness in these aliens not all that different than Cell...
Krillin nodded back somewhat apologetically, only for his optimism to be dashed by swarms of what appeared to be alien fighter jets came pouring out of the open hatch, their purple blinking lights resembling predatorily stares searching for prey.
"Looks like they've made their move, it's time to stop them!" The raven-haired cyborg was locked onto several aircrafts speeding toward Satan City below.
"Wait, we don't know if they mean us harm yet. Maybe we should try..."
A glare from Krillin's wife silenced him, "We don't have to kill them, just stop them first."
Seventeen seemed to be thinking of the same as he managed to land atop an aircraft and knocked on its nigh-transparent windshield. Rather than getting a reply, the ship flipped upside down and when the cyborg still remained on the ship, began firing lasers everywhere, some of its blasts barely missing the buildings below.
"Well, so much for being cautious," Krillin admitted, his pure white ki flaring alongside Eighteen's pink and Seventeen's green.
A frantic exchange ensued as the trio of defenders engaged in an aerial combat with the swarm of invaders that were now firing everywhere and causing major explosions on the landscape. Despite of having to protect the city in addition to taking on their enemies, the outnumbered fighters still had the upper hand as their superior agility, skill, and collaboration proved too much for their opponents. With his barrage of guided destructo discs, Krillin was able to neutralize large numbers of fighters at one while Eighteen and Seventeen's barriers saved multiple attempts at the civilian population. Like old teammates, they were able to shield each other's blind spots too, deflecting attacks that otherwise would've hit vital sections.
Soon, burning debris littered the uninhabited areas while the white, pink, and green glows stayed vibrantly strong.
"Well, that ought to be that," Seventeen said as he tossed the last disabled aircraft at Krillin who threw it into an empty parking lot. The trio then shared a high five and waited for what was to come.
They didn't have to ponder for long either, for that a dazzling light burst out abruptly before them, blinding all and turning the pitch dark night sky bright as day. When the white screen finally subsided, they found themselves staring at a lean humanoid alien emitting purple and green lights and sporting large insect like eyes.
"Be careful you two, this being is much stronger than meets the eye." Krillin warned, his acute battle sense screaming trouble.
"Thanks Kril, but we know. We've been exposed to far stronger opponents enough to know their strength even without energy sensors." Eighteen replied, her eyes narrowing to resemble that of a lioness as did Seventeen whose fists clenched tightly in anticipation.
"Greetings fragile human, you have fought well against my henchmen, but now that I, Lord Mauvais has arrived, there's no hope for you. Your planet, your everything will be subjugated under my control and join my galactic empire as colony!" The being stated authoritatively, if not somewhat stereotypically, not forgetting to flex his muscles, releasing more of his sealed power.
Try resisting the energy all he could, Krillin proved no match against the outburst and was shoved backwards until his two companions extended their barriers, shielding him from the malicious ki.
Pleased with itself, the alien shook his index finger tauntingly.
"You alright bro?" Seventeen asked caringly.
"Yeah I'm good, thanks brother!" The pure human warrior said, flashing him a confident smile before pointing at the overconfident enemy, "I wouldn't get too cocky if I were mister!"
"It's Lord Mauvais!"
"Right, well Mauvais, you'll be surprised at what we can really achieve with our combined strength! Now let's get him!"
They surrounded the lone alien lord on all sides and began circling it in a well-practiced manner. When, after close to a minute there was still no sign of movement, Krillin powered up a destructo disc and hurled it straight at his midsection.
The attack travelled through Mauvais but no one so much as breathed a sigh of relief for that all knew it had hit nothing but an illusion. Behaving like a team, Eighteen was there to catch the razor sharp disc and threw back it at the alien's next location while imbuing it with some of her pink artificial ki, producing a yellowish pink disc. When even that failed to land, Seventeen immediately sent it at their opponent yet again, his lime-colored energy spiraling around the edges. They kept up the attack and in no time, three shades of ki had blended into a single color.
That was when Mauvais made his move.
"Ha!" The purple and green alien shouted, erecting a barrier that shattered the disc into million pieces upon impact.
Seventeen blinked in disbelief at how their technique dissipating like smoke but his brain was unable to process further before a blinding fast punch flew at his face, missing him by mere inches. A series of rapid jabs followed with every successive strike came closer and closer to his skin until at last, a fist grazed the cyborg's youthful cheeks.
This is bad; if he keeps this up I'm done for...
Luckily for him, he did not have to endure the onslaught for long as his blonde counterpart and her husband had appeared behind the alien and brought their fists jointly against Mauvais's head.
Grasping the opportunity, the cyborg male threw a punch of his own right between those insect-like eyes. The combined assault sent shockwaves across the atmosphere and blew away surrounding clouds.
Under normal circumstances, the trio might've cheered having executed such an attack but this time, a dreadful sensation crossed their minds, triggered by the pain that shot through their bodies from aching hands.
"Pathetic, is this all you are capable of?"
No sooner had those words reached Seventeen's ears did he felt his abdomen getting pummeled. The cyborg tried raising a hand to shield himself but Mauvais's next strike easily bypassed his defense and landed on his chest, the resulting pain made him clutch his body in agony. A gush of wind that bore down on Seventeen's face followed, sending giant, capital "WARNING" signs throughout his cybernetic enhanced brain. Based on the velocity of those air molecules, it wasn't hard to determine if this earth-shattering strike landed, he'll be done for.
Rather than experiencing searing pain, his sister's cry reached him and the cyborg ranger opened his shut eyes to discover Eighteen had taken his place, the foot of Mauvais embedded in her waist.
"Sis!" He yelled and launched a barrage of punches and kicks driven by fury, only for them to get swapped aside before an energy blast to the face ended his attacks.
"Eighteen! Seventeen!" Krillin yelled in shock seeing both cyborgs tumbling down from the sky with their attacker hard on their heels. Without thinking, he ram his entire body against the alien, knocking him off course temporarily but earning himself a kick that, even after having caught it with both arms raised, still sent him hurtling backwards.
"Sweetie, bro! Are you guys alright?" Krillin rushed toward two craters imprinted on nearby hill the moment he managed to regain control.
"Ack, this Mauvais guy certainly is tough isn't he?" Seventeen coughed holding onto his brother-in-law's hand for support.
"That he certainly is, and much stronger than even the three of us combined if I'm not mistaken." Eighteen said gritting her teeth in pain; her body leaning against Krillin's.
"I agree. Anyone got any bright ideas?" The human warrior inquired holding onto his family tightly.
The question drew uncomfortable silence for moments till at last, the blonde cyborg said plainly, "There's only one method out of this mess, and you two know full well what that is."
Krillin and Seventeen stared at their husband/sister, then at themselves, before the raven-haired cyborg shook his head adamantly.
"No sis, I don't think so."
"But Seventeen."
"No but Krillin, it's too...personal, I mean common sis, there has gotta be another way out."
The brother's complaint met uncompromising, icy glares.
"No but bro, you two either pull this off or we are history, and I suggest you guys get to it before your physical condition deteriorate any further," The sister stated matter-of-factly but ended it with a radiant smile, "as for me, I'll provide distraction in the meantime so don't fail me okay?"
"No Eighteen!" Krillin screamed but his wife had already rocketed herself at the gloating Mauvais.
"Damn you sis!"
"Well Seventeen, looks like we have no choice like it or not."
Seventeen spared his companion a reluctant look, then up at his sibling fending against alien lord's unrelenting assaults that was slowly drawing blood, then sighed, "Fine Krillin, but I'm releasing myself the moment our foe is defeated got that?"
Krillin didn't even hesitate one moment before nodding eagerly, earning him another sigh.
Standing side by side, the human fighter began dropping his ki all the way down to zero then both turned their arms so they were pointing away from each other.
"Fusion!" The human and cyborg shouted in unison, rotating their arms 180 degrees in a clockwise manner as they spoke then quickly pivoted their arms to the opposite direction again.
"Ha!" The moment that loud roar escaped their mouths, Krillin and Seventeen bent their bodies toward each other with all four index fingers touching. The phenomenon that resulted from this unique if not goofy maneuver was a blinding light rivalling the one emitted from Mauvais, painting the bleak night sky in pure angelic white.
"I knew you two will eventually decide on the right thing!" A heavily bruised Eighteen muttered to herself, thankful of the reprieve brought from her attacker's bewilderment of what had transpired but more importantly, that she sensed an incalculable energy radiating from this newly emerged glowing person's body.
When the glow eventually subsided, an average height fair-skinned youth sporting shoulder length black-hair, round blue eyes, cheeky smile, and the lack of a nose came into view.
"I must applaud you for giving us this much trouble Mauvais, but now that I, Sevlin is here, your rampage is officially over!" The fusion of Krillin and Seventeen declared then, in the blink of an eye, reappeared in front of the aghast alien.
"W-what is the meaning of this and how could you two weaklings have gotten this powerful?" Mauvais asked, failing to stop the shiver from his voice.
"Huh, this is called fusion you monster, and as you can see it has more than doubled our strength. Here, let you show you!"
Show his foe he did, as a punch so powerful it passed through hastily erected barrier landed on the Mauvais's purple and green skin. The alien wasn't completely overpowered though, and managed to throw a fist that, for the first time, failed to hit anything but thin air.
"T-this can't be...ack!" A kick had landed on Mauvais's midsection and he doubled over in pain.
"Can't be you say? Well I'd digress for that I'm Sevlin, the strongest..."
"Ahem," A cough halted Sevlin's speech and his excited aqua orbs rested Eighteen's scowl, "sorry to interrupt your monologue, but mind getting this over with first? He was trashing us just moments earlier you know?"
"Y-yes wife, wait, but you are my sister...no that's not right...wife sis?" Sevlin couldn't help but stammer in front of the displeased woman.
The blonde cyborg shook her head, "Just call me Eighteen."
Sevlin flashed her a toothy grin that was the perfect combination of Krillin's bright smile and Seventeen's cheeky grin, "You are right Eighteen, I'll get this over with in no time so we can all go home!"
A series of shockwaves rang above Satan City as the ferocious battle ensued. For Sevlin, he was feeling rather invulnerable as an endless energy surged through his body, allowing him to dish out a series of highly complex techniques that kept Mauvais on his toes, never knowing where the next attack will land. This unpredictability, in combination to the improved accuracy and an almost murderous intent steaming from this fusion, rendered the once proud alien lord running for his life.
"It's time to end this! Here, take this! Infinite Hellzone Destructo Disc!"
Dozens, if not hundreds of razor sharp discs flew out of Sevlin's palms in rapid succession but his foe managed to dodge every one of them.
"Hah! You may have gotten more powerful but your aim still needs much work!" Mauvais declared triumphantly, the purple and green lights emitted from his body growing in intensity.
"That's when you are mistaken since I've just begun to execute this move!" The raven-haired, noseless warrior declared, his eyes blinked a dangerous crimson glow while his arms waved wildly. As if following his command, the discs that had missed began circling their target.
The alien invader didn't have time to think, for that his horror-stricken eyes were filled by countless approaching discs that soon not only covered his vision but his entire body. When at last the explosion cleared, not a trace of him remained.
Sevlin was about to gloat once more but the sensation of being trapped by a certain blonde woman's death glare downed on him, so he did the only logical thing possible and conjured up a blast that reduced the mothership to ashes.
"Good job bro, erm...hubby...tsk," Eighteen clapped her hands in approval, only to stutter not knowing how to address the figure, causing her cheeks to fluster in an adorable pink.
"It's Sevlin! But now that the job is done, it's time for me to return back to normal." The handsome yet cute fighter declared and, following another burst of light, had reverted to two beings again.
Upon regaining his original form, Krillin floated over to Seventeen and put a hand on his kin's shoulder, "You feeling alright bro?"
"Yeah I suppose, still feels weird to merge with you." Seventeen paused a bit before saying the next part, "but I must say, your knowledge in martial arts surprised me, it's like all of the sudden I have gotten much wiser."
The pleased warrior monk scratched his head in embarrassment, "Hey don't say that, I'm surprised at how full of energy I felt when I'm Sevlin, it's like I can do anything."
Rather than reassuring his audience, Krillin's genuine words brought out a despised huff from Seventeen.
"W-what's the matter?"
"That's what I'm af...what's troubling me Krillin, that you get to experience what it's like to be me, no us, to have an energy generator in you, to still have those...," The former cyborg stopped, no longer able to continue.
"To have those targeting systems in your brain," Eighteen finished the statement for her brother then turned to face her husband with solemn look, her gaze having frozen solid, "tell me Kril, when your eyes blinked red, what do you feel?"
The question caught Krillin off guard but, rather than being reduced to a stuttering mess, his chocolate-rich brown eyes trained on the pair firmly.
"It made me want to kill, to eradicate my enemies sweetie, and while I was gleefully attacking Mauvais, I felt like I was driven to murder and not in control of myself," He paused, taking a deep breath, "but you know what else?"
The cyborgs shook their heads.
"It gave me the power to protect my loved ones and dare I say, your artificial energy doesn't feel half bad. I...guess I'm just glad I can call on you two to back me up if needed!"
Both cyborg twins felt their cheeks flushed despite their best efforts to keep calm. Eighteen especially was blushing so hard she almost had to cover her rosy cheeks from her husband.
"Well?" Krillin asked curiously.
"Well, I think you have managed to sweet talk us into submission for the last time mister, now let's get home before you embarrass us any further." Eighteen proclaimed, her eyes unable to meet her spouses'.
"And I'm not fusing with you again, even if you claim to be able to understand me better you hear?" Seventeen added.
All the cultured warrior could do was nod gratefully before catching up to his family.
The moment the trio entered their two-story housing, they were greeted by two overjoyed children who wrapped their arms around the returning adults.
"Papa, Mama, uncle Seventeen! You guy are amazing!" Marron cried, tears staining her cheeks as she hugged her father with all her dear life.
"Daddy! You are back!" Fille also embraced her father in nigh-unbreakable embrace.
Carly meanwhile leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed in front of her chest, her expression a mixture of relief and accusatory that, when in combination of how the kids reacted, shocked the returning warriors.
"W-what happened?" Krillin blurted out.
"We saw everything on television you three, it's not very clear but it was enough. That was quite a fight you three just fought and am I glad we are victorious at the end." The left out woman's voice was full of pent up emotion.
"Hey it's okay dear, we are back aren't we?" Seventeen comforted and brought his family into a bear hug that saw their tears staining his torn ranger uniform.
At least I've made it back this time, thanks to the fusion and exposing myself to Krillin no less...I guess that technique really does have its merit...
"Papa mama, you two are so brave!" Marron chirped after having dried her aquamarine eyes on Krillin's shirt.
"And we couldn't have done it without you cheering for us Marron." Eighteen said putting a reassuring hand on her little girl's blonde head who in turn latched herself onto the cyborg woman.
"Mama?"
"Yes?"
"I saw your pink life energy on television, it's so beautiful. C-can I see it again?"
Those words took the mother aback but try as she might; she couldn't find a good enough reason to decline the request.
My artificial ki may be beautiful, but they are also not natural unlike Krillin's human ki...they are designed for the sole purpose of killing and maining...what if I ended up hurting Marron...
"Fine little angel, I'll show you but promise you'll keep a distance from it okay?"
"Okay mama!"
Taking a deep breath, Eighteen began channeling her energy and soon gathered a small orb on her palm. The sphere of lovely pink reflected off the little girl's eyes and, against her mother's advice, reached for it.
"No Marron!" The cyborg woman gasped, only for her concern to be brushed aside as her daughter had grasped the ball in her hands and began playing with it under the weary look of her parent.
"Marron?"
"I like it mama! It feels a bit different than papa's but I like it."
At her daughter's comment, all Eighteen could do was holding onto the younger blonde with all her maternal instinct, a phenomenon shared by her brother who was embracing his little redhead as she played with his green orb of supposed energy of destruction.
A/N: Please excuse me for the long update and I hope you all enjoyed this piece. The idea of Seventeen and Krillin merging has been on my mind for some time now and besides, I felt I need a break from What Could've Been with its rather unorthodox way of writing of describing how the future cyborgs would react to everything the present cyborgs do.
Also just slight heads up that things have been rather hectic in life and I'm dealing with a lot of changes, so any update to my stories will probably come a bit slower.
Before my next update, do let me know how this chapter works. Until then.