Chapter 4: Beginning Battle
Timeline: Two nights after the arrival of the alternates
Bulma-1 sat at the kitchen table at about midnight, thinking. Mainly about all the 'new' people there were.
In the past two days, most of the other alternates had shown up, either at Capsule Corp, Goku's place or Master Roshi's island, depending on what reality they were from.
From AR-1, Tam's world, Krillin, Chiaotzu, Piccolo and Master Roshi. From AR-2, Vegeta, Trunks, Yamcha, Tien and Chiaotzu. From AR-3, Krillin and Chi-chi.
Apparently, if the evil people from those worlds had been sucked into this timeline, they were staying away from the Z warriors… for now.
Bulma injected another dose of sedative into Gohan-7's veins. Trunks-7 had explained that in their world, Goku was King Kakarott, making Gohan the Prince, and Earth had been taken over by the Saiyans.
Bulma shook her head. All this alternate stuff was confusing, even to her. It was bad enough when Trunks came from the future… now we have to deal with seven different timelines! And who knows how many evil people from those timelines.
She heard footsteps and turned. Android 17 was standing at the door, baby-Gohan-5 in his arms. The baby was half-asleep but tears were leaking from his eyes.
"I think Gohan's hungry," the android said. Bulma nodded. "Okay, come with me and I'll see what I have that babies can eat."
It still felt weird to be trusting the android, after everything his counterpart had done in this reality. None of the others really knew what to make of it, either. The only two who were comfortable around him were Goku-3 and kid-Gohan-3.
"Here," she said, filling one of Bra's old bottles with warmed-up milk. "See if he likes this."
She watched, half-amazed, as the android gently fed the baby, talking to him softly. This was a big change to the arrogant, destructive android from her own time.
Wow… he's really good with kids, she thought, surprised. Then she asked, "why are you looking after him? Shouldn't Chi-chi be taking care of her own son?"
Android 17 replied, "he was crying, and I didn't want to disturb Chi-chi. I remember what it was like when Gohan… the Gohan in my time… was a baby. I figured she could use all the rest she can get."
When baby-Gohan-5 had finished Android 17 stood up. "I'd better get him back before Chi-chi notices he's missing. I can imagine what she'd say if she found out I'd been anywhere near him."
The android's tone was filled with bitterness. Bulma watched, speechless at the emotion he'd shown, as he took baby-Gohan-5 back upstairs to where Chi-chi-5 was still asleep. He didn't return, but when she looked out the window she could see him flying toward the mountains.
Poor guy, she though. But still, we can't exactly forget everything he… the other him… did… dammit, this is just too confusing. I can't get my head around it right now.
Android 17 landed, high up the mountainside. In his world, he'd come here all too often, when the guilt over what he'd done when he was evil got too much for him.
Looks like I'm going to be feeling a hell of a lot more in this world, he thought. He understood why the humans, Saiyans and Namek didn't trust him; from what he'd heard, he'd been worse in this world than his own.
He stared up at the star-filled sky. He didn't know why, but things like the beauty of the stars always made the burden a little easier to bear.
You're turning into 16, he told himself. Next you'll be talking to the birds or something.
A voice interrupted his thoughts. "Hello, brother."
17 turned to face… himself. Himself with an evil smirk on his face, looking like a child at Christmas… if a child was a demon, anyway.
The alternate 17 grinned. "I'd been wondering when I'd find you. After all, with so many different timelines there had to be another me somewhere. Tell me, was the 18 in your time destroyed as well? Or are you still fighting with her?"
17 didn't answer. He was too shell-shocked at the sight of another him… an evil one, from the looks of things. The other android simply kept talking.
"Is King Piccolo still in your timeline? He's a good fighter, for a flesh and blood creature. We'd killed a lot of those pathetic warriors before we were dragged here. Which did you kill in your time?"
"I don't kill people," Android 17 answered, trying to keep the disgust and horror out of his voice. So this is what he would be now, if he hadn't been reprogrammed. A ruthless killing machine. The very idea made him shudder.
Alternate-17 frowned. "What? You DON'T kill people? What's gotten into you?"
His face clouded with anger. "It was that Briefs woman, wasn't it? She reprogrammed you! Turned you into a weakling like them."
"Bulma-san had nothing to do with it," 17 said, hoping to keep this murderous version of himself away from Capsule Corp and the sleeping warriors. The other android chuckled. "If not her, then one of them. And they'll pay. You should be fighting them, not acting like a weak human. But don't worry, we'll soon see you strong again, brother."
"You're no brother of mine, you monster," 17 hissed. The alternate android laughed. "But I am. Don't you see? We are the same. And we were made for the same thing: to destroy these pitiful creatures one by one."
"17, what the hell are you talking to?" a rough voice asked as a green-skinned Namek floated to the ground. Android 17 tensed; it was Piccolo. But which Piccolo? The one from his time was evil, but the Piccolo in this time was with the Z warriors. And from what Gohan-4 had said, King Piccolo still existed in his time.
"Keep out of this, Piccolo," alternate-17 snapped. "This is my business."
King Piccolo then. Only his ally would dare talk to the powerful Namek that way. 17 looked from the Namek to the alternate android, wondering which one he would have a chance to beat before they destroyed him. There was no way he could go up against Piccolo-4 AND himself.
The Namek looked at him, his lip curling in disgust. "Is this the android you were prattling about? He may look like you, 17, but he's no great warrior. Not if he fights with them."
"Test his power then," alternate-17 invited. King Piccolo-4 smiled nastily. "Of course. It will show what we are going to go up against, anyway. None of the Z warriors were as strong as you; they won't be as strong as this one. If we can defeat him, we can defeat the others."
They moved faster than 17 could follow. Obviously King Piccolo-4 was faster than the Piccolo Android 17 had fought in his time. The android could barely see where King Piccolo-4 was, let alone land a hit on him.
King Piccolo roared in delight as he hurled ki blasts at the android. The creature was strong and fast, but he was no match for a Namek and the most powerful creation on the face of the Earth.
Still, nothing King Piccolo had ever fought had put up this much of a fight. Not even Goku and Vegeta had fought for this long. He almost admired the android's stubbornness… even if it was about to get the creature killed.
17, King Piccolo's ally, was watching, smirking. He'd had his bit of fun, but he relegated the actual destruction of his counterpart to King Piccolo.
The Namek flew closer for a bit of hand-to-hand. He usually detested actually touching an inferior creature, but this time might be worth it.
He punched a fist of iron into the android's stomach, enjoying the grunt of pain the creature let out. He smashed his hands down on the android's back, slamming it to the ground in a cloud of dust.
He waited while the dust cleared, revealing the android on his hands and knees, coughing up blood. Android 17 laughed outright. "So weak," he sneered. "That's what comes of having remorse, brother!"
King Piccolo glanced toward the city on the horizon. "A large power level is heading this way," he said. While he wanted to fight the Z warriors, he wanted to savour the experience of picking them off one by one, on his own terms.
17 nodded. "Yes, I can feel them. Finish him up and we'll wait until we're ready to kill them."
King Piccolo slammed a ki blast into the android's back. That must have finished him, he thought to himself. Followed by 17, he flew off into the night, leaving the motionless body if the android for the Z warriors to find.
18, Krillin-1 and Goku-3 flew as fast as they could toward the mountains. They'd felt a large power level there, as if someone was fighting. Krillin and 18 had asked Krillin-2 to look after Marron until they got back, and surprisingly, Vegeta-3 had offered to take care of kid-Gohan-3.
When they reached the place the power level had originated from, it was deserted. They hovered, looking for any signs of life.
18's sharp eyes picked up an unmoving human figure on the ground below them. "Krillin, Goku-san, there," she cried, pointing to the person. The three fighters zoomed down for a closer look.
It was Android 17. Goku-3 looked horrified as 18 gently turned his body over. She looked up and said, "he's not dead, Goku-san. Bloody near, though. I don't know how much we can do."
Goku-3 hefted his friend's body and launched himself into the air. "I'm not going to let him die," he said fiercely. "You guys might not trust him but I know him. He'd do the same for any of us."
Chapter 5: Memories
We are forced to watch whenever the Saiyans execute someone. Time and time again people close to me are killed, people I'd grown up with, learnt to work with.
Today is been so much worse. We're all dragged to yet another public execution, of 'a dangerous rebel', or so the Saiyans say. I'm afraid to think of who it is, but in my heart I know. Tien has been gone for five days now, long enough for the Saiyans to have gotten tired of torturing him. Chances are, this execution will be Tien's.
The Saiyans force us to watch as King Kakarott comes out and does his regular spiel about 'rebels against us', 'conspirators against the Saiyan Empire', shit like that. Most of the other humans listen tiredly, vacant expressions on their faces. Most of the other humans have been beaten down into little more than beasts. The only ones who have any spirit left, like Okaachan and Chi-chi-san, are usually killed.
And now Tien is dragged out, chained hand and foot. He still fights against the Saiyans but he's outnumbered by too much. They chain him to the stone pillar in the center of the execution pit and stand back, letting Helia and Addis, the two executioners, come forward.
The two Saiyans aim at Tien and fire, slow, continuous ki blasts that eat through his body agonisingly slowly. It must hurt like hell, but he refuses to let them see how much it hurts him, until the very end. My brave friend would never give them that satisfaction.
I close my eyes and look away as the ki blasts finally do their job and Tien dies with one pain-filled scream. And then King Kakarott sneers, "let that be a lesson to any humans who want to try and defy me!"
I turn and run from the execution pit, tasting bile in my throat. The Saiyan guards let me go. The execution is over, the humans must return to work. They don't care what one human youth does.
I run until the sounds of the slave camp are lost behind me as I enter the forest. The trees close around me, devoid of any animal life. The Saiyans have destroyed everything they can't use.
I trip on a tree root and stumble. A strong hand grabs my elbow and steadies me.
"Look out, boy. You don't want to get yourself hurt or the Saiyans will wonder what you've been up to."
The voice seems vaguely familiar. Something I only remember as dreams.
I look at the hand that steadies me. Not a large hand, but still undeniably a man's hand. Encased in a white glove… my gaze travels up the body of the one who spoke.
A strong, lithe body in blue and white Saiyan armour. A proud, chiseled face with dark eyes and high cheekbones. Spiky hair that stands up from the crown of his head.
I try to jerk away from the Saiyan but the other man holds my arm in an iron grip. "Don't shy away from me, boy. I'm not going to bite."
"You're a Saiyan!"
"Yes, but what does that mean? Are all humans little more than animals now? Looking at you, I hardly think so."
"What do you want with me, Saiyan?"
"Relax, boy, I just want to talk. And it's 'Vegeta', not Saiyan."
"Talk then. I can't guarantee I'll listen."
The Saiyan who calls himself Vegeta sighs. "You're so much like your mother, Trunks," he commented. "Both of you are so willful and stubborn. It's a good trait."
"How do you know my name? And what do you know about my Okaachan?"
"I loved her once. I still do, though it's been twenty years since I saw her last. She was a beautiful woman… I knew that even speaking with her, much less doing what we did, could very well cost me my life. But she was worth it."
His voice… it's so familiar. The voice I hear in his sleep every night, a distant memory. Someone I had once called…
"Otousan?"
Vegeta smiles. "Yes. You are my son."
"We thought so. We just needed proof."
A cold voice speaks from the trees. We whirl around to see a group of Saiyan guards, all scowling blackly at Vegeta.
The larger, bald Saiyan speaks. "A human, Vegeta? You know this will mean your death."
They surround us. There are too many of them; we are overcome in minutes.
The Saiyans drag Vegeta… Otousan… away, leaving me half-conscious. The bald Saiyan spits at me and growls, "forget this day, halfling, or it will be your death too."
"Otousan… father… NO!"
"Trunks! Wake up!"
Trunks opened his eyes to see Gohan-6 leaning over him. "Geez, man, what was that about?" Gohan asked. Trunks shook his head. "Nightmare," he said softly. "Just a nightmare."
At the same time, Gohan-4 was sitting outside, holding kid-Trunks-4 on his lap and talking to him about Bulma and Vegeta.
"Your father was a great fighter, kid. One of the strongest. There were times we thought he was even stronger than Goku. And he was a good man, hard to know but he had a pure heart," Gohan said, half in the past himself.
"And your mother was easily the smartest woman on the face of the Earth. She was pretty, too, brains and beauty together. It's easy to see why Vegeta fell in love with her.
"And she cared about all of us as if we were all her family. I guess once her parents were gone, we were. She was brave, too, one of the bravest people I've ever met."
Trunks was looking up at Gohan's face, one hand tugging on the silver medallion around Gohan's neck. Gohan looked down at it and touched it with one hand.
"Yeah… you remember the day I got this, Trunks? Hope not… no kid should have to remember something like that."
**** Krillin and I had been in the inner city that day, checking for any survivors of King Piccolo and Android 17's senseless massacre. But there was no sign of life. And no sign of our enemies.
Now I know why.
The shelter is desecrated, smoke rising from burnt sections. We land among the wreckage, dreading what we're about to find.
"M-maybe they weren't here," Krillin says without much hope in his voice. We both knew that the others had stayed with Chi-chi, Bulma and 3-year-old Trunks in case 17 or King Piccolo showed up.
We pick our way through the rubble, reminding me of when they'd found Goku and Vegeta's bodies, not so long ago. I shiver, remembering how 17 had been waiting for us to discover his handiwork before he attacked again, this time taking Chiaotzu's life.
There's movement not too far away. I sprint over and lifted broken boards off Chi-chi.
"Okaachan! Are you all right?"
Chi-chi nods. "Yes. I'm fine, and so is Trunks," she says, scooping up the little boy. "Wh-where are the others?"
I see movement beyond Okaachan. "Krillin, stay with Okaachan," I say, walking toward the movement.
Tien is lying face-up, half-buried under metal struts that had held up the shelter for so long. There's an almost peaceful expression on his face that only came in death.
I close my eyes briefly, futilely denying my friend's death. Then I keep looking.
My brother is sprawled across the dirt floor, blood trickling from his mouth, ears and nose. I clench my fists and hiss under my breath, trying to control my anger.
Yamcha lies a few feet away, his body thrown across Bulma's, as if he'd been protecting her from something. As I get closer and saw the state of Yamcha's back, where a ki blast has ripped through him, I know that Yamcha had given up his life in a desperate attempt to protect the woman who had once been the love of his life.
Bulma's hand moves feebly. I gently move Yamcha's body aside and kneel beside Bulma's broken body, holding her head in me lap. "Bulma… god, not you too," I choke, tears dropping onto her face. She gives a weak smile. "Don't… don't cry for me, Gohan… I'll be with Vegeta, Goku, Yamcha… I'll see them all again.
"God… he was trying to protect me. It was too late for Tien and Goten… we'd seen Chi-chi and Trunks go down under the boards… 17 wouldn't think to look there…we were the only ones they could go after. He gave his life for me… I didn't know he cared that much anymore… but it didn't work…"
I shake my head, trying to deny it. "No. You can't die, Bulma. I can't lose you too."
Bulma coughs weakly and drags her silver necklace from around her neck, the medallion hanging from it glinting in the dim light. "Give… give this to Trunks when he's old enough to understand…" she says, blood bubbling up to colour her lips bright red. I slip the medallion around my neck, nodding. "I will," I promise. "I'll look after Trunks for you."
"Thank you," she whispers. And she breaths no more.
I gently close her eyelids and lay her body on the floor. Then I turn to Chi-chi, who is holding Trunks to her chest, hugging him fiercely. I enfold her and Trunks into a hug, tears still wet on my cheeks. And I vowed that King Piccolo and Android 17 won't get away with this… ****
Gohan dashed the tears from his cheeks. It's just too much to see them all alive again! I know that they're not the people I knew, but to see them all again… Otousan, all my friends… I never thought I'd see them again…
Goku-3 sat beside the regen tank where Android 17 was healing. Kid-Gohan-3 was half-asleep on Goku's lap. It had been over two days since they'd found the android but Gohan had refused to leave his father. And Goku wouldn't leave until he was certain his friend would either be okay, or…
Don't even THINK that, Goku told himself angrily. Remember all the times you thought he was dead? And all the times you thought the others were dead? This is no different. He's going to MAKE IT GODDAMNIT!
Yamcha-3 walked into the room. "Goku, you've been in here for hours. I think you should get some sleep," he said. "Believe me, 17'll understand if you're not here when he wakes up. He wouldn't want you to be unprepared if whoever did this shows up."
"I know. But remember that time when Tien and Chiaotzu were almost killed by Cell? He never left their sides until they woke up."
"Goku, you're dead on your feet!" Yamcha protested. "Besides, as much as you and Vegeta hate to admit it, 17 has better endurance than even a Saiyan. Now are you going to go to bed or am I gonna have to make you?"
"Make me? I'd kick your ass," Goku protested, standing up. Bed DID sound awfully inviting. Yamcha grinned. "I know. That's why you're gonna go to bed. Because you don't want to fight me."
"Damn you Yamcha," Goku said good-naturedly. "You know me too well."
He and kid-Gohan-3 left the room. Yamcha was about to sit beside the regen tank when the weights caught his eye. Hmm. May as well get a workout while I'm here. After all, we have to stay in training for whatever might have followed us here.
But the sight of 17's motionless body stirred more memories than Yamcha cared to think about. Memories of Goku in the same vulnerable state, memories, however dim, of Bulma's death. Android 17 had tried to stop Piccolo from harming Vegeta's wife, but he had failed. And taken that failure too seriously, until Vegeta had told the android that he didn't blame him for Piccolo's evil.
He walked closer to the regen tank. He'd never seen one so close before; usually when one of the Z fighters needed it, he was somewhere closer to Piccolo. Fighting him but never quite succeeding in killing him.
Android 17 could have been sleeping if not for the bruises. He had an almost peaceful expression on his face as he floated in the liquid of the tank. An oxygen mask covered his mouth and nose; they still hadn't figured out a way to ask if androids breathed, and when they put him in the tank they figured it was better to be safe than sorry.
Looking at 17 made Yamcha remember that first battle after 17 had been reprogrammed. The android had sure been a great help then.
**** Piccolo hovers above us, holding Trunks in front of him as a shield. Twisting the younger guy's arms behind his back, virtually holding him immobile. How long can this standoff last?
We're all ranged around Piccolo, looking for some way to get him and not Trunks. We weren't ready when he attacked Capsule Corp, weren't ready when he swooped down and grabbed Trunks to use him as protection. Protection against us.
Are we really that much of a threat to him? Goku, Vegeta and Trunks, maybe, but the rest of us?
Still, as Goku told me the other day, those of us who take the sidelines when the Super Saiyans power up are a lot stronger than most people think.
Trunks twists in Piccolo's grip, earning another small ki blast through his back to keep him manageable. I shoot a quick glance at Vegeta; he looks as though he could shoot Piccolo with his gaze. I'm not surprised; he and Trunks are pretty damned close. When we thought Cell had killed Vegeta… whew. I was glad Trunks was on OUR side.
The others look about as tense as I feel. Gohan's down with Chi-chi; I just hope Piccolo doesn't decide to trade one hostage for a more manageable one. We have to keep his attention away from the ground.
Goku is powering up to Super Saiyan. Piccolo notices and shouts, "go any further, monkey-boy, and this one is going to regret it!"
When Goku doesn't stop instantly Piccolo shoots a larger ki blast into Trunks. The teenager writhes in pain, and a low groan filters down to us. Vegeta grinds his teeth; I can feel his anger emanating from him. If we don't do something soon he's gonna crack.
Tien and Chiaotzu are to my left, Vegeta, Goku and 17 to my right. It's strange to be fighting alongside 17 after all this time trying to kill him, but I guess it's a risk we have to take. He's powerful, more powerful than even Goku. He could be a good ally.
Piccolo laughs. "What, you value the life of this halfling so much?" he calls. Trunks tries to twist away again; Piccolo growls and clamps one arm tight around his neck. "Stop trying to fight me," he says. "Even you, a half-Saiyan, must see that it's pointless."
Trunks is struggling to breathe now; we have to do something. But what?
Android 17 speaks up. "Namek! Are you so weak that you have to threaten him? I'm a much stronger fighter than he is; why not challenge me?"
Piccolo is interested now. He's seen 17 fight, albeit against us. I can almost hear the gears in his evil brain turning.
I hope he makes up his mind quickly. Trunks has stopped struggling now and I'm afraid he could be seriously hurt. 17 obviously sees it; he calls, "the offer won't last forever, Namek. Fight me now if you will, or if you're too scared then run away."
"The others are to be left out of it," Piccolo snaps. 17 nods. "Of course. I fight better one-on-one anyway."
Piccolo lets Trunks' limp body drop. Vegeta catches his son as 17 streaks upward to where Piccolo hovers. "Get him out of here!" he roars, scarcely looking back. And then he and Piccolo are fighting.
I've never seen so much raw power. The fight is brutally short; Piccolo turns tail and runs. 17 doesn't bother pursuing him, just floats down to where Vegeta is still holding Trunks.
"Is he going to be okay?"
Vegeta nods. "Yes, I think so. Thanks to you." ****