Hi. Yes this is
another short story from me. No this
fiction is not a get together but it explores the feelings on Juuachi's part
that could lead to her feeling more towards Krillan later. It's my first Krullan/18 effort and is
really a precursor to an upcoming epic of mine called "Unsung Heroes". Krillan and 18s section of that story
involves him taking her up a promise he makes in this one. I'll explain more on that later.
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or any of its characters and
consequently, I have no money so don't sue me.
Questions
By Lil Songbird
Android 18 sped towards the clearing where she believed he
was. She couldn't be certain that he
was there; Dr. Gero had not endowed her with a superior sense of ki like 17
possessed or even 16 had. 17 had
claimed that the human warrior was there and so she was heading towards the
spot not really knowing the reason why.
At first she had set off to confront him being incensed at the very
thought that he would dare he come so close to where she was living. For all she knew it was on purpose because
he wished to pursue her as the other warrior, Yamcha had encouraged him to do
that fateful day at the Look Out. At
this thought came the typical confusion that settled in whenever she thought
about what the human warrior had done for she and her brother. She had heard him say the reason he had made
his wish for them to be rid of their bombs was that he found her attractive and
that presumption angered her but it also puzzled her.
The human doubtless knew she was an android incapable of
that kind of feeling, of affection of any kind. She wasn't designed for those gentler thoughts and feelings but
to only those conducive to self-preservation and being an instrument of
terror. The more she thought about his
actions it unsettled her. In fact, she
was so unsettled at this point she was ready to turn back.
"Imagine I," she thought with self-distain " who had not
feared battling one-on-one with a Super Saiyajin is afraid of confronting a
weak little man." Slowing to a halt
above her destination she stared at the tops of the trees only conscious of the
ki she was feeling below. "Well I'm
here and I might as well go through with this," she announced to the moon
noticing the light of a fire below.
"I'm still not sure why I'm doing this."
Plunging through the trees she landed in the clear view of
the startled man who almost fell backwards off the log he was perched on. He scrambled to his feet with an expression
half-of fear and half-of curiosity. It
wasn't easy to make out much more in the dancing illumination of the flames as
they played across his face. It almost
gave him the appearance of dark circles under his eyes and a troubled cast to
his features.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded at last tiring of
the silence.
"Me?" he questioned shakily. His quaking was a combination of the cold wind, fatigue and both
of fear and desire of her. He couldn't
help but be mesmerized by the strange set of conflicting emotions she incited
all at once. She was deadly but
beautiful, irony itself.
"Well, I was just enjoying the view. I kind of wanted to be alone and this seemed
like as good a spot as any."
"Well you aren't welcome here or anywhere else near me," she
stated icily.
"I didn't know I was anywhere near you" he said. "I'm sorry, I'll go if you want."
His words shocked her more than anything she had ever
heard. Her first reaction was to take
his apology as a mockery, but it was impossible to do so. Everything about him spoke sincerity and
that was even more confusing.
"Why?" she asked.
"Why what?" he asked scratching his head.
"Why are you sorry?"
she asked frustration pouring out with every word. "Why did you wish for us to be free of the
bombs? Why didn't you destroy me when
you had a chance? What do you expect from me?"
Krillan's eyes widened at her vehement outburst. She truly didn't understand his motives and
it clearly disturbed her. He couldn't
blame her though because his sudden infatuation with her was really without
reason, stemming from one small thoughtless peck on the cheek. He couldn't really explain why that gesture,
the feel of her strangely cool lips on his face, ignited a fascination and
fantasy in his mind.
"I guess I really don't expect anything," he said a little confused
himself. "I just thought you should
have a chance to change for the better and that it would make you happy. That's all."
"17 and I nearly killed your friends and yet you are kind to
us," she stated in confusion. "You
claim to want nothing but I heard you that day and I don't care if you find me
attractive. I won't ever be grateful or
feel anything toward you."
"Well, like I said I didn't expect anything or really know
how you'd react to it" Krillan said blushing.
"And well I couldn't help but notice how pretty you are but I didn't
mean for it to upset you."
"Well, see that you don't get any ideas" 18 stated a little
less argumentatively. "You did
something good for us but you are my enemy.
Al l humanity is my enemy."
"I hope one day you change your mind about that," he said
smiling. "We really aren't so bad."
"I can't ever change that way" she stated "I was programmed
to be your enemy so I always will be."
Krillan looked at her face and understood her
earnestness. Perhaps there was something
further he could do for her, show her that she was wrong that she could
change. After all, in a very real sense
he too had to rebuild his life anew.
With Goku's death he had lost a part of himself and needed to find a new
direction for his future. He had been
spending so long training, and trying to save the world it became his existence
and purpose. He was still living off of
his master; he never had a real job only scraping together what he could from
odd jobs and money for participating in martial arts tournaments. "Well you disobeyed other parts of your
programming so why not disregard that part too."
"What do you mean?" the cyborg asked in surprise.
"Well," he began. "I
don't think Dr. Gero programmed you to rebel against him and 16 wasn't
programmed to help us. Look, anybody
can change for the better, Goku taught me that."
"Goku" 18 asked in curiosity "the one we were created to
destroy?"
"Yes" he said sadly.
"Goku always looked for the good in everyone and more often than not he
was right. Piccolo was once evil and
now he's on our side because he learned to care through Gohan. Even Vegeta has changed to everyone'
surprise, he's with Bulma now and has a family. As far as I'm concerned, if they can change, so can you."
18 stared at him blankly his words striking a sudden
realization and awareness in her mind.
She had rejected other parts of her programming but for some reason she
feared taking this step, unlike 17 who was busy building an existence of his
own choosing. Her reluctance was born
of something else besides her programming that only now at this moment she
understood. "No one would accept us
like that," she stated. "We aren't like
you."
"I think you'd be surprised at how tolerant we humans can
be" Krillan told her. "Give us a
chance."
Once again he caught her off guard with the frankness and
simple truth of his statement. Unable
to think of anything appropriate to say she commenced to study his face as the
dying flames sent their last light about him.
He looked tired and lost in a way.
Could it be he too was searching for a new purpose as well? He seemed to grow uncomfortable under her
gaze looking at feet.
"I think I should go now" Krillan stumbled out perusing his
shoes. Kicking dirt onto the fire the
already dying fire he realized there was even another thing he could do for
her. "Look if you ever need a friend or
need help then don't hesitate to ask me," he told her looking up at her
silhouette in the darkness "I promise," he began, not seeing her searching eyes
or her face renewed his courage for yet one more confession, "that even if no one else would accept you I
will because I care about you even though it isn't logical or even rational. I really hope you find peace and happiness
18." Turning he flew away towards the
city and away from her.
The android stared up into the starry abyss long after she
could no longer see the human warrior.
She had come away with more questions than with she had come with. The most mystifying one of all was why he would
help her, offer to help her in the future, when he had nothing to gain? She then remembered his obvious troubled
appearance and felt a strange stirring in her chest of an emotion the deep
recesses of her mind named empathy.
"I hope you find peace and happiness as well Krillan," she
said softly.
The end
That's it! I hope
you let me know how you liked it! Now
for my shameless plugs:
This story is a precursor to a portion of an upcoming
epic called Unsung Heroes. In it 18
calls upon Krillan and asks for his help in discovering her past. In accordance with his promise Krillan
assists her and let's just say they get into a little more than they bargained
for. It's an action, adventure with a
touch of romance with the get-together subplot. This will be just one of four
stories in the saga. The others involve
Yamcha, Chaoitzu, Tenshenhan, Dende and Mr. Po Po. Look for the Prologue soon and the announcement of a connected
fan fiction/fan art contest I'm holding on my web page.
Be sure to check out my other stories now playing on fan
fiction.net and my web page The
Songbird and the Dragon
