Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue, I be happy. ^_^'
`The Machine`
Summary: Sailor Mars and Mercury are sucked into the DBZ world, changing fate, and bringing back one of the deadliest enemies to conquer the Z fighters.
Important: This is an Alternate Universe fic. Lets say Goku did beat Majin Buu, but he died because a strange power was blocking out Dragon Shenlon's power, rendering the Dragon Balls useless. The last wish made, however, was to erase everyone's memory of Buu.
Chapter 7:
Son Goku and Future Trunks
*Cooler*
Wind hissed across the barren landscape, it's mystical energy whipping at the tall trees, grabbing at their branches and biting the planet's surface with its force. Bolts of yellow energy kissed the planet and the blackened clouds parted, giving way to the great being of the Porlunga Dragon. For an instant, it's eyes grew red as it dissipated, flying up to the sky and turning into seven balls of yellow light before throwing them in different directions.
The great Saiyan stood, staring at the rolling green plains of New Namek. His jagged black hair swayed in the breeze, blowing to and fro his face as he turned his enraged eyes to me; the mechanical being; Metal Cooler.
I grinned, dropping the battered body of Gohan to the ground. "I knew you'd except with the right motivation." I said, cheerfully weighing the features of the warrior before me. "It's been a long time . . . hasn't it Son Goku?"
"Release my son." The low alto voice spoke in utter hatred and I almost laughed aloud at that, but instead released a smirk. His dark brows narrowed, Goku dropped into his fighting position; hands forming claws, his powerful legs ready to jump.
Magic had always amazed me. It could grant power, blessings, revive the dead, and even trap an enemy. I looked closely at Gohan, his limp form suspended by a magic power, a form I could now command at will. Nothing was going to go wrong.
I would have everything I wanted, for I had used each of my wishes well, predicting all my opponents' moves. Oh, this would be simple. My power was at its peak; my plan was perfect. Son Goku, back from the afterlife, here to save his pathetic first born child. He would soon fall before me, under my control.
Bless the powers of all kinds of creation. The Gods were with me now. I poised confidently, my finger raised, glowing with power. "You understand the bargain, right? You must fight for your son."
I kicked the teenager who let out a small groan. Gohan's eyes opened, stirring slightly, his weakened body feebly wincing against the bids that held him tight. "Father . . . don't . . ."
"I am ready." Goku agreed.
Excellent . . .
Silence. The plan . . . my plan would come to pass after Son Goku falls. I would have the three most powerful weapons in the cosmos. The three helpless Saiyans . . . all would be a part of me. Helpless. Unaware. Mechanical. And of course, soulless.
I smirked. They'd be part of The Machine. The one and most important part of the Big Gheti Star that those idiots did not destroy. Earth would be mine. Then the galaxy. And soon, the universe. All of which would be all mine.
*Gohan*
Consciousness returned slowly.
I became vaguely aware of the swirl of bubbles and the cool clammy sensation of a thick liquid cradling me. Apprehensively, my eyes opened to bright blue and a blur of shifting forms that were beyond my line of focus.
I shook my head, the thudding and gurgle of fluid pounding all around me. I was suspended, wires attached to my form as I floated in a tank filled with a strange, liquid blue substance. Reminiscences of Cooler and the chamber of mirrors eased their way into my thoughts, and I realized that I was inside one of the three tanks located in the room. The middle one, I grasped. To my left was one with a vague shape, just like the other to my right.
My head whined, thousands of voices echoed in my brain. I wasn't alone; a network of beings and other things plagued my mind; making me the center of their world. For but a moment, I listened, feeling the voices soothing. They called to me, letting me know that I would never need to exist alone again.
I inhaled, feeling the liquid pervade my lungs. For a while, it was easier to forget and become one with all those around me than to fight it with a meaningless and unhelpful struggle.
The ambush of voices then began to separate, becoming clearer. All they wanted was power. My power.
I glanced down to see a brown tail twitch and bend. My tail; the realization convulsed. My tail had somehow grown back! The savage power and strength flooded my mind and was swept away through the vibrating wires that perforated my flesh and muscle.
I was unable to move so I closed my eyes, listening closer to the voices. One was stronger than all the rest. The master, the core, our father but not mine. I struggled for a moment, knowing the center was my enemy, Cooler. He wanted to control and destroy what I once was. He wanted a raw saiyan, not a half-bred human. So now he wanted to destroy me.
Images flowed through my mind like waves. Thousands of beings, their essence drained, bodies trapped within the frame work of the Gheti Star. They were all a part of a greater machine. A machine I fit into perfectly. I was a main component and was designed to function in the whole.
I felt like I was drowning. My thoughts struggled to break free, but despite my efforts, they kept returning to the soothing voices. My eyes shot opened and I would've gasped have I not been underwater.
There, Cooler stood before Goku; my father. The full-blooded saiyan was bound to wires, his body pinned with circuitry like a ball pinned with needles. My father's head hung low, his chin on his chest, his eyes closed in an induced sleep. He was positioned in an opened cistern in front of my tank. His tank was otherwise empty, the blue liquid not yet active.
"You are not as strong as you believe yourself to be, Saiyan." Cooler spoke, his half metal face smiling thinly. His hand reached out carefully, tracing under my father's chin.
Groggily, his eyes opened. Half closed spheres of ebony black peered out from a tangled mane. "Cooler . . . Gohan . . ." Drugged with the virus no doubt, his words were thick, just on the verge of slurring incomprehensibly.
"I'm here father . . ." I said, forcing my mind to take control, but I had a strange feeling someone was helping me.
The image scattered as neon blue liquid and bubbles arose, shifting the obscured forms. Dimly I made out Cooler and father beside me once more. In a different tank floated Vegita, and he too had a tail, but his showed no power as mine did.
Father appeared to notice me, he stirred against the wires and invisible binds that held him. He snarled, voice full of hatred and regret, "What are you doing to Gohan?! Leave him alone, he did nothing to you!"
"Nothing to me? He's your son, which is why he must suffer." Cooler said smugly. "But don't worry, I want him just the way he is. He's useful, very useful like this."
"Bastard!" Father yanked down the wires holding him steady to no avail, his efforts useless as were mine. "Leave him . . ." His voice trailed off. "Take me . . . Leave Gohan. He doesn't deserve this . . ."
"But you do." Cooler turned my father's face from me.
I wanted to lash out, but I couldn't move, and no sound escaped my mouth, only sprays of blue bubbles. So I gave in, trying to understand the distant voices. It was better than listening to the others. I could focus here, formulate a plan. I was myself. "Father . . ."
"I'll destroy you! Leave Gohan alone!" Father shouted.
"I'm going to take everything from you, Goku. Your name. Your child. Your family. Your friends. People. Glory. Your pride. You're going to be a part of what has been me for years. Like your body already is. You will be my servant." Cooler stepped back. "You can tell I'm already inside you. Changing you . . ."
Still, my father's gaze dropped, and I was unable to make out an expression. I feared for him. He hated machines, he feared them. To be turned into one must be his worst dread. "No, I won't let it be father . . ."
But I had little choice. I'd be trapped in this tank for eternity, unable to fight the drainage of power. The power Cooler planned to use to change my father into a monster like himself.
"I will fight you. I will not serve you." Father threatened, but his voice betrayed doubt. He felt the things inside him, turning his body and mind into Coolers.
"You say that now, but you will have but a choice," Turning away, Cooler laughed. "You cannot fight my will, nor my technology. It will destroy the parts of Goku and turn them into devoted servants of The Machine! Goodbye Son Goku, soon you will be my pet! And then you will help me consume Earth and the universe!"
"No, I won't let you!" I shouted to Cooler, aware his mind was close to mine. His laughter broke through my thoughts, the voices began to whisper again.
"You too, Gohan. You too will fall before my power. It is your destiny."
Something blocked out his threats and dimly, I began to hear chanting. I couldn't understand the words, but they were there. Unlike the other voices which sounded almost soothing, this one sounded gentle but determined.
"Warui seishin-res chirasu kara de kare no mono karada!" [1]
"Osoraku ano kuroi yoakes tada saseru ano hikari kuru no tame ni soshite ano warui atsumeru e-ni o saru!" [2]
The voice grew somewhat stronger and I could feel something leaving me, and for a moment I thought it was Cooler's control. I hid the thought quickly, hoping he wouldn't notice it.
The voice was giving me strength, and I would use it when it was necessary. But not now. It would be worthless now.
*Bulma*
"Well, that's that," I said. "So we have two saviors from a different dimension, here for an unknown reason with the aid of Metal Cooler. Apparently he has Gohan and Vegita . . . somewhere, and plans to control them to unleash misery upon the world. Why does this seem so familiar?"
I looked about the room. Our new visitors, Rei and Ami (now untransformed from Sailor Mercury) sat on a couch. Piccolo leaned against the wall with an amused smirk, probably contemplating on how 'women' could be of any asset to us. They had but one breed of species, so all women were supposedly inferior to him. Tenshinhan stood, his arms crossed, his expression solemn. Chouzu was by his side.
Yamcha sat on a chair, his finger tapping his chin. Krillen was in the chair next to him, looking at Rei and Ami. Eternally grateful, my son was passed out asleep in his room along with Goten. Deceptively, they had been gone for hours looking for Gohan and Vegita non stop.
No one said anything and I sighed. I felt horrible knowing what happened to Gohan and Vegita, but I wasn't going to sit here and feel bad about it. That would get us nowhere and I was determined to get my Veggie-chan back even if I was just a woman.
"Now that we have more information, it'd be wise for Yamcha, Krillen and Piccolo to head to New Namek. Ami and I will stay here and figure out what's going on with the spheres. Rei, you look exhausted, so you're free to use a guest room. But now, Tenshinhan, Ami, come with me." I ordered.
Sitting up, I walked out of the room and headed for my lab. "Bulma," Yamcha called behind me.
I turned; his face was flushed. "Be careful, you still don't know what you're dealing with." Yamcha told me.
I smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." My reassurance sounded convincing enough, despite my lack of confidence. Grateful for an excuse to get away, I continued down the hall.
*Rei*
Silently, Ami and myself walked down the halls. Bulma had allowed me to use a guest room, and Ami was going to show me to one. She stopped and opened the door for me; my eyes widened in surprise.
"Wow," Was all I could say.
The room was huge! And it was gorgeous! It was decorated with flowered wallpaper, not covering the whole room but just the borders. and the middle. A king sized bed was made for me, along with a wooden desk complete with a mirror. There was an actual walk in closet, with clothes and a dresser, and a bathroom.
"Most of the rooms are like this," Ami said. "Including the one I'm using. We're connected by a bathroom."
"Jeez, this room is huge." I mumbled, sitting on the bed. "And this bed is comfortable."
Ami smiled. "How long have you been here?" She asked me.
"I got here last night, in a desert. I had to climb from a cliff. Very unpleasant." I said. "You?"
"This morning. I was in space, was sucked into this planet's orbit, and landed on a God's look out." She said.
"There are God's in this dimension?!"
"Just one. He's like a miniature Piccolo . . . only not so callous. Dende is his name, or Kami to some."
"This has been weird. First my vision, then I get a Ginzuishou, we meet Metal Cooler and now we're here, planning to help people we just met." I mumbled. "All this is giving me a head ache."
"You should sleep, and if you want I'll get you some food." Ami suggested.
"I think I'll sleep first. If not, I'll end up falling asleep on my food." I laughed. "You're going to help Bulma find out about the sphere's right?"
Ami nodded. "Yes, the technology here is extremely advanced, but it's interesting and I've managed how to use it."
I nodded. "I didn't tell everyone this, but before Cooler showed up, I managed to extract something from the Gohan. Cooler didn't see me, but he showed up before I could help Vegita."
"Yeah, Tenshinhan thought they were evil. So now we have to evil wards, and two scientists. I'm positive everything could turn out okay." Ami said. "I'll let you get some sleep, and if anything else happens, I'll let you know."
She smiled and closed the door behind her.
I sighed, sleeping was not going to come easy. My thoughts were mingled; as soon as I changed and got into bed, they decided to come out.
Cooler had dropped me and Ami off in a different dimension, leaving the strongest of the senshi behind. But why? It's not like we were the strongest. Makoto or Sailor Jupiter; she could have been a better choice. Her reflexes were greater than mine, and she was the physically strongest of the group.
Or there was Haruka, Sailor Uranus. Michiru, Sailor Neptune. They were the strongest team, a pair inseparable.
Setsuna, Sailor Pluto. The wisest and oldest of us all. If Cooler got ahold of her time staff, he'd be able to use that against everyone here. Sailor Venus, Minako. He was planning on controlling people, she was the second in command for a leader, the head of Serenity's court.
Or there was Usagi Tsukino, Sailor Moon, Princess Serenity, next in line for the throne. The strongest of us all, leader to her people, Princess of the Moon. With her Ginzuishou she was the best!
But I also had one. The Takizuisho; the Fire Crystal. If it was so easy for me to acquire one, what was stopping Ami, or everyone else?
I sighed loudly and closed my eyes, praying for the sleep that seemed forbidden to me. But soon, I received my wish, and I was sorry I ever asked. . .
Rei's Dream
~~~
The final bell rang at the shrine, signaling what I had waited for on this weekend. For hours I had obeyed my grandfather's wishes and completed my chores; sweeping the temple, feeding the crows, attending customers, ignoring Yuuchiro pleas to help him with his training and his pleas for a date. Now all of that was over, and I put away the broom, heading for the mall.
Half-an-hour later, I was walking dazed through a crowd of people and heading to spend some of my weekly allowance. I was looking up at the sky, clouds helped block out the sun, absorbing it's heat and cooling down the day a little, when I ran in to someone.
"Rei?" Ami asked. "Where are you going?"
I chuckled softly as my friend and ally helped me to my feet. "Sorry Ami, I wasn't paying attention." I apologized. "I'm heading for the mall, want to come?"
She looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'm not sure I should, I'm only a few chapters ahead in calculus . . ."
I sighed. "C'mon Ami, you could catch up soon, you're smart!"
"I guess it wouldn't hurt." Ami reconsidered.
I smiled brightly. Ami, being the smartest of the Sailor Senshi naturally loved to study, but at times she would break the rules. And in those moments, I wasn't sure if it was for our sake, or for hers. "Then lets get to it, I have some money to spend!"
~~~
Arms full of bags, Ami and I laughed and talked as we walked to the food court. We were exhausted, broke, and hungry. For over three hours we breezed through shops, be it clothing stores, book stores, or shoe stores, we went every where and we were broke, saving only enough for some well deserved meal.
Suddenly, the ground started to shake violently. People screamed and ran to the exits, dropping their bags and trampling over the few who had fallen. "It's an earthquake!" Ami screamed loudly, her voice barely audible over the cries of terror.
"No!" I shouted back. "I can feel a dark presence!"
"What?!" She shouted; not hearing me.
I pointed to the counter of a Chinese Restaurant and walked slowly there, my feet barely steady beneath the shaking ground. Carefully, we climbed under the counter. My eyes widened as I looked at my blue-haired friend.
Her eyes, too, were like saucers. "Can you feel that?!" I shouted.
Numbly, she nodded. "Beryl . . ."
The ceiling started to shake, more people screamed, screws fell lose, falling to the ground. Pillars shook, unhinged they fell, everything was in chaos. Rattling, a giant thunderous roar was heard, drowning out all the screams, including Ami's and mine.
I covered my ears, shut my eyes, a scream lashing from my throat. It was loud, but I could barely pick it up over the roar and crashing down that I heard.
Plates broke, chairs and glass were smashed and shattered, ceiling tiles fell. It rained dust and glass, shards reaching under our protective countertop, slashing my knee.
Then everything stilled.
Everything was silent.
My breathing and my heart kept me company, and I was sure the same was for Ami. Trembling, I rose to my feet, eyes wide with shock and dread. A giant pillar had fallen atop the counter Ami and I were under, blocking tiles and glass and other extremely heavy objects from smashing the counter flat.
I was barely aware that Ami was surveying the damage by my side.
Shops lay in ruin, people trapped and dead under debris, and I realized, we were the only survivors. I fell to my knees in panic. If we had stayed . . . we would have been dead right now. If I hadn't pointed to the counter where Ami and I could hide, we would have trapped under the rubble.
The sky turned neon green for an instant, a crash soon followed. Droplets of water fell, soaking me. What did it matter now? We were the Sailor Senshi, we were supposed to protect people! But we failed!
I was soaked, chilled to my very bones and soul. This was no damn earthquake! Someone had done this. Someone had done this to kill us. But instead, they had killed all of these innocent people!
"Beryl . . ." I muttered, grabbing my transformation pen. She was here. She had done this.
I looked up at Ami, she was already one step ahead of me. "Mercury Star Power!"
"Mars Star Power!"
I start to twirl, fire blazing all around me. My shoes form, as does my Sailor Fuku. The symbol of Mars attached to a bow appear behind me. With one hand on my hip, the other pointing at our unseen enemy, I shout, "Beryl, we've defeated you before, and on behalf of the planet Mars . . ."
"And on behalf of the planet Mercury, we will finish you again!" Sailor Mercury finished for me.
Laughter.
Disembarking from our poses, Sailor Mercury and I look around. "You two, pathetic little Sailor Senshi? Defeat me, the Queen of the universe?!"
We look up, just in time to see a giant yellow beam heading straight for us. "Jump!" Sailor Mercury screams.
Doing as advised, I jump out of the way, immense heat singeing my back as I scream. I seconds, I'm being thrown to the ground, Sailor Mercury landing at my side. "Rei," She whispered.
"I'm not exactly okay, but I'm not dead yet." I answered. She smiled sheepishly, and we stagger to our feet. "Where are you Beryl?!"
"Show yourself!"
More laughter, and Beryl appears only a yard or two in front of us. She looks just like she did when she absorbed Metallia; only now she had a smug and confident smirk on her face, a giant black cape covering something.
"Pitiful brats, do you think you can stop me now? I am invincible!" Beryl shouted.
Strength radiated off of her, she had indeed gotten stronger. But Sailor Moon was stronger still. "We will beat you again Beryl!" I shouted.
"Only this time, our lives will not go to waste!" Sailor Mercury shouted. She was getting ready to do her attack, "Mercury . . . Aqua . . ."
Beryl unveiled her cloak. Sailor Mercury stopped stiff in the middle of her attack. The harp dissipated, and we both stared in shock.
"No . . ." I whispered.
There she was, our leader, our friend . . . Usagi Tsukino, Sailor Moon. She was in the arms of a half man, half lizard, completely made of metal. A long metallic tail smashed the ground, creating a giant crater. A metal smirk was plastered on his face as he stroked a blonde bang from Sailor Moon's face.
"You see?" Beryl asked smugly. "No one is strong enough for us. No one."
Slowly, Beryl grabbed the Ginzuishou from Sailor Moon's chest. Ribbons surrounded her and when they disappeared, she was back to Usagi. "Let her go!" I shouted.
"Do you think I would do that?" Beryl laughed. "Now, if you want to see your pitiful Princess, I suggest you all meet a Tokyo Tower . . . before I get fed up and kill her that is."
The lizard/man's smirked widened, and the three disappeared. 'You'll come in handy, a challenge. I'll be sure to absorb your power . . . after I'm done with everyone else. . .' Someone whispered into my mind.
~~~End of Dream~~~
My eyes stayed closed even after my previous vision had ended. I groaned inwardly; why was I having the same vision again?
Suddenly, my eyes bolted open, something was wrong. I concentrated on my vision, the last part . . . the part I didn't catch last time. What did he say?! I knew now who the lizard was, Metal Cooler. But he had whispered something in my mind . . .
'You'll come in handy, a challenge. I'll be sure to absorb your power . . . after I'm done with everyone else. . .'
"Crap!" I shouted, jumping from the bed. The spheres! That's how he took Gohan and Vegita! And he was planning on taking everyone else!
"Mars Fire Crystal Power . . . Make up!" I cried, grabbing my Takizuisho.
*Bulma*
"There's that." I said, straightening and placing the diamond edged drill on the work bench. I pushed up my visor and glanced about the room. My father and four technicians trifled about the lab; monitoring computer equipment and preparing the Electron Microscope.
Normally, I avoided a swarm scene when I worked, but these spheres needed particular attention and Ami and I couldn't do it alone. One tech constantly watched the print read out that was attached to the monitor scanning the ball, while two others assisted my father in activating and testing the electron microscope. The last tech made sure the security systems were running smoothly. We were taking the utmost caution in case of an emergency.
Papa approached me, lined face drawn so his grayed mustache drooped. "Well Bulma, were almost ready here."
Tenshinhan watched from a safe non-interfering distance. He looked puzzled, but smiled at the tiny shavings of dust I drilled off from the sphere. "And you will be able to see what it is made of with that microscope?" He asked politely.
"That's the plan." Ami replied as she picked her head up from monitoring the workers.
Carefully, with rubber gloves and an eye dropper, I prepared the slide and handed it to my father. "I'd like to make heads or tails of this thing in a couple of hours so I can go back to making that force shield."
"One thing at a time, Bulma. We don't want you over loading yourself. Bra needs her mother." Father reminded me. My daughter was with my mother right now, but she was very attached to me and Vegita. I seldom worked in the lab without her, other times she was annoying her father.
Today was an exception.
I checked my watch. I'd have to nurse her in an hour or so, so my time in the lab was limited. I wanted to finish today's agenda so I could go on to other things after feeding Bra.
"It's just the sooner we get that damned shield finished, the safer I'll feel with those things around. Those things are creepy."
Sitting on the examining table the sphere looked harmless. Wires hooked it to monitors, measuring it's energy output. So far, it gave a depleted level, but a steady electronic impulse. For what reasons it emitted anything, I hadn't the faintest. In fact, it continued to emit it without change as I hacked away at it's exterior with the drill.
Puzzled, I tapped the ball and watched the monitor. As I expected, the readings fluctuated slightly. They always did when it came in contact with something living.
Interesting.
I turned away and crossed the room to Ami and the electron microscope. Ami sat at the main computer with images of a tiny network of tightly fitted shapes on the screen. I blinked, leaning forward. Her eyes were wide with shock and fascination.
"How interesting." She whispered. "Do you see it?"
The image rotated, zooming in closer to one of the shapes. They were machines. One tiny, twitching mechanism extended tendrils towards another of its sister forms. I frowned in disbelief then glanced to my father. "Little machines. Nanotech but far more advanced than the ones I saw with doctor Gears androids."
"Indeed." Papa leaned into the back of his chair from the other side of Ami. "Do you know what they are doing?"
"Repairing themselves." I glanced to the sphere, a shudder of terror filling me. "It's acting like a virus."
Tenshinhan drew close, his gaze on the screen. "Is it alive?"
"Yes, all machines are alive in a way." I met his gaze. "I think it feeds on the impulses given by a living being."
I tuned back to the screen and watched the little machines repair and replicate themselves.
"If they could repair and rebuild themselves as quickly as they appeared to be, why couldn't they also invade, like a virus, another machine . . . or other beings?" Ami asked.
"Oh my god." I spun, nearly knocking Ami from her seat, and dashed across the room to the scanner and the sphere attached to it.
The door to the lab burst open. Something streaked into me just as the ball burst out in a shower of silver and wiggling hissing wires. A scream barely escaped my lips as I struck the ground.
Tendrils whipped out toward me, but my rescuer lunged at them. With an out stretched hand the lavender haired youth shot out a brilliant blue bolt. The beam dissolved the wires in an inferno of Ki.
Only one of them whipped free stinging the newcomer in the arm before he could finish off the sphere with a final controlled energy blast. "Tenshinhan! Rei! Destroy all the machines! Now!"
"Mars fire-hawk ring!" I heard Rei scream. A hawk shot out, followed by a ring of fire, destroying three spheres.
Trunks? Rei? I stared, too stunned to object. Tenshinhan leveled several Ki attacks at the machinery in the room. My jaw worked without sound. What was Trunks doing here? Trunks returned to his future dimension. Yet, here he was, standing in my lab. His hair was matted to his brow, and he was sickeningly pale. Panting, the youth stepped uneasily to me.
"Mother . . . I've made it in time . . ." Scarlet spread over the waist of his jeans and white tank shirt. Wearily he smiled, then collapsed in a heap on the floor.
**********
Author's Note: Heehee!! There's a gift to all those who wanted Future Trunks to come back! ^_______________^ I thought it'd be cool to have him join everyone else! But, what happened to him? Hmmm? Find out on the next chapter! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!
[1] "Warui seishin-res chirasu kara de kare no mono karada!"
[1] "Evil sprits disperse from his body!"
[2] "Osoraku ano kuroi yoakes tada saseru ano hikari kuru no tame ni soshite ano warui atsumeru e-ni o saru!"
[2] "I dare say the darkness dawn but let the light come in and the evil gather to leave!"
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