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Chapter Three - The Battle Rages On
Eighteen was thinking foreign thoughts as they entered the coalmine.
She wondered who the boy was, and an automatic computer in her head started to run a search program. Slightly frustrated, she turned it off for the moment. This wasn't helping. Interestingly, she thought of the boys hobbies, likes, dislikes and pastimes. She was aware she had made the question of pastimes an impossible one to answer, seeing the androids took his "extra" time. These feelings were slightly exciting and new, but she passed them off as one of Dr. Gero's mistakes. It had to be a problem with the programming. Must've been a time-set program, knowing what she felt now was not something she felt before. She shook theses thoughts off. She needed to concentrate.
The coalmine was a cramped place, she noticed and left no margin of error for Trunks. The androids however…
Seventeen laughed when he realized that his Ki blast shattered a coal vein and started a fire. To think he'd been scared! That thought was laughable! He now pounded on the disadvantaged hybrid. He saw the weariness in Trunks' form. Ha. A weakness of Humans, it surely was. Affected by heat and the disability of getting tired. Trunks was done for. He had to learn nothing could stand the wrath of androids.
Eighteen was almost horrified at what Seventeen had done. She said or showed nothing, though. Just to prove to herself that nothing was wrong, she tried to maul upon Trunks. Something was holding her back, restraining her. It was like a tugging at her non-existent mind. It was as if it was telling her that Trunks didn't deserve this. Emotion flashed on her face for a slight second. She pondered this for a moment when she suddenly got enraged. She was mad at herself for that show of weakness. Weaknesses were for humans. She delivered an unusually heavy blow to compensate it.
Seventeen took advantage of the current situation, and punched the precious trunks in the face before immediately kicking him into a burning wall. Seventeen smiled again.
In a sudden move no one expected, Trunks plunged through the ceiling. Seventeen was annoyed. He just about had the little bitch! And he had the nerve to escape. Or try. He knew what this was about. He'd been watching the human for years. He knew.
Eighteen was about to plunge after him, when Seventeen warned after it.
"He'll come back, it's a diversion. He's trying to surprise us. The fool. We can wait. We have all the time in the world" Seventeen said as he chuckled.
Somehow Eighteen doubted this, but she held back. It was no use trying to prove him wrong. She couldn't sense the energy levels because of the blazing fires, and right now, she trusted Seventeen's judgment more than her own.
If you discounted the almost merry crackling of the fire as it wore down the walls, it was a quiet wait. Contrary to what he said earlier, Seventeen was getting impatient.
"What's taking this boy," he spat out the word, "so long? Did he think he could run away? The daft fool!"
They both realized it was too late as they followed his trail through the rock. Seventeen was outraged. Eighteen's face mirrored his own, but for reasons she knew not. False thoughts ran through her head, almost as if she was in denial of the feeling that she didn't know she had.
Seventeen came up with a slough of names to call Trunks as his frustration was let out. In the middle of the tirade, he stopped, looking curiously at Eighteen.
"Slippery bastard... Eighteen, are you Ok? You haven't said a word all week."
It was true. She had been subdued as of late and Seventeen had suspected bad programming by Dr. Gero, but said nothing.
"Nothing... just Gero being an idiot, that's all. Seventeen, how about we lure Trunks to us by destroying Bridgetown. That'll get his righteous ass out here"
"Eighteen, we did that already. The city is in dust. You sure you're ok? Not like you have the new heart disease," he smirked cheekily as he said this. Eighteen laughed at this. Though, in the back of her mechanical menagerie of a mind, she didn't doubt that some heart ailment plagued her.
"We're going to Southtown... I think he had a connection to that place somehow"
"Fine, we can go... I don't have any mechanical problems"
The androids flew at an incredible speed towards the direction of Southtown, which lay conspicuously north. As they were flying they spotted a small army encampment. Quite normal, it seemed, but it was fully manned at a time when all the countries had banded together to stop the androids. The manned base did not go unnoticed.
"Eighteen! Stop! We have more... "Test subjects". These pathetic humans have decided to set up a base to fight amongst each other. Personally, I'm insulted... We're not a threat big enough? We'll show them." He displayed that cruel grin that many saw before the last fleeting seconds of their lives were wiped. Many had learned to run from it. Everyone learned to fear it.
"It may have been put here to stop us"
"They would!' He laughed in glee, disregarding what his assumptions earlier, as if he was right all along. "No one seems to know the extent of our powers"
"The boy does"
Seventeen snarled in response. "He'll die soon enough"
Eighteen couldn't help but feel that the threat was empty. She frowned.
"Eighteen! Eighteen! Looking down about the death? Ha! You know as well as I do that he will die." Eighteen was shaken out of her reverie as her brother unwittingly pointed out Eighteen's problem. "Let's just get on with the excursion of the base, then we'll see what he does." Both grinning again, they descended.
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Trunks woke up disturbed. Why was he feeling so worthless? Then the wave of memory washed over him. He felt suddenly weak, and reeled. Lifting his hand, he touched his face. He hissed in pain and quickly withdrew. Dried blood covered his face, as if he were a painting the artist was too disgusted to finish with. He got up again, slowly this time, and looked down. He looked a mess. He didn't much care, but he was bleeding in many more places. The soles of his yellow boots had melted off and he discarded the charred remains of the rest. He was disgusted with himself. Not just what he looked like, but at what he'd become.
'Thinking non-existent thoughts about a piece of machinery. Still, there was something about the pity, an understanding about—NO! Crazy thoughts.' He banished them and looked down at himself again.
'So much like I deserve, ripped, burnt, and bleeding. Hmph' He looked at his watch and discovered it was melted to his wrist. In a very vented frustration he ripped it off his skin and discovered he could bleed even more. 'This is it. I'm eating it.'
He opened his now ripped jacket and extracted a small, unharmed, velvet bag and out of it he pulled out a small, green bean.
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The installment was buzzing like a beehive. The androids were here! Everyone had their doubts about the defeat of the aforementioned androids, but no one noticed as the fluid rule and discipline dashed all opinion about the upcoming fight. In record speeds they all got their weapons or vehicles and readied their positions.
As helicopters lifted off, missiles fired and the ack-ack of anti-air could be heard. Tanks assumed artillery positions and artillery cannons were rolled out beside the tanks. Infantry rushed out in scattered groups and fired upon the two most feared teenagers in existence.
Eighteen grinned at them. They faltered. Seventeen watched in amusement as Eighteen flew down to one soldier and look at him seductively. They all watched in fear as Eighteen continued to toy with him. She put his finger on his chin and moved it up towards his ear as she smiled. She then grabbed his stubbly chin and turned it to look at both his cheeks. She laughed wickedly as she put her finger to his chest and fired. His lifeless eyes still showed shock as he fell, hitting the mud with a sickening splat.
The other soldiers watched in horror as she fired at each one of them, displaying deadly accuracy. The tried to run, but to no avail. All the ballistae divisions could only fire upon Seventeen, hoping they didn't miss, as they couldn't hit Eighteen without damaging the soldiers.
As soon as she was sure she eliminated the whole division she flew back up. Occasionally, a machine gun could still be heard, but the gunner and the androids both knew it was hopeless. Seventeen practiced shooting moving targets as the rockets from the helicopters were fired, and Eighteen seemed to take great joy upon taking a fired artillery shell and hurling it at random targets, usually the originators.
Suddenly, Seventeen was gone as a missile finally hit him. The troops cheered and concentrated their fire upon the remaining android. Eighteen feigned shock and helplessness when suddenly, a tank blew up. Then another. More this time. The troops morale suddenly dropped.
A small laugh was heard as a grin, resplendent in their minds flashed before their eyes, like that of a Cheshire cat. All hell broke loose as they tried to run. The soldiers in the tanks abandoned their charges as they tried to escape the death holes.
In the horizon to the south, a warm, yellow—no, golden—glow appeared. Few knew what to make of it. Everyone was rooted to their spots as they prepared to either be saved or annihilated.
Minutes passed as the glow grew brighter and brighter. Many hoped it was God, or Kami finally arriving. Little did they know the androids killed him. Nonetheless, the glow continued to come. Many men fell on their knees and prayed. Nobody else moved, as they stared in awe. Inside the glow, a bloodied boy appeared in view. His face was filled with loathing reserved for two people: the androids.
As they both ascended they looked over to the horizon. A strange disturbance was appearing. They turned on their scouters, but the figure was too far away. They tried telescopic view, but it was still too far away. They hung back, vaguely wondering what it was. All too soon for them they saw what It was. The glow was incasing a furious boy... no, it was a man. The glow was incasing a man. A furious, yellow—no, golden—haired, blue-eyed man.
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As the man was flying he was aware of what he was feeling. Shame. Hopelessness. He was feeling suicidal. The shame was for his defeat after his sudden power surge. His hopelessness was from eating the last sensu bean left in the earth, maybe galaxy. His suicidal thoughts derived from his loss... his mother, Gohan, Dende, Yamcha, Tien, Choatzu, Goku… all of his friends… many who couldn't even dream of the power to defeat the androids. They fought nonetheless. Most of them had no hope. Why did he even have to live? He didn't know. All he knew is that at least one person would meet their demise 2 hours from now.
This man was battered by the cruelty of war, and hardened by loss. He flew at his top speed. Towards the sound of destruction.
He finally arrived in silence. Everyone below had their eyes riveted upon those above. It turned out to be a standoff. The cold wind blew as Trunks looked at the two killers. More specifically he look at Seventeen, avoiding Eighteens icy gaze. The wind howled as it increased. Trunks fired upon Seventeen.
They both flew at each other. Kicks were dodged, and punches were blocked, as both seemed at a stalemate. They flew back and took a few passes at each other through the air, slowly descending. At the last one, Trunks fired a few very powerful, but horribly inaccurate energy balls. Seventeen eyes widened, and the wind rose up to a gale. Behind him, an Artillery cannon blew up, and a few seconds later, Seventeen was hit with an energy ball. Surprised, he flew back, landing on an empty swath of dirt.
An insane glint appeared in Seventeen's eye as Trunks lowered himself to the field of dirt. Suddenly, Seventeen flew at Trunks and started letting off punches and kicks and occasional finger blasts, as Trunks moved to dodge, evading each one of them.
Seventeen flew back, with revulsion on his face. He said in a voice very much masking his fear, "I see. You're nimble Jack. Jumping over candles, eh? Heh heh, well, he wasn't strong, and neither are you!" He rushed again and Trunks sidestepped. Seventeen was enraged. He ran at Trunks again, but there was an explosion under his foot. Normally this mine would do no damage, but in his present condition Seventeen felt it was quite a nuisance.
In that small second it took Seventeen to look down Trunks jumped up as if he planned this along and cleanly kicked off Seventeen's head. The body's knees buckled, and seemed still for a second. Then suddenly it fell down to the ground, making a terrible sound. It's back threw up dust. The circuits inside snapped, sparks flew up in the air and it stood still. The falling of a giant.
Trunks' face was filled with disgust. That was the last thing Seventeen saw as Trunks stepped on him, crushing the fragile head and the chip inside. The light inside winked off. The wind died down.
The Golden Man looked up, dreading the next fight, when all he saw was the fleeing figure of Eighteen. Something was glistening off her beautiful face. The crystal drop fell off. Seconds later, Trunks felt something fall on his face. It rolled down into his open mouth. It tasted of salt. It was a tear.
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A/N: HA! I told you it was longer! I combined two chapters, which I will do to every update from now on! That makes this ummm… I don't really know how long. Part one would be Thirteen Chapters overall. I don't know if I should make a part two or not. How about when I'm all done you should tell me, through e-mail or reviews. I think this is one of my better chapters, and the last one was one of my worse ones. On Wednesday then!