Hey everyone!!! :) Well, it's been a while in the making but here it is... my version of the K/18 story!!! I've had this idea in my head for quite a while now and I've got it all planned out and everything. By the way, if you're wondering about my "ChickFlick" story, which is sadly rather dead and forgotten at the moment... hopefully I WILL get around to finishing it, one day. I'm just not very inspired at the moment.

OK, so. This story is set just after the scene on Kami's Lookout at the end of the Cell Saga, when Krillin has wished for the bombs inside Seventeen and Eighteen to be removed. Told mainly from Eighteen's point of view. This story is about Eighteen's discovery of her identity before Dr Gero turned herself and her brother into Androids. For a bit of background information, please read my story entitled "Past Lives". These are both separate, but when put together they can form that missing link in the twins' life ;) Enjoy :) and please REVIEW and tell me what you think!!

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Who Am I?

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She was completely and utterly confused. She was also slightly angry, although she didn't really know why. Why... Why?! WHY did he choose THAT to wish for, out of everything? And how dare he do something like that, without even consulting her first?!

She was flying as fast as she could away from Kami's Lookout. Her blonde, silky hair seethed and lashed around her head in the wind; her eyes were thoughtful, but as usual they portrayed none of the deeper emotions running through her mind. She raised one hand to her chest, laying it down gently, trying to almost feel through her skin. She didn't feel any different, but she knew it was true. The bomb inside of her had been removed.

And what was that meant to do anyway? It still didn't make her human, she was still just a machine. A complex, intelligent, THINKING machine... but still just a computer. Again that feeling of frustration welled up in her but she shoved it back down again, trying to stifle it, bury it deep down inside. She didn't want to think about it right now, not after everything that had just happened to her.

As she flew she rubbed her hands across her face, almost as if she was trying to see things more clearly. Sadly, it wasn't working. She didn't understand anything of what had been going on the past hour or so. She just flew on and on, with no particular destination in mind. Perhaps she thought that the wind and her speed through the air would simply blow away all her problems, all her confusion. If she just managed to fly fast enough, then somehow everything would be okay.

With this simple thought in mind she put on a huge burst of speed, pushing until her eyes started watering. She squinted and continued never the less.

Afterwards she could never recall how long she flew for, looking down on the tiny and insignificant-seeming Earth flowing past below her. At some point she left the mainland behind and started flying over the deep blue ocean. Soon there was no land in sight, and she slowed down a small amount. Due to the emotional and physical stress she had been through in the last few days, she was now exhausted. She allowed her mind to go blank and wander at its will as she flew over the sea. The sun sparkled off the waves in a dazzling display of brilliance, which she watched idly even as she continued to float along.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason, Krillin's face came to her. And then all of her confused feelings and emotions flooded through her again in a rush. Growling in irritation she sped up and blew off towards the horizon, her fast-moving body quickly dwindling to a speck in the distance before disappearing entirely from view.

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She never recalled how long it took for her to calm down. She was jerked back to herself as a golden shaft of sunlight pierced her eyes, and looking up in surprise she realised that the sun had started to sink slowly underneath the ocean. Gradually she came to a halt and hovered there, thinking. She could have just flown on all night, as androids could go for many days without sleeping or becoming tired. But she realised that there was not much point; she had nowhere to go anyway. At this thought a cold, hard loneliness settled into the pit of her stomach. She tried to ignore it and think about something else. Like where she was going to spend the night.

She flew on more slowly now, looking down on the quickly-darkening ocean. All was silent except for the sound of the waves far below. Before long she came to a strung out line of small tropical islands, stained blood red now in the light of the fading sun, which had almost disappeared completely. Well, they would have to do.

Choosing the smallest and least conspicuous of the group, the one at the end of the line of islands, she floated lower to inspect it. She found what most people would call a paradise, but little did she care for that. The main thing was that it was uninhabited - Eighteen didn't think she had the strength to face the rest of the world right now. Making up her mind, she floated down until her feet came lightly to rest on the soft white sand of the beach.

Suddenly, after having solid ground beneath her feet again after so long in the air, she felt almost overcome with tiredness. Walking slowly back into the dunes a little way, she came across a small hollow in the sand that was filled with soft green beach-grass, and tiny purple flowers that let off a sweet scent as they turned their faces heavenward towards the first stars that were appearing in the night sky. She flopped down in this natural haven and sunk almost immediately into blissful sleep, the only escape from the world that she could think of.

The island was quiet, except for the hiss of the waves upon the shore, the sigh of the wind through the leaves of the palms and the sleepy chirping of crickets as they went about their evening business. Eighteen slept on, peaceful at last. For the moment.

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She awoke the next morning to the warmth of the sun's rays on her face. She sat up and stretched as she looked around her. In the sunlight she could now take in a bit more of her surroundings.

Her little island truly WAS a tropical paradise. The clear blue ocean lapped gently at the white, sandy shoreline. Behind the dunes of the beach where she had slept the emerald rainforest began. It rose up to the peak of a large hill, the centre-piece of the island. On top of the hill was a huge old tree, hanging on precariously to it's perch.

Eighteen allowed her eyes to wander upwards. The ancient spreading branches of the tree reached upwards against a backdrop of the dazzling blue sky. Taking a deep breath, she decided that she could do with the walk and the exercise. Sure, she could have flew... but just then, she really needed some time to think. She started off, and soon she had been swallowed by the green of the forest.

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Okay, this chapter may be a little slow to start it off, but I had to set the scene. I had a lot of fun describing the island :D. I've always wanted to go to a place like that... *dreamy sigh*. *snaps back to reality* ANYWAY, the next chapters will go into more detail and the main theme of the story will start to show. Just as an estimate, I think we're looking at maybe 7 or so chapters for this story... but you never know, my imagination might run away with me ;). I have to warn you now that I won't be able to update this for a month or so because I have exams :( But after that, watch out for me! PLEASE review and tell me what you think!!! :):):)