Part Seven

"What are you?!" Eighteen gasped, her eyes widening as she saw the disfigured sight.

The woman motioned her head to the side, making a clicking sound as straightened it again with an emotionless expression. "It is not what, but who, Android, of which you seek."

"What?" Trunks questioned.

The woman moved her hand over her face, creating a different expression, this time a grin. "I am like you, made, like you. Though, I was never human, only appear to be. I was the...backup, as you would say, if you and your twin failed to complete the mission."

"Mission? He never gave us a mission! Eighteen killed him before he did!"

"No, he gave you orders to kill those who opposed you, and everyone opposes you. Do you not see?"

Eighteen smirked. "So you're here to finish the job?"

She nodded. "That is correct."

"What makes you think you'll win?" Trunks asked, feeling how weak her power was.

"I have something you don't. Simple."

"Like what?" Eighteen scoffed.

She still kept that same, eerie grin on her face. "I am here to finish the job which you did not. And in doing so," she stared icily to Trunks, "my first objective is to kill the last person you did not." She looked to Eighteen. "Then take out the trash."

"You still haven't answered my question. What makes you think you can win?" Trunks questioned.

"Because...." She raised her hand slowly to the sky, her eyes beginning to glow. The area around suddenly turned dark, a swift wind catching up and throwing them off balance. "A mind is a precious item, and should not be wasted on stupid notions which you share..."

They were both thrown back, skidding across the ground. Quara just stood there, shocked. But she turned to the creature with narrow eyes and clenched fists, gritting her teeth.

"How dare you hurt them!" she yelled.

The creature waved her hand over her face again, turning into a frown. "Get out of my way, child."

She crossed her arms, smirking. "And what if I don't?"

Her hand yet again waved, the grin back on her face. "Then you'll die too." She snapped her arms towards Quara, sending her flying back, past the street, and skidding across the grass of the other side. She as alright, but could hardly move, and thus she remained.

With her hands she raised them to their feet, Trunks in surprise. But he turned to anger in a moment, only to looked in wonder as she did not attack. Instead, she looked the way of Eighteen, where he soon stared after.

"Eighteen?"

Her eyes glowed a vicious red, her face expressionless. Her skin now pale, and her feet hang off the ground and her arms to her side loosely, just like a marionette. As the woman moved her hand, so did Eighteen, creating a blade of ki. Trunks looked briefly, knowing what was going on, but only had a few seconds before Eighteen came speeding towards him.

The blade just barely past, cutting the side of his face. The woman turned her around, making her come for another attack. This time, however, Trunks was prepared, and when she came by he managed to trip her, making her skid a ways away.

"Eighteen! Wake up! This isn't you! You're being controlled!" But she did not hear him, only did she rise as her master commanded. He looked to her with gritted teeth. "Stop this! She doesn't deserve this!"

"No, but what better way to get rid of both your enemies than one to kill the other who they love?"

Trunks's hands almost bleed with the pressure he now tightened them with, his heart pounding. This was not how it was going to end. He would not die, and yet he would not let Eighteen die in the process. He could not attack this creature, for he could see the immense shield which was cast around her. All he could think was to snap her out of it, somehow, in hopes that she would break the spell which befell her.

So, when she came up to him again, he let her pass, grabbing her wrist as she did. It was the blade with the blade in it, and as he turned her around with a stricken face he was greeted with a blank one. Her eyes were empty, as if she had no spirit within them. But he would not give up. He would get her back somehow....even if it cost him dearly.

She beat his arm in almost a rhythmic pattern, and he tried not to flinch because of it. He just gripped her tighter, staring deep within her. He tried to talk to her, but nothing seemed to reach.

"Please, Eighteen, if you're still there," he said sincerely, "hear me out. You have to fight it, somehow, you have to fight this! You wanted a new life, and you can have one, but only if you can see past this spell. She dug deep and found your darkness, using you as a puppet. But if it's one thing I've learned that no matter how much darkness there is, there is always a candle, a light which will never go out. I saw that when I met you, and I will always remember it."

She finally gave up hitting him, but he knew this was no over. She relaxed her one hand, making one in another. He knew he would not be able to stop it, and only knew he would be able to say one last thing that might get her. "But remember this, Eighteen. No matter where I'll be, no matter what you'll remain," She slashed up, cutting him across the chest. He remained stern enough before he flinched back, sighing as he smiled and said his last few words. "I will always love you."

He fell back. Eighteen's hands loosened, the blade disappearing, and her eyes turning normal once more. She fell to her knees, not believing what she had just done. And in it, came the laugh which would haunt her forever...

With her blood soaked hands, tears fell upon them. Her hands began to shake, her throat tightening. But as she found his power was weak, and not entirely gone, she found the strength to stand. She turned, her eyes drenched and narrow, her hands clenched.

"Aw, you upset 'cuz you killed your little friend? Well....it's nothing new to you."

"I promised....I promised him...I would never kill again....But for you...I shall make an exception!"

"Heh, please, you can't lay a finger on me!"

"No...But she can."

She sharply looked behind, seeing the little girl Quara behind her. This caught her off guard, diverting her power to swiping her away and on the grass again. But this gave an advantage for Eighteen, who charge up the largest most discrete attack she could create. With it, the creature was hit dead on in the face. It screeched, but it faded when the make of a face cracked, shattering as the rest did. After the battle had been won, a second later Eighteen collasped to her knees, taking a deep breath. She had used up a lot of energy, but not enough to not let her stand and yell.

"You okay, Quara?" she asked.

Quara raised a thumbs-up from where she had her face in the dirt, popping out a moment later. Eighteen went over to Trunks, dropping back down again and lifting his head. He opened his eyes slightly, squinting in the light of the sun.

"Are you all right?" Eighteen asked drastically.

"I've...felt better," he laughed a bit. She smiled. "I'm glad you're back. Is she gone?"

" Yeah, she's gone." She took a deep breath. "Trunks...did you mean what you said? When I was under control?"

"So you did hear me. That's good."

"Did you?"

There was a moment of pause, when Quara suddenly came up, saying, "He never lies!"

Trunks laughed as best he could, nodding his head. "She has a point there."

"So...you..."

He continued to smile softly, nodding his head. She smiled back, putting her head on his. She whispered the same thing back, sighing.

And so things stayed. Bulma was able to fix up Trunks, for it had only been scraped across his ribcage. Quara subsided with her cuts and bruises, and also began to get many respects from other who she met, including the boys who had made fun of her before. As for Eighteen, she spent the rest of her life the way she wanted it, as it was meant to be--as a human. The three of them were never separated from each other, and as for Eighteen and Trunks...

Well, only time would tell...

The End

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