Chapter three - How... wha... Hey, wait a Minute! Don't I get a Say?
Trunks pulled up to a stop and floated down to a landing outside Gloria's mansion. "That was amazing." she said stepping outside. "I saw the whole thing on the news, you've got the entire planet crying Angel now. That could be a good thing though, it may keep them from panicking."
Trunks nodded in agreement as a buzzer rang. Gloria turned and activated the monitor just inside the front door. "We have a visitor." she said seeing Herman standing at the front gates. She pressed a button and the gates swung open allowing him entry.
"Hello Gloria, Trunks." he said as he entered the house a moment later. "I don't know how best to go about this so I'll just come right out with it. I'd like to do some research into your DNA. I've done some basic stuff with the DNA we had at the lab but I'd like to go further. I found some things that were rather interesting and..."
Trunks held up his hand. "I can understand, I'm something of a scientist as well, just not as much so as my mother."
"So you'll let me?"
"Sure."
Herman smiled. "That's great. Oh, here, I almost forgot." he opened up a small briefcase he'd been carrying and pulled out a folder. Opening that he showed the contents to Trunks. "Take a look at this sequence, it's really something amazing."
Trunks glanced it over but couldn't really tell what it was that had Herman so fascinated. "What exactly am I looking at?"
"Oh, yes, allow me to try and explain. Here, you see this area here?" he pointed to the top of the pictured DNA. "This, this is really amazing. It's a coded section of DNA, obviously, but anyway, it's a section that seems to be loose."
"Loose?" asked Gloria.
"Hmmm, yes, that's the best way to describe it. It seems that the DNA here can move, shift places. I've found several long strands that seem to have various enzyme blocks to them and ran a few simulations. It looks as though when something unblocks one of these strands of DNA it modifies this portion of DNA. I've never seen anything like it. Well, not in living creatures anyway." He was starting to talk rather quickly now. "Best as I can figure this part works like a... an... ah um, a conductor for lack of a better term.
"You see, when these enzymes are unblocked it... they trigger the release of some... um, well, I'm not entirely sure. They're like proteins but they're also like hormones and a number of other things. It's really weird. There's also an increased amount of adrenaline released. If my computer simulations are right the, the person, uh, you in this case, would, um, would be on this huge, this massive rush of uh, energy and uh..."
"I get it." Trunks said nodding. "And I think you found what my mother's been looking for. This has to be the transformation gene."
"Transformation?" Herman asked in wonder.
Gloria smiled. "You don't watch much TV do you?" Herman just stared blankly at her. She led him into a near-by room and turned on the TV. The news was still running the days big story.
"Once again this is actual footage that has not been tampered with in anyway." the reporter said. It showed the Saibairians and Gremlins for a moment at first, and then suddenly a golden flash of light appeared center screen. The video showed the entirety of the battle and even it hadn't caught any of Trunks's attacks.
Gloria switched off the TV. "Trunks calls it Super Sai-jin."
Trunks' universe, Otherworld, Grand Kai's Planet
The inhabitants of the Grand Kai's planet watched the two powers clashing in the sky above them. Many of them wondered how they could call it a light spar. The Grand Kai himself even wondered this now and then. He was currently watching them with Pikkon at his side. "Impressive, aren't they?" he asked the long dead green warrior.
Pikkon simply nodded. "I've never seen Piccolo or Gohan sparring this intensely before. Sure, when they spar with Goku it gets really extreme but they've never gotten this fired up against each other before."
The Grand Kai nodded. "I think it's because Piccolo's never had this much power before. He's testing out the strength his recent re-merger has given him. I must say, it's very impressive."
In the sky above them one of Piccolo's green fists slammed into Gohan's jaw with a resounding crack that sent shockwaves washing across the surface of the planet. It had been around twenty-six years now since the Androids had killed the Earth's warriors and they'd found themselves on the Grand Kai's planet, Goku already waiting. Gohan had been the last arrival, missing arm restored, and joined them all in their training just in case they found a way to get back to Earth and stop the Androids. Even though their intervention hadn't been needed they still continued their training. Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, all of them had grown far stronger than they had been before their deaths.
Of course, only a few weeks ago Piccolo's power had taken a tremendous leap as he re-merged with Kami. The elder half of the duo had decided Piccolo had changed enough and that the added power may be needed to help deal with whatever had happened to Trunks. At the time they hadn't known where he'd gone. However, the Grand Kai had recently gotten word of Trunks's location and the reason for it.
"Gohan! Piccolo!" he called up to the duo. The two ceased their spar and Gohan reverted back to normal as they landed.
"What's up Grand Kai?" Gohan asked as the man called over the other warriors from Earth.
"As you know, we live in one universe. In our universe some planets have Guardians. Above them are the Kai's that over see a quarter of the universe each. Above them is the position of the Grand Kai, I over see this entire universe. However, there is a position above mine as well. That is the Supreme Kai, he oversees all universes from his own planet in his own dimension."
"Universes? As in more than one?" Goku asked.
The Grand Kai nodded. "Indeed. There are several hundred universes out there, each with it's own Kai's and Grand Kai. I was recently contacted by one of these Grand Kais, it seems he's found Trunks."
Gohan grinned. "That's great! So he's still okay?"
"That's a complicated question Gohan. You see, this Grand Kai was contacted by the Guardian of his universes Earth some time ago. Seems they've been working on genetic experiments and robots and such. Anyway, the Guardian discovered that a number of these creations were beyond powerful. The Grand Kai then assessed the situation, they're to strong even for him. The matter was recently presented to the Supreme Kai as well. He's quite worried about these things. It would seem that one of them is even stronger than he is."
The gathered warriors all looked at each other in wonder. "As for what this has to do with Trunks, well, he's on that world. Seems they used their own Dragonballs to summon him, not him in exact terms, but someone who could help them deal with these things."
"You mean, more Androids?" Gohan asked not liking the sound of this.
"In a sense, yes. Anyway, I've been given permission to allow you all to view the events occurring in this other universe. He's forbidding your intervention for the time being at least. He wants to see how this plays out first, it is a mortal affair. He has promised, however, that should things go south you'll all be given permission to aid him if you so choose."
Trunks' Universe, H.F.I.L
He'd done what he considered to be a commendable job thus far at avoiding those here he despised and would have loved to obliterate. Those people being Frieza, King Cold, and the Androids responsible for his situation the past twenty some years. He wasn't exactly sure how long it had been to tell the truth, it was rather hard to tell time when trapped in this hell hole. However some news had recently reached his ears which had caused him to journey in from the far reaches of the H.F.I.L. to where most of the Ogres who actually knew something could be found. It was this news and subsequent trip which had now caused the current situation.
Vegeta stood glaring daggers at an overly cocky Frieza. On the right side of the long dead tyrant was his father and on the left was the imperfect Cell that Trunks had obliterated a few years ago. Behind them stood Androids 17 and 18. All of which were currently grating on his nerves with their idiocy. "I suggest you leave my sight before I send you into oblivion." he said icily.
Frieza smirked. "Come now Vegeta, you can't expect us to be afraid of you? After all, you are just a monkey. A weak one at that. You never did become a Super Sai-jin."
Now 17 grinned. "Not that it would matter in the least, even a Super Sai-jin was no match for us."
It was Vegeta's turn to grin. "Then how'd you get here? Oh yes, that's right, my son killed you. I believe he was a Super Sai-jin, or was that golden glow just some kind of disease?"
18 lunged at him suddenly but there was a flash of gold and she was flung backward as he transformed into a Super Sai-jin. Frieza took a step back in fear which didn't go unnoticed by Vegeta. "Yes, I've become a Super Sai-jin and I'm far stronger than Kakkarotto was when he fought you Frieza. Of course, I've discovered something over the past two and a half decades." He smirked and said the next part softly. "There's a second level." Again there was a flash of gold as Vegeta ascended to the next level. Vegeta was now far stronger than any of those who stood before him. "Now out of my way!" he demanded. Slowly they parted and allowed the Sai-jin Prince to pass without further incident.
It didn't take him much longer to reach the large building he sought, and by then he'd reverted to normal. The large building was located directly below, well, nothing as far as anyone could tell. Though truthfully it was directly beneath the Grand Kai's planet, even if it was by over ten light years distance. As Vegeta neared the large red wooden doors of the building they began to swing outward and open to allow his entry. Stepping inside he found himself mere feet from the blue Ogre who managed matters in the H.F.I.L. and was twice the size of Yemma.
"Vegeta!" Kaga's voice boomed. "I've been expecting you for the last couple weeks. Seems you were father from the palace than I'd thought." Vegeta just grunted so Kaga continued. "I trust you heard about your son's disappearance?"
"If I hadn't then I wouldn't be here."
The large Ogre laughed. "No, I guess not. The good news is that he's been found, in another universe of all places! The bad news is that he's at the center of a matter far more dangerous than the Androids from Earth. I've been given permission from rather high up to allow you to view the coming events. If things get to out of hand then you may be granted permission to aid your son, along with the other warriors of Earth who currently reside on the Grand Kai's planet." Vegeta merely nodded as a normal sized green Ogre led him from the main chamber and into a side room where a shimmering wall allowed him to see what was happening in this other universe.
Gloria's Mansion
For the past half hour Herman and Gloria had been using the lawyer's rather powerful computer to run tests on Trunks's DNA and had begun to devise an idea. It had been Herman who had first thought of it and both Gloria and the Sai-jin had helped to develop it further. The idea was simple enough, create a serum that would strip away the enzymes that seem to block the Super Sai-jin transformations. According to Herman's tests Trunks was able to do this naturally to attain his Super Sai-jin transformations but only because his body had done it before. The in order to learn to do it the first time intense stress, both mental and physical, was required. As well as a small dose of luck that the body would hit upon the correct method. They believed the Serum would force him to transform to the third level without those requirements.
At first Trunks hadn't thought there was a third level but Herman had outlined numerous strands of DNA that held the potential to enable another transformation. He'd even, only moments ago and thanks to Trunks, come across what Bulma called the O Gene, the gene that enabled the Oozaru transformation. Herman had quickly learned that the required secretion to enable that change wasn't produced by any gland in Trunks's body and deduced that the gland must be native to the tail which the half Sai-jin lacked. He'd also found that this was a good thing. The glands required to produce that substance also produced, constantly, another substance which adhered the enzymes to the Super Sai-jin genes thus preventing any Sai-jin with a tail from ever ascending. It made him curious as to what would happen if the substance was introduced after a Sai-jin transformed.
Gloria was pointing out an interesting protein build that may work for the Serum when Trunks suddenly felt a fairly strong KI appear out of no where. It wasn't as powerful as some of the creatures he'd fought recently but definitely notable. He turned and was very shocked by the sight he witnessed. There was a Namek in robes standing in the room's entryway. He looked a lot like Piccolo, only wrinkled slightly more wrinkled. Less so than Kami had been but it was still noticeable. When Gloria and Herman turned they were at first worried it was one of Kahn's creations but noticed that Trunks wasn't.
"You're... a Namek? Then you created the Dragonballs?" Trunks asked in surprise.
"Yes, and no. I created only the first set of Dragonballs. The ones your new friends used were created by my son. I am Tekuta, Guardian of this world. Though I'm originally from your universe I believe. I've come to thank-you for helping us, offer what aid I can, and inform you that your friends know of what is happening here." He walked toward them stopping only a few feet away. "As for the aid I can offer, I'm afraid it's fairly limited. I can impart to you the knowledge of the powers I've sensed from your enemies."
Tekuta raised his arm and placed it on Trunks's head. A green glow enveloped Tekuta's hand and Trunks's head. When the process finished the lavender haired Sai-jin's eyes snapped open. "By Kami..." he breathed. "The power of their leader is... unbelievable. It makes the Cell Gohan destroyed in the past feel like nothing." He turned toward Gloria and Herman again. "We have to get this Serum to work, it may be the only chance we have."
Kahn's military base
Omega looked at the beginnings of his pet project with a sense of pride and joy. Android Twelve, also called Goliath, when complete, would be far stronger than anyone else, save for himself. It would also be mindless, controlled by remote via a device that would link it to Omega's mind.
He turned to look at Adam and Eve, the sole surviving Android Seven units. They both had red hair, hers longer than his, and they possessed tan skin and blue eyes. He thought Eve looked rather stunning actually. "So, how long until he's finished?" he asked.
"Shouldn't take more than a week." replied Adam not taking his eyes from the monitors. "This isn't all that complicated actually. Not like growing cyber-organic organisms like yourself. Everything here can be manufactured and installed in a day at the most. No waiting for tissue to grow."
Omega smiled. "Exactly, that's why I designed him like this."
Eve shook her head. "I still don't get why you're having this thing built. There's nothing out there with power like us."
"Not on Earth at least." Omega replied. "But we were designed to combat alien warriors, there's the chance they could be stronger than even Orion and Sheba. With this guy to control I wont even have to get dirty, it's brilliant actually. Hell, I don't know why the Humans didn't do this in the first place. Would have saved them a lot of grief in the end." he said smirking. /Now I need only await the return of the Android Zero's. Everything's going along very nicely. I should be in control of this world by the end of the month./
In front of Gloria's Mansion
"Well?" Halley asked her friend.
Morgan turned to look at her as she chewed her bottom lip. "But... what if he says no?"
Halley rolled her eyes. "And why would he do that?"
Morgan shrugged. "I don't know... he... he's probably got a girlfriend already."
Halley just stared at her brunette friend for a moment. She could see the nervousness in the girl's sapphire blue eyes and couldn't help but smile as Morgan squirmed. The smile faded a bit though as she remembered how the girl had met Trunks. Morgan had 'forgotten' most of what had happened at her party. The doctors called it selective memory, said it was a normal reaction to something like that. She'd lost a number of her friends and her entire family that day. Since then she'd been living with Halley.
She seemed to be fine though. She'd been upset for a couple weeks and still cried at night because she'd lost her parents but otherwise, she was doing okay. "Alright, don't ask him then. I'll ask him for you." Halley started toward the front gates but Morgan grabbed her arm quickly.
"No, I can do this." she said letting go of her friend's arm. She looked down at the outfit she had on. Plain white T-shirt, light blue miniskirt, and a pair of sandals. Not exactly stunning but she didn't have much choice, all her clothes were at her house and she not gone back there yet. "Just... come with me, please?"
Halley smiled, "Sure."
With a deep breath Morgan walked up to the main gates pressed the intercom button. A moment later Gloria's voice came over a near-by speaker. "Morgan right?"
"Uh, y-yeah. I, IwaswonderingifIcouldcomeupandtalktoTrunksmaybeifit'sokay?" the words rushed out of her mouth faster than she thought possible. As her face burned she realized Halley was laughing behind her, and Gloria was laughing over the speaker.
"I'm not sure what you just said exactly but come on up." Gloria said through laughs.
Still a rather bright shade of red she made her way up the driveway path to the front door of the mansion where Gloria and Trunks already waited. The lavender haired Sai-jin had no clue why Gloria had dragged him to the door but soon figured it out when he saw Morgan.
"Um... hi." she said so low Trunks barely heard her. "I was wondering if..." she trailed off. "He is really cute." she said in an even softer tone. Gloria and Halley were both smiling now and one pointy haired Sai-jin some distance away couldn't help but smirk either as Trunks's face turned a light shade of red. "I... I mean, um... if it's notaproblemoranything..."
"She wants to know if you'll go out with her." Halley said trying save her friend a little embarrassment.
Trunks didn't even have a chance to say anything before Gloria spoke up. "He'll pick you up tonight, say eight o'clock?"
The Sai-jin turned and looked at her in shock as Halley grinned. "Eight it is. She'll be at my place, 2135 Shark Lane. It's the only green house on the block, you can't miss it."
"He'll be there." With that Gloria shut the door and Halley walked away, Morgan following after her a second later.
Trunks still stood there starring at the door. "How... hey! Wait a minute!" he called turning to follow after Gloria. "What about..."
"Go out, have fun. We can handle the Serum, it wont be ready for hours if not longer anyway. If something really big comes up I'll give you a call on this." she handed him a cell phone. "Now, go upstairs and get ready. I had James go out shopping for clothes for you earlier so there's got to be something in your room that's nice." Trunks just stood and stared at her. "Go on, go. Or are you going to stand the poor girl up?"
Trunks shook his head as he made his way to his room. /She's as bad as my mother... but at least mom's never set me up on a date.../
Kai dimension, Supreme Kai's Planet
Shin watched the events unfolding in Gloria's universe with some concern. He wasn't certain the Sai-jin would be able to succeed, even with the help of his friends. He'd not seen a threat to the universes this great since Majin Buu, fortunately that was a threat that wouldn't return. The Androids had seen to that years ago when they'd killed Bobidi after he'd landed on their world. With his death Majin Buu's fate was sealed to be forever locked within his ball and Shin had believed nothing would ever threaten the mortal plane again.
Now technology had caused the past to repeat itself. This creature, Omega as he chose to call himself, was possibly stronger than even Buu. He wasn't certain of that yet but he did know that Omega was stronger than Dabura which meant stronger than him.
"I find it hard to believe that this mortal could possibly succeed in this mission." Kibeto said from Shin's side. Kibeto, the large red Grand Kai of Gloria's universe had come to Shin's planet as soon as word had reached him of Omega's existence. He'd stayed in order to get a better view of what was unfolding in his universe. "I've never witnessed mortals with power like this before."
Shin nodded slowly. "No, I suppose you wouldn't have. The mortals of you universe don't posses the abilities that many others do from other universes. You have not seen what this particular mortal, or his friends, can do. Trunks has yet to power up to his full strength, even when he was a Super Sai-jin he was using only a small fraction of his power in that form. What you felt when he fought those Saibairians and Gremlins was only about a fortieth of his power, and that's only as a Super Sai-jin, he has a second transformation beyond that. And should Gloria and Herman be successful in their project he will gain yet another transformation and all the power it entails."
Kibeto glanced over and down at the much shorter Supreme Kai. /Truly he must be joking? That would put this mortal's power beyond even mine in his second level. And his third... How can that be possible?/
Next Chapter
Morgan and Trunks go on their date which gets interrupted and Omega discovers not all of Kahn's creations are on his side. A meeting of the six strongest Grand Kai's is called to formulate a contingency plan incase Trunks and the others fail. Herman and Gloria begin to distill their 'Serum of Ascendance' and Vegeta breaks the rules.
Trunks: Why me? Why do you have to do this to me?
Me: Do what?
Trunks: Glares daggers out the monitor. Do what? Do what!? I'm a warrior, I've got a big battle coming and you've got me on date! That's what!
Me: Shrugs So? What, you would rather I let her die?
Trunks: Well... no, but...
Me: Then be quiet about it or I'll make it embarrassing.
Trunks: ... Walks away