Chapter Ten: Pointless Battle
A eruption of smoke and fire shot a bit ahead of the two children startling them out of their silent understanding. Gohan bit his lip hard staring at the flames. That wasn't a coincidence…
"I didn't even sense the blast," Gohan muttered under his breath. "I forgot that you can't sense their ki."
Gohan glanced to the right sensing a blast was going to hit right next to him. He knew it wouldn't hurt him… but Trunks. Trunks did not know this much. Trunks' sense kicked in a little bit after Gohan.
"Goten! Move!" Trunks cried pushing Gohan over and covering his friend with his own body.
Gohan was in shock. Trunks squinted in pain as the flames licked out at him and debris from the blast hit his back. Once the flames had died out mostly, Gohan pushed Trunks lightly of him. Trunks climbed to his feet slowly but slightly pained. Gohan stared at Trunks in admiration.
"You…You didn't need to…"
"What are you kidding?" Trunks smiled, "I couldn't let you get hurt, Goten."
Gohan smiled back feeling guilt fill him once more. He didn't need protecting. Yet Trunks thought he did…
"Argh…The androids," Trunks hissed glaring up at the skies.
As soon as he said that the two machines made their appearance known. They hovered down in front of the two grinning sinisterly.
"Well, look what we have here, 18!" 17 smiled, "It's Go-dudes little apprentice."
"Yes… I thought we had scared him off the last time," 18 smirked. "He wasn't there to save his friend the second time."
Gohan gritted his teeth at those harsh words. Before Trunks could say anything, Gohan spat, "Watch what you say."
17 and 18's empty eyes fell upon the black hair boy in front of them. Both of them frowned at the sight of him.
"You again?" 17 hissed. "I thought you would've hightailed it out of here by now."
"I'm not scared of spare parts," Gohan hissed coolly.
Both 18 and 17 flinched. Trunks was looking from the androids to Gohan then to the androids again. He blinked several times but did not speak. He guessed that it was just a strange quirk that Goten knew the androids so well.
"Past is past," 18 hissed. "But we do want to fight someone…"
Both androids stared at the two boys as if to decide who fought who.
"Well, I get the apprentice," 17 stated sensibly. "I haven't had a good workout in awhile."
"Hey! That's not fair, 17! Why do I get the shrimp?"
Gohan blushed slightly. It had been quite a while since someone called him shrimp. It felt as though the comment couldn't have been directed at him. Gohan stared at Trunks. True, Trunks was slightly taller then Gohan… But that height had never stopped Gohan before. Too bad the androids judged on first glance.
Trunks eyed 17 angrily wanting to get the battle started, "I don't care which of you I fight. I will destroy you both in time."
"A little overconfident, I see," 17 grinned. "Well, I can change that…"
"Hog," 18 snapped at 17. "You always get the good ones."
"Shut up, 18," 17 retorted. "Just go shopping or something."
"Trunks!" Gohan cried in worry. "You don't have to do this!"
"Dun worry, Goten," Trunks smiled. " I won't regret destroying them. When you punch them… it doesn't even feel like flesh."
18 scowled and placed her hand on her hips. 17, on the other hand, ignored the comment with a come back of his own, "Funny. We feel the same about you humans. Just like when we killed Gohan."
Trunks grew even angrier at this. His hair formed thick spikes and melted into a golden color as a aurora surrounded him. Gohan pretended to be in shock by this change. He didn't know if he looked convincing.
"Well, like I haven't see that before," 17 smirked.
Both 17 and Trunks kicked off the ground so they landed in a hover way above Gohan and 18. Their battle had begun. Gohan didn't even know if he had to fight yet.
Gohan stared nervously over at 18 who was combing her fingers through her hair lazily. When her cerulean eyes met his, she snarled, "I don't have time to waste on you. I guess you got lucky again."
She kicked off the ground so forcefully that dust clouded Gohan's vision. Gohan wasn't fazed. He waited for the dust to clear patiently. Finally, he could see 18 land gracefully on a nearby building. She sat down on the edge of the roof with her legs dangly over the side, watching her brother spar. Gohan looked up to Trunks. He knew Trunks was in way over his head.
Trunks lunged out at 17 his fist aiming at 17's face. 17 swerved to the right and caught Trunks by his wrist. He tossed the boy though the air casually causing Trunks to almost plummet into the empty shoe store. Trunks kicked off the worn stone with his left foot flipping backwards as a blast skimmed out underneath him. Trunks spun upwards just to be met with a brutal upper cut. Trunks squinted against the pain and shot back with his own punch. It hit 17 in the chest. He was unscathed from Trunks attempt. He smirked at grabbed Trunks by his throat. He squeezed hard hoping the break the kids neck. Trunks grabbed onto 17's wrist and dug his nails as hard as he could into 17's skin. But 17's skin was impenetrable as titanium. Trunks' cheeks started to deepen into a purple color. Trunks made a weak attempt to get air. His arms fell to his side… Trunks started to feel numb. He could hear Goten's voice beneath him crying his name. Trunks' heart throbbed.
I will not do the same thing Gohan did to me. I will not leave Goten all alone. The androids will kill him. I can't allow that to happen. Not while I am still alive…
Trunks let out a haunted scream. His energy level sky rocketed sending 17 hurling backwards through the air. He caught himself easily looking impressed. Trunks hovered in the air panting for the air he had lost. Sweat beaded down his face that was beginning to redden.
"Trunks! Trunks!" Goten's voice below called. "Are you okay?!"
"Fine," Trunks coughed not sure Goten could hear him.
He closed his eyes. It was suddenly hopeless. He felt so alone… when Gohan was alive, defeating the androids was possible. Now, Trunks didn't even know what he was doing here. He was wasting his time. He might as well gone with his Mom's crazy time machine idea. It was more promising then this could ever be…
"But giving up is out of the question," Trunks said slowly to himself. "I have to try."
"Are you tired already?" 17 said slightly bored. "We haven't even done anything yet…"
"Leave him alone!" Goten's voice screamed up at 17.
Goten grabbed a rock off the ground, and with amazing strength for such a puny boy hit 17 upside the head hard. 17 rubbed his temple where he had been hit and glared down at the boy.
"Eat this kid," 17 said calmly tossing a small (but no doubt deadly blast for a human) down at Goten.
Trunks let out a yelp of fear for his new friend. Goten leapt to one side as the blast hit the earth he had once been standing on. Luckily, Goten was able to avoid it… but almost too effortlessly. Trunks tried to ponder this but he didn't have time. 17 was back now, wanting to finish him off.
"Come on! Think Gohan, think," Gohan growled to himself looking at his surroundings. "Your mom didn't have bombard you with books your whole life to tell you to use the stuff you have…"
Gohan looked up at the battle above. Trunks had just blocked another of 17's discharges just to be kicked backwards into a street light. Trunks managed to get back to his feet and jump up out the way of another of 17's ki blasts. 17 hurled himself at Trunks like a human bullet. Trunks flipped upward grabbing 17's ankle. He tossed the android into a broken down coffee shop. 17 emerged getting extremely angry. He jumped at Trunks with every punch and kick aiming for the kill. Trunks fell to all the blows… He was being butchered alive.
"Trunks!" Gohan cried knowing it was useless.
A familiar feeling swept through Gohan. He felt his hair beginning to lift upwards. His eyes slowly shimmered with traces of blue. Gohan shook his head and flattened his hair trying to squash his anger. Only Trunks could save this timeline, and Gohan could only try to save Trunks the old fashioned way…
"Okay, I have a lot of debris, empty buildings, trash, and/or litter, dead bodies (oh gross. I don't want to even know how to use that), metal, cars, fabric,-" Gohan counted on his fingers.
Gohan suddenly blinked and gripped his head.
"Wait, back up," He muttered waving his hands in a stopping motion. "Metal, cars, and fabric… Cars! A car! Duh! Why didn't I think of it before?!?!"
Gohan raced to the nearest car and yanked on the front door handle. Unfortunately, it was locked tight,
"Darn it. Now what… Great," Gohan smacked his forehead. " Now I have even forgotten I'm super sayian. This hidden identity thing is really getting to me."
Gohan placed his right hand against the solid glass window. Slowly, the glass began to waver and crack. Gohan let out one loose charge. His ki blast went through not only his window but the window across from it and didn't stop till it hit the nearby building making it explode with incredible force. Gohan blinked his hands still outstretched.
"Whoops, I guess that was a little much."
Gohan slipped through the window and landed slightly bumpy on the leather driver seat. It was made for a shorter person, much to Gohan's delight. Gohan grabbed hold of the seat beat and bucked up. He placed his index finger on the key hole giving the engine a jumpstart. The engine roared to life causing Gohan to smirk. He gripped the steering wheel determinedly.
"Let's see how fast this puppy can go…"
Gohan pressed down on the exhilarator.
"AHHH! NOW I KNOW WHY SAYIANS DON'T DO SO WELL AT GETTING DRIVER'S LICENSES!!!! HALLLLLP!!!!!!" Gohan screamed as the car rocketed through the air every which way. "OH MY KAMI!!!!"
He spun the wheel to the left just before running head first into a strange lopsided building. The car flipped thought the air uncontrollably for a few seconds with Gohan clinging on the steering wheel for dear life.
"MAKE IT STOP!!!!!! I WANT TO GET OFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!"
17 grabbed Trunks by his throat again bringing the child's face dangerously close to his. Trunks' eyes rolled slightly in a daze. His eye lids dropped. His hair fell limply back down on his head.
"Let's try this again," 17 hissed squeezing Trunks' neck harder. "Now… you die."
"17, look out behind you!" 18 cried up to him.
17 swerved about to see a car come flying up at him. He leapt to the side dropping Trunks.
"What the heck?!!!"
The car jerked to a halt in the air next to Trunks. It was the boy…
"Whew! I think I figured it out!" Gohan smiled wiping the sweat off his forehead, "Come on, Trunks!"
Trunks was staring bewildered at Gohan for a few seconds. He finally nodded and slipped in through the other window. Before the androids could stop them, Gohan had hit the exhilarator and they went off again.
18 and 17 stood dumbstruck not having any intention of going after the two. Finally, 17 turned to 18, "That looks fun."
"Argh. Shut up, 17," 18 said sharply. "You are so annoying."
"Let me get this straight," Trunks smiled. "You stole a car, used a paperclip to start it, and flew it uncontrollably until you happened to reach me. Sounds like something my mom would do."
"Hey, it wasn't that easy," Gohan grinned. "Besides, if I didn't do something. You would have died."
Trunks leaned back in the car seat as Gohan drove the car back to Capsule Corp. Neither felt like walking…
"Here," Gohan tossed Trunks a Sensu Bean without thinking, "Eat that. It will make you better."
Trunks gripped the green bean in awe. He stared at Gohan suspiciously and popped the bean into his mouth. He chewed it slowly and sure enough, all his aches and pains disappeared instantly. Trunks swallowed and glared at Gohan, "How did you get a hold of a Sensu Bean?"
Gohan blinked, stunned. He didn't remember how rare those things were… especially in this time. Trunks waited patiently for his answer but he didn't know what to say. Gohan looked over at Trunks his voice stuck in his throat.
"You aren't who you claim to be, are you?" Trunks asked uncertainly, "Are you… a Super Sayian?"
Gohan's eyes met Trunks. Lighting forked across the sky illuminating both their faces. Rain began to pour out side not improving the tension on the inside of the automobile. Gohan couldn't lie any more. Maybe...
"LOOK OUT!!!!!!"
Gohan turned just in time to see the building ahead. Gohan tried turning the wheel. It was too late. He heard the crunching of metal. Flames licked out all around him trying to engulf him. He had to get out. Something hit him hard across the face… then nothing.
Gohan felt the weight under his arms. Someone was holding him up by his armpits. Gohan blinked opened his eyes. The ground was coming up towards him slowly. He felt a stinging above his eyebrow. He lifted a hand up to touch it. When he pulled back he saw blood dripping across his fingers.
"You okay?"
Gohan looked up at Trunks who was holding him up. He smiled. Trunks returned it.
"Fine. Just a little shaken I guess."
"You hit the dash board pretty hard. I was sure you were dead…" Trunks smirked as he landed on the ground carefully letting go of his friend. "It would have been a lot easier to save you if not for the fact you were driving so high up."
"Sorry," Gohan smiled. "Thanks for saving me."
"Yes. Thanks for saving him, Trunks," A voice hissed from the shadows. "Not that he needed it."
Both children jumped at the sound at the spooky hiss. Trunks looked around bewildered while Gohan's eyes focused in on the shadows ahead of them.
"Who are you?" Gohan shouted.
"The real question is who are you, 'Goten'?" The voice continued.
"Answer our question first," Trunks snapped now staring at the same place as Gohan.
"As you wish…"
The figure slowly emerged from the darkness her boots clicking on the wet stone walk irritating the Sayians hearing with its echoes. Trunks frowned at the appearance of the child who was about eight turns. Gohan cocked his head to the side.
"Here I am…" She smiled tossing her short straight black hair lightly.
Her empty amber eyes focused in on Gohan, "Hello, Goku."
To Be Continued…
Please Read and Review!
Now can anyone guess who our amber eyes is? No? Mwhahahaha! I guess you will have to wait till the next chapter. It's rather funny. She will know have to prove to Trunks that 'Goten' is Goku. Let's see how that works out. I am so evil!!!