Chapter 21: Crippled Hopes

6 years later, I'm 31, Gohan is 24, and Trunks is 13.

Gohan and I were sparing with each other as Trunks watched in bewilderment. I was wearing a Gi, similar to Goku's but blue and made for a girl. Gohan was wearing his dad's Gi since we were training, but he had been wearing other clothes, just as we had promised six years ago. Trunks was wearing a long-sleeve tee shirt with his name on it. The Japanese really like that for some reason.

Gohan and I were moving like the ocean breaking on the shore as we fought. Neither of us were backing down; the ruff sandy beach staying strong against the hard walls of endless water. We were both SSJ and the light of from Ki was blinding. Trunks wanted so bad to become a SSJ, but he just couldn't reach the point. He had the strength; he was stronger than Goku had been when he transformed. He was stronger than me from when I had transformed. It made him so mad that he couldn't do it, but even that anger still wasn't enough.

We were training out in the mountains, far from the territory of the androids now days, but also away from the castle. We had a mishap, and now Bulma and Chi-chi won't let us train near the castle anymore. All we did was blow up the South Wing! Nobody got hurt, all of the rooms we use are in the East Wing.

Gohan fights in honor of Goku, and I fight in honor of Vegeta. Bulma told me that I reminded her of Vegeta at times, as did Gohan of Goku. But we all see that fire in Trunks' eyes, the same fire that Vegeta had inspired me with years ago.

"Gatlik Gun!" I fired at Gohan, but he counted and threw it back.

"Kamehameha!" Gohan threw a blast at me, but I dodged it. Barely.

"That's the way, Katrin!"

"You don't have to tell me how to fight, I'm your sensei, remember?" I called back to Gohan playfully. We hadn't had this much fun in years.

Then there was an explosion in the background, a powerful one.

"You think 17 and 18 got bored?" Gohan asked. We stopped and the three of us focused in onto the area of the blast, trying to find anything.

"Yeah, but that came from downtown West City. Why'd they go there? They destroyed that area years ago."

"My mom's out there! She had to get supplies!"

"Alright, let's go." Gohan said.

"Wait for me!" Trunks called.

"Alright, but stay back Trunks. We don't want to lose you." I said.

So the three of us flew toward West City, the last remaining pureblood Sayjin (that's me!) in lead of the two boys.

When we landed it was silent except for the roaring fire. The reason the explosion had been so loud was the fact that the androids blew up a gas station. Fire and smoke filled the vacant area, and our Sayjin sense of smell was a handicap with the gas in the air.

"Where are they?" Trunks asked.

"I don't know." Gohan said. I sensed them nearby, in two places. They were surrounding us.

"It's a trap!" I went to turn, but 17 was there and he proceeded to throw me into a thick wall of flames.

I hit the ground hard, but what really hurt were the burns. I was covered in third degree burns, and my Dextryte skin was slow to heal because of the heat. I sensed 17 fighting Gohan, but where was 18?

She's going after Trunks!

It hurt to move, but I got up, painfully, and moved back toward Trunks' Ki. Then I felt 18 right behind Trunks.

Ignoring sense and pain, I jumped back through the flames and tackled 18. I wouldn't let her get Vegeta's son as well.

"Katrin, you're okay!" Trunks said.

"Trunks, never let your guard down in battle." I chastised, focusing more on 18 than the others.

"Bitch!" 18 hissed at me.

"This may be a cliché, but it takes one to know one…" I powered up at my max power level and began fighting. Gohan and 17 fought hard, but soon it was apparent that the androids were only playing with us.

"Damn Gero and damn you!" Gohan screamed as he went to throw a Kamehameha at 17, who had a smirk on his face as he calmly tossed it aside.

18 and I were still fighting, even harder than the others were, but I knew I was tiring and 18's power wasn't even half. 18 tossed me aside like a rag doll, and I knocked Gohan over. We tried to get up, but we were beat. 18 moved to stand next to her brother.

"You Sayjins and your foolish ideals. Gero may be dammed, but so is this planet." 17 said.

"We lured you out to the open because we were bored and we decided to finish you." 18 continued as the two androids stood back-to-back and began to power up a combined Ki blast.

"We Sayjins may be foolish to you, but you are fools as well. What are you going to do once all your 'little toys' are gone?" I asked.

"We'll go to another planet and begin again."

"You monsters." Trunks hissed. 18's powerful hearing heard him.

"Well, if it isn't the runt of the litter. Have you come to watch your friends die, or do you wish to join them?"

Trunks charged at the android, but she easily dodged and began to play with him too.

"Trunks, get out of here!" I called. Gohan was hurt and unconscious and I could barely move. I was afraid of what might happen to Trunks if I couldn't help him.

18 knocked Trunks away and powered up a disk-shaped Ki blast. Trunks was on the ground, half-conscious, and struggling to get up.

"You're no fun, you're not even a challenge. Vegeta was more fun than you." 18 threw the blast head-on at Trunks.

I needed to move, but to my surprise it was Gohan who got up and pushed Trunks out of the way. Gohan was hit and thrown from my line of vision.

"No, Gohan!" I went to get up, but 18 grabbed me from behind.

"You aren't going anywhere. Hit her, 17!" 18 called. 17 went to power up a blast, but Trunks tackled him.

"Trunks! Find Gohan and get out of here!"

"Not without you!"

"That's an order!" Trunks looked at me, shocked that I gave him an order, "Now!"

Trunks started toward the direction Gohan had disappeared, but 17 wasn't out. He powered up a blast, another disk shaped blast, and was about to throw it at Trunks.

"17 is going to cut your precious little Sayjin prince to pieces." 18 said, holding me tighter.

"No he's not!" I powered up, SSJ again, throwing 18 off.

"How can you still have so much power?"

"Sayjin, remember?" I elbowed her in the face and ran to Trunks, pushing him out of the way as 17 threw the disk.

"Katrin, are you okay?" Trunks looked down at me, but I was nearly unconscious like Gohan. He took Gohan's Zinzu beans and gave one to Gohan, then me, and then one for him. But I was almost out anyway, and a Zinzu wouldn't stop me from falling now.

"Trunks, you're okay… that's all that matters…" I said with a smile as I fell into unconsciousness.

I woke up in the castle, and I felt sick. I knew something was wrong. I sat up, but that hurt too much, so I lay back down.

"Katrin, you're okay?" Bulma asked.

"I think so, are Gohan and Trunks okay?" she nearly cried looking at me, "Are they?"

"We're fine." Trunks stuck his head in, and I motioned for him and Gohan to come in. It was then I noticed Gohan's arm.

"Gohan, your arm? What happened?"

"That blast took it." Gohan said, looking down.

"Damn those androids."

"You're lucky to be alive, Katrin."

"I'm told that a lot." I replied.

"Yeah, but this time we really mean it. Katrin, I have some bad news." Bulma inhaled deeply and sat on the edge of the bed, "Trunks told me you stopped a blast from hitting him, right?"

"Yeah, I did. 17 tried to kill him." I spat.

"Well, … there isn't any easier way to say it." Bulma began, shaking her head, "I'm sorry, Katrin, but the blast did more damage to you than you realize. The blast destroyed your right leg completely. It's gone."

What? I don't have my right leg? Is that what she said? That can't be right, I know it isn't.

I looked down to my legs, and saw that the left one was undeniably longer than the other one.

My leg and Gohan's arm…

"Get out. All of you get out now." I said. This time I did cry, Dextryte tears again, but the others left before it started.

For the first time I wiped away tears from my face since I had become 22. They were hot and sticky, like cooling hot glue.

So now I'm crippled? I can't stop 17 and 18, I can't avenge all of my friends. I'm useless now…

Bulma must have given me a sedative before she left, because my vision became foggy, and I felt myself fall asleep.

"Katie, can you hear me?"

"Who is it?" I didn't feel good, I was in a lot of pain and I felt sick.

"You know who it is. It's Goku."

"Goku! Where are you? I can't see you!"

"You know how the dead are supposed to be able to contact people when they sleep? Well, I'm doing that now, but I'm going to get into trouble for it. I can't stay long." Goku stepped into my line of vision. He hadn't aged a day.

"But why haven't you come before? I've slept since you've died before now, you know." I couldn't help but try to sound sarcastic, but the truth was I was so happy to hear him. I really missed Goku, I missed him so much.

"That may be true, but when was the last time you really felt rested after waking up? You have to be in a deep sleep for this to work, and I can't just wait for you to be in a deep sleep. It was only by chance I caught you this time, Katie."

"Yeah, you're right. With your death, my nightmares, the deaths of all our friends, and the androids, it's amazing I sleep at all. Goku, have you seen the others?"

"Yeah, we're all here."

"Even Vegeta?" I asked, hopeful.

"Well, …no. I'm sorry, but I haven't seen him. He's in HFIL, though. He's the strongest one there."

"I was hoping he was in Otherworld with you and the others. He wasn't evil in the end." I sighed.

"I know he wasn't, I've been watching all of you. You're doing us proud."

"Goku, why can't I get to Otherworld? I can't teleport to you."

"You're not suppose to." He responded simply.

"…I really miss you."

"I know." Goku responded, sounding regretful, "But at least I got to keep my body." He tried to sound cheerful, but it still sounded sad.

"Tell the others I miss them. And give Vegeta this message: I found his hologram disk. Just tell him that, he'll know what I mean."

"Sure, I'll do that. I'm bound to see him soon, King Kai said there was going to be a tournament for the greatest fighters here soon." Goku had become quiet. I didn't blame him, this was kind of awkward. What do the dead say to the living, and vice-versa?

"Goku, did you see Gohan transform?"

"He made me so proud, but you, doing that Kaio-ken 150! You've surpassed me in life." Goku congratulated.

"Thanks, Goku. Have you seen Trunks?" I asked.

"Yeah, I've been watching him, too. He's a splitting image of Vegeta."

"Yeah, ain't he though? I know we could really use your help, Goku, especially now that I can't fight."

"Why can't you fight?" Goku asked, naïve as ever.

"I don't have my right leg, didn't you see? And Gohan lost his arm as well… damn 17 and 18."

"If you care enough to fight, then you can find a way. You didn't forget your armor, did you?"

"No Goku, I didn't." I was crying here, wherever I was. I just realized, but I had been crying the entire time, and it wasn't Dextryte, either.

"You can find a way. You're part machine now, aren't you?"

"Yeah! Bulma could build me a leg!"

"See! There you go!"

"The only good thing I got from Gero."

"You'll do great, Katie. Or Katrin?" he asked, noticing the mistake. But I hadn't even thought of it.

"You can call me whatever you want, Goku."

"Well, I have to go now. My window is almost gone."

"No, wait! Goku!" I cried.

"Until we meet again!" he called.

I woke up. It wasn't just a dream, though. I did talk to Goku, and now…

"Katie, how are you?" I noticed Trunks was in the room. "Katie, please talk to me? I'm sorry."

"You didn't do anything." I said, staring out the window. The stars were out and shining brightly.

"You're not mad at me?" Trunks asked.

"Never. I'm mad at myself. I should be stronger." I replied, tears couldn't form in my eyes, but I wished they would. Trunks had never seen me cry, and thanks to Gero, he never would unless it was really bad, like the loss of Vegeta and the others or the loss of my leg. Yeah, I didn't just cry because of Vegeta, he just triggered it.

"You are strong. You lost you leg, and anyone weaker would have died from the loss of blood. That's what mom said." he told me.

"I miss Vegeta. I miss Goku. They were born to do this, to fight with all their being." I gave a small smile, and Trunks joined me in that smile. "Trunks, your father was arrogant and selfish most of the time, but he was still my hero. Do you know why?"

"No." he said, looking confused. I was the last one to ever criticize Vegeta.

"He always did what he thought was right. He never doubted his decisions, or regretted them. Well, almost never. He almost killed me once, but that was before he knew me. He told me he hoped that a daughter of his could be like me. Too bad that didn't work out, either." I had sad smile as I wished I could cry to show that I meant it.

"Katrin, what are we going to do without you?"

"I'm not going anywhere, I've thought things out. I'm going to train the two of you until I die. I swear it."

"But you're leg?"

"Only a scratch to me. I'll get your mom to make me a prosthetic leg. I'll be up and fighting in no time."

"I'll go. You need to rest."

"Trunks? I've been thinking… call me Katie. That's who I really am. Katrin was what your father called me, but I need to move on."

So I still trained until the fake leg was finished, but it was mental training. I hadn't meditated since the last time Gohan, Piccolo, and I were all together.

A few months later I was in Physical Therapy for my new, shiny leg. It was made from a titanium alloy, and the Dextryte wouldn't heal over it, so you could tell it was a prosthetic. But it was better than nothing, and at least it wasn't just exposed wires. It really looked like a metal leg, like an iron suit.

"Come on, Katrin! Just a few more steps!" Bulma called to me at the end of the railed-path. I was finally walking again, but it was a slow process and a slow walk. And it was tiring, which I thought was ridiculous because I'm a SSJ. But Bulma said I better be happy I could walk at all.

I reached the end where a welcoming chair waited me. It was so nice to sit again. I hadn't felt this tired since Kooler.

"That was really good!" Bulma said.

"Is there anything you can't do?" I asked her. She was a doctor, a scientist, a physical therapist, and the mother to Vegeta's only son.

"Nope, I'm a genius!"

"And as the assistant to the genius, I know when you're up to something. When you get done with me you go into your lab and work till midnight or later every night. What are you doing?"

"Guilty as charged. I've been working on a way to stop 17 and 18."

"What? Wow, that's great! What is it?"

"Well, you know conventional weapons don't work on those two. Not even most Ki attacks work. So I decided that the only way to stop 17 and 18 is to save Goku."

"What? But Bulma, Goku's been dead for 14-15 years." I reminded her. What was she thinking?

"I know he is now, but what if someone stopped Goku from dying?"

"Nani? I don't understand."

"I'm working on a Time Machine."

"Nani!" I cried.

"The only way to stop 17 and 18 is Goku. I realized that a long time ago."

"Yeah, I did too." I added sadly.

"So if someone went and warned us about 17 and 18, and about Goku's virus, we would all be better off."

"That's great! Brilliant! Better than great!"

"I'm glad you approve." Bulma smirked.

"But wait, who'll go? And when?"

"I thought it all out. If we go to the day Cyborg Frieza came, that would give us three years to train and one year to save Goku."

"The day I lost my memory…"

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing. Sorry, go on."

Was this person, whoever it is, the person I was waiting for? Is that why only Freiza's return was left in my notebook?

"You and Gohan are both super Sayjin, so you're needed here to protect earth. Trunks can be taught to use the Time Machine and go back to that day."

"But what if he says something or does something to give himself away? You and Vegeta had no interest in each other then, so if he let something slip, then he'd be erased from history. But then he wouldn't have come back in time to erase himself, so he'd be born, but then he'd go back and erase himself-"

"Whoa! Don't get so technical! He won't erase himself. I've got it all planned out. He'll go back and only tell Goku about who he is and warn him about 17 and 18, and the heart virus. He'll give Goku the antidote, and then come back."

"You make it sound so easy." I sighed.

"Yeah, and let me tell you, it isn't. Time travel takes a lot of power, and the equations themselves are still in the works. It could take me years to figure it all out."

A power source that could be powerful enough to use in time travel…

"Bulma, could my power core power the time machine?" I asked.

"In theory, but what are you-"

"In the event that I die before you can find another power source, I want you to use my core."

"Katie, why would that happen?"

"Just promise me, Bulma, if I die before you find a power source, you'll use my core."

"…Alright, I promise. We'll name the ship after you and everything."

"Great, that means a lot to me. Now, if you don't mind, I'm tired and I think I'm going to go back to my room now." I said as I started to wheel myself toward the East Wing.

"Yeah, you should get some rest. I've got more equations to figure out."

"You could have really used Steven Hawking for this." I informed.

"Who?" Bulma asked.

"He was a scientist in my world that was a brilliant physics scientist, but now that I think about it, he'd be blown away by all of the things here. This world is so different from my old one."

I wheeled out of my room, now slightly home sick, but it passed as I reminded myself that this is my home, and I have to protect it.

If Trunks goes back in time, he'll be about the same age I was that day. What if the past me fell in love with him? That's silly, but still, what would happen?

Maybe I was waiting for Trunks that day! But he couldn't have stopped Frieza, could he? If he was a Super Sayjin he could, but then what would have triggered the transformation?

Would it be Gohan's death? My death? Bulma's death? A combination? Does that mean one or more of us would become a martyr?

Maybe I'm overanalyzing all of this. Maybe we'll find another way to trigger the transformation by then. Hopefully, we will.

Is this why I felt so inclined all these years to protect Trunks?

I wheeled into my room and saw Trunks playing chess with ALOCS.

"Hello Katie. Did your exercise go well?"

"Yes it did, ALOCS, thank you. Only another week and Bulma said I could begin training again."

"That's great, Katie. Did mom tell you about the surprise?" Trunks asked.

"The time machine? Yeah, she did."

"Any advice about my quest?" he asked.

"Yeah, one thing: don't tell them what happened to me. Don't let my past self know about really being a Sayjin or that I became a cyborg."

"What? Why?"

"I thought it out. I was happier then, thinking I'd get to go home and be human again one day. I've been happy this way, too, but I don't want my past self to know what happened to me. Only reveal that Vegeta's death triggered my transformation. Besides that, don't tell anything else about me. I don't want her to know." I explained.

"So let me get this straight; don't tell your past self about this dimension being her true home, and don't tell her that she became a cyborg. Somehow I know this is going to come back and haunt me."

"Maybe it will, but promise me."

"Alright, I promise."

"Trunks, are we going to finish our game?" ALOCS asked.

"I'll play winner!" I said as I tried to cover my now depressed mood.