Author's note: Hey, guys, thanks for the reads, & the reviews. I love getting those alerts. Please feel free to keep them coming, & let me know your thoughts as the story progresses.
Written by: SparkerLightning.
Edited by: StevenBodner
Chapter 66
Silence filled the subterranean chamber deep within the mountain. The unrecognizable remains of what was formerly Android 20's, and before that Dr. Gero's, head were discarded, battered, and shattered, on the floor. Lapis stood between Android 20's body and his sister. Lazuli stood between her brother and their new friend. Android 16 did not move, did not speak.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, An..." Lazuli bit her tongue. "The plate says 'Android 16', but who are you?"
Android 16's body stayed motionless. His lips, and nothing else, moved. "I am designated Android 16."
Lapis shook his head as he stepped up beside his sister. Placing a hand on her shoulder, the lack of sensation making him want to retch, he extended a hand out to the far larger being. "That is what you're designated, by the Red Ribbon Army, by Dr. Gero. She is Android 18, I am Android 17, but she is Lazuli, and I am her brother, Lapis. Who are you? Who were you before you were Android 16"
Android 16 took Lapis' hand and stepped free of his chamber. Rolling his neck he looked down at the other two Androids. "I am, and have always been, Android 16."
Lazuli clinched her fists in anger. Android 16? He's always been Android 16? No, bullshit. That's, that's too much.
"He took his memory." She hissed through her teeth. "Dr. Gero took his memory, and left him just, just an Android." She glanced back at her brother before studying Android 16 more carefully.
Flashes of fire, of wood, leather, and steel, ran through Lapis' mind. Pain, suffering, agony, anger, and motivation. "He must have been worse than us." He squeezed his sister's shoulder, registering only slight resistance. "Or perhaps Gero was planning the same for us?"
For a moment Lazuli's mind went blank. That could have been it. She could have forgotten it all. She could have been free from it all. But, then what? Then she'd be a mind, stuck in a metal shell, bound to the whim of her torturer. No, she was in hell now, but at least she had her memories to keep her sane. This, this was too far. "We're sorry, Android 16. We're sorry that he took your memories, that he took your individuality. We can only imagine what horrors you must have gone through, and... I hope you find some peace in knowing you will never have to relive them."
Android 16 shifted quickly scanned his successors. "There appears to be a key difference between myself you later models."
Lapis clinched his jaw. They weren't models, they were people.
"You appear to be based on organic beings, who were modified to become the base for our creator's technology. I was created entirely by Dr. Gero. I have no organic base. I did not have memories to be forgotten." His voice was as monotone as his body was motionless.
"Or he is purely robotic." Lapis sighed dryly, dropping his hand from his sister, and placing it on his side. Tensing his synthetic muscles, he prepared to spring into action if Android 16 didn't approve of their killing Dr. Gero.
Lazuli slid a step backwards, moving to stand beside her brother. Keeping her fists clinched, she looked up at Android 16's eyes. "If you were created by Dr. Gero, are you loyal to him? Are you loyal to the Red Ribbon Army?" She knew she kicked the beehive, and was ready to fight for her life if he attacked.
"Negative." Android 16 droned. "I was not programmed to be loyal to the Red Ribbon Army. I was programmed to carry out my mission at any cost."
"And what is your mission?" Lapis relaxed slightly, although he kept a careful eye on the purely inorganic Android. While he didn't know how he knew it, he recognized android 16 was more powerful than himself.
"My mission is to kill Son Goku." Android 16 stated. "And kill anyone that attempts to stop me from doing so."
"And who is Son Goku?" Lazuli asked, a slight smile crossing her lips.
"Son Goku is the greatest enemy of the Red Ribbon Army, and Dr. Gero." His voice somehow became flatter, as if reciting items off of last week's grocery list. "He is an extraterrestrial being who has become involved in Earth's affairs. He single handedly destroyed the Red Ribbon Army, as well as the, until then, life's work of our creator."
Lazuli smiled as she simulated a deep breath. Her chest expanded, but she didn't smell the gray matter or spilled fluid, nor did the dry air scrape the inside of her nose. Bastard. "Sounds like this Son Goku is my kind of guy. I think when we meet him while we carry out our mission, I'm going to shake his hand before ripping it off of him."
Android 16 nodded in agreement. "What is your mission, Android 18?"
Immediately the room was bathed in crimson light as Lazuli summoned a ball of ki. "My name is Lazuli. My name is not Android 18." She held the ball directly in front of Android 16's face.
Android 16 processed the information for a moment. "Understood. Changing designation."
Lapis gently, he hoped, gripped his sister's wrist, and lowered it back to her side. "And I am Lapis, not Android 17. Understood?"
Lazuli dismissed the energy ball.
"Designations changed. Understood." Android 16 confirmed. "And what is your mission?"
"Our mission is to destroy humanity." Lazuli narrowed her eyes. "We can throw aliens into that mission as well. Right, Lapis?"
"Right, Lazuli." Lapis smiled.
"Son Goku considers himself the defender of Earth. If you try to destroy all humans, he will try to stop you."
"And just how powerful is this Son Goku?" Lapis asked.
"He is powerful." Android 16 stated. "However I believe that you and I could both defeat him."
"Yeah, and what about me?" Lazuli crossed her arms.
Android 16 scanned her for a moment. "Your power is greater than his." He stated. "However, his experience in battle would likely be enough to overcome the difference in power. Furthermore, he does not fight alone. His sons, both named Son Gohan, will likely be with him."
"We're going to have to kill them anyway." Lapis cracked his neck, getting no pleasure from the act. Bastard. "We may as well kill all three of them at the same time then. Right, Big Guy?"
"That would be more efficient, yes." Android 16 stated. "However, his sons should not be discounted. The younger of the two is nearly as powerful as his father, and the elder of the two is more powerful than myself."
"So, we need to work together to kill him?" Lazuli asked. "That shouldn't be an issue."
"Negative." Android 16 stated. "I do not believe the three of us have enough combined power to kill Son Gohan."
"So, then what do we do about him?" Lapis mirrored his sister's stance as he crossed his arms.
"What's his weakness, 16?" Lazuli cupped her chin, and Lapis did the same.
"Unknown." Android 16 responded. "Information on the elder son is not complete."
"He's an alien too?" Lapis asked.
"Correct."
"So, there's more civilizations than just humanity." Lapis grinned. "Once we're done with Earth, we will hopefully be able to find a new home. And, if we find another culture like Earth's? Well, then..."
"Then we rinse and repeat?" Lazuli took a deep, empty, breath. Bastard.
"16." Lapis tapped his foot. "Your only interest is destroying Son Goku, correct?"
"That is correct, Lapis."
"If we help you kill Son Goku, will you help us kill everyone else?" Lazuli asked Lapis' question.
"No." Android 16 answered coldly. "That is beyond the scope of my mission."
"Then what will you do after we kill Son Goku?" Lapis asked the giant.
"After my mission is complete. I will complete my next mission." Android 16 stated.
Lazuli smirked for a moment. He was a machine, wasn't he? Bastard. "And what is your next mission, 16?"
Android 16 paused for a moment before responding. "I have not yet been assigned a mission."
"And if I were to tell you that your next mission is to help us destroy all of humanity?" Lapis asked, nodding at his sister.
"If I am assigned the mission, I shall carry it out. Being told what my mission is will be immaterial." Android 16 almost sounded disappointed.
"And how do we assign you a new mission?" Lazuli smiled back at her brother.
Android 16 froze for another moment, as he searched through all his memory. "I do not know."
"I don't think it's any secret, that you're stronger than us." Lapis bit his tongue as he finished speaking. No sensation. Bastard. "If we assist you in killing Son Goku, will you ensure our safety? Lazuli's safety? Before, during, and after, the battle?"
"My mission is to destroy Son Goku." Android 16 stated. "If your survival makes the death of Son Goku more likely, then yes, I will consider keeping you alive as part of my mission."
"When Son Goku is killed." Lazuli started. "Will you try to stop us from killing everyone else?"
"No."
"And if Son Goku is already dead, will you help us kill his sons?" Lapis asked.
"My mission is to destroy Son Goku." Android 16 stated. "I am not programmed to kill his children."
"But..." Lazuli swept a blonde hair out of her face. "His children are part of him. So long as they live, he lives."
"You're programmed to get revenge for Dr. Gero, right?" Lapis asked. "If you destroy Son Goku, and then his sons destroy you, you've achieved nothing."
"Yeah." Lazuli said. "And, your mission is to destroy Son Goku, not kill him. Leaving something of his, part of him, behind, well, that's just not completing the task, is it?"
Android 16 took a moment to respond. "Yes. You are correct. In order to destroy Son Goku, I must also destroy his children."
"Wonderful." Lazuli licked her lips. Her tongue felt the pressure, and her lips felt movement, but nothing. Bastard. "Now, there is the matter of the older one, the strong one. We're going to have to find a way to..."
"I believe that Son Gohan is currently incapacitated and unable to battle." Android 16 interrupted. "When Dr. Gero entered the lab, his consciousness was downloaded. Android 19 and Android 20 were able to defeat the elder Son Gohan, before being overpowered by the younger, Son Goku, and the Namekian, Piccolo."
"And 16, where is this incapacitated Son Gohan?" A wicked twinkle sparked in Lapis' eye.
Android 16 froze for a moment. "I do not know."
"Well, if he's out of the battle, then this is as good of time as any, isn't it?" Lazuli asked. "If each of us is more powerful than Son Goku, and Son Goku's younger son is weaker than him, then we should be able to defeat them both?"
"Correct." Android 16 responded.
"16, how do we find Son Goku?" Lapis asked, slowly looking around the room, as if the enemy would materialize out of thin air.
"His home is on Mount Paozu. He lives there with his wife and sons."
"And is he home right now?" Lazuli asked the large Android.
"I do not know." Android 16 stated.
"Mount Paozu, if I recall, is pretty rural?" Lapis asked his sister.
"I think so, yeah." She nodded.
"Then I don't want to go there." He shook his head. "If he's not home, there will be nothing to do." He cupped his chin. "If he's the defender of Earth though, or the protector of humanity, or whatever he thinks he is, could we bring him to us? Say, just start destroying cities?"
"Almost certainly." Android 16 stated. "When Dr. Gero and Android 19 began their uprising, Son Goku and the others arrived shortly afterwards."
"Wonderful." Lazuli's voice was excited, yet the emotion felt weighted down. "What's the nearest big city to us?"
"Amenbo Island is the closest inhabited civilization center." Android 16 stated. "Dr. Gero and Android 19 began their assault there, and..."
"Too small." Lapis said. "And I don't want to copy what the Red Ribbon Army did. No, we need something bigger."
Lazuli turned to face more towards her brother. "We always talked about making it to West City. How does that sound as a place to begin the end?"
"That sounds perfect to me, sister. 16, how fare is it?" Lapis looked between his two fellow Androids.
"We are within ten minutes of West City, if we move at our full speed."
"Perfect." Lazuli licked her lips. Bastard. "Brother, shall we?"
"Absolutely." He responded. "16, you'll come with us?"
"Yes." Android 16 stated.
"Then, let's head out..." Lapis pointed his hand towards the ceiling, and a moment later smoke, dust, and sunlight, filled the crater where a mountain once was. As the rubble fell to the ground, three Androids flew into the sky.
Over West City
In the skies over West City, three shooting stars froze. For several moments they floated, examining the ground below. The hospitals were full of doctors that wouldn't heal bones, nurses who didn't warm their rooms, and social workers who couldn't care less. The court was full of judges loyal to their friends, lawyers who were loyal pocketbooks, and guardians at litem who were blinded by diamonds. The offices were full of mothers who valued a title of their children, fathers who hated the mothers for bringing the children into the world, and bosses who fucked the entire family.
"It's beautiful." Lapis smirked at a massive billboard advertising discounted produce. A woman smiled up at the viewer, holding a pair of lovely melons.
"No, it's disgusting. But it's going to be beautiful soon." Lazuli licked her lips as she focused on an amusement park. Children playing, enjoying a carefree day, until a crack in the pavement, a stumble, a ripped pair of leggings, would be pointed at when questions were asked. Clumsy. She dug the nails on her left hand into her palm, inducing no pain. Bastard.
"Where should we get started?" Lapis struggled to pull his eyes from the incredible savings, and return his attention to his sister.
Android 16 thought for a moment before speaking. "Dr. Gero and the Red Ribbon Army have identified several high value targets in West City, including..."
"I don't care. Or rather, we don't care." Lazuli continued scanning the buildings underfoot. "It's all going to burn, whether a target is valuable to a dead organization or not doesn't matter to us."
There were a couple schools, and part of her felt bad for what would surely happen to the students… but then her nails moved her skin… and her resolve to save them from the future she had experienced, she was living, if she was living, doubled. Opening her palm formed a ball of blue energy.
"Alright then." Lapis summoned a blue ball of energy in his open palm. Scanning the blocks both near and far, he made his decision. "How about that one?"
He reeled his right hand bank, pointed his left hand forward, and tensed his, what once were his, muscles. Chucking his right hand forward, he chuckled to himself. His hand made to throw the ball overhand, but curled back under and launched the attack behind his back.
"Where?" Lazuli asked, following the attack's path and launching her own.
"Wherever it lands?" Lapis shrugged to watch as well.
With slight interest, they watched as Lapis' attack detonated just on the street just outside a large block building. Lazuli's attack sailed through the smoke cloud, and the building, detonating in the air on the far side.
Before the dust from Lazuli's attack had settled, Lapis was already firing his second, in another direction. Before Lapis' second had hit, Lazuli had fired her second and third, in opposing directions.
On Amenbo Island
Piccolo was in a world of his own creation. Darkness above, and clusters of light below. Each spec a life, gently pulsing. He watched as light grew and shrank, and he felt it when distantly, a world away, a section went dark.
"Gohan." Piccolo spread his thought outward, carrying it across the world as his voice faded in the wind.
In an instant, the younger half-Saiyan was at his side. Ripped from his private space, Piccolo had to reorient himself.
"Piccolo?" Gohan asked, eyes wide, and flicking from side to side.
"I don't have any way of knowing if it was him or not, but something just happened in West City." Another section went dark. "Something is happening in West City. We need to get there, now."
Without speaking another word, Gohan firmly placed his hand on Piccolo's shoulder. A moment later he was in front of his father, and as they collided they were gone yet again.
Capsule Corp
The festivities had ended, and the grounds were cleared. The long tables full of food were replaced with lounging chairs, the bar was once again covered in potted plants, and the small group of guests had whittled down to just a few. Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo, doubled the number of people in the room when they appeared.
"And, it wasn't white, but orange!" Bulma shouted and slapped the top of the garden table she, and the other two women, sat at.
Videl sat back into her seat, and Panchy topped off her ice water, as their friends appeared.
"What's going on?" Gohan asked immediately, before the women could process that they had even arrived.
"Wh-What?" Bulma asked, turning in her seat.
"What's going on in West City?" Piccolo asked as he began to rise into the air. "Where is everyone?"
"We don't know." Panchy answered promptly. "Jeice said he felt something off, and he, Yamcha, and Tien, left about a minute ago..."
Gohan closed his eyes and reached out with his senses.
"... they said it was nothing to worry about, and to stay here." Panchy concluded.
Over West City
"Stop!" Gohan let go of Piccolo and held his hand up to Jeice, who nearly collided with him.
"Gohan? What's going on?" Jeice asked as Yamcha and Tien moved up beside him.
"West City is being attacked by an Android, created by the Red Ribbon Army." Piccolo answered.
Yamcha and Tien exchanged a knowing glance.
"Like Eighter?" Yamcha asked.
"Yeah, except far stronger." Goku nodded.
Yamcha flared his aura. "Alright, thanks for the heads up."
"No!" Goku barked at his friend. "One of them defeated Gohan, and we were barely able to best him. Now, the other is attacking here."
"If they're that strong, then you'll need back up." Tien crossed his arms, one natural, one inspired by the very tech they were about to fight.
"Tien." Gohan mirrored his gesture. "I'm sorry, but the three of you would be a liability at this point."
"Gohan, you're not going to stop..." Tien began.
"I'm a liability at this point." Piccolo interrupted. "I wouldn't be anywhere near this battleground if I wasn't the only with battle experience who could also heal. You're welcome to come, but you will die, all three of you will die. And, where's Krillin?"
"He stayed behind." Yamcha said. "To keep an eye on the girls, in case something happens at Capsule Corp.
Goku shook his head. "Stay back, guys. Please."
In the distance an explosion raged outward. The group of warriors all turned in unison to see a series of skyscrapers begin to tumble, one after another, pushing into the next in series.
"There's no time for this, we need to go!" Gohan eyed both his father and his mentor, before taking off towards the collapsing buildings.
Piccolo quickly followed, and stayed behind for a moment longer, his Super Saiyan aura still shining bright.
"Guys, this Android doesn't care about human life. He doesn't care about collateral damage. If you're going to insist on getting involved, just, do what you can to keep other people as far from the battle as possible. This is going to get ugly..." Goku looked back to the buildings. "Uglier." Gohan and Piccolo were already on the far side of the smoke.
Clearing the far side of the smoke, mentor and mentee stopped. They weren't alone, but the elderly Android was nowhere to be seen. Instead, two teens and a giant hovered, looking down at the destruction.
The trio rotated slowly in the air, their backs to each other. The first to realize they were present was the smallest of the three, a blonde-haired girl in a black and white top under a blue vest, and a matching skirt over blue tights. The black-haired boy was next to notice them, wearing a shirt that matched his hair, and a red ribbon, or scarf around his neck. The insignia over his heart shattered any illusion of who these people were though. The last to acknowledge them, the last to stop rotating, was the giant. His red hair covered little of his head, and he wore almost Saiyan like armor over a black body suit. He also wore the same insignia as his partner.
"And who might you be?" Lapis asked as he floated closer to Piccolo and Gohan, Lazuli and Android 16 staying close behind him. "Son Goku?" He looked between them.
"Brother, don't you recognize him?" Lazuli pointed at Piccolo. "Demon King Piccolo, he's the one who killed Hauyne."
"No. I am not..." Piccolo began to protest.
"Bastard!" Lapis shouted as he closed on the Namekian and drove his fist into, and through, Piccolo's chest. As his hand burst through Piccolo's back, it was followed moments later by a cone of red light.
Piccolo's gaze shifted down, both out of a need to see the cause of this sudden agony, and out of pure physics as his body was sent back, and his head snapped forward. His lower body fell towards the ground below, and as Lapis retracted his hand, his upper body followed suit.
Gohan's eyes bulged as he watched his master collapse. His blood ran cold as he darted after Piccolo. "No, no, no! No! NO!" He cried out as he caught Piccolo's upper body under the arms. "No, Piccolo, no, Piccolo? Piccolo?"
His jaw fell open, but no noise came out. His eyes fluttered, but he did not appear to recognize anything.
Goku flew emerged through the smoke, and far below him a trio of fighters came through as well.
"Piccolo?" Gohan's eyes spilled over. "PICCOLO?" He shouted.
Goku set himself between the trio of Androids and his son.
Jeice rushed to Gohan's side. "Give him here, Gohan!" He extended his arms. "I'll get him to Capsule Corp. NOW!"
Electrical bolts began to spark through Gohan's aura as he handed Piccolo, Piccolo's body, Piccolo's corpse, Piccolo's husk, a hunk of flesh that used to have value, to Jeice. Turning back to the Androids, he charged forward, screaming in rage.
Lapis crossed his arms in front of his face, barely stopped Gohan's fist before it shattered his nose.
"Son Goku? The hero of Earth, working with a devil like that." He jerked his knee up, smashing between Gohan's legs and momentarily knocking the fight out of him. With a quick chop to the boy's back, he sent him back towards the ground.
Taking his eye off of the enemy, Goku caught his meteoric son. "Are you okay? Gohan?"
Gohan wheezed before nodding. Slowly, he moved out of his father's arms. His aura stayed strong, yet the bolts of electricity began to weaken.
"Negative." Android 16 said, lowering him towards the newcomer. Raising a single finger, he pointed at Goku. "You are Son Goku."
"Yeah? What about it?" Goku asked as he shot a glare at the Androids.
"Well, I'm Lazuli." She introduced herself. "And this is my brother, Lapis." She gestured towards the man who was covered in viscus purple blood. "And this big guy, is Android 16." She clasped a hand onto Android 16's shoulder pad. "Son Goku, he's going to kill you, and then we're going to kill everyone else? You got that?"
Goku glanced at his son, who was still recovering from the low blow. He nodded, and Gohan returned the gesture. "You're not the first to make that claim, and you won't be the last. But let's take this somewhere a little more isolated. There's no need for..."
A sustained blue wave of energy shot from Lazuli's hand, and she swept it down in front of her. Several more buildings went up in smoke, and Goku felt as hundreds of more lives were lost.
"This is between you and him." Lapis said. "We're not going to get involved, and the boy with the cracked concretions won't get involved. Understood?"
The sparks of electricity climbing through Gohan's aura fizzled out completely.
"If that punch is all he has, he'd just be making this harder on you by involving us." Lapis cracked his neck.
"And, if he does involve us..." Lazuli pushed her hair behind her ears. "He's such a small target, you know? And I've been told I aim like a girl. We couldn't, we won't, be responsible for why gets killed when he refuses to stand still."
"Monsters." Goku growled under his breath.
"Dad, we can take them." Gohan snarled. "They're not Android 20. If he's Android 16, they're probably Android 17 and Android 18, even if they have names." He remembered how hard Android 19 hit. "They're probably not nearly as strong as Android 19 was, as Android 20 is."
"Oh, Dr. Gero?" Lapis asked, smirking. "We've already killed him. "He won't bother you again." He looked over towards Android 16. "Are you ready?"
Goku swallowed. They were clearly trying to separate them. Trying to take them out one by one. If Lapis and Lazuli were as strong as he expected them to be, as strong as it would require to block Gohan like that, then this wasn't out of necessity on their part.
If Android 16 was their only powerful fighter, then they could gang up on him. They could dismiss Lapis and Lazuli as nonfactors. But knocking Gohan around like that. They were powerful, and if this turned into a team battle, he doubted the two of them would be able to defeat all three of them.
If Gohan, the elder Gohan, was here, if he had all his power, then he'd be more willing. However, Gohan wasn't at full power, neither of them were. And he didn't have them both. It was him, and his younger son, his son who defeated Frieza, his son who just fought the strongest foe he had ever faced.
At least he had eaten the bean. At least he had his energy back. One on one must give the Androids an advantage, otherwise they wouldn't insist upon it. However, it gave them one as well. Hopefully, before things went too far, the elder Gohan would be able to return, he'd be able to get involved. Hopefully, before things got too intense, Yamcha and Tien would be able to evacuate the area, and Jeice would be able to help Piccolo.
He could regenerate, but that was more injured than Goku had ever seen him.
Android 16 nodded as he moved forward,
"Son Goku, are you ready to die?" Lapis grinned at Goku.
"Stay back." Goku spoke under his breath to Gohan. "Don't get involved." He floated forward to meet Android 16.
Looking up at the far larger fighter, Goku extended his hand.
Android 16 ignored the gesture, and Goku retracted it.
"Before we get started. Lapis." Goku turned to the smaller fighter. "You should know that that wasn't Demon King Piccolo. That was his son, and he is a good..."
"I don't care." Lapis interrupted. "Everyone on this planet is going to die, starting with you, if he isn't dead yet." He floated away, and his sister followed.
Gohan stayed on the opposite side of the combatants from the remaining Androids. He wouldn't let them out of his site.
"Son Goku, are you prepared to suffer the revenge of the Red Ribbon Army?" Android 16 spoke.
"I'm ready." Goku shifted slightly, preparing to battle.
"Then, let's get started..."
Author's note: I apologize to the people who have left reviews in recent weeks. Circumstances have shifted slightly, and I haven't been able to reply yet. I've barely had time to write. Next chapter, the battle will rage!