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 & StevenBodner.
Edited by: StevenBodner
Chapter 68
Pebbles danced as trees swayed and grass rippled. Water bubbled as rabbits scurried and birds flocked. Beadles swarmed as snakes slithered and bears charged. Air tore as muscles burst and Androids were repelled.
Android 16, Lapis, and Lazuli slowly recovered from the force of Gohan's power. The twins fought to maintain their close range to the boy, and Android 16 made steady progress towards him.
"I… SAID… DIE!" Gohan's voice echoed through the Land of Korin, following a nearly solid wall of power.
This time, as the twins tried to hold their ground, they failed. Surrendering to the chaotic motions of the boy's raging emotions, they let the energy wave carry them away. Both eventually came to a stop, on the ground, hundreds of yards from where they had started.
Android 16 was similarly affected by the mighty display, although with great effort he was able to maintain his orientation, although he was thrown just as far.
"He's changed!" Lapis called to his sister as the pair of them closed on each other.
Gohan began to lower towards the ground, towards Android 16. He was like a lion, preparing to pounce. Like a serpent, prepared to squeeze the life out of his prey. Even more, he was like an eagle, ready to snap the neck of his captured prey.
His hair stood on end, as if lightning was surging through his body. At the same time, lightning did indeed begin rippling over his body. His face was contorted in agony, but not from physical pain. His mind flashed to his father, to all the life lessons he had learned from him. His mind flashed forward, to all the advice he would never receive, to all the moments he would miss out on.
First Piccolo, then Goku. Now, now Android 16. Now, Lapis would die. Now, Lazuli would die.
"He's still just a Saiyan. Android 16 killed Goku. The three of us can kill his monster of a son." Lazuli brushed hair from in front of her face. While she did not feel it, she saw how it stuck together. Moisture was escaping her dead skin. She was sweating.
"You're right." Lapis responded, and in a flash they were streaking through the sky, back towards the powder keg.
Gohan's attention was only on Android 16. He did not see Lapis and Lazuli, nor did he sense them. He moved closer still. Every foot he moved forward, pushed Android 16 back six inches.
The twins swung their fists in unison. Lapis on the right, Lazuli on the left. Air was compressed in front of their fists, and the shockwave from the attack struck Gohan before their fists came close.
Immediately responding to the pressure of what could generously be called a threat, Gohan vanished.
Lapis' right fist brushed against Lazuli's left. If their attacks had met head on, the shockwave would have been devastating. Instead though, their punches glanced off of one another.
As they realized their fists went through thin air, instead of the thick skull of a Saiyan youth, their reinforced skulls collided together.
Gohan reappeared barely a foot from where he had vanished from. The Androids' fists closed below his chin, and his fists closed on their heads. As their fists came apart, their heads crashed together.
On one side, there was no pain. There was awareness that their heads were being pushed against something too hard to break through. There was awareness that something was crushing into their heads, dangerously so. On the other hand, they were fighting for their lives. They knew this wasn't good, but their bodies didn't react instinctively. The cybernetics inside them could only react so quickly, and without being battle-hardened, that likely wasn't going to be quickly enough.
As the twins heads began to compress under the weight of a pair of high-powered fists, the pressure was released. Their heads bounced off of each other, as their shoulders, arms, and legs became tangled. As their bodies began to part as well, Gohan lowered himself several feet through the air, delivering another crunching blow to their sides.
Once again, they were forced together. This time, their bodies did not hold up as well as they should have. The right side of Lazuli's rib cage had intertwined with the left side of Lapis'. Blood fell from them, as they both reflexively opened their mouth, no scream came out.
The injury seemed lethal, but neither felt pain. Neither felt fear. They were tangled, and they were damaged, but they could fix this. Their ribs pierced each other, but did not shatter. With a few twists, they'd be ready to continue the fight.
As Lapis grabbed his sister by the waistband of her pants, aiming to lift her up so that he could slide himself out of her, Gohan flickered once more.
He went from their target, to smashing their heads together. He went from crushing their skulls, to plastering their skeletons together. Now, he went from mutilating them, to directly above them, where he brought a foot down on both of their shoulders, barely missing their heads.
The two Androids were shot towards the ground, finally free of the counterattack. Smashing into the Earth, a cloud of dust and plant matter gave them momentary cover. Lazuli was embedded in the rock, her brother atop her.
To their bad luck, both had bent their ribs, and felt as if their movement would be impeded.
Lapis slowly rose to his feet, dismounting his sister. "Where the hell did the pipsqueak get that kind of power from?" Looking over himself, effortlessly seeing through the dust, he saw extreme damage to his clothing, and to his side. "This power boost is nothing like what Dr. Gero's data suggests. He has his crybaby freak-outs, but this is an entirely new level."
Taking Lapis' hand, Lazuli pulled herself free. Dusting herself off, she saw similar damage to herself. She scowled as the world lightened, before dimming again. "The bastard must have got lazy in his research."
The twins, at once, looked towards the sun. Blue sky rimmed the outline of a scowling Saiyan. Their dust cloud had been cleared, pushed away by the boy's power.
"This is just as much your fault as Android 16's." Gohan spoke through gritted teeth. "If you hadn't stopped me, I would have saved Dad. You stopped me. You killed my father."
Lapis and Lazuli jumped into action, once again charging Gohan.
"Extra power doesn't matter." Lazuli smiled as she flew right, fast, circling around to the back of Gohan.
"Not when compared to infinite power." Lapis mirrored his sister's smile as he charged straight ahead.
Lapis struck first. Right now, precision didn't matter. It was all about power. One shot, one hit, one kill. He wasn't confidant, but the thought kept running through his mind.
Lazuli, from behind Gohan, followed her brother's lead. He struck from his right, pushing Gohan to the left. She met him there, with an equally powerful blow.
The assault continued. Slowly gaining in speed, as power was sacrificed. They were confident Gohan couldn't dodge them all.
Gohan dodged them all.
Without turning to face Lazuli, Gohan avoided every punch, every kick, and every strike. He didn't need to see her, or feel her energy. He saw Lapis. Lapis was an open book. They fought perfectly together, and if his power was closer to their own, he wouldn't stand a chance. But as it was, so long as he had the power he had now, they didn't stand a chance.
Off in the distance, just out of Gohan's line of sight, Android 16 observed the battle. Numbers raced through his mind, calculations of speed, power, accuracy, and survival. He kept coming to one answer, time and time again, and slowly his processor was adapting to the unfortunate reality.
"STAND STILL" Lapis and Lazuli shouted in unison.
Together they summoned ki to the edges of their hands. Punches weren't working, but stabbing might. Both spotting the same moment, the same opening, they struck.
Lapis went for the boy's throat. Lazuli went for the base of his spine. Their hands passed feet apart, through empty air, as Gohan vanished from between them.
Spinning out from between the scissoring attack, Gohan stopped his rotation and lashed out with both legs at once. His left leg caught Lazuli on the side of her face, his heel threatening to crack her chin. His right foot came up lower on the higher Lapis, smashing into his jaw.
Both Androids went flying.
Gohan picked his target.
Closing on Lapis, he began his counterstrike. Not wanting to end this quickly, not wanting to let Lapis die, not yet, Gohan pulled his hands in close to his face, and struck Lapis'. Left hook, right cheek. Right hook, left cheek. Jab, jab, jab.
A tooth shot out of Lapis' mouth at the same rate Lapis shot away from Gohan. Unlike the tooth though, Gohan kept closing on Lapis. Punch after punch, knock back after knock back, pursuit after pursuit, Gohan kept his assault up.
When Lapis finally stopped reacting, when his body went slack, Gohan vanished from his site. Not even a breath later, a brilliant light washed over his back, followed by an overwhelming burning sensation. The energy carried him forward, down, and into the Earth.
As Gohan reached Lapis, Lazuli regained control of herself. As Lapis was beaten, Lazuli closed on Gohan. As Lapis was dismissed with a seemingly effortless energy blast, Lazuli froze in the air.
Gohan closed on her. Uncounted seconds later, she joined her brother in a crater shaped like the Venn diagrams Gohan created for his book reports.
Crossing his arms, Gohan scanned the battlefield. These two weren't a threat. These two were dead, they just hadn't been killed yet. Android 16 though, he hadn't suffered yet. He hadn't been defeated yet. He wasn't dead yet. He'd be killed last, but Gohan would need to make sure he wouldn't flee first.
With the Super Saiyan shark circling overhead, Lapis and Lazuli rolled onto their bellies and faced each other.
"Do you feel that, Lazuli?" Lapis asked as he pushed himself upright.
"I, I think so." Lazuli said, propping herself up. "The slight lag? Like your body knows what to do, but it just can't do it as quickly as it should?"
Lapis stood and helped his sister to her feet. "That's not tiredness, is it?" He glanced up, Gohan had stopped, and Android 16 had reappeared.
"I think it is." Lazuli nodded as she followed her brothers gaze, sweeping hair from her face.
Android 16 rushed forward, and Gohan caught his punch with both hands.
"I'm going to kill him." Lazuli stretched her neck as she cracked her knuckles.
"No." Android 16's voice was smooth as he blocked a knee from Gohan with his shin. "Do not engage him any further."
Lapis scoffed as he charged forward and up. Android 16 had the boy's attention. He was entirely engaged. This would be easy.
As he drew close to Gohan, Gohan's body shifted. Lapis couldn't entirely process what he had seen, what had happened, but it looked as if a second arm sprouted from his left shoulder. With a quick flick the third fist smacked Lapis aside, and had vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
"No." Android 16 spoke again. "My scans indicate that your chances of victory are only 23.885%."
"Then we need to take him together!" Lazuli shouted as she charged up to be level with Gohan and Android 16. As she approached, the two continued to brawl, slowly, but powerfully.
"Incorrect." Android 16 spoke. "If the three of us fight together, the odds of victory drop by over four percent."
"How the hell is that possible?" Lazuli asked as she split her attention, monetarily between the struggle in front of her, and her brother behind her. As she did so, she found herself shot back towards the ground once again.
"You are too unfamiliar with my skill set and attack patterns. We will not synchronize properly. You are not part of my set. We would only get in each other's ways." Android 16 found an opening and attempted to crush Gohan's nose into his brain, but by the time his attack reached Gohan's face, it harmlessly passed through an After-Image. The brawl continued.
"Unaided, my odds of victory are nearly fifty-two percent." Android 16 grabbed Gohan's leg and held it in his armpit.
Appearing beside his sister, Lapis put a hand on her shoulder. "Listen to him. I don't like it, but we need to."
"He's an older model." Lazuli sneered. "His calculations could be wrong."
"No. He's actually a proper model." Lapis reminded her. "We're physically Androids, but we're human. He's not. This is who he is, this is what he does. I don't like it either, but we need to trust him."
Lazuli scowled at her brother and took a half step back from where she had landed. "We'll be here if you need us!" She shouted up to Android 16.
"It doesn't matter what order you face me in." Gohan smiled as he pulled his foot free from Android 16. Realigning it, he smashed it into Android 16's jaw. "You're all already dead."
Lapis and Lazuli continued stepping backwards, raising their guard. They weren't near the battle, but they wouldn't be caught off guard.
"Run!" Android 16's voice filled the air, filled Lapis' and Lazuli's ears, as Gohan filled their vision.
Gohan's forehead crashed into Lapis', sending him crunching into the ground. Smashing his foot into the Android's stomach, he spun in place, kicking Lazuli in the jaw, sending her flying.
Keeping up the momentum, he charged Android 16 once more. He had felt the Android's power. He had processed the Android's speed. He had grown confidant in his victory.
Delivering a vicious roundhouse kick to Android 16, Gohan was frustrated to find his kick had been blocked.
Android 16 on the other hand was concerned, concerned that his stance had been broken. As he got his feet back below him, and his knees bent as they should have been, Gohan unleashed a savage barrage of punches.
With much effort, Android 16 was able to knock aside most of the blows. The ones he missed glanced off of his armored body, several leaving gouges in his bodywork. Gohan's combat style was much like Goku's. If he hadn't fought Goku first, he would not have been able to fair nearly as well against the boy.
Ducking an uppercut, Android 16 was able to deliver his first truly successful counterattack. A heavy blow to Gohan's torso, knocking the levitating child back. A rapidly fired spear kick directly after the punch shot Gohan away, into and through multiple nearby trees.
"Leave." Android 16's voice was calm as he stepped forward. "Now!"
His volume increased, but his tone remained the same.
Lapis and Lazuli exchanged a look from their most recent crash zones. Lazuli nervously chewed her lip, and Lapis nodded.
From within the tree line, a pulse of golden ki shot out omnidirectionally, carrying a wave of Earth and greenery with it. A moment later when the dust settled, and a newly-formed crater was rimmed with a city block with of forest, Gohan came into view.
Not checking to see if his order was followed, Android 16 gripped his right hand under his left armpit. Pulling his right arm free from its hand, he pointed the limb at Gohan. Immediately, the stolen capsule technology was employed. A nearly solid beam of needle like, explosive, large rounds shot from his arm at the Saiyan.
Gohan did not dodge. He simply crossed his arms in front of his face, sank to one knee in thin air, and projected his ki forward. A barely visible semi-spherical wall of energy formed in front of him, and the rain of bullets were harmlessly deflected in all directions.
Consciously reforming the barrier, turning it from concave to convex, he began catching the metal and explosives. Massaging it, shaping it with his energy, he began to refine it into a growing ball of superheated steel and compressed explosives. As soon as he released the pressure, it would go boom.
Without his noticing, the assault stopped.
With his noticing, Android 16 broke through his newly-formed weapon with a savage knee. The shell was cracked, and the yoke splattered outward, sending shrapnel in all directions.
Both fighters were shredded, skin deep, by the massive conventional munition, yet neither were harmed by it.
Android 16's knee was a different story. In the confusion of having his confiscated attack used against him once more, he didn't get his guard up in time. Android 16's knee smashed into Gohan's nose, sending him back once again, taking ground, once again.
Dropping his back foot down, Gohan stopped himself in just a few feet. A narrow and deep trench marked his trail. Pushing energy into the back of his hand, he wiped his forehead, sealing shut the cuts that threatened to blind him. A scowl crossed his face from the stinging pain, and remained in anger.
Android 16 noted two numbers change in that moment. Gohan's power increased. His own chance of victory decreased.
"Die!" Gohan barked as he jumped forward, landing another roundhouse kick on Android 16. This one was not blocked. This one landed precisely on target, knocking Android 16 to the ground.
Gohan landed beside his downed enemy. One foot beside the Android's head, the other preparing to smash down.
As Gohan brought his boot to the ground, finishing the fight once and for all, Android 16 grabbed his ankle. Moving as no living being should, could, Android 16 lifted himself into the air, feet first. Whipping Gohan over his head, between himself and the Earth, he dragged the Saiyan along the ground until his own feet were under him, and Gohan was upside-down.
Whipping Gohan over his head, he sensed a thud as the boy's head smashed into the ground. Grabbing his leg with both hands he widened his stance and brought his hands down in front of him, as if to chop the wood that is Gaia with the axe that is Gohan.
"All essence of Goku will be extinguished." Android 16 virtually growled. Tightening his grip around Gohan's leg. The boy, the leg, the bone, began to compress in his hands.
Clinching his teeth against the pain, Gohan punched downward with both hands. His fists sank into the ground, and once he was secure, he brought his restrained knee towards his chin.
Surprised by the gesture, Android 16 fell forward, towards Gohan, never to land on him.
With both feet together, the thought of a Kamehameha crossed Gohan's mind, but he didn't have the time right now. As he contemplated the attack, his feet were already kicking out. One foot hit Android 16 square in the now missing nose, and the other landed on his chest, sending him away.
As he kept one eye on the flying Android, Gohan ripped his pants leg from the ankle. His leg was discolored, but he still had full mobility. It would hurt, but he could still use it.
Focusing his power into his feet, Gohan flipped himself onto one hand, drawing his left leg back. Tapping his forehead with his free hand, he appeared behind Android 16, delivering a powerful blow to the back of the monster's head.
Letting the force of the blow carry him, Android 16 forced controlled bursts of energy from a variety of spots around his body. A moment after being sent flying, he was once again facing Gohan, no worse for the wear. A distance was between them, but Android 16 new distance was nothing for this Saiyan.
"Your strategy seems to have changed." Android 16 stated. "Your father was similar. Now he is dead."
Android 16 felt a roar from Gohan. Bracing himself in the air, he brought his right hand in front of his face. Registering that the Saiyan had left his place in air, he shot his open palm forward.
Expecting to catch a fist, he was pleasantly surprised to have instead latched onto Gohan's face. A savage blow crossed in front of him, nearly halfway between his body and the child's.
"Now, you will die." Android 16 stated as he dug his fingers into Gohan's seemingly electrified flesh. He felt the boy's mass give under his grip, but he could not break through the skull as he had intended.
Instead, he dropped his right hand towards his waist, dragging Gohan down. In the same instant he brought his left hand up, smashing a heavy fist into the boy's sternum.
Snapping his right hand over his head, Android 16 let his arm, his wrist, extend fully. Whipping Gohan back down, releasing him towards the Earth, he shook his head. No snap. No broken neck. No success, yet.
Giving chase, Android 16 lifted both hands above his head. Pointing his left foot down, tow first, he tightened his right leg to it, foot flat. Launching a pair of energy waves upward, he shot like a rocket towards the ground, where the Earth would not rise up and meet him.
Gohan, reacting without thought, threw his hands up between himself and the killer Android. A small semi-sphere of ki covered his hands, but nothing more.
Android 16's pointed boot landed barely off center of the barrier, and as a result his foot was sent aside, as well as the rest of his heft.
Before the Android's foot could touch the ground, Gohan had already grabbed his ankle, and shot upward into the sky, dragging an upside-down, overside Android, behind him.
Curling his legs under him, Gohan lifted his captive Android over his head. His face was level with the joint between the cybernetic warrior's legs, and his own feet smashed into his target's chest, sending him soaring, up and out, once more.
Quickly crossing his arms over his head, Gohan focused his energy.
"Masenko, HA!" He shouted as he fired the beam at the recovering Android, again propelling him away, and knocking him off kilter.
"Do not talk about my father!" Gohan shouted before vanishing, appearing moments later behind Android 16. The boy delivered a series of quick jabs, followed by a powerful kick to the base of the Android's spine, sending him back towards where he came from.
"You will die!" Gohan shouted, as once more he vanished. This time appearing in over Android 16, he delivered a single double axe drop to the top of his head.
"You do not deserve life!" He shouted, again fading into thin air. Appearing on the ground, hand raised over his head in victory, Android 16's shadow enveloped him. If Gohan were a lesser being, he would have been crushed. But instead, Android 16 was stopped in the air, all the force of Gohan's previous blow was multiplied by this new one, and his body went limp, draping over Gohan like the pelt of a mighty beast, the trophy of a foe well-hunted.
Keeping his arm stiff, Gohan lowered it in front of him, letting Android 16 land on his feet, before he fell to his knees. Not letting him fall entirely, he quickly rotated his grip to tangle his hand through the Android's thick red hair, as he delivered a savage uppercut to his jaw.
Android 16's arms raised to defend himself, but were brushed aside effortlessly by the boy's fist.
Releasing his enemy, Gohan planted his boot in Android 16's chest, knocking him to his back. "Do I need to completely disassemble you to kill you? Rip you apart atom by atom?"
Android 16's eyes shifted. His mouth opened from his place on the Earth. Making eye contact with Gohan, he smiled.
"What are you smiling about?" Gohan growled as he stepped forward, onto Android 16's stomach.
"You, lose." Android 16 spoke.
Gohan reflexively formed a ball of ki in his hand and turned around, ready to destroy Lapis or Lazuli, or both. Behind him, was nothing. Jerking his head up, he found, nothing. Turning back to Android 16…
Android 16 fired a pair of eye beams at the boy. Without his sight, Gohan would be helpless.
Gohan tucked his chin, closed his eyes, and bent his knees as the attack connected. His eye lids stung, his eyebrows were likely gone, and his forehead was on fire, but he wouldn't fall for that again. Never.
As Gohan recovered, bringing the energy ball towards Android 16 and opening his eyes to aim, Android 16 delivered his next attack. His fist smashed into Gohan's open hand, causing the ball of energy to prematurely explode. His fist continued onward, blasting fire from its wrist as it smashed into Gohan's jaw.
Gohan was dragged off his feet by the force of the attack, but the Android did not follow through after the initial impact. Instead, it flipped over as it's five fingers opened, and crawled down to wrap around Gohan's gi.
Continuing forward, taking control of Gohan, the fist performed a tight loop. As Gohan was brought back towards Android 16, he was already on his feet.
Android 16 delivered a heavy blow to Gohan's face.
Blood shot from Gohan's nose as his path was once again redirected.
Following up with a right hook, Android 16 weaved his arm between himself and Gohan, allowing his second fist to reconnected.
Releasing the boy, Android 16 delivered a series of heavy blows. Gohan was knocked back, and Android 16 gave chase. Gohan reached a tree, and Android 16 shattered it. Gohan reached a river, and Android 16 suspended Gohan over it with the force of his blows. Gohan reached a rocky expanse of land, the edge of the forest, and Android 16 released him for a half moment.
Raising both hands to Gohan's chest, Android 16 fired a pair of Photon Blasts at pointblank range.
Gohan was carried back by the force of the assault, smashing his back into a massive rock cliff behind him.
Not moving as the dust cleared, Gohan took the moment to breathe through his cracked and cut lips. That was painful. That hurt. That was dangerous.
Reaching up to adjust his nose, Gohan snapped it back into place. The correction was as painful as the initial blow, but at least now he could breathe through it as well.
Once he could make out the silhouette of Android 16, against the background of trees, Gohan snapped his leg forward, shot from the wall, and tapped his forehead.
Appearing directly in front of Android 16, quicker than the Android had anticipated, Gohan landed a piercing spear kick. Planting his assaulting foot into the ground, Gohan followed up with a jab to the Android's face.
Predicting the attack once more, Android 16 caught the fist. Taking full advantage of his captive enemy once more, he aimed a chop at Gohan's throat.
Predicting the follow-up to the block, Gohan caught Android 16's hand at the wrist, stopping it barely an inch from his throat.
"Your energy has dropped. You are now only at 64.2% of your previous capacity." Android 16 shifted and managed to adjust his grip on Gohan. "You will run out of energy completely within six minutes."
The pair stood together. Gohan braced between the Earth and the monster that killed his father. Android 16 crushing, the son of his creator's greatest enemy.
Gohan shifted his tongue in his mouth. He gagged for a moment, before spitting a large blob of blood onto Android 16' s face. "Fuck you."
Android 16 did not react.
"I will give every last second of my life, every last drop of energy in my body, to make you PAY!" Gohan's aura burst into renewed life around him. Gritting his teeth, he pushed back, against the evil.
As Gohan pushed more power out, drew more power from this new well, and opened the floodgates, Android 16 kept pace. Every inch Gohan pushed back, was quickly recaptured by the larger fighter.
Their auras kicked up dirt and rubble, clearing the ground around them.
The trees began to rustle, before bending to escape the energy.
Eons of erosion ate away at the cliff beside them. Plants were uprooted. Air was displaced.
The clash of titans ate away at their surroundings.
The ripples of their battle reaching far and wide. Even the air atop Kami's Lookout, normally still, ran from the battle.
Gohan's hearing returned, and he realized that he was screaming at the presently silent assassin. Realizing he was maintaining eye contact, he tucked his chin once more. Never again.
Taking a deep breath, Gohan withdrew his power for a moment. He stored it. He let it swell within him. His muscles felt as if they were going to explode. His lunges felt as if they were going to burst. His rage felt as if it were given physical form as he looked up, opened his eyes, and once again stared into the face of his father's killer.
Releasing the breath, exhaling life into his flaming hatred, his energy swirled with Android 16's, and exploded.
Gohan held his ground as Android 16 was launched.
Gohan caught up with Android 16 before he was aware he moved. His hammer fist smashed into the Android's red hair. As Android 16 was redirected towards the Earth, he vanished from the semiconscious boy's vision.
Shooting up behind Gohan, Android 16 delivered a vicious spear kick of his own to Gohan's back, launching him forward. Firing another Photon Blast, he continued to attack the single spot between Gohan's shoulders.
Pushing his right hand behind his back, Gohan pushed himself just slightly in front of the sphere of purple energy. Rotating freely through space, he faced it, and placed his second hand on it as well. A moment later, it was his to use.
"NO!" He shouted as he pulsed his own ki into the Photon Blast, firing it back at Android 16.
Android 16 curled his legs up as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. He predicted wrong, and the empowered attack washed over the left side of his face.
The white of Android 16's left eye blackened before imploding in a small shower of sparks.
Moments later, appearing where Android 16 no longer received visual data, Gohan swung a foot at the Android's shoulder.
Android 16 reacted. He spun in place and raised his guard, however with only nearly shapeless ki signatures to base his reaction on, he failed to protected himself. He predicted a wide punch to the head, and while Gohan's kick did not land connect with his shoulder, it did connect with the center of his chest, sending him towards the ground once more.
As Android 16 bounced off the rocky ground, Gohan landed at his feet, gripping his leg with both hands.
"Let's try this again." He growled as he swung Android 16 over his head, planting him face first into the rocks.
Twisting in place he powerfully dragged Android 16 back over his head, and onto the ground in front of him. If Android 16 had been organic, his lunges would have been emptied.
After several more smashes, in which Android 16 tensed and released his muscles to absorb as much of the impacts as possible, Gohan released him when pulling him over head, sending him into the air.
Cupping his hands beside him, Gohan began to chant allowed.
"Ka… me…" He took a deep breath. "Ha… me…" He poured his Super Saiyan energy into the attack.
Appearing beyond Android 16, Gohan released the attack. "HA!"
The blue beam was surrounded by visible golden traces of electricity. While Android 16 wasn't as close as Gohan had hoped when he initially released the attack, having stalled in the air, it was still a direct hit.
Android 16 took the wave to his stomach. His arms and legs splayed out along with his head, limply being carried by the destructive energy. His impression of a skydiving starfish was nearly flawless, until his back impacted stone and he was speared into the mountainside.
Maintaining his place in the air, Gohan watched for any sign of retribution. He suspected Android 16 would survive, but assumed the battle was over.
Inside the mountain, Android 16 tested his functions. Every joint from the tips of his fingers to his toes was actuated, every sensor from visual to seismic was monitored, and every last joule of energy was accounted for.
His body was damaged. His synthetic skin was blackened if not entirely removed, his hair was gone, but he was still operational. Gohan could still be destroyed.
Once that last fact was confirmed, he stepped forward. More tests were being performed as he approached the light, and while his odds had decreased, they were still in his favor.
Stepping out of the cave he had been used to excavate, he locked eyes with Son Gohan.
"DIE!" Gohan's voice echoed across the planes as he vanished from sight. Phasing back into the range of Android 16's sensors, his foot smashed Android 16's head backwards, into the ground.
Android 16 added a note to his library of knowledge on the young warrior. He had not moved his hands before disappearing. Instant Transmission no longer required contact with his forehead. Alternative… Son Gohan's speed was beyond the sensing capability of Android 16… the information was transmitted from the at-risk unit, to anyone, anything, anywhere, who would know to look for it.
Gohan hopped off of Android 16, crashing back down on his chest. Kneeling on the Android's body, he prepared a ball of golden ki in his right hand.
"This is it, now you..."
Android 16 has grabbed the back of Gohan's gi pants with his right hand. As soon as the fabric was secure, he fired his rocket fist, freeing him from the boy's final attack.
Rocketing towards the boundary of atmosphere and space, Gohan's rage boiled over. Releasing a massive Explosive Wave, one that rivaled the sun for presence in the sky, he freed himself. The blast was massive, but not cohesive. The blast was fast, but the millions, billions, of small energy waves spiraled in all directions.
Anything wrapped around Gohan, namely his clothes, were completely destroyed. Anything durable near him, namely Android 16's right arm, was pushed away virtually harmlessly.
Panting out several jagged breaths, he forced himself to calm. Looking down towards the Earth, Android 16 was nowhere to be seen.
"SHOW YOURSELF!" Gohan bellowed. His voice carrying further than his Explosive Wave. Letting himself go into free fall, with his back to the void of space, he frantically scanned the land below.
As he observed, a small dot appeared below him. A red circle, surrounding a black fist. Android 16's rocket fist…
Reaching out with both his hands in front of him, Gohan braced for impact, aiming to catch the punch.
At the last moment, the left fist swerved around him.
Rolling over in the air, Gohan turned around just in time to see Android 16's, now reconnected, right fist smashing towards his face. He could not block in time, and he immediately surpassed terminal velocity.
Quickly reattaching his left fist, Android 16 buried it inches above Gohan's pelvis. Connecting his right fist with Gohan's sternum, he accelerated as much as his power would let him. Releasing Eye Beam after Eye Beam, he peppered Gohan with stinging attacks, keeping him on guard and unaware.
At the point of impact with the Earth, Gohan's mind went blank as his heart stilled in his chest.
As Android 16 rose into the air, the electrical currents surround Gohan began to fade. He shot himself back down, foot first towards Gohan's chest, and the golden aura around the boy began to vanish. His boot crushed into Gohan's chest, and the child's hair turned black.
As Android 16 compressed Gohan's heart, blood shot through the Saiyan's body, his hair became erect, his aura became golden, and lightning crawled over his once more.
Bouncing away from the Super Saiyan, not aware of just how close he came to victory, Android 16 hung in the air. Detaching both of his fists he pointed his exposed wrists at Gohan.
"Hell's Flash." His voice was calm as an incredibly dense ball of energy fired towards the Super Saiyan.
As the attack impacted, Android 16's sensors were overwhelmed.
Ki was every around him. He was under an ocean of energy.
The bedrock was moving in all directions. Any rock or soil above it was acting as a virtual liquid as the Land of Korin was reduce to a wasteland over the course of seconds.
The heat of an inferno reached the horizon, as the air itself ignited from the pressure of Android 16's attack.
As everything turned to nothing, Android 16 floated in a vacuum.
The atmosphere collapsed back in over the Android, turning chaos to void, and void to a maelstrom of never-before-seen air currents.
Visually scanning with his one remaining eye… a note was transmitted that visual sensors needed to have more than one back up… his calculated chance of victory reduced significantly.
A sphere of blended jade and pink energy surrounded Gohan, only dropping seconds later, when the dust had settled.
As the unfamiliar energy dissipated, Gohan felt a new calm come over him. He was angry. He hated this Android. He would destroy this Android, and all of Dr. Gero's creations. But his anger was no longer dominant. He felt it, and it fueled him, but he felt as if it were no longer his entire being, or even a tool for him to use. No, it was part of him, just as much as his love for his mother, his love for his father, and his complete knowledge that this fight had been decided.
No longer restrained by the chains of his anger, having released it from control, he rose into the air.
"This is it." He said. There was no venom in his voice, just truth.
Charging Android 16, he arrived before the Android could react. Ramming his shoulder into the Android's core, he adjusted his course downward.
Approaching the Earth at a shallow angle, he plowed Android 16 into the ground. Over the course of miles, the trench dug by Android 16's body went from inches deep, to nearly a dozen feet.
When Gohan stopped, when the back half of Android 16's body had similar properties to a rubber eraser held to a sandpaper treadmill, Gohan hoisted Android 16 by the neck and smashed him into the wall.
"You killed my father." Gohan glared daggers into Android 16's remaining eye.
"My father never did anything to you." He pushed harder, embedding the Android into the wall.
"My father was a good man." Releasing him, he took a half-step back.
"Dr. Gero was a monster." He crossed his arms over his head.
"Twelve percent chance of victory." Android 16 states.
"That, that's all you have to say?" Gohan's eyes narrowed. "Not that you're sorry. Not that you want to live. Not that you are not Dr. Gero, and you can be different? All you have to say, is your odds of victory?"
Relaxing his arms, Gohan formed a golf ball-sized sphere of ki in his left hand. Flattening it, he created a curved blade. With one quick slice he cleanly cut through several feet of stone, as well as removing Android 16's right arm.
"Now what are your odds of victory?"
"Eight point..."
Gohan cut Android 16 off, but removing his left arm.
"Six point..."
In one move Gohan removed both of Android 16's legs.
"Two point..."
Reaching out with his unarmed hand, Gohan gripped Android 16 by the burnt and blackened neck. Removing him from the wall, he laid the former giant on his back, his arms still in stone.
"One point..."
Gohan placed the edge of his ki blade against Android 16's non-functioning throat. "Any last words?" He growled as the anger fought to maintain its renewed control.
One taste, one bit of cruelty is all that it would take. One black seed in the heart of the Saiyan. One grain of darkness. One drop of hatred in an ocean of innocence.
"Defeat inevitable. Odds of destroying Son Gohan, eighty-five per..."
"Never again." Gohan planted the tip of his blade in the ground beside Android 16's neck, and with one cut removed his head. "Never again will you hurt anyone."
Taking a deep breath, Gohan slowly released his anger once more. Wisps of dense green, and airy pink, energy flowed from him, as he calmed himself.
He was a robot. He could not feel pain. This, this was okay. His disassembly was academic, not horrific. His disassembly was horrific, but also academic.
Lapis and Lazuli were not pure Androids, or they did not seem to identify as such. He would need to finish them far quicker, far more humanely. They did not deserve a peaceful death, not after indirectly causing the death of his father, but by hurting them, he, deep inside, recognized he would only be hurting himself. This, this was too much for him. He couldn't handle this alone. He needed Piccolo's guidance…
He needed his father's…
Kami…
Focusing on his pain, on the empty feeling inside, he condensed it, he focused it, and with one all mighty wale to shake the heavens and Earth, he released it.
…
Distantly, the coded signals that would seem as nothing more than background radiation, reached the one place in the cosmos that would expect them, and modifications began to be planned.
Author's note: I'm sorry this took so long. The ball was in my court for weeks, but things just kept lining up tomake it impossible for me to work on it.