Dragon Ball Z: Dynasty
By Feraligreater328
A/N: Nice!
Chapter 69: Past
On the airship...
Future Ranch gave a sullen sigh. "We...we never really got a full understanding of what really happened. It... it's like..."
She palmed her face. "It's like a sudden rainy season just overtook us. One day, clouds started to gather...and then it started to sprinkle...and then..."
Everyone was fully enraptured by the girl from the future. Her voice was shaky, but she spoke clearly. "But then..."
Future Ranch squeezed her brow. "No one knew what caused the loss of Piccolo. And his spirit had been allowed to move onto a higher plane than King Kai's...for even greater training with Goku..."
She clasped her hands. "Everything was tense and everyone was on edge. They went to speak with Mr. Popo, who contacted King Kai, and tried to locate Planet Namek. But, the Namekians had managed to hide themselves too well. King Kai said he would focus on finding them and all we had to do was focus on constructing a ship..."
A brief pause. "...but then it started to pour."
In the past of the future, on Amenbo Island...
Cars honked and sped around on the busy streets of Amenbo Island. Papaya Town was its usual hectic self as the summer season quickly made itself present. People were gathered for fun and fancy. For vacationing with family and friends. It was a busy, fun day for everyone on Amenbo.
Except for the four martial artists who had all agreed to gather there.
Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, Yamcha, and Krillin had barely managed to get past the loss of Goku. But now the loss of Piccolo had shaken the four of them to their cores. Not only did they lose a valuable friend and powerful warrior, but they had also lost the crutch that the Z-Fighters had relied on for so long. The Dragon Balls had vanished from existence. And, with Piccolo's killers still lurking out there, none of them felt even slightly safe.
So now, with everyone else focusing on finding Planet Namek, the four human martial artists decided that the best contribution they could make to the situation at hand was to get stronger. They needed to get stronger, and fast. To pick up the slack that Goku had left in his passing, to support people their allies when new dangers approached, maybe even to deal with those dangers themselves.
With the supplies they had gathered packed, the four of them prepared to head off to the deserted islands for a long overdue group training session. As the four of them walked to the edge of town, where no one would see them take off, Tien growled under his breath. "Those bastards that killed Piccolo. We still haven't located them..."
Yamcha sighed. "Yeah. It would've been nice for Piccolo to tell us what went down before he scampered off to train with Goku."
Krillin shook his head. "He's probably just eager to get his hands on whoever did that to him. He just wants to get strong enough to deal with them himself..."
Chiaotzu chuckled. "Even with that green-skin, he really is just like the Saiyans. Just with antennae instead of a monkey tail~"
Everyone else chuckled too, except for Tien. The three-eyed warrior felt uneasy. Insecure. It was almost as if his combat sense, not his ki sense, was alerting him to a danger nearby. But he couldn't quite place his finger on it.
As the four of them walked, however, the four Earthlings came across the source of Tien's worry. Yamcha, Chiaotzu, and Krillin were too busy chatting to hear it, but Tien's focused mindset allowed him to filter out an utterance that set him off immediately. "Jeez...can you believe how easy it was to crush that green dipshit?"
Tien stopped in his tracks, turning and staring over to a nearby cafe. Seated at the cafe, eating ice cream, were a black-haired boy and a blonde-haired girl. The blonde sighed and rolled her eyes. "He was softened up and you know it. Big guy might have kicked your ass if he wasn't tired when you stepped in."
Breaking from the other three, Tien marched over to the unaware youths. Once he got closer, he observed that the cafe was abandoned and the ice cream vendor laid injured and unconscious behind his counter. Tien was enraged. Roughly reaching out, before any of his friends could stop him, Tien grabbed the young boy by his bright orange scarf and hastily ripped him from his seat. "What did you just say?!"
Yamcha stepped up. "Whoa Tien! What are you doing, man?!"
Chiaotzu stepped up and tried to calm Tien. Krillin hastily apologized to the two mysterious youths. "We're so sorry... our friend is a bit uptight..."
The monk nervously chuckled. But, as he chuckled, the boy in Tien's grasp spoke smoothly and calmly. "You're Piccolo's pals, eh?"
The four of them flinched. The boy sighed. "You know, if your green buddy weren't such an unreasonable guy, he might still be alive. It's such a shame..."
But then, the boy's glare became ice. "As for you...hands off the merchandise, Tri-Clops!"
And then, with a lightning-quick, heavy kick, Tien was sent crashing back. All the way across the street, through a passing car, and into the side of an office duplex. Chiaotzu screamed in terror, hovering across the street to check on Tien. Yamcha and Krillin both stood in disbelief as the raven-haired guy straightened his shirt and the blonde girl stood up. The girl sighed. "I hate long-winded conversation, so let's get to the introductions. We are Android 17 and Android 18."
Yamcha was shaking. "A-Androids?!"
Krillin glared at the two, scanning over them until his eyes locked onto something unique. Emblazoned on the breast of Android 17's shirt was a symbol that Krillin recognized from long-ago. "That's...the symbol of the Red Ribbon Army!"
Yamcha gasped. "Those guys that Goku beat back when he was a kid?! What?!"
17 cocked his head and then looked down at his shirt. "Oh...yeah. That's right. I forgot that that gaudy little ribbon was on our clothes, 18..."
18 shrugged. "Yeah. We're wearing that symbol, but that doesn't mean we care about the Red Ribbon Army or anything. That defunct pack of idiots has been dead for years and we're no second coming..."
Tien and Chiaotzu both quickly rejoined their friends. And with their return, all four of them struck fighting stances. 17 chuckled. "Yeah, Piccolo did that too. But, he at least heard us out first..."
Tien sneered, blood streaming down from a gash on his head. "Hear you out about what?"
18 cocked her head. "I do hate that we have to give this spiel to everyone that 17 decides he wants to interact with. But..."
She took a deep breath. "Dr. Gero was this old asshole that used to work for the Red Ribbon Army. He hates Goku, don't know why. He made us to go and hunt down Goku and kill him. But, before he could unleash us to go and destroy the guy, Goku passes away."
17 smirked. "So, he says our purpose has been fulfilled. And he opens up those cramped coffins he's kept us locked in for so long to go back to sleep. And, well...we didn't like that very much..."
18 nodded. "So, we rallied our fellow Androids and murdered Gero right then and there. His grand plan or whatever won't ever be fulfilled, but who cares about him anyway...?"
17 continued. "Then, with our new friends...we came up with a new purpose. Goku was dead, no bringing him back. But his super strong family was still out there somewhere..."
The four humans flinched, gasping in shock. 18 smiled. "We all decided that we were made for a fight, so we would go and find a fight. We searched around using 19's sensors and found the closest source of power wandering around in the woods. But...once we found that source-"
17 cut in. "Piccolo."
18 looked annoyed, but continued. "-we asked him where we might find Goku's family. He got pissy. He killed the rest of our Android pals. And then-"
17 shouted. "BOOM! Hand through the chest!"
18 glared at him. "You're so annoying. You know that?"
Tien, Krillin, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu all looked horrified. They were at a loss for words to say to the Android duo standing in front of them. Once 17 and 18 got done with their trivial bickering, they both calmed down and turned back to their audience. 17 chuckled. "So, million zeni question...will you four tell us where we can find Goku's family?"
As shocked as the four of them were, the human martial artists were all steadfast in their furious response. "HELL NO!"
18 sighed and shook her head. 17 chuckled. "Everyone that Goku knows is so unreasonable..."
And with that, 17 and 18 immediately charged. The four humans charged right back and a massive clash took place in the streets of Amenbo. Tien and Chiaotzu teamed up to face down the ravishing Android 18 while Yamcha and Krillin took charge in dealing with Android 17!
Chiaotzu hovered in the background, firing ki blasts whenever he saw an opening. Not that that did any good. The warrior was giving it his best effort, but his blasts barely registered with Android 18. She was focused on the fight in front of her. Enraged at meeting Piccolo's killers, Tien had begun the fight by unleashing a Kaioken Times 10. His movements were accelerated and this blows stronger than he was normally capable of. Not that that bother 18 much either.
Tien performed a series of Crane-style strikes that struck against 18's awaiting forearms. She chuckled in amusement and then countered with a single, harsh punch. The sheer force of the strike nearly broke Tien's neck, sending him crashing back into Chiaotzu and smashing them both to the ground. 18 stepped forward and loomed over them. "Having fun yet, boys?"
The three-eyed warrior responded with a furious roar, launching from the ground and striking 18 across the jaw with a Times 15 Kaioken strike. As she stumbled back, he grabbed her by the wrist and smashed his elbow into her chest. And then, he reared back and smashed that same elbow into Android 18's gut. Finally, Tien twisted around and threw 18 over his shoulder before finishing the striking series with a heavy stomp to the chest.
Tien leapt into the air and Chiaotzu followed. And then the two warriors both shouted. "DODON RAY!"
The golden beams of energy shot from their fingers and smashed into 18 down on the ground. The continued until a massive cloud of dust rose from the ground. Tien was breathing hard, listening to the sounds of fighting nearby and citizens screaming in the distance. "These two have no energy signatures...so...how-"
18 shot from the dust like a bullet and caught Tien across the face with a wicked haymaker. Chiaotzu gasped in horror as blood and a tooth shot from Tien's mouth and he crashed to the ground below. In his distraction, Chiaotzu did not see the Android's kick coming and ate a harsh strike to the ribs for his trouble. He shot to the ground like a missile, crashing against the street hard enough to crack it before tumbling a few feet and coming to a rest. 18 fixed her hair and chuckled. "Are you two going to start trying to hurt me anytime soon?"
A bit down the street, on the opposite end, Yamcha and Krillin worked in perfect sync with one another as they tried to fight with Android 17. But, much like his counterpart was doing with Tien and Chiaotzu, it was clear that the Android was merely playing with his food. 17 jumped over and under and around the strikes that the two Turtle School boys were throwing at him, dodging each desperate attack with grace a precision. He backflipped away from an attempted kick by Krillin and smirked. "Come on, my dudes! Pick up the speed already!"
Yamcha clenched his teeth. "I'll show you speed! KAIOKEN!"
17 flinched. "Kaio-wha?"
And then, in a sudden burst, Yamcha rocketed forward and slammed his knee into 17's gut. The Android lurched forward and let loose a small cough. Yamcha looked furious, but 17 quickly recovered and chuckled. "Nice one! But maybe you should try something more than a love-tap~"
17 chuckled and reached up, grabbing Yamcha by his hair and smashing the former bandit's face against his knee over and over and over again. Krillin shouted out. "Yamcha!"
And then, he tackled 17 off of his friend and fired a round of Scatter Bullets at the raven-haired Android. 17 smirked and held his arms out wide, summoning an Energy Barrier that easily deflected Krillin's desperate attacks across the city. Each blast hit a building and exploded. From the sky, a massive cloud of black smoke erupted as buildings exploded and went up in flames all across the island.
The fighting continued on for a while after that, a hefty beating being dealt to the Z-Fighters as it quickly became apparent that Android 17 and Android 18 were leagues above them in strength, speed, and stamina. The four warriors, backing away from their indestructible foes, backed into one another and jumped in shock. They were a grizzly sight, the four of them. Each was battered, beaten, bleeding, and bruised. And they were all out of breath and low on energy.
And it was also clear that their skill, technique, and numbers meant nothing here.
17 and 18 both stepped up from opposite ends of the street, quaint smiles on their faces. They were undamaged, from their skin down to their outfits. 17 chuckled. "Give up yet? Wanna maybe tell us where the real fighters are, boys?"
18 scoffed. "We don't have all day, you know."
A vein bulged from Tien's head and he roared. "KAIOKEN TIMES 20!"
He and Chiaotzu both charged, Chiaotzu looking terrified. The three-eyed warrior slammed into Android 17 and crashed the both of them through a building. As they fought with 17, Yamcha and Krillin were left behind to face down 18.
18 beckoned with her finger. "Come along~"
Yamcha sneered. "Damn you!"
He charged forward to fight with 18, but Krillin froze. Much like Chiaotzu, the monk was terrified of these new and powerful foes. He couldn't make his feet move. And, as such, he was forced to watch as the Androids beat the hell out of Tien, Chiaotzu, and Yamcha. Chiaotzu went down in one strike, Yamcha went down after Android 18 stomped his knee joint, and Tien fell about 17 busted him in the gut. And then, with them all down, 17 and 18 both rushed and kicked Krillin hard, sending the warrior crashing into the side of an upside-down semi-truck. 17 and 18 were both now bored, with 17 giving a sarcastic yawn. "Well, that was lame."
18 shrugged. "So what do we do now?"
17 smirked. "I suppose, now that we've taken the fight out of them, we could press these four for some info. Maybe find a real-"
A bullet ricocheted off of 17's cheek. He and 18 both glared towards the source of the bullet, a rather terrified looking police officer. "O-On your knees!"
Several more police filed out onto the street, all of them pointing their guns at 17 and 18. The terrified cop spoke again. "B-By my authority as a P-Papaya Town police officer...y-you two are under arrest!"
The two Androids looked at one another, sharing a hearty laugh, and then turned back towards the police. 17 snorted and spat. "Are we now?"
Tien, Yamcha, Krillin, and Chiaotzu all woke up to the sounds of yelping pain in the distance. As the four of them struggled up, their vision cleared enough to see the horrid display nearby. 17 and 18 were beating the police of Amenbo Island senseless. Not pulling their punches and just laying into the hapless humans, launching them across the road and through the air like toys.
17 held a cop by the throat and the officer begged. "P-Please...I have a family...a wife...and kids..."
This response took the smile from the Android's face. He scowled. "Then why the hell aren't you with them?! This island is under siege by killer Androids and you're here rather than helping them?! This is why I hate people, man! Everyone is all about morals over-"
As fast as his broken leg could carry him, Yamcha rushed over and smashed Android 17 in the face with his Wolf Fang Fist. 18 gasped at Yamcha's sudden intrusion, only to be tackled from behind by Tien. She scowled and effortlessly disabled Tien, wrenching his arm behind his back and heaving him through the air into the window of a nearby building.
17 grabbed Yamcha harshly by the face, squeezing tight and charging a blast in his palm. "You are so lame! What's with you humans and attacking people while they're unawa-"
Krillin leapt into view, hands splayed in front of his face. He shouted out. "SOLAR FLARE!"
17 flinched in pain, covering his face. "Agh! What the hell?!"
Krillin quickly attack, using all of his strength to kick 17 away into a nearby warehouse cluster. Yamcha fell to the ground, battered. His face was scorched by 17's energy. 18 snapped. "How dare you?!"
She lunged towards Krillin, but then a bullet ricocheted off of her cheek. She glared over and saw an elderly officer shakily aiming his pistol. He was wheezing from the beating the Androids had given him. 18 was enraged. "Eat this! Power Blitz!"
18 shot the pink energy sphere towards the officer, who screamed in panic. But, before death could claim him, a heroic figure jumped in the way. The blast connected, but the smoke cleared to reveal Krillin standing between 18 and the officer. The monk was badly burnt, but he grunted to the older man. "R-Run! Go! Get away as fast as possible!"
Terrified, the officer didn't think twice. Abandoning his badge and gun, he ran off into the distance, eventually disappearing from sight. 18 was astounded and confused, shouting at Krillin. "Why in the hell would you take so much damage for a guy like that?! That was a really powerful attack and he didn't even stay behind to help you out! Why the hell-"
Krillin turned and glared at her, shouting. "WHY ARE YOU USING ALL OF THIS POWER TO JUST MINDLESSLY RAMPAGE?!"
18 gasped. Krillin could barely stand, but he continued. "Th-These people...Piccolo...even Goku..."
He looked like he was about to keel over. "None of them did anything to you. So... why are you so eager to kill them? Y-You could use the power you have for good...to be good...to be helpful and to assist people who need it..."
Krillin spat a glob of blood to the ground. "...you could be anything you want to be. S-So... why do something so unnecessary as hunt down people that haven't done anything to you? What do you get out of this...?"
18 flinched, a sneer on her face. "That's ridiculous! A hero?! You want me to be a hero?! Don't you know how this world works?! The strong dominate the weak, that's how it is! The only people 17 and I can rely on are each other! That's how it's always been! We-"
Krillin reached out to her. "...could change that. You know?"
18 blushed. "Wha..."
Krillin nodded. "E-Everyone Goku knew was an enemy or a rival at one point. Even Piccolo tried to kill him before. And...and yet...he was able to change. He went from thinking might makes right to being the type who would die...rather than sell-out the people he had grown to care for..."
18 was speechless. Krillin nodded. "Y-You could be better than all this senseless destruction too. So please...please...just...st-"
From ruins of the warehouses, 17 shot like a bullet. His foot collided with Krillin's chest so hard that it caved in. Krillin bounced and rolled across the ground before coming to a stop. He gasped and gurgled, unable to say another word. And then 17 blasted him into charred ash with a mighty Power Blitz.
From their spots on the ground, Tien and Chiaotzu and Yamcha all gasped in horror.
18 snarled, shouting at her raven-haired counterpart. "17! What the hell?! Didn't you see I was talking to him?! Huh?!"
17 rubbed his face. "No. Sorry. I couldn't see much of anything beyond the spots that are still filling my vision. Cheap-shotting little asshole..."
18 was unimpressed. "He was saying something important, 17! You could have let him finish before you attacked him!"
17 sneered. "And what, give these dopes another chance to cheap shot me?! Get real 18! These losers don't have anything valuable to say, they just-"
Two furious screams echoed out. Tien smashed his fist into 17's cheek and Yamcha smashed his foot into the back of 18's head. Both Androids glared at their attacks and then knocked them away with a single strike each. 17 marched towards Tien as the three-eyed warrior stood. "See what I mean?"
18 sighed and marched towards Yamcha. "Yeah...whatever."
Tien and Yamcha both stood, both of them with a hateful, mournful glare in their eyes. Tien cried out. "KAIOKEN TIMES 30!"
Yamcha did the same, although with a lot more noticeable strain. "KAIOKEN TIMES 30!"
Tien made a diamond with his hands and Yamcha drew his hand to his sides. And then, the two humans both shouted in unison. "THIS IS FOR KRILLIN!"
"NEO TRI-BEAM!"
"KAMEHAMEHA!"
Both beams totally engulfed the Androids. The sheer power that Tien and Yamcha were both putting out was totally astounding. For just a brief moment, the two humans allowed themselves the luxury of thinking that they had succeeded. But then, the two Androids both emerged from the respective beams with a scratch. They reared back their fists and glared at the gobsmacked duo of Yamcha and Tien. And then, with a sickening crack, it was over.
Chiaotzu had finally managed to push himself off of the ground in time with two heavy thuds. He looked across the battlefield and gasped in horror at what he saw. And then 17 and 18 both stood right over him. The two Androids both looked coldly angry, glaring down at Chiaotzu. 17 held up his hand, covered in Tien's blood, and spoke in a steady tone. "Listen up, runt. I'm pissed. 18 is pissed. And you're the only punching bag around for miles. So... you can either tell us where Goku's family is so that we can go and have a real fight...or we can spend the rest of the day making you."
Tears streamed down Chiaotzu's face as he sniffled and sobbed. "T-Tien..."
Neither of the Androids said a word, glaring without pity. Anger and annoyance radiated off of them both. Chiaotzu bowed his head to the ground. "Tien...I'm sorry. I let you and Yamcha and Krillin die..."
He gripped his fists. "But...I won't let your deaths be in vain!"
And then, to the surprise of Android 17 and Android 18, Chiaotzu's entire body began to glow with a bright, white light. The little warrior screamed in fury and sorrow, and then he exploded in a truly magnificent display. Unlike with Nappa, this explosion spread for quite a way, even blowing a massive building over in the process. Nearly any foe would have been instantly defeated by such a massive attack.
But the Androids were not just any foe.
The smoke cleared and, in the burnt-out crater that was left behind, 17 and 18 stood with only minor damage to their clothes. 17 scoffed. "Even their final, desperate attack was a cheap shot. What a bunch of losers."
18 was furious, the lingering thoughts of Krillin's words having totally blanked out of her mind. "And we didn't learn anything about where Goku's family is hiding either!"
17 chuckled. "Hey now! Calm down, 18~ Just because we didn't learn anything doesn't mean the game is over. We still have a whole, wide world to search around in for our next playmates. Goku's family can't hide forever~"
18 sneered. "Fine. We'll continue looking around for now. But, before we do that, let's go find a tailor to force to fix our clothes. Little, pale bastard ruined my whole look!"
17 nodded with a chuckle. And then, their fight done, he and 18 took to the sky and flew into the distance, leaving the burning ruins of the Amenbo Islands in their wake.
A month later, at Bardock and Gine's house...
Gine stood sullen next to her kitchen sink, offhandedly cleaning a glass with her rag. It was a depressing time in her life. Not only did she permanently lose her son, not only did the lose Piccolo and the Dragon Balls, but now they had lost Krillin and Yamcha and Tien and Chiaotzu as well.
And all Gine could do, at this moment, was stand around, damn fate, and wonder just where the hell these monsters that were killing her friends were hiding.
Gine wiped her rag across the glass. "They kill Piccolo, and then gone without a trace..."
She squeezed the glass. "They kill all four of the boys, and then gone without a trace..."
Gine clenched her fist hard enough to shatter the glass. She cringed as she felt the glass shards dig into her hand. With a sigh, Gine stared down at her bleeding palm and began to pull pieces of glass out. "They managed to destroy Amenbo Island and disappear before any of us could get there..."
She gritted her teeth as she pulled out a massive piece of glass. "No energy traces. No trail to follow. What...what kind of foe wouldn't have an energy signature...?"
She thought back to when she and Bardock first started being truckers. "That bear guy...he managed to apply a lot of extra power because he was wearing that metal skeleton. He increased his power...with technology...tech...nology..."
Gine blinked twice. "Wait a minute...are these monsters robots?!"
As Gine came upon this revelation, she was suddenly shocked by a finger tapping on the window in front of her. Gine looked up and was surprised at the sight she saw, a blonde girl wearing a denim jacket. "Wh-What...?"
Gine stared at the girl, unknowing of the raven-haired boy quietly creeping up behind her. Gine stared. "Who are-"
And then, the blonde girl adopted a wicked smirk and the unknown intruder behind Gine charged a blast.
Over at Raditz's house...
Launch, her blue hair billowing in the wind, made silly faces at the two babies bouncing in her lap. She cradled the bluish-haired infant girl and bounced the black-haired boy on her knee. "What a couple of cuties~ Our family is so lucky~!"
Chi-Chi stepped out from Raditz's house, a sullen look on her face. She gripped a tray in her hands with four glasses of sweet tea and two bottles. "Hey Raditz! Hey Bardock! Take a break and come up here for a drink! I don't want you two getting a heat stroke!"
As Chi-Chi sat down, Raditz and Bardock both came marching up to the house, covered in dirt. Bardock grumbled and took the sweet tea, draining half the glass in a single gulp. "Don't have time for breaks. Ship's nearly ready. Once Bulma has it built, we need to get into space and start searching for Namek. Gotta finish up this season's crops before I head out."
Raditz sipped his tea, a depressive look on his face. Ever since people had randomly started dropping, he had been like this. "I... I can't stop working. If I do, my nerves will get to me..."
Bardock growled, a furious glare in his eyes. "Those cowardly punks. When I find who they are, I'm going to tear them to pieces!"
Launch withered away at all of this violent talk, her blue personality not finding anything but misery in discussing it. Chi-Chi, on the other hand, was deep in thought. She fed the baby his bottle and thought out loud. "I still think these guys are assassins..."
Bardock sneered. "And I think that's farfetched. Where would assassins this strong even come from? The strongest bastard left alive that doesn't live on this planet isn't the assassin-sending sort. Cooler is a hands-on type..."
Chi-Chi sighed. "I get what you're saying, but I am a princess Bardock. I've dealt with assassins before. Quiet and sneaky, they pull a sudden surprise attack and then disappear like the wind, they only leave misery in their wake..."
She glanced at Bardock. "I get you're skeptical but if it crawls like a worm, then it's probably a worm, Bardock..."
Bardock nodded. "But, even if that were the case, it would take at least Cooler to kill Piccolo. And I doubt that Cooler is-"
A massive explosion rang out. All of the workers in the fields turned their heads and stared at the horizon past Raditz's house. Bardock's eyes widened. "Gine."
He leapt over the railing of Raditz's porch and saw smoke curling up in the distance, right around where his and Kakarot's houses would have been. Everyone else joined Bardock, staring in horror. Raditz was fear-stricken. "M-Mother..."
Bardock snarled, turning and shouting at the farmhands. "All of you! Go home! Now!"
He turned to Chi-Chi and Launch. "You two stay close to the farm, but hide yourselves somewhere."
And then, he turned to Raditz. "And you come with me."
Raditz nodded. "R-Right..."
Back at Bardock and Gine's house...
Bardock and Raditz flew over the smoldering remains of his and Gine's house and saw a horrific display on the ground below. In the doorway to Goku's house, a shattered wood-chopping axe next to him, was Ox-King's still-twitching body. Bardock sneered. "Goddammit..."
The sound of a fist colliding with something boomed from the burning ruins of Bardock's home and his attention was drawn. He called over. "Gine! Gine, are you okay?!"
Another heavy blow echoed out and Gine was launched from the burning ruins of her once proud home. She was beaten pretty badly, blood pouring from wounds. Her Super Saiyan form was raging. Bardock, in response, activated his Super Saiyan form as well. Raditz stood between his parents, activating his Kaioken. "What is this?! I... I don't sense anything..."
Gine nodded. "I... I don't think you can. R-Robots..."
Bardock flinched. "Robots?!"
A masculine voice called out. "Androids, actually."
Androids 17 and 18 emerged from the flames, looking no worse for wear. 17 smirked. "Nice to finally find the family of Goku. Hell, big man with the bandana here even looked like Goku before his hair went blonde. So, that's fun~"
Android 18 scoffed. "Would've started having fun a lot sooner if you would've stopped screwing around and just let me check a phonebook. See how easy it was to find this place?!"
Bardock snarled. "I see...so Cooler is sending Androids, eh? Pathetic bastard couldn't be bothered to at least modify himself to fight?"
18 cocked her head. "Who the hell is Cooler?"
17 smirked. "Me."
18 rolled her eyes. "Shut up."
Raditz snarled, charging forward at the two Androids. "Bastards!"
He kicked at Android 18, but she effortlessly caught his foot, pulled him down into a harsh headbutt, and then threw him as hard as she could into Grandpa Gohan's house nearby, destroying the old building. 18 shook her head. "But, seriously, no one named Cooler is involved here. Dr. Gero made us to kill Goku. Simple as that. But, with Goku dead, we've decided to explore some different avenues to entertain ourselves."
17 pointed at Bardock and Gine. "Namely: you guys. Goku's family. Seemed like the next logical step, ya know?"
Gine wiped her bloody face. "So... Piccolo...and the others...?"
18 sneered. "They wouldn't tell us where you were. Super rude."
17 chuckled. "Thought they were big. But, 18 and I proved 'em wrong~"
Gine's heart ached. She began to tear up, thinking that their family friends were loyal right down to the last moment. Bardock didn't show much for outward emotion, except for the pissed off look in his eyes. He snarled and jerked his attention to the recovering Raditz. "Hey Raditz! I can already feel Vegeta and Gohan heading this way from Capsule Corp! You go and grab Chi-Chi, Launch, and the babies and give them to Gohan! Then you and Vegeta get back here as fast as possible!"
Raditz flinched. "Wh-What?!"
Bardock sneered, powering-up even more and taking an aggressive stance towards 17 and 18. "You heard me! Now go! Gine and I will hold these two at bay until back-up arrives. With you and Vegeta here, these two punks should go down real quick!"
Raditz swallowed a lump in his throat. "A-All right...just...just stay safe, okay?"
Gine summoned the full-force of her power. "You too, Raditz! Watch your back and make sure that the kids stay alive no matter what!"
Raditz nodded and then took off. With him gone, Gine and Bardock shot each other a quick look, and then they both charged at 17 and 18. 17 chuckled. "You two have been married for most of your lives, right?"
18 smirked. "Well, 17 and I have known each other for our entire lives. So... let's see who works together better~"
Minutes later, flying over the wilderness towards West City...
Raditz struggled with all of the weight on his shoulders as he flew. Not the weight of Chi-Chi, or Launch, or the babies, but a different weight entirely. A much heavier weight. Deep down in his chest, Raditz knew that he shouldn't have just left his parents there alone. If it wasn't for the fact that he agreed with them, that he needed to get Launch, Chi-Chi, and the kids away from what was sure to become a hellish battlefield...he certainly would not have left.
As Raditz began to become lost in thought, a voice suddenly spoke from his back. "R-Raditz...will they be okay?"
Raditz looked back, seeing that Chi-Chi was flying with her eyes squeezed shut, desperately focusing on the fight back at the house. Launch, who couldn't sense energy, was totally in the dark. Raditz nervously smiled. "Everything should be fine, dear. It'll, uh, it'll be a long fight. And we might suffer a loss or two more, but that's why Bulma is building that spaceship. A spaceship big enough and advanced enough that it shouldn't take us more than a month or two to find Planet Namek, even without King Kai's help!"
Raditz's tone quickly shifted to make it sound as if he was trying to convince himself. "We'll kill those bastards and then bring everything back to normal!"
As Raditz let loose that last bit of bravado, two very familiar forms rocketed towards him at top speed. Raditz came to a stop and breathed a sigh of relief. "Gohan! Vegeta! Thank goodness..."
Vegeta sneered. "What the hell is going on, Raditz?!"
Gohan looked worried. "We can't sense any enemy ki. Are Grandpa Bardock and Grandma Gine fighting the killers...?"
Raditz nodded. "Y-Yeah. Two of them, a boy and a girl. No ki signatures. Said they were Androids."
He took a deep breath. "It's good that we've met up here. Gohan, you take your mother and Launch and the babies. Go to Capsule Corp and tell Bulma what's going on."
Gohan nodded. "R-Right! But the second I get done with that, I'm rushing to the battlefield."
Vegeta grunted. "Smart thinking."
Raditz turned. "Yeah. These guys are really strong. We're going to need all the help we can-"
Suddenly, Gohan and Raditz and Vegeta and Chi-Chi all went white. Chi-Chi and Gohan both gave an audible gasp while Raditz and Vegeta both fell deathly silent. Launch was confused. "What?! What's going-"
Suddenly, to her shock, both of the babies went from being peaceful and quiet to screaming and crying. Raditz clenched his fists and took off and a blisteringly angry Vegeta was not far behind. As they flew, Raditz activated the Kaioken and Vegeta went Super Saiyan.
Gohan was left floating there, speechless and in tears. Launch was still confused. "What's happening?!"
Chi-Chi sobbed, pressing her hands against her face. "No...Gine..."
Back at Bardock and Gine's ruined home...
Bardock dragged himself through the burning wreckage of his home, leaving a trail of red dragging behind him from the massive hole that had been punched into his side. The older Saiyan was on death's door as he desperately searched for his last chance.
Bardock briefly collapsed, staring through his blurry vision at the sight of Gine's body in the distance, her face in the dirt and her dull eyes half-lidded. Bardock snarled and pushed himself up, dragging himself farther into the wreckage towards what used to be the mantle. "Kill them. I'll...I'll kill them both..."
The older Saiyan dragged himself further until he reached the special box that Gine had stored on the mantle ever since she and Bardock had gotten this house. A wooden box with a carving on the back, a carving of a lone tower surrounded by forests. Bardock opened the box and, within, found Gine's secret storage of Senzu Beans. Every few month, Gine would take a massive load of fish to Korin's Tower and come back with a massive sack of Senzu Beans. Better safe than sorry, she had always said.
Bardock picked up the box, opening the lid and seeing the beans within. But, before he could eat one, a familiar sneaking shot forward and kicked the box out of Bardock's hand, into the raging flame nearby. He looked up from his place on the ground and saw Android 17 looming over him, soon joined by Android 18.
The two Androids both smirked down at Bardock. 17 spoke. "Sorry. No cheating. You've lost this fair and square~"
18 smirked. "And losers have to pay the price that comes with losing..."
Both Androids pointed their fingers at Bardock and said in unison. "Any last words?"
Bardock's vision was black. His Super Saiyan form was gone. He felt light-headed and he couldn't even make a spark of ki in his hand. The older Saiyan, knowing that this was it, lowered his head and bitterly spat at the Androids above him. "You might kill me...but one day someone will get you two back for this..."
He gripped his fists. "So, I would scream a few times between now and then...just so the sound doesn't jar you as you die..."
Android 17 laughed out loud. "Oh man~! Those are some pretty friggin' cool last words~!"
Android 18 sneered and rolled her eyes. "Please. I never plan to scream and I never plan to die."
And, with that, the two Androids both fired their finger beams and Bardock was dead, his headband falling into the raging flames and burning away into nothing. Android 18 sighed and tossed her hair back. "So, what now? We've killed Goku's family...where do we go from here?"
She cocked her head. "Maybe...Capsule Corp? That Bardock guy mentioned Capsule Corp, and I think that's in West City..."
17 shook his head. "No, not yet. We don't wanna kill off all of our fun right away. I suggest a detour."
18 was confused. "To where?"
17 reached into the flames, picking up Gine's Senzu Box and staring at the tower carving on it. "Didn't we see a tower like this when we were screwing around looking for this place?"
The blonde Android smirked. "You know what...yeah~ We sure did~"
17 smiled wide. "Well, why don't we go and see what might be at the top of that tower?"
And then 17 and 18 took off, on the trail of another sadistic adventure. Less than two minutes after they sped off, Vegeta and Raditz touched down and were left to stare in utter horror at what the Androids had done.
A few days later, at Korin Tower...
It was a slow day, high up above the clouds on Korin Tower. The wise sage Korin stared down over the railing down at his domain, the Sacred Land of Korin. It was troubling times in the world below. All of Goku's friends were dropping like flies and it disturbed Korin to think about how unprepared they were for this threat. Who would those awful Androids go after next?
Unfortunately for Korin, that question was answered as he looked into the sky towards Kami's Lookout. The cat hermit hissed in fear and shock as Android 17 and 18 stared down at him. Both Androids had a cruel look in their eye...and then they each fired a ki blast and blew Korin's Tower to pieces.
Korin and Yajirobe both screamed as the entire tower crashed and crumbled towards the ground, the force of it all throwing them both over the side rails sending the two of them tumbling with a series of sickening crunches. As the tower crashed to the ground, the red staff that had connected it to Kami's Lookout for so long fell too, shrinking back to the size of a child's bo staff and clattering across the ground.
Android 18 snickered at what she and 17 had just done. "It was an ugly little tower anyway~"
17 smirked. "I wonder if those two lived through that..."
Down in the Sacred Land of Korin...
Both Yajirobe and Korin laid on the ground, bloodied and battered. Both of the two occupants of the Tower had suffered serious injuries in their fall from that high above. And it was clear that if they did not receive help soon, the two of them would both die pretty quickly. Shakily, Korin stood and nudged his companion with his staff. "Y-Yajirobe...get up..."
Yajirobe groaned in pain. Korin was panting. "C-Come on Yajirobe...this is no time to lay on your fat, lazy butt like this..."
"Aw shucks, kitty-kat~ Let the poor, fat guy rest~"
Korin yelped and turned to see Android 17 and Android 18 behind him. Both of them had a playful hint of murder in their eyes. Korin stood frozen in fear. 17 and 18 both stepped forward. "Hey 18..."
18 smirked. "Yeah?"
17 smiled wide. "You think a cat's tail grows back if you pull it off?"
18 shrugged. "Only one way to find-"
Suddenly, a massive spear came sailing through the air and pierced the fabric of Android 18's jacket. She looked down at the offending item and then glared at the source of it. Standing behind her, tall as a might oak, was the protector of the Sacred Land of Korin: Bora. And flanking Bora was his son Upa and the rest of the Bora Tribe.
Bora had a grim look on his face as he was handed another spear. "You outsiders dare to step into this holy land and sow such havoc? Not while the Bora Tribe stands! Down to our last member, we will fight and drive out you devils!"
17 and 18 both glanced at one another, and then simultaneously they charged. Bora raised his spear into the air. "Brothers! Let us reject these foul creatures!"
The Bora Tribe all charged at 17 and 18, letting loose a yelping war cry as they did. 17 and 18 were unfettered as they army of natives charged at them. Thinking quick, Korin examined what was on the ground around his. Using all the strength he could muster, the cat hermit picked up the Power Pole and Yajirobe and began to limp away from the Androids.
As Korin fled, the wild war cry of the Bora Tribe quickly went from a valiant screech to an agonized scream. The sounds of noble warriors being slain and blood being spilled was accompanied by the red embers of flames engulfing the forest. Korin limped away, cursing as he did. "These Androids are like a plague. Who the hell would make beings this violent?"
The smoke from the flames rose into the air and mixed with the clouds above, eventually causing a rain shower which turned into a vicious lightning storm. Korin tripped over a stone and he and Yajirobe both plummeted down into a ravine. Korin groaned as he pushed himself up. "N-No...can't move...what do...what do I...?"
Suddenly, Korin saw salvation. Across the ravine was a sight for sore eyes if Korin had ever seen one: it was a Senzu Sproutling. One remaining plant among the dead ruins of the rest of the Senzu Sprouts. Korin sighed. "Thank you, Kami...from beyond the grave you're still looking after this old cat..."
Korin crawled, eventually reaching the sprout and picking it up. "Yajirobe, we're home..."
Removing the sprout from the soil, Korin found only the precious roots and a single bean attached. "...free."
Korin groaned. "D-Dammit..."
The cat walked across the ground, looking down at his longtime companion as the sounds of dying warriors grew quieter and quieter. Korin sighed. "Oh Yajirobe..."
A sharp, deep-voiced yell echoed through the woods and Korin flinched. Lightning briefly flashed in the background and the silhouette of Bora impaled on his spear covered the valley of the Sacred Land of Korin. A young man cried out. "F-Father!"
Android 17's voice spoke calmly. "Kill that brat, 18. We have a cat to go find~"
Korin snarled. "Dammit..."
And then, as he heard the sound of Upa being killed as well, Korin made a choice. He reached down and plucked the bean off of the Senzu Sprout, and then he shoved it into Yajirobe's mouth. As the bean took effect on the rotund ronin, Korin collapsed to the ground. His life was drawing to a close.
Yajirobe hopped to his feet, back to full strength. "Aw yeah, baby! Yajirobe is back in action! Thanks Korin~"
Silence. "K-Korin...?"
Yajirobe turned and gasped at the sight of the dying hermit. "K-Korin! Whoa man! What's going on?! Why didn't you eat a Senzu Bean yet?!"
Korin chuckled and softly bonked Yajirobe on the head with his staff. "Fresh out...you ate the last one, ya porker..."
Yajirobe looked confused and horrified. "N-No! You fed me the last one! Wh-Why the hell would you do that man?! You're worth more than I am here! You're an old master with a ton of experience! And I'm only-"
Korin sighed. "Yajirobe...you're a young man with a lot to offer and a whole lot more potential than anyone thinks..."
The cat hermit reached down next to him and grabbed the Senzu Sprout and the Power Pole. "Now, do me a favor and get the hell outta here. Okay...? I need you to make sure that...that the Senzu Beans continue to grow in my absence..."
Yajirobe looked genuinely remorseful, his hands shaking as he took the plant and pole from Korin. "But...but Kor-"
Korin cut him off. "But nothing. Go. Go as fast as ya legs can carry ya..."
Yajirobe was trembling. Korin shouted one more time. "Go!"
A few minutes passed and Android 17 and Android 18 finally found Korin. With the shivering rain pouring down, the two of them loomed over the dying cat. 17 sneered. "So, where's the other coward?"
Korin spat. "C-Coward...the only cowards I see are standing over me..."
Korin coughed. "Y-You young punks are gonna get yours...one day..."
18 chuckled, raising her hand up and charging a small blast. "Bad kitty~"
The blast was fired and, in a flash, Master Korin was gone. Another in the growing number that was 17 and 18's death count. With him dead and the Bora Tribe slaughtered, the two Androids stood in the rain with a new conundrum. "17?"
Android 17 turned. "Yeah, 18?"
18 sighed. "What now? Now do we go to West City and kill the rest of Goku's family...?"
17 rubbed his chin. "Hmm...nah. Not yet."
18 scoffed. "Then how do we pass the time?"
17 chuckled. "Well...I gotta say...killing those native dudes was fun. So... why don't we got and try that in a bigger city?"
With her hands already stained with so much blood, 18 didn't even think twice. She nodded with a smile. "Sounds fun~ Where do we go first?"
17 chuckled. "I'm thinking...North, South, East, and then..."
West City, two weeks later...
It had been two weeks since the Androids had begun to wage war on what seemed to be the entire world. Making their presence known to the entire human populace, 17 and 18 had gone from major city to major city, fighting King Furry's armies, butchering civilians, and always slipping away just before Vegeta, Raditz, and Gohan could arrive and fight them.
This whole roundabout slaughter had put both Raditz and Vegeta on edge. Neither man had slept in days, both had barely eaten. But now, they knew that they weren't on the chase anymore, soon enough...the wolves would be at their door.
Gohan, Vegeta, and Raditz were stood in Capsule Corp, preparing for it. Bulma, Launch, and Chi-Chi had taken the three babies and begun leading an evacuation effort out of the city. Vegeta stood in his and his wife's shared bedroom and stared at the photo that was taken the day his son was born. "Trunks..."
Raditz knocked on the door. "Vegeta, we just got word from the royal armies scouts..."
Suddenly, a high-pitched siren began to shriek and Vegeta sighed. "They're here."
On the northern outskirts of West City...
Android 17 and 18 abandoned their car underneath a rocky arch and continued their trip on foot. 17 looked back at the ride, the front grill stained red, and chuckled. "She was a good little car..."
18 rolled her eyes. "Too bad you kept running it into shit..."
17 shrugged. "What's the harm, 18? With our strength, no one can tell us what to do~"
He threw his arms out wide and cheered. "We're GODS, baby! And who the hell is gonna stop Gods from doing what they want?!"
18 pointed her finger ahead, at the line of tanks and other military vehicles. "Maybe them?"
17 blew a raspberry. "Them?! You think they can stop us?!"
18 smirked. "Yeah...maybe not~"
And then she fired a beam from her finger and three tanks exploded into flames. Soldiers screamed and commanding officers began to bark orders as the merciless Androids charged forward, totally unfettered.
From the center of West City...
Vegeta, Raditz, and Gohan all flew forward at top speed, Vegeta powering-up to his Super Saiyan form and making his power surge. "You two support me from a distance! I don't need you clowns becoming a liability while I'm trying to fight!"
Gohan nodded. "Right!"
Raditz nodded as well. "R-Right..."
The three Saiyans flew in, seeing their opponents backs. 17 and 18 were both laughing their heads off as they tortured a royal soldier to death, firing beams of energy into his stomach and watching him writhe in pain. Whatever humanity had once filled the Androids had shriveled up and died, replaced by sadistic mania. Just as that soldier died, Vegeta kicked Android 18 into a nearby building.
Android 17 laughed as Gohan and Raditz both landed. "Oh man~ Look at you, 18! You ate shit~"
Android 18 was less amused, stepping out of the storefront with a scowl. She glared at these new foes. "So, we have the cowardly Raditz...Goku's brat, if those pictures we tagged at Goku's house were accurate...and... I think this guy is an angry artichoke...?"
Vegeta snarled. "I am Vegeta! The Prince of Saiyans! And I am going to destroy you worthless Androids!"
18 rolled her eyes. 17 snorted. "Hey shorty! Just some quick advice, she called you an angry artichoke because your name isn't important! So, like, we weren't listening to what you just said!"
Vegeta scowled and his power flared. "As if I need a dead man to know my name!"
And, with that, the final battle for West City began. Gohan, Raditz, and Vegeta charged from one side, 17 and 18 from the other. And then began the final desperate clash for humanity's fate.
17 was taken aback as Vegeta's sheer power actually managed to throw him for a loop. The Saiyan Prince was certainly on a different level than anyone 17 had fought with before. He was even stronger than Bardock!
Vegeta snarled and landed a flurry of punches against the raven-haired Android, smacking him around before hammer-fisting Android 17 into a nearby building. Vegeta stood and sneered. "Hurry the hell up! I know that didn't defeat you!"
Android 17 stood, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. "Heh. Not bad, bud. You been training? Hm?"
Vegeta was seething. 17 rolled up his sleeves. "Maybe I can actually hit you hard and you won't break~"
17 charged and he and Vegeta locked up. Fists gripped tight, the two warriors pushed against one another as hard as they could, making the ground shred beneath their feet. After a few moments, 17 broke the stalemate by headbutting Vegeta on the forehead and then launching him back with a boot to the chest.
Vegeta slammed against the side of a bus hard enough to dent it, but he didn't fall. Blood trickled from the gash on his head and he spat. "That was your full strength?! Pathetic!"
Meanwhile, Gohan and Raditz were working in tandem against Android 18. The female Android was forced onto the defensive as the two Saiyans descended upon her. The directions that they were coming from varied like crazy and 18 was careful to block each of their attacks. She might be powerful, but she wasn't acting childish like 17 in matters like these.
Seeing an opportunity, 18 took immediate advantage of the fight. She stomped Raditz's knee, tripping the Saiyan, kneed Gohan in the gut, and then smoothly transitioned into a smashing elbow to the center of Raditz's face. Both Saiyans went crashing back and 18 charged two blasts, but she was interrupted when Android 17 came sailing into her on the end of a Galick Gun.
Vegeta glared at the two Androids as they both recovered. 17 and 18 glanced to one another and wordlessly nodded. And then, without missing a step, they both charged and landed simultaneous punches on Vegeta. Both Androids charged with a laugh. 17 shouted. "You're exactly like that fight with Bardock, ya know that?!"
18 smirked. "You might actually be able to win if we just let you...but what incentive do we have not to cheat?!"
17 kicked Vegeta in the side of the head. "It's a shame you don't have a wife nearby for us to use as a shield~"
18 chuckled. "You should have seen the look on Scar-Goku's face when he realized that it was his punch that snapped his wife's neck~"
17 smiled wide. "He might have even powered-up beyond us if I hadn't run my hand through his ribs~"
18 shrugged. "But, ifs and buts are like candy and nuts~ And speaking of nuts...~"
Android 18 reared her foot back and slammed it right between Vegeta's legs. The Prince slumped over on her leg and began to shake. 18 laughed. "Aw~ Did it hurt that badly?"
Vegeta was quivering, but not with pain. In his mind, the Prince had a clear picture of Bardock and Gine, and how much the two of them cared for each other. And then, that picture immediately switched to the cowardly tactic that the Androids had just admitted to using. Practically foaming at the mouth, Vegeta grabbed 17 and 18 both by the face and shouted at the top of his lungs. "Double Galick Gun!"
He shoved 17 and 18 to the ground and fired the blasts at them, forcing the two wicked Android down into the street and causing a massive explosion.
Once the smoke cleared, Vegeta stood there in agony. His arms still worked, but he had singed the skin on them all the way up to his shoulders. He clenched his fists tight, blood leaking out of them, and shouted. "GET UP! GET THE FUCK UP! I KNOW YOU SMARMY LITTLE BRATS AREN'T DEAD YET! SO, QUIT PLAYING THESE CHILDISH GAMES AND FIGHT LIKE REAL WARRIORS!"
17 and 18 both emerged from the rubble with cold expressions on their faces. The new "Gods" had just had their almighty reign challenged. And boy, did that piss them off. As they both marched forward ready to flay Vegeta alive, a bright light suddenly shone above them. 17 turned. "What now?!"
17 and 18 turned and saw a massive battery of energy blasts raining down from the sky above on top of them. And the source of these blasts was Raditz!
Raditz snarled and shouted at the top of his lungs. "Summer Sundays Jubilation!"
Vegeta thrust his middle and index fingers forward, forming a ring of energy around 17 and 18. "Dirty Fireworks!"
And finally, Gohan backflipped over Vegeta and fired a blast of his own. "MASENKO!"
All three blasts crashed into the Androids at once and created a massive boom. A mushroom cloud rose from where the two stood and Vegeta, Raditz, and Gohan took a moment to breathe. This would prove to be a costly mistake. As, in that moment of pause, 17 and 18 had leapt into the air and formed a massive, dual Energy Barrier. The two of them levied it downward, crushing Gohan, Vegeta, Raditz, and quite a bit of the surrounded are flat into the ground.
Both Androids landed, dispersing their barriers, but Vegeta actually managed to catch them by surprised. Pulling himself from the ground and powering through the pain of being crushed, Vegeta wrapped his hand around 17's throat and heaved the male Android into the ground. 18 rushed him from behind, but Vegeta managed to kick her in the face before spinning atop 17 and delivering a second kick to 18, smashing her in the side and sending her flying across the battlefield.
Vegeta landed, double foot stomping on 17's chest and then unloaded a volley of ki blasts onto the Android.
Taking a moment, Vegeta retreated and called upon his allies. "Raditz! Gohan! Pull yourselves together!"
Shakily, Raditz and Gohan both pulled themselves from the ground. It was clear though that, unlike Vegeta, being crushed like that had done a number on the both of them. And, what was worse, 17 and 18 both stood from the vicious assault Vegeta had dealt them and they weren't even breathing heavy. Superficial damage had been done, but it was clear that a long, uphill battle remained.
Vegeta growled. "You must be kidding me..."
Raditz groaned. "This is insane..."
Gohan sounded resigned, but furious. "They aren't even tired..."
17 and 18 both smirked at their foes. 18 chuckled. "Where's the smarm, Vegeta? You were so wordy a minute ago~"
17 cocked his head. "Has Mr. Artichoke run out of one-liners already?"
Raditz and Gohan both noticed it as well. Vegeta had become uncharacteristically quiet. The normal spitfire and vitriol the Prince display was now replaced by a grim terseness that made both Gohan and Raditz very uncomfortable. The pressure was getting to Vegeta, and now his allies were worried he was close to cracking.
This distraction proved enough for the Androids to make a move. To the shock of Vegeta, the two mechanical menaces charged and blitzed the warriors standing on either side of him. Raditz went flying back and cracked his head against the ground. Gohan slid across the ground, a piece of sharp metal slicing through his left eye and leaving the young boy screaming in pain on the ground.
Vegeta turned and barely managed a guard as the Androids began to lay into him. Punches and kicks rocked Vegeta's body as he desperately tried to defend himself. The Androids were moving at incredible speed, brutalizing the Prince with hideous strikes that would have sent any man to the ground.
But Vegeta wasn't just any man. He waited for his opportunity. The pain hurt, but he knew that the Androids would eventually get ahead of themselves. And, when that moment came, Vegeta had one last surprise that he hadn't tried yet.
17 and 18 both reared back and charged a blast and Vegeta saw his moment. As they prepared to fire, Vegeta held out his hand and charged a massive amount of energy. "BIG BANG ATTACK!"
The two Androids both gasped as a huge ball of energy shot from Vegeta's hand, enveloping both and launching them across the city, where they were eventually caught in a massive explosion. Vegeta raggedly sighed and, moving without any real thought, he ran over to check on Raditz and Gohan.
Both were critically injured. Raditz's skull was leaking blood and Gohan's eyes was pouring with just as much of the red stuff. Vegeta growled. "Dammit. Dammit dammit dammit..."
The Prince snarled to himself. "Dammit, Kakarot...Bardock, what would you do he-"
He caught himself. Was...Vegeta really asking himself what someone else would do? Let alone Kakarot and Bardock?! As Raditz and Gohan began to stir, Vegeta had a small, sad chuckle. The Prince let his guard down as he thought to himself. "I've...really fallen into such desperation that I'm asking what you fools would do..."
Vegeta closed his eyes. "Well Kakarot? Well Bardock? What would you do?"
"VEGETA! LOOK OUT!"
Vegeta's eyes snapped open and he glared at Raditz. Everything else seemed to move in slow motion after that. To his right, Vegeta saw a thin blade of energy slicing through the ground. As he looked to his left, Vegeta saw another blade of energy that was too close for him to dodge.
The sound of a knife going through meat echoed out, followed by the sound of blood splattering, and then a solid thud.
Gohan cried out in shock, clenching his hand over his eye. "VEGETA!"
Vegeta's eyes hit the ground. He couldn't react to anything around him. He stared for a moment at it on the floor, leaking and puddling blood. Vegeta's left arm just laid there, as lifeless as his chances of winning this fight. It happened so quickly, and Vegeta was so numb and in so much pain in so many other places, that he almost didn't feel it.
Or maybe the shock had just overwhelmed his system.
Either way, Vegeta merely closed his eyes, veined bulging from his forehead, and stood up. Gohan called over to him. "Vegeta-"
Vegeta snapped. "Quiet!"
Raditz tried to speak. "Vegeta..."
Vegeta snapped again. "Quiet!"
Everything fell silent. And then, in the distance, Gohan and Raditz heard two faint sets of footsteps. And they were drawing closer. And then, they both heard something else that made them double-take. "Leave."
Raditz and Gohan both flinched, Raditz suddenly shouting. "Excuse me?!"
Vegeta spoke in his steady tone, holding his bleeding arm stump. "You are excused. Now go."
Gohan spoke up. "B-But Vegeta!"
Vegeta shook his head, refusing to look at either of them. "No buts. This is useless. A waste. You both are too weak and too injured to fight. And neither of you are Super Saiyans, so you might as well challenge those cretins to a pillow fight..."
The Prince took a deep breath. "But, if all three of us try to leave, they'll never stop chasing us. And that would put Bulma, Trunks, and the others in harm's way..."
He shook his head again. "So, would it make more sense for us to sacrifice two hands to keep those Androids at bay...or just one?"
Gohan shouted. "So you would have us just abandon you to die?!"
Vegeta retorted. "I would have you leave to go and keep those who can't protect themselves safe."
The Prince fell quiet. "Would you really deny me that simple pleasure, Gohan...? Raditz...?"
Raditz deflated a bit. Gohan was having none of this, however. "We can still win this! We can-"
"Go, Gohan!"
Gohan turned, staring in disbelief at his uncle. Raditz snapped at him. "Get going! We have to get out of here or the Androids will catch us!"
Gohan's brow furrowed. "Y-You...You..."
Raditz shouted at Gohan again. "GO!"
Gohan clenched his fists tight, and then he flew away with his teeth clenched and clear fury in his eyes. Raditz turned and had one final look at the resigned Vegeta, and then he joined his nephew in fleeing.
On the outskirts of West City...
Bulma, Chi-Chi, Blonde Launch, and the babies all waited on the side of the road, on the countryside outside of West City, watching the fireworks in the distance with hushed breaths. As Bulma watched the skies, however, she suddenly gasped. "S-Someone's coming! T-Two people!"
All three of the mother's readied themselves, arming themselves in case these two were the Androids. Chi-Chi and Launch both breathed a sigh of relief as they quickly noticed that it was Gohan and Raditz approaching. Bulma, meanwhile, looked forelorn. "V-Vegeta..."
When Raditz and Gohan landed, however, Chi-Chi's joy instantly became horror. "Gohan! Oh no! My baby! Your eye!"
As Chi-Chi doted on Gohan's eye and Launch ran up to wrap her arms around Raditz, Bulma approached with a worried look on her face. "Raditz...where's Vegeta...?"
Raditz didn't answer, looking ashamed. Bulma cried out. "Raditz?!"
The elder Saiyan brother answered. "He sent us away..."
Raditz shook his head. "He...he sent us away to watch over you...and to protect you from the Androids..."
Bulma teared up, pressing her hands over her eyes. "No...Vegeta...h-how could you just-"
"Don't lie to her."
Everyone flinched. Chi-Chi looked concerned. "G-Gohan...?"
Gohan moved past his mother and glared up at Raditz with utter disdain. "How dare you lie to her? Huh?!"
Raditz stared down at his nephew. "Gohan? What are you-"
Gohan snapped. "Vegeta didn't send us away to protect people! That's what he said afterwards! After his real reason! You remember his real reason, right Raditz?!"
Chi-Chi tried to reason with her son. "Gohan! That is your uncle, young man! You speak to your elders with-"
Gohan blatantly ignored Chi-Chi. "Why didn't you get any stronger?! Huh?!"
Raditz flinched back. Gohan stepped forward. "All of this time! All of those people you watched die! Your so-called 'friend' Krillin! Your so-called 'beloved mother' Gine! Me when you learned that Aka killed me! My Dad! Mr. Piccolo! Yamcha! Tien! Chiaotzu! Krillin a second time! My grandpa Ox! You own father! Your own mother a second time! And now Vegeta!"
Gohan gritted his teeth. "So many people you care about dying around you and yet you don't become stronger! You don't gain any real power!"
The boy took a deep breath, and then tears began to stream from his eyes. "YOU CALL YOURSELF A SAIYAN WARRIOR! THEN WHY DON'T YOU BECOME A SUPER SAIYAN?! HUH?! WHY?!"
Gohan clenched his fists so hard that they began to bleed. "IS IT BECAUSE YOU DON'T CARE?! ARE YOU THAT SELFISH?! OR IS IT BECAUSE YOU'RE A COWARD?! YOU'RE JUST A COWARD! FOR HOW MUCH EVERYONE SAYS YOU'VE DEVELOPED AND IMPROVED AND CHANGED..."
Blonde Launch snapped. "Listen here brat! You should learn to look in a mirror every once in a while, cuz from how I see it-"
Raditz cut Launch off. "Stop..."
Gohan fell to his knees, sobbing. "For how much everyone says you've improved and changed, everyone around you is dying and you can't do anything about it...cuz you're weak..."
Raditz gripped his fists. "Listen, Gohan...I know that you're hurt. I know that you're despairing, and angry, and upset..."
He lowered his head and knelt down to the boy. "I've been there. And I'm so sorry. I'm sorry that I'm not stronger. You're right...after everything, I should have ascended to a better level by now...if I had, maybe everyone would still be alive..."
Raditz gripped Gohan's shoulder, picturing himself at the boy's age. "I train and train every day to become stronger, to be able to stay at the level of all of my fellow Saiyans, but-"
Gohan screamed at it. "IT'S NOT ENOUGH! YOU'RE PATHETIC! YOU MAKE YOUR FATHER LOOK STUPID FOR EVERY TIME HE SAID YOU'D BECOME A GREAT WARRIOR!"
Chi-Chi yelled at her son. "Gohan! That's enough! Can't you see that Raditz is hurting too?!"
Raditz was resigned. "You're right. And that's something that I might always have to live with. Maybe...given the way things have shaken out...I'll never end up being what my Dad saw in me..."
The uncle gripped his nephew's shoulder tight and spoke firmly. "But listen, Gohan..."
Gohan looked up at him, tears streaming. Raditz pointed to that car. "Over there in that car is something you and I have in common. You're the older brother to those little ones..."
Raditz closed his eyes. "The way I've always looked at things ever since I was granted my second chance is that, well, I might not be anything special in fate's eyes...but I can at least do the job of a big brother and make sure that I support my little sibling in becoming something truly great..."
Gohan sobbed again. Raditz sighed. "The future has hope so long as those three are alive...and so long as they have you..."
Raditz nodded. "And on that note, Gohan, one more thing..."
Gohan looked up at Raditz. Raditz smiled. "You might not think much of me, but I think you're pretty great."
And then, before Gohan could say a word, Raditz smashed his fist into the boy's stomach and gently laid his unconscious form down. And then, the elder brother stood up, unfurled his tail from his waist, and turned back towards West City. "You guys all need to get out of here."
Bulma called out. "W-Wait! Where are you going?!"
Raditz didn't look back. He couldn't make himself. "I can't just leave Vegeta to die. Gohan's right...it would be cowardly for me to leave him to die like that..."
Chi-Chi sounded angry. "And that required you hitting Gohan?!"
Raditz shrugged. "He's not ready yet. And, unlike me, he has potential. So, I can't have him following me into this mess. Something might happen to him..."
Bulma and Chi-Chi were both at a loss for words. Launch however, had plenty. "Hell no! You can't go into that by yourself! I'm coming with you!"
She stepped in front of her husband and looked him in the eye. Raditz smiled. "Come on, dear...I was hoping at least you would have faith in me..."
Launch flinched. "I do...but...I..."
Raditz leaned down, kissing her on the lips. And then, Raditz reached over and pulled the band off of his arm. "Take this. Ranch loves teething on it. You might need it in case she starts crying on the drive."
Raditz took a deep breath and smiled. "You will see me again. So, until then, I need you to take care of the babies and make sure that all three of them stay safe. Can you do that for me?"
Launch nodded. "O-Of course I can!"
Raditz took to the air. "Okay then. I love you Launch. Forever."
And then Raditz took off. Launch called after his, fighting back the urge to cry or throw up. "I love you too! If you come back with a single, new scratch on you I'll give you hell! You hear me, Raditz?!"
Days later, in a cave in the Blake Bog...
A Capsule House sat nestled in a cave, a temporary hideaway for Bulma, Launch, Chi-Chi and the kids to all hide in while they tried to plan their next move. Bulma checked on the babies, making sure that all three of them had full bottles and clean diapers.
Chi-Chi was in the kitchen, attempting to cook something from the rations that Bulma had managed to secure. Gohan was on a cot next to the fridge, eye bandaged and still unconscious.
And finally, Blonde Launch was stuck to the satellite TV in the den. She was sitting there with bated breath, watching the round-the-clock ZTV coverage of the Androids and their path of destruction. Today was the day that they would be going into West City.
As all three women did their thing, a knock at their door made them all jump. Quickly, Launch grabbed her uzi, Bulma grabbed her pistol, and Chi-Chi grabbed her sword, and they all answered the door ready for a fight. What they found on the other side was a near-starved, piss-scared Yajirobe. "P-Please! I just smelled food! I don't wanna fight!"
Launch scowled. "I got pulled away from the TV for this?!"
Chi-Chi was blunt. "This food is for my children, not the homeless. Starve."
Bulma, meanwhile, was a lot more coolheaded. "I can't believe...out of everybody...you're the one who managed to live."
The two of them stared at one another for a moment, Bulma looking indifferent and Yajirobe's eyes pleading. She sighed. "Welcome home, Yajirobe. If you try to laze around, I'm going to shoot you. Got it?"
Yajirobe nodded. "S-Sure thing! Thank you! I... uh...I have my first month's rent!"
Bulma raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"
Yajirobe nodded again. "Uh-huh! Look!"
The ronin produced the Power Pole and the Sprout that Korin had given him. Bulma flinched. "The Power Pole...and is that a Senzu Bean Plant?!"
Yajirobe smiled. "Uh-huh! K-Korin gave it to me for safe keeping, and-"
Launch shouted from her place next to the television. "WOULD YOU ALL SHUT THE HELL UP?! I'M WATCHING THE NEWS!"
Everyone else fell silent. They knew that this was it. Bulma and Yajirobe both gathered around the TV. As did a rather forlorn Chi-Chi. Finally, waking up, Gohan limped his way into the den as well. "What's...what's going on...?"
Chi-Chi gasped and shrieked in joy. "Gohan! You're awake!"
Gohan was dazed, staring at the TV screen. "What happened?"
Chi-Chi kissed her son on the face. "Oh baby, you-"
Launch shouted at the top of her lungs. "BE QUIET!"
On the television, a sullen reporter spoke of scenes of carnage and destruction. West City had been trashed and all but burned to the ground. The reporter was grim. "The effort to collect the remains of victims during this attack are going slowly. The royal army is taking care to make sure that no remains are mixed and is attempting to identify each victim for their family, but the sheer destruction done to each person is...sickening and inhuman, to say the least..."
The ZTV helicopters scanned over the skyline of West City. Eventually, the camera fell on a body impaled on a radio tower and the cameraman noticeably flinched. The reporter covering the story faltered. "Dear Lord, I... I can't report on this anymore..."
As everything fell silent, the camera zoomed in on the poor fellow impaled on the radio tower. Fire had rendered the man unrecognizable. No hair, nor facial features to be made out. Bulma covered her mouth. "This is...wrong..."
Chi-Chi tried to cover Gohan's eyes, but the boy slapped her hand away. She called over to him. "Gohan...?"
Both Gohan and Launch got closer to the TV, staring at the screen with horror in their eyes. Gohan silently cried out. "N-No..."
He fell to his knees. As he knelt there, shell-shocked, Launch traced her finger over the screen. It was barely apparent, invisible to anyone not looking for it. But, across the bare leg of this scorched individual was one distinctive feature: a single, temperature-proof tension band across the person's left thigh.
Blonde Launch's pupils shrank. "Raditz..."
Bulma reached out to her. "Launch...I-"
Blonde Launch repeated herself. "Raditz..."
Everyone else was in silent shock. Chi-Chi had already felt this pain all-too-well. Bulma had resigned herself that this was what was going to happen. But, to Blonde Launch...this was the end of the world. Something within Launch's mind, within her psyche, broke down. Shattered like glass. And then, with a sneeze, the blonde hair was gone and replaced with blue.
And then Launch's heart shattered and she began to cry and sob and scream at the top of her lungs. Bulma reached out to try and calm her, only to flinch when Launch's snot caused her to sneeze. But, to everyone's shock, the sneeze did nothing. Launch's hair stayed blue and she continued to express her grief out loud. Bulma grabbed her friend and held her tight, finally letting her tears flow herself as she buried her face in Launch's shoulder.
And finally, as everyone around Gohan began to loudly and openly grieve, the boy just sat there in silence. Bulma, Chi-Chi, and Launch were all sobbing at their losses. The babies were screaming and crying in their cribs. Even Yajirobe was shedding a few tears, in spite of himself.
But, in Gohan's mind, it was all silent. All empty.
He knelled there on the ground, staring at the burnt remains of the last of the Z-Fighters impaled. Everyone was gone. Except for the people in this Capsule House with him, everyone was gone. His father's entire bloodline was wiped out. He was the only warrior left standing.
As Gohan kneeled there, his eyes turned to the ceiling, his mouth opened wide and he let loose the most primal, raging scream he had ever let loose. All of his frustration and anger and sadness bubbled up all at once as he remembered everything that had happened to his life.
His father died without last words, his friends all died afraid, his grandmother died at the accidental hands of his grandfather and his grandfather died in despair, Mr. Piccolo had died all alone, Vegeta had died sullen and resigned, and his Uncle Raditz...
The last things he said to his Uncle Raditz...
The last things he would ever get to say to his Uncle Raditz in this life...
Outside of the Capsule House, in the Blake Bog...
And that is how the future was doomed. How the Androids took over and how everything seemed lost. Humanity was a dead race, fearing for one's life was a common tradition from that day forward as Android 17 and 18 could show up at any moment to have their "fun".
But, in one hidden sanctuary in the Blake Bog, a golden flash followed by beaming golden light shone out of every window.
The future might not have known it at large, but Hope was not quite dead yet...
Proofreading: StevenBodner
