Chapter 47: The Trap is Sprung

General Red sat upon his throne, looking as heroic and wise as possible. He was dressed in a fine military uniform and he wore his best eye patch. A goat was across from him, painting what he saw. Yet this was no mere goat, this was Goatto Von Masmir, the greatest painter on earth, specialist in drawing people tall. At that moment a door opened and Red looked up in irritation as a soldier entered.

'Commander,' said the soldier.

'Hmm?' asked Red, annoyed.

The soldier whispered something in his ear.

'What do you mean pirates treasure?!' snapped Red.

'Please sir,' said Goatto 'I need you to stay still.'

'Sir.' said the soldier. 'It has been reported by General Blue that in his pursuit of Briefs and her companions he may also have discovered a secret cave in which the pirates have hidden a large stash of gold and jewels.'

'Well is that right?' asked Red thoughtfully.

'Sir, please don't move.' said Goatto Von Masmir.

'The pirates loot and the dragonballs?' asked Black 'General Blue must be trying to make amends for his past mistakes. He was to blame for the failure at the boys base-'

'Failure?' asked a familiar voice 'I wasn't aware of anything like that.'

The door burst open and General Silver entered the room, clad in a new trenchcoat. Behind him walked Hasky.

'Silver you wretch!' said Red 'How dare you show your face here again! I-'

Red flinched as Silver drew something out of his pocket faster than he could see and tossed it to them. A dragon ball landed at his feet and Red looked down, then up again. 'What is the meaning of this?'

'Sir-' began Goatto.

'Shut up!' snarled Red 'Put the painting on hold until I'm done! Now, Silver, you were about to explain yourself.'

'Nothing to explain,' said Hasky 'I was undercover as the girl you reported. The old man is far stronger than you gave him credit for. He is Master Roshi.'

'The Turtle Hermit? Don't make me laugh, that's an old fairy story.' said Red.

'A fairy story that crushed an entire company.' noted Silver.

'If that's the case how did a weakling like you manage to stop him?' asked Red.

'I'm not the same person who lost to Briefs.' said Silver 'I'm sure Gero can fill you in on the details.' Then he turned and walked out.

Hasky leaned against the wall. 'Be seeing you, boys.'

Then she walked out.

Red growled and reassumed his position. 'Keep on painting. Black, get the dragonball.'

'I have my doubts about Blue.' said Black 'With his dismal record I'd be surprised if he could pull off something this big.'

'Well increasing our rewards, that's fine.' said Red 'Bringing back the dragonballs though, that's essential. Make sure that General Blue understands that this is his last chance to prove his worth to this army!'

'Yes sir.' said the soldier, saluting before departing the room.

'Oh yes, I think thats it.' said Goatto.

'Your done with the portrait!' said Red in joy. 'Let me see it!'

'Uh yes,' said Goatto 'right away.' He picked up the canvass and brought it over to him.

The picture showed a gray haired version of red upon a throne, towering over a squat version of Black. Looking over it, Red smiled. 'It's genius! Genius! You've captured my commanding presence perfectly! Now I see why you're called the greatest painter of your time!'

Goatto smiled. 'Thank you, thank you very much.'

'Yes,' said Black, leaning in over Red. 'he has portrayed very well your great dignity and imposing masculinity.'

Red looked up. 'I told you before never to stand directly beside me!'

'I'm sorry sir!' cried Black.

Gero scoffed in contempt from where he was watching. Fools.

Hasky entered the office and found Gero waiting for her behind his desk. There was a projector near the far wall, which Gero pulled out. The old man was looking through papers of one kind or another and for a moment pretended not to notice her. Hasky grew tired of this and drew out a gun, which she clicked audibly.

Gero looked up. 'There is no need for that. I'll get to you presently.'

'You'll get to me now.' said Hasky. 'I want to know what I was doing on that island. I want to know why I have these powers. What did you do to me?'

'Nothing, beyond perhaps start you up.' said Gero, picking up a file and making his way over to the projector which he pulled out. 'Tell me, what do you remember about your childhood?'

'Not much.' said Hasky 'I was part of a posh upperclass family. I got sick of it, and ran away. Took up thieving and became a legend.'

'Ah, yes,' said Gero 'that is what you were programmed to think.'

'What are you talking about?' asked Hasky.

'Tell me,' said Gero 'can you remember your parents names?'

Hasky opened her mouth to state the obvious. Yet the obvious wouldn't come, she scanned her mind for their names, yet she found nothing. She couldn't think of anything it was just blank nothingness. Then she came up with some, from somewhere. 'Their names were Dynar and Martha Breakfast.'

'Interesting,' said Gero thoughtfully. 'what about your home address? Street address? City of birth?'

Once again Hasky had nothing, yet as she mulled it over she gradually drew an answer from somewhere. Yet that answer didn't make sense, she kept imagining a run down old house on the prairie. Brothers and sisters whose named she didn't recall. 'I don't see why I should answer any of your questions, old man?'

'You can't think of any can you?' asked Gero 'Nothing that matches up with the backstory you were programmed with.'

'What do you mean?' asked Hasky.

Gero removed a remote from his pocket and pressed a button. The projector activated and showed a black and white picture of two people who Hasky did not recognize. Yet who seemed to fit the images she kept having. The woman, who looked a lot like Hasky, was holding a child. 'This is Dynar and Martha Breakfast, a couple with a great many children to support.

They had financial difficulties and my sympathies were aroused. I offered to pay them a great deal of money in exchange for one of their children's participation in an experiment.' He changed the picture to show a child, a young girl, surrounded by many metallic arms. 'This is Launch. The experiment was to see if it would be possible to supplant existing personalities with an artificial one on command. A data chip was implanted into her brain which, when activated, can create a secondary personality which takes control temporarily.'

'I've read about her.' said Hasky, eyes narrowing. 'Real brute force criminal. Blows everything up in sight.'

'The nature of the personality we implanted in her did not hurt her physically of course.' said Gero 'However it caused her to have violent changes in personality. When she sneezes she switched between a blue haired individual who is far too passive and a blonde haired psychopath.'

'What does this have to do with me?' asked Hasky.

'The program I inserted into Launch's brain was called Master Thief Hasky.' said Gero 'You are an AI. My creation, and now you have come home.'

There was a long, long, silence as Hasky took this in. 'You're a fucking idiot!'

'Well that was not the reaction I was anticipating.' mused Gero.

'What did you expect?' asked Hasky 'That story is just stupid.'

'Really?' asked Gero 'Then how do you explain you suddenly gaining powers without explanation? How do you explain the fact that you don't know where you live, just wake up with a mission and do it.'

'I do missions for money!' snapped Hasky.

'Then when have you ever been paid?' asked Gero 'When was the last time you remember being given the agreed upon payment for a mission? When was the last time you remember agreeing to a job?

You can't remember because it never happened. Until very recently you have only existed in the moment. Only existed when the Red Ribbon Army activated you. You never had enough time until now to see the contradictions, the blank spaces. You do now.'

'So what changed?' asked Hasky 'Let's say I believe you, why tell me this now?'

'Because Launch became a threat to the Red Ribbon Army.' said Gero 'Which ties into why you got those powers. She trained with the Turtle Hermit, alongside most of our other enemies. In doing so she gained tremendous speed and skill, and other powers.

Until now it served my purposes better to only activate you for occasional missions. Now, however, I intend to keep you active in order to prevent Launch from causing any more problems.'

'Well good for you.' said Hasky 'I'm done.'

She walked towards the door.

'Where are you going?' asked Gero.

'Away from here.' said Hasky.

'And where else?' asked Gero 'Look in your wallet. Your ID is for someone else. You are no one out there. Work for me, and my son can make you even more powerful. The Red Ribbon Army is the future of the world.

If you help us achieve that future you could have anything you ever wanted.'

Hasky looked to him, and reflected that he was right. She enjoyed causing mayhem, and she could always backstab them later if it was convenient. 'Alright, I'll stay on as a mercenary.'

'Good enough for now,' said Gero 'I'll have arrangements made for your room and board.'

'Whatever.' said Hasky, before walking out the door.

Silver was waiting for her, arms crossed and smiling. 'Can I say you've made the right decision?'

'You can say so.' said Hasky 'I'm not sure I believe you.'

The tunnel led onward into the darkness with only the lights on the ceiling illuminating their path. Many of the lights were aged and flickered as they passed under them. The air here was old, and there was something about the place the Kakarot did not like. Yet despite the somewhat ominous nature of things, Krillin was enthusiastic.

'I can't believe we found the pirates secret hideout!' cried Krillin. 'I'm going to find tons and tons of treasure and I'm going to be so rich!'

'You sure are in a good mood.' said Bulma, who evidently possessed a sliver of sanity. 'Don't forget those army guys are still after us.'

'Personally, I'd rather be hunting.' said Kakarot.

'Oh, I wish I had bigger pockets!' cried Krillin 'Or a wagon, or even better a wheelbarrow!'

On the tunnel stretched and they still saw no signs of any side passages or an end. After a few minutes, Bulma sighed. 'How much longer do we have to wait to get to the end of this tunnel?'

'How much longer do we have to wait before we can eat something.' muttered Kakarot.

'We're getting close.' Krillen assured them.

'How would you know?' shot back Kakarot.

Suddenly they came before a hall with smooth violet walls and a smooth tan floor. Holes were all over the left wall and the right, stretching toward the far side. Here they halted in surprise.

'Hey, the path gets much smoother here!' cried Krillen.

'I don't like this.' murmured Kakarot. 'It's too easy.'

'I know.' said Bulma 'Why would a bunch of pirates want to decorate their walls and floor with polkadots.'

'Who knows.' said Krillen 'They can cover the walls with funny papers for all I care. Come on.' He stepped onto one of the polkadots. In that instant, a spear shot out of the wall and surged over his head by an inch before sticking into the wall beside him. Krillin froze.

'I knew it.' said Kakarot.

'I thought those dots seemed kind of weird.' said Bulma.

'What was that all about?' asked Krillen as he stepped back fearfully.

'It must be some kind of booby trap to protect the treasure.' said Bulma. 'See those spears shoot out of the holes in the wall if an intruder steps on one of the spots.'

'Your lucky you're short.' mused Kakarot.

'Hey, you're no giant yourself buddy.' said Krillen.

'How are we supposed to get through here without coming out like swiss cheese?' asked Bulma in a worried tone. 'And those army creeps are still after us. What are we supposed to do?'

'We'll be fine as long as we don't step on the round things, right?' asked Kakarot as he got some distance.

'What are you talking about?' asked Bulma 'They're all over the place. How are we supposed to get through here without stepping on them? Huh? Just look at them.'

'We'll just jump.' said Kakarot, before rushing across the floor and leaping forward. He flew through the air and landed on the other side, before turning around.

'Amazing!' cried Bulma 'That's more than fifty feet!'

'You're turn Krillen.' said Kakarot.

'I see,' said Krillen 'no problem. I can do that.' He stepped back a ways.

'No don't do it Krillen!' said Bulma 'Kakarot's not a normal kid!'

'Don't sweat it.' said Krillen with a smirk. 'I trained with Master Roshi too you know. It'll be a piece of cake.' Then he raced forward and leaped. However, he leaped too high and most of the way there he hit his head on the wall. During his descent, he landed on his back with his head resting on the pokedots and two spears shot out to hit the walls while Krillen's eyes widened in fear.

Kakarot pulled him back. 'Nice work.'

'Shut up Kakarot.' said Krillen. 'That was too close.'

'Care to try?' called Kakarot to Bulma.

'Are you guys nuts?!' asked Bulma 'There is no way I can jump that far!'

Kakarot unsheathed his pole. 'Power pole extend.' The pole shot out so that it was near Bulma. 'Hang on to this, and I'll draw you back.'

As Bulma was drawn gradually back along it, she clung to the pole. 'Kakarot slow this thing down! I'm going to fall off!'

'You should exercise more then.' said Kakarot. 'Retract slower power pole.'

'Now you're shaking it!' cried Bulma.

Finally, Bulma got to the other side and let go to land on her rump.

'Are you okay?' asked Kakarot.

'Don't patronize me!' snapped Bulma.

'Fine,' said Krillen 'let's go then.'

They made their way into a series of halls with violet brick floors and red brick walls. The ceilings were green and everything looked exactly the same. It was quite boring, really. Kakarot tapped his hand against one of the walls. 'Seems solid enough.'

'But be careful.' whined Krillin.

The scout returned as Blue and his soldiers marched forward. All too soon victory would be Blue's and he would be rewarded properly for his success. The scout saluted and Blue spoke: 'Report.'

'General Blue sir,' said the scout 'the enemy is on the move again.'

'So they must have found something.' said Blue 'The time has come my good men! Get those fools and crush them!'

With a roar of enthusiasm, the red ribbon soldiers rushed down the halls, weapons in hand as they sought their enemy. They would find them and gun them down like the rabble they were! Glory for the red ribbon army! Glory for Blue!

'The dragonball and the treasure will soon be ours.' said Blue as he walked after them. 'Oh, I am so wonderful!'

Suddenly there came the sounds of screams and metal on flesh. Then nothing but silence. In shock Blue raced after his men, to find out what had happened. Racing round the corner he halted and stared in horror, for all his men were lying against the walls, shot with many spears that had emerged from seemingly nowhere.

'My… my company!' cried Blue. 'They've fallen into some sort of booby trap!'

He stepped forward and then a spear shot past his face to land against the wall. 'I see…' he said 'That makes sense. The floor is engineered to attack any trespassers.' He looked down. 'That's odd… I'd like to know how those kids got through. And the pirates must have had some way to get around that trap…' Then he realized the obvious. 'There must be a secret passage somewhere.'

He began to feel along the walls for any switches or triggers. Then he found a rock whose coloration was subtly different. He smiled. 'What's this? I found it.' He pulled it aside and pressed a button he found beneath.

A wall slid aside near him. Walking in, he felt satisfaction. 'Hehe,' he said 'looks like I'll just have to handle you myself. Little brats, I'll outsmart you yet.'

As he walked he soon entered into a pool of water. Walking along, he suddenly felt electricity rush through him and cried out in pain. As he was zapped repeatedly a massive eel slithered around his legs, scaling around his waist and only making the current stronger. His vision was swimming, his hair standing on end. Breaking free of it's grip, he snatched it by the neck with one hand and squeezed, crushing it. Desperately it zapped him, but Blue held firm and stared until it's slithering stopped and it died.

Laughing, Blue tossed it aside and made his way onwards.

Bulma, Krillen and Kakarot emerged from the hallway into what looked like an indoor replica of a port town. There were many crumbled buildings on the floor, and next to it was a great pool of water with a giant sub atop it. Kakarot looked on in awe.

'Wow,' he said 'it's like a city in here.'

'Yeah…' said Bulma. 'this must have been the pirates port.'

'Sure is a strange location for it.' mused Krillen.

'Yeah,' said Bulma 'it's no wonder that no one was ever able to find the pirates base.'

'Why build all this inside a cave?' muttered Kakarot 'It must have taken an enormous amount of work. I couldn't swim all the way down here, so I doubt that any ordinary pirates could. And unless I'm mistaken that vessel is recent. The pirates Master Roshi described were ancient, wielding cutlasses and flintlocks and all that nonsense. This is very modern.'

'Good point,' said Bulma 'which means that either the pirates had futuristic equipment. Or…' Her voice quivered as she looked around. 'There might still be someone here.'

'Oh don't be such a pessimist.' said Krillen 'This has gotta be where they stashed the treasure. It's around here somewhere, I just know it.'

'Hang on a sec,' said Bulma 'that huge submarine. If it's in here, then there must be another way out of the cave.'

'Huh?' asked Krillen 'Why is that?'

'They didn't have capsules in the old days.' said Bulma 'They couldn't just make the submarine small and carry it. So I bet to travel out to sea they had to go under the port.'

'Or they still do.' said Kakarot, looking around warily. 'And I don't think they're human.'

'What do you mean they're not human?' asked Bulma.

Kakarot looked around, coiling for a spring. He could hear footsteps, yet he could not make out where they were coming from. Something was out there, though. He could feel it.

'It's a pirate ghost,' said Bulma 'I just know it.'

Then into view came a massive green robot with a large head and a skull face. In one hand was a giant cutlass, and its other hand was a gun. It swung its sword at them, and Kakarot grabbed Bulma around the waist to pull her away. Krillen dodged as well.

'Arg.' said the Robot. 'Shiver me timbers.'

'Its a phantom!' cried Bulma.

'No, it's a robot!' cried Krillen.

'No, it's a space station!' snapped Kakarot 'Of course it's a robot you imbecile!'

'Walk the plank.' said Robot, charging to attack them again.

They scattered and dodged away. Again and again, it's blade lashed out at them, and each time they moved away. Soon they were put to flight with it chasing them, sword swinging to behead them. Bulma screamed and cried as they tried to get their distance in vain.

It seemed the pirates had left more behind than treasure in their cave. X marked the spot for adventure next time on dragonball.

Authors Note:

Alright, this one is done. I'll try to get up the next one next week at the latest. If I'm every going to finish dragonball I have to pick up my pace. Part of my focus has been fixing the grammar in the older chapters and editing them to be an easier read. For now enjoy the latest chapter of Kakarot and the Quest for the Dragonballs.