The Darkness Within
This is the story of the past of Android 17 and 18 and how love saved them from the darkness within. K18, NSFW, TRIGGER WARNING
Disclaimer: I do not own DB/DBZ/DBS or any of its characters. Please take the trigger warning seriously!
Chapter 1
Android 18 paused for a moment and glanced over her shoulder and the small bald warrior who saved her life and used a wish on her for no reason. Her files described him as Krillin, Goku's weak best friend. She had kissed him on that highway just to mess with him. He was ready to fight but looked ready to poop his pants so she kissed him. Kisses on the cheek gave great comfort to people, she didn't know why she knew that, she just did. She vaguely remembered a little black haired boy crying in fear in the middle of the night and a teenaged version of herself hugging him close and kissing him on the cheek. The kiss called him down almost instantly and he was able to go back to sleep. That's why she kissed the little guy. Because he was terrified and she knew that would calm him down.
She had just yelled at him that Android 17 was his twin brother not her boyfriend and that even though he used his wish on her it didn't mean she would correspond to his apparent crush on her but she couldn't leave it quite like that, so she turned around once more and said, "see you later."
She flew off the edge of the floating palace before anyone could even respond and went in search of 17. They had wished everyone back that means he must be alive.
She just didn't know why she went to that mansion on the lakeside. She just felt like she'd been there before and maybe 17 was there.
The mansion was abandoned and in bad shape. The once gorgeous place was covered in vines, graffiti, and mold. The windows were broken and 18 could tell the place had been completely looted. When she took a step closer to it the memory hit her like a bucket of cold water...
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Ten years ago
"Wow!" Lazuli said as they walked up the pathway to the mansion. The house was completely white and made out of marble. Servants roamed around the house carrying their things and cleaning the room. There were several cars in the driveway and a yacht docked in the lake.
"All of this is yours," Dr. Gero said with a smile. "I have instructors to catch you up on your education and teach you how to drive the cars and boat. I've already signed up Lamel for kindergarten. The best school in the city."
Lamel hopped cheerfully. "I've always wanted to go to school."
"You two have missed most of secondary school so I figured you could do homeschooling and graduate that way," Dr. Gero said opening the door for them.
Lapis walked in first and whistled at the sheer size of the place. "You made the right choice Dr. Gero, Lazuli and I can't go back to school. Lamel is fine because this is the age when he would be starting school anyways."
"Perfect," Dr. Gero said as a large man with ginger hair and green armor approached them. "This is Android 16, he will be you martial arts instructor."
"Android?" Lazuli repeated doubtfully. "He's a robot?"
Dr. Gero looked a bit nervous but said, "yes I designed him with the best martial arts has to offer. He will teach you."
"All of us?" Lapis said.
"Yes, martial arts brings control and tranquility," Dr. Gero said. "It'll be good for you."
"Cool!" Lapis cries. "I've always wanted to be a kick ass ninja."
Lazuli didn't respond but Android 16 was very stoic and scary. She didn't feel safe.
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7 years ago
"Good job," Android 16 said offering a hand to Lapis who had fallen out of the ring. "You held up well against me but you let your guard down too many times. I was able to get several hits in and lower your stamina."
"It's not fair, you have infinite energy," Lapis said. "I can never wear you down."
"You don't have to wear me down you just have to knock me out of the ring," Android 16 said.
Lapis grinned. "Oh I got it! Rematch!"
"Next time," Android 16 said. "It's Lazuli's turn."
Lazuli walked onto the ring and said, "sensei, why are we really working so hard on martial arts. All we do is study and fight. We have no free time. We barely even see Lamel anymore."
"Lamel is studying," Android 16 said. "That's why Dr. Gero sent him to that boarding school for primary. He's getting the best education."
"But now we only see him on weekends and it sucks," Lazuli said.
"Yes I miss him," Lapis said.
Android 16 smiled at them a genuine smile and said, "I will tell him to allow a fun day for you and Lamel to enjoy."
Lazuli ran to him and hugged him tight. "Thanks sensei." Android 16 looked surprised and patted her back affectionately. Lazuli pushed off of him suddenly and swiped his legs. Android 16 fell to the ground out of the ring.
"I win," Lazuli said with a grin. "You shouldn't let your guard down."
Android 16 looked at her stunned as Lapis started prancing around him saying "ha ha! She got you!"
After a moment Android 16 started chuckling and the twins joined him in laughter. They were heading to 18 years old soon and they had changed significantly. Both were slender but lean in regards to muscle. Lapis' hair had grown all the way down to his shoulders and Lazuli abandoned her long braid and chopped all her hair off to the same length and Lapis' when he grabbed her braid during a spar and swung her out of the ring.
Android 16 stood up and said, "using brains in a fight is always a good idea Lazuli. Now, it's time to learn how to fight as a team."
"A team?" Lapis said.
Android 16 got back in the ring. "Working as a team insured success when fighting against a stronger enemy."
"I thought we were doing this for balance and control," Lazuli said. "I don't wanna actually fight anybody."
"I know," Android 16 said with a reassuring grin. "This is only for practice. You must learn to coordinate your attacks and ki together to take me down. I am a stronger enemy with infinite energy, and this time cheap tricks won't work."
Lapis crouched in a fighting stance next to Lazuli who crouched in one too. "You're on."
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5 years ago
Lamel cheered happily as Lazuli and Lapis emerged from the bottom deck of the yacht holding balloons and gifts. "You guys the best!"
"Happy 10th birthday twerp," Lapis said grinning as he hugged Lazuli's leg.
They set down their items and Lamel immediately started ripping open gifts. "Anxious isn't he?" Lazuli said with a small chuckle.
"It's okay he only turns 10 once, and don't you remember what he did at our 19th birthday? Imagine what he will do at our 20th!"
Lazuli laughed. "I remember. How you pull off that kick ass party anyways."
Lamel grinned. "Android 16 helped me set everything up and Papa Gero gave me a credit card."
"Android 16?" Lapis snorted. "I love sensei but he doesn't seem like a party type of guy."
"He's not," Lamel said, "he just helped me make phone calls. Ohhhhh! The newest game station! You guys rock!"
"It comes with over a hundred games," Lazuli said.
"Chose them myself," Lapis said. "I'm gonna whoop ya."
"You wish!" Lamel challenged right back. He jumped up off the ground and hugged his siblings tightly. "Thank you for teaching me how to drive the yacht and for giving me all this stuff."
"I also made you a cake," Lazuli said pulling one from behind her back.
"You're the best!" Lamel squealed.
They ate cake and lounged around the yacht for two more hours before they started heading back to the shore. By the time they reached the mansion it was dark and Dr. Gero's car was in the driveway. He was usually never home because he spent most of the day in his lab.
"Papa came to celebrate my birthday with me?" Lamel said excitedly. "Can this day get any better?"
He rushed into the house and Lapis and Lazuli followed him. Dr. Gero never celebrated those things with them. When he came he would only just check on the progress of their studies and fighting skills.
They reached the hallway before the living room and heard Dr. Gero talking to android 16 seriously.
Lapis gripped Lamel's arm to stop him from running in and covered his mouth. Lazuli stopped behind him listening.
"...and they've learned everything their inferior human bodies could?"
Android 16 answered robotically. "Yes master."
"Good, so now it's time for the next phase of our plan."
"Master," Android 16 said. "You should not do this."
"What?"
"They are good kids."
"Good kids?" Dr. Gero said. "Oh don't be ridiculous Android 16, that doesn't matter. After I'm done with them they'll be the ultimate killing machines."
"But they're your children, don't you love them?"
"Love them?" Gero said. "Hah! The only thing I love is seeing Goku's dead body thrown at my feet. Android 16, do you love them?"
Silence.
"I knew you were malfunctioning," Gero said angrily. "No matter how many times I fix you, you still won't become the ultimate killing machine I need you to be. That's why I need live human subjects."
"Dr. Gero..."
"Your services are no longer needed," Dr. Gero snapped. "After this I'm deactivating you. Go get the kids and bring them to the lab. They're hiding behind that wall."
Lapis gripped Lamel's hand hard and immediately broke into a run right behind Lazuli who didn't even hesitate. They managed to get outside and take to air but android 16 appeared right in front of them in the blink of an eye.
Gero's sinister laugh echoed in the night. "Did you really think anyone could ever love street urchins like you? You will make the perfect androids."
"We don't wanna be androids you son-of-a-bitch!" Lazuli said shooting a ki blast at him.
Gero dodged it narrowly. "Very good training. You and Lapis will be perfect."
Four more androids appeared out of nowhere and dragged Lazuli and Lapis towards Gero's car. Lamel was shoved roughly at Android 16 who caught him.
"Wait what are you doing to my brother!" Lazuli cried struggling against the superior androids. "Let him go."
"Hm, Lamel is...let's say...lacking," Gero said. "He is not good enough to become an Android."
"Let him go you bastard!" Lapis cried. "I'll kill you for this!"
"Android 16 kill the boy then return to the lab for deactivation," Gero said dismissively.
"No!" Lazuli screamed as Lapis yelled loudly and started kicking wildly.
"Enough from you!" Gero snapped with a disgusting sneer. "Put them to sleep."
The androids stuck needles into Lazuli and Lapis's necks and they immediately started falling unconscious. The last thing they saw was android 16 flying away with a crying Lamel and heard Gero laughing maniacally and saying, "happy birthday Lamel."
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18 snapped out of the memories and scowled. That's been happening a lot since she was activated. Random memories of her past kept surfacing and she was having a hard time piecing it together. She connected the kiss on the cheek now to her little brother Lamel and now she understood why 17 insisted on bringing Android 16 with them, because he was their teacher. He couldn't control himself like she and 17 could, so he couldn't disobey his orders.
Every memory of this place flooded in so fast it made her head spin. They spent five years here learning so much until their human brains couldn't anymore and expanding their skills and Ki until they reached their human limits. Then Gero took them to the lab.
He had been planning it all along. Earn their trust, make them the most perfect humans possible, and then turn them into androids.
With a growl of fury 18 lifted a hand and released a powerful ki blast that destroyed the mansion instantly. The entire place exploded so loudly the ground shook and the lake made large waves.
All that was left of it when the light faded was ash. "I always had a bad feeling and I let him buy my trust with flashy things. Damn it! Damn you Dr. Gero."
She had the urge to go burn down a whole city in her rage but she remembered how the fighters were talking about Goku's son who destroyed Cell. He could destroy her in a heartbeat.
"17 where are you dammit!"