Chapter 8- The Androids Arrive
Piccolo thought deeply to himself as he flew. He was heading towards the island at which the androids were supposed to appear that very day. The Namek had a bad, foreboding feeling about the coming hours, though the weather was clear and sunny.
I wish I could've done more to prepare. I feel like there was so much more I could've done…I could've gotten faster…I could've gotten stronger!
Piccolo tried to shake the uneasy feeling to no success. How strong were the androids? Could he beat them without Goku? He'd had help in Goku before, but now it did not seem to look good. Piccolo hadn't seen or heard from Goku since the day Gohan disappeared. The former hero had withdrawn from the world, into solitude and isolation. Piccolo had tried a couple times to find Goku, searching his house and surrounding property, but to no avail. Goku's energy had dropped to an undetectable level and Piccolo assumed Goku for dead. Chi-Chi was nowhere to be found either; the house was dusty and messy, as if abandoned and left to rot.
I sure hope I'm ready for this...
The island came into view, a major city at its heart, with small villages dotted throughout the landscape. Other than that, it was wilderness. Piccolo sensed three power levels in a clearing, just north of the city. He sped towards it and landed, greeting Yamcha, Tien, Krillin and Bulma with a determined glare.
"Piccolo!" Krillin exclaimed when he saw his old enemy touch down. Piccolo didn't respond and glanced around, taking in his surroundings and evaluating the power levels of his comrades. Bulma and Krillin had been chatting excitedly about the newborn she held in her arms. Yamcha was sitting on a rock, his arms and legs crossed and his eyes tightly shut. Tien stood away from the group, looking outward and gazing towards the sea.
"You'll never guess who this little guy's father is, Piccolo!" Krillin challenged. Piccolo was annoyed at this and didn't respond, still glaring.
"I-I guess you don't have to guess," Krillin gulped. "Vegeta. The father is Vegeta."
Yamcha sighed loudly, knowing that Bulma would hear his disappointment. Piccolo chuckled, his laugh slightly menacing as always.
What are the chances of that…
"Well…since we're on the subject, where is Vegeta?" Piccolo asked, approaching Bulma.
"I don't have a clue. I really haven't seen him around lately," Bulma replied. "I know he was training to come here, but with the baby and all, I guess I kinda just lost track of him."
Piccolo grunted in approval of the answer, "I have no doubt that he'll show up. The arrogant prick can never pass up a good fight."
Tien turned and looked at the group, taking a few steps forward.
"I left Chiaotzu with Roshi. To be honest with you, I don't think the little guy would stand much of a chance out here." he said, matter-of-factly. Piccolo nodded in agreement. Krillin looked back to Bulma.
"Bulma, what time is it?" he asked. Bulma checked her watch and looked back at Krillin.
"It's about 9:30. Why?" she questioned. Piccolo turned to face Bulma as well.
"Get out of here. The androids will be here in a half hour." he warned. Bulma chuckled slightly and smiled.
"Don't worry, I just wanna see what these things look like and then I'll go." she said, still chuckling a bit. Piccolo nodded and walked over to the cliff, getting a great view of the city below. Tien approached him, not looking at Piccolo, but taking in the hawk-eye view as well.
"This is it," he said, "Only 30 minutes until show time."
-At Capsule Corp.-
"Helloooo! Grampa's home! And I've got a new toy for you, Trunks!"
Dr. Briefs opened the door to his grandson's nursery, holding a circular toy, only to find it empty.
"Now where did Bulma take him?" he said to himself, a bit disappointed. He took another look around and sat on the floor, crossing his legs.
"I guess that daughter of mine is showing him off to the neighbors again," he said, pinching out his cigarette and placing the butt in his front pocket. "I guess I'll just wait."
He set the toy on the floor between his legs.
"Now, let's take a look at this thing. To get the cute little thing to come out, all I've gotta do is press this button." he said to himself, looking the toy over. "Ah yes."
He found and pressed the small yellow button on the edge of the toy. Grinning to himself, he waited for the surprise.
BANG!
Dr. Briefs fell back and let out a small cry, scared stiff because of the noise. Within milliseconds, a massive, inflated plastic bird has popped out. The ugly, pink thing was wobbling back and forth, but Dr. Briefs felt accomplished nonetheless.
-Back on the cliff, 15 minutes later-
Piccolo spotted a figure flying quickly towards them. It was far away enough, however, he could not make out what it was.
"Something's coming!" he said alertly. Krillin's face turned to slight terror.
"I-Is it them?" he gulped.
Piccolo kept watching the figure, arms crossed, "I don't know."
As the figure approached, Krillin's fear left him. They all recognized the shape. It was Yajirobe driving a Capsule Car hovercar. He set the ship down and hopped out.
"Yajirobe!" Krillin yelled. "You came to help us fight the androids!"
Yajirobe raised an eyebrow and glanced at Krillin, raising a small brown bag, "What are you? Crazy? I'm just here to deliver Korin's senzu beans.
"Oh…" Krillin said, a bit disappointed, taking the bag from Yajirobe, "Give my regards to Master Korin."
Yajirobe had already turned around and was getting back into the hovercar, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'm outta here."
Not another word was said as Yajirobe flew the hovercar quickly out of sight again. Tien was the fight to break the silence. He and Piccolo had completely ignored Yajirobe's appearance and were still overlooking the city below.
"Don't you guys think it's a little strange? It's already past 10 and there's no sign of those androids."
"Yeah," agreed Yamcha, closing his eyes with pride, "And if they were nearby, we'd sense their power levels. Sorry to break it to you guys, but those androids just aren't coming."
BANG!
A loud explosion shook the ground under them. A gray cloud of smoke spread throughout the sky above them. As the group looked up, they saw a small hovercar spiraling out of control, spinning into the raging ocean below. Yajirobe's hovercar.
"Oh no!" yelled Krillin, "There they are!"
Krillin pointed up into the sky at two small figures. They were too far away to get a good look and there was no power level to be sensed, but they were definitely the androids. They watched as the figures descended from the sky and into the city below, disappearing in the mass of people and traffic.
"Damn! I can't sense them!" Piccolo growled, clenching his fists, "I guess we're doing this the old fashioned way. Krillin, go get Yajirobe. Tien, Yamcha, you guys come with me. We gotta split up and find them before they hurt anyone!"
"Right." Krillin nodded and took over towards the ocean while the others went towards the city. Bulma and baby Trunks were left behind.
Krillin sped towards the ocean, spotting the wreckage of the hovercar and the black smoke billowing from its burning engine. Krillin circled the wreck, looking for Yajirobe, to no avail. The fat samurai was nowhere to be found. Krillin had almost given up hope when he heard a cry behind him.
"Ugh! H-help!" the voice of Yajirobe cried out. Krillin turned and smiled as he saw Yajirobe struggling to stay above the waves.
"I-I can't swim!" he yelled, much to Krillin's amusement. The fat man looked like, no pun intended, a fish out of water. Krillin chuckled slightly and swooped down, plucking Yajirobe out of the water and flying him back to the cliff where Bulma was standing. Yajirobe sat down on the grass, drenched and overly pissed off.
"You're welcome." Krillin remarked when Yajirobe didn't utter a word. The fat man looked up at Krillin.
"Yeah, yeah, thanks. Whatever." he grunted. Bulma wore a look of worry and concern on her face as she stared down into the city, which now had smoke billowing and fire raging in some parts.
"You'd better get down there, Krillin." she told him.
Krillin nodded, "Right."
He took off and began to look for his friends, amongst the fire and flames.
-Deep in the city-
Yamcha started his search for the androids uptown. He followed the trail of bodies and fire, a combination of the two leaving a sickly sweet smell of death in the air. He walked to an intersection and looked around at the destruction left by the androids. Suddenly, he felt a presence behind him. He turned and saw two people behind him. One was short and quite fat and pale; the other was taller and quite older than the other, sporting a long white mustache.
"You guys better get outta here; there's a couple of androids on the loose!" he warned, turning completely. They did not reply. It was then Yamcha noticed the symbol on the older man's hat. The symbol of the Red Ribbon Army. Startled, he jumped back and went into a defensive position.
"You…you can't be…" he yelled, startled.
The old man laughed, "Yes…we are they…"
Yamcha started to yell desperately, trying to warn the others, "GUYS! THEY'RE OVER HERE!!"
The old man raised his hand, there was a red circle in his palm, and glared at Yamcha. In a matter of milliseconds, the man had made his way over to Yamcha and grabbed Yamcha's face, lifting the warrior right off the ground. Yamcha tried to scream, but couldn't, he felt his energy leaving him.
"Yes…such wonderful energy." remarked the old man, "And now you are of no use to us."
The old man raised his other hand and punched Yamcha in the gut. He felt the hand penetrate skin…and muscle. He felt the fist punch through his spine and out his back, rendering him paralyzed and unconscious. Krillin, Piccolo and Tien all touched down simultaneously, just in time to see the old man throw Yamcha like a rag doll, his body hitting the ground with a heavy thud and blood pooling around his unmoving body…