Face front, true believers, as our adventure comes to its conclusion, as the secret of Android 12 is revealed, and we witness the final showdown with Dr. Gero!

Oh, and in response to Unlovely-Logic's review, there are two reasons the Androids in this story went down fairly fast: firstly, I didn't really feel like dragging the fights out, and secondly, most of them are earlier and less effective models. Simples!

Dragon Ball Z is © Akira Toriyama

Chapter 9:

Gero's Final Creation

Gero stepped quickly through the interior of the dome. The Androids would be bringing Goku to him soon, he though, and his enemy's family would be burning right now.

Soon, he thought as he held up the metal case, soon the Red Ribbon Army would rise again- and once they were returned to the height of their power, they could seek out the dragon balls again and Shenron would make them masters of all the world.

So soon now…

Behind Dr. Gero, the automatic door swished open. Android 12 tossed Goku forward; his bruised, battered body slumped into a prone position on the ground.

"Excellent," Dr. Gero smiled as he looked down over Goku. "Where is Android 11?" he asked, suddenly noticing the conspicuous absence.

"Android 11 was taken by surprise. I managed to subdue Goku."

"Well, it's better than losing both of you," Gero said. "Of course, I was in no doubt that you'd succeed… my perfect creation," he grinned, reaching over and stroking her cheek. Android 12 forced herself not to shudder.

"Wake him up," Gero ordered. "It is time that he saw the Red Ribbon Army's final victory come to pass."

Android 12 knelt down next to Goku and shook him by the shoulder. With a tired groan, he opened his eyes. Android 12 pulled him up to his knees.

"Prepare yourself, Goku," Gero grinned. "You're about to witness history in the making."

"Oh, I don't think so," Goku said with a smile. With catlike agility, he leapt off his feet, clean over Dr. Gero, landed neatly, and snatched the two-star dragon ball away from the others.

***

Minutes Earlier

Goku stared as Android 12 placed the skin back on her hand, as calmly as she would a glove.

"Do you mean… you used to be human?" he stared.

Android 12 nodded coldly. "Doctor Gero found me when I was a girl. The Red Ribbon Army destroyed my home town when they were looking for the dragon balls. I was a fighter; I defeated most of the unit they'd sent. When they captured me, Doctor Gero saw potential in me."

"So he turned you into an Android?" Goku stared. "But didn't that hurt?"

"Obviously," Android 12 said coldly. "Doctor Gero began upgrading me as soon as I was mature enough." She looked down at herself in disgust. "He ended up replacing most of my body. I'm not even human anymore."

"I'm sorry," Goku said quietly. "Is that why you want the dragon balls? To undo it?"

"It was never me who wanted the dragon balls," 12 said. "That was Gero. And now, he has to be stopped before he summons the dragon."

"Alright," Goku nodded. "What's the plan?"

***

"Traitor!" Gero wheezed as Android 12's hand tightened around his throat. "I'll melt you into slag for this!" Whatever else he might have said was choked off when Android 12's fingers tightened. Frantically, his hand dug into his pocket and pulled out the remote control. Android 12 grabbed it with her free hand, throwing it to the floor, where it smashed into a thousand pieces.

"You won't use that on me again," she scowled. "All these years that I've had to endure the monster you've made of me… did you really think I would sit by and let you turn the entire world into your own twisted vision?"

"Android 12," Goku said loudly from across the room. "Come on, that's enough!"

"Enough?" 12 snapped, "After what he did? Did you think I was going to let him go?"

"Override Gero One!"

Android 12 screamed as electric bolts danced over her body, the device in the back of her neck buzzing to life. She cried out and thrashed on the floor, her face contorted in pain.

"A battle plan you would do well to learn, Goku," Gero said, "is to always have a backup plan. In this case, I installed a voice-activated system in Android 12 just in case she ever got too wilful. Now…" with a snap of his fingers, the effects stopped. She looked up at him, tears of pain and fury glistening around her eyes. "That should have brought her nicely back under control, so, Android 12: be a dear and beat Goku until he can no longer stand. And then beat him some more."

Android 12 rose to her feet. She looked over at Goku.

"Yes, Doctor."

Goku barely had time to blink before Android 12 struck him. The air of the room still settled as he was knocked back, the metal wall buckling as he shot out into the cold mountain air.

He turned in the air, getting his bearings just before she came at him again. He dodged to one side, avoiding another blow, and then expertly parried another before back-rolling downwards until hitting the ground.

"Android 12, wait!" he shouted urgently as she pointed one palm down at him. "You don't have to- yikes!" He jumped up, barely in time to avoid a burning beam of energy.

Goku darted back across the ice, avoiding one blazing volley after another. Then he shot up into the air, arms out as his jump peaked above Android 12.

"You don't have to let him control you!" he shouted. "We can still beat him!" Another blast was fired, and this one struck its mark. His clothes burning, Goku fell sharply to the ground. Drops of sweat fell from his face as he pushed himself up.

Ordinarily, he knew he could take an opponent of this calibre. If anything, he'd have to say that Piccolo was probably tougher. But he'd fought at least ten androids that day already. He was exhausted, and he was in no condition to take on someone who was still at their full strength- especially one who could probably give Yamcha and Tien a run for their money.

Android 12 landed on him- right on him- before he could stand, her feet pushing his back down onto the ice. Then she kicked him in the side, hurling Goku away as the wind was knocked out of him.

"Alright," Goku coughed as he got to his feet, "I'll try and end this quick- Kamehameha!" The blue blast cut through the air right toward Android 12- and, just like her predecessor, she swung her arm to one side and knocked the beam a way as a batter would a baseball.

Just like Goku planned. As the impact settled, Android 12 turned- right in time for Goku's perfectly-timed kick to strike her, knocking her down onto the mountainside in a cloud of snow.

It settled. Nobody came out.

"Man, I hope she's alright," Goku said, looking down at the settling snow. "Now to take care of Dr. Gero."

He shot down through the air like an arrow, in through the hole where he'd been knocked out of the building.

"What?" Gero shouted, turning round to see him, "Impossible! How could you have beaten my android?"

"It's over, Gero," Goku frowned. "Now tell me what you've done to my family!"

As if to answer Gero's previous question, Android 12 suddenly shot straight in through the same hole in the wall, and, before Goku could react, clamped one hand around his throat. With a flex of her wrist, a surge of electricity shot through Goku. He cried out reflexively as his limbs straightened, buzzing with the electrical energy.

Goku was dropped to his knees, coughing and wheezing. "Come on…" he smiled weakly, "I know you can do better than that…"

"Enough of this!" Gero barked. "I was going to let you live long enough to see my triumph, Goku, but you've annoyed me far too much for that. Android 12… finish him."

"Yes, Doctor."

Android 12 raised one hand, her fingertips buzzing with electricity. She lowered it…

Then she stopped. She seemed to struggle, as though the hand hit an invisible wall. Then the energy vanished, her fingers relaxing.

"No."

"Destroy him!" Gero shouted. "Android 12, I am giving you an order!"

"No!"

"Override Gero One!"

Android 12 screamed as the machine in the back of her neck activated. She fell to her knees, clutching at the back of her neck. Then, slowly, her hand reached round, even as she fought her way through the pain, and…

"AAAAAAAAGHH!!!"

Android 12's hand came away with a disgusting wet, tearing noise. She collapsed to the ground, the electrical bombardment ceasing. In her hand, its fingers covered in red blood, sat the tiny device, its wires severed and its casing crumpled.

"Blast it!" Gero howled. "Enough of this! Android 12 might not be under my control anymore, but I can still finish you… Sabre System, activate!"

Gero leapt into the air as Goku's eyes followed. Opening his arms, Gero allowed the objects that shot out of the walls to close and form around his limbs, head and torso. By the time he struck the ground, he was covered in the sheets of metal that formed a white, bulky suit of armour. A helmet with a thin, blue visor closed around his head, and a glowing, buzzing blade of orange energy sat on his wrist.

"I told you," he shouted, his voice deepened by the metal helmet, "always have a backup plan! Now, Goku… you will face the new leader of the Red Ribbon Army."

Goku rose to his feet, flexing his bleeding, bruised arms. One of his eyes was only half-open. Despite it all, he gave a small, boyish smile.

"I was hoping you'd fight me yourself," he said. "Come on, then… let's go!"

That idea literally came into my head at the last second. I know I said the story would conclude in this chapter, but it ended up running a little long, and there's still plenty left for the next one.

I hope everybody enjoyed the fight, if it can be called that. We'll have a proper showdown next time.

Next Chapter: Goku battles Dr. Gero, the Eternal Dragon appears at last, and the final fate of Android 12!

All Reviews Welcome!