Sakura launched another kick for Super 13's head but this time the Android brought its arm up and blocked. Its yellow eyes flashed as its other arm shot out, its fist connecting with her stomach. Her eyes snapped wide in pain as she was sent sailing backward. She forced the pain out of her mind and pulled to a stop shooting in at the Android again. Quickly she dodged to the right around another punch and then slammed her open palms into his chest.
There was a flash of red as she fired a pair of point blank energy blasts and sent the large machine back a few feet. Before it had even stopped moving Sakura shot in again and slammed a knee into its face knocking the Android onto its back. As it fell over she shot into the air, flame like energy gathering into her palms as she flew higher. Everyone watched her go up higher and higher, all of them shocked at her power. Even Trunks hadn't been sure how much stronger she'd gotten. He'd known her all his life and had never seen her improve so much. Still, he was worried it might not be enough.
Super 13 started climbing back to his feet as Sakura came to a stop high above, twin balls of red energy in her hands. As the Android looked up at her she glared back down at it. "Time to turn you into dust! Burning... Flash... Attack!" she cried thrusting her arms down. The twin balls of Ki merged, swelled, and then a wave of swirling red energy surged down toward the Android bathing everything in a bright red.
The Android let out a cry and thrust its arms up. There was a flash of red from its palms and then a stream of red energy surged up from it toward Sakura's attack. The two slammed into each other a few feet above the ground in a thunderous crash, the shockwave washing out and knocking everyone else over. The two beams held in stalemate for a moment and then the Android's blast started pushing Sakura's back.
The powerful warrior let out a cry as she pushed more power into her attack. It swelled in size but the Android's beam still pushed hers back at an increasing rate. Realizing she couldn't win the struggle, she ended her attack and crossed her arms a second before impact. There was a resounding explosion and she was flung up even higher into the air.
"Sakura!" Trunks cried as he shot up into the air. He reached her a second later and caught her, stopping her ascent. She shook her head and opened her eyes again as she came back to consciousness. "You okay?"
She nodded as she moved out of his arms. "Yes, I'm good. Look, Trunks..."
"I know." he said, his eyes turning from her to his father. "Sorry father..." he said gently. Sakura nodded as she moved away from him. "This ends now!" he called down loudly as he transformed into Super Sai-jin. Suddenly he hunched over and let out a loud cry, his aura flaring up and swirling madly around him. The clouds above him were blasted apart by the rush of energy as his muscles started to ripple and expand.
His hair stood up straighter, his aura grew thicker and brighter, and his muscles pulsed and bulged as his power climbed higher and higher. It didn't take long for Trunks' power to match that of Vegeta's and keep going up. "No way!" Piccolo cried taking a step back. Vegeta glanced back at the Namek and then looked up at his son again. He shared the other's sentiment. He couldn't figure out how these two had surpassed him without his noticing.
/Because you ignored your son and his girlfriend, that's why./ He thought with a scowl. /You had a year to get to know him and you didn't even bother to follow his training, to see what progress he was making./ Vegeta sighed as his muscles shrank and his hair turned black once more. "His power is amazing..." he breathed, then he smirked. "But then, he is my son."
Trunks' cries came to a sudden halt as he threw his head back, his aura stabilizing and the expansion of his muscles coming to a hault. He let out a long sigh and then looked over to Sakura. "You ready?"
She nodded. "Just watch yourself, you're strong but don't forget the speed loss."
"I know."
"Then let's do this, Delta 32."
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Room of Spirit and Time:
Goku and Bardock stood off to the side watching Gohan and Videl sparring. Gohan wasn't really having much of a challenge, he and Bardock were closer in power than him and Videl. But he was the best opponent for her, the closest to her level of power. Suddenly Gohan shot up into the air dodging a blast of energy from her and he cupped his hands at his side. By the time she looked up she had a Kamehameha heading right for her.
Her eyes widened in shock and fear for a second but then a determined look came over her face. The two elder Sai-jins glanced at each other and smiled. They'd seen more and more of that look on her face lately, and on Gohan's too. They watched as Videl quickly fired off her own Kamehameha to counter Gohan's and the two children locked into a power struggle. The girl was putting everything she had into her attack but wasn't able to repel Gohan's which was still slowly pushing its way toward her.
"Come on Videl, you can do it!" Bardock called out. "Focus, put all of your power into it, push him back!"
/I'm trying/ her mind cried as she gritted her teeth. /Come on Videl, everyone's counting on you to help out./ "I wont lose!" she yelled up. Suddenly her Kamehameha swelled in size as more power surged up it. Gohan's eyes widened as did those of his father and grandfather. Videl's attack was now pushing back against Gohan's.
"Sorry Videl!" Gohan called down playfully a moment later. "But you can't beat me!" Gohan pushed more power into his attack and he began pushing back Videl's Kamehameha again.
Videl tried pushing more into her attack but couldn't find any more energy. As she realized there was nothing she could do to stop the attack she felt hopeless, like she didn't belong there. /I should have just let someone else come in with them, all I'm going to do is slow them down./ she thought, closing her eyes. As she did the power to her attack started to fade and Gohan's picked up speed.
"Come on Videl!" Gohan called down "Don't give up!"
She opened her eyes again. "What's the use?" she called up, though she didn't end her attack just yet.
"You have to get stronger too, we need your help."
"No you don't. I'm just slowing you guys down."
"Nonsense!" Bardock called out to her. "If it wasn't for you, Gohan would have been killed fighting against Sanil. We need all the power we can get against these Androids."
Videl closed her eyes once more as the energy in her attack faded some more. "I'll never be any help..."
"Videl... you have to try." Goku said. "Any amount of help is help. The stronger you are the better you can protect everyone, protect your father."
/Dad.../ she thought, picturing him. /Goku's right! I have to get stronger so I can protect dad/ The determined look on her face returned again and her attack started to push back against Gohan's again. However, the stalemate returned again a moment later as Gohan pushed more power into his again and then started pushing hers back. /No! I have to get stronger/
Goku's eyes snapped wide in shock and he uncrossed his arms as Videl let out a yell and forced even more power into her attack, more power than he thought she'd had, her light purple aura flaring up around her. "Wow... she must be like Gohan after all."
Bardock nodded. "Ya, she does seem to have hidden reserves after all. I was starting to think that was a Gohan-only th..." Bardock stopped as he realized Videl's power was still going up in small bursts, dropping, and then going back up. He recognized that kind of power flux. "Wait... that's not reserves..."
Goku glanced over to him but before he could say anything a golden glow caught his attention and he turned back to the kids. The glow was coming from Videl, her aura had shifted to gold and her hair was waving about wildly. Up in the sky Gohan shared the shocked look of the two onlookers. And then Videl let out a loud cry pushing her arms out straighter. There was a flash of gold and her attack flared out to massive size completely overtaking Gohan.
Videl lowered her arms panting and then her eyes widened in shock as she realized what had just happened. "Oh no, Gohan!" she cried flying over to him.
Bardock and Goku glanced at each other. Neither had expected her to transform afer only a month of training. Goku had also noticed something else, Videl's increase in power was greater than his, Bardock's, or Gohan's. It was as great as he'd had on Namek. "Videl, Gohan, come back!" Goku called out.
Videl looked over from where she and Gohan stood talking and then flew over with Gohan right behind her. As she landed she reverted back to normal. "Did you see that!" Gohan asked landing beside her. "She transformed!"
Goku nodded. "Ya, I saw. And... it made me think of something."
"What is it Goku?" Bardock asked.
"Her transformation is more powerful than ours." he said. "I don't know about you two but... mine used to be greater as well. I've been wondering what could have caused that and I think I know. We've been focused completely on physical training for the last three years. Master Roshi and Kami both told me, back when I trained under them, that a true martial artist needs to train everything, that they're only at their best when they're balanced."
Bardock nodded understanding where Goku was going with that. "You're saying that because we're not balancing our training our transformation isn't as strong as it could be?"
Goku nodded. "That's what I'm thinking. I've actually been feeling more of a strain when in Super Sai-jin lately than I had before."
"It's worth a try." Bardock said. "And I think I know a way to work on it. We'll stay in Super Sai-jin permanently, adjust to the feel of it that way, and it'll help us tell what needs working on."
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Capital City:
Trunks and Sakura surged down toward the Android as fast as they could move. As they drew closer to the machine, Sakura suddenly changed direction heading off to the right. 13 watched her for a moment and then turned his attention back to the still nearing Trunks. The time-traveller was was still a few yards away when he came to a sudden halt. 13 realized then that he'd lost track of Sakura and started to turn to find her.
However, her foot found him first, slamming squarely into the machine's back and knocking him forward and into Trunks' waiting fist. Sakura moved to the left quickly just barely avoiding the flying Android as it was knocked several blocks down the street. She gave Trunks a glance, both nodded, and then they were surging down the road again. "Alpha 47!" Trunks yelled as he made a sharp turn and surged up into the sky.
There was a flash of silver from around Sakura, her aura growing thicker and brighter, as she poured on more speed. The street beneath her cracked and exploded behind her as she flew, the shockwave flipping the cars along the street onto their sides. 13 opened his eyes and saw her coming at the last second. Her foot passed through thin air as the machine dodged. She spun around quickly so her back was to the ground and brought her right arm up catching the incoming punch with her forearm.
She thrust her other arm up slamming her open palm against his chest and then hitting him with a Ki blast knocking him into the air. "Clear!" Sakura called shooting off down the road again. 13 scowled after her as he pulled to a stop. The Android was about to give chase when golden light flooded the area. He spun around and looked up, his eyes widening in shock. Trunks had his arms held above his head, a huge golden ball of Ki forming.
"Finish Buster!" he cried thrusting his arms down. The Android shoved his own arms out catching the energy as it reached him. He strained against it for a moment and then pushed it off into the sky again.
"Nice try." 13 said. "But you can't beat me."
"Delta 12!" Sakura called charging in toward 13 again. There was a flash of gold from the sky as Trunks surged back down as well.
Piccolo blinked as he watched the fight as best he could. "It seems like these two have attack plans memorized." he said grinning a little. "They can call out a plan and then both of them work together seamlessly."
Hotaru nodded. "It's probably how they've managed to stay alive so long with the dangers of their time."
The two warriors from the future reached 13 at the same time and launched kicks for his head. There was a loud crack as the Android's head was slammed between their feet. The two then pulled back, spun, and smashed their feet into him again. Sakura kicked him in the chest and Trunks nailed him in the back. The two went to attack again but the Android suddenly thrust its arms out to the sides and sent a shockwave of energy out knocking them away.
Sakura pulled to a stop just in time for 13 to slam his knee into her stomach. Her eyes snapped wide in pain but before she could do anything a fist smashed into her face knocking her away. Trunks dropped down quickly appearing behind her and caught her before she hit anything. "He's still stronger than me." he said letting her go. "And here we'd been thinking Gero was the worst of our problems."
Sakura nodded. "Ideas?"
"Not at the moment." he replied with a shake of the head. "If we go in together... maybe we can overpower him."
"Right. Beta 58?"
"Sounds good." Once more the two sped off quickly, this time each going in opposite directions. Sakura to the right and Trunks to the left. As they flew they turned flying on an arcing path for 13. Still a few dozen yards away they suddenly shot straight up into the air. 13 watched them frowning as they reached a height of several hundred feet and then started back down again. Suddenly they both had their hands in front of their faces, fingers spread. And then twin calls came from them. "Solar Flare!"
Everyone turned shielding their eyes from the glare. Before it had even begun to die a series of loud cracks sounded. The battle was back on again. It took a moment for the glare to die and then they saw the three fighters floating a few dozen feet above the ground moving rapidly, arms and legs swinging wildly. Working together Trunks and Sakura were more than Super 13 could handle. While he was stronger and faster than both by a significant amount, the two-on-one scenario was balancing it out.
The four Z Fighters and one Android on the ground watched the battle going above them intently. But Piccolo's mind wasn't just on the fight in the sky. He was also following Cell's energy. It had started back toward Capital City shortly before Sakura had taken Vegeta's place in battle. Then it had stopped as the girl powered up, and had remained stopped since. At first Piccolo figured the creature was adjusting his plans now that he was outmatched, even having absorbed 17.
However, shortly after Trunks powered up he'd resumed his movement again, following the same course as before. Cell was flying right toward them but at a leisurely pace. He didn't seem to be in a hurry, didn't seem to be worried. And that had Piccolo uneasy. The Namek frowned as he felt Cell stop again. "What is he up to?" he muttered.
"Piccolo?" Hotaru asked.
"Cell. He was on his way back but just stopped again." he explained, his eyes roaming over to Gero. "I don't know what's going on... he's up to something."
"He's scared." Vegeta said dismissively. "Why shouldn't he be? Only you two are weaker than him."
Piccolo looked over to Vegeta and shook his head. He wasn't so sure Vegeta was right. Cell wasn't moving in a nervous or worried way. He seemed... relaxed. That wasn't the way an outmatched person would feel. "I hope you're right." he said after a moment.
Up in the sky the two fighters from the future slammed their feet into Super 13 and knocked him down into the street. "We need to destroy this thing, fast." Sakura said panting lightly. "I'm tiring out but he's got infinite energy."
Trunks nodded. "Ya, I'm starting to feel the wear too. What do you say, Omega 6?"
Sakura smirked. "Sayanora Super 13."