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Now, to the chapter.
Chapter 7: Rise of the Androids
Gohan stood quietly by his mother's side, not paying much attention to the current speaker.
The day was bright and uncommonly warm for the time of year. All around him, animals were playing and birds were singing without a care in the world. It was so much like a typical day in the mountains that if he closed his eyes it could just be another day. He could even imagine his father standing next to him, wanting to take him fishing or hiking.
It was a cruel lie. The happy atmosphere of the world was mocking him, given what today was.
Gohan's eyes fell upon the black casket that lied before him. The ugly box that now held his father's remains.
After his death, there was much debate about what to do with him. Because they'd remained hopeful to the very end that he may recover no one made arrangements. Krillin was actually surprised that his father's body didn't disappeared upon his death. When he died against Raditz, Kami had taken his body so he could receive training in the afterlife.
Piccolo, through his link with Kami, told them that Kami chose not to take his father's body this time. His dad still earned the right to have a body in the next world, giving all his good and heroic deeds, but he would be given a replacement body, much like Chiaotzu after his second death. From what his mentor told them, Kami wanted them to give his father a proper funeral.
Although that was official reason from Kami, he suspected it was half the truth. His father deserved to be honored and given a proper farewell, but that could have been done even without a body. He was certain that the real reason Kami chose not to take his father's remains was because he wanted them all to accept that his dad was truly gone.
Without a body, they could be a form of denial about what happened. It would be just like with the Saiyan Invasion where they all knew his father would return. But here, seeing his lifeless body and having a funeral, there was no denying the fact that he was dead and never coming back.
Someone else was speaking now, but he still paid no attention to them.
It was hard planning this day.
Since his dad was an alien and had no records saved for his information when he entered the Martial Arts Tournaments, there was no need to report his death to any authority. As far as the world was concern, the man named Son Goku never really existed. There was no evidence of his birth and now his death. Only this small handful of friends really knew of his existence.
He choked back on his tears.
He knew that his father was a simple man. He wouldn't want anything grand for his funeral. Knowing him, he probably never expected one to begin with given that he lived in isolation for most of his early life and traveled across the world. He could have died at anytime during his travels and isolation and no one would have been the wiser. Still he personally felt that his father deserved more than this.
His dad had saved the world several times before he was even an adult and stopped a monster who was terrorizing the entire universe. Such a great man deserved an equally great homecoming. One crowded with people to say goodbye to their hero and savior.
But his dad was a simple man.
Outside of their little group, no one knew of the things he did. He was an invisible savior guarding the Earth.
Almost like an angel.
Gohan smiled sadly at the word. Yes, that was what his daddy was, an angel. Sent to Earth to protect it for a time before being called back to the heavens. An angel that they were all honored to meet and loved.
A loud sob broke him out of his thoughts and he turned towards his grieving mother. She has been crying nearly nonstop since the funeral started. His grandfather did his best to comfort her, but she was inconsolable. She'd been so strong arranging the funeral and the burial, not shredding a single tear, that it was all coming out now. It was like she aged overnight, going from a young woman to an aged widow.
The hardest part of the arrangements for her was deciding between a cremation or a burial. No one wanted to see his father dead, not even Piccolo who declined to view the body after his passing. Only Vegeta took it upon himself to see his father after he died. It would have been easy to burn his body and spread his ashes across the mountains he so dearly loved.
In the end, his mother couldn't bear the thought of destroying his remains. She chose to have a closed casket to both preserved his earthly shell and spared people the sight of seeing him like that.
He envied his friends. They could remember his father alive, healthy, and happy. Him, he forever had his father's dying and dead body to remember. Every time he tried to think of happier times, he kept seeing his dad's pale, lifeless face in bed, looking almost asleep.
There was a silence, which told Gohan that everyone had stopped speaking. Although he hadn't paid attention to any of the speeches, he knew that one person hadn't gone up, besides Piccolo and Vegeta who stood the furthest from the group.
He glanced at Krillin who was crying almost as hard as his mother. He was in no condition to say anything. He would just break down into even more tears.
His heart went out to his honorary uncle. His father and he were the best of friends. One could even call them brothers in all except blood. To Krillin, he didn't just lose a friend. He lost a dear family member.
He released a shuttered breath as his eyes fell back onto the casket.
With the speeches finished, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu lowered his dad's casket into the ground. They gently placed the dirt over it and he watched the entire burial with blank eyes.
He wasn't sad. What they were burying was just a shell. His father's spirit was long gone. But he felt a void fill his heart knowing that he would never see his daddy's face again. Never feel his warmth, hear his voice, or take comfort in his embrace. He would not see his father again until his own passing.
As they continued to bury his dad, he looked towards the grave marker. It was an off-white marble, hand-crafted by some big-named artist who name he didn't bothered to remember. It stood nearly two feet off the ground and shone in the rays of the sun.
Such a monument would have been too expensive for his small family. Even his grandfather's treasure wouldn't be enough to pay for it. The casket alone had stressed the budget given that no one wanted to bury his father in a wooden box. If it was up to his mother, only a simple nameplate would have marked his father's final resting place.
Bulma wouldn't hear of it.
Despite his mom wanting to pay for everything herself, Bulma insisted that Goku be given something more than a just nameplate. She knew better than anyone the heroic deeds his dad has done and thought he deserved something to show that he lived. To show the world that a great hero had been lost.
He would be forever grateful to Bulma for that. His dad was simple and wouldn't care, but he did. He wanted future generations to know of his father. To know of the tragedy that came with his passing.
Before he knew it, the burial was finished. His dad's body now lay in dirt several feet beneath him. The finality of it left a cold pit in his stomach.
His mother slowly stepped forward and turned towards the mourners. Her eyes were puffy and red, but she held herself together somehow.
"I...I want to thank you all for coming today. My husband couldn't ask for a better group of friends," Chi-Chi said in a shaky voice. She took several deep breaths and wiped her eyes with a clothed in her hand. "There's food and refreshments back at the house if you want to come. There should be more than enough for everyone."
There were several nods and everyone began to move away from the gravesite.
Gohan stood behind. He didn't feel like chattering with others about his father. He just wanted to be left alone for the moment.
He walked towards the marker and read the writing for the first time. He had seen drafts of what Bulma had planned to engrave, but he never saw the final product.
Here Lies Son Goku
The boy who fell from the stars and became the protector of the Earth.
He will be dearly missed by his beloved wife, his precious son, and his dear friends.
Few knew of his deeds, but his name will not be forgotten in the history of the world.
And those who remember his legacy.
Gohan sobbed upon reading those beautiful words. It was far more than he could have asked for. It summarized everything his father was, meant, and left behind. His legacy would never be forgotten. It lived on through him and he would tell all who would listen about the wonderful man his daddy was. His body maybe dead and burial, but he wouldn't allow his spirit to fade away.
He sighed and wiped his remaining tears. He placed a tender hand on the cold stone marker. "Goodbye, daddy."
The soft wind kissed his face and he half imagined it was his father, given him his own goodbye.
Whoever said time healed all wounds didn't know what the hell they were talking about. That was the conclusion that Chi-Chi reached as she attempted to make breakfast.
Six months.
A half of year had already passed since Goku's death. Six months without his warmth, without his voice, without his stomach rumbling across the house.
At first, it was easy to pretend that he wasn't dead. Goku has been gone before. He was gone for nearly two years after the attack of the Saiyans and he came back. He always came back.
She could almost pretend that he would walk through the door, or window, at any time, but her illusion was always shattered when she saw Gohan.
The boy hasn't been the same since his father's death. He mostly moped around the house and lost all interesting in things. He still studied on her orders, but he mostly just stare blankly at his books and drew doodles of his father.
Even Piccolo could do nothing to lift her son's spirits. He would drag him off to train, but even his goading and harsh words couldn't get through the hard-shell that had developed. Piccolo eventually gave up, although she knew he remained closed to the house. She was certain that it was Piccolo who has been leaving animal's carcasses near the house for her to cook.
Whatever the case, she was grateful. She's been harsh on Piccolo, given his evil past and kidnapping her son, but now, she was certain that Gohan would had completely falling apart without him. For that, she was forever grateful.
Krillin has also tried to help. He visited almost everyday, trying to lift Gohan's mood and support her. He did chores like gathering firewood, helping her clean the house, or tell stories about Goku as a child. He really was a good friend. The closest Goku ever had to a true brother.
Sad that she dismissed him and almost all of Goku's friends when he was alive. These last few months showed her why her husband loved those people so much. Death really does open one's eyes to many things.
She'd been selfish for so long. It's always been about her and her family. She wanted to keep Goku and Gohan all to herself and didn't want to share them with anyone, which caused her to shunned those who knew and loved Goku long before her. It also caused Gohan not to have friends his own age.
Even if it was late, she wanted to change. Not only for herself, but for Gohan and Goku. It was the best way to honor his life.
Chi-Chi stopped cooking and looked at all the plates she had placed on the table. She made too much again. Gohan as a growing boy and a half-saiyan ate a lot, but not this much.
"Goku..." she mourned as a single tear ran down her cheek.
Despite her concerns for Gohan, she wasn't doing much better. For nearly a month after the funeral, she could barely get out of bed. It was hard to get up since the sheets still smell of Goku. She felt closer to him there since it was the place where he spent his final moments.
Yamcha, Krillin, and her father had to take care of the house during that time. She knew she was being selfish since they were all hurting, but she just couldn't care at the time. Her husband just died before her eyes. She watched him as he took his last breath. She was allowed to mourn.
Even though she was now out of bed and able to care for her family again, she still wasn't better. It almost felt like she was going through the motions of living. Like a part of her own life ended when Goku took that final breath.
Would this pain ever go away? Why did this happen? Goku had never been sick, not one day in his whole damn life. Why was the one time he caught an illness that it had to be fatal? It wasn't fair! Why couldn't they be allowed to live in peace!? After all he has done and suffered for the world, for this freaking universe, what entity decided that he deserved to die in such a wretched way!? Withering in anguish, a shadow of his former self!
"Mommy..." the gently voice of his son whispered, breaking her out of her mental rant.
Chi-Chi turned to see Gohan standing by the door, looking worriedly at her. It took her a moment to realize that she was bleeding. She must have shattered one of the plates and cut her hand. She was so lost in thought that she noticed none of it.
"I'm okay, Gohan," Chi-Chi said with a forced smile as she grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her hand. "It's just a small cut."
Gohan nodded as he quietly walked towards the table and took a seat. His expression was blank, as it has been for months.
"Gohan, why don't you go outside and play," Chi-Chi suggested as she cleaned the broken pieces of the plate. "It's such a beautiful day and I'm sure Piccolo would like to see you."
Gohan shook his head. "I don't feel like going out mom."
She gave a low sigh. "It's not healthy for you to just stay in the house. You need to get out again. Your father... Your father would've wanted us to move on."
Gohan stared at the food, picking at it absently. He obviously didn't have much of an appetite. Another thing that has become common over the past few months. "I know, but...it's hard..."
"I know," she said as she took a seat beside him. "But, we have to try. For Goku's sake as well as our own."
Before Gohan could say anything, his head suddenly shoot up.
"What's wrong, honey?" Chi-Chi asked in worry.
"Piccolo's here," he answered.
Not even a second later, a familiar sound of rushing air reached her ears.
She stood up and saw from the opened window that it was indeed Piccolo. She was somewhat surprised. Although he's been staying closed, she hadn't seen Piccolo in weeks. There was also an anxious expression on his face that told her that this wasn't a social visit. Something was wrong.
Gohan also felt the sense of dread and rushed outside. "Piccolo!"
"Gohan, do you feel that?" Piccolo asked, not bothering with small talk.
Gohan stopped in mid-run. "Feel what?"
"Use your senses and focus it to the south," Piccolo answered.
The boy did what he was told and closed his eyes. He reached out, feeling the life force of the world around him.
He didn't feel anything unusual at first. Then, he felt several powers disappearing rapidly. He also got a sense of fear and panic that nearly overwhelmed him. There was an attack!
"Now you feel it," Piccolo stated.
"Yeah, several energies are disappearing, but how?" Gohan asked. "I don't feel any big powers outside of everyone we know."
Piccolo nodded. "I thought it was a natural disaster at first, but those energies are disappearing too fast for that."
"What could this mean?" Gohan asked anxiously.
"I have no clue, but we better check it out," Piccolo said. Without another word, he took off into the sky.
Gohan nodded followed his mentor's side.
Chi-Chi went to stop them, but she acted too late. By the time she left the house, they were long gone.
"Gohan..." she whispered. She had a terrible feeling. Oh, she wished Goku were here.
The two warriors flew in silence as they sensed more powers disappearing. Whatever was happening, it was a massacre.
"Hey!" someone suddenly yelled from behind them.
Gohan turned to see Krillin rapidly approaching them.
"Krillin!" Gohan called, relieved to have some type of backup.
Krillin flew until he was flying side-by-side with Gohan. "I guess you heard the news too."
"What news?" Gohan asked in confusion.
"It was all over the television. There's a big attack happening at South City," Krillin said. "There wasn't much information, however."
"Did you see who the attackers were?" Piccolo asked.
Krillin shook his head. "No clue. Whoever they are, they can use energy blasts. I saw how they destroyed the buildings on television. It practically looked like a light show."
"But how? I can't sense a thing," Gohan said, becoming more worried by the minute.
"That's what I want to know. We should be able to sense something, but it like people are just disappearing for no reason," Krillin said with a note of frustration.
"Do the others know?" Piccolo asked.
"I talked to Bulma before I left and she's going to call Yamcha. Vegeta heard everything so he should be on his way. That's if he bothers to show up," Krillin said in a low voice, remembering his conversation with the woman genius.
"He'll be there. He would never miss a battle," Piccolo said without a shred of doubt in his voice.
There was a long silence.
"Piccolo...do you know what we're heading towards?" Krillin asked. He tried to keep his voice neutral, but they could all hear his fear.
"As I told Gohan, I have no clue," Piccolo said. He frowned and had sweat running down his forehead. "But...I have a bad feeling."
"What kind of bad feeling?" Krillin asked in dread.
Piccolo didn't answer for several seconds. "Krillin…if things get bad, get Gohan to safety."
Gohan gasped at his mentor's words. "What are you saying?"
"I don't know a thing about this new enemy and...we no longer have Goku here to help us," Piccolo said in a tight voice. "Even if Vegeta has become a Super Saiyan, this may become too much even for him and, as much as I hate to admit it, my power pales compared to a Super Saiyan."
"Are you saying that whatever happening is stronger than you or Vegeta!?" Krillin asked in disbelief.
"As I said, I don't know, but we must be prepared for that possibility. Unlike with the Saiyans and Frieza we're going in blind," Piccolo said. "There is no way to predict what is going to happen."
"Sheesh, you're really are Mister Optimistic," Krillin said in a deadpan voice.
Piccolo glared at the small human. "Just promise me to take care of Gohan!"
"Piccolo, you don't have to ask me. I'll protect Gohan with my life," Krillin said as his eyes narrowed in determination. "Let's just hope it won't come to that."
Gohan couldn't believe what he was hearing from his mentor. He was always confident unless proven otherwise. To hear him worry about a battle before he even saw the enemy wasn't like Piccolo.
Things couldn't be that bad, could it? The enemy they were heading for couldn't be worse than Frieza. He was the strongest in the universe.
More than ever, he wished dad were here. Even when things were at there worse, his dad always made things better. To know that his dad wasn't with him and he wouldn't come swooping down at the last minute like he usually did to save them left him feeling completely vulnerable. Everything was up to them now. That had to be enough.
Kami could only looked down in horror at what he was witnessing. He hasn't seen such senseless slaughter since the Saiyans. No...this was far worse than even the Saiyans. These...these things were killing humans for pure sport. It was all a game. There was no rhyme or reason, just pure chaos.
"Where did these things come from?" Kami whispered.
He felt an ill omen for a while, but he hoped it was just a reflection of Goku's untimely death. He should have known better. If he had, he would had prepared the other warriors.
"Those things aren't human despite their appearance," Mr. Popo stated in terror. "But they aren't aliens either."
Kami shook his head. "No. Those things were made on Earth. But what wicked-heart created these creatures and for what purpose I cannot say." He suddenly got a vision and gasped.
"Kami!?" Mr. Popo exclaimed in worry.
Kami was shaking. "No...it's just like before." He lowered his head. "I have foreseen my own death."
Mr. Popo stepped back in shock. "It's...it's Piccolo."
Kami slowly nodded. "Beyond a doubt. Unless the course of history changes, Piccolo will die in this battle."
"But...but we can save you again," Mr. Popo said in a hopeful voice. "We could use the Namekian Dragon Balls to revive you, just like before."
"That won't work, Mr. Popo," Kami said as he shook his head. "We have no idea where Namek now lies. None of us asked the Namekians before they left. And...reviving me would mean nothing if those monsters are not defeated."
Now Mr. Popo was really worried. "Can they do it? Even without Goku, can the others beat this new enemy?"
Kami remained silent for several seconds. "That...is in the hands of fate."
Mr. Popo stepped back in shock, not believing what he was hearing.
Kami sighed in resignation. "Goku...how I wish you were with us..."
It was like the heavens were taunting them. First, it took away their savior and now it came to claim their remaining heroes. Before this day ended, there would be blood upon the Earth.
They finally arrived at the island where South City laid and saw that the entire city was nearly in ruins. Black smoke darkened the sky and all the buildings were in flames. Screams of panic and pain could also be heard along with several blasts of energy and gunshots.
"What's going on down there!?" Krillin yelled in surprise. "It looks like a war broke out!"
"No doubt about it. Something is attacking the city," Piccolo said before he gasped.
"What...?" before Krillin finished, he felt it too. "It can't be..."
Gohan's mouth fell opened. "Yamcha...I...I felt his energy for a moment and...it suddenly disappeared."
"Not just that..." Krillin said as he shivered. His face lost all color. "I also felt Chiaotzu for a second...now...his power is completely gone too."
"I can still feel Tien. It's faint, but he is still alive," Piccolo said, getting himself together. "Let's go!"
The three warriors rushed towards the place where Tien's energy radiated and they all felt cold panic entered their souls when they felt how weak it was.
"There!" Krillin shouted as he rushed towards the ground.
Gohan followed shortly and gasped at the scene before him.
Tien was kneeling on the street with a badly broken arm and wounds all over his body. Gohan could also tell from the dark bruises that Tien had broken several ribs and was bleeding externally. It was amazing that he was even still conscious.
"TIEN!" Gohan screamed as he landed by the older man's side.
Tien slowly turned his eyes towards the boy, huffing with every breath. "Go...Gohan...?"
"Who did this?" Gohan asked.
Tien looked in front of him and growled. "It was them..."
Gohan looked ahead and saw what appeared to be two teenagers.
They looked like twins, both having hair that went down to their shoulders and icy blue eyes. One of them was a female with blond hair, while the other one was a male with black hair. They both wore cocky smirks as they stared at the new arrivals.
"Well, well. It seems that the cavalry has finally arrived," the boy teenager observed in a mocking voice. "Too bad you came a little too late to save the other two."
Other two? Gohan glanced down and went paled.
Lying in the middle of the street were the lifeless bodies of Yamcha and Chiaotzu. Yamcha had a giant hole embedded into his chest and was bleeding heavily on the ground. Chiaotzu was badly burnt all over his body and Gohan could smell the fried flesh. It made his stomach turn. It was just like when Denda was murdered by Frieza.
Despite himself, Gohan searched their bodies desperately for any sign of life energy. It took less than a second to realize that there was nothing. They were both dead. Most likely killed instantly from their wounds.
"Yamcha... Chiaotzu..." Gohan whispered as a huge lump formed in his throat. It was the Saiyans' attack all over again.
Tien continued to growl in anger and hatred. He was glaring daggers at the two teens. "Those monsters murdered both of them. Yamcha was trying to protect Chiaotzu when that woman put her fist through him."
The young woman in question flipped her hair in a casual manner and gave Tien a bored expression. "Please. Like it's my fault that he was so weak that one of my punches could kill him instantly. You should blame yourselves for having such fragile bodies."
The teenager boy chuckled. "Indeed. I didn't even use a tenth of power to blow that little glass doll to smithereens. At least the three-eyed one gave us a little more entertainment, although he still ending up being unfulfilling."
Tien sneered in response.
The teenage boy smirked. "I guess it couldn't be help. You're just a human, after all."
"Just a human?" Krillin repeated more to himself. "Are they aliens? And why can't I sense them?"
"Who are you?" Piccolo demanded.
"You're right. We are being rude," the male said. "I am Android 17 and this is my sister, Android 18. We are a series of androids created by Dr. Gero."
Gohan's eyes widened in horror.
Androids? Like the ones in his father's nightmares? It couldn't be! It just couldn't be!
"Gero? Who the heck is that?" Krillin asked in confusion.
"He was one of the old scientists who worked for the Red Ribbon Army," 17 answered.
"Red Ribbon Army?" Piccolo questioned. The name meant nothing to him.
Krillin gasped in recognition. "Red Ribbon? You mean the army that Goku destroyed as a kid!?"
"The same," 17 confirmed with a nod. "Goku left quite an impression on the good doctor. Such an impression that he devoted his entire life creating us androids for the sole purpose of killing him."
"Are you telling me you were built to go after my dad?" Gohan asked in disbelief. He was literally shaking.
This...this was a nightmare.
During his dad's final days he screamed about androids and about it being all his fault. Did he somehow see this? Did his father somehow see this day coming and was unable to do a thing about it? Surly, not even the universe could be that cruel.
"Pretty much," 17 answered with a small shrug. "But our goals were a little different from our creator, so we got rid of him."
"You killed the person who created you!?" Krillin exclaimed in shock.
"He had it coming," 18 said casually, although that did little to hide her disgust over the man.
Tien snorted. "Destroyed by his own creations. How fitting."
"I would agree if he didn't released these two creeps on us," Krillin said.
Piccolo looked between the two androids, ignoring Tien and Krillin. "So, you have come to kill Goku? Then, why attack this city?"
"Well, not precisely. Although we are program to kill Goku, we are after him for our own reasons," 17 said. "And we picked this city because we become bored searching for him. Besides, going from the data we have on Goku, we knew he would come to us if we murder enough humans."
Gohan growled at how dismissive towards life these creatures were. They were no better than Frieza. To think, a human created these things.
"Well, whatever your reasons for going after Goku are, you're too late," Piccolo said, catching the androids' attention. "Goku is dead."
This surprised both of them. It was the first emotion they showed beside smugness and boredom.
"Dead?" 18 repeated, not believing what she was hearing.
"He died six months ago," Piccolo went on. "So whatever business you have with him, you have to take it up with Emma on your way to Hell."
Both androids were silent for several seconds.
"Surprising. How did he die?" 17 asked in interest.
"He was killed by a heart virus," Piccolo stated.
Both of the androids looked at each other as they processed this new information.
"He's dead, huh? From a stupid virus no less. Well, that's disappointing to hear," 18 said as she flipped her hair. "All that work Gero went into building us, he went and kicked the bucket."
17 sighed as he shook his head. "It's ashamed to hear that. I was looking forward to testing my strength against the great Son Goku. Now, only you small fries are left for us. Life is so unfair."
Piccolo growled. "Small fries?"
"According to our files, Goku was the strongest among all of you," 17 stated in a matter-of-fact voice. "Since we were built to kill him, naturally we can easily kill all of you." He glanced at Yamcha and Chiaotzu's bodies. "Just like those two weaklings."
Tien shook in rage at how they disrespected his friends. "You..."
"For a pair of tin cans, you're awfully cocky," Piccolo sneered.
17 smirked at him. "I am only stating a fact, Piccolo. Even at your strongest, you were always weaker than him."
This really pissed Piccolo off.
"Well, how about you try and fight me!" a voice boomed from the sky.
In a flash of energy, Vegeta appeared in front of the group.
"Vegeta!? How long you've been here?" Krillin asked. He thought he felt something.
"Long to enough to hear about how these robotic dolls were created to kill Kakarot," Vegeta said with a huge smirk. "Huh, to think that anyone would put this much effort in killing that low level clown."
"You must be Vegeta, the Saiyan Prince," 17 said with a huge smile. "Our files do say that you moved to Earth after your battle with Goku."
Vegeta's smirk got even wider. "If you know that, then you should know how strong I am."
"You're strong, but you still lost to Goku," 17 stated nonchalantly.
Vegeta growled in response. "That maybe so in the past, but that was years ago." He regained his smirk. "I have gotten much stronger since then and surpassed that clown. You're maybe built to kill Kakarot, but you stand no chance against me. Especially since I've become a Super Saiyan."
"Super Saiyan?" 18 repeated in interest. "What's that? We have no files on such a thing."
Vegeta laughed. "You wanted to kill Kakarot yet you don't even know what a Super Saiyan is. Pathetic. Your bonehead creator missed a vital detail that's going to cost you both your pitiful lives."
"Oh, do tell," 17 said in amusement.
"Instead of telling you. Allow me show you. Take a good look at the Saiyan Prince reborn!" Vegeta yelled as he bent over. In a flash of light and power, his hair began to turn gold and his eyes transformed to a cold greenish blue.
Gohan felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. It was just like when dad battled Frieza. No, it was much stronger than that.
With a roar, Vegeta completed his transformation and the blast he left in his wake nearly knocked Gohan, Krillin, and Tien off their feet.
"He really did it," Tien mumbled.
"Unreal! I thought only a pure-hearted Saiyan like Goku could become a Super Saiyan," Krillin said in disbelief.
Vegeta chuckled. "Indeed. Both Kakarot and Frieza said that only the pure-heart could become a Super Saiyan. But, they never said that heart had to be good."
Piccolo gritted his teeth.
He wasn't exactly happy about Vegeta becoming a Super Saiyan, especially without Goku around to keep him in check, but none of them stood a choice. Not against this enemy. At this moment, Vegeta was their strongest defender. He growled in disgust at his own weakness.
17 and 18 stood back, looking mildly impressed by this new development.
"Interesting. This technique is indeed not in our files. His strength has greatly increase, but it's very different from the Kaio-ken," 17 mused as he rubbed his chin. "And Goku could become this too."
18 smirked. "Looks like we may have the chance to have some fun after all. If anything, he should put up a better fight than those two weakly humans."
Vegeta laughed. "Well, if you call getting blasted into pieces fun, then sure, we're going to have loads of fun. I'll send you to see Kakarot in the next world and you can tell him that I sent you there."
18 stepped forward. "I'll fight him. If it's one pet peeve I have, it's loudmouthed men and you, 'Saiyan Prince', are the loudest of them all."
Vegeta got into battle stance. "Bring it on. I won't go easy on you just because you're a woman."
18 said nothing as she charged the Saiyan Prince.
The androids have made their grand entrance and the losses are already starting. Hope you liked Goku's funeral. It was also based on my late grandfather, despite me writing it before his passing. I now completely understand how Gohan feels. Well, until next chapter.