Here is the next chapter. Thank you all again for the reviews, favorites, and follows. Keep given feedback so I know how to improved this story.

Now, onward to the chapter.

Chapter 8: Massacre

The surviving Earth's defenders were knocked off their feet from the clash between Vegeta and the android. Windows shattered and the street broke apart as the two superpowers disappeared from normal sight.

"Incredible," Piccolo muttered to himself.

He didn't think Vegeta had grown this strong. His power greatly outstripped Frieza's. It may rival or even surpassed Goku's at his peak. Maybe they were saved after all.

Vegeta gave a loud roar as he released several blasts of energy at 18, who gracefully dodged each one. She returned her own rapid-fire, given the Saiyan Prince little time to move out of the way.

"Amazing! Vegeta's doing it!" Krillin cheered.

He still wasn't completely happy about Vegeta becoming a Super Saiyan, but as things stood, he was literally their only hope. After Vegeta, only Piccolo stood any chance against these monsters. Although Piccolo has grown stronger, even he couldn't rival a Super Saiyan by his own admission.

Gohan attempted to follow the battle, but had a hard time. It has been a long time since he's seen a fight of this level. Following the android was also hard since they had no life energy to track. It must be a challenged for Vegeta too since he couldn't used his sixth sense to track and predict 18.

As the fight dragged, it became clear to Piccolo that they were in trouble. Vegeta was expending too much energy and the android wasn't tiring at all. How could such a thing be possible? Surely, the android should be feeling some type of exhausting from all the energy she has been expending. Could it be because she was a machine?

Vegeta himself was exhausting faster than usual because he wasn't used to his Super Saiyan transformation. It was wild and uncontrollable, nothing like Goku's when he fought in that state in his later years. Goku went out of his way to learned to control being a Super Saiyan so the rage that consumed him on Namek wouldn't happened again.

It seemed Vegeta was so concentrated on becoming a Super Saiyan that he never learned to fully control it. Or perhaps, unlike Goku, Vegeta wanted the rage to engulfed him, given him a feeling of strength and power. Maybe it did make him more powerful, but took his endurance as the price.

Vegeta huffed tiredly as he threw several lightning fast punches at 18. She dodged each of them, looking like she wasn't even trying.

"You're getting slower," 18 noted almost mockingly. "Surely, that can't be all that a Super Saiyan have? I still not at my full strength."

Vegeta growled. "You dare to mock the warrior of legend!? Well, you can kiss that pretty face of yours goodbye!" He extended his arm and opened the palm of his hand. A ball of golden energy rapidly formed. "Now, witness my newest technique and perish! Big Bang!"

A giant ball of energy shot out of his palm and engulfed 18. She disappeared in a flash of golden light and the ensuring explosion knocked over several buildings and flattened the pavement.

"He got her!" Tien exclaimed in shock. That one blast was enough to blow up a planet.

Piccolo grunted as he attempted to see through the smoke.

17 was impassive as ever, not fazed at all by the blast.

Gohan was silent as he looked for the android. There was no sign of her. Could it really be over? He really wished he could sense these things.

Vegeta laughed loudly after he spent several seconds catching his breath. "Poor woman, I vaporized her completely. That's what happens when you mock the Prince of all Saiyans!" He continued to laugh.

"Vegeta, look out!" Piccolo screamed in warning.

Before Vegeta could do anything, 18 appeared from the smoke and rammed her knee into Vegeta's stomach. The hit was so powerful that the Earth's defenders could literally feel it.

Vegeta coughed up blood and his eyes were wide in pain and disbelief. He slumped over in mid-air and cradled his injured midsection.

18 stared at him, no visible sign of injury at all saved for her torn and ruined clothes.

"Vegeta!" Krillin shouted.

Tien growled as sweat built on his forehead. "No damage at all despite the power of that blast. Can she really be this strong?"

"That was a pretty good attack back there. You managed to ruin my outfit," 18 teased as she kicked the Saiyan Prince in the head, sending him tumbling into the ground.

Vegeta barely managed to catch himself before he hit the concrete.

"Vegeta, are you alright!?" Gohan asked in panicked as he started to run towards the fallen Saiyan.

Piccolo quickly caught the boy's shoulder, stopping him in place. "Gohan, stand back."

"But..." Gohan started.

Vegeta coughed up more blood as he attempted to regain his bearings.

"Maybe we should let you in on a little secret, Mr. Saiyan Prince," 17 said. A smile was on his face. "You can resist all you want, but you cannot beat us. Even by some chance you were stronger than 18, you'll still lose since you wasted so much energy. You see, 18 and I were built with an unlimited power source."

Vegeta stared at 17 in shock. "What!?"

17 chuckled. "You get it now? We can fight at our full strength forever, while you burn yourself out like a cheap road flare. Your 'Super Saiyan' transformation is impressive, but it appears to drain a lot of your energy. You never had a chance."

Vegeta growled in frustration and anger as he blood dripped on the pavement. "You're wrong! I am the Saiyan Prince and a Super Saiyan, the mightiest warrior in the universe! There's no way I can lose to pair of robotic dolls built to kill some low level!"

18 smirked. "Well, I've personally found this Super Saiyan business to be overrated. I'm barely warmed up and you still haven't given me a proper work-out."

"I'll work my fist down your throat!" Vegeta screamed as he blindly charged the android.

18 met him in the middle and the two were in a heated clash. Although Vegeta got some hits in, nothing really affected the android. All of 18's attacks, however, were greatly felt by Vegeta. Blood sputtered across the ground as he took hit after vicious hit.

"Vegeta's...losing..." Krillin muttered in disbelief and terror.

Tien got to his feet. His face was solemn with acceptance. "If Vegeta can't win, who can?"

"No one…" Piccolo answered gravely.

Those words were bitter in his tongue. The same helplessness and fear he felt towards Frieza returned in full force against these androids. To think….they were meet their end like this.

"So, you have finally accepted your fates," 17 said as she slowly approached the remaining group. "As interesting as it is seeing 18 fight, I want to have some fun too. Although you all won't be as fun as Vegeta, you will provide me with some amusement."

Piccolo sneered before glancing at Krillin. "Get Gohan out of here!"

"What!?" Krillin exclaimed, knocking himself out of his stupor.

"You remember our deal! Get Gohan to safety now! I'll hold him off!" Piccolo all but yelled as he took off his turban and cape.

"No, I won't leave you! We'll fight together!" Gohan yelled.

"Don't be stupid! What can you do!? You're no use to any of us!" Piccolo yelled, startling Gohan. He had never heard his mentor sound like that.

"Piccolo..." Tien said softly.

Piccolo took several breaths to calm himself. "You have to run, Gohan. No matter what, you have to live past today. You're the only hope we have left."

"What...what are you saying Piccolo?" Krillin asked, although he knew the answer.

Piccolo glanced at the fight between 18 and Vegeta and saw that the Saiyan Prince was now getting knocked around like a rag doll. "Vegeta's finished and I...I won't last long against him. With Goku no longer with us, only Gohan has a chance of ever beating them. But he doesn't have the power. Not now."

Tien nodded in understanding. "I know what you're saying, Piccolo." He walked until he was by the Namekian's side. "I'll fight with you."

Piccolo glanced at him.

"I know I'll die. But...I can't run. Not after what they did to Chiaotzu and Yamcha," Tien said in a neutral voice. "I would rather die here by my friends' side then live and hide like a coward."

"Tien, you..." Krillin whispered.

17 clapped his hands. "Such poetic speeches. Worthy of a last stand. However, I plan not to let any of you leave here."

With that, he seemingly disappeared.

Piccolo's eyes widened in horror. "Tien, look out..."

The warning came a second too late. 17 was behind Tien and he ruthlessly impaled his hand through the man's heart, causing blood to spill everywhere.

Tien's eyes widened in shock as he looked down at his chest.

"TIEN!" Krillin screamed.

17 ruthlessly pulled his hand out, leaving Tien to bleed to death.

Tien fell to his knees and covered the wound with one of his hands. He stared at his own blood with dull interest and began to laugh humorless. "Hmm...I died without even laying a hand on them... Sorry Chiaotzu... I could do nothing to avenge you once again..." With those bitter words, he collapsed.

"Tien!" Gohan cried as he felt the last of Tien's life fade away. This couldn't be real!

"Huh, I killed him too fast," 17 said in a bored tone. "You are indeed fragile creatures, you humans. To think, I was once one of you."

"You!" Krillin shouted in rage. Hot tears burn his eyes at seeing his friend murdered.

"Run!" Piccolo screamed as he engaged 17 in battle.

The android smirked at the resistance Piccolo was bringing. "I underestimated you. You're stronger than my data told me. Let's see how long you can last."

Piccolo growled as he attempted to nail 17 with a Special Beam Cannon, which the android easily dodged.

"No, Piccolo!" Gohan screamed as Krillin grabbed him.

"We have to go, Gohan!" Krillin yelled as he took off with Gohan in toll.

Piccolo glanced at his student and friend for the final time. "Live, Gohan. You are this world's guardian now."

"No, we can't leave him!" Gohan cried, trying to break Krillin's grip as he watched his mentor disappeared in the horizon. "Piccolo...he'll be killed!"

Krillin growled in frustration and sadness. "Don't you think I know that!?" Tears left his eyes. "But what Piccolo said is true. No matter what, you have to live Gohan. You have to live so you can beat those monsters. Everything will be lost if you die here!"

Gohan felt hot tears run down his eyes. "But I can't beat them! I'm not Piccolo or daddy!"

Krillin glanced at the young boy. He gave him a tender smile through his tears. "Believe it or not Gohan, you do have the power. I've seen it myself when you fought Vegeta and Frieza. If you train to harness that power, you can surpass all of us. Even Goku."

"But..." Gohan started.

He was interrupted when a giant blast of wind nearly knocked them out of the sky. Gohan looked back to see that a large explosion had engulfed the area where Vegeta and Piccolo were fighting. The aftershock alone nearly leveled what was left of the city.

Krillin gasped. "Vegeta..."

Gohan felt it too. "No...it can't be..."

Krillin felt tears run down his eyes. "Vegeta's dead..."

Gohan felt a cold chill run through his body.

All his friends were being killed. Even the strongest of them were being cut down like they were nothing. It was like the Saiyan Invasion all over again, except this time, they wouldn't be any last minute rescue. His father wasn't here to save them. Even in his worst nightmares, he never dreamed anyone or anything could surpass Frieza. Now, they were facing creatures that not even a Super Saiyan could beat.

Dammit all!

If his father was alive, he could have done something. He could have found a way to beat these monsters and end this nightmare.

But...his dad couldn't have been that much stronger than Vegeta and he got killed so easily. Perhaps...if Vegeta and his dad had worked together they could had taken down at least one of the androids.

He shook his head, washing away those hopeful thoughts. His dad was dead along with Vegeta, and Piccolo was all but dead. Only Krillin and him were left.

Krillin suddenly grabbed him. "She's coming!"

Without another warning, he threw Gohan into the remains of a nearby building. Gohan landed hard, getting the wind knocked out of him and his ears were ringing from the impact. He barely figured out what had happened before he looked up and saw Android 18. She was hovering a few feet in front of Krillin, who was trembling in fear.

"Well, well, where do you think you're running off to?" 18 asked as if she was scolding a naughty child.

Krillin didn't answer. He just stared at her with determination despite his fear.

"Hmm, not too talkative, are we? You're nothing like Vegeta," 18 said as she floated closer to the smaller man. "By the way, what happened to your young friend? Did he fly away and abandon you?"

Krillin still remained silent.

"Well, I find it unlikely that he ran. He does have the blood of Son Goku running through him," 18 mused. "So, that must mean that you're hiding him. If you tell me where, I promise to kill you quickly."

Krillin growled. "I won't tell you a thing, you heartless witch."

"Well, that's rude," 18 said as she brushed some of her hair out of her eyes. "You deserved to be punished."

Krillin sneered as 18 got ever closer. Before she could make a move, he formed an energy disc in his hand.

18's eyes widened in surprise. "What!?"

"Destructo Disk!" he screamed as he threw the disc as 18's head.

She barely had time to move before the disc clipped her shoulder, leaving large gashed.

18 screamed in pain as she grabbed her injured shoulder. "Why you..."

Krillin wasted no time cupping his hands together. "Kamehameha!"

He blasted 18 with his energy wave, engulfing her much like Vegeta's Big Bang attack. Krillin then summoned every ouch of his remaining energy and began to rapidly fire at the android.

Gohan could only stare on in shock.

Rarely had he seen Krillin act so aggressively. The other time he could remembered was when the Saibamen killed Yamcha.

He wanted to jump in and help, but something stalled his movement. Was it fear? He was deathly afraid, but that never stopped him from helping his friends before, minus him freezing against Nappa.

No, what was stopping him was that Krillin was sacrificing himself to protect him. The same with Piccolo, who life energy was dropping by the second. Both of them were dying for him. If he came out now, everything they done would have been for nothing. No mattered how much it hurts, he couldn't waste their sacrifice. He wouldn't!

Krillin's scream broke Gohan out of his thoughts and he saw 18 had him by his neck.

"No..." he whispered.

"You caused me a lot of trouble," 18 sneered. Her eyes bored into Krillin. "To think a weakling like you could actually hurt me."

Krillin gagged for air, but despite the pain he gave a small, cocky smile. "Yeah...I did hurt you...didn't I. Something that even a Super Saiyan couldn't do..."

18 glared at him. "Yes, well take that small accomplishment to Hell." With that, she snapped Krillin's neck.

Gohan gasped and fought not to scream Krillin's name as he watched the life leave his eyes.

18 dropped the former monk's body to the ground like it was trash.

Hot tears flowed down his eyes as he watched his friend's body fell. "Krillin..."

At that same moment, he felt the last of Piccolo's energy disappear. His life force vanished as a loud rumble filled his ears and the earth shook.

Kami seized in pain as he felt his evil counterpart fade from the world.

It was just like last time, except much darker. Unlike before, he saw no light of hope, no salvation. Even if young Gohan survived, it would be years before he would have the power to face the androids. In that time, the world would be decimated, bled to death by those monsters. It wouldn't be a quick end like it would have been under the Saiyans.

Was this the way the world ended? Not from a threat from without, but from within? Was everything they fought for and sacrificed all in vain? It all seemed like a cruel joke.

"Kami!" Popo cried as he watched his master fade.

"I'm sorry...Mr. Popo," Kami stuttered as his body dissipated. "It was...just as I feared... Piccolo couldn't beat them and...he died once again protecting that boy. Truly...he's far better than I...could ever be... He died twice trying to save this world while I...the guardian of this planet...could only watch..."

"Kami!" Mr. Popo screamed in tears.

He shook his head. "There...will be no...second chance for us, old friend... This is truly when my life ends...along with the Dragon Balls... Forgive me for not being stronger..."

"Please, Kami, just hold on!" Mr. Popo cried desperately.

Kami laughed humorlessly. "Goku...it appears that...I'll be seeing you...sooner than I...expected... I'm...so sorry... If I had known this would happened...I would had gladly died in you place..." He coughed as he last breath approached. "Gohan...it's...selfish of me to ask...but please...save our world... You...have the blood of a hero... I know...you can do it...just as Piccolo knew... This...is the only thing...I can ask...for the world...we loved..."

With those words, Kami disappeared from the mortal realm.

"KAMI!" Mr. Popo screamed, his yells echoing across the heavens.

Gohan was opening sobbing as broken glass fall on him from the explosion.

Piccolo was gone. He was truly alone. Yamcha, Chiaotzu, Tien, Vegeta, Krillin, Piccolo. They were all dead. Cut down by those mechanical demons like they were paper.

Raged filled his heart and he wanted to scream. But he held his tongue. He couldn't give himself away. No matter how much he wanted to avenge for his friends, he would just die if he challenged the androids now. If he died here, what Krillin and Piccolo done would be for nothing.

He hated it!

He hated feeling weak! He hated watching and feelings his friends die! He hated letting the androids get away with murder! He hated it!

HE HATED IT!

"I see you had some fun, 18," 17 said as he flew by his sister's side. He glanced down at Krillin's body. "A broken neck, huh? He must have really pissed you off."

18 rubbed her shoulder. "That little bastard actually managed to wound me."

17 chuckled. "That's what happens when you drop your guard."

18 side-eyed her brother.

"Did we get all of them?" 17 asked nonchalantly.

18 shook her head. "No, the boy, Son Gohan, escaped. I think that bastard hid him before I came."

"Well, we could've found out by using that bald-headed man, if you didn't kill him, 18," 17 pointed out. "I'm sure we could have had the boy running to us if we tortured him."

Gohan growled and fought to keep his power down.

18 sneered. "No matter. We can just destroy the entire city and smoke him out."

"Don't bother," 17 said dismissively. "He's just a kid. Killing him now would be no fun. Besides, those people put so much faith in him, like he was some kind of savior that I'm curious to see what he'll become. Who knows, he could give us a better challenge than Vegeta."

18 brushed her hair. "That's not saying much. Vegeta was strong, but I didn't even use half my power to beat him."

"Still, we should keep our options open. Other than Gohan, there isn't anyone else on this planet that can possibly challenged us," 17 said before he crossed his arms. "It really is ashamed that Goku died before we got the chance to meet him. He would have been the most interesting challenge of all. I guess we just have to settle on his son."

"Whatever," 18 said, quickly getting bored. "Let's get back to the lab. I need to change my clothes after Vegeta and that bald-headed bastard ruined my outfit."

"Sure. There's nothing left to do here anyway," 17 said as they both flew off.

Gohan didn't move for several minutes, making sure that they were truly gone. Once he was certain that it was safe, he picked himself out of the ruin building.

As he walked, he saw Krillin, lying on his back, his neck bent in an unnatural angle. His eyes were wide, showing that he had died almost instantly.

He leaned down over his fallen friend and gently closed his eyes. "Krillin... Thank you... I swear it won't be in vain."

Tears ran down his eyes and hit Krillin's face, making it looked like he was also crying.

Gohan began his flight towards were the others had fallen. After a few minutes, he found the resting place of his friends. He couldn't find Vegeta. Given the explosion that followed before his energy disappeared it was likely that his body was destroyed.

He gritted his teeth at the thought. Bulma wouldn't even have a body to bury.

At the thought of Bulma, Gohan jolted.

Trunks!

He now had to grow up without his father. Worse, he wouldn't even remember Vegeta given that he was just a baby. Vegeta may not have been the best father in the world, but it wasn't fair to Trunks that this happened. Every child should grow up with their fathers.

As his eyes scanned the area, his sights fell onto Piccolo. He was lying face down in the broken street. His clothes were badly torn and his blood was everywhere. His limbs were also bent and shattered, showing that 17 had tortured his mentor before given him the killing blow.

Gohan landed next to Piccolo and placed a hand on his shoulder. He was still warm, but was rapidly cooling.

"Piccolo..." Gohan whispered as he stared into his still face. Despite how broken his body was, Piccolo looked almost at peace. "...Piccolo..."

He felt his rage returned. This time, he didn't bother to contain or control it. With Piccolo's death, Kami was also gone along with the Dragon Balls. There would be no wishing anyone back. They were gone. Forever! Gone because of the madness of one man.

"Gero..." Gohan seethed in hatred.

He hoped that man was burning in Hell for what he's done. Whatever death those androids dealt to their creator was too good for him. He deserved a slow, painful death. He deserved to hurt as much as his friends hurt in their final moments.

To hurt as much as he was hurting now!

His rage increased and he could feel it overtake all his senses and spread through his veins like wildfire. It was almost painful, but it was a welcomed pain. His friends demanded vengeance and he would give it to them. Even if it took a lifetime, he would repay the android for what they did!

He could feel his anger being turned into power and the air shimmered around him like a heat wave. It soon became too much and Gohan released a beastly roar that echoed across the ruined city. In an explosion of gold, he transformed.

It took Gohan several seconds to realize what had happened. He looked down at his hands and saw that he too had become a warrior of legend. He was a Super Saiyan.

A part of him was shell-shocked. How did he get this power? Surely, he couldn't be as worthy as his father or even Vegeta. They were both devoted warriors while he was just a crybaby. He couldn't be a Super Saiyan.

Nonetheless, he was one. He was a warrior awakened by rage.

Gohan looked back down at his mentor and felt hot tears return to his eyes. Piccolo would've been proud of him along with his father. He had become everything that they'd hoped for. He would trade all of this power to have them back. To go back to the way things were just a year ago.

"Piccolo... Daddy..." Gohan whispered as he cried onto his mentor's body.

He cried himself into exhaustion as the smell of death assaulted his senses.

You know, despite knowing I had to kill everyone, this was a freaking hard chapter to write. Sheesh, poor Gohan and things will only be getting worse for him. Well, until next chapter.