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Chapter 10: Dark New World

Gohan sighed in exhaustion as he finished his training set. He's been training for over twenty-four hours and he was dead tired. All he wanted to do was eat a home-cooked meal and climb into bed for the rest of the day.

Such luxuries, however, weren't possible since he was currently in the middle of a forest, thousands of miles away from home and he had no plans of returning any time soon.

Since the battle with the androids nearly eight years ago he hasn't been home. After the funeral for his fallen friends, he left home vowing to never to return until the day he beat the androids. If he couldn't do that after all his friends gave, he didn't deserve the comforts of home.

He knew his mother was devastated by his decision, especially only months after his dad passed, but it was for the best. If he were to die in battle, it would be easier for his mother to accept since she didn't see him. She could have a formed of denial.

Still, despite his best attempts to isolate himself, he dropped letters and cards when he could, especially on her birthday and holidays. As hard as he tried, he couldn't completely cut himself off from his old life. It was a weakness that Piccolo would scoff at him for.

He walked a little ways to a nearby stream and washed the sweat and grim from his skin, wincing slightly when the water caused some of his wounds to sting.

His training has been going well. Without the distractions of life he had grown much stronger. He could fully control his Super Saiyan state and knew he was much stronger than Vegeta upon his death.

He also knew, however, that wasn't enough. He had to become much stronger than Vegeta ever was if he wanted to stand a chance against the androids. Fighting one of them was a challenged, but when they combined their strength they would easily overwhelmed him.

It didn't help that he didn't know exactly how strong the androids were. Since they didn't have any energy that he could actually sensed, he couldn't properly measure himself against them. All he knew was what 18 said after she murdered Krillin. That it didn't take half of her strength to beat Vegeta. So, at the minimum, he had to become over twice as strong as Vegeta at his peak.

There was also the issue of their unlimited energy. Having the power to fight them was one thing, but he had to overwhelm them to ensure victory. A long drawn-out battle would only worked in their favor, no matter how hard he tried to raise his endurance. Which was why he trained to raise his overall power instead of worrying about power consumption.

He cursed under his breath as the water dripped from his face. What he wouldn't give to have the others with him. Even if they couldn't match the androids, it would be nice to have a sparring partner.

Over the years, he learned that training by himself wasn't a very effective method to raise ones' strength. He now understood how his father was able to stay one-step ahead of Vegeta despite the older man's insane training regiment. His father fought other people and sharpened his overall battle skills, not just his raw strength. This was especially apparent when he sparred with Piccolo who always forced his father to stay on his toes even through he was stronger.

Without someone to practice with he knew that his fighting instincts and intelligence weren't as sharp as they were when Piccolo and his father were alive.

He truly regretted not training more with them. Like Piccolo warned him so long ago, he grew depended on his father to take care of things. As long as his dad was around, he didn't need to train as hard or work on sharpening his instincts.

Now, it was too late.

He was on his own in a world that was being tortured to death by the androids. Although the countryside where he stood remained untouched by their hands, the rest of the world wasn't so lucky.

Almost all the major cities were reduced to rubble, leaving only the small towns for the androids to hunt. When pickings were low, the androids would disappear, some times for months. During these calms, people tried to rebuild and resumed some symbolic of a normal life. Then, the androids would return and it started all over again.

Since the androids, as far as he could tell, were ageless, this continuous the cycle of false hope and destruction would go on forever.

Neither android seemed interested in conquest or leaving the world to find new challenges. No, they took delight in slowly torturing people like it was a game. One event he remembered clearly was Android 17 stealing a trunk and using it to run over people, while 18 shopped at a nearby mega mall.

They would keep the human population alive so they could continue to kill. That was what the human race was reduced to, play things to a pair of monsters.

Thanks to the androids, they turned the once beautiful Earth into hell.

Gohan slammed his fists into the stream as his anger rose. He could feel his power surged as his eyes turned blue.

He wanted to act.

He wanted to fight those monsters and put an end to this living nightmare, but he was too weak. He hated himself for letting so many people die. He tried to helped when he could by either looking for survivors, saving victims of the androids during an attack, or even burying the dead.

None of these things were enough. Until the androids were destroyed, all he was doing was forcing people to continued to live in hell. It was actually more merciful to let people die so they wouldn't suffer anymore. Hell, some people outright refused to have kids. It would be cruel to bring any child into this world.

He fought back tears as he finished washing himself. It would be dark soon and he needed to rest. He had another long day's worth of training to do and he couldn't train at his best if he was tired.

Soon, he would become strong enough and he would payback the androids. They would know the terror they inflicted on this world before they die. He would see to it.

Bulma cursed as she turned off the television. She didn't want to hear anymore. Another major city was destroyed.

This time it was North City. She supposed it was inevitable. The people of North City were all but asking for the androids to come.

After all the big cities were destroyed, most chose to rebuild small. West City was nothing like the metropolis it used to be. The tall buildings that once touched the sky were gone, replaced with small, practical warehouses were people worked and even lived. Some even lived underground in tunnels and bunkers, only going to surface to search for food.

Even the mighty Capsule Corp was forced to downsize. Several sections of her house were gone along with many of the gardens. Only the main part of the house with the company's logo remained. That along with the outside garden that held the monuments of her falling friends. Even if it killed her, she wouldn't abandon that part of the house.

North City was different. They wanted to return to its glory in defiant of the androids. They wanted to show the world that a pair of craze cyborgs wouldn't dictate their lives.

Bulma understood the gestured and admired them for it. At times, she wanted to do the same.

But, in this world, bravery wasn't a virtue. Not even three months after the city was declared rebuilt, the androids had come to knock it all down. Undoubtedly, they had waited for that moment. They delighted in building up hope only to knock it down, plunging the world back into despair.

She hated this!

She almost wished that the world were just destroyed and be done with it. Better to die all at once than the slow death the androids sentence the world to. If she knew this would happen, maybe they should have allowed Frieza to destroy them.

"Mom?"

Bulma turned around to see her eight years son staring at her. "Honey, what are you doing up?" She attempted to hide the anger and grief from her face.

Trunks stared silently at the television. "It's the androids, isn't it? They attacked another city."

She frowned at her son. "You were listening to the television."

"That and...I felt a lot of people die," Trunks answered in a low voice.

This caught Bulma off-guard. "You felt people die?"

Trunks nodded. "I...I just got this weird feeling. Like...I was feeling the life force of those people before they suddenly disappeared. I can't explain it."

Bulma was left stunned. It took the other warriors years to learned to sense energies.

No...that wasn't completely true. Vegeta had learned quickly. In fact, he only seen it used by the others before he copied it. Could it be that Vegeta's family has a natural talent for sensing powers?

"Mom...why are the androids doing this?" Trunks asked helplessly. "Why are they killing people? Why!?"

She walked up to him and hugged him tightly. "I don't know, Trunks."

She wondered if the androids were really human at one point. From the little that she had gathered about them, they were human based creatures. They were more like cyborgs than androids. So, they were born and had a human conscious at one point.

So, why were they so heartless? Did they remember what it was to be human? Was it something Gero did to them, or perhaps they were liked this already? So many unanswered questions.

Maybe it didn't mattered. Whatever humanity they had upon their birth was long gone. What was left were monsters in human skin enchanted by cybernetics.

"Why hasn't Gohan done anything?" Trunks asked in frustration. "We hear reports now and then about a gold fighter, but it has been months since we've heard anything."

"Gohan is off training. He's trying to become stronger so he can beat those androids," Bulma answered as she broke away from Trunks. "He can't fight them blindly. If he's killed, then there truly would be no hope for the world."

Trunks growled. "I wish...I wish I could fight with Gohan. Together…we could beat those monsters."

"Absolutely not!" Bulma yelled harshly while she shook him. "Those androids are murderers! They wouldn't think twice about killing a child like you!"

Trunks glared at his mom. "But it's okay to let someone else's child go out and fight!?"

The question hit Bulma like a slap to the face.

In all her years, she had never considered that. She forbid Trunks from fighting, yet she thought nothing of Gohan, whose mother hasn't seen him in years.

It was easy for her to see Gohan in danger. He was, after all, Goku's child. Goku was a man who lived for danger. Trunks, however, was her baby despite having Vegeta's genes. Maybe it was selfish and hypocritical, but she wasn't willing to lose him to the androids like she had lost Vegeta and Yamcha.

They died because she told them to fight, especially Vegeta. If she didn't guilt him to fight that day, he would still be alive and perhaps would mentor Gohan. Together, they could've done something. Gohan wouldn't be alone…. She wouldn't be alone.

"You...you'll understand once you're older," Bulma said. Although, she couldn't looked Trunks in the eye as she spoke those words.

Trunks pulled away from her and gave a defiant glare. Without another word, he ran out of the room.

She almost wanted to cry. He was her baby….but he was also Vegeta's child. Eventually, he would be called to the battlefield if the androids weren't destroyed. His Saiyan instincts were something that she couldn't control.

If only...if only Goku lived.

Even if he was only equal to Vegeta when he died, he still could have done something. Goku always seemed to know what to do. Even in the most hopeless situations, he always found a way to make things better. Much liked now, when the world was plunged into despair and lost all hope during King Piccolo's reigned, Goku had saved them.

She supposed that was what really made him a hero and they really needed one right now.

She wiped tears from her eyes as she thought of her dear friend. It didn't mattered how much she wished it. Goku was dead. Taking away before he could even look at the androids.

"Bulma, are you okay? You look especially blue today," the voice of her father said as he entered the room. Despite the state of the world, he somehow looked the same. As far as Bulma knew, that man could never become stressed.

Bulma glared at her dad. "You should know. North City is gone. Reduced to dust by the androids."

He nodded, not distressed at all. "Yeah, I heard it on the radio. On the bright side, several breakthroughs have been made from our technology and medical sections. It's actually quite amazing." He took out what appeared to be cooperation report. "There's talk of a new force field that could repel the androids' energy blasts or a self-cooking oven to help those who live in the tunnels. There's also..."

Bulma lost it and snatched the report out of her father's hands. "Who cares!? Our world is being destroyed by a pair of machines and all you care about is some stupid self-cooking oven and a treatment for toe-fungus!" She tore through the pages of the report, barely glancing at the words. "Why don't you guys do something useful like..."

She stopped when her eyes upon a particular page. Under normal circumstances she would had missed it. But given the stressed of the day and her thinking of Goku, it stood out like a neon sign.

She quickly scanned the report and felt her heart quickened as she read about how their medical doctors had finally found a cure to the heart virus that had killed millions over the last ten years. It was a medical revolution that would have been on every news channel and even called a medical miracle. But it was all but ignored because of the androids.

"Bulma..." her father asked timidly, knowing how unpredictable her mood-swings could be.

"They...they found a cure..." Bulma all but whispered.

"Cure?" he repeated.

"The virus that killed Goku. They actually found a cure for it," she said as she sat down, numb from the news.

Bulma's father smiled. "That's wonderful! That virus been running rampart for years. It was closed to being classified as an epidemic before this mess with the androids happened. They're still not sure how it spreads."

Bulma shook her head. "Can't you see, it's already come too late. The person who needed it the most is dead. If the cure had come sooner, Goku would still be alive and able to save us. And even if the people infected by the virus were cured, they would just be killed by the androids. In the end….it was all pointless."

Bulma's father was silence for several seconds. "That maybe so, but we must always look on the bright side. Being stuck in the past won't save anyone. You can't change the past, after all."

"Yeah..." Bulma repeated before her head suddenly shot up. "Or, maybe we can."

He gave her a baffled look. "Huh?"

"I just remembered something," Bulma went on. Her face became brighter. "You remember Dr. Omori?"

"Oh yes, that scientist that used to work for the government," Bulma father's said in thought. "If I recall the story correctly, him and his team were working on time displacement or something of that nature when a terrible accidence happened. Everyone but him was killed if I remember correctly." He rubbed his mustache in thought. "Now that you mention it, he's also the person who sold us that alien anti-gravity technology that we put into the hover cars. Well…wasn't that a while ago."

"It was time travel," Bulma corrected. "I remember Tights talking about it long ago. He continued his research because he wanted to save all the people who were killed in that accident. He even used a device that could manipulate time to save her."

"I think I remember something like that. I wonder if he ever succeeded," he wondered in thought.

Bulma rushed out of the room and grabbed her coat. "Well, I'm going to find out. I think I remember the island he lives on."

"You can't go out," her father said in concern. "The androids are active today."

"I doubt they would come way out here from the north," Bulma said dismissively. "Besides, if my theory is right, I may have found a way to save everyone."

Before Bulma's father could ask any further, she ran out of the house with her capsule case.

Gohan's head shot up when he saw flashes of light flying over him. In the world today, only two creatures other than himself could fly on their own power. The androids.

He cursed under his breath.

He was hoping that they would stay underground longer. It's only been a month since their last attack. He doubted they were going back to wherever they lived since that lay in the north somewhere and they were heading east.

He knew that he wasn't ready to fight them. If he confronted them now, he would undoubtedly lose. But if he did nothing, thousands of people would be killed.

Before his mind was even made, he took to the air. When it came to the lives and safety of others, he could never act rationally.

"Stop!" Gohan shouted as he flew towards them.

The two androids stopped in mid-flight and stared at the young teenager.

"Well, if it isn't our old friend, Son Gohan," 17 mused. "It has been awhile since we've seen you. We were afraid you were hiding from us."

Gohan stopped in front of the androids. "I would never hide from monsters like you."

18 chuckled. "I'm not sure whether to call you brave or stupid. The last time we fought, we easily beat you. Now, you want to try again. How many lives do you think you have?"

Gohan got into battle stance. "Only one, but that's all I need to defeat you."

17 smiled. "We'll see."

With that, the android charged him. Gohan easily dodged the sloppy bull rush and kicked 17 in the face.

If it was one thing he learned from his battles with the androids, neither one of them were trained fighters. Both depended on their raw strength, speed, and endless energy to beat their opponents. At their base, they were no different than street fighters. This gave Gohan the slight advantaged since he could see their openings and attack.

However, his training experience only got him so far. It only took a couple of hits from the androids to all but disable him and their quick reflexes made them nearly impossible to hit. Even when he did hit, his attacks never caused enough damage to slow them down.

As he concentrated on the fight with 17, he nearly missed 18 coming up behind him. She attempted to kick him, but he caught 18's leg and threw her into her brother. When they rammed into each other, he charged a Kamehameha and fired.

The blast wiped out the part of the forest they were floating over and rocked the earth.

Gohan kept his eyes opened for any movement. If a blast of that level could kill them, he would have destroyed them years ago.

Off the corner of his eye, he saw 17 coming in behind him. Just before he could counter, he was rammed in the gut by 18, knocking the wind out of him.

"Not bad, little man," 18 mocked with a sadistic smirk. "You've really ruined these clothes I just got."

She did a karate chop into Gohan's neck, sending him tumbling towards the ground. Gohan's misery wasn't over yet. 17 followed him down and punched him several times across his body.

Gohan groaned as he felt bones cracking and his blood spill from his aching body.

Despite the pain, he righting himself as he build energy into his hand. He fired, but 17 easily evaded the desperate attack and returned the favor with a blast of his own. Gohan was hit point-blank, slamming him into the ground.

Gohan coughed up blood and his vision wavered as he attempted to regain himself.

Even after all his training, he couldn't stand up to one of them. Fighting both of them at once was just impossible.

"Don't tell me you're done already," 17 said with a huge smirk on his face as he floated towards Gohan. "I was just starting to have fun."

Gohan growled as he put his hands over his head. "Masenko-HA!"

17's eyes widened in surprise. He obviously wasn't expecting Gohan to have this much energy left. Nonetheless, he managed to dodge the powerful energy wave.

"Looks like you still have some fight left in you," 17 mused as Gohan flew at him and rapidly punched at the android.

He didn't let up and continued to throw a series of punches and kicks at 17, knocking the android back. He finished his combo with a downward kick, sending 17 crashing into the ground.

Despite the damage, 17 easily got up and dusted himself. "Not bad. I almost felt that. You're doing much better than Piccolo, although that's not saying much."

Gohan sneered. He was going to make him pay for mocking his mentor.

Before he could act, however, 18 suddenly appeared behind him and viciously dug her foot into Gohan's spine.

He screamed in anguish as he collapsed on the ground.

"You held up better than the others, but you're still a weakling," 18 said as she charged up energy in her palm. "You can die now."

Before she could blast him, Gohan kicked her feet from under her, causing her aim to be thrown off. When she fired, she inadvertently targeted 17, who took the blast head on.

"No!" she screamed in horror as her brother collapsed.

Using this time, Gohan retreated into the forest and pushed his energy as low as it could go. He didn't know if the androids could sense energy, but he didn't want to chance it. As much as he wanted to continue to fight, he just couldn't win. He couldn't afford to die and leave the world completely at their mercy.

At least he did hurt one of them. 17 was going to be feeling that blast from his own sister.

He ran until he found a nearby cave to duck into. Thankfully, he memorized this forest like the back of his hand. There was no way the androids would find him on foot or by air.

"Damn him, where did he go!" 18 yelled as she floated over the forest.

"That little brat is going to pay for making fools of us," 17 said, losing his playful and cheerful demeanor.

18 charged her energy. "If we can't find him, we're blast him out."

Gohan retreated deeper into the cave as rain of energy blasts fell upon the forest. He felt the walls shake and rocks fall on his head, but he paid no mind to it. He continued to huddle in his hiding place until the shaking finally stopped.

Still, Gohan didn't move. The androids could easily be hiding themselves, waiting for him to blow his cover.

It wasn't until nearly thirty minutes had passed that he finally emerged from the cave. The androids were infamously known for their short-attention span. They could never stay in one place for more than a few minutes before becoming bored.

When Gohan got out of the cave, his heart stopped. The forest that he had spent months training in was devastated. All the trees were destroyed and he could smell the burnt flesh of animals.

He felt guilty. This place wouldn't have been touched by the androids if he didn't fight them. Now, this place that was once a sanctuary was gone.

"Damn them..." Gohan growled.

He had to become stronger. He wouldn't let the lives of the animals who lived here go to waste.

As he started to walk, Gohan felt his legs give under him. With the adrenaline of the battle gone, all the pain from his wounds hit him full force. He was certain that he had more than a few broken bones.

He checked his bag and cursed when he saw that he had no senzu beans left. It was pointless to go to Korin's Tower since that was destroyed years ago by the androids. Without Korin, there was precious few senzu bean left. The last five he left with Bulma.

Gohan lowered his head. He wanted to leave those five to Trunks, just in case he failed to stop the androids. However, he couldn't train with his body in this condition and it was too risky to let himself heal on his own without the proper medical care.

He sighed in defeat. He had no choice. Looks like he was heading to Capsule Corp.

This was an eventful chapter. The plot is moving and Gohan got his butt handed to him, poor guy. If you don't know who Omori is, I will tell you next chapter. Although, I think most Dragon Ball fans know who he is.