Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the original Dragonball Z characters, all credit goes to Akira Toriyama

Broken Thunder

Introduction

You know, despite all the things that had happened to us. All the things we had been through. Raditz, Vegeta, the whole Namek situation, I never really thought anything like this could have happened. It's been ten years since they first appeared. The world now is but an empty shell of its former self. Almost every major city on the planet has been wiped out by them, these days only a handful remains standing, and it's my job to keep it that way.

Chapter I: Bunkers of West City

Every week I pass by all the cities that have underground bunkers. The underground bunkers were originally built for government officials but since few of them were able to escape in time before the androids attacked, the bunkers were eventually found and used by survivors. Every week I bring food and medical supplies to each bunker, this is an assignment that the remaining government officials and myself conjured up. It really is the least that I could do. Believe it or not I'm actually well known throughout what's left of the world. Word spread quickly of my "heroics" I've been called a hero so many times, it the word sickens me. I don't deserve that name, I wasn't able to stop them that day all those years ago, and I still can't stop them today, but I can't quit, I won't quit, I'll keep going until they're both dead, or until I am.

The last couple of weeks, the androids have been quite active. Just the other day they stumbled across the bunkers in Cherry Town and wiped all of them out. I try not to think about it, I hate not being able to be everywhere at once, but it's something I've had to live with. Well with the androids recent activity I have to be on guard. Delivering the supplies to the bunkers is dyer; hundreds of people depend on it.

I typically fly about four fifths of the way there, and walk the rest so the androids can't follow me into the city. The bunker in West City is one of the biggest bunkers around; there's about two hundred people in there give or take. When delivering the supplies I usually take a walk around to see how things are holding up, see if I can lend a hand at all.

The entrance to the bunker is in the basement of what used to be the city hall. The door these days is being hidden by a tipped over bookcase covered with burnt books

(Gohan knocks 3 times on the door)

They never answer to knocking, why do I do it I still don't know.

"Fred, it's Gohan I've got the supplies open up."

No answer still, wonder if anything can be wrong.

"Fred? It's Gohan; I've got the supplies."

Still there's another long pause.

" Hey are you in there? Hmm.. or are you too busy looking down at those dirty magazines."

There's about a two second pause until I hear a faint chuckle as he starts unlocking the door, which sounds like a bunch of metal sounds that resemble ticking clocks and pots clanging.

"You had me for a second there Gohan, I wasn't sure if it was you?"

This is Fred, he's been the doorman of this bunker for about six years, and he's just your typical middle-aged man. He has dark hair with a gray line settling in on the sides, with a long lengthy beard that could use a trim. You could tell he was a bit of a plump man before the androids attacked, cause now all that skin that used to be fat just sags behind all the scars and dirt. I'm not sure what he used to do before it all happened, he tends not to talk about it, and I don't ask.

"What do you mean Fred, of course it's me." I say as I step into the doorway and place the supplies onto the ground.

"I know, but didn't you hear about Gerry Town?" Fred locks the door.

"Don't tell me they got in there."

" I'm afraid so. And they've been hearing about you too. The work you do, bring us supplies and all."

"What'd you mean?"

"Well, when they found the bunkers in Gerry Town, they knocked on the doors, claimed to be you, said they had fresh supplies for everyone. And when the doorman opened, they rampaged through and killed everyone."

"Dear god.."

"Yeah, pretty messed up if you ask me. So now we have to be even more careful. But at least now the bunkers are starting to come up with emergency plans. The bunker leaders are coming up with secondary escape routes, just incase the androids some how get in so we're not all trapped.

"It's about time I've been telling them about that for years."

"I know I know, well you best be going on in, there's a good number of people who need those supplies."

"Alright man, you take care, and don't waste all your time eyeballing' those paper women"

Fred gives a grandfatherly chuckle as I start to walk away. I then reach in the food sack and take out a loaf of bread.

"Hey Fred, catch!" I toss it to him, but his reflexes don't quite catch up as it hits him on his head.

"Ow, haha thanks Gohan. See ya when you head out."

Making my way down the small tunnel, the main bunker begins to emerge. I don't know exactly what those government officials built this for, but it must have been for something big. The overall area of the bunker seems to take up about two city blocks, there's a good amount of activity in here, resembles scenes of a flea market. Sleeping quarters are spread throughout the sides, in them there can be up to a dozen people. Those not wanting to feel confined to small sleeping quarters camp out and sleep on the bunker streets in tents. There's actually a military squadron down here as well, they tend to patrol around keep order. It's good for the people to see some form of order, even though they wouldn't do much good if the androids came. Walking to the very end, I make it to the bunker center where the leaders reside to distribute the food and supplies.

"Hello? Sgt. Yamu? Are you there?" There's some rattling coming from the back room as a light flickers on and the Sergeant stumbles out quickly throwing on whatever garments he could find.

"Gohan! Ah here with the supplies already? Has it been a week?"

"Yeah Sarge, time goes by pretty fast."

"You're telling me, we're just all really busy with these new plans. Did you hear what happened in Gerry Town?"

"Yeah Fred told me, it's terrible."

"Goddamn right it's terrible, those metallic bastards, if I had any chance against them I would teach em a lesson about…ah man, I gotta keep it down, everyone else sleeping in there. It was a long night."

"Yeah I can imagine. Well umm here you go, these two bags here have all the medical things, bandages, insulin the works. And these 5… whoa big bags are the food, and I have five more outside the door."

"Great, thanks a lot Gohan, is there anything you need?"

"Actually do you know where I can find Mai and Sonny?"

"Yup, they're where they always are, at the picture house."

"Thanks Sarg, you're the best."

The Sarg, I've known him for about five years. He's actually a young guy, just about 8 years older than me. I think he was just promoted when it all happened. He's a pretty good guy, probably the only bunker leader that I really get along with. The rest of them usually scold at me, and give me the silent treatment unless they really need something from me. The Sarg and I can talk for hours, sometimes about the silliest of things. A lot of the time he reminds me of Krillin, the things he'd say and the way he'd say them. I've even caught myself calling him Krillin once or twice. He really is the closest thing that I have to a brother right now.

Mai and Sonny. They rank in with the few friends I have left. Sonny is an old man whose skin is as wrinkled as withered up raisin. He used to be the projector man for the old movie theaters in downtown West City. Somehow someway they found an old projector. And believe it or not, it still worked. Every so often he'd sneak out of the bunker and head back to the ruins of the theater to see if he can find some old reels. I can't quite understand it, and old man risking his life out for movies. But he just has that great a love for film, so does his granddaughter, Mai. The two of them have quite the knowledge for film, and it can come in handy in a place like this. Usually around the campfire, Mai would retell a movie to a group of youngsters as a story and even better every so often Sonny actually finds all the reels for a movie and plays them for everyone. It keeps moral up and does everybody some good.

I get to the picture house and give a knock on the door panel

"Anyone here?"

"Gohan! Hey how've you been!?

"Mai! Hey, I've been doing good."

"How come you didn't come see us last couple weeks, what's wrong, we're not top priority anymore?"

"Uh.. I uh.."

"Oh I'm just screwing around Gohan, don't get so bent out of shape. Ohh ooo oh wait, just wait right here!"

She scrambles to the back and dives into a box of movie reels.

"Look what I've got!"

"Uhh… wow! Yeah.. what is it?"

"It's Calgulon 3: Bantra's Revenge!"

"… Oh ..Wow"

"You dummy! (smacks Gohan on the head with the reel)"

"OWWW heeeey OWWW "

"Don't you know anything about movies!? This movie revolutionized monster movies! This was the first time a film used the Zen lighting technique."

"The Zen lighting techniqu..?(Mai hits him again) OWWWW can ya quit doing that! ah man look at the size of this lump owwww."

"Well I'd wish you'd read up more on movies but.." Luckily for me at that moment Sonny walked out of his room.

"Grandpa! You're up!" she drops the reel and rushes to give him a hug.

"Good morning Mai! Gohan! It's such a pleasant surprise to see you here! Must be Tuesday already. My oh my time certainly does go by quickly." Sonny is in worse shape than I recall. His voice sounds as frail and withered as his wrinkles, and now it seems he's reduced to a cane.

"Sonny! It's great to see you!" I give him a big hug, but make sure not to hug him too hard.

"Yeah grandpa, he finally decided to swing on by to check up on us! To make sure we weren't causing an ol romp."

"Well your company is always welcomed here Gohan. Welcome once again to our humble sanctuary. Would you like to sit down and rest? It must have been a very long journey."

"It has Sonny but I still have three other bunkers I have to deliver supplies to."

"Oh come now you can stay for just a spot food can't you?"

"Now Mai, he has a lot to do, we mustn't keep him."

"Well.. I'm sure I can stay just for a little bit, besides there's no way I can turn down food."

Mai head's to the fire and begins cooking up some stew for the three of us, as Sonny and I begin chatting about events that have filled our days. It's moments like these that give me the strength to do what I must everyday, people like these.

Next Chapter:

Chapter II: Battle At Capsule Corp.