A Familiar Threat In An Unfamiliar Time

Another few months passed by. It was now a rainy day. Trunks and Android 16 had decided to train by the ocean to enhance intensity, given the harsh crashing waves. Bulma was home alone in the living room, cleaning and listening to the radio, when a report caught her attention.

Reporter: "We interrupt this normal broadcast with breaking news…"

Bulma: "…Huh?"

Reporter: "A terrorist group is laying siege on our neighboring West City only some 75 miles away. The group contains only about four people, all whose methods greatly resemble that of the Androids. Their onslaught has left more than half of West City in destruction. We are currently unsure of exact numbers, but the death toll is believed to be over 9,000 and rising…"

Bulma: "Oh no, not again!"

Reporter: "There is no information to suggest these monsters may be heading to South City, but residents are advised to stay indoors."

Bulma: "I have to tell Trunks and 16!"

Bulma scrambled looking for her Z-Gear, a phone-like device developed by Bulma, in order to contact Trunks who always carried one as well.

Bulma: "C'mon… Pick up, Trunks…"

Trunks didn't answer because he had left his Z-Gear in his jacket pocket, which was now tossed to the side for his training.

Bulma: "Dammit! I guess I'm going to have to go out myself…"

Bulma continued into the underground garage and into her car. She knew that Trunks and 16 would be training at the beach, so she began to head there. As she was driving, however, her car was blasted to the side of the road…

Bulma: "Ah… What the…?"

?: "Where do you think you're goin', darlin'?"

Bulma: "Who…?"

?: "Where is he?"

Bulma: "Wh… Where is who?"

The mysterious man's voice let out a chuckle.

?: "Wrong answer, lady."

Bulma: "What're you doing? Stop! St-…"

Before she could even cry for help, Bulma went unconscious. A few hours passed and the storm was starting to clear, allowing for the sun to emerge in the evening. Trunks and 16 returned home.

Trunks: "Mom? You home?"

The two searched.

Android 16: "The car isn't in the garage… She probably just went out."

Trunks: "Yeah… Hey, you thirsty?"

16 responded while walking outside to the front of the house.

Android 16: "Parched… The salt water in the air really dehydrates y… Oh my God! Trunks! Come quick!"

Trunks dropped his open can of soda and dashed outside to 16.

Trunks: "What? What is it?"

Android 16: "There!"

Trunks immediately noticed the capsized vehicle and his mother laid out on the street floor.

Trunks: "Mom!"

Trunks flew as fast as he could to where his mother lay on the ground, and 16 followed suit. Upon arriving, they checked to see if she was still alive.

Trunks: "Mom?! Oh, please don't be dead!"

Android 16: "She's not. I can sense her heartbeat and breathing patterns. She needs medical attention immediately."

Trunks: "Don't worry, mom… You'll be okay!"

Trunks and 16 evacuated Bulma's incoherent body from the scene of the rubble, and brought her home. Trunks, having learned much from watching his mother perform medical procedures on both Gohan and himself, helped nurse his mother back to help.

The sun was low, preparing to set, when Bulma awoke.

Bulma: "Wh-Where am I?"

Sitting at her bedside upon her waking up, Trunks responded with a huge hug.

Trunks: "Mom, you're awake! Thank God! I was so scared!"

Android 16: "I'm glad to see you awake, Bulma. What happened?"

Bulma: "I'm… Not exactly sure… I heard a news report on the radio about a group of terrorists destroying West City. They said they were like the androids."

Trunks: "WHAT?!"

Android 16 took to an angry look, and began looking down at the floor with his arms crossed.

Trunks: "Androids? We got rid of them!"

Bulma: "Whoever they were, they asked for 'him…' I told them I didn't know who 'he' was… Next thing I knew, I woke up here."

16 broke his silence.

Android 16: "Tell me, what did this person look like?"

Bulma: "I couldn't really see him. It was dark and rainy… But he had a southern accent."

Trunks: "Android… Southern accent… It couldn't be…"

Android 16: "13."

Trunks: "Of course! How could I forget about him?! I'm so stupid!"

Bulma: "Who's '13?'"

Android 16: "Android 13. Dr. Gero made 17 and 18 with the hopes they'd achieve world domination by May 23, A790. Today, at 1:30PM, Androids 13, 14, 15 and I were to be activated automatically. Android 13 was to fuse with me, 14, 15, 17, and 18, to become a Super Android. Androids can't sense other Androids, but they can sense Cyborgs, which is what 17 and 18 technically were. 13 has probably realized that 17 and 18 aren't around, so now he's looking for me."

Trunks: "I remember fighting with 13 when I was in the past. He was no joke then, but I think we can take him now."

Android looked concerned.

Android 16: "We can't. Soon, he will be fusing with 14 and 15, and he will become too powerful for us to take on alone."

Trunks: "Well we have to at least try 16!"

Android 16: "We can get help…"

Trunks and Bulma both looked astonished.

Bulma: "From who? The earthlings can't possibly be of any use, and everyone else is dead."

Android 16: "True, but sometimes you have to go where your enemies came from to find new allies. The Androids 17 and 18 this world knew were made into Cyborgs using the clones of two humans, not their actual bodies. The real 17 and 18 are far underneath the mountains in which Dr. Gero's facility was. They are not hostile, and in fact very proud of their belief in peace and justice. They tried to demonstrate that stance to Dr. Gero, but he managed to seal them away…"

Trunks looked immediately concerned at the thought of having 17 and 18 help them.

Trunks: "No! Those monsters made my life a living Hell! I don't care if they are more peaceful than the others, they're still tainted!"

Android 16: "We don't have much of a choice, Trunks! We have an 80% mortality probability against Super 13, do you know what that means?! He could destroy us both in one shot!"

Trunks: "Forget your bullshit probabilities for once, life is a probability to you!"

Bulma quickly arose, sprained and bruised and all, to break up the argument between Trunks and 16.

Bulma: "Stop it, you two! Do you really think this will solve anything?! All of my friends argued just like this about how to take on the androids 20 years ago, and looked how well that turned out for them!"

Trunks and Android 16 immediately withdrew themselves, and apologized to both each other and Bulma.

Trunks: "I'm sorry guys, I just can't help myself when I think about the Androids."

Android: "I'm sorry, too. I might not be a Cyborg, but I can definitely feel something when I think about 13. Humans might call it fear."

Bulma: "Listen to me, Trunks… I understand the Androids have done some pretty terrible things in your life, but you have to trust 16. What if 16 is right and you go head-first into a slaughter? Who will protect the Earth then?"

Trunks: "I don't much like it, but I'll set aside my hostilities for the good of the planet Earth and its people."

Bulma: "That's the spirit! You two go ahead and find the help you need, I'll be fine by myself."

Android 16: "Seeing as how 13 can sense my presence within 20 miles, it's probably best we leave you alone anyway, Bulma. For your safety."

Trunks: "Agreed… C'mon, 16. Let's go. We'll be back as soon as we can, mom."

Bulma: "Stay safe you guys!"

With that, Trunks and Android 16 set off to Dr. Gero's lab yet again, this time to make friends with possibly one of the fiercest foes to date. The two travelled for less than an hour before they arrived at their destination. The sun was setting. Android 16 led the way.